Man Falls, God Rescues

Introduction

Luke taking karate - Grip of death first move. Staci’s first time at karate - Discipline, hard work - focus on body, mind, and spirit. While karate is a good skill and discipline it won’t shape him like the Bible. Many things are good for your body, mind, and spirit, but nothing will shape you like Bible.

100 Days Journey - 1. To help you develop daily discipline. 2. To see life transformation. Nothing will grow you like reflective, consistent, prayerful Bible reading. 3. To help you know. Biblical illiteracy plagues our culture - and it may plague you. 4. To help you see how the Bible tells a singular story of God’s redemption.

This morning - We see God’s redemptive plan beginning to unfold in the first few pages of His story. This passage shows us three realities about sin and our only hope for our rebellion against God.

You can never cover your sin on your own.

You can never cover your sin on your own.

God’s story starts with triumph - - Everything created at the sound of His voice. God is powerful - no other god like Israel’s God.

Humanity is the crown of creation. - man made in the image of God.

God’s crown of creation placed in a garden - utopia - everything is right. Lush vegetation, beauty, animals, man and wife living as one and walking with God.

Everything good, but not for long. God’s enemy is in the garden - a fallen angel - we don’t know when he rebelled against God but cast out of heaven. Takes on the disguise of a snake. I know! Bible doesn’t give us details as to how Satan can possess a snake and how a snake can talk. I know it sounds ridiculous - BUT… Masterfully temps and lures Eve. Exposes Eve’s lack of knowledge of what God actually said. “Did God really say?” Eve: If we touch the tree, we die. God didn’t say that. Satan deceives Eve. “You will not die. Instead, you will have the knowledge of God. You will be like God. You will have power, authority, dominion, etc.”

Too good to pass up, and there in the garden, Adam and Eve chose the way of Satan rather than the way of the loving God that created them.

· When Adam and Eve ate the fruit everything changed immediately. They lost their freedom, they lost their innocence, they lost their intimacy with God and with each other, and ultimately they lost their lives – they became spiritually dead – went from friends of God to enemies of God.

1. You can never cover your sin.

When Adam and Eve ate the fruit everything changed immediately. They lost their freedom, they lost their innocence, they lost their intimacy with God and with each other, and ultimately they lost their lives – they became spiritually dead – went from friends of God to enemies of God.

· When Adam and Eve ate the fruit everything changed immediately. They lost their freedom, they lost their innocence, they lost their intimacy with God and with each other, and ultimately they lost their lives – they became spiritually dead – went from friends of God to enemies of God.

What do you when you’ve messed up? You try to cover it up…

· They did what we all do – they began a cover up process, but you can’t cover up your sin.

They hid – they didn’t want God to find them. For the first time they did not want to be in God’s presence. They covered their bodies – they had been naked and unashamed, but now they were very ashamed.

· They hid – they didn’t want God to find them. For the first time they did not want to be in God’s presence. They covered their bodies – they had been naked and unashamed, but now they were very ashamed.

God pursues – “Adam, where are you?” “I hid because I was afraid.” Notice Adam is afraid but Adam does not fess up. He doesn’t confess. He doesn’t repent. He’s simply afraid of the consequences of his sin. He’s remorseful but not repentant.

· God pursues – “Adam, where are you?” “I hid because I was afraid.” Notice Adam is afraid but Adam does not fess up. He doesn’t confess. He doesn’t repent. He’s simply afraid of the consequences of his sin. He’s remorseful but not repentant.

Instead of owning up – Adam points the finger. He blames God and Eve for his failure. He sees himself as the innocent victim in all of this.

· Instead of owning up – Adam points the finger. He blames God and Eve for his failure. He sees himself as the innocent victim in all of this.

Eve points the finger as well. She blames the serpent.

· Eve points the finger as well. She blames the serpent.

You do the same thing. You try to cover your sin, but you can never cover it up. You are guilty. Take responsibility.

