WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:06.620 I am thankful for those of you that are here today to learn God's word and go through this passage of scripture that we're going to dive into this morning. 00:00:06.660 --> 00:00:10.640 We're going to be in Genesis chapter three we're in a new series together on believe. 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:12.580 Actually, I don't know how you label the word new. 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:19.720 I guess it's subject to definition here, but we're on the third week of a seven part series on this theme of belief from the 00:00:19.780 --> 00:00:21.460 first three chapters of Genesis. 00:00:21.860 --> 00:00:28.920 The reason we're focusing on these three chapters is I want us to see you from the very beginning of scripture, the very first book of the Bible, how the pillars 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:36.200 of Christianity are laid out for us from the beginning, the chapter that we're going to be in today, Genesis chapter three in 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:41.610 understanding this chapter, I think this chapter is paramount to understanding the rest of scripture. 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:48.660 If you get this passage, this chapter of the Bible, you will see how all of scripture unfolds itself. 00:00:48.940 --> 00:00:52.500 Beginning in Genesis chapter three all the way to the last chapters in revelation. 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:57.360 The theme of all of scripture are really laid out in Genesis three. 00:00:57.480 --> 00:01:04.519 This is a very powerful, important passage of scripture that we get to dive in together today and I am excited 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:05.099 about it. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:06.080 This is going to fall up. 00:01:06.340 --> 00:01:09.520 The fall into really two messages is going to be a two part series. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:11.200 I want to give you a warning here on the front end. 00:01:11.700 --> 00:01:15.060 Today we're going to deal with the bad, and next week we're gonna deal with the good ruin end. 00:01:15.080 --> 00:01:19.100 On a positive note here this morning, but today we're gonna talk about some heavy things that relates to sin. 00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:26.260 This is the part of the passage that refers to the fall in the garden of Eden, but we're going to bring this to the end where Christ 00:01:26.260 --> 00:01:28.440 intercedes in all of it. 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:35.960 And so from this point on, as we look at these next couple of weeks, as we go beyond that, we'll then look back to what Jesus promises for 00:01:35.960 --> 00:01:37.800 us in the book of Genesis. 00:01:38.240 --> 00:01:45.660 But I will tell you if you can understand Genesis three you can see how this theme is carried out throughout the all of the Bible and 00:01:45.660 --> 00:01:49.930 if you approach the Bible, you're looking at it and thinking, man, I don't get all of this, how this works together. 00:01:50.720 --> 00:01:53.880 Genesis three lays that foundation very important passage for us. 00:01:54.020 --> 00:02:01.120 I'm glad you're here to understand it with us today and I want to put it sort of in the context as to where we've been as we get ready to dive into this chapter. 00:02:01.620 --> 00:02:05.110 If you remember the book of Genesis, the first five books of the Bible are written by Moses. 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:12.680 If you think about this time period in history when Moses is writing, he's writing to the children of Israel who were leaving Egypt as 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:13.340 slaves. 00:02:13.760 --> 00:02:20.940 They're going into the promised land, the land that God has given to them and at the land of Canaan in this transition from Egypt 00:02:20.940 --> 00:02:24.690 into Canaan, God is helping them shape their identity. 00:02:25.040 --> 00:02:32.140 In fact, the beginning of Genesis covers a large span of history in just a few chapters to sort of catch Israel up onto 00:02:32.140 --> 00:02:33.500 the major questions of life. 00:02:33.980 --> 00:02:34.640 Who am I? 00:02:34.640 --> 00:02:36.780 Where did I come from and where am I going? 00:02:37.040 --> 00:02:40.240 The first three chapters of Genesis lays out for us beautifully. 00:02:40.640 --> 00:02:44.460 We started in the first section together just identifying the nature of God. 00:02:44.860 --> 00:02:45.380 Who is God? 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:53.520 We looked at his name together in Genesis chapter one it specifically mentions his name and Genesis chapter two verse four Yahweh, 00:02:53.980 --> 00:02:56.760 Elohim that has God's specific name. 00:02:56.760 --> 00:03:01.700 It was given to Moses at the burning Bush and Exodus chapter three the great I am. 00:03:01.700 --> 00:03:05.250 We said this about God, Yahweh, Elohim is his full name. 00:03:05.580 --> 00:03:12.660 We said about God and the things that he has created and all that God has created God in referring to himself as the I 00:03:12.660 --> 00:03:13.060 am. 00:03:13.500 --> 00:03:17.180 He is the only being who finds the purpose for his existence within himself. 00:03:17.540 --> 00:03:22.140 Everything else created finds the purpose for his existence outside of itself. 00:03:22.780 --> 00:03:26.660 In fact, last week we looked at the idea of being created in God's image. 00:03:27.040 --> 00:03:32.180 When God, Yahweh, Elohim, the one who was sacred, Holy, other separate, transcendent. 00:03:32.480 --> 00:03:35.660 When he creates, he makes himself imminent, personal and real. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:37.780 He created an all of earth. 00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:45.140 When it goes through the days of creation, the last thing it tells us God creates is mankind in his image, which is different than 00:03:45.140 --> 00:03:52.180 any other creature God made being made in his image, it says to us very specifically in chapter two in verse seven God breathes his 00:03:52.380 --> 00:03:59.620 spirit into life, which means that we are able to relate to creator God because we reflect characteristics of God being made 00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:02.020 in his image. 00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:08.670 God made us to enjoy him and to know him forever. 