Common events in our lives can often call to mind the glories of Christ, particularly as contrasted with our own weakness and helpless state.
At our office, a poor helpless white cat appeared, starving to death and carrying an ugly black rotting wound to the side of its head. We took the poor creature to the veterinarian, who diagnosed a venomous snake bite. After a few days, the cat succumbed, and we were all very sad.
We were too late. We didn't seek treatment soon enough. We didn't have a strong enough cure. Empathy and love and compassion are great things, but they are not sufficient to save the ones we love. What we lack is the power to save, and in the end, we lose everything and everyone in this life to the grave.
That cat's death, and indeed all the sorrow of this world, may be traced to a venomous strike by that old serpent, the Devil, in the Garden of Eden. His venom was the lies he told us about God, about sin, about death and judgment. When he struck Adam and Eve, he injected his venom of rebellion against God, and brought death to us all.
As in the cat, so in us: the venom rots us all out from the inside, and God's saints have ever cried for the cure for their sin.
But praise God, He already was preparing the cure for sin! In the very beginning of sin, God promised a Savior would come in human flesh to destroy the serpent. The bronze serpent Moses raised was a picture of Christ crucified for sinners.
And so for all those who look upon Christ for salvation, the deadly effects of the venom of rebellion are done away with!
We are healed of our rebellion by the stripes of Jesus at Calvary! The Serpent is overcome by the Blood of the Lamb! |
#10 - Top Played Sermon (48-Hours) on 8/17/2014
