LOOK UP TO JESUS

sermon 11. Look up to jesus
“So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!”─ Numbers 21:9. NLT.
Jesus Christ is the only way for salvation. If we could look up to him, we shall live.
The story about the Israelites wandering in the wilderness after the death of Aaron reveals man’s lack of gratitude to God. We see that Israelites complained of their tedious long journey to the Promised Land. They grew impatient and then tried to rebel against Moses and God. They no longer appreciate the manna─ the food that God provided for them, instead, they needed the food of the Egyptians. This is an inherent nature of man. People do not appreciate what is given to them. The Manna which God provided for them as food, was then considered horrible. In this case, they despised the miracle of God for bringing such food for them, and stopped looking for God for help. Instead, they needed to be slave and eat the good food in Egypt. This sudden lack of faith in them caused God to bring a poisonous snake to bite them to death. As they have seen many of them that have been bitten and died, they cried for repentance, asking Moses to pray for them so that God’s anger on them would be subsided.

1. God is full of mercy and compassion. He asked Moses to make a replica of the bronze snake that have bitten them so that anyone who is bitten by the poisonous snake, as he looks up to the bronze snake on the pole, he would be healed. This was what Moses did for the children of God and they were able to survive the deadly tumor of snake that would eliminate them all. The replica of the snake which is put on a pole in which anyone who looks up to it would be healed is Jesus Christ. As we look up to him today henceforth, we’ll be healed from every kind of sickness we’ve been suffering for long. Jesus Christ says─

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish but has internal life”─ John 3:14-15.

The moment we fail to look up to Jesus, is the moment we’re akin to sorrow and trouble. Perhaps there’re people that did not look up to the bronze snake on the pole and they died. Such are like people of today who refuse to look up to Jesus for salvation, they’ll as well perish. The scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will never perish.” The point of emphasis is faith. Those who would look up to Jesus, must have faith in him. They must believe that in him, there are healing and eternal life. 

Are you bitten by disease and troubles? In your life, do you feel as if everything is kicking against you and your family is about to stumble? What about your financial and educational status, do you feel that you are about to give up? Then, look up to Jesus right now. He is able to right the wrongs in your life. Believe in him now and consider your tears have been wiped out. Remember, those who were able to look at the bronze snake on the pole survived. And I speak to you right now that as long as you look up to Jesus, your past can no longer frustrate your life. By looking up to Christ, is to forge ahead for future transformation and eternity. Let us hope in him, and he will crush down all our ugly situations that have crippled us.