← Back to sermon library

sanctuary and strengthen you out of Zion may he remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice say law may he Grant you according to your heart's desire and fulfill all your purpose we will rejoice in your salvation and in the name of our God we will set up our banners may the Lord fulfill all your petitions now I know that the Lord saves his anointed he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord Our God they have bowed down and Fallen but we have risen and stand upright save Lord May the king answer us when we call amen for our first hymn we're going to sing Psalm 98 c as in Charlie in the Trinity psalter Hymnal 98 C please stand with me as we sing together [Music] foreign [Music] right now Brothers foreign [Music] maybe seated as we go to the Lord in prayer this morning we'll remember in particular the lindblad family in Kirkland Washington uh Pastor Donald he's been here numerous times as his son Stefan they co-pastor the church Trinity reform Baptist Church in Kirkland Washington uh Pastor Don lindblad's Elder son passed away suddenly yesterday at the age of 49 unexpectedly he's a Believer unmarried so we can Rejoice that he's in the presence of the Lord but we will remember the family as they grieve his loss gracious Father in heaven we thank you for this day we thank you that we have this opportunity to come together to gather as your people and to worship you we thank you that you have redeemed us out of the world that you and your Sovereign Grace have given us a heart to be here to be with your people where we would not by Nature have cut gathered with the people of God not by nature would we have worshiped the god of Heaven and Earth we were at enmity with you and going our own way the way of our father Adam but Christ in his Mercy has reached out and gathered a great multitude and there are many in this room that that are rejoicing this morning that their names are found written in the Lamb's Book of Life Lord we pray for those in our midst this morning that are not your children have not yet closed with Christ that are here out of Duty or obligation or curiosity but have no saving interest Lord we pray that you would be merciful this day and that today would be the day of salvation we pray that there would be rejoicing in heaven this day as we know there is when one sinner repents Lord we thank you that the gospel is going forward word all over the Earth this day we pray o God that it would go forth with power and anointing and conviction from every Pulpit where the gospel is truly preached we do pray that today you would gather a thousand new Souls into the kingdom of heaven Lord we rejoice in what you are doing this morning we pray in particular for pastors Lynn Blatt for Dawn and for Stefan for her families we pray oh God that you'll be merciful to them as they grieve the loss of son and brother Lord we pray that you would be merciful that congregation we thank you that that he knew the Lord and we thank that he's in your presence and we pray o God that their their grief would be tempered with rejoicing that he is in fact before the Lamb of God Before the Throne worshiping this day thank you for your mercy and your kindness thank you that we we do not grieve as the world Grieves because we have the hope of Heaven Lord we pray that you'd bless that church today cam Porter as he's down there taking the pulpit this morning bless him even now as he preaches Lord we pray that you would do that congregation good and in the midst of this this trial and this grief that you would draw them close together and bless that congregation we thank you Lord for bringing Rick and Karen here safely from from California we do pray for them that you would give them a wonderful time in these next few weeks while they're with us Lord we're praying for pastor Horace as he takes the pulpit this morning and over the next couple of Sundays we pray Lord that you would bless his ministry amongst us that you would cause us to be edified and encouraged and and better prepared to face the world that we live in Lord we thank you for the good that you have done this church and we pray for his church down in in what in California we pray that you bless them in in his absence encourage the the people there in La Mirada Trinity reform Baptist Church Lord do them good this day and continue to bless their Ministry and their Outreach in that part of the world Lord we pray today that you would bless your people that are suffering persecution in countries where the gospel is hated and the the Christians are hounded Lord we pray that you'd be merciful we know that this is the lot of your people because you have promised that in this world we will suffer persecution uh for the cause of Christ and Lord we pray that you would Grant your people strength and perseverance and protect them and Lord we pray that you would bring down evil governments evil regimes and evil religions that that persecute the Church of Jesus Christ we know that you have your purpose in all things and we pray o God that you would be gracious and build your church and purify your church and Lord continue that in this nation of Canada all across this country today where the gospel is being preached we pray that you would raise up more churches that are preaching soundly the word of God and we pray Lord that you would halt the mouths of those who are who are wolves in sheep's clothing standing in pulpits to to declare lies in your name God be merciful to us I pray you'd bring in about a new Awakening in the churches of Jesus Christ and on the streets of this country be gracious oh God we thank you for the good that you