Lifted up for Us

Moses made a bronze snake and put it on the pole. If a snake had bitten anyone, if that person looked at the bronze snake, he lived. (Numbers 21:9)

When the people of Israel complained against God and against Moses that they despised the manna that God provided for them every day, God sent venomous snakes that bit the people, and many of them died. When the people confessed their sin and asked God to take away the snakes, God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Those who were bitten and looked at the snake were healed. They were healed, not because of anything special in the snake itself, but because of the promise that God attached to that specific bronze snake.

Our sins made us spiritually dead. They condemned us to an eternity in hell. They killed us. They poisoned us into thinking that everything is ok, we had nothing to worry about. And God gave a similar cure for our sins. But instead of a bronze snake, He lifted up his Son on a cross. There was nothing in the cross itself that gave us this spiritual healing, instead, the power was in the one who was lifted up on the cross, the Son of God who became fully human. He took on our flesh and blood so that he could die our death. He was lifted up so that we might look to him and find healing when sin attacks us once again. He was the one who brought with him eternal life. Jesus was the one who was lifted up on the cross for us. And by faith, we look to him for that healing as we confess our sins to him. Amen.

The song for today is “At the Cross (Love Ran Red)” by Chris Tomlin

Chris Tomlin - At The Cross (Love Ran Red) (Lyrics & Chords)