Sermon on the Fourth Sunday in Lent: What’s with the Snake on a Stick?
Today we have one of the strangest stories in the Bible linked with one of the most profound theologies of Christianity.
How many of you, when we read from the Book of Numbers, remembered this story? Now I’ll admit myself, to only have skimmed some passages in Numbers. It is, in my opinion, one of the most boring parts of the Bible. But this story—wow! what an eye opener—one I’ve remembered since I first encountered it.
We got snakes (although not on a plane), we got biting and poison, we got prayer, we got a snake on a stick, and then a miraculous cure for snakebite. Yeah, none of that dramatic cutting open a wound sucking out the poison and spitting it out that we see in movies. Warning: that is only stuff seen in movies—snake bites should not be treated like that in real life. Keep calm, lower the wound below the heart, remove anything in the area of the wound that might get constricted—most important get professional medical help. Unfortunately, no snakes on sticks are going to do anything helpful these days.
And what’s with God just straight up killing people because they’re impatient about stuff? My, would God have a field day now for people impatient for the pandemic to be over? Should those fed up with social distancing or wearing masks be killed by poisonous snakes?
That’s up to God to decide. For whatever reason, often we cannot know the motives and purposes of God.
Except the Gospel of John uses the snake story to explain a fundamental, and highly advertised section of scripture. I’m sure you all remember John 3:16, being pointed to so often by sign carriers at sporting events. Maybe you are less familiar with the verses around 3:16, starting with the snake on a stick. I’m pretty sure our lectionary would not bring up that story, like many other weird biblical tales, if not for its use here.
And here its use is to make us reflect on the crucifixion and its purpose.
In these few words, and further elucidated in our reading from Ephesians, we peel back theology to see the essence of the Christian faith. We are all doomed to die because of our sins. Those sins are passion of the flesh, and wrath, and disobedience, and more. But God “who is rich in mercy” and “out of great love” and his “kindness toward us” saves us through our faith, through the gift that is grace. And in the name of Christ, we are to do “good works” and deeds of light, not because through them we earn grace, but just because we are supposed to.
The world is not a perfect place—the forty years in the wilderness was particularly tedious for the Hebrews, yet is also a metaphor for our time that each of us spends in this life. We are not to spend that time bitchin’ and moanin’. We are to be faithful to God who is generous to us. And our faithfulness is doing what is right and just and good in loving our neighbor.
So, when you think of the Snake on a Stick, remember Christ on the cross. Through death comes life.
Written for the parish of St. James & St. George 2021 March 14
URL: <http://therev.brianpavlac.org/srms/20210314.html