00:04:12.200 --> 00:04:17.019 Moses and writing this book to the people of Israel leaving as slaves, their identity in slavery. 00:04:17.019 --> 00:04:24.100 He's saying, look how sacred, important and valuable you are, that when God, when he makes creation, he gets the very 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:26.580 end of creation as he's creating every day. 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:34.140 He says, it's good, it's good, it's good, but it's not until he makes mankind that at that moment he pauses, he stops and says, this is 00:04:34.500 --> 00:04:35.580 very good. 00:04:36.780 --> 00:04:43.920 As if the crown of all of his creation was mankind in God, who is the great I am in creating all 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:51.300 the things, finding purpose of existence inside them itself though all of creation now being created finds its purpose, purpose for existence outside 00:04:51.300 --> 00:04:55.360 of itself being created in the form and for the purpose of God. 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:04.360 We being the crown of that creation being made in his image, finding our purpose for existence outside 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:11.590 of ourself demonstrates us and being made in God's image as creatures created for worship. 00:05:13.400 --> 00:05:15.070 It's the reason you look at the grand Canyon. 00:05:15.300 --> 00:05:15.960 You're inspired. 00:05:15.960 --> 00:05:17.540 You look at yellow stone, it's breathtaking. 00:05:17.780 --> 00:05:25.020 You look at the, at the sea in the sunset and it mesmerizes you because of the glory of all that's created and you 00:05:25.020 --> 00:05:28.090 captivate in that moment, think of something greater than just yourself. 00:05:28.380 --> 00:05:36.420 You realize you're a part of something bigger than yourself because you are created to find the purpose for your existence outside of self being 00:05:36.420 --> 00:05:37.680 made in his image. 00:05:39.260 --> 00:05:45.720 That purpose finds itself designed for relationship with God. 00:05:46.320 --> 00:05:52.960 When we said last week and we dove into this, I don't want to get into the specifics of it, but being made in God's image, it doesn't make me made in his image in every way. 00:05:53.300 --> 00:05:55.660 There are some things that God transcends us as creative. 00:05:56.580 --> 00:06:03.940 Creative creators are as creator with creature, but there are some things in which God has made us in his image that helps us reflect him and connect to him and rejoice 00:06:03.940 --> 00:06:08.020 in him and experience relationship in him. 00:06:10.140 --> 00:06:15.420 When we think of all the good things that God has made and the fact that after God made everything he said it is very good. 00:06:17.100 --> 00:06:20.760 The children of Israel be asking the same question probably that we should ask this morning. 00:06:20.820 --> 00:06:25.540 If we were to stop at Genesis chapter two and it's sorta like this, what happened, right? 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:30.420 I mean I, I was just a slave and now I'm walking around in the desert for 40 years. 00:06:30.840 --> 00:06:31.980 Where is this garden of Eden? 00:06:31.980 --> 00:06:32.980 You speak of Moses? 00:06:33.260 --> 00:06:34.580 What in the world happened? 00:06:37.060 --> 00:06:41.120 That's what Genesis three explains to us. 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:49.240 God created all of this and God created you to enjoy him, but let me, let me just describe for you what happens in the Genesis 00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:56.300 chapter three in verse one starts in a very unique kind of way in Moses answering this question for Israel as they would 00:06:56.300 --> 00:06:58.600 probably begin to ask this very good garden. 00:06:58.660 --> 00:06:59.060 Where is it? 00:07:00.420 --> 00:07:06.560 It says in Genesis three in verse one now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. 00:07:07.880 --> 00:07:10.360 Now you guys are probably familiar with the story right now. 00:07:11.060 --> 00:07:12.700 You've got a children's Bible home. 00:07:12.700 --> 00:07:13.960 You maybe have read to your kids. 00:07:14.220 --> 00:07:16.300 He come to this place and the story of the garden of Eden. 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:21.180 You see these pictures of Adam V not, not wanting to show everything off, but they're probably standing behind some Bush. 00:07:21.200 --> 00:07:26.250 Just this photo is take opportunity where everything just happens to be covered that no one wants to see. 00:07:26.340 --> 00:07:28.600 And then the snake hanging over the Apple tree, right. 00:07:30.460 --> 00:07:35.480 And then it tells us in Genesis chapter three, it's not creating that story that maybe you've seen images of in the garden of Eden. 00:07:35.580 --> 00:07:42.680 But one of the things that blows me away is I've, I've read this story is the response that we get from Eve talking to the snake. 00:07:44.120 --> 00:07:51.120 I don't know about you, but um, I've seen, some ladies around snakes and some guys around snakes, they 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:54.000 don't typically respond the way Eve responds here. 00:07:54.040 --> 00:08:01.140 I mean, even a little, a simple gesture for me of like how ridiculous it might be that you're walking past the garden and, or you're 00:08:01.140 --> 00:08:08.260 walking past a snake in the garden and it says something like you're walking into it talks and you would expect maybe in the texts will be like, Oh 00:08:08.260 --> 00:08:08.750 my word. 00:08:08.760 --> 00:08:10.120 Like a snake is talking to me. 00:08:10.180 --> 00:08:10.620 Right? 00:08:10.700 --> 00:08:17.380 Or something like, animals are talking to her and you can, you can get the picture ad it might be outside and [inaudible] and eaves and the garden. 00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:18.160 He says what you doing? 00:08:18.260 --> 00:08:21.220 And he's like, well, we're having the snake over for dinner for another conversation. 00:08:21.640 --> 00:08:24.180 Like she responds like this is a typical thing in her life. 00:08:24.200 --> 00:08:28.760 You know, the conversation with the snake, we often talk to them in the garden, right? 00:08:29.320 --> 00:08:35.390 In a realistic society today, you walk out in your garden, you see a snake and no one here waiting to see if it talks right. 00:08:36.030 --> 00:08:37.429 We were running the other direction. 00:08:37.640 --> 00:08:38.159 We are taking off. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:41.640 It said we are doing something but we are not having a conversation with this snake. 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:46.360 By the way, if a snake ever tries to have a conversation with you, history has told us, do not do that. 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:46.500 Right? 00:08:48.020 --> 00:08:55.020 But Genesis chapter three in verse one, I think what's happening in this passage of scripture, I don't really believe that what Eve is having 00:08:55.020 --> 00:08:57.900 a conversation with is actually a snake. 00:08:59.140 --> 00:09:01.160 now I will tell you on the back end of everything I'm about the snake. 00:09:01.340 --> 00:09:04.900 Say if you want to believe snake's talk or that snake talked to Eve in this gardens. 00:09:05.300 --> 00:09:05.560 Okay? 00:09:05.680 --> 00:09:14.120 We don't have, we don't have to divide over this topic, but I want us to recognize what it's saying in this passage of scripture because when Eve is having this conversation, the 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:21.780 very reason that she's not, going crazy over the fact that snake's talking to her probably points to us something significant 00:09:21.780 --> 00:09:23.880 about the identity of what this serpent represents. 00:09:24.980 --> 00:09:31.980 And in fact, if you read it in the Hebrew text, the word for serpent in this passage that we often translate a snake, it's at the very 00:09:31.980 --> 00:09:32.230 bottom. 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:34.580 It's three Hebrew consonants, right? 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:40.960 The Hebrew word for serpent or snake derives from the Hebrew word for enchanter. 00:09:42.880 --> 00:09:45.560 Another word, same concepts put together. 00:09:45.580 --> 00:09:48.500 Another word in which it can be translated is as copper or brass. 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:56.600 In fact, when you look at these three words that are distinct in the Hebrew text, the thing that makes them distinct are these 00:09:56.620 --> 00:09:59.530 little symbols underneath the three concepts they're called diacritics. 00:10:01.280 --> 00:10:03.980 These are, these are the symbols that are placed under the Hebrew text. 00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:10.560 Something interesting about these symbols place onto the Hebrew text as this, these symbols were inserted later in history. 00:10:10.560 --> 00:10:14.920 Some Mazur Etix who translated texts and Hebrew inserted these. 00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:22.280 We'd understand Val sounds because the Hebrew language didn't have vowels and so the only way you'd really know how the vowel pronunciation would go in between these 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:24.240 constants is to audibly hear the word. 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:31.460 And the reason we translate often as serpent is because of the words that happened just previous to this or in the context of this passage. 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:34.240 It says now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast. 00:10:34.680 --> 00:10:35.900 So we're talking about a beast here. 00:10:35.940 --> 00:10:40.460 So the way that we know what this word would be is to say that it is a serpent because we're talking about a beast. 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:45.960 That's how they got the translation when there were no di diacritics to distinguish what Hebrew word we're talking about. 00:10:46.300 --> 00:10:47.140 Let me, let me give you an example. 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:47.940 If you're like what? 00:10:48.180 --> 00:10:49.000 How do I wrap my head around this? 00:10:50.400 --> 00:10:52.280 The first week we studied the word Yahweh. 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:57.460 Yahweh is a word of consonants, Yahweh. 00:10:57.460 --> 00:11:01.580 We said that the Hebrews actually don't even know how to pronounce it because they considered the names so sacred. 00:11:01.640 --> 00:11:02.400 They wouldn't utter it. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:08.620 They would substitute it with the word add an eye and they considered God's name, such a Holy name. 00:11:08.620 --> 00:11:10.140 They didn't want to utter it to file it. 00:11:10.160 --> 00:11:11.040 And so they didn't say it. 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:18.520 And so they lost the ability to pronunciate the name of Jaco over time because the word was just constantly and they couldn't 00:11:18.520 --> 00:11:20.310 understand how the Val symbols connected. 00:11:20.880 --> 00:11:27.940 Now Yahweh is most likely the way it's pronounced, the, that's the, that's the general idea of general thought of the way 00:11:27.940 --> 00:11:29.460 that we'd pronounce God's name. 00:11:29.980 --> 00:11:34.420 But it wasn't until later they inserted these diacritics to help us understand how these words came about. 00:11:34.780 --> 00:11:42.000 So this is what I think is happening in Genesis chapter one when the serpent's talking to Eve, the, this first three 00:11:42.280 --> 00:11:43.850 chapters are written in poetic form. 00:11:44.380 --> 00:11:48.900 And what Moses wants us to understand is the characteristic of the one who was presenting himself to Eve. 00:11:50.220 --> 00:11:53.460 And so these three words are mentioned as a play on words. 00:11:53.920 --> 00:11:58.780 For another example, the word Adam inscription in scripture is a play on words. 00:11:58.880 --> 00:12:06.220 It comes from the Hebrew word adema, which means of the ground, and so when Eve is encountering this beast that's 00:12:06.220 --> 00:12:09.700 crafty, it's saying it's carrying the characteristics of a snake. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:14.260 It's enchanting, it's luring and it's deception and it's bright and shiny. 00:12:14.540 --> 00:12:21.540 It's appealing by its appearance and when you study the concept of Satan and demons or the 00:12:21.540 --> 00:12:28.620 devil in scripture, you see those characteristics described of Satan and I think the reason they choose these characteristics that goes all 00:12:28.620 --> 00:12:29.800 the way back to the garden of Eden. 00:12:31.140 --> 00:12:37.300 In fact, in thinking about the word in chanter in John chapter eight and verse 44 Satan is called the father of lies. 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:39.830 He's deceptive in the way that he lies. 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:44.640 In second Corinthians 1114 he's called the angel of light. 