Boundaries and Blessings
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 7 viewsNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
This past week my kiddos have been pretty much over all their friend’s and cousin’s house. Both my boys stayed up two days in a row past midnight/ 1 pm. Not typically what their schedule looks like. Their chores, their routines were completely different because of all the fun they were having. After everyone left, I had them help clean up their things and help around the house. Of course, that’s always looked at as not the fun thing to do!
Just like my family, your family may have rules, guidelines, or boundaries set in place that everyone abides by. In order for things to go smoothly, you always need guidelines. Just image sports with no rules! I think people would die!
For whatever reason, we all have negative views towards rules, a code of ethics. Without it though everything is chaos!
This week, I started my Bible reading in Genesis like probably many of you. I read about the Garden of Eden.
Went on rabbit chase
Location is not known
Have an idea but it may have been destroyed in the flood
Eden means Delight or Pleasure
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
Several notes about the Garden
Several notes about the Garden
It was planned and planted by God Himself
It was planned and planted by God Himself
It was mankind’s first home
It was mankind’s first home
It contained variety with all kinds of tree
It contained variety with all kinds of tree
It was a beautiful place / pleasing to the eye
It was a beautiful place / pleasing to the eye
It was a fertile, fruitful place
It was a fertile, fruitful place
It provided nourishment and nutrition / good for food
It provided nourishment and nutrition / good for food
It was well watered
It was well watered
All kinds of animals were able to live here. Genesis 2:19-20
And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
The climate /environment was perfectly suited for humanity. They needed no protection it was Heaven on earth.
The garden was a place where man could meet with God
The garden was a place where man could meet with God
And they heard the voice 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 amongst the trees of the garden.
The garden was a place of total provision
The garden was a place of total provision
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
The garden was a place of unity and fellowship
The garden was a place of unity and fellowship
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Their marriage could blossom under the guidelines and rules God had put in place
The garden was a place of work and fulfillment
The garden was a place of work and fulfillment
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Adam was given work that was meaningful, creative, and beneficial
The garden was the setting for the first marriage
The garden was the setting for the first marriage
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
The garden was a place of innocence
The garden was a place of innocence
There was no sin, no shame when Adam and Eve were in one accord and right with God
The garden was a place of life
The garden was a place of life
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Adam and Eve had free unhindered access to it!
The garden was a place of testing
The garden was a place of testing
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice 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 amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
The garden became a place of atonement
The garden became a place of atonement
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
God provided a way to get back to Him!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Why did I go through all of this stuff about the Garden. I mean what does the garden have to do with me?
Ways of application-
When we are right with God, we can literally have Him in our presence. Walking with us through life. He walks with us
When we hand over our lives to Him, He provides
Fellowship and unity is possible with Christ and others
Christ’s work is fulfilling work
Marriage is God’s plan, and He blesses that union
We ought to walk so close to God that temptations don’t appeal to us
God literally wants to be everything to us. Our Savior, provider, and friend. This world searches for these things, but are unwilling to bend the knee to Christ. It requires our willingness our obedience. Walking with God means there are things we don’t do, don’t say, don’t watch. But we aren’t missing out! Adam and Eve missed out because of SIN!! When we run from sin and live God’s way everyone else is missing out. Don’t push the boundaries that guidelines God has put in place for man. Live God’s way, his Boundaries, and He will provide His blessings!!