Wilderness Discipleship: Look to the Lifted One

You see, it doesn't make sense that we treat a person bitten by a serpent by its own venom. But antivenom works. On the cross, in the same way listen. On the cross, Jesus' death reverses the curse of death. He became like the antivenom of sin. God provided water and food and bread in the wilderness. Interesting, Jesus also provided bread and water. He he made bread for thousands of people twice. And the following day, when people are still looking for bread, he said, I am the bread of life. It's not the bread that I make. I am the bread of life. [00:55:41] (49 seconds)  #JesusBreadOfLife

Today, you will be with me in paradise. Friends, the cure for sin is today. It doesn't have to wait until tomorrow. It can be today. All you have to do is to look up to the cross and believe in Jesus. Why? Because we are all poisoned by the curse of sin. Just like the people in the wilderness. But Jesus offers his life as the cure, the antidote for sin. And the only thing you need to do is to look up and believe. There's no gimmick. There's no magic spells. No formula. [01:01:34] (33 seconds)  #LookToTheCross

See, the moment of humiliation becomes the moment of his coronation. The cross is his throne. Now, this may be confusing because in our human minds, Jesus was nothing but a victim. He was nailed to the cross, bleeding, is dying. But in the mind of Paul, the apostle, it's something else. There's something more going on and explains it in Colossians chapter two verse 13. He said, then God made you alive with Christ for he forgave all our sins. Well, good. What does it mean? [00:53:24] (33 seconds)  #CrossIsThrone

What he's saying is that on the cross, there's something spiritual going on. We have a debt to pay because of our sins, but Jesus nailed it there. Like, he's making a public announcement that you are forgiven on the cross. He said on this in this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. See, on the cross, it's not just Jesus, the victim, dying there. He's doing something else. There's a battle going on in the spiritual world. It's not defeat. It's actually victory. [00:54:05] (42 seconds)  #VictoryOnTheCross

For for an ordinary Jew looking at Jesus, they only see a false messiah, maybe a failed king or a dead hero. But in the spiritual realm, Jesus was fighting a war against unseen rulers, the powers and principalities that run the world. Remember the temptation of Jesus? The devil came to him, brought him to the top of the mountain. He said, if you just bow down to me, I'll give you everything that you see. You will be king instantly. That is the unseen world. [00:54:47] (34 seconds)  #UnseenSpiritualWar

The act of the priest taking a pitcher of water from the Pool Of Siloam towards the altar is an act of saying, God is the source of water. In the wilderness, the water came from the rock. God is our rock. That's why you will read a lot of times in the bible, God is rock. Rock, rock, rock. Why? He's the source of water. When Jesus said, come to me all who are thirsty, he's saying, I am the new rock. I am the real source of water and I am here to provide for you. In other words, he's claiming to be the spiritual living water. [00:57:27] (35 seconds)  #JesusLivingWater

He said, and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. Remember like the serpent that was raised, lifted up in the wilderness? When I'm lifted up from the earth, will draw people to myself. And he said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. There's only one way, one form of death that happened to him. He was talking about the crucifixion where a person will be nailed to a wood and the wood will be erased as crucifixion. It's public execution. [00:51:05] (39 seconds)  #LiftedUpDrawsAll

Because we get so hung up on this one thing, but not the whole thing. Listen. Jesus never promised paradise on earth. Jesus never guaranteed the American dream. As a matter of fact, he promised the opposite. John chapter 16 verse 33. Listen to this very carefully. He said, I've told you these things, he was talking to his disciples, so that in me you may have peace. And that's promised that peace. But he said, in this world, you will have blessings. [00:38:32] (38 seconds)  #PeaceAmidTrials

Friends, the cure for sin is today. It doesn't have to wait until tomorrow. It can be today. All you have to do is to look up to the cross and believe in Jesus. Why? Because we are all poisoned by the curse of sin. Just like the people in the wilderness. But Jesus offers his life as the cure, the antidote for sin. And the only thing you need to do is to look up and believe. There's no gimmick. There's no magic spells. No formula. [01:01:36] (31 seconds)

You see, when you read the bible, there's no confusion. It all points to Jesus on the cross. How do you go to heaven when what guarantees your life in the in the next life? Jesus guarantees it. See, the Israelites lived when they looked at the serpent. And as Jesus said, like me, I will be raised up. The thief lived when he looked at Jesus. Today, it's the same invitation. Look to Christ and live. The point of grace is the cross. We may see differently, but the truth is the cross is the power for salvation. That's where salvation begins. [01:03:00] (48 seconds)

You see, it doesn't make sense that we treat a person bitten by a serpent by its own venom. But antivenom works. On the cross, in the same way listen. On the cross, Jesus' death reverses the curse of death. He became like the antivenom of sin. God provided water and food and bread in the wilderness. Interesting, Jesus also provided bread and water. He he made bread for thousands of people twice. And the following day, when people are still looking for bread, he said, I am the bread of life. It's not the bread that I make. I am the bread of life. [00:55:41] (49 seconds)

See, the moment of humiliation becomes the moment of his coronation. The cross is his throne. Now, this may be confusing because in our human minds, Jesus was nothing but a victim. He was nailed to the cross, bleeding, is dying. But in the mind of Paul, the apostle, it's something else. There's something more going on and explains it in Colossians chapter two verse 13. He said, then God made you alive with Christ for he forgave all our sins. Well, good. What does it mean? [00:53:24] (33 seconds)

He said, he canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. What he's saying is that on the cross, there's something spiritual going on. We have a debt to pay because of our sins, but Jesus nailed it there. Like, he's making a public announcement that you are forgiven on the cross. He said on this in this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. [00:53:57] (34 seconds)

Even if you follow me in this world, you will have trouble. But, he said, take heart. I've overcome the world. I I think this is the greatest irony of our Christian faith is that a lot of people came to faith expecting heaven on earth without trials and temptations, without hardships. It's not true. Jesus said, in this world, you will have trouble. You have to reconcile with this truth. If not, you will struggle in faith. [00:39:17] (27 seconds)

And every time we hear the word blessing, we think of material blessings. Blessing does not always mean and only material blessings. And that's where we get in trouble, and then we end up regretting the fact that we became followers of Jesus. Because we get so hung up on this one thing, but not the whole thing. Listen. Jesus never promised paradise on earth. Jesus never guaranteed the American dream. As a matter of fact, he promised the opposite. [00:38:18] (34 seconds)

I'm not saying that when you go through trials, it's you you don't you cannot voice out your frustrations. I'm not saying that. In fact, I would encourage you to do so. When you go through trials and temptations, tell it to God. That's the only way we can go through it. You can voice out your frustrations, but to reject God and to complain is a different matter. That's called rebellion. [00:40:35] (28 seconds)