00:12:46.040 --> 00:12:48.980 He's considered in scripture the most glorious of God's creations. 00:12:50.460 --> 00:12:54.130 In revelation 29 verse nine he's referred to as a serpent or a dragon. 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:57.400 And so Satan carries all of these characteristics. 00:12:57.580 --> 00:13:04.760 It's a play on words in the Hebrew text, even though your children's stories might have a snake, it's okay, but I think what's ultimately 00:13:04.760 --> 00:13:11.840 worth recognizing is the characteristic of a snake is taking place in the life of Eve and this deception that looks bright and 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:15.480 shiny and attractive. 00:13:16.230 --> 00:13:24.540 If a snake talks run, as the story goes on, it 00:13:24.620 --> 00:13:28.400 said now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. 00:13:29.060 --> 00:13:35.260 And he said to the woman, the God actually say, you shall not eat of any tree in the garden. 00:13:36.760 --> 00:13:43.780 And the woman said to the serpent, we may not eat of the fruit of the tree in the garden, but God said, you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst 00:13:43.780 --> 00:13:44.460 of the garden. 00:13:44.620 --> 00:13:47.120 Neither shall you touch it lest you die. 00:13:48.880 --> 00:13:53.040 But the serpent said to the woman, you will not surely die. 00:13:53.660 --> 00:13:54.620 Right. 00:13:55.300 --> 00:14:02.400 The way that this actually reads in the Hebrew text is kinda like, If we're just throwing some street slang in 00:14:02.400 --> 00:14:05.660 there, it'd be like a say, Whoa. 00:14:05.680 --> 00:14:10.010 You know, like no shoe that did not happen. 00:14:10.400 --> 00:14:11.080 Are you for real? 00:14:11.400 --> 00:14:15.960 Like that's what the serpent is saying here is like Eve now come on. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:18.660 Did God really say you're going to die? 00:14:18.920 --> 00:14:26.320 I mean, you think about everything you just read in Genesis one and two, God created all of this and then he made you the crown in his creation, in 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:26.980 his image. 00:14:27.020 --> 00:14:27.420 And he didn't. 00:14:27.660 --> 00:14:30.320 It wasn't until he made you, he said it was very good. 00:14:30.940 --> 00:14:32.480 Surely you're not going to die. 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:35.320 It's that really what he's what God said. 00:14:36.640 --> 00:14:43.860 So yeah, the serpent's not doubting the, the statement of what God said about the tree and he's simply taking 00:14:43.860 --> 00:14:46.500 a half truth of what God said. 00:14:46.540 --> 00:14:53.640 He's acknowledging maybe it, God said, okay, you can't eat in the garden, but the consequence of it is that really 00:14:53.640 --> 00:14:58.570 is that really what God intended for you to really think. 00:14:59.140 --> 00:15:06.420 And so as he talks about this half truth, he then inserts something else to believe rather than this thought that 00:15:06.420 --> 00:15:09.770 surely, surely you're not going to die. 00:15:09.940 --> 00:15:10.760 Even he's this way. 00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:18.020 He said, for God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be open and you will be like God 00:15:18.020 --> 00:15:25.060 knowing good and evil, maybe, maybe rather 00:15:25.060 --> 00:15:26.760 than God being honest with you. 00:15:28.060 --> 00:15:32.340 Maybe he's trying to hold something better from you, right? 00:15:32.420 --> 00:15:37.220 I mean that's really inevitably what we believe when we dive into any lie in life, right? 00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:39.200 There's the truth of God. 00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:45.900 Maybe this is better for me, right? 00:15:45.940 --> 00:15:52.180 And then verse five the serpent introduces the this thought, these two thoughts. 00:15:52.460 --> 00:15:56.380 Really, you will be like God, and with that you will know good and evil. 00:15:56.380 --> 00:15:57.780 But let me just talk for a minute about this thought. 00:15:58.020 --> 00:15:59.060 You will be like God. 00:15:59.900 --> 00:16:00.500 All right. 00:16:01.100 --> 00:16:04.540 We've already talked about the monotheistic belief of scripture. 00:16:06.060 --> 00:16:07.460 There is only one God. 00:16:08.420 --> 00:16:15.500 We quoted it in Deuteronomy six the great Shamal hero Israel, the Lord your God is one and Isaiah 00:16:15.500 --> 00:16:22.740 43 verses 10 your honor, my witnesses declare the Lord and my service that you've chosen that you may know and understand and believe that I am he before me. 00:16:22.740 --> 00:16:24.760 There is no God formed, neither will there be after me. 00:16:25.160 --> 00:16:26.350 Scripture is monotheistic. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:33.560 There is only one God, but here's the kicker with this thought that Satan is sharing the very thing that got Satan kicked out of 00:16:33.560 --> 00:16:37.500 heaven was the belief that he could become like the most high. 00:16:38.920 --> 00:16:40.520 This is not a good truth. 00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:43.660 This is a lie that destroys and kills. 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:50.940 In fact, you can read about it in Isaiah 14 Isaiah 14 is describing a ruler 00:16:50.940 --> 00:16:57.980 on earth during the time when it gets to verses 12 down to verse 16 it starts to describe 00:16:57.980 --> 00:17:03.960 this rule in such a metaphorical way that you realize that this can't be just referring to someone physically on earth. 00:17:04.339 --> 00:17:06.230 That one is actually doing the book of Isaiah. 00:17:06.300 --> 00:17:13.420 Chapter 14 is it's relating the fall of Satan to this leader that's corrupt and listen what it says in Isaiah 14 verse 00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:18.290 12 how you are fallen from heaven, old day star, son of Dawn. 00:17:19.260 --> 00:17:21.089 How you are cut down to the ground. 00:17:21.380 --> 00:17:28.600 You who laid the nations low, and this is the reason why you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven above the stars 00:17:28.600 --> 00:17:29.200 of God. 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:31.250 I will set my throne on high. 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:34.520 I will set on the Mount of assembly in the far reaches of the North. 00:17:34.600 --> 00:17:36.480 I will ascend above the Heights of the clouds. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.980 I will make myself like the most high. 00:17:41.020 --> 00:17:48.660 The very thing that gets Satan kicked out of God's presence in heaven is the same lines telling me, Eve, 00:17:48.660 --> 00:17:55.840 you can become Oh God, and this is the 00:17:55.900 --> 00:17:59.080 further explanation on top of it, knowing good and evil. 00:18:00.860 --> 00:18:07.040 Now this doesn't translate completely in the English and the way it's trying to communicate to us what the serpent is saying here. 00:18:07.360 --> 00:18:09.500 It's not just understanding right and wrong. 00:18:09.540 --> 00:18:11.140 That's not what the serpent's completely saying. 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:12.340 That's a piece of what he's saying. 00:18:12.560 --> 00:18:19.860 What he's actually saying is this, you will know good and evil and you will declare in your authority what is right and wrong and 00:18:19.860 --> 00:18:22.100 elevating yourself as God. 00:18:22.120 --> 00:18:28.320 You will dictate what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong. 00:18:29.860 --> 00:18:32.290 In eating of this fruit, you're not going to die. 00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:40.120 But rather what's going to happen is you're going to become like God yourself and you're going to declare what is good and what is bad or 00:18:40.140 --> 00:18:41.150 what is evil. 00:18:42.340 --> 00:18:50.200 And so in Genesis three in verse six the most costly conversation breeds 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:50.300 sin. 00:18:52.900 --> 00:19:00.140 The first sin takes place and it says in verse six so when the woman saw the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to 00:19:00.140 --> 00:19:07.300 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 00:19:07.300 --> 00:19:09.000 who was with her and he ate. 00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:18.300 In this passage, it shows us that Eve is slowly entice towards her loss. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:22.700 She believes the lie is better for her than the truth and she gives into it. 00:19:22.800 --> 00:19:29.760 James one 15 says this, when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 00:19:31.420 --> 00:19:36.260 So the promise in the book of Genesis, God, he creates two trees. 00:19:36.260 --> 00:19:43.280 It tells us in the book of Genesis, he creates the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life, the tree of knowledge of good and 00:19:43.280 --> 00:19:43.780 evil. 00:19:43.820 --> 00:19:44.840 If they eat it, it's death. 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:46.340 The tree of life they eat it's life. 00:19:46.620 --> 00:19:49.920 Adam and Eve, when they're created, they're in this position of untested creature holiness. 00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:51.880 That's what theologians refer to it as. 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:52.420 It means this. 00:19:52.700 --> 00:19:59.220 They're in this unstated place of holiness or separation to God, but it's not other own choice. 00:20:00.260 --> 00:20:01.480 Now God's given him the opportunity. 00:20:02.020 --> 00:20:02.960 Choose the tree of life. 00:20:03.040 --> 00:20:10.320 What's representation of a relationship with him for all of eternity to enjoy it or reject that and choose to 00:20:10.320 --> 00:20:13.040 make yourselves God and the result of that is death. 00:20:14.760 --> 00:20:20.920 This is not a good choice, but the whole point of love and God creating us as human beings is that love. 00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:22.760 What makes love, love is the freedom to choose. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:31.120 The idea to love also carries with it the freewill to not love and God created mankind in his image. 00:20:31.120 --> 00:20:33.480 We are loving beings with the opportunity to choose. 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:42.180 And in creating these two trees, God gives mankind the opportunity and the results of what they chose 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:43.300 was death. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:52.220 When you study death in, it's important to recognize that it's a little different than the way that we commonly think of 00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:53.510 it in our own humanistic terms. 00:20:53.860 --> 00:20:56.860 Today, the word death, we often think about it. 00:20:56.920 --> 00:21:00.540 Someone goes to a grave, we bury it and their life was ended right on her. 00:21:01.600 --> 00:21:08.600 But when the Bible talks about death, it's in reference to us in two parts is CR as creators, as creatures, excuse me, you're both a 00:21:08.600 --> 00:21:09.920 physical and spiritual being. 00:21:10.800 --> 00:21:16.040 The moment Eve ate of this fruit, which is not an Apple, it is whatever fruit you don't like, make it that fruit. 00:21:16.200 --> 00:21:16.340 Okay? 00:21:16.820 --> 00:21:17.680 It is none of the Apple. 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:18.320 It's just a fruit. 00:21:18.360 --> 00:21:20.960 So what it tells us in scripture, it's a prune or plum. 00:21:22.020 --> 00:21:22.600 Maybe it's a Meda. 00:21:23.260 --> 00:21:24.080 That's a fruit, right? 00:21:24.660 --> 00:21:26.260 I'm not a fan of tomatoes. 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:32.700 So when Adam and Eve, when they sin, the Bible tells us that they experienced death. 00:21:32.860 --> 00:21:34.940 And death means separation. 00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:41.460 Physically Adam and Eve, they began to die. 00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:42.210 Your body decays. 00:21:43.340 --> 00:21:50.520 I mean, physical death is a reminder of the decay of sin, but in addition to that, we spiritually 00:21:50.520 --> 00:21:50.620 died. 00:21:53.080 --> 00:21:54.920 We're spiritually separated from God. 00:21:56.660 --> 00:22:02.720 The consequence of the sin in death focuses on two parts for us, the physical death and the spiritual death. 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:05.860 That's why Romans six tells us the wages of sin is death. 00:22:06.260 --> 00:22:08.140 You have been separated from creator God. 00:22:08.280 --> 00:22:15.520 This picture is ultimately seen at the end of Genesis chapter three when God sends Adam and Eve out of the garden, it's 00:22:15.520 --> 00:22:22.620 showing physically that there has also been a spiritual separation in our relationship with God and this is where it begins 00:22:22.620 --> 00:22:24.320 to talk about the problem that we're facing. 