Participants: Wes McDonald
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000401
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00:31 Hi, I'm Wes McDonald,
00:32 I'd liked to welcome you to today's 00:35 Faith Chapel here at 3ABN, 00:37 we're delighted you could be with us. 00:39 We're going to sharing with you today 00:40 as always some things from God's word. 00:44 And before we do that, let's bow our heads and pray. 00:48 Our Father in heaven, 00:49 thank You that we can come before You today, 00:53 that we can learn of You. 00:55 I pray that you would grant each of us knowledge 00:57 and wisdom and wisdom from Your word, 00:58 give me words to speak that will be a blessing, 01:02 and just a powerful word of comfort 01:06 to those in our audience today. 01:09 And so we ask these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. 01:15 Our message today is "Lift Him Up." 01:19 We want to look at a text which many of you know 01:22 by heart but there maybe some people, 01:24 maybe you're a new Christian 01:25 or maybe you're not Christian at all, 01:27 it maybe a text that you've not seen before, 01:29 but it is the hallmark text of Christians 01:33 and it is John 3 and verse 16. 01:37 Let's read this together, John 3 and verse 16, 01:40 For God so loved the world 01:43 that he gave his only begotten Son, 01:47 that whosever believeth in him should not perish, 01:50 but have everlasting life. 01:55 Each of us is a sinner, we're not without that knowledge, 02:02 we understand this. But often times we feel like 02:06 we must do something ourselves 02:08 in order to merit favor with God. 02:12 But the Bible is very clear that Jesus loved us, 02:14 and the Father loved us, 02:15 and that Jesus died for us. 02:18 But for most Christians this verse is one 02:20 that they have committed to memory, 02:22 but very few have committed 02:23 the preceding two verses to memory. 02:25 If I were to ask a 100 Christians out there 02:27 how many of you know John 3 verse 14 and 15? 02:31 The majority would give me a blank stare, 02:35 and I'm sure some of you maybe thinking wow, 02:37 I don't know what that is. 02:39 So let's look at that, because we're going to focus 02:41 on these verses a little bit today. 02:43 John 3 verse 14 and 15 02:46 and let's read this together as well. 02:49 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, 02:54 even so must the Son of man be lifted up, 02:58 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 03:03 but have eternal life. 03:10 Is this text using a snake to be a symbol for Christ, 03:15 doesn't that seen strange to you? 03:18 Doesn't that snake symbolize the devil, 03:20 we know that in the Garden of Eden, 03:23 the devil took on form of the serpent 03:25 and yet we find that it's comparing Christ 03:29 and a serpent in the wilderness. 03:31 Christ being lifted up and the serpent being lifted up. 03:34 Does the snake symbolize the devil, sin, 03:37 something cursed, unholy, defiled, detestable, 03:43 dangerous, evil in its intent, 03:46 isn't this true about snakes? 03:48 When you think of a snake, 03:49 do you think of something holy? 03:51 When you think of a serpent, 03:52 don't you think of someone as venomous 03:54 that will bite you, that will kill you. 03:56 Why is it that this is being used 03:59 in some way in context with Christ, 04:02 who is absolutely holy, He was God, He had to be holy. 04:05 Why does it do this, what does it mean? 04:07 This text refers us back to a passage 04:10 in the Book of Numbers. 04:12 We want to allow scripture to answers scripture 04:14 and we're gonna look at that text. 04:16 In the Book of Numbers in chapter 21, 04:19 we find here that Moses has been with this 04:23 rebellious Israelite people through the desert. 04:27 They had been brought through the water 04:30 where Pharaoh's army was destroyed after them, 04:33 they had been received water out of a rock, 04:37 they had received manna from heaven. 04:40 And every step along the way they complained. 04:44 God was upset with them, Moses was upset with them, 04:47 and all they did was complain, complain, complain. 04:51 And this brings us to Numbers 21 verse 5 through 9, 04:56 they had been complaining again. 04:58 Let's read this text together Numbers 21 verse 5 through 9. 05:04 And the people spake against God, 05:06 and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up 05:09 out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? 05:13 For there is no bread, neither is there any water, 05:16 and our soul loatheth this light bread. 05:19 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, 05:22 and they bit the people, and much people of Israel died. 05:27 Therefore the people came to Moses and said, 05:29 We've sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, 05:33 and against thee, pray unto the Lord, 05:36 that he take away the serpents from us. 05:39 And Moses prayed for the people. 