are doing and have done we pray that you would continue with us this morning we pray for those amongst us that are are suffering chronic illness we pray oh God that you'd be gracious and merciful to them I pray Lord that you'd give Wilma Faber much much grace and much wisdom in the in the future concerning potential surgery and Lord for others in our midst that are unable to be with us this morning we pray that you would comfort and encourage them as well please continue with us in worship as we honor and glorify your name May our worship be pleasing in your sight we ask this in Jesus name amen for our next team we'll turn to Psalm 126 b as in bravo 126 B in your Hymnal and stand again with me as we sing [Music] [Applause] praise God [Music] yes [Music] [Applause] please that's true [Music] foreign this is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] seated for our morning scripture reading we will turn to Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7 and we will read from verse 1 to verse 12. judge not that you be not judged for with what judgment you judge you will be judged and with the measure you use it will be measured back to you and why do you look at the spec in your brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye or how can you say to your brother let me remove the speck from your eye and look a plank is in your own eye hypocrite first remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye do not give what is Holy to the dogs nor cast your Pearls Before Swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you for everyone who asks receives and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks it will be open or what man is there among you who if his son asks for bread will give him a stone or if he asks for a fish will he give him a serpent if you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him therefore whatever you want men to do to you do also to them for this is the law and the prophets amen let's pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you that you are such a generous and benevolent God we thank you that we do not have to fear and tremble before you the way the heathens tremble before their gods of of thunder and earthquake and fire we know that you control all things and you are a God to be feared but we know that you love your people and you grant us many great gifts Lord have us help us to have the faith to believe that when we ask you will give us what is good for us thank you for your kindness continue with us in worship I pray in Jesus name amen for our last hymn we'll turn to 405 in the himmel 405 I love thy kingdom Lord and we will stand again as we sing [Music] years there's no precious [Applause] [Music] thank you [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] everybody foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] to the pulpit he's been a pastor for many many years at Trinity reform Baptist Church in La Mirada California and a good acquaintance and friend of Pastor Butler we thank you for coming and thank your congregation for sparing us I know you have several other pastors so you don't have the same situation as we have it is difficult at times to find a replacement for pastor Butler so he can take a break so this is a a tremendous blessing for him as well as for us thank you creatures usually end up looking but um I'm one of five Elders at our church I've been an elder there for 33 years and the most important thing is I've been a Christian for about 44 years and when the first time I preach at a church I normally like to give my testimony in under a minute just so you know that I'm a Christian I was raised to Roman Catholic I was a very strict Roman Catholic and according to the law of Rome I was blameless and then I left home and I was 21 and I adopted the ways of the world in the 60s and the 70s and I will not dignify those sins before you but I was lost and my brother Jim who is a year younger than I was began to witness to me and I kind of came to the point and said Jim if what you're saying is right I'm in big trouble when I die because I have all these sins my immorality my drunkenness those things are against me and so I went home to Karen we were not married we were living together and I said honey we need to start going to a Bible study and she was on board she says great let's go let's do it and the Lord saved us at a Presbyterian Church through the preaching of Jesus Christ because I knew I couldn't save myself and I knew my future of maybe doing all the things that were necessary according to the Ten Commandments I couldn't do so I had no hope in myself so I threw myself at the mercy of the Lord Jesus and he had mercy upon my wife and I and converted us and we went to a Reformed Baptist Church a very small Reformed Baptist Church for five years and then we've been at Trinity for 38 years we have two sons that believe they're 39-41 they married very well we have five grandkids we are very blessed we are very happy people and I'm glad to be here with you and trust that hopefully I will I'm not replacing your pastor I'm I'm the a guy comes in the eighth inning I'm a replacement pitcher I'm a relief pitcher so hopefully uh might be able to be of help and benefit to you and now for the ministry of the word of God for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life that is probably the most popular bible verse to believer as well as unbeliever which is John 3 16 but I just quoted I can remember before I was a Christian sporting events in the 70s had the reference or the actual verse in baseball stadiums uh basketball Arenas and football stadiums as well it was everywhere it was on shirts