Scripture:
Genesis 3:1-15 NKJV
[1] Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” [2] And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; [3] but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” [4] Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. [5] For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [6] So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. [7] Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. [8] And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. [9] Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” [10] So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” [11] And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” [12] Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” [13] And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” [14] So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. [15] And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
Observation:
First and foremost I would like to apologize. I have had a change in my schedule that has thrown me out of my routine, and I tend to be a very habitual person. So when changes like that happen it takes me a minute to adjust. The enemy is crafty as we have just had the opportunity to read. I always like to go back to this moment in the Bible, because I honestly feel like GOD revealed HIS entire plan right here in the first few chapters of the Bible. The problem is we are all too busy blaming HIM for the decisions we made to see it. One of the easiest things to notice in this scripture is that Satan likes to distort the truth, bringing doubts into the picture, and making Eve believe that GOD is trying to withhold something good from her. But let’s take an honest look at the facts as they have been presented in the scripture up to this point. As the LORD was creating. Everything HE created was good. Nothing that HE made was a mistake or outside of HIS plan… not even the serpent. Who was seemingly more crafty than everything else. Crafty enough to sow seeds of doubt about what GOD had said. What I would like to take notice of is that the plan of attack is on GOD’S WORD. Something that Satan knows real well. Prior to being cast out of heaven for his prideful rebellion against the LORD almighty he was and honestly still is subject to GOD’S WORD. We can see that in Jobs story. When he has to have GOD’S authority to try to destroy one of GOD’S chosen, again let’s notice the word “TRY” because no matter the effort Satan put in Job never cursed GOD. Bringing doubts about what GOD wants for humanity is his number one game and he does that by distorting HIS word. Twisting it with just enough truth and a whole lot of lies to make it sound right. Notice his approach… did GOD really say??? I want us to pay attention to the response that was given to that question as well. Eve makes a statement that is just slightly off from what her husband was told by the LORD HIMSELF. if we go back to the before she was created. As the LORD was looking for a suitable companion for man HE explains the one rule to him. In Genesis chapter 2 verses16 and 17 it says, “And the LORD GOD commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.” But let’s take a close look at the response that Eve gives the serpent… in verses 2 and 3 of Genesis chapter 3, “And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, GOD has said you shall not eat it nor shall you touch it, lest you die.” She was almost right. There was just that slight variation of what was said. You might say it was an emphasis on one area rather than exactly what GOD had said there was just a little bit added. Maybe for impact purposes. I’m not sure, but it was one degree off from the truth, and in such a subtle manner that you would even catch the fact that it was not right. As we got the opportunity to read in the beginning, the serpent was more crafty, and just a little bit of wrong is still wrong. This was a defining moment in GOD’S plan and i want you to know HE was not taken by surprise when all this happened. HE had already known. I want to take us to a moment in the books of Isaiah in chapter 14 verses 12 through 15 Ezekiel chapter 28 verses 12 through 18 and Revelation chapters 12 verses 7 through 9. Satan’s pride got hold of his heart. He wanted to be like GOD. Craving love and worship from humanity. He exalted himself above GOD. The original sin. It wasn’t in the garden that sin was born. It was in Satan’s heart through pride. Let’s press on through the scriptures to see where all this takes us. As the LORD entered the garden, HE knew something was different. Where Adam had not hidden before…now he was hiding the relationship had changed. Adam’s heart was full of pride… it couldn’t have been anything he had done it had to be GOD’S fault. That woman “YOU” gave me. Pointing the finger at GOD rather than taking responsibility for the decisions that were made. The response from Eve wasn’t any different, blaming the serpent for a choice that she had made, and all the while revealing that fact that a SAVIOR would be needed. All part of GOD’S original plan. The thing is the moment that was described in Isaiah and Ezekiel happened before the beginning of time as we know it. GOD knew that HE would have to send HIS son. Before HE placed Adam in the garden.
Application:
Jesus is not plan B) HE knew that the enemy would distort the word. HE knew HE would get blamed and accused for the things we do to ourselves. The enemy wants us to doubt that what GOD has done is good. You see GOD knows exactly what it’s going to take each individual that HE created to turn to HIM, and HIS grace is forever calling our name. Come out of that tomb. Stop playing with death. O remember the process. Sometimes its easy to forget and HE brings me back to it. I’m sure we would all say that if we were in Adam’s shoes we would have done something different, but the truth is we have all been is Adam’s shoes and done the exact same thing. Eve as well. None of us are impervious to sin, and honestly its easy to sit at point fingers at someone else as the reason you did what you did. It all roots back to the original sin… pride. Owning up to your mistakes is very freeing. But most of us want to think its not us, we didn’t do that or wouldn’t have done it had you not done what you did. I remember what it looked like as the LORD drew me to HIM. Its been a long process and I’m sure its not over, because I am far from perfect. I’m fact the only thing that is perfect is GOD’S plan. A plan of redemption that reaches out to every soul. The seed of the woman nailed to a cross placed in a tomb and raised from the dead showing us how to put our flesh to death and start a new with Christ as our LORD. I begged HIM to take my life that night. Shaking my fist at the sky, just full of consequences front decisions I had made, but blaming HIM for them. But like I said HIS plan is perfect… HE needed me to be at the very absolute end of me. Its the same place HE has brought you to. If your not there yet hold on. Its coming. Its only at the end of you that HE can begin to show you all that HE has planed for you. There is no room for self in selflessness. The price that Jesus Christ paid was selfless. HIS blessings were not on this side of eternity. They were on the other side. The name above all names KING of king’s and LORD of lords. A crushing blow to the enemy. Snatching us back from the jaws of death. As we learn to pick up our cross daily and pursue HIS will to live in the light. Talking to others and building communities of people who stand on the truth that is in GOD’S word. There is no reason to hide our mistakes. I’m not saying its OK to live in them, but hiding them and blaming others for decisions we made is a dangerous place to be. In Genesis chapter 16 and verses 13 and 14 Hagar called HIM,”Beer Lahair Roy;” which means the GOD who sees me. HE is all-powerful seeing all things. We can’t hide from HIM. In 1st John chapter one and verse 9 the bible says, “If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Hiding the fact that we have sinned won’t help. Living in the light will. We can not blame GOD or others for our mistakes and the only way to stop doing the sane thing over and over is to have people you can trust to talk to. Confess your mistakes to GOD. Has plan includes forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation. HE forgives you has redeemed you and reconciled you to HIM. Let’s just be honest we are not perfect. But we can get better if we stay connected to the vine and allow HIM (the vine dresser) to to pruned what isn’t working. That can only be done through confession.
Prayer:
Father, help us to see ourselves for who we are. We are all saved by grace. Everyone of us have made mistakes. Let us not hide behind blaming you or others for the things we have done. We want to remain right sized. Knowing who you made us to be, and at the same time knowing exactly where we are in this moment. We are so far from where you intended us to end up. We ask this morning that you write your word on our hearts and bring it to mind when we are in situations that require it. We want to live tucked up next to you so close that the only paper that will fit between us is your word. We want to know you more. We want our lives to reflect the fact that we have spent time with you. Its in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen