1. Adam (Middle School) (2)

Short intro on the reason and value of character studies.

Character studies are awesome for our own growth as we walk with God. So, tonight we’re going back to the very beginning and take a look at the life of Adam.

Tell me, what do you know about Adam?

Adam: Where did he Come From? (NEW SLIDE)

Were any of you born outside of Saint John? Raised outside of SJ? (That’s your hometown)

I guarantee none of us had a “hometown” like Adam.

(NEW SLIDE)

Genesis 2:8 NKJV

8 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.

What’s Adam’s “hometown”? (Eden)

Eden = Delight, bliss

It’s hard to even begin imagining how beautiful this garden was. Verse 9 says that God made every tree grow that is pleasant to see and good for food.

What’s your favorite fruit?

Think of the variety Adam would’ve seen (apple, pear, bananas, oranges, lemons, limes, guavas, coconuts, pinaples, etc.). And all this was before the fall, so you can only imagine how good those fruits were.

Peach tree in Dieppe...

But there were two trees that stood apart from the others, which ones are they? (Tree of life, knowledge of good and evil)

Everyday, Adam would see these trees, standing there at the very center of the garden. Jump down to verse 16, and God has some boundaries for Adam.

(NEW SLIDE)

Genesis 2:16–17 NKJV

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Verse 17 of course is the big boundary line, you are NOT allowed to eat of this fruit.

When someone tells us not to do something, what’s the first thought that comes to mind? (I wanna do that!)

Mom telling you...

- “Don’t make a pillow fort today, we have company over tonight!”

Immediately when something is pointed out to us, our first response is desire for that. We know how this turns out later for Adam.

Up to this point, how would you describe the conditions of life around Adam? (Perfect!)

Adam had a perfect body, a perfect mind, he lived in a perfect garden and walked in perfect fellowship with God, everything was just right.

Despite this perfect envrironment, what do we know is coming? (The fall)

Adam falls into sin even though everything around him was perfect!

What does that tell us? (No environment is going to make you obey God)

If our hearts aren’t right with the Lord, if we aren’t determined to obey God in every aspect of our lives, is our Christian family going to make us walk with the Lord?

If Adam struggled and disobeyed God in the garden, do you think we will be tempted? (So much more!)

Why is that the case? (Sin nature)

That’s a lesson we can all learn from Adam. The man was in Eden of all places! He had literally zero boundaries, he talked face to face with God himself, and he STILL chose to sin!

Adam: What did God Call him to do?

Dominion

So, that was the environment God placed Adam in, his roots so to speak. Now let’s take a look at God’s calling on his life. Take a look at Genesis 1:28

Genesis 1:28 NKJV

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Ok this verse is LOADED with good stuff here, help me unpack it, what does God call Adam and Eve to do here?

(NEW SLIDE)

Be fruitful and multiply

Subdue the earth & have dominion

This one’s hugely important...

What does it mean to have dominion over something? (Rule, exercise authority over)

Dominion: Using the power that God gave us to rule the environment around us.

You know what’s the opposite of dominion? (Letting life dominate you, you’ve got no plan, no strength or willingness to take control)

Hammer & nail Illustration

- Nail: Controlled, passive.

- Person with hammer: In control, making precise moves and plans.

(NEW SLIDE)

Genesis 2:19–20 NKJV

19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

God brought the animals to Adam to see what he would name them, do any of you find that interresting? How so?

God is the One who made them, was He unable to give them names?

Why then does he want Adam to pick the names? (It’s a way to show the authority Adam has over the animals, it is an excercise of DOMINION)

Who has a pet here? What name did you give to your pet? (Let them answer)

Does any of your pets have a name for you? Did they pick out your name?

Other than the fact they aren’t able to do that, it’s totally rediculous!

When you give your pet a name: Carney, Luna, Randy, Bufford, etc. What are you doing? (Using dominion)

God has given us animals to have dominion over, we use our God given authority over them just like Adam did.

Work

God has also given us work, which we see for Adam in Genesis 2:15

Genesis 2:15 NKJV

15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

What were Adam’s jobs in the garden?

Tend: Till the garden, work, get things done!

God created us to get work done, to get on the to do list and accomplish things. And we get satisfaction when we do a good job.

Are there certain chores or things you do you find super satisfying?

Mowing the lawn, loading the dishwasher perfectly...

Have you ever wondered why you feel satisfied by these painfully normal things? (Because God made you that way! When God hardwired your brain, He set it so that you’d find joy in a good day of work!)

Keep: Maintain

This is the one we don’t usually like to hear about...

Keep your room clean, pick up those socks, etc.

Why don’t we like maintaining things? (It’s hard!!)

Back in Adam’s day, it wasn’t like that. He could work for 100 hours straight and never break a sweat. Work was easy, fruit would grow as quick as weeds grow in your garden. But now since the curse, work is hard, that’s actually a part of the curse!

What’s something God placed in your life for you to maintain? What are some responsibilities you have?

This is dominion, God wants you to take a grasp on these things and do your best. Don’t be passive, don’t back off of school and let the bad grades hit you. Work ahead, take time to do the things God has called you to do.

God’s purpose for your life is to take care of ________

When you’re faithful with these things, you’re living out one of the main reasons you were created!

Adam: What were his struggles?

We all know that Adam had his fair share of troubles in life. Let’s take a look at that together...

Someone remind us what God commanded Adam and Eve not to do? (Not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil)

We all know how it goes… One day Adam and Eve were minding their business, when Satan comes in the form of a serpent, and deceives Eve.

This is where we get the saddest verse in the Bible. Genesis 3:6

Genesis 3:6 NKJV

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.

Where was Adam while all this was happening? (He was actually right by her side the whole time)

Did he just eat this by accident?

Dog falling onto birthday cake...

He watched Satan deceive Eve and persuade her to eat of the fruit. Paul has a detail for us that makes his sin so much worse.

1 Timothy 2:14 NKJV

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

Adam was what? (Not deceived)

He watched all of this happen, and knowingly ate of the fruit. This was a deliberate choice to disobey God.

Who is supposed to lead in a marriage? (The husband)

The husband is the head of the wife, just like Christ is the head of the Church.

So, as the leader, what should Adam have done as he watched his wife get deceived by the Devil? (Step in and stop the interaction)

But what does he do? (Sits back and watched it happen)

This is for the guys in particular, we’re going to have that same tendency that Adam did. It’s far easier for us to sit back, and let things happen than to jump in and be a leader. It’s a tendency within us ever since this moment in the garden.

God has called us to step up as men, and to lead. When we are passive, careless, we’re rebelling against out Maker. God designed us so that we would lead by example.

- Inappropriate talk, we shut it down

- Someone’s lonely, go reach out to them

- Lead by example...

Adam: How did he get victory?

How did Adam get the victory in the end?

Trick question, he never really did! All we know about Adam from this point on is that he had children, and died at the young age of 930 years old! But there’s a greater Adam, turn to Romans 5 as we close things off tonight.

In an amazing way, Adam serves as a picture of what Christ would be.

Romans 5:18 NKJV

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men [Who is this?], resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

Raise your hand if you were in the garden of Eden and sinned with Adam

But you’re still a sinner, how’s that possible? (Through Adam’s one act of disobedience, we are all made sinners)

In the same way, through Christ’s one act on the cross, we can be made righteous. We can be forgiven and be set free!

If you’ve already gotten that forgiveness, the Gospel still applies to you.

Do we still struggle like Adam did?

Absolutely we do! But Jesus Christ gives us the grace we need to be forgiven of these things, AND He gives us the grace to conquer our sins. We need Christ!

Lessons

Our environment does not make us obedient

God has given us the responsibility to maintain what He’s given us

Step up and lead!