it was on athletes it was on walls whatever it could be in plain view it was there after I became a Christian I noticed John 3 16 more and more and it just seemed like it was permeating Society and you would think that such evangelism would rival the Great Awakening of the 1700s and many were converted many of our our friends and family were converted very thankful my brothers all became Christians close friends at work became Christians and um it would appear that there was a revival going on um what I noticed though is when we would go to churches in John 3 16 was quoted and many churches claimed that it was the greatest Bible verse of all time we went to a small Hawaiian church and a pastor made that statement that this is the most important Bible verse of all time and he proceeded to butcher the passage and not to apply it properly it was a gross use of God's word very grieving I think you can see the danger of such antics of saying this is the top Bible verse of all time the Bible doesn't compete with itself they don't have top 10 verses and they knock each other off like in some type of sporting event the word of God is still the word of God and granted there are pers there are certain aspects of God's word that may have had a great effect upon this may have been used for conversion might have been used for our revive he might have been used to encourage us or to reprove us whatever it may be it's still God's word gold in different degrees yes there are other passages I'm sure if I were to break open second chronicles or first Chronicles and to go and try to expose that passage I would put you all to sleep unless I was really a great preacher which I'm not but bottom line is it's still the word of God and just because there's been bad teaching on this verse doesn't mean we should despise it we should love it we should love that verse I'm assuming you do indeed love it but here's my point by way of introduction you know that John 3 16 is really not the the whole passage is really not fully quoted you may say what do you mean it's not fully quoted for God so loved the world I understand that but notice that it begins with the word for it's a preposition four it's a continuing thought for Gods who love the world you usually don't begin a story with the word for you know if you're writing a short story kids if you're writing paragraphs in school you don't begin a story with four it's a continuing thought there'll be nothing wrong if you were to say because God so loved the world which it prompt you to say what's the context of John 3 16. I preached this sermon years ago at my church and I just did a little exercise a day before the the preaching we had an event and I went around and I asked our members what's the context of John 3 16 they looked at me like I had a third eye but it was I was kind of amazed in one sense that they didn't really know and this is a congregation that's been very well taught and it's no crime if I don't know the reference to John 3 16 there's no nothing wrong with it it's John 3 14. I went to my work at my place of employment and again they there are a lot of Christians there I just simply asked them what's the context of John 3 16. my assistant says well it's John 3 15. well it's really not John 3 14. John 3 14 is what it is and our Lord here is teaching Nicodemus about the necessity of the new birth I know you're going to to turn to John chapter 3 but hold on before you do that because our Lord is teaching Nicodemus of the necessity of the new birth without the new birth you cannot see the kingdom of heaven and Nicodemus is just thrown off by our Lord's teaching to the point where he says how can these things be he is bewildered he has no idea where our Lord is going and then our Lord uses an Old Testament reference from The Book of Numbers and is found in verse 14. of John chapter 3 Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness ah there we go there's an Old Testament passage that our Lord used which is a common practice of the Lord Jesus when he taught whether it be the flood whether it be Sodom and Gomorrah he would use the Old Testament to bring out a point to his hearers and the apostles did the same thing and they would reference Balaam they would reference Korah the flood Abraham Sarah Hagar just started going through it so away with such foolishness that the Old Testament doesn't reveal Jesus Christ it does these are they which testify of him now in order for us to understand John 3 14 15-16 now we can turn to Numbers Chapter 21. you can turn to numbers 21. and my plan here for today just so you know is that I'm going to read numbers 21 1-9 I'm going to preach basically from four through nine to help us get an idea of what our Lord is talking about and then I'm going to do something I normally don't like to do I'm going to stop the sermon with with numbers I'm not going to give you gospel applications I will give you some applications that are obvious from the from the passage and I want you to come back tonight to hear the gospel uh references and the application to numbers 21. so ask that you might be patient and hang in there's a two-part message I'm going to read this is the word of the Living God from numbers 21 1-9 the king of Arab the Canaanite who dwelt in the South heard that Israel is coming on the road to atheron then he fought against Israel took some of them prisoners very discouraging time right now so Israel made a vow to the Lord and said if you will indeed deliver this people into my hand and I will utterly destroy their cities and the Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites and they utterly destroyed them and their cities so the