Filters, Fig Leaves, and Faithfulness

FILTERS

EVERYTHING AROUND US IS FILTERED

CARS, HVAC

USED TO DRINK FROM A GARDEN HOSE, NOW FILTERED WATER

SLIDE: WHAT ARE THE FILTERS IN YOUR LIFE?

SOCIAL MEDIA IS FILTERED

EXAMPLE:

PICTURE: COLOR FILTER

WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE MY HAIR?

PICTURE: BAND PHOTO

PICTURE: HAIR

SOMETIMES WE JUST WANT TO FLEX

PICTURE: GIGACHAD

TRANSITION: FILTERS CAN BE FUNNY BUT THEY CAN ALSO BE DAMAGING.

WHAT IF WHAT WE ARE COVERING UP IS ACTUALLY SABOTAGING THE WHOLENESS WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

SERMON POINT: FILTERS COVER OUR FAULTS AND REVEAL OUR FEARS

FILTERS REVEAL TWO DILEMMA’S:

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUT ARE AFRAID THAT’S NOT ENOUGH

YOU DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE

FIG LEAVES

READ: GENESIS 3:1-7 ESV

GEN 2:16-17 ESV

2 PERSPECTIVES SKEW WHAT GOD SAID

THE SERPENT QUESTIONED GOD

THE HUMANS ADDED TO IT

LOOK AT THESE TWO WORDS: CRAFTY AND NAKED

THE SERPENTS FILTER

THIS IS A HEBREW WORDPLAY

THE WORD WE TRANSLATE AS CRAFTY IS ALMOST ALWAYS USED IN A POSITIVE SENSE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE WORD FOR NAKED IN HEBREW AH-ROOM AND AH-ROO-MEEM

THE SERPENT FILTERED GOD’S WORDS TO MAKE GOD APPEAR AS WITHOLDING FROM ADAM AND EVE. THE SERPENT ALSO CAME TO THEM AS IF TO ASSIST OR HELP THEM WITH WHAT GOD INSTRUCTED THEM TO DO.

SERMON POINT: THE SERPENT DIDN’T CHANGE WHAT GOD SAID, HE CHALLENGED IT

THE PEOPLE’S FILTER

GENESIS 2:25 ESV SAYS THEY WERE NAKED BUT NOT ASHAMED

NAKED IS NOT IMPLYING THE LACK OF CLOTHING, IT’S SPEAKING TO THEIR INTEGRITY AND INNOCENCE.

ASHAMED IS STRONGER THAN BEING EMBARRASSED, IT’S SPEAKING TO SHAME OF BEING EXPOSED AS WEAK OR DEFEAT.

EVE ACTUALLY ADDS TO WHAT GOD SAID [V 3]

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

SERMON POINT: THE FILTERS ACTUALLY UNCOVERED WHAT WAS HIDDEN

THE SERPENT TRIED TO BE CUNNING AND ENDED UP CURSED

THE PEOPLE WERE UNCOVERED AND UNASHAMED AND BECAME ASHAMED COVERED THEMSELVES WITH FIG LEAVES.

SERMON POINT: FILTERS ARE JUST FIG LEAVES

NO ONE WANTS TO BE EXPOSED

WE DISTORT THE IMAGE OF GOD WHEN WE CHANGE WHAT HE SAYS TO MAKE OURSELVES LOOK BETTER

WE STILL DO THIS TODAY

SERMON POINT: INTEGRITY = PEACE

HOW DO WE GET OUR INTEGRITY BACK?

FAITHFULNESS

SERMON POINT: WE DON’T NEED BETTER FILTERS, WE NEED FAITHFULNESS.

ALL THESE FILTERS WE USE ARE LIKE ADAM AND EVE REACHING FOR THE FRUIT IN THE GARDEN

YOU CAN FILTER YOUR FACE BUT YOU CANNOT FILTER YOUR HEART.

WE DON’T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES AND NEITHER DO OUR FILTERS

WE NEED THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD

JESUS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR OUR RESTLESS FILTERING

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE THE LORD’S SUPPER [COMMUNION] [KEYS OUT]

YOU MIGHT WONDER, WHAT DOES THE GARDEN OF EDEN HAVE TO DO WITH COMMUNION?

I WANT JESUS TO TEACH US THE REST OF THIS SERMON. I WANT TO UNFILTER THE BIBLE FOR A MOMENT. JUST LISTEN

READ: JOHN 14:15-31, 15:1-11 ESV

JESUS SAID THESE WORDS AT THE TABLE OF THE LAST SUPPER

14:27 “neither let them be afraid” same word in 2:25

WHOLENESS, PEACE, IS ONLY FOUND IN JESUS AND HE INVITES US TO COMMUNE WITH HIM

THIS IS A MOMENT OF REPENTANCE

A MOMENT TO NO LONGER REACH FOR THE FRUIT THAT FILTERS BUT FOR THE BREAD THAT FILLS US

WE ARE INVITED TO THIS TABLE BY JESUS, BUT WE MUST COME TO THIS TABLE EMPTY-HANDED.

OUR SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS MUST DIE.

AT THIS TABLE WE EAT ALL AND ONLY WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED.

THE HOLY SPIRIT, PRESENT WITH US AND IN US, REMINDS US OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE RIGHT NOW AND HIS COMMANDMENTS.

WE DO NOT ACT HERE. WE EAT HERE AND ARE SATISFIED.

AS THE BAND SINGS THIS FINAL SONG, WE REACH FOR THE TRUE VINE AND ABIDE

PRAY

BAND: SIMPLE PURSUIT

CLOSING INVITATION AND PRAYER