# 49 Wear the Cross, But Live It Too!

Joh 3:14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

I remember the first time I read the story of the brazen serpent on the pole. I was a little uneasy and confused. Why would God tell Moses to make an image of something, (especially a serpent) and then tell people to look upon it in order to be healed?

This whole thing seems almost idolatrous! We know the problems the people have had with images in the past! There was the golden calf incident, and of course the continual exposure to the idolatrous images of the Canaanites. Yet, when we understand what God was doing here, we have a beautiful picture or foreshadowing of the Gospel!

The fiery serpents representing the fatal bite of sin, the brazen serpent foreshadowing Jesus who became sin for us. Now, for those who look at Jesus crucified for the sin of the world, through the eyes of faith, they too, will be healed from the fatal bite of sin!

This is about faith and faith alone for salvation. God’s promise to the people bitten by the fiery serpents, was that when they LOOKED upon the brazen serpent on the pole they would live.  The Hebrew word for “looked” here is to look with understanding. It’s not just a quick glance, it’s a fixed gaze. It’s a look of trust.

In like manner, a look at Jesus, lifted up on the cross, must also be a look of understanding, a look of faith. Believing in Him, trusting in Him alone to be delivered from the death bite of sin!

Of course, if you keep reading in the Old Testament, you know what the Israelites did right? They carried the brazen serpent with them from that day forward, and it wasn’t long before it really did become an idol! The people began to burn incense to it, they prayed to it, and 700 years later, a king by the name of Hezekiah came along and broke it into pieces.

2Ki 18:4 He (Hezekiah) removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.

Does any of this sound familiar? The image of the cross has been with Christianity from the very beginning. It’s a wonderful reminder of the cost of our sin and the love of God! But there is a danger in that wall decoration, or that piece of jewelry, or that tattoo in becoming a meaningless glance as opposed to a look of understanding.

Remember this is it relates to any crosses you may have on display. They are great reminders of God’s love for you, but ultimately, it’s not your décor of jewelry that states your love for God…. It’s your actions! it is your actions in life that are your great reminders of your love for God!

"If you love Me, keep My commandments” .(John 14:15)

Yes, wear the cross…..but live it too!