The Fall (Genesis 3)

Before we work through this passage let me remind you, I am preaching Genesis 3 in the mornings, and Sunday evenings tonight we will talk about some of the stuff around Genesis and beyond. If you have a question please wrtie it down, text it to me, or just get it to me, it helps me when I prep sermons and it helps me teach and guide disussions on unday ngiths.

Genesis was written by Moses while he and the other isreailtes were wandering in the dessert.

They had just come out of Egyptian slavery for a long time, and now are asking questions like who are we?

Why are we here?

What is our purpose?

What went wrong?

How do we fix it?

And what we will see today is Genesis 3 directly answers the questions what went wrong.

So let’s Pray and we will jump into this passage.

Pray

Father you are the uncreated one. Everything else that exists exist because you formed it. You have never sinned, you have never done wrong, You are perfect. And we as humans are sinful. We have done wrong, and this sin impacts every part of our life. So this morning as we come to the text that talks about where sin started, I pray that you would help us to see our sin in the true light that we need to. That we would not try to dress it up, or justify it but that you would lay our sin bare before you, and cause our hearts to rejoice in the fact that if we are believers that sin has been paid for by Jesus and Him crucified. And if that sin hasn’t been paid for then I pray God that you would stir in those people's souls and save them this morning for your glory and for our good, In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Sin Begins

Genesis 3:1–7 ESV

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

We are given no clues or insights here as to where this snake came from.

In fact in Genesis 3 we are only told it was a serpent or a snake, we have to put together from other places that this serpent is Satan. He just shows up.

He goes to the woman. and says,

“Did God actually say’ You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?”

He starts by questioning God.

Did He really say that...

There is no trees here you can eat?

Remember when God commanded that it was before Eve was created… so everything that the serpent is doing is intentional and meant to sew distrust between mankind and God.

Eve’s reply is equally telling

“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden neither shall you touch is, lest you die.”

She dialogues with the serpent.

No God has given us every tree to eat from, well… except that one… if we eat it OR TOUCH IT, we will die.

God never said you could not touch it.

Now it was probably a wise rule to have, but it was not God’s word.

It’s as if to say God’s word isn’t enough, I am going to add this here and boom.

When the serpent hears this… he goes for the jugular.

“You will not surely die… For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

He out right calls God a liar.

God said you would die… no you won’t.

God is holding things back from you.

He knows that if you eat that fruit you will be like God.

Of all the creation only mankind in created in the image of God.

Not dogs, not cats, not horses, not any other created things, not angels are made in the image of God.

That is a distinct stamp on mankind, yet the serpent promises you can be more like God by knowing good and evil.

At this point Adam and Eve live in innocence, they only know good.

The idea of having their eyes opened Seems to be their desire.

Suddenly after this short conversation Eve looks at the tree and begins noticing that it looks different now.

it’s three things

Good for food

delight to the eyes

desired to make one wise.

1 John 2:16 ESV

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

desires of the flesh

desires of the eyes

pride of life

From the begining that is how satan has tempted mankind to sin.

1. Fruit is good for food- desires of the flesh

2. Fruit is a delight to the eyes- desires of the eyes

3. fruits makes one wise… pride of life.

When we are tempted to sin it always comes in these ways...

I want that sin I desire it for myself.

It looks pleasing to my eyes, I like the way I imagine it going in my life.

My life should be as good and ordered like I want it to be.

Remember Jesus was tempted, it’s recorded in Matthew 4, and Luke 4.

Satan tempts Jesus with three things.

Turn this stone into bread- desires of the flesh

Satan offers Jesus authority over everything that Jesus can see from this elevated points- desire of the eyes

jump from this high point and have the angels rescue you- pride of life.

But where Eve and Adam fail… Jesus does not.

he doesn’t sin even though he is tempted just like us.

Eve takes the fruit, She take a bite, and suddenly her eyes are opened.

Then we see Adam, standing right next to her supposed to be the spiritual leader of the family and tending the garden but instead passively sitting back not interviewing being passive when he should have been active, he eats the fruit too.

Both their eyes are opened, and the first thing they notice is they are naked and they need to get covered.