05:43 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, 05:48 and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass 05:52 that every one that is bitten, 05:55 when he looketh upon it, shall live. 05:59 And Moses made a serpent of brass, 06:01 and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass 06:04 that if a serpent had bitten any man, 06:08 when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 06:15 Doesn't this sound strange to you? 06:19 Here the people are dying, 06:20 they've been complaining against the Lord, 06:22 they complained even about the food that they were given. 06:26 Can you imagine, this was the food prepared by angels, 06:29 it came down from heaven and fell on the ground. 06:31 They didn't have to work for anything, 06:33 they just went out and picked up the food. 06:35 It was delicious, nutritious, it kept them healthy, 06:38 they had not suffered any illness along the whole away, 06:42 they had been protected even from sun burn, 06:44 because the cloud that went over them 06:47 shaded them even from the sun, 06:49 they did nothing but complain. 06:51 And you know, I can remember sometimes 06:53 hearing parents talked to their children. 06:56 The child is disobedient and he's complaining, 06:59 and crying, and crying, and crying, 07:01 and the child has everything, 07:02 he has nothing to complain about. 07:04 And finally the parent says, you know what? 07:07 If you don't quick complaining, 07:09 I'm going to give you something to complain about. 07:11 Have you ever said this yourself? 07:14 Well, God realized that these people 07:16 did not appreciate His blessings to them, 07:20 they did not appreciate the fact 07:22 that He sent Moses to deliver them. 07:25 They were even complaining 07:26 about the food that He gave Him, 07:28 and beggars should not be choosers, 07:30 and they should not complain, amen. 07:32 When you have nothing, and you get it for nothing, 07:34 and you get everything you have for nothing, 07:36 you really shouldn't complain. 07:37 But the people were complaining 07:39 and they were complaining bitterly 07:40 to Moses and bitterly about God. 07:43 These serpents had been in the desert all along the way, 07:49 they were always out there, 07:50 had always been there and they were called fiery serpents 07:53 because they're sting was especially 07:54 painful and it was fatal. 07:56 You got bit, you're gonna die, end of story. 07:59 There was no antivenin, there were no hospitals, 08:02 they were in the desert, they were in the wilderness, 08:05 and if you got bit, that was it, it was all over. 08:09 But all along the way God's holy angels had protected 08:13 these people so that no one got bit. 08:16 In fact, the people probably didn't even know 08:18 that the snakes were there, they never saw. 08:21 God had miraculously kept them away. 08:24 And so when they began to accuse God of taking them 08:27 into the wilderness to die, 08:29 when they begin complain about the healthful food 08:31 He gave them, God simply removed the protection, 08:36 so that they could see what it was that 08:39 they had been protected against. 08:40 And then they realized, we've sinned. 08:44 Oh, Moses please, we've sinned, 08:46 we said bad things about you, 08:48 bad things about God, and we have sinned. 08:52 Moses, would you pray for us, 08:54 would you ask God to take the snakes away, 08:56 would you pray for us? 08:57 And so God gave Moses some specific instructions. 09:01 And He asked Moses to do something 09:03 which would sound quite ridiculous. 09:08 He asked Moses to make of serpent out of brass, 09:13 put it on a pole 09:14 and then instruct the people to look at it. 09:17 That to most people would sound absurd. 09:21 You know, give me a pill, 09:22 I don't know send me to the ICU, 09:24 but simply looking is gonna cure it, 09:28 this was to teach the people a valuable lesson. 09:32 They had to obey in faith, they had to look and to live 09:38 and there was no other way that they could be saved, 09:42 except to look and to live, and it required faith to look, 09:48 it requires faith to obey. 09:51 The obedience was simply to look, 09:53 they didn't have to do any fancy thing, 09:55 and they just simply had to look and to live. 09:59 So you can imagine out in the desert, 10:01 thousands of people on every side, 10:04 they're all dying? And their relatives, 10:06 you know, their eyes are becoming glazed 10:09 and they're breathing their last breathes, 10:12 and their family rushed to them 10:13 and it's like that they positioned themselves 10:15 so that they can see this brass serpent 10:17 that's been raised up. And they turned their heads 10:20 and say, and would you open your eyes, 10:23 and look, would you look, would you look? 10:26 And the person looks and instantly, 10:28 they feel life coming back into their veins. 10:31 Instantly their breathing becomes normal, 10:34 instantly they regain strength 10:36 and they are saved by the look of faith. 