Lift Up The Cross

John 3:11-16

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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.

Thought For Today:

In John 3:14-15, Jesus draws a parallel between Himself and an event from the Old Testament. He refers to the time of Moses (Numbers 21:4-9), where those who were bitten by serpents were healed when they looked at the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up. Jesus uses this incident as a metaphor for His own future crucifixion. The imagery suggests that just as the people looked to the lifted serpent for physical healing, humanity should look to the lifted Son of Man (Jesus) for spiritual healing and eternal life.

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God," Paul said (1 Corinthians 1:18). So many do not have an understanding of the cross. Even Nicodemus was amazed by it, and many continue to be today. The cross is a reminder of the gift of life that only Jesus gives.