SIN IS "NO GOOD"

Introduction

The first message this “Listen” series was entitled “Fully Engaged.” Just as Jesus opened up the Scripture to the two disciples on road to Emmaus in Luke 24, He continues to open them up to those who fully engage with His word. True transformation takes place under the influence of God’s Living Word

Last week we dove into Genesis 1 and 2, “God is My Creator (BEP).” We recognized God’s might hand at work — the value of work comes from God the Creator. He has created us to be co-workers with Him in His amazing plan to save all who call upon the Lord.

Today’s message is entitled, “Sin is no good!”

Talk about being Captain Obvious — of course sin is no good…we all know that.

Couldn’t I come up with a better title?

Listen, if the evil sin is so obvious, why do people (including us) so easily fall into its trap?

For such a small word, sin creates huge messes in our world and in people’s lives, families, and communities

Today is American Independence Day! We have so much to be thankful for. Yet, many among us do not recognize the significance of our long and colorful history, from the Revolutionary War to our development as a sovereign nation, to our confrontation and admission of the evils of slavery in the Civil War, and all the battles along the way. Historically, our battles and wars have been struggles for freedom. Freedom’s voice never dies down because freedom is a God-given right…a principle that employs obvious common sense. It is a simple thing…everyone should be free.

Yet…from the very beginning, there have always been opponents to the values of America — opposing her while under her protection — speaking against her while she fights for their right to freely speak against her.

The battle continues to rage…but freedom will win out, God willing as we, His people, humble ourselves and pray

My friend Dale Brueggeman share this sobering prayer on FB this morning --

A Confession of Sin and Prayer for the Nation

— JOHN BRADFORD, in Elliot Ritzema, ed., 400 Prayers for Preachers (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).

2 SAMUEL 24:17; PSALM 25:6; JONAH 1:10–12

As David, seeing your angel with his sword ready drawn, most righteous Lord, to plague Jerusalem, cried out unto you,

“It is I, Lord, who have sinned, and I who have done wickedly; your hand, Lord, be on me, and not on your poor sheep”;

...because of which you were moved to mercy, and commanded your angel to put up his sword—even so we, gracious Lord, seeing your fearful sword of vengeance ready drawn and presently striking against this commonwealth and your church in the same, we are occasioned now to cast off our eyes from beholding and narrowly spying out other men’s faults, and to set our own only in sight, so that, with the same David your servant, and with Jonah in the ship, we may cry,

“It is we, O Lord, who have sinned, and procured this your grievous wrath.”

And this we who are now gathered together in Christ’s name do acknowledge, confessing ourselves guilty of horrible ingratitude for your gospel and pure religion, and for the peace of your church, and quietness of the commonwealth, besides our negligences and many other grievous sins, because of which we have deserved not only these but much more grievous plagues, if that even presently you did not, as you are wont,

“remember your mercy.”

Upon this (that you “in your anger remember your mercy” before we seek and sue for it) we take boldness, as you command us to do in our trouble, to come and call upon you to be merciful unto us. And of your goodness now we humbly in Christ’s name pray you to hold your hand and cease your wrath, or at the least so to mitigate it that this realm may be quietly governed, and the same once again to be a shelter for your church and true religion: which do restore to us again, according to your great power and mercy, and we shall praise your name forever, through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Saviour. Amen.

The freedom available through Christ is often underappreciated and even denied by the very people who know better. Why? Bad choices — deception — following our sinful nature instead of resisting the deception of the enemy and obeying God’s instructions

We have, in many ways, become comfortable with sweeping sin under the rug…especially our own sin. We have become accustomed to ignoring it, excusing it, or blaming others for its consequences.

In Genesis 3, the first couple in Creation chose to ignore the Creator in favor of the lies of the enemy

The result was sin! Sin is no good…ever!

What is sin?

Missing the mark

Breaching God’s law

Rebellion against God

Placing human judgment above that of God

Is sin worth whatever enjoyment you may get out of it?

Hebrews 11:24–26 ESV

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

A right relationship with God protects you from a wrong relationship with sin

IF YOU ARE RIGHT WITH GOD, YOU HAVE NO REASON TO FEEL SHAME

Genesis 2:15–18 ESV

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 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.” Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Genesis 2:25 ESV

And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

God communicates His good will

God’s natural desire is a close relationship with His people

He gives us ample opportunity to obey

He made things very clear to Adam and Eve —

Common sense would lead us to believe that they had everything they needed…why would they even consider deviating from the Creator’s plan?

They had beauty, sustenance, companionship with God and each other, fruitful and satisfying work (responsibilities)

No evil…no shame

Nakedness did not have any negative stigma — why would it?

Application

We know the story — tragically, the first couple got sidetracked

Sin came into the world — and shame followed right behind

We know that, if we follow our sinful desires…nothing good comes from it

Transitional: Sin is no good

IF YOU DINE WITH THE ENEMY, SHAME HOUNDS YOUR LIFE

Genesis 3:1–7 ESV

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

The enemy is a professional liar

John 8:44 ESV

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

These points come straight from 1-7

He plants confusion — He changes what God actually said

He defames God — calls Him a liar

He denies sins consequences

He makes sin look attractive

He ultimately leads you into a place of shame and guilt

He convinces you to blame others for your own disobedience

Genesis 3:10–13 ESV

And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Acting on the enemy’s lies leads to sin’s curse

God cursed the serpent

God meted out judgment upon Eve

God meted out judgment upon Adam

God’s judgment came upon all people

Application: Sin is no good!

CHALLENGE

I am so glad, God didn’t leave things as they were — He implemented a plan to bring hope, deliverance, freedom, and a restored relationship with Him

Our loving Creator did not leave the first Adam and Eve without hope. Though they were banished from the Garden and faced the consequences of sin, God promised that the enemy would be crushed

Genesis 3:14–15 ESV

The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

The first garden and the first Adam reveal a tragic story

Adam’s legacy of sin became evident when Cain killed his brother Abel

Thank God — we see the beginning, a foreshadow of Gods redemption in this early story of the effects of sin

Not only did God promise the enemy would be crushed under man’s heel...

He also provided a proper covering for their shame

Genesis 3:21 ESV

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Blood sacrifice — to cover sin

The last garden and the last Adam snatch victory from the enemy once and for all

Garden of Gethsemane — Jesus crushed the enemy’s head

A right relationship with God protects you from a wrong relationship with sin