· You do the same thing. You try to cover your sin, but you can never cover it up. You are guilty. Take responsibility.

You hide - You avoid people who love you, you avoid the church, and you avoid your relationship with God.

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You blame – When you’re caught red-handed, you point the finger. “If God didn’t put me in such trying times, then I would obey Him.” Or, “If my wife were more attentive, I wouldn’t struggle with lust.” “If my boss were more understanding, I wouldn’t have such a bad attitude at work.” “If my kids were better behaved, I wouldn’t lose my temper.” “If my teachers didn’t make assignments so difficult, I wouldn’t cheat.”

You blame – “If God didn’t put me in such trying times, then I would obey Him.” Or, “If my wife were more attentive, I wouldn’t struggle with lust.” “If my boss were more understanding, I wouldn’t have such a bad attitude at work.” “If my kids were better behaved, I wouldn’t lose my temper.” “If my teachers didn’t make assignments so difficult, I wouldn’t cheat.”

· Your sin is yours and yours alone – Don’t point the finger. Own up.

Your sin is yours and yours alone – Don’t point the finger. Own up.

· You clothe yourself – in works and deeds. “I know that I have a bad attitude at work, but I work hard every week. I’m always on time.” “I know I shouldn’t gossip, but I am a caring person.” “I know I don’t give generously, but I teach Sunday School.” “I know I lose my temper with my children, but I am a good provider for my family.”

You try to cover yourself – For Adam and Eve it was with clothes, for you, it’s with works and deeds. “I know that I have a bad attitude at work, but I work hard every week. I’m always on time.” “I know I shouldn’t gossip, but I am a caring person.” “I know I don’t give generously, but I teach Sunday School.” “I know I lose my temper with my children, but I am a good provider for my family.”

· You can’t cover up your sin. God sees right through your blame game, and He sees right through the deeds and good works you try to clothe yourself with.

You can’t cover up your sin. God sees right through your blame game, and He sees right through the deeds and good works you try to clothe yourself with.

· – Nothing hidden before God – Luke closing his eyes – trying not to be seen – Ludicrous – so is you blaming and justifying

– Nothing hidden before God

2. You can never escape the consequences of sin.

You cannot escape the consequences of sin.

· All of humanity now under the judgment of God because of our rebellion against Him. We cannot escape the consequences of sin.

All of humanity now under the judgment of God because of our rebellion against Him. We cannot escape the consequences of sin.

· Notice the consequences of rebellion in this passage:

Notice the consequences of rebellion in this passage

o Serpent – life of humiliation – will ultimately be defeated. Protoevangelion – Satan will bruise the heels of God’s children, but he will not defeat them. Rather, he will be defeated by an offspring of humanity. (The Gospel) As soon as Adam and Eve fall into sin God has a plan to save them from their sin. Wow! The fall did not take God by surprise.

Serpent – life of humiliation – will ultimately be defeated. Protoevangelion – Satan will bruise the heels of God’s children, but he will not defeat them. Rather, he will be defeated by an offspring of humanity. (The Gospel) As soon as Adam and Eve fall into sin God has a plan to save them from their sin. Wow! The fall did not take God by surprise.

o Eve – pain in childbirth – Every birth, while joyous, is a reminder of suffering – you’ve suffered and your child will suffer. Every woman will have conflict with man. There will be constant power struggles. Apart from Christ, women want to rule over their husbands rather than submit to the divine order established by God.

Eve – pain in childbirth – Every birth, while joyous, is a reminder of suffering – you’ve suffered and your child will suffer. Every woman will have conflict with man. There will be constant power struggles. Apart from Christ, women want to rule over their husbands rather than submit to the divine order established by God.

o Man – hard work, difficult, unfulfilling at times – conflict with the boss, misunderstandings, bad communication, unable to complete tasks, never satisfied with our work.

