Thursday, April 5, 2012

Verse of the Day 4/5

John 3:14-15 (HCSB)  Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
 
Today's verses from early in Jesus earthly ministry reveal much about Him; His knowledge of the Old Testament and prophecies, the knowledge of His mission - the plan of redemption, and His message to the world offering eternal life to everyone who would believe in Him.  Immediately following these verses we have perhaps the most well known and treasured verse of the Bible, John 3:16.
 
The reference to the "Son of Man being lifted up" is the first of three such lifted up statements in the Gospel of John (8:28, 12:32).   The first, the reference in this verse,  points back to Moses lifting up a serpent in the wilderness so that anyone who had been bitten by a serpent may look to the symbol and live. They culminate with the future "lifting up" of Jesus on the cross that we will be focused on as we observe Good Friday and the resurrection of Easter Sunday.  . 
 
Today we experience the bite, the sting of sin which if unforgiven would lead to death.  But looking to Jesus, believing in Him, we may be healed, we may experience life more abundantly here and now and look forward to an eternal life with Jesus our Saviour.  This brings us back to yesterday's verse from Hebrews.
 
Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
 
In Christ,
Mike
 
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

John 3:14-16 (NKJV)

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. 16 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.

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