2071- SNAKE
ON A STICK
In John
chapter 3 we read an interesting discourse between Jesus and Nicodemus-
Nicodemus was a religious leader at the time of Christ.
And he came
to Jesus at night- because the leaders already turned against Christ- and he
probably didn’t want to be open about his curiosity.
He begins a
conversation with Jesus ‘we know that you are a teacher come from God, because
no man can do these miracles unless he were from God’.
How does
Jesus respond?
‘Unless a
man is born again- he cannot see the kingdom of God’.
This
confused Nicodemus ‘how can a man be born when he is old- can he go back into
the womb’?
Jesus says ‘unless
a man is born of water and of the Spirit he can’t see the Kingdom’.
In
Christianity we teach that man is separated from God- because of the original
sin of Adam- man is born separated from God.
The only way
back to God is thru a New Birth.
As the
conversation continues Jesus brings up a strange incident that happened many
years before- he says ‘Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness- so
must the Son of man be lifted up- that whoever believes in him should not
perish but have everlasting life’.
This story
is found in Numbers 21- and what happened was the people were complaining about
the journey they were on.
God indeed
delivered them from Egypt/bondage- but the road was tough.
God provided
them food from heaven- Manna- yet they missed the old days back in Egypt.
So- they
complained ‘if we were back in Egypt we could eat all the good stuff’.
So- because
of their complaining, God sent ‘fiery serpents’ among them- and they bit the
people- and the people died.
The people
cry out to Moses ‘help us- what can we do’.
God tells
Moses to make a snake out of brass/bronze [a symbol of judgment] put it on a
pole- and whoever is bitten- if he looks at the snake on the pole- he will
live.
Jesus used
this obscure story- to speak about himself.
How is Jesus
like a snake on a pole?
On the Cross
Jesus took the sins of the world- he ‘became sin for us’.
The snake in
scripture is a cursed thing- in the garden of Eden God cursed the serpent.
So- Jesus on
the Cross became sin for us- a cursed thing- and all who look to ‘the snake’ on
the Cross- will live.
Jesus goes
on and says the very famous words that most of us are familiar with ‘For God so
loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son- that whosoever believes in
him should not perish but have everlasting life’.
He says ‘God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world- but that the world thru
him might be saved’.
Man- in and
of himself- cant ‘save’ himself.
The apostle
Paul writes to the Ephesians and says we were dead in trespasses and sins.
But God
raised us up together with Christ- he chose to bring us back to life-
spiritually- and we are now alive unto God.
The term
BORN AGAIN is a biblical term- used a few times in scripture- but like anything
else- it also has taken on other connotations over time.
Many of the
more traditional churches feel kind of turned off by it.
Why?
Because many
enthusiastic converts have used the term in a way that says ‘you older
traditional churches- you are not saved- you are not born again’.
This is a
mistake- in my view.
Jesus said
the criterion for being saved- born again- is believing in him.
Now- whether
a Christian uses the actual term ‘born again’ is not really that significant.
Plus- the
older churches do indeed believe in being born again- though many of the
members of these churches might not be familiar with this.
The Catholic
Church and others teach that babies- as well as adults- enter into the New
Covenant by the Sacrament of water baptism.
During the
time of the Reformation- in the 16th century- the original
Protestant Reformers still stuck with the rite of infant baptism.
That is they
still believed in infant baptism.
They
disagreed with Rome on the actual cause of Justification- the Catholic Church
said the cause was water baptism- the Reformers [Luther primarily] said it was
faith [I did an entire study on this- it’s on the page section of the blog-
under Protestant Reformation- Luther].
But- they
did not reject infant baptism.
As a matter
of fact- when an offshoot of the Protestants- the Anabaptists- began rejecting
infant baptism- the reformer Ulrich Zwingli drowned them!
So- this
debate has gone on for a while.
Why did the
original reformers stick with infant baptism- is there any justification for
it?
Some- in the
Old Covenant you had the rite of infant circumcision- and that was a way that
children entered into the Covenant of law.
So- many
believers taught that baptism was the ordinance that can bring our children
into the New Covenant.
Most
Evangelicals object to infant baptism- but there is some justification for it.
The main
point I would make is Jesus simply taught that all who believe in him are
indeed born from God.
The apostle
John says ‘whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God’.
James says
‘of his own will begat he us with the word of truth’.
Peter says
‘being born again- not of corruptible seed- but of incorruptible’.
I like Jesus
definition of eternal life the most- he said eternal life- being born again was
‘that they might know thee- the only true God- and Jesus Christ- whom you have
sent’.
So yes- in
Christianity we teach that a person must be born again- the only way to
experience this new birth is thru believing in God’s Son.
The death of
Christ paid the penalty for the sins of man- and it is thru his death and
resurrection that we can freely receive the gift of life.
Whether you
were baptized as a baby- or an adult- the main point is to believe today.
That’s being
born again.
John 3:1
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
John 3:2 The
same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a
teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except
God be with him.
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:4
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter
the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit.
John 3:7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 3:8 The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst
not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born
of the Spirit.
John 3:9
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
John 3:10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not
these things?
John 3:11
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we
have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
John 3:12 If
I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I
tell you of heavenly things?
John 3:13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even
the Son of man which is in heaven.
John 3:14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of
man be lifted up:
John 3:15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God.
John 3:19
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,
lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made
manifest, that they are wrought in God.
John 3:36 He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son
shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:13
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.
John 5:24 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent
me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life.
John 6:47 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
James 1:18 Of his own
will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures.
1Peter 1:23 Being born
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which
liveth and abideth for ever.
1Peter 1:3 Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant
mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead,
John 5:1 Whosoever
believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth
him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
Ephesians
2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Ephesians
2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience:
Ephesians
2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of
our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by
nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Ephesians
2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Ephesians
2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by
grace ye are saved;)
Ephesians 2:6
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus:
Ephesians
2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in
his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Ephesians
2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
Ephesians
2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Numbers 21:4
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the
land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the
way.
Numbers 21:5
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought
us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is
there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Numbers 21:6
And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and
much people of Israel died.
Numbers 21:7
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have
spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take
away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
Numbers 21:8
And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a
pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh
upon it, shall live.
Numbers 21:9
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass,
that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he
lived.
NOTES- In
the home meetings this week I covered some practical stuff- I talked about how
when the people complained about being on this new journey [being delivered
from Egypt/bondage] that God judged them [the snakes bit them].
In the book
of Hebrews it says that they were ‘mindful’ of the old days- and wanted to go
back.
I applied this
to recovery- that often times when we walk a new road- out of old ways- that we
feel uncomfortable at first.
In a way- we
were used to the old addictions- and even though bondage is a miserable way to live-
yet at times people are drawn to the old patterns- it makes them feel ‘comfortable’
again.
In one of
the meetings I have a friend who used to be involved with some famous Texas
gangs.
Many years
with these guys.
He actually
surprised me that he has been showing up on his own to my meetings.
I have known
him for years- never talked to him.
But he loves
the meetings- has been off of Meth for 7 months- and is a real nice guy.
Last night-
before the meeting he told me he resorted to some old ways- and it just
happened before the meeting.
At first I
thought he meant Meth- but no- he was at the corner store- right down the block
from where I live.
Some guy he didn’t
know disrespected him- and he knocked him out.
Now- he felt
bad- said he’s trying to get away from the way he used to be.
So- as I
spoke about old patterns- and how it takes time to create new ways of thinking
and acting- I felt it helped.
There was another
guy in the meeting-
He cut down
a tree for me a few weeks back- he does use drugs- but he’s a friend- been in
my meetings and knows the bible.
I wrote
about this a few weeks ago- but left out some of what happened.
He cut the
tree- but never came back to finish the job.
He was
supposed to cut the branches and stack them along the fence.
So- I did it
myself.
The cost for
the whole job was 200 [cheap- it was a big tree].
So- I could have
paid half- and got away with it.
But I
decided to pay the 200- and have a talk with him.
I did.
A few days
later he came back- very high- and had his 2 partners.
They came to
finish- they didn't know I did it- and paid anyway.
I told the
guys [3 of them] ‘Don’t worry- I finished the job myself’.
One of them
said ‘no- we need to finish so you can pay us the rest’.
