I Don't Do Snakes | Jonathan Evans | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

I Don't Do Snakes

Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship • Nov 16, 2025 • 87 min

Start a Devotional

Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

When life's journey becomes long and difficult, complaining against God's provision brings spiritual paralysis and destructive venom into our lives. Just as Israel in the wilderness rejected God's manna and suffered serpent bites, we face spiritual death when we reject Jesus—the true Bread of Life and Living Water. Yet God provided a way of escape by commanding Moses to lift up a bronze serpent, foreshadowing Jesus being lifted up on the cross so that all who fix their eyes on Him will be saved.

Themes

Gratitude vs. ComplainingGod's Provision in the WildernessThe Danger of Ungrateful SpeechJesus as the Living Water and Bread of LifeThe Cross as God's Standard of SalvationRepentance and Faith

Key Points

1.
When hard circumstances or family hurt slow our progress, we must guard against letting impatience weaken our trust in God.
2.
While it is natural to feel frustrated during trials, speaking against God's provision crosses a dangerous line into ungratefulness and dishonors Him.
3.
Complaining against God's miraculous provision is a sin that puts Him to the test and causes us to suffer from the deadly venom of our own speech.
4.
Just as Israel rejected the physical bread and water in the wilderness, rejecting Jesus—the true Bread of Life and Living Water—carries the ultimate consequence of spiritual death.
5.
God commanded Moses to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole in the likeness of what bit them, foreshadowing Jesus taking on human form to be lifted up on the cross for our salvation.
6.
Salvation cannot be earned through self-reliance, good works, or worldly substitutes because Jesus is the only way to the Father.
7.
Confessing Jesus as Lord and placing total trust in His sacrifice on the cross delivers us from eternal separation from God.

Sermon Moments

“It's okay to have a problem with your problem. It's not okay to speak against your provision within your problem.”

“You can always determine a snake by how it utilizes its tongue.”

“He sent serpents in to play with the serpents that were already there.”

“There are many of us who asked for the job and now we're complaining about the work.”

“To speak against your miraculous provisions that God has given you in your life is to then speak against your provider.”

“They can only be saved by something that was made in the likeness of what bit them.”

“If you want to live, you better fix your eyes on the cross. There is no other way.”

“When you see God, he'll say, 'Unfortunately, I don't do snakes.'”

This Week

Guard your tongue when facing frustrating circumstances, choosing not to mumble or complain against God's daily provision.

Refuse to let discouragement from family hurt or unexpected detours weaken your trust in God's goodness.

Repent of any ungrateful speech or bitter complaints you have spoken against God in the midst of difficult trials.

Acknowledge and give thanks for the provisions God has already given you, such as your job, family, home, or health, rather than rejecting them.

Fix your eyes exclusively on Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross rather than trusting in good works, religion, or self-reliance.

Confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead for your salvation.

Wait on the Lord through prayer when you feel exhausted in your wilderness season, trusting Him to renew your strength.

Remember This

When difficult journeys tempt us toward ungratefulness and complaining, we must repent of speaking against God's provision and fix our eyes on Jesus lifted up on the cross as our only savior.

A Challenge for You

Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and you will be saved. Fix your eyes on Jesus, rest in His word, trust His word, and walk in His word as you wait on Him to renew your strength.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.