10:40 There was nothing they did to deserve it, 10:42 nothing they did to bring it about, 10:46 except they had to look at what would be ridiculous 10:50 and absurd to even consider to look and to live. 10:54 Nothing they could do to save themselves. 10:58 They couldn't just promise to be good and save themselves, 11:02 they just had to look and to live. 11:06 Well, how can this be? 11:08 Let's turn to Second Corinthians 5 and verse 21, 11:14 Jesus is represented it here. 11:18 For he hath made him to be sin for us, 11:21 who knew no sin, that we might be made 11:25 the righteousness of God in him. 11:30 You see, friends, the snake was made out of brass, 11:34 but it was in the shape of a real snake, 11:37 yet it didn't have any poison in it, 11:39 there was no sting in it. 11:41 Just as Christ was made sin for us, 11:45 and yet He knew no sin. 11:48 He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh 11:51 and yet not sinful, 11:53 as harmless as the brass snake. 11:56 The serpent was a cursed creature 11:58 and Christ was made a cursed for us. 12:02 That which cured them, 12:04 reminded them of the very thing which was killing them. 12:11 You see when we look to the cross, 12:13 and we see a dying Savior with His arms out spread 12:18 and He's breathing His last breath, 12:20 and He's dying for my sin, and for your sin. 12:25 Doesn't that remind us of our sin? 12:30 Doesn't that remind us of how unworthy we are 12:33 and how worthy Jesus is? 12:36 Doesn't that teach us that there is nothing 12:38 we can do to want salvation, it is a gift of God, 12:42 not of works lest any man should boast. 12:45 You know, in First Peter 2 and verse 22, 12:52 it tells us that Jesus, it says, 12:54 "He did no sin, neither was guile 12:56 even found in his mouth." 12:59 Imagine Christ dying, capital punishment for your life? 13:04 And yet He never lied, 13:06 and yet He's dying because of your little white lie. 13:09 Imagine Christ who never slept with a woman, 13:13 dying for the fact that you cheated 13:16 on your wife last week or your husband last week. 13:19 Imagine Christ dying for you cheating on your taxes, 13:23 and He was faithful to pay His, it's not fair is it? 13:29 Salvation is not fair, it's love. 13:33 Love goes beyond fair, because if salvation were fair 13:36 none of us could be saved, amen. 13:39 Not one of us deserves salvation, 13:41 but we can have it any and it is an act of faith 13:44 in Christ death for us on the cross, 13:46 nothing more, nothing less, you can't work for it, 13:49 you don't deserve it, I don't deserve it end of the story. 13:54 So we have do that which is ridiculous 13:56 to consider that we look to Christ, 13:59 repent of our sins, ask him for forgiveness 14:01 and he does it, and we don't deserve it. 14:05 It doesn't make sense any more 14:06 than asking the people to look at a brass snake, 14:10 and expecting that they would live. 14:12 But that's what happened and that's what happens today 14:14 when we look to Christ. 14:16 Believing in his shed blood, ask Him to forgive our sins, 14:21 repent of them and we are saved. 14:24 Friends, that's reality, crazy as it seems, 14:28 unfair because we don't deserve it, 14:31 but that's reality. He takes our punishment 14:35 and our burden of guilt. 14:37 Let's look at Matthew 11 and verse 28 to 30 together, 14:42 and let's read together, Jesus takes our burden, 14:45 our heavy burden of guilt, 14:47 he bears it upon himself for us. 14:49 Matthew 11 verse 28 to 30, let's read together. 14:58 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 15:02 and I will give you rest. 15:05 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, 15:07 for I am meek and lowly in heart, 15:10 and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 15:17 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 15:22 When we look and live with the Savior, 15:26 we enjoy life which we don't deserve. 15:29 In Matthew 16 and verse 24, 15:33 it tells us that, and we will read together. 15:37 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, 15:40 if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, 15:44 and take up his cross and follow me. 15:49 To be the recipient of such love of Jesus, 15:54 to realize that our sins have been forgiven 15:57 by such an enormous gift, 16:00 by something we did not deserve, 16:03 we are then called to share with others the same thing. 16:06 So we take up our burden, which is the burden of Christ, 16:10 which is the burden of lost souls. 16:12 And Paul tells us exactly how we are to take up this burden. 16:16 In Philippians 2 verses 1 through 11, 16:19 Paul tells us the following 16:21 If therefore, if there be therefore 16:24 any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, 16:29 if any fellowship of the Spirit, 16:30 if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye me joy, 16:34 that ye be likeminded, having the same love, 16:38 being of one accord, of one mind. 16:41 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, 16:44 but in lowliness of mind let each other, 16:48 let each esteem other better than themselves. 