Refuge in Love in the Face of Tragedy

Introduction

Imagine a masterpiece painting, crafted by a skilled artist. The colors are vibrant, the brushstrokes are intentional, and the overall composition is breathtaking. At the center of this masterpiece are two figures, a man and a woman, created in the artist's own image. The artist pours love, creativity, and purpose into these central figures, giving them the ability to create and nurture life themselves.

However, an envious rival artist, filled with jealousy and despising the beauty of the masterpiece, decides to sneak into the studio one night. With a few strategic strokes of black paint, he mars the artwork, causing a tragic blemish on an otherwise perfect creation.

The original artist, upon discovering the vandalism, is heartbroken. Yet, in his love and wisdom, he does not discard the painting. Instead, he begins to work, carefully and purposefully, to restore the masterpiece. He incorporates the dark strokes into a new, even more beautiful design – a design that showcases his ability to bring light out of darkness and hope out of brokenness.

In the same way, God created humanity, men and women, as the pinnacle of His creation. He bestowed upon women the incredible ability to create and nurture life, reflecting His own life-giving nature. However, Satan, in his jealousy and hatred, sought to mar God's masterpiece through temptation and sin. The fall in the Garden of Eden was a tragic moment, but it did not thwart God's ultimate plan. Through the offspring of the woman, God set in motion a glorious plan of redemption, a plan to restore His creation and defeat the works of the enemy.

If you have your Bibles, or on your devices, would you turn to Genesis 3:1-13. If you are able and willing, would you stand with me as I read God’s word this morning.

This is the word of the Lord. Let us pray. Amen. Please be seated.

Beauty

God made the man and the woman as the pinnacle of His creation. After making them, creation was declared very good. In Hebrew they would repeat the adjective twice to stress importance… it says it was “good good”.

In chapter 2 we see that woman is the climax of the creation of God creating His own image. He had made the man (adam/ish) and it was not good for man to be alone. There was not a suitable ezer found for him. It was then that God made woman (isha).

It was at the creation of man and woman that the creation mandate could be accomplished. Not only were they placed in the garden to tend and to work it, but they were to have dominion over every living thing. They partnered with God in the ordering of creation. Humanity became blessable covenant partners with God that kept chaos at bay through the good and right ordering of creation. Through their tending of the garden and working in the world, they continue to establish order amongst creation.

The woman is also representing life in her very existence. The body of a woman is designed to be life giving. Women have the ability to create (with the man) new life inside of them. Not only create but sustain this life for 40 weeks until the new baby is ready to enter into life outside the protective space of the womb.

The woman also has been given breasts that can nourish and feed the baby as they grow and develop. There is a bond that is also formed between mother and child that we know for the mother, bonding helps to reduce stress and anxiety, and it can also boost her self-esteem as a mom. For the baby, bonding helps to regulate their emotions and behaviour, and it can also promote their cognitive development.

This is how God has designed the woman. Now we know that not every woman can give birth for a variety of reasons, though the beauty, the intentionality, and the role and function of the woman is clear. Only she can do these things. The man is not equipped for such a thing.

The man is a necessary partner. Life can not be formed apart from the man. While he doesn’t carry the child, the man is as much a part of the process. While the woman carries the child, the man is caring, providing, and able to assist in the things that the woman is unable to do during her pregnancy. He provides support, encouragement, and a covering/protection. The man is also important in the life of a child as they grow and develop. Successful father-infant bonding during the immediate postpartum period has been shown to have several benefits for the infant: it reduces cognitive delay, promotes weight gain in preterm infants, and improves breastfeeding rates.

In all of this, Satan hates this beautiful creation that God has made. This is a threat to him.

The man and woman, created in God’s image, who are beautiful, powerful, able to bring new life into the world for the glory of God, are despised by Satan.

The enemy, the serpent of old as the Bible talks about him, has sought to destroy all that God loves.

He is jealous. He is envious and wanted to be God. As far as the Bible has let us know in who He is, Satan is a created being. The book of Isaiah describes his fall… seeking to be like God, he and a third of the heavenly angels were cast down to the Earth after a rebellion. He is powerless against God, the creator of the universe, he now sets his sights on the image of God.

Tragedy

We move into our narrative.

The serpent- here he’s called a snake

Satan- means adversary

Bright morning star- another title

Deceiver- talking about his identity and how he operates

He’s never given a name. We don’t know his name. In the context of the Hebrew scriptures, this is the greatest insult and shade that could be given to any entity. These are titles and descriptions about him but he is not honored with a name.

Revelation 20:2 “He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”

The serpent is crafty, slick, and deceitful. He comes across as if he is for your flourishing. He acts like an ally. But he is bent on destroying humanity. God loves, values, and cherishes humanity and the deceiver has come to seek, kill, and destroy.

See if any of these tactics have been at play in your life?

He questions God’s word; Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?””

He diminishes God’s word; Genesis 3:4 ““You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.”

He twists God’s word; Genesis 3:5 ““For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””

Our nature is such, the serpent appealed to our base nature. God created us with the capacity of choice because you can not love if there is no choice. This was the relationship He desired.

He creates doubt if God’s word is really true, valid, and good. Did God really say that? Are you sure?

He then calls God a liar. It’s not that bad. You won’t die. But they would, immediately they would become dead in their sin and trespasses.

