Salvation on a Stick

As I was reading about Jesus last week, I stumbled onto something that is most likely old news to everyone but myself. I'll try to keep it short (so that the reader will not get bored halfway through and decide that they have something better to do, like wash hair, brush teeth, eat Honey Combs, make prank calls, etc. etc.), but must admit that I am wonderfully in love with this image. Rest assured, however, that when you have finished this, your minds will either (a) be blown away that I, Jason, have attempted to get spiritual, (b) decided that I, Jason, am a flippin' idiot, a menace to society, and should not be taken seriously, or (c) attempt to purge all recollection of me, Jason, by deleting all of my comments, burning all memorabilia that may possibly reflect even a scent of my participation in your life, and undergoing experimental hypnosis therapy in an attempt to wipe your brain clean.

The third chapter of John gives a description of Jesus giving a lesson to Nicodemus. You undoubtedly have heard all about how the respected Pharisee visited Jesus late at night, most likely because he was afraid of what others would think. You remember the words of Jesus explaining that one must be "born again" or "born from above" in order to see the Kingdom of God. Of course, no one can forget the discourse of how the Spirit moves to and fro as the wind. And don't even get me started with that whole John 3:16 thing. These are all words that are worthy of being pondered over and treasured, but this is not what has been rolling around in my mind as of late.

Instead, I find myself getting excited over verses 14-15. It is verse 14 that sets it up, and verse 15 that drops the hammer. (It is here that you must find your own Bible, for I am far too lazy to do all the work for you.) What did Moses and a snake have to do with Jesus? It's often one of those things that just gets skipped over as I read the text, not understanding what Jesus is talking about, but too lazy and apathetic to look for the answers to, satisfied to move along in blissful ignorance. After all, what does a snake in the desert have to do with the "coolness," or if you will, "cool-ah-city", of Jesus? Unless he is planning on making a snake-skinned vest. Or maybe some boots. Perhaps Jesus just stomps on the head of the snake with his heel like is shown in "The Passion of Christ". Hmmmm. I am now intrigued.

Through some simple investigative work, I find Numbers 21:4-9. I read of how God commanded Moses to create a bronze snake, place it high upon a pole, and when one is bitten, all he or she must do is look to the snake and be rescued from what is sure to be a miserable death. I am blown away by how the sin created death, however, all one must do to be rescued is to look at that bronze snake and he or she is healed! And then it hits me.

I return to John 3 and read it again. I am captured by "...so the Son of Man must be lifted up..." and then, "...everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." All of the sudden an extraordinary image is painted into my mind. I am laying on the ground, dying from the venomous poison that is sin. It is my sin. It is my fault. Just as the disobedience of the Israelites brought calamity upon themselves, so we all bring about our own punishment through our disobedience. Yet, there is one who rescues us from such despair, which is so rightly deserved. There he is. Jesus, hanging from a pole. All I have to do is look to him, and the poison of sin is sucked from my body. I am healed. I am whole. I am new. Such is the image of God's grace and mercy. That image is enough to humble me. That image is enough to get me excited.