Now- I went
out of my way for these guys- and at that point I went off.
I got mad-
told them ‘don’t f.. piss me off- I paid him the f… 200- now you’re getting me
mad’.
The old man
apologized- said ‘no- we don’t want to piss you off, I’m sorry- he lied to me’.
And they left.
The ‘tree
cutter’ has been in my meetings since then- I made things right- and he is
actually a good friend.
So- we have
a tendency a times to ‘go back to Egypt’ but God has a new journey for us- much
better than the old one.
The term anabaptist was used to describe and define
certain Reformation-era Christians who rejected infant baptism in favor of believer's
baptism.
Since many of them had been baptized in their infancy, they chose
to berebaptized as believing adults. Hence, their enemies called them anabaptists -- "re-baptizers."
Being labeled anabaptist was neither complimentary nor safe. In
fact, for a time it was a sure death sentence.
Even though we now embrace that term as part of our identity, it
really is an inaccurate term to describe the original Anabaptists. They never considered that any
rebaptism took place -- they
outright rejected and refuted the entire concept of infant baptism. To them, infant baptism would have been an oxymoron. They
would have consideredinfant and baptism mutually exclusive.
The differences between the Anabaptists and the Magisterial
Reformers lay much deeper than any outward sign, including that of baptism. The
Anabaptists were earnestly concerned with the restitution
of the true church on an Apostolic model. The Anabaptists considered the
state churches beyond reformation.
Here are a few additional tidbits about the Anabaptists:
- The era of the
16th-century Protestant Reformation in Europe spawned a number of radical
reform groups, among them the Anabaptists. These Christians regarded the Bible as their only rule
for faith and life. Because of their radical beliefs, the Anabaptists
were persecuted by Protestants as well as by Roman
Catholics.
- The evangelical and
non-revolutionary Anabaptists of Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and the
Netherlands, were a trial to the leading reformers because of their radical views on the nature of the church and
of the Christian ethic.
- There is no single defining set of beliefs, doctrines, and practices that characterizes all Anabaptists.
- Contemporary groups
with early Anabaptist
roots include the Mennonites, Amish, Dunkards,
Landmark Baptists, Hutterites, and various Beachy and Brethren groups.
- Anabaptists have
been characterized historically by a love
for the Word of God, and by a strict demand forholiness of life.
- The Anabaptists of
central Europe evolved in a time of social and religious chaos, developed
unique ideas concerning the church and state, and retained a wildly
radical view of society.
- The teachings and
way of life of the Anabaptists, according to the Anabaptists themselves,
were merely ways of trying to reinstate the true church, a church of true
believers. It did not seem this way to the Magisterial Reformers or to the
Roman Church, however. It was those very teachings and acts that made the
Anabaptists into the object of numerous persecutions at the hands of both
church and state.
- The historiography
of the Anabaptists...is largely hostile to them and their teachings. It
remains one of the largest problems in modern scholarship to separate the
hostility of their biographers from the circumstances of Anabaptist
existence.
- The impulse to join
and remain within a society of martyrs is certainly hard to pinpoint.
- In their earliest
years, many of the Anabaptists were followers of Zwingli in Zurich.
- Their unique model
of what Church and society could become, if politics and fear were placed
as subservient to love and community, stand as witness to the possibilities
of a voluntary church, and the possibilities of a free society.
Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia (copyright 1993, 1994) notes in part:
During the 16th-century Reformation
in Europe, the Protestant Anabaptist, or Christian Brethren, movement flourished
in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and other countries. The basic belief of
the Anabaptists was in adult baptism, but they also supported the separation of
church and state and voluntary church membership. While there was no direct
development from the Anabaptists to the growth of the Baptist churches in
England, it is very likely that the latter were influenced in their beliefs and
attitudes by the continental Brethren.
NOTE- Many years ago I took a trip
to Geneva Switzerland- I stood by a statue of Zwingli- right next to a famous
river. I noted ‘wow- a statue of Zwingli’! He responded ‘yeah- he drowned the
Anabaptists in this river’. Oops.
Note- Do me a favor, those who
read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read
them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to scroll down on the timeline [FaceBook#]
- I have posted lots.
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