He then appeals to the desire for quick and expedient success. He makes God out to be a joy killer. He makes God out to be a controlling bully. The fruit is there, he called all that he made good, it’s good to eat, it’ll make you wise knowing good and evil… just take it, its there.

Oh how much of our sin is a sin of convenience… God I know you want to teach me… I know you want to show me so that I know that I know your righteousness, your goodness, and your wisdom so that it is a part of me and I can live out a reflection of you, but that requires time, lessons learned, success, failure, learning… I could just eat this and be done.

It’s that patient fermenting that God wants to do on in our lives. Anything worthwhile and good takes time to develop and cultivate. We give ourselves to it over time… the quick hits, the rushed relationships, the emotional highs come and go… but what’s of value takes time.

Because what the tree gives is good, it’s fair to reason that it wasn’t the right time. Later, but not yet. Like driving, driving isn’t bad, it’s good. It’s not good for a five year old drive. After time it makes sense to give them keys when they are older and more capable.

So the prohibition of the tree by God doesn't imply that there was something wrong with what the tree provided. After all, everything was created "good". It's more consistent with God's character to think that the tree would have a future use. When the time was right, the first couple would be permitted to eat from it.

These tactics are what we see mapped onto scripture. Genesis continues to be a key that we see open up the rest of scripture… a unifying story that leads to Jesus.

This can be compared to Christ's temptation, when Satan offered him all the world's kingdoms if Jesus would worship him (Matthew 4:1-11).

Where the man and woman are in paradise, in the garden, the most ideal setting… Jesus finds himself in the anti-garden. He’s hungry, thirsty, and weary. Like the man and woman, Jesus is approached by the devil.

(Open Bible and Turn to passage and walk through by reading it)

1. He challenges Christ’s identity; Matthew 4:4

2. He challenges Christ’s authority; Matthew 4:6

3. He challenges Christ’s loyalty; Matthew 4:9

There was nothing wrong with Christ ruling all the kingdoms of the world—it was his destiny.

Hebrews 5:8 “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered”

1 Corinthians 1:30 “It is because of him (God) that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”

Isaiah 53:4–6 “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

The temptation was about bypassing the appropriate process and timing, and seizing them through illicit means.

The woman takes and gives to the man. They both eat. They were both there. The man was right there. They ate and the Bible says their eyes were opened.

Their eyes were opened and they saw they were naked. They were ashamed. They sought to cover themselves with fig leaves.

Refuge in Love

We see the Man and Woman run and hide because they hear God is coming.

With what I imagine is a broken heart, God calls out, “where are you?”

Genesis 3:10–13 “He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.””

I want to remind us who God is. If we don’t see it here, may I remind us of Exodus 34:6–7 “And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.””

This is on full display. Compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, faithfulness, forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

We’ll discover next week, the serpent may have thought he won, but it would still be the life that the woman provides that would be his end.

Women, it is the life, love, nurturing, and image of God that you bear a reflection of Him that is a threat to the enemy, to the darkness.

Men, you are also a threat to the darkness. You are necessary and needed.

Both men and women, being the image of God by our very existence are a threat to Satan, the darkness, and powers of evil.

May we be encouraged with what is true about God:

God’s control was not diminished by Adam and Eve’s choice. Neither Adam and Eve, nor any of us, has the choice to remove ourselves entirely from God’s control. Dependencies may shift and transform, but dependency will never go away. Without God we do not exist.

God does not manipulate, because his sovereignty never needs to be protected from jeopardy. Our performance or lack their of does not change His authority over all things.

God’s actions are not selfishly driven. He has no needs. God has nothing to gain. In fact, we can say that God cannot be selfish, because selfishness results from a desire to elevate oneself and meet one’s own needs. God cannot be elevated any more than he already is.

God’s plan for Adam and Eve included more autonomy and wisdom—in the right way at the right time.

God made the choice between obedience and disobedience clear. He gives us that choice to choose him or to choose another way. He allows us to feel those affects.

The serpent of old, Satan, the Enemy is a defeated foe. His time is closing to an end…

Matthew 8:28–29 “When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?””

Revelation 21:3–7 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”

Conclusion

While the brokenness of our world is ever before us, we know our own shortcomings and proclivities intimately, we look to a Savior who has lovingly and graciously offered Himself a refuge for us. In Christ we are made new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

While the new Kingdom has not yet been fully realized, even in our most difficult of times there is hope.

“Pain insists upon being attneded to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” -C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

The story of creation and the fall in the Garden of Eden is a powerful reminder of God's love, creativity, and purpose for humanity. Despite the tragic blemish caused by Satan's deception and the resulting sin, God did not abandon His masterpiece. Instead, He set in motion a glorious plan of redemption, working to restore His creation and defeat the works of the enemy. As men and women, created in the image of God, we are a threat to the darkness and the powers of evil. Let us take courage in knowing that God's control, sovereignty, and plan remain undiminished, and that He has given us the choice to obey Him and reflect His love and life-giving nature to the world. As we look forward to the day when God will dwell among His people and make all things new, let us remain steadfast in our faith, trusting in His goodness and grace, and living as beacons of hope in a world that desperately needs to see the beauty of God's masterpiece restored.