00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:29.330 Children of Israel who has left Egypt, you're wondering what in the world happened to Eden? 00:22:31.340 --> 00:22:31.340 Well, here it is. 00:22:31.340 --> 00:22:38.420 The life that you've been created to having God, you've separated yourself from and pursuing and trying to 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:41.700 be our own gods and trying to declare what's right and wrong. 00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:48.020 We've experienced death and so let me just focus for just a moment just to get really nice. 00:22:48.300 --> 00:22:49.700 Now I want to focus on sin. 00:22:49.700 --> 00:22:56.900 Just think about SIM for a minute because on the back end of this we're going to talk about the importance of life, which really identifies the significance of Jesus 00:22:57.300 --> 00:22:58.520 and what he's done for us. 00:22:58.660 --> 00:23:01.720 And so when we understand this text, it is highly critical. 00:23:02.120 --> 00:23:08.860 We think through the effects of sin, Eve and Adam in this rejection of God. 00:23:09.840 --> 00:23:16.940 Everything that is negative, bad, sinful about creation is born here and you 00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:20.180 can't undermine the significance of this moment. 00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:28.980 It's often referred to as the fall in the garden, but that is like the understatement of all of eternity here is far 00:23:28.980 --> 00:23:30.240 more than just a fall. 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:34.770 It brought us to a place of utter despair. 00:23:35.340 --> 00:23:42.840 And so let me ask if someone were to say to you what makes sense so bad, fair 00:23:42.840 --> 00:23:43.440 to think about it. 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:49.620 Maybe a specific sand like we talk about things like adultery or murder or what makes that so bad? 00:23:53.560 --> 00:23:54.680 We think about any sin. 00:23:55.160 --> 00:24:02.160 We talk about specifics of sin, that the thing that we often think that makes that so bad, we typically 00:24:02.180 --> 00:24:05.040 describe the consequence that happens through it. 00:24:05.040 --> 00:24:12.180 Like, Oh, you don't want to do that because it'll affect these relationships and people will be hurt by it and that's what makes sense 00:24:12.180 --> 00:24:13.400 so bad, right? 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:17.020 I will say consequences to sin. 00:24:17.020 --> 00:24:20.760 Those are bad and we don't want to, we don't want to experience that. 00:24:20.760 --> 00:24:20.900 I don't want to walk in consequences. 00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:24.130 And I say that sometimes and then I go and sin and I'll give them the consequences. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:28.900 And the consequences of sin are they're not fun to experience. 00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:35.380 They're not enjoyable, but the thing that makes sin bad isn't the consequence. 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:45.680 The thing that makes sin bad is ultimately the violation that we commit against a 00:24:45.740 --> 00:24:46.200 Holy God. 00:24:47.820 --> 00:24:54.480 The thing that makes sense, sin is the violation against the nature of God. 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:55.950 You think about this for a moment. 00:24:57.040 --> 00:25:04.200 The reason we call adultery sin, it's not primarily because of the consequences it has on relationships 00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:05.400 though those are bad. 00:25:07.860 --> 00:25:16.780 The reason we call it sin is because it violates the nature of the one of whose image we're created in being 00:25:16.780 --> 00:25:17.940 made in God's image. 00:25:18.120 --> 00:25:20.260 God has designed you to reflect his glory. 00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:20.840 In this world. 00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:28.320 You are image bearers of God and when you display unfaithfulness, you have violated 00:25:28.320 --> 00:25:30.860 to reflect the character of the one who is faithful. 00:25:32.760 --> 00:25:39.540 I mean, you're going to see this in the story of garden, the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve sin, but beginning in verse seven is a story that continues to unfold. 00:25:39.560 --> 00:25:43.700 You're going to see even in spite of that sin, God continues to pursue us. 00:25:45.540 --> 00:25:45.800 Why? 00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:48.370 Because he's faithful. 00:25:50.760 --> 00:25:51.440 God is faithful. 00:25:53.340 --> 00:25:57.360 The reason that murder is wrong is not just because it harm somebody, not because it ends life there. 00:25:57.360 --> 00:25:58.560 Those consequences are bad. 00:25:58.820 --> 00:26:04.460 The reason we say that murder is wrong is because it violates the nature of the one who is the life giver. 00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:11.500 The one who created us in his image, desecrating one made in the image of 00:26:11.520 --> 00:26:15.040 God is the ultimate violation against the one who created us in his image. 00:26:16.580 --> 00:26:23.680 And so long before we start talking about consequences against us, it's important to recognize that the ultimate place that consequence takes place is against the nature 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:25.020 of Holy God. 00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:34.400 What makes sense and starts with the idea that we have violated the nature of God, that is sin. 00:26:36.120 --> 00:26:42.340 It sorta helps us answer the question then if someone comes to you and says, I think murders, right? 00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:43.830 And you're like, no, it's definitely wrong. 00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:48.880 What do you do to get outside of the opinions of two people to determine a basis for truth? 00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:55.300 Well, that basis is discovered in the moral law giver who has created all of us. 00:26:55.300 --> 00:26:57.320 It's founded in his image. 00:26:57.320 --> 00:26:58.880 It's founded in his characteristics. 