Gen 3:7-11

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" 10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." 11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" (NIV)

ü  They realized that they were naked.

It seems like a strange thought. "Who told you that you were naked? Does somebody have to tell us?

We are all aware of it. And we are still afraid of it too. I’m not! OK let’s have a test.

Ø  z.b. Turn to your neighbour and I want you to look into his eyes for the next few minutes and I will tell you when to stop. You are not allowed to look away or close your eyes or blink a lot or stare at his nose, you have to look him in the eyes!

Why didn’t they know? Because they were not self conscious.

ü  They sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves

o   Man made clothes

§  Image of a man, Macho, strong, domineering, controlling, louder, stronger, no emotions, never crying, woman chaser, never afraid,

§  Oh a Christian Man? (same)

o   They covered the wrong parts.

§  Instead of longing to be clothed in their hearts they covered their souls and their bodies

·         Fig leaves for the Body and excuses for the soul!

ü  "Where are you?"

o   This is the hard question for us to answer. NOT because we don’t know, its because we don’t want anyone else to know.

§  If people knew:

·         My sexual desires and fantasies

·         My anger that I can’t control

·         How I treat my wife when others are not there

·         What my spiritual life is really like

·         My jealousy at the success of other men

·         How much I compare myself with other men, physically and mentally and financially.

·         How afraid I am of living

·         My emotional nakedness

ü  "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

o   Do you hear the Lord walking in your Garden today?

o   Can we get this honest?

§  I am afraid (not of living, but maybe of GOD!)

·         He will love you

I Jn 4:18-19

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.(NIV)

§  I am naked

·         He will clothe you with himself. Your man made fig leaf clothes are not enough.

·         Z.b. Story of the emperors clothes.

Gal 3:26-27

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (NIV)

1 Pet 5:5-6

5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (NIV)

Phil 2:6-9

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.(he humbled himself and became a MAN!) 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, (NIV)

§  I am hiding

·         He will lead you into the light and freedom.

Luke 12:1-3 Its coming out!

1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. (NIV)

2 Cor 4:2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. (NIV)

John 3:19-21

19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (NIV)