Weekly Pursuit – Week 4 of August
Verses:
John 3:14-15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that everyone who believes into Him may have eternal life.”
Excerpts:
Christians today appreciate John 3:16 very much, but not many of them understand 3:14.However, 3:16 is the issue of 3:14; that is, the receiving of eternal life is the issue of the uplifting of the bronze serpent. The Lord was telling Nicodemus that if he realized that he was serpentine and believed in the Lord Jesus as the bronze serpent lifted up as his Substitute, he would have eternal life.
In chapter 3 we not only have the serpent; we also have the bride. Verse 29 said, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom.” The totality of all those who have been regenerated is the bride of Christ. This bride is His increase. John’s disciples were made jealous by the fact that so many of his followers were coming to the Lord Jesus. As part of his answer to his disciples, John the Baptist said concerning Christ, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” The increase in this verse is the bride in the previous verse, and the bride is a living composition of all the regenerated ones. Regeneration is not only to bring the divine life into the believers but is also to make them the corporate bride for Christ’s increase.
This unlimited Christ must have a universal increase, and He is in the process of gaining this increase today. Wherever we go, Christ is present by the Spirit He gives without measure. This immeasurable Spirit produces a universal increase for the unlimited Christ. (The Fulfillment of the Tabernacle and the Offerings in the Writings of John, ch. 9)
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