00:26:59.240 --> 00:26:59.660 It's like this. 00:26:59.940 --> 00:27:01.400 I had a conversation with a young guy. 00:27:01.420 --> 00:27:06.420 Our culture today is just obsessed with sexuality and defining yourself in different ways in sexuality. 00:27:07.100 --> 00:27:09.660 And so he's telling me what he thinks is right and wrong. 00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:12.460 So I just said, okay, it's interesting you have your definition. 00:27:12.460 --> 00:27:17.840 I mean, Genesis tells us, I didn't tell him this, but Genesis tells us with Adam and Eve, they say what's right and wrong. 00:27:17.840 --> 00:27:18.740 That's a part of the fall. 00:27:19.100 --> 00:27:21.160 We determine what's right and wrong, but let me just ask you a few questions. 00:27:22.580 --> 00:27:24.180 Do you think, do you think rape is wrong? 00:27:25.120 --> 00:27:25.580 Well, yeah. 00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:28.520 Well, how do you know that, right? 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:32.220 I mean you're determining yourself as a basis of saying other things are right. 00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:33.400 How do you know rape is wrong? 00:27:35.060 --> 00:27:37.680 Ha, how do you know beastiality is room, right? 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:41.200 You know what he has to go to in order to find those things are wrong. 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:46.880 Something that transcends outside of himself, his moral law giver, right? 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:50.960 And God is the one who establishes that for us. 00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:58.120 The nature for which we live our lives, it's founded in the character and the nature of God. 00:28:00.040 --> 00:28:07.260 I mean if you separate yourself from God and you try to rationalize why things are right and wrong apart 00:28:07.260 --> 00:28:14.380 from God, I mean th the answer you were left up to is maybe because, or because the society society said so, 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:21.580 but why is it all, why is it all society simply seem to trajectory and the trajectory of this ultimate moral, 00:28:22.040 --> 00:28:26.660 standard, of life and the appreciation of life and that murder is wrong and that rape is wrong. 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:34.340 Why is that we tend to lean that way because just seems like 00:28:34.340 --> 00:28:34.920 it works. 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:41.800 I mean, why is it when you see an experience, the end of a life that you grieve within your soul. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:43.710 Why is it you care so much about death? 00:28:43.820 --> 00:28:50.900 I mean, if there is no God and you believe evolutionarily that you came together and if evolutionary is a word, but for this sake let's say 00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:58.120 it is, if you just came together, I mean you're just start us bumping into, start us among other things that were created, start us bumping into why 00:28:58.120 --> 00:29:03.750 would you care or something else loses its life? 00:29:04.300 --> 00:29:06.060 Why does that feel so sacred to you? 00:29:06.060 --> 00:29:13.060 When you, when you look at even an animal that's lost its life, why in that moment is there this concern or attachment to 00:29:13.060 --> 00:29:13.840 something that dies? 00:29:18.680 --> 00:29:26.060 It's because it's connected to the nature of God and when we violate 00:29:26.060 --> 00:29:29.920 that nature, that is what's in us. 00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:39.420 So when you think about our own personal lives and the consequences of sin, usually what we, what we use the word repentance for is like, man, I can't 00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:40.150 believe I did that. 00:29:40.580 --> 00:29:41.860 And man, I can't believe I got caught. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:43.740 And I'm so sorry that I got caught. 00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:51.560 Well, here's what's really important to think about when the Bible talks about the word repentance, it's not talking about 00:29:51.760 --> 00:29:52.710 paying any penance. 00:29:52.880 --> 00:30:00.060 What it's saying to us is there needs to come a place in your life that ultimately when you really talk about sin, you're not repenting of the consequence 00:30:00.100 --> 00:30:00.740 of sin. 00:30:01.040 --> 00:30:08.720 What really matters and what really demonstrates that you get the point of sin is the violation against Holy God and 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:10.200 the word repentance means this. 00:30:10.220 --> 00:30:10.670 It's not penance. 00:30:11.100 --> 00:30:11.320 It's not. 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:13.530 It's not going through this process of punishing yourself. 00:30:13.760 --> 00:30:15.100 What does the word repentance really means? 00:30:15.780 --> 00:30:17.320 Is that you're agreeing with God. 00:30:18.360 --> 00:30:19.200 You're saying before God. 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:19.360 Got it. 00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:19.900 I see. 00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:27.270 I see in your nature why this is so sacred and important, messy and my nature, how it was contrary to you, but in my heart now I'm turning from that. 00:30:27.340 --> 00:30:30.860 I'm turning to you as the one that I have violated and agreeing. 00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:33.300 I'm agreeing now with you, God. 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:36.410 I'm forsaking that and I'm coming to you. 00:30:37.260 --> 00:30:39.130 That's the idea of what repentance represents. 00:30:39.540 --> 00:30:46.980 And so when the Bible talks about consequences and the wages of sin, it's for us to recognize that the ultimate violation and all of this isn't 00:30:46.980 --> 00:30:48.660 necessarily the consequence of what happens. 00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:52.390 The violation is the one that we come against in his very nature. 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:52.960 Who is God? 00:30:57.080 --> 00:31:04.240 Notice in this passage by the way, that when Satan first experiences this conversation with Eve, that he, he's talking to 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:04.680 her alone. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:09.180 I think it really reiterated the significance of community. 