16:53 Look not every man on his own things, 16:55 but every man also on the things of others. 16:59 Let this mind be in you, 17:01 which was also in Christ Jesus, 17:04 Who, being in the form of God, 17:07 thought it not robbery to be equal with God 17:09 But made himself of no reputation, 17:13 and took upon him the form of a servant, 17:16 and was made in the likeness of men. 17:19 And being found in fashion as a man, 17:21 he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, 17:25 even the death of the cross. 17:30 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, 17:33 and given him a name which is above every name, 17:37 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 17:42 of things in heaven, and things in Earth, 17:45 and things under the Earth, 17:47 and that every tongue should confess 17:49 that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father. 17:55 Let's look together briefly at verse 4 there, 18:00 it tells us to, Look not every man on his own things, 18:05 but every man also on the things of others. 18:10 In order for us to have the mind of Christ, 18:13 we must be seeking after the things 18:15 which Christ is seeking after, 18:17 and that is the salvation of lost souls. 18:19 If we are to look out for the other guy eternally, 18:24 we have to be prepared in order to do that. 18:26 There are some things we need to do, 18:28 we need to do two things, 18:29 we need do raise up the cross to others, 18:31 we need to keep our eyes raised 18:34 look to him upon the cross ourselves, 18:37 and we need to be prepared 18:39 in order to give a reason for our faith. 18:42 We need to be prepared in some way to share 18:45 the love of Christ with other people. 18:47 Turn with me if you will to Second Timothy 2 and verse 15, 18:54 it tell us, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, 18:58 a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, 19:02 rightly dividing the word of truth. 19:07 As we learn more of truth, we can share more. 19:11 You know, everyone thinks a little different. 19:15 What will touch your heart may not touch my heart 19:17 and may not touch someone else's heart. 19:20 But if we arm our minds with more and more 19:22 and more of scripture we can be able to give 19:25 just the right word, to just the right hurting soul, 19:29 at just the right instant to make the difference 19:31 so that they can see that they're loved by God 19:34 and that they want to serve Him. 19:36 They'll want to give their hearts to Him, 19:37 they'll want to look to the Savior to live 19:40 and to share eternity with Him. 19:43 Let's go to First Peter 3 verse 15. 19:49 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, 19:51 and be ready always to give an answer to every man 19:54 that asketh your reason of the hope 19:56 that is in you with meekness and fear. 20:00 We need to be prepared, we need be armed, 20:04 and we need to know exactly what we're to do. 20:06 Otherwise how can we preach anything, 20:08 how can we share anything? 20:09 Let's go to Second Timothy 4 and verse 2 to 4, 20:13 we need be ready instantly, Preach the word, 20:17 be instant in season, out of season, reprove, 20:23 rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 20:28 For the time will come when they will not endure 20:31 sound doctrine, but after their own lusts 20:35 shall they heap to themselves teachers, 20:38 having itching ears, And they shall turn away 20:41 their ears from the truth, 20:42 and shall be turned unto fables. 20:47 Now it's the time of salvation, 20:50 there is no better time to share 20:53 salvation with anyone then now. 20:56 As time goes on people get harder, and harder, 20:59 and harder in their hearts and they're harder to reach. 21:02 The longer someone is comfortable with sin 21:06 the less likely they are to pull back out of sin. 21:11 The more we share with Christ now, 21:14 the more we're likely to pull someone on. 21:16 You know, when you're in sin, 21:18 you partaken it so long that after a while 21:21 it doesn't even bother you. 21:22 Friends don't allow someone to become comfortable and then, 21:26 you know, try to reach them. 21:27 No, in season, out of season, 21:29 you know what to say, say it and do it. 21:32 Friends, we need to do that. 21:36 Every day do something for Jesus, 21:39 let not one day go by where you do not raise up 21:42 the cross of Christ before humanity. 21:45 When you get up in the morning, 21:46 friends, I want you to pray and say, Lord, 21:49 I want you to today to give me some soul to witness to, 21:54 I want you to give me a word 21:56 to speak in season or out of season, 21:58 they may think it's the wrong season, 22:00 but to you there is no season it's all the same season. 22:03 Salvation is today wherever you are. 22:07 I want you to ask the Lord to lay this upon your heart, 22:10 and then I want you to study to show yourself approved. 22:12 Get up early in the morning as Christ did. 22:16 You know, early to bed, 22:18 early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise. 22:21 Go to bed early, turn off the television except, 22:23 unless it's 3ABN. 22:25 But turn off the television, 22:26 get to bed early, get up early in the morning 22:30 and spend that time with God when it's quite in the house, 22:33 no one is bothering you and you can actually get that 22:37 quality time with God, do that. 22:40 But most of all, lift up the Savior before humanity. 22:45 In an Adventist church in Long Beach, California, 22:48 many years ago there was a Catholic hospital 22:51 across the street, and the people in the hospital 22:56 could hear every Sabbath morning 22:58 the people singing in the Adventist church. 23:01 One day the pastor or someone at the church 23:04 was there at the church and they found 23:06 a letter slipped under the door. 23:09 And there was a poem that someone had written 23:11 who was a patient at the hospital 23:12 and apparently this was a long term patient, 23:15 apparently this individual whoever they are 23:17 because it was signed, it's just unknown. 23:20 But they had been in the hospital 23:21 for along enough of time to where they had appreciated 23:25 the music from a number of Sabbaths, 23:27 a number of prayer meetings, 23:29 a number of Friday night services, 23:31 a number of Saturday nights services. 23:33 And they appreciated hearing it, 23:35 and they wrote this poem and they entitled it, 23:39 Lift Him up, the risen Savior. 23:43 Listen with me as I share this to you, 23:45 this is precious, "Lift Him up, 23:49 the risen Savior, hear the mighty anthem roll, 23:54 List the song, whose inner meaning floods 23:57 with joy my very soul. 24:00 How the voices of the singer 24:02 as they sing of Christ on high, 24:05 Turn my thoughts from earthly sorrows 24:08 as they point me to the sky. 24:13 Lift Him up, the risen Savior, 24:14 high above the gathering throng. 24:17 Oh, what bliss to know He waits us, 24:20 and is listening to your song! 24:24 Days of suffering cannot matter 24:26 while to Him our faith we cling, 24:29 Nights of pain serve to remind us of the peace 24:33 that He will bring. 24:36 Lift Him up, 'tis He who pleadeth, 24:39 sing it out with music sweet, 24:41 So that we, on beds of illness may be led to Jesus feet. 24:46 As you sing, try to remember all the blessings given you. 24:51 And that just across the highway, 24:54 suffering souls are listening, too. 24:57 Lift Him up in songs of praises, 24:59 open wide your church-house door, 25:02 Then our weary load is lifted as we hear your voices soar. 25:07 You can hear your pastor's sermon 25:09 as your service moves along, 25:12 But for us there's just the uplift 25:14 and the courage from your song. 25:17 Lift Him up and spread the story 25:19 of the Savior's wondrous love, 25:22 Had you thought that through your singing, 25:25 you were guiding us above? Patients did you know that, 25:29 on each Wednesday, Friday, and here Sabbath too, 25:34 patients, nurses, even sisters 25:40 pause a while and hark to you. 25:44 As the strains of your sweet music 25:46 fall upon each burdened heart, peace comes in, 25:52 and rest, and comfort, bidding all our care depart. 25:59 So sing your songs, and when you're praying, 26:02 say a prayer for us in here, 26:04 And may God, who watches over us, 26:07 bless you, keep you, and hold you dear. 26:12 Lift Him up, the risen Savior, 26:14 high above the gathering throng, 26:17 Lift Him up, 'tis He who pleadeth, 26:19 now He bids you flee from wrong. 26:22 Lift Him up by word and action, 26:24 let your life the tale prolong, Lift Him up, 26:29 and let us hear you tell the story in your song." 26:35 It's signed unknown, I think I'd like to meet 26:40 unknown someday, how about you? 26:43 Dear friends, we never known the impact 26:48 of courage and the joy, and the peace 26:51 that we can give to some suffering soul, 26:54 whether they're on a bed of the illness, 26:56 and they're looking to live, 26:58 they know that they might die just as the people 27:01 in the wilderness had to look to the serpent on the brass, 27:05 the brass serpent in order to live. 27:07 We need to point these people who may not live now 27:12 but we need to point them to the Savior. 27:14 So that one day when Jesus comes, 27:17 they will look up and say, this is my God. 27:21 Oh, how precious it is. 27:23 They'll be caught up together with Him 27:24 in the clouds to meet him in the air, 27:27 and then we will all live together 27:29 forever in heaven with the Lord. 27:32 Friends, today my appeal to you is to lift up the Savior, 27:39 lift him high above the gathering throng. 27:42 Let your life be a song. 27:47 Friends, give your hearts to Jesus yourself, 27:50 turn your life over to Him and let's lift up Jesus. |
Revised 2014-12-17