name of that place was called Irma okay now our Passage then they journeyed from Mount Ore by way of the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way the people spoke against God and against Moses why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness for there is no food no water our soul loaves as worthless bread so the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people and many of the people of Israel died therefore the people came to Moses and said we have sin but we have spoken against the Lord and against you pray to the Lord that he take away the serpents from us so Moses prayed for the people and the Lord said to Moses make a fiery serpent set it on a pole and it shall be that everyone who is bitten when he looks at it shall live so Moses made a bronze serpent put it on a pole and so it was if a serpent had bitten anyone when he looked at the bronze serpent he lived well by way of background because we're right here in the middle of numbers 21 and I just want to give you a context of what's going on the Israelites have been released from slavery from Egypt and God had delivered them with the ten plagues as well as the Egyptians were chasing them they get to the Red Sea the Red Sea Parts they go on dry land their enemies go after them God causes the water to come over so he destroys their enemies they've had great success in terms of God being merciful unto them and then God gives them the command to go in and take the land this is in the beginning of numbers and they are to go in and take the land that was promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob well they sent out 12 surveyors to look at the land ten of them come back and give a bad report they say these guys are too big we can't take them and they discourage the people and convince the people okay we're not going to take the land so they disobeyed God they disobeyed them 10 of the 12 surveyors convinced the people not to obey God and they disobeyed them and God gave them consequences for their Disobedience they now had to travel in a circuit around a hot dry desert on being redundant hot and dry deserts all they are is hot and dry and they had do it for 40 years at this point what we just read Aaron and Miriam had already died Moses is near the end of the 40 years and he's given the promise that he is not going to partake of the land as well but God gave them water at times even from a rock he reigned Mana down daily except for on the Sabbath to feed them there's a lot of people there over six hundred thousand some would guess maybe close to a million and God was very gracious to them in spite of the fact that they just disobeyed God and didn't take the land he still gave them water he still gave them bread it was out of his grace towards them so 40 years almost up and what Israel now had to do after they had a great Victory against the Canaanites you just see that in the first oh first three verses that I read a great Victory some of them were taken by the Canaanites and they fought against them they they made a vow to the Lord and the Lord answered it and they had great success great success and they recovered them from their enemy so they had great Victory here however they now had to take a more indirect and longer route to get to the promised land and now they begin to complain so that's the context hopefully I've briefly as as best that I can giving you an idea of where we're at and so when we look at at the passage Verses 4 through 9 we're gonna look at two things and the first thing we'll look at is the sin as well as the consequence of the people of God and then secondly we will look at the remedy that God has for the people of God again um I ask that you would come back tonight because of the Gospel application which would be very encouraging for believer and unbeliever as well so anyway let's take a look at their sin they Journey from Mount Ore by way of the Red Sea they go around the land of Edom they can't go directly to Edom Edom will not let them go even though they say hey we'll give you money for for the water that we take that's not going to happen so the soul of the people became very discouraged now there's nothing wrong with being discouraged going through a very difficult time it's how you respond to it they should have made it a matter of prayer as it did when they lost some of their people to the Canaanites they didn't do that at all instead in spite of the difficult Providence that they had and the fact that they had to look for a different solution they had to walk a lot longer is what they had to do in a hot desert they sinned by complaining against God and against Moses I mean look at the words that they use why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness no food no water well they're lying there God did indeed give them food and water and they loathed this worthless bread it's a sin against God now just think for a moment these people have been delivered from Cruel Egyptians that had them working seven days a week God delivers them and even though they are delivered and even though they do sin along the way and do not take the land God is still merciful to them it still provides for their needs you just see so much mercy here and then they begin to complain now in this day and age some do not think of complaining that big of a deal spouses complain against spouses children complain about their parents we might even complain against our boss men and we have to be careful with regards to complaining about the government and sometimes we look at that as not that big of a deal well I would submit to you that is a very big deal some would say well it's not murder or adultery but remember that we serve and infinitely holy God does not tolerate complaining Disobedience he simply does not when you complain against God and this is some application here we will get to later on it does indeed violate the first commandment we are to have the Lord Our God before his eyes and when we are praying we have God before our eyes when we're complaining I should say when we are complaining we're not having God before our eyes when we're praying we have God before our eyes but it also violates the tenth commandment of covetousness we just don't have what we want and as a result there's this intense desire they have an intense desire right here but it's a complaint so complaining sometimes people don't think it's that big of a deal but it is it is and there's consequences to their particular sin and we're continuing on here as we see that God sends fiery servants that's the consequence of their sin of complaining he sends fiery serpents now the reason why Moses wrote fiery serpents it could be the color of the snakes or it could have been when they were bitten the poison going through them was a burning sensation that produced a fever but one thing we do know that it's a consequence eventually ended in death they died now the snakes had probably always been there you're in a desert there's snakes in a desert so the chances are the snakes were probably there in the desert but God kept them from harming the people but yet the people commit a very serious offense and then when they were bitten and some of them die now they're going to come to their senses and do the right thing and make it a matter of Prayer and they decide then to go to the Lord through Moses and ask Moses because of their transgression they acknowledge their transgression go to the Lord and take away these snakes that's what their request is now I notice something here in my study they did something that Pharaoh did notice the Israelites wanted them to take away the snakes pharaoh and the Egyptians did some of that take away the snake stuff when they were asking Moses okay take away the Flies take away the frogs instead of the dealing with their sin take away my sin it's take away the consequence of my sin and here they imitate their past slave driver Pharaoh Pharaoh just asks instead of forgive me of my sins it's take these things away from me and the people do the same thing yet God is very gracious here very gracious now their request is take away the servants that's the request Moses proves himself a man of God by praying for his people these people at times wanted to Stone him these people spoke against him he could easily have said well you made your bed sleep in it he could have said you're getting what you deserve don't do that he's a man of God it would be ungodly for him to say that instead he shows himself to be a godly man and he prays for the people and now we come to the remedy God doesn't answer their request their way he doesn't remove the snakes but provides a remedy because God knows what is best it's worth noting that God answered the request of pharaoh and the Egyptians take away the Flies take away the frogs take away this that and the other God answered that request to him but for the people of God here he doesn't answer that request I find that interesting he gives a completely different solution what is the solution well Moses prays and a bronze snake on a pole that's the solution that's the remedy now I think it is legitimate to ask the question why a bronze serpent on a pole because we know God doesn't do anything in an arbitrary manner God does things according to his wisdom so there has to be a reason why Moses is directed to erect a bronze snake and it to be lifted up and the people would be healed it would appear to be foolish it does nothing there's no connection there between lifting up something in the desert and I've been bitten by a poisonous snake rattlesnake some sort whatever it may be and just by looking at this I'm going to be healed it would appear to be foolishness you fast forward to Second Kings chapter five you'll see why I'm mentioning this and there's a man there by the name of Naaman he was a Syrian and he had leprosy he goes to Elijah Elijah won't even go to the front door for him he just sends a servant tell him to go dip in the Jordan seven times and naaman's all upset he says he didn't even come out and talk to me and I aren't there better Rivers better walk bodies of water than the Jordan and a siren said well look it I'm just going to use 21st century language he said what have you got to lose if he told you to do something great would you do that well yeah then go to go do that he goes he does and he's healed see it just at times God will provide that answer that doesn't sometimes make sense but it's always best to obey God like Naaman the Syrian and here God is going to do something a lot different and he is not going to remove the snakes but provide a remedy for those who were bitten now it is legitimate to ask the question why bronze why bronze and here I'm just being suggested I'm not going to be dogmatic I wouldn't build a church around this but if it's bronze remember one of the altars that we use to sacrifice alter the animals for sin was bronze and it was a picture of judgment Bronson at times or brass can be looked upon as a judgment when the people of God were it were to forsake God in the book of Deuteronomy that Heavens will be as brass that's judgment right there and of course in Revelation chapter 1 where the Lord Jesus has feet of bronze it's to trample his enemies it is indeed a potentially a picture of judgment but also remember that it's durable bronze is durable if you were to take kill one of those snakes and staple it and fasten it to a a beam and hold it up left for three four days face that snake's gonna rot so it's going to last it's going to endure so that is probably one of the reasons why bronze was used but why a snake why does he use a snake you know really a snake is not exactly a picture of Health is it in this particular case it's a reminder of their sin as well as the consequence of their sin there's a reason for their deadliest state it wasn't Moses fault it wasn't edom's fault it wasn't God's fault it was their fault they're the ones that committed the crime it was the grumbling they're complaining their discontentment against God and his leader which was Moses and as a result this snake is a painful reminder of their crime against God now no one enjoys getting their nose rubbed into their sin or the consequence of their sin no one enjoys that I am certain when Adam had to bury Abel he had to have thought the reason my son died is because of my sin he had to have thought that again I'm being suggestive here when David walked on his roof after he had committed adultery I'm sure he walked on that roof a different way looking at the sin that he had committed maybe even looking into the face of Bathsheba would remind him of his sin how about Peter walking on the courtyard where he had denied his Lord I'm sure if he even hears a rooster crowing it might be a painful reminder of his sin there are consequences to sin there are painful reminders to sin I'm sure all of you that are in Christ may have Painful reminders of sin but it's there for a reason definitely there for reason and it is to Humble us under his mighty hand so the snakes also could remind the Hebrews of something else when I see a snake for some reason I think of Adam and Eve they were deceived he were deceived Adam being our federal head sinned a partaking of the fruit and can it be that this bronze snake would remind these Hebrews of their original state all of our original state we derive our our nature from Adam and our nature from Adam is sin continually and so it could have been a reminder of that you know what I noticed too is the snake is lifted up as a reminder that the very God that complained against was very gracious to them see the sin they complain you see the consequence of the sin they see that and God was very gracious he didn't command them to go on a long pilgrimage to a far country for healing could have but he didn't in order to command them to go to some snake healer he didn't command them to figure out a solution come up with some miracle Anti-Venom and he didn't command them a long list of penance or good works to offset their bad Works their sin if they would have done that they would have died if they did not look look was the solution that's all it was it was look to that servant believe God's word and look to that Serpent and you will be healed God gave them a remedy God did the healing by his appointed means to look just the serpent alone wouldn't heal them they had to look to that serpent and of course God does not always remove the consequence of our sin you know before being a Christian the drunk who does come to Christ doesn't get a brand new liver he's got consequence to his sin the lazy worker though he is a Christian he let's say he does remain lazy he suffers hunger the death row prisoner it becomes a Christian even though he is a Christian still has a consequence to pay it might be his death or might be a life in prison there are consequences to pay it's not pleasant but here you see how gracious God has been to give them the snake a snake on a pole it might be a painful reminder but he didn't remove the snakes he granted them healing healing now there are those who are upset with the consequences of their sins more than their sin and I'll touch on that a little bit later but just keep that in mind there are those who are more concerned about the consequences of sin could be the child getting a spanking for disobeying instead of them being grieved at the Disobedience to agree that they get spanked that if I could use that illustration but it it happens to all of us in different ways but I would I want to address the Skeptics of our day that look upon a story like this and they reason How could a bronze serpent heal these are just stories in the Bible they're not true they don't make any sense whatsoever you get bit by a snake and you look at this bronze pulling your heel the neighbor they're Skeptics of this day that doubt the Miracles that go on here in God's word they may have even told the bitten Jews you know how can a bronze serpent heal you the problem is the snakes get rid of the snakes just say no to snakes that's what they would say well the problem is not the snakes is what brought about the snakes and that is their sin and they're complaining their discontentment against a good God but I want you to notice that none of the ones that got bitten here doubted you don't hear of any of them dying when they got bitten they looked they were healed there were no Skeptics now we're sitting here in a nice cool Auditorium yeah bitten by a snake but the experience of getting bit by a snake I was almost bitten by a snake and that scared the Daylights out of me imagine getting bit by that snake and you are going to be pretty desperate and when the command comes from Moses look to that serpent no problem they're going to look they're going to give up all other remedies and just look to the Lord their God to obey Moses word here I would submit to you took Faith they believed God's word they believe the servant that was given to them Moses and in his preaching if you will they believed and again here you see such Grace on God's part to heal them in spite of the fact that if they did complain they were bitten by the snakes they looked and they were healed now imagine the first one that was bitten okay so all of your friends have died I've been hit by the snakes you get hit by that snake it took great faith even greater faith for that first one because after the first one looks at his heel and the second one you you gain momentum in faith when you start seeing all these being healed of their snake bites if you will so I think this was a a a very encouraging time for the people even though later on they still continue to complain it's it's a grief it's obviously it's a lot like us at times which we need to take heed to um can you imagine if God took away the snakes and provided no remedy people would still die the snakes leave the people might conclude will either chance or look drove the snakes away but it would there would be no faith needed and without faith it's impossible to please God to believe upon those means that he has ordained because they were not to look you know to themselves or to Moses they will look to the god-ordained means which was the serpent on a pole now there's two things to note in this day and age about this serpent on a pole eventually this symbol here had to be destroyed in Second Kings chapter 18 because the nation of Israel began to worship it and burn incense to it now you may say we don't have that around today do we I was raised a Roman Catholic and they had a dead man in all their churches on a cross and people burn incense to it bow to it and worshiped it and I see a connection there whenever you are in a religious service and and people are bowing whether it's statues whatever it may be it's in violation of the second commandment and it does indeed appear to be somewhat connected to what these folks did in second kingsman the when the poll with the serpent had to be destroyed because of that another thing I want you to notice for this day and age is that we can see a serpent on a pole these days do you guys know that you see them on ambulances I was watching a TV show of my wife and sure enough there's the two serpents on the pole and I thought this is a while ago when I thought this I wonder if this isn't reference to numbers 21 so of course they'll go to Wikipedia and uh they don't mention anything at all about numbers 21 it's about some God Hermes and and but the article did say however it doesn't make any sense that a snake would be a symbol of healing it appears to me that it looks like the internet and man is just completely ignored this story here in numbers 21 which gets quoted by our Lord in John 3 14 15-16 I'm at work talking to plea uh to people that are not Believers and I just asked him I said do you guys know anything at all about that those two serpents on the pole that's on ambulances that's at doctors when you go to your doctor's office it's there you ever noticed that you go yeah why why is that I said I would submit to you it's from and I just told them the story of numbers 21 and and how that happened I'm saying all that to say I I find it vaccine that it's not even referenced at all in Wikipedia I even checked two days ago and looked at it just to make sure I wasn't speaking lies here and sure enough there's nothing in there it deals with Hermes it deals with some other false God and this is completely ignored which is a which is a great grief so just remember it can be a possible witness tool when you're talking to someone and they and you see it's it's all over the place you can't miss it just notice it this week when you do your driving and look at the ambulances look at the hospital the doctors it's there so it might be an opportunity there and now I'm going to have some application but later this afternoon we will apply this past I know it's the third time I said this I mean not pleading with you but encouraging you try to come back here for the evening service and we'll have gospel application because I'm going to give you a bunch of don'ts and I hate when the preacher gives you a bunch of don'ts and that's it I hate that I'm going to do that right now but for now our application is pretty simple don't complain don't complain against God his authority it is our pattern to complain children it's got your pattern to complain against your parents you may not see it outwardly but inwardly you're probably seeing our hallway to get out of this place could be or if I was a parent I would eat chocolate ice cream for dinner but you need to be careful kids of complaining against your parents if you do repent of that turn to the Lord ask him to forgive you of that spouses if you complain against each other with other people you should repent of that Brethren should not be complaining against Brethren should not be complaining against your pastor I have no idea if you do that I'm just a guest preacher here so don't think that oh you know Pastor Butler is telling me about four or five whatever maybe congregation decides there's bound to be some people bumping up against each other Lord suffers a good place to put that all behind you and to move forward but also regarding your uh your complaint against your boss man the one that you work for don't don't do that just work for him and realize that those in positions of authority over us are for our protection kids your parents were given to you to protect you it's the first commandment with a promise honor your father and mother that your days may be long all the days of your life now that's not absolute but that's a good way to live a little bit longer is obey your parents but remember parents were given to you kids for your protection just like spouses wives the husband was given to you for your protection and husbands the wife has given to you granted you are the head of the house remember that is for your protection pastors have been given to a flock like this for your protection and believe it or not government leaders are given to us for our protection now I understand that there are times when our government leaders do not practice Justice there's something that rises up within us when they come out with okay we're going to close the churches down and yet they continue to keep the abortion clinics open and something Rises up within us that's that's grieving and maybe angry that's Justice God has made us into his his own image it's not infallible because you mix sin in there and you are sometimes the way we respond is sinful but remember this is that there's that sense of justice within us but you have to be careful that we still respect our leaders pray for them pray for their conversion pray that God would work in them in such a way that we might lead a peaceful life with reverence and if they're overly Wicked pray for their removal but we shouldn't be always complaining about there's nothing wrong with talking about how things are just not just that's fine be careful of always talking about it I'm 70 years old I don't want to be a bitter old man where I'm just walking around the cafeteria screaming against socialism I I don't I don't want to be bitter and for us as Christians we want the law of kindness on our lips we want to be gracious and even though there are things that are going on that is completely against God's justice Grace be upon our lips when you consider how the apostles dealt with their persecution I mean Nero give me a break he torched Christians and yet the command still came to submit to those who are in authority over you remember that they are indeed God's ministers for those who do evil we must not be those who do evil a good way to stop complaining is pray pray make it a matter of prayer to pray for your government leaders to pray for your spouse to pray for your parents parents to pray for the children because that will give us a very humble approach to God which is very important remember think of this for a moment what do you deserve and then consider how gracious God has been to you and some of these sins committed against us are nothing compared to the sins that we have committed against God and yet in the gospel we have forgiveness of sins peace with God a word to the wise is enough right there and then secondly I've touched on this there are consequences to our sin that indeed is a whole new sermon but I do want to mention that sometimes we may be just more agreed with the consequence of our sin than the sin itself the adulterer that now has is getting divorced and has to pay child support whatever sometimes the adulter is more upset about having to do that as opposed to being upset with the fact that he or she had committed adultery against God or if children have been disobedient and they they get spanked and they're more concerned or more grieved at the spanking as opposed to the the fact that they sin against God when you when children when you disobey your parents remember this you you're disobeying God he's the one that gave the command he's the one that gave your parents for your protection and so whether you are turning from sin because of the consequence of your sin or whether you're turning from your sin because you know that you're sinning against a good god take it take it I'll take anything it is important for us to name the name of Christ not to reason our way into sin but we should think what would God have me to do and if the consequences stings you great the sin stings you great but let's just say you're just not you have been doing well spiritually and the consequence of the sin is is something that keeps you from the sin great keep praying that God might give you eyes to see your sin as well and this afternoon tonight we will see the remedy found in Jesus Christ so here we see in John chapter 3 verses 14 and 15 and 16. and we'll open this up a little bit tonight as well and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness we know that now I hope we know it very well right now even so must the son of man be lifted up well look at what that means tonight that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life let's pray our heavenly father we thank you for being gracious to us we thank you for giving us your word we give you thanks and praise that you love to feed your people our prayers the message would be remembered the messenger forgotten that you will be glorified that we walk away giving thanks and praise to you for your kindness to us we thank you O Father for having children here in this assembly save them from their sins for us cause us to grow in that Grace and knowledge that we would be a gracious people with the law of kindness upon our lips but we worship you and we praise you we give you thanks for your word you've not taken this word and hidden it somewhere but it is openly proclaimed throughout this country throughout the United States of America we thank you for that richly blessed your pastors and your people throughout these two countries this day hear our prayers you're good to our souls encourage the souls of your people for we pray in Jesus name amen we will close the service by singing doxology number 568 in your Hymnal and then after we have finished singing there will be a time of meditation when the piano finishes playing then you are dismissed foreign [Music] remember God [Music]