Table of Contents
Jesus was a people magnet. During His short time on earth, He attracted the outcasts of society—the misfits, the poor, the undesirables. People sensed that He was humble, meek, and approachable. Crowds followed Him, and mothers felt safe enough to bring their children to Him to be blessed. Even one of the important religious leaders of the day couldn’t resist being drawn to Him. He came to Jesus at night, and His name was Nicodemus.
Nicodemus must have had many questions for the new, miracle-working teacher, but Jesus quickly got to the heart of the matter. He told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Nicodemus had no idea what Jesus was talking about. “‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?’” (John 3:4). Sensing Nicodemus’ confusion, Jesus told him a story from the Old Testament to help him understand what it meant to be born again. Nicodemus, as a religious leader, would have been familiar with the story.
1 THE SNAKE ON THE POLE
Many centuries earlier, Nicodemus’ ancestors, the Jews, were crossing the desert on their way to the Promised Land. Even though God fulfilled their every need—food, water, protection from enemies—they still grumbled and complained against Him.
“Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread” (Numbers 21:5).
As a result of their grumbling and lack of faith, God chose to discipline His children by sending poisonous snakes among them.
“And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died” (Numbers 21:6).
Being surrounded by poisonous snakes sent from God would certainly get someone’s attention and cause them to reflect on their behavior—immediately! And that is exactly what happened.
“Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people” (Numbers 21:7).
God’s solution to the problem was simple, yet amazing. Here is how the story ends.
“The Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live” (Numbers 21:8).
Put yourself in the sandals of these terrified people. They have been bitten by poisonous snakes and are about to die. Yet in their distress, they look up at the snake on the pole, and instantly, they are fully recovered. There were no other conditions to be added to their recovery. They simply looked, and lived.
2 JESUS, THE SNAKE, AND THE CROSS
Jesus explained to Nicodemus that He too would be lifted up on a cross as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. But Jesus would provide something far more wonderful than recovery from poisonous snake venom. A simple look of faith to Jesus would bring spiritual recovery—eternal life with Him in His kingdom. Here is what Jesus told Nicodemus:
“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” (John 3:14-15).
It may seem surprising to hear that the obtaining of eternal life is so simple: look and live. And yet, as Jesus finished explaining to Nicodemus how to be born again, in the very next verse of the Bible He drove home the point again by speaking the most well-known verse in the world John 3:16. Like those bitten by the snakes in the wilderness, there is only one condition to be met to be saved: belief in Jesus for 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” (John 3:16).
3 CAN IT REALLY BE THAT SIMPLE?
Obtaining eternal life is so simple that most miss it. Many believe that the way to be right with God and spend eternity with Him is by being good, going to church, getting baptized, and doing good deeds. Yet the Bible is clear that works play no part in obtaining eternal life.
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5).
As you read the following verses, notice that eternal life is a free gift from God, and that it is not a reward that God gives for the good things we do.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
4 YOU TOO CAN LOOK AND LIVE
Jesus left heaven long ago and was born a baby in Bethlehem so He could become human. As a human, while still being God, He was lifted up on the cross to die and absorb the punishment for man’s sins. Raised from the dead, He now offers eternal life as a free gift to anyone who believes in Him. It’s that simple! Look and live.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47).
