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SUNDAY • MARCH 22Numbers 21:9 (ESV)Look and Live!“So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bitanyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.”Do you ever complain? Do you complain when you do not get your way?Or how about when you are served something that you don’t like to eat? Doyou complain when things go wrong such as when the car breaks down, thetire goes flat, the headlight goes out again? Do you complain that others getthe job that you wanted?Or maybe you complain when you become impatient. The check iscoming but it is not here yet. Do you take it out on the postal worker or thosewhom you promised to pay back, yet, they keep asking where it is?Do you have expectations of God that He is simply not living up to? Didyou do all the right things—or most of them—changing your ways, attendinga worship service or two and then trouble comes? So you complain againstGod.The children of Israel, God’s chosen tribe, complained when they wereso close to entering the Promised Land and then had to turn and go in theopposite direction for a time.What happened? God—yes, God—sent poisonous snakes. Many peoplewere bitten and several died. They repented and asked Moses to pray that Godwould send the snakes away, a simple request. Did God remove the snakes?No, He did not. Really? Yes, really. Instead, He had Moses make a bronzeserpent and set it on a pole. Anyone bitten could look up in faith and live.We learn from the third chapter of John’s Gospel that Jesus would also beset on a pole so that each and every person who looks to Him in faith wouldlive. In other words, Jesus would suffer the full wrath of God, not simplyignore the sin of each and every man, woman and child, as He obediently diedon a cross. Jesus’ death glorified His Father in heaven so that everyone whobelieves in Him could live a life knowing full well that he or she is forgivenby God.Look at Jesus and live!Dear Father in heaven, we pray and thank You that You glorified Your owndear Son as He was lifted up on a cross, so that each and every one who looksto Him in faith has life, now and forevermore. In His name we pray, Amen.Pastor Ricky JacobJesus Our Savior Lutheran OutreachWinnebago, Nebraska40