Beginning at the Beginning 2 - Salvation on the Heels of Rebellion

Reading: Gen. 3:1-24, John 1:9-14

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 NIV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:14 NIV)

Intro:

I heard the story this week of a Christian, unmarried teen-age couple who became pregnant. Instead of going to their parents, or some other Christian leader for help or advice, they decided to get an abortion. And they did. A few months later, they became pregnant again. This time the guilt was too much and they found counselling at the Whatcom County Pregnancy Center. They decided against an abortion this time.

   David, after seducing Bathsheba discovers she is pregnant. He summons her husband home. He is too honorable a man to sleep with his wife, while his buddies on the line are doing without. So David has him killed.

   We run like mad dogs from responsibility for our actions. We commit evil deeds and cover them with more evil ones. It has been that way from the beginning

I. They lost it all for a Taste of Sin.

   A.   A case of being too Open-minded.

      1.   The serpent induces them to question God’s Word.

      2.   The woman entertains the temptation.

          a.    She is already on the path to destruction.

          b.   She under rates her freedom, over rates her restriction. (see Gen 2:16-17)

          c.    She is enticed by the fruit in three ways (food, sight, wisdom).

      3.   They wanted to be God-like, but they already were!

   B.   Where Are you?

      1.   They feel compelled to hide from God.

      2.   They run but they can’t hide

   C.   Blame the Next Guy.

      1.   Long before law-suit fever, people were blaming others for their own mistakes.

      2.   Blaming didn’t do any good!

II.   God promises to fix the problem.

   A.   Heal over Head.

      1.   The only safe way to kill a poisonous snake is to attack it’s head

      2.   Crushing the head costs a strike on the heel. (Both are deadly!)

   B.   The seed of salvation is planted.

      1.   Hidden in the curse on the snake is the promise of salvation!

      2.   The seed of the woman will eventually outdo what her appetite for fruit cost.

   C.   Meanwhile, a cursed existence.

      1.   The pain of child-birth, and male dominance.

      2.   Men can only get food by hard work, things keep getting in the way of getting the job done.

      3.   We suffer the results of sin loosed on the world

      4.   Everybody dies.

III. God carries out His plan by Sending Jesus.

   A.   Jesus is the seed that sprouts.

      1.   Mary: Let it be according to your word.

      2.   Jesus is the seed of the woman that will crush the head of the serpent.

   B.   We become Children of a different Father

      1.   We look to a different tree. (John 3:14-15)

      2.   If we receive and believe God gives us the right to be His children

   C.   Where are You?

      1.   Sin estranges us from God/each other.

      2.   God has come here today looking for you.

      3.   Don’t think you can hide behind some fig-leaf of pretense.

      4.   He will not only cover your shame, he will clean you up so you have none left
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9 NIV)

      5.   God’s love is this big:
God shows His love to you this way: While you were still stuck in your sins, Christ died for you. (Rom 5:8 paraphrased).

The Bottom Line:

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