When we think about the fall we often think rightly about the break between our relationship with God, as we should.

But what this passage is telling us is sin did much more than that… it but a hindrance on the relationship between the man and his wife.

Why should they be ashamed as a married couple that they were naked?

There was no one else around.

It was just them.

it’s because their relationship with one another was hurt too.

it is not coincidence that Satan does not tempt mankind until they are married.

it is not coincidence that it is marriage that is broken and hurt by sin.

Marriage for us as believers is so much more that a piece of paper and recognition from the government, it is a God given covenant between two people joining together as one.

And brother and sister it will be attacked ferociously.

If satan can dismatle marriages He can wreck havoc.

This included homosexuality, premarital sex, adultery, divorce, pornography, the list goes on and on.

brother sisters we have to fight for marriages and we have to fight hard.

I am always here to pray with you and for you. don’t wait. don’t let Satan get a foothold.

Humans now because of this sin are alienated form one anther, but what about their relationship with God?

Sin Blames

Genesis 3:8–13 ESV

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

They hear the sound of the Lord so they hide among the trees.

This is always funny to me.

God created the trees.

Do they really think that hiding in the trees is going to work?

He sees everything.

If you are actively living in sin, which for all of us no one is perfect here we have all had times in our lives where this was true of us.

We are living in sin and this causes us to want to hide it.

Either by trying to justify by changing God’s word…did he really say that? I mean God will understand right he wants me to be happy more than he wants me to be obedient.

His written word is 2000 years old, it has to be taken with a grain of salt.

essentially what you are doing is taking the God given guilt and conviction that I pray you feel when you sin and instead of using that guilt and conviction to run to God in repentance you take it and run from God hiding in the trees hoping God doesn't notice.

Eventually what happens is you begin not feeling guilt and remorse and conviction for sin. You go numb that is a dangerous place to be.

God calls to man where are you?

Not because He doesn't know where Adam and Eve are but because he is opening the door to a conversation with them.

God could have just wiped them out, a he would still be fully completely God it would have changed nothing about his character. In fact it would have been right and just.

But instead as a sign of grace and mercy God calls to them.

Adam finally speaks up, I heard you coming and I was afraid because I am naked.

Do you see what sin does.

It turns the relationship with God from one of fellowship to one of fear.

And fear because of the shame of what sin has done.

It’s is also important to note God didn’t call for Eve first He called for Adam.

Yet when Satan came to tempt he goes to Eve not Adam.

The responsibility first lies on the man, the husband.

Brothers in here who are married, we should take note and heed this.

You and I will stand before God and give an account of how we led our wives in Christ.

Adam did not say a word, he ate after Eve did, passivity is no excuse.

It if your job to create for your wife and environment where they can thrive in all aspects of life but most importantly where they can thrive spiritually.

So start today if you have to.

Start by just apologizing and saying I have failed up to this point but I am going to step up.

Then pray for your wife repenting to God for not leading up to this point if you need it.

God says to Adam who told you that you were naked?

Adam blames God and Eve.

That woman that you gave…

God looks at Eve and says what have you done?

The woman turn to the serpent he deceived me and I ate.

What we see happening is this unfolding of the ramification of sin that still plague us.

It’s not hard to see in the passage the lack of owning the sin and plead with God for mercy.

Instead it hiding from God, or skirting the blame, ok I did it,but she made me do it...

Isn’t that what sin does.

Sin promises things it cannot and will not keep.

So what is God going to do?

Sin Burdens

Genesis 3:14–19 ESV

The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

For the serpent it is a curse.

you are going on your belly and eating dirt all day.

To a group of people wandering in a desert i imagine they were pretty weary of snakes on this path.

And then we this odd phrase.

God is going to put enmity (which just means you are enemies.) between you (Satan) and the woman (Eve)

God is going to put enmity between your offspring (Satan) and her offspring (Eve)

One of her offspring will bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.

A head wound is lethal, a heel wound will hurt but you can recover.

This is what theologians have called the Proto-Evangelian or the first Gospel.

Think about Adam and Eve as they listen to the serpents punishment what do they hear?

We will have kids, which means we will not die?

So did God lie when he said if you eat of this fruit you will certainly die?

