Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God, a warm welcome to each and every one of you. I am overjoyed to see your faces, beaming with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. We gather here today, not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters in Christ, unified under the banner of His love and grace.

Our focus today is drawn from the book of Numbers, chapter 21, verses 4 to 9. I invite you to open your Bibles and read along with me: "They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!' Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, 'We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.' So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, 'Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.' So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived."

This passage, dear friends, is a vivid portrayal of God's salvation plan. It is a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ would make on the cross for our sins. Today, we will meditate on three main points: Contemplating Christ's Cross, Considering Christ's Compassion, and Clinging to Christ's Crucifixion.

Contemplating Christ's Cross

When we think about the cross, we often picture it as a symbol, a piece of jewelry, or an image in a church. But the cross of Christ is so much more than that. It's a symbol of sacrifice, of love, and of redemption. It's a reminder of the price that was paid for our sins and the love that God has for us.

The cross is where our Savior, Jesus Christ, was crucified. He was nailed to it, he bled on it, and he died on it. But he didn't stay dead. He rose again, conquering death and sin once and for all. This is the power of the cross. It's not just a symbol, it's a reality. It's the reality of God's love for us and his willingness to go to great lengths to save us.

When we contemplate the cross, we're not just thinking about a piece of wood. We're thinking about the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the redemption that is available to us. We're thinking about the power of God to save, to heal, and to restore. We're thinking about the hope that we have in Christ, the peace that he offers, and the joy that he brings.

The cross is also a reminder of our sin. It's a reminder that we are not perfect, that we have fallen short of God's glory, and that we need a Savior. We can't save ourselves, that we can't earn our way to heaven, and that we can't make ourselves right with God. We need Jesus.

But the cross is also a reminder of our forgiveness. It's a reminder that Jesus took our sins upon himself, that he paid the price for our sins, and that he offers us forgiveness and eternal life. It's a reminder that we are loved, that we are valued, and that we are precious in God's sight.

When we contemplate the cross, we're not just thinking about the past. We're also thinking about the present and the future. We're thinking about the love that God has for us right now, the forgiveness that is available to us right now, and the hope that we have for the future. We're thinking about the promise of eternal life, the promise of a home in heaven, and the promise of a relationship with God.

The cross is not just a symbol. It's a reality. It's a reality of God's love, of Jesus' sacrifice, and of our redemption. It's a reality that we can experience, that we can know, and that we can live in. When we contemplate the cross, we're not just thinking about a piece of wood. We're thinking about the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the redemption that is available to us.

Considering Christ's Compassion

As we continue to ponder the depth of this passage from Numbers, we are drawn into the heart of God's compassion, as demonstrated in His response to the Israelites' plea ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO