John's Story 3

In John 3 Jesus very briefly compares His coming crucifixion and the salvation He brings with a weird little story from the Book of Numbers in the Torah.

A familiar story to His audience. A story that I think both demonstrates the Prophetic nature of Scripture as it relates to Jesus, but also the Historical / Cultural ways God connected early on with His people.

Text / John 3:1-21

The 4 R's

Read Numbers 21:4-9

1. The people Reject the Lord and Moses
2. God's WRathful response
3. Peoples Repentance
4. God's Reconciliation & salvation

If you've read Jesus' interaction with Nicodemus the Pharisee, and even more so the first few chapters of John, then you'll note the analogy here:

1. The world has Rejected God (Genesis 3) and doesn't recognize Jesus as His Son and Savior (John 1:10-14)
2. The original sin of Adam and Eve has heaped condemnation (WRath) on all men everywhere in all generations (John 3:36)
3. Through Repentence of our sinful nature against the Lord (John 3:14-17)
4. Jesus offers salvation (through looking to the cross)  and thus Reconciliation with God the Father

The Bronze Snake is a symbol of Salvation, a Type of Christ (strange, I know, snakes tend hold such anti-Christ symbology in the Word so be careful not to read into an analogy more than is intended). Jesus is saying to Nico that He (Jesus) is like the snake and anyone who looks to Him as the Savior will be rescued in the same way the Hebrews were from their clear and present demise (venomous snakes)!

Think about how tangible of an analogy this really is. Jesus is saying that just as the snakes were a very real, tangible and immediately deadly threat...and just as the Bronze Snake was a very real, tangible and immediately salvific cure...so our state of condemnation is very true and real and immediate and so Jesus' Messianic cure, salvation, is real, tangible, immediate and eternal.

Incredible.

Key Points /

Nicodemus: Pharisee, wealthy, good standing among his peers, known in the community and obviously well-educated in the Scriptures and thus the Law.

Nico is fishing here. In His opening statement he's seeking clarification from Jesus about His status, His role, His intention - and so begins a three tiered conversation:

Q1 "We know God is with you Teacher" / "Nico, you'd have to be 'born again' to know who I really am.

Q2 "How can I be born twice? My mom wouldn't like that..." / "Nico, you know that God's kingdom is Spirit first and foremost, it's like the wind going where it pleases. You know that a man must be cleansed with water in renewal and purity, just as his fleshly birth was an innocent introduction to the fleshly world. (Read R.C. Sproul, John, Chapter 6 'Rebirth' - great discussion on the various meanings)

Q3 "How?" / "Seriously? You got nothing here? Alright, let's get to the point: God deeply loves His creation (all people) and has sent ME, the Christ, to be like the Bronze Snake...you're a teacher of Israel, you get it now right? I didn't come to condemn anyone, everyone is already separated from God and that is your real issue, sickness, eternal position. I did, however, come to save and whoever comes into my Light and believes the Truth will see plainly the salvation before them and through Me."

So Hozier, I'm sorry man but your song 'Take me to church' just doesn't cut it - Jesus didn't bring poison to be spouted each week but instead the only possible cure. Really catchy tune though! (not sure the lyrics make sense, one too many contradictions to be a sound argument for a life's philosophy...)

Read 3:31-36  John the Baptist continues His Testimony of Jesus

Two quick notes on this chunk:

• "He must become greater; I must become less." Is there really any other model statement that could define a healthy mindset when it comes to knowing and loving Jesus?
• :36 Here John totally qualifies Jesus' earlier statements about belief, salvation, eternal life, rejection, Son/Father equality, sin/wrath. Not that Jesus needs man's testimony - but if any man did qualify Jesus' nature...this is worth taking note of!

Questions /

1. What are you fishing for when you engage the Bible? Or when you engage Jesus? Like Nicodemus, what truths do you see and where do they point? Better yet, Whom do these truths point to?
2. Are you born again? This isn't some outdated religious question. This is the basic question of Jesus for anyone truly and deeply questioning reality: Spiritual reality / Physical Reality in Truth. Have you engaged Jesus directly on His terms?
3. What do you think about your natural state of condemnation? Not very politically correct is it. Not socially or culturally flattering or acceptable right? Even the most conservative, level headed, play it safe, good neighbor, employee, student, parent, homeowner, ticket-less driver person in the world is condemned outside of Jesus' Reconciliation as defined by Him.
4. How might you respond to the teaching in this chapter?

Sellvation 2

I've been thinking about this a little more lately, 'What have I really sold of myself and to what?'

Am I prostituting my spiritual gifts for personal gain, attention, praise, finances.

Prostitution: giving oneself over to something in an unworthy manner - selling oneself (talents, body, gifts) for corrupt purposes.