No! The moment they ate that fruit they became spiritually dead, they need God to come to them and saved them.

More than that their bodies were eternal, they were not going to die, yet from the bite of that fruit their bodies began to die.

But they are left with this glimmer of hope… the snake crusher is coming.

Then God moves to Eve...

The serpent is cursed but not so with Eve and Adam.

Their lives will continue on, but in much more difficulty now.

For Eve their will be great pain in childbearing.

This is certainly about pregnancy pains, and delivery being painful. But more than just that moment… this is about the difficulty of raising kids.

Where there are times you say something 2000 times and they just over their head.

Other times they do something and you are just like what are you doing?

And there are times when they aren’t currently doing anything wrong but the day and been so hard that you snap and lose it on them.

That’s pain in childbearing too.

Not to mention they will grow up, and have to deal with Jr High and the changes that happen physically to them, they have to learn to navigate new math and whatever cultural trends are influential to them.

And you will feel overwhelmed they won’t be your baby any more.

Then they will get to high school and desire independence, and those little things that were annoying and frustrating when thy are four turn in criminal offenses when they are 16, so worry creeps in.

Then they leave and go off to education or wherever and you are still their parent but they are gone or they aren't and you cannot get them to do.

There is great pain in childbearing.

God also tells Eve your desire will be for your husband and he shall rule over you.

Back when I was talking about How God went to Adam first because he was being passive, wives what your heart at?

Were you nudging your husband, are you listening get your pen out write this down.

What God is saying is the way he created marriage and families to function is always going to be attacked and a struggle.

Marriage will be hard. Husbands will be temped to be passive in the areas they need to be active, and active in areas they need to be passive in.

Wives you will always have the temptation to be the Holy Spirit for your husband, criticizing, and nit picking, and complaining and you will be active in areas you should be more passive and passive in areas you should be more active.

That that temptation will be to elevate your kids or your grand-kids over your spouse.

When what your kids need is to see dad and mom struggle. But then see them repent and apologize to one another. To see dad lead the family in prayer and repentance, to see mom longing to listen and growth in Christ because of her husband, those kids thrive in life.

God turn to Adam.

You listened to your wife and ate. you are not innocent here.

Work was easy before the fall, not it is going to be difficult.

Work will quickly become and idol for you.

It will one of the places that tempts you to spend more time and more energy at than you should.

You will be tempted to feel value if you have a good job and you will feel tempted to feel worthless if you do not.

Your job doesn’t give or take away intrinsic value and worth.

Then you will die and return bodily to the dirt.

Death comes for all mankind now.

This sin, this opening of your eyes is going to change everything for everyone who will ever live.

Sin Banishes

Genesis 3:20–24 ESV

The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Up to this point the bible has referred to Eve and woman but now we see Adam name Eve Eve, because she is the mother of all living things.

What an odd place right?

Adam was just told you will and turn to dirt, and Adam names His wife mother of all living things.

Adam is in way promising to lead.

By naming something it was a way of having authority or power over it.

God names everything.

Adam names all the animals he has dominion over.

He names the Women Woman then fails.

Now Adam names the Woman again, I will lead better.

We are told why they are kicked out of the garden.

What we see here is also this concern that they might eat of the tree of life, and if they do that live forever is a state sin.

So for love and protection God sends them out of Eden.

And God places a Cherubim which is an angel and the flaming swords at the gate so no one can come in.

Now maybe you hear this and you think… that is a little extreme for eating some fruit.

What we see is they yes taking two bites of fruit is not a big physical act, but they had a command from a perfect holy God whom they dwelt with in his full present completely and totally.

They doubted God’s word, they doubted God.

It was more than breaking a command it was breaking a relationship.

They said we want to be god with open eyes and knowledge of good and evil.

It was an attack on the throne.

And God as the only true just king will not let his throne be had.

But in mercy and grace he clothes them in their shame with animal skin, blood was shed to clothe Adam and Eve.

Blood was shed to clothe mankind.

Did you know the tree of life is a pretty big feature in Revelation 22.

It’s there in the new heavens and the new Earth.

So then in heaven we have eternal life that was lost in Eden.