Man – hard work, difficult, unfulfilling at times – conflict with the boss, misunderstandings, bad communication, unable to complete tasks, never satisfied with our work.

o Ultimate consequence – separation from God – kicked out of the garden never to return. They would never again enjoy God’s presence in this life like they did in the garden.

Ultimate consequence – separation from God – kicked out of the garden never to return. They would never again enjoy God’s presence in this life like they did in the garden. (That consequence still affects us - As believers, we have been brought into a relationship with God through Jesus, but we still experience consequences for our sin. God uses those consequences to get our attention and lead us to repentance.)

o Sin is horrible, but you tend to enjoy it. Sin never just affects you, it affects everyone around you, and ultimately it affects your relationship with God. Believer, don’t walk in it. Walk by the Spirit.

Sin is horrible, but you tend to enjoy it. Sin never just affects you, it affects everyone around you, and ultimately it affects your relationship with God. Believer, don’t walk in it. Walk by the Spirit. Instead of enjoying sin:

· Grieve it – We need to feel sorrow for how we have rebelled. It’s sorrow that leads us to repent. If there is no sorrow for your sin it shows a lack of intimacy with Christ. You need to evaluate your relationship with Him. You may be His enemy.

Grieve it – We need to feel sorrow for how we have rebelled. It’s sorrow that leads us to repent. If there is no sorrow for your sin it shows a lack of intimacy with Christ. You need to evaluate your relationship with Him. You may be His enemy.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret…

· Kill it – Put it to death. The Spirit lives in you empowering you to put to death that which destroys your relationships.

Kill it – Put it to death. The Spirit lives in you empowering you to put to death that which destroys your relationships.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you…

What sin are you holding on to that has become more precious to you than your relationship with God? What sin do you adore? Selfishiness? Pride? Jealousy? Lust? Grieve it and kill it.

3. Your only hope is to surrender to the One who ultimately covers your sin.

· God provides you with a way of escape and the power to put sin to death.

God provides you with a way of escape and the power to put sin to death.

The garden is a place of judgment but also a place of grace. God pursues, He reveals a plan to redeem, and He clothes. God rescues.

· The garden is a place of judgment but also a place of grace. God pursues, He reveals a plan to redeem, and He clothes. God rescues.

God provides covering for their shame – kills an animal and knits clothing for Adam and Eve from the skin of the animal – first living thing to die is an animal so that Adam and Eve’s shame could be covered

· God provides covering for their shame – kills an animal and knits clothing for Adam and Eve from the skin of the animal – first living thing to die is an animal so that Adam and Eve’s shame could be covered

Foreshadows what God would do for us thousands of years later. Jesus would be slaughtered like an animal on the cross so you could be covered. Your sin, your guilt, your shame. Jesus body broken, His blood poured out so your sin might be forgiven.

· Foreshadows what God would do for us thousands of years later. Jesus would be slaughtered like an animal on the cross so you could be covered. Your sin, your guilt, your shame. Jesus body broken, His blood poured out so your sin might be forgiven.

· On the cross Jesus was treated as if He had done everything you did so you might be treated as if you had done everything He did.

On the cross Jesus was treated as if He had done everything you did so you might be treated as if you had done everything He did.

Three days later Christ rose – so you might have victory over sin and you might return to the Garden – to enjoy the presence of God once again. Will you turn to Him?

· Three days later Christ rose – so you might have victory over sin and you might return to the Garden – to enjoy the presence of God once again. Will you turn to Him?

Believers – we remember – the body, the blood – Jesus is everything to us – We don’t have to try to cover our sins – we don’t have to point fingers, or justify ourselves – we have escaped the judgment of God through grace. Believers – repent – Repent of taking for granted the work of Christ – repent for loving sin more than your Savior.

· Believers – we remember – the body, the blood – Jesus is everything to us – We don’t have to try to cover our sins – we don’t have to point fingers, or justify ourselves – we have escaped the judgment of God through grace. Believers – repent – Repent of taking for granted the work of Christ – repent for loving sin more than your Savior.