Am I prostituting my heart for fleeting desires, 'loves', relationships.

Am I prostituting my mind to hatred, idolatry, pornography, happiness.

Am I prostituting my body to the job, to adultery, to perverted and corrupted people.

Am I prostituting my relationship with Christ for false maturity, righteousness, reputation, office in the church, blessing...salvation?

Have I been selling myself in an attempt to buy forgiveness from God. What have I been offering out of a corrupt heart, a false idea of what salvation truly is in order to gain the Lords favor? I really want to weed these corrupt ideas out of the depths of my heart and mind and soul.

Sellvation is a very dangerous notion. It's eternally misleading.

Were told to work out our salvation in fear of Gods awesome beauty and power and holiness. Work out our salvation with a healthy fearful knowledge of hell and separation from the Creator. Work it out trembling with awe.

But salvation requires no gifts on our behalf. We bring nothing to God that could ever purchase our eternal rescue. We accept. We receive.

Christ paid for us with a blood infinitely greater than any animal sacrifice...even my own.

He sold Himself. He paid. He bought. We simply accept and enter into: relationship, kingdom, perfection, eternity, salvation.

Sanctification on the other hand is the continuous giving over of ourselves out of obedience and devotion and love for God. He is worthy. He is whole. He is holy. We do this AFTER salvation.

Are you prostituting yourself for unworthy causes? To what or whom?

OR are you being sanctified, letting the Spirit guide you, the Lord love you and God draw you - there is nothing else worthy of our eternal affections.

Sellvation...

Have I bought into a doctrine that truly has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God?

I recently watched The Greatest Movie Ever Sold with Morgan Spurlock and it got me thinking about what I've really bought into in with this Christian worldview?

Have I bought into the reality of salvation - where I repent from everything that isn't focused on glorifying God first and foremost, sinful actions and neutral ones alike.

Or have I have bought into sellvation - have I bought my Christianity. A give-and-God-will-give-back-ten-fold financially/materially right-here and right-now type of faith. Do my motives, actions and beliefs line up with the 'come to Christ with empty hands and receive salvation' Scriptural approach - or have I been attempting to buy my way into a relationship with Jesus, into the Kingdom? Sellvation.

Sellvation is quite deceiving isn't it. In the end I'll have purchased nothing right. Like throwing goats into a volcano to please the gods or meditating on nothing until I no longer exist...meaningless. I'll never buy enough, offer enough nor meditate purely enough.

Salvation on the other hand - well it's definition says it all - yeshua in the OT was used of deliverance, a rescuer, a savior - likewise soteria in the NT. It's enough in itself.

No one can purchase divine deliverance. It came to us. It's offered. The price was already paid by Yeshua the Soter - by Jesus the Savior.

Do we really have anything more valuable to offer?

Paths

One of the most terrifying chapters in the Bible is found in the Book of Job. Bildad, in an attempt to crush Jobs apparent pride, describes the fate of the man who rallies against God, flounders in sin and falls short of righteousness...he will be:

snuffed out, the light in his home will burn out, weakened, his schemes ensnare him, calamity is hungry for him, disaster is ready when he falls, death's firstborn eats at his limbs, he will be marched off to king of terrors, burning sulfur engulfs his home, roots dry up, he is forgotten, driven to darkness, no survivors or offspring, to the East and West men are appalled by him...a trap lies in his path. (Job 18)

Job, however, is prepared in heart and soul and mind for such torment. He knows that 'the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger.' (Job 17:9)

He is faithful and in turn is confident - not prideful - of his righteousness before God. The wicked may stumble along their path toward the 'King of Terror' - but Job will follow divine suffering down the path that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.

This is a horrifying yet convicting chapter to read. Impossible to bypass without reflection on my own journey...my own path. I might ask you as well:

1. What path are you on? Do you walk by faith or by your own strength? (2 Cor. 5:7) - Not all 'paths' lead to the same destination. There are only two: that which Bildad describes and that which Job holds on to.
2. Are you in constant terror from the evil one?
3. As a believer you will suffer, yet have no reason to fear torment...Do you know that He protects you before and behind. (Psalm 139)
4. Cry out for Jesus. Repent. Seek Truth. Ask for divine justice and protection with an honest heart. (Romans 10:9-10) - And then rest in His salvation.

one = one

Through one man - Adam - sin entered the world making death inevitable.

Through one man - Jesus - sin was eradicated making life eternal.

God is not a God of chaos - He's a God of order...He's holy.

Like a mysterious mathematical equation, through Jesus, He's restored our relationship with Him.

From new physical creation (Adam) to new eternal creation (Jesus) YHWH is a God of renewal.

Romans 5