But to get to that tree of life we must first go through the life lost on the tree.

We must first put our faith in the snake crusher who defeats sin and death on the cross.

We must receive the grace of Jesus Christ to be in God’s presence in the New Garden in Revelation.

There is an interesting thing that happens in the bible.

When the details for the tabernacle and the temple are given, there is a rectangular building or tent.

It had a holy place and holy of holy place.

In the holy of holy place was the ark of the covenant with the mercy seat lid and it was where God’s presence dwelt with his people.

The Holy place and the Holy of holies was separated by a big thick curtain.

When Jesus cries out on the cross it is finished and breathes his last, this curtain is torn in that moment from top to bottom signifying that now God dwells with his people in a different way.

do you know what was on the curtain?

Exodus 36:35 ESV

He made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; with cherubim skillfully worked into it he made it.

The garden was guarded by these Cherubim to keep sinful man out, but as soon as Jesus paid out price on the cross, the cherubim is torn and the holy of hollies were God’s presence was is now open again.

The snake crusher did it.

So the question then is two fold.

How do I get to the garden with God?

You trust Jesus with everything that you have.

You put your faith in Him, that He will give you grace.

You repent of you sin and your sins, and turn to Jesus.

he will save.

After that you get baptized, you join a church.

Call out to Jesus and he will save!

2. Why does this mater to me if I am already a Christians.

Your call in life if you are a believer is to be more like Jesus.

You lead out in repentance, don’t minimize your sin, don’t flock to sin, run from it. Seek Jesus out and lead others that way.

Grow in Christ.

Because the reality is the more we reflect on Christ and Him crucified, the more I understand that it was my sin that nailed him there, the more I see how amazing grace is the more I glorify Jesus. in life.

So what is it for you today?

Are you a believer? or is there a time coming when that sin is going to catch up.

Are tired of the shame and the numbness that comes with a lifetime of rebellion?

Would you repent and turn to Jesus today?

Are you a Believer but you have been running?

Husbands have you been leading?

Wives have you been supporting?

Kids have you been obeying?

Where is it at?

We all deal with this, it’s ok to not be ok, but its not ok to stay that way.

let’s lays that sin at the feet of Jesus and then use those empty hands to worship Him!

Knowing full well that we will come back with more sin and Jesus's mercy and grace are more.

This morning as part of our response to the preached word, we will take the Lord’s Supper together.

This is a sacred time for believers.

1 Corinthians 11:23–29 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

This is a sacred time at the Lord’s Table and it is for believers who have rested their hope on the death and Resurrection of Christ.

In light of those verses we read we ask that only those who are Christians partake in the Lord’s Supper with us.

By Christian we mean, someone who have been saved by grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone, for the Glory of God alone.

I want to encourage those who are here and are not believers in Jesus to hear the Gospel, Repent, and Believe in Jesus and then come to the table with us!

For Believers please examine your heart, so that you can partake in the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner.

· Remember your salvation (How you were saved)

· Confess and repent of your sins privately (though if you need to seek someone our to apologize to that is good and godly).

· Remember the Gospel. (Jesus died so I can live)

If your heart is not right please refrain until you can come freely to partake.

Look to the Cross.

The Lord’s Supper proclaims to us the salvation that Christ accomplished, finished, and completed on the cross.

It proclaims to us a salvation that is ours not to earn but to receive.

Look around

The Lord’s Supper is not a private devotional experience that just happens to involve a bunch of other people doing the same thing at the same time.

The same Christ who saved you has saved all the brothers and sisters seated with you.

Rejoice that in gaining Christ as your savior, you gained his people as your family.

Look Ahead

The Lord’s Supper is only a foretaste. It is an appetizer for the coming feast.

Jesus is coming back.

Look inward and back to the Cross.

If the lord’s supper becomes an occasion for compounding guilt, then you’re missing the point entirely.

The Lord’s supper proclaims to us that our guilt is gone, our debt is paid, our punishment has been taken, our sins are forgiven.

Matt is going to come and lead us in worship through a song, spend a few moments reflecting on the sacrifice of Jesus and new covenant that He bring.

When you are ready drink the juice and eat the bread and worship the snake crusher with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

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