Lent 4
Devotional
Streams of Living Water
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle B
Object:
Numbers 21:4-9
Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.
-- Numbers 21:8b
Anyone who has responded in despair to the constant complaining and bickering in churches will readily identify with Moses' having to endure the constant groaning and grumbling of the children of Israel as they crossed the wilderness. Normally, in response to their grumbling, Moses intercedes, and God graciously responds to their need for food, water, or security. This time, however, the people are visited by a plague of poisonous snakes that cause death within the camp.
One of the first signs that Moses performed as a sign that he was sent from God was to transform his staff into a snake (Exodus 4:1-5). The serpent is a sign of God's displeasure, and once again the Hebrews turn to Moses as their liberator only this time it is from the anger of God. When Moses prays to God on their behalf, God tells Moses to make a bronze image of a poisonous serpent and put it on a pole. The people have to look into the face of their fear in order to be healed. This is the last of their reported grumbling, so perhaps the continual reminder of the consequence of their complaining has its effect. It is not clear what could be a parallel reminder today for people within the community of faith. It is clear that their bickering has the effect of poisoning the body.
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
-- Psalm 107:2-3
This passage lifts up two continuing themes of scripture. The most obvious one is that God is a saving God. The whole psalm is a litany of thanksgiving recalling the various ways in which God has reached out and saved different peoples. The second theme is that God is a gathering God. God calls people together. God not only hears the cry of those who suffer but he also seeks them out. Suffering is an isolating phenomenon, and God is a God of community. If sin is a rebellion against the will of God that results in alienation from God and neighbor, then God's reconciling purpose is accomplished by gathering those who have experienced isolation. In the opening chapters of Genesis, the whole world is spoken of as a single family. Later in the call of Abram, the call is described as having a positive result for every nation on earth (Genesis 12:3). The psalmist describes the various ways that God continues to gather people and redeem them, and then the psalmist invites people to respond with a song of joy. "And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy" (v. 22).
Ephesians 2:1-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God -- not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
-- Ephesians 2:8-9
What if it is really true that we have nothing to boast about in the fact that we are Christians? What if the fact that we are Christians has absolutely nothing to do with our character, morals, will power, or insight? If it is a fact that our faith is totally an undeserved gift from God, does it cause us to look differently at both ourselves and those who do not believe? Paul is pretty blunt about this. "All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else" (v. 3).
Most people want to dilute that message. They may say that generally they were also sinners; but then they made the decision for Christ, and now they are a cut above nonbelievers. However, Paul will not let us boast even about making the decision for Christ. For reasons that only God can understand, God has chosen to shower "the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (v. 7). All we can do is stand in awe that we have been so blessed. "For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand to be our way of life" (v. 10). It also suggests that our attitude toward nonbelievers should be one of respect because they are no different from the rest of us by nature. We are to reach out to them with good works because that is what God has done for us. If God chooses to use our good works to bring others to belief, that, too, is a reason for thanksgiving. But that is a decision left to God. We are to love our neighbor, believer or nonbeliever, anyway.
John 3:14-21
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.
-- John 3:14a
The serpent has a peculiar journey in scripture. When most people think about the serpent in the Bible, they think of the Garden of Eden and the temptation of Eve that led to death. Later, when the children of Israel were given freedom and were traveling in the wilderness, the hardships of life became too much. They complained that their God and Moses had let them down. When they complained, the serpent again enters the story; only this time it is a poisonous serpent that kills those it bites. But when the Hebrews once again turn to Moses and God in crisis, the serpent, which was sent as a judgment for their complaining, was transformed by God into an instrument of life. It has a strong similarity to the medical symbol that reflects the thirst for healing.
In John, this symbol of a serpent is used to interpret the meaning of the cross. The cross is meant as a judgment by the state against those who violate its laws. It can also be seen as a judgment against humanity who rejects God's Son. Yet, like the serpent, God transforms the cross into a means of salvation. Now the symbol of Satan is transformed into the Savior of the world. The serpent that the Israelites thought was a condemnation for their disobedience is lifted up by God, not to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him. Darkness is made as light of day (Psalm 139:12). Our hope is discovered by staring evil in the face and trusting God to enable us to overcome it. Salvation is not found in escaping the evil in us but in allowing it to be transformed for good.
Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.
-- Numbers 21:8b
Anyone who has responded in despair to the constant complaining and bickering in churches will readily identify with Moses' having to endure the constant groaning and grumbling of the children of Israel as they crossed the wilderness. Normally, in response to their grumbling, Moses intercedes, and God graciously responds to their need for food, water, or security. This time, however, the people are visited by a plague of poisonous snakes that cause death within the camp.
One of the first signs that Moses performed as a sign that he was sent from God was to transform his staff into a snake (Exodus 4:1-5). The serpent is a sign of God's displeasure, and once again the Hebrews turn to Moses as their liberator only this time it is from the anger of God. When Moses prays to God on their behalf, God tells Moses to make a bronze image of a poisonous serpent and put it on a pole. The people have to look into the face of their fear in order to be healed. This is the last of their reported grumbling, so perhaps the continual reminder of the consequence of their complaining has its effect. It is not clear what could be a parallel reminder today for people within the community of faith. It is clear that their bickering has the effect of poisoning the body.
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
-- Psalm 107:2-3
This passage lifts up two continuing themes of scripture. The most obvious one is that God is a saving God. The whole psalm is a litany of thanksgiving recalling the various ways in which God has reached out and saved different peoples. The second theme is that God is a gathering God. God calls people together. God not only hears the cry of those who suffer but he also seeks them out. Suffering is an isolating phenomenon, and God is a God of community. If sin is a rebellion against the will of God that results in alienation from God and neighbor, then God's reconciling purpose is accomplished by gathering those who have experienced isolation. In the opening chapters of Genesis, the whole world is spoken of as a single family. Later in the call of Abram, the call is described as having a positive result for every nation on earth (Genesis 12:3). The psalmist describes the various ways that God continues to gather people and redeem them, and then the psalmist invites people to respond with a song of joy. "And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy" (v. 22).
Ephesians 2:1-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God -- not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
-- Ephesians 2:8-9
What if it is really true that we have nothing to boast about in the fact that we are Christians? What if the fact that we are Christians has absolutely nothing to do with our character, morals, will power, or insight? If it is a fact that our faith is totally an undeserved gift from God, does it cause us to look differently at both ourselves and those who do not believe? Paul is pretty blunt about this. "All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else" (v. 3).
Most people want to dilute that message. They may say that generally they were also sinners; but then they made the decision for Christ, and now they are a cut above nonbelievers. However, Paul will not let us boast even about making the decision for Christ. For reasons that only God can understand, God has chosen to shower "the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (v. 7). All we can do is stand in awe that we have been so blessed. "For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand to be our way of life" (v. 10). It also suggests that our attitude toward nonbelievers should be one of respect because they are no different from the rest of us by nature. We are to reach out to them with good works because that is what God has done for us. If God chooses to use our good works to bring others to belief, that, too, is a reason for thanksgiving. But that is a decision left to God. We are to love our neighbor, believer or nonbeliever, anyway.
John 3:14-21
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.
-- John 3:14a
The serpent has a peculiar journey in scripture. When most people think about the serpent in the Bible, they think of the Garden of Eden and the temptation of Eve that led to death. Later, when the children of Israel were given freedom and were traveling in the wilderness, the hardships of life became too much. They complained that their God and Moses had let them down. When they complained, the serpent again enters the story; only this time it is a poisonous serpent that kills those it bites. But when the Hebrews once again turn to Moses and God in crisis, the serpent, which was sent as a judgment for their complaining, was transformed by God into an instrument of life. It has a strong similarity to the medical symbol that reflects the thirst for healing.
In John, this symbol of a serpent is used to interpret the meaning of the cross. The cross is meant as a judgment by the state against those who violate its laws. It can also be seen as a judgment against humanity who rejects God's Son. Yet, like the serpent, God transforms the cross into a means of salvation. Now the symbol of Satan is transformed into the Savior of the world. The serpent that the Israelites thought was a condemnation for their disobedience is lifted up by God, not to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him. Darkness is made as light of day (Psalm 139:12). Our hope is discovered by staring evil in the face and trusting God to enable us to overcome it. Salvation is not found in escaping the evil in us but in allowing it to be transformed for good.