00:31:09.320 --> 00:31:10.620 God has created us for community. 00:31:12.120 --> 00:31:19.160 When God made Adam, he said, it's not good for you to be alone and God made Eve and when God made the church, 00:31:19.300 --> 00:31:21.850 he gave us all different gifts to live as a community. 00:31:23.020 --> 00:31:24.280 To encourage one another. 00:31:25.260 --> 00:31:32.380 We're not designed to be alone, but in the community we find support and the ability to lift the up on another, but it's when the 00:31:32.380 --> 00:31:39.080 serpent gets with Eve that he's able to attempt her on his own and then it goes on from verse seven and it goes there. 00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:39.590 It says this. 00:31:40.040 --> 00:31:44.100 Then the eyes of both were opened and they knew that they were naked. 00:31:45.380 --> 00:31:47.440 It's not like they were walking around with closed eyes. 00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:50.620 What I'm saying is now they're able to really experience things. 00:31:50.780 --> 00:31:53.600 They're seeing these things and they were naked is talking about shamed. 00:31:54.800 --> 00:31:55.880 And so now they're aware. 00:31:56.020 --> 00:31:59.420 This openness is, they're aware of their shame and this is what they do. 00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:03.350 They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 00:32:04.610 --> 00:32:07.620 I've never seen to the point where I'm like, I need to start selling, right? 00:32:07.620 --> 00:32:14.640 But in this passage, they sewed fig leaves together and they made themselves loin loincloths and they heard the sound of God 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:16.290 walking in the garden, the coal of the day. 00:32:16.760 --> 00:32:20.600 And the man, his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees, the garden. 00:32:21.520 --> 00:32:28.780 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, where are you this 00:32:28.780 --> 00:32:30.810 idea of this, these fig leaves. 00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:37.220 And loincloths is very important to the story because as we described sending this passage, we're also going to look at two ways. 00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:39.450 Adam and Eve relate to their sin and it's very important. 00:32:40.020 --> 00:32:41.340 And what this is going to say to us. 00:32:41.340 --> 00:32:48.520 When we look at the way Adam and Eve relate to their sins, I want us to recognize that there is nothing do mankind is doing in 00:32:48.520 --> 00:32:50.300 order to handle their sins. 00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:50.520 Today. 00:32:50.820 --> 00:32:57.980 The same story that started in the back all the way back in Genesis chapter three is the same garbage we're doing today and 00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:59.780 it starts with these fig leaves. 00:33:00.980 --> 00:33:04.710 They're the word for these fig leaves that they're sewing together. 00:33:05.040 --> 00:33:07.380 It's expressing verse seven as loin clause. 00:33:07.780 --> 00:33:10.500 This phrase is literally [inaudible] in the Hebrew. 00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:11.420 It means armor. 00:33:12.560 --> 00:33:19.580 So they're looking at what they've just done in violating against the Holy God and their decision now is to handle it on their 00:33:19.580 --> 00:33:19.960 own. 00:33:20.600 --> 00:33:24.840 They're literally creating armor to go into battle and fighting the sin, and this is the way they're doing it. 00:33:25.280 --> 00:33:32.460 They're hiding from God and they're saying, I'm going to go take care of this on my own and then I'm going to come back to God and 00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:36.680 I'm going to present myself in such a way that he doesn't even have the ability to reject me. 00:33:37.020 --> 00:33:41.500 I am going to be so lovable, he will not have a choice other than to just love me. 00:33:43.900 --> 00:33:51.180 When Adam and Eve had done this passage has literally created the first manmade 00:33:51.180 --> 00:33:51.500 religion. 00:33:53.320 --> 00:33:58.520 I mean today we call it by different names and it's got different looking fig leaves, but ultimately that's what religion is. 00:34:00.100 --> 00:34:07.620 I'm going to design these fig leaves a beauty appearance on the outside, so much so that it's going to have to force God to accept me, right? 00:34:09.400 --> 00:34:11.100 So a few problems with that. 00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:15.460 God doesn't care about the outside. 00:34:18.540 --> 00:34:25.540 Well, God is in pursuit of is your heart and no matter what you put on the outside and no matter how you try to cover up 00:34:25.540 --> 00:34:28.230 what you've done wrong, God sees the heart. 00:34:29.880 --> 00:34:35.880 In fact, Israel believed with the old Testament law that if they lived that law, that God would just have to accept him. 00:34:35.900 --> 00:34:42.980 They literally thought all the a hundred commandments that they had that they could live those and find themselves acceptable to God and Jesus and Matthew 00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:50.510 when he preaches the very first sermon, the sermon on the Mount, the very first teaching we hubs of Christ, he says to the people you've heard it said, 00:34:50.699 --> 00:34:54.000 you shall not murder, but I'm going to tell you have had anger in your heart. 00:34:54.340 --> 00:34:55.199 You have murdered. 00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:59.440 What Jesus is saying is, listen, you think it's just the outside, but I'm looking at your heart. 00:35:01.040 --> 00:35:08.500 You think it's wrong to commit adultery, but I'm going to tell you have lusted in your heart have committed adultery and 00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:13.120 so what Jesus is saying and scripture like when you've approached the law, you've approached it from the wrong basis. 00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:16.200 You think it establishes your righteousness, but it doesn't. 00:35:19.700 --> 00:35:26.740 When you think about the sin that Adam and Eve commit here, just consider for a moment why you've looked at the violation of 00:35:26.740 --> 00:35:30.000 what is sin, but consider the magnitude of it. 00:35:30.380 --> 00:35:37.420 For example, if I were to walk out today and hour just to find a piece of grass growing up in our rock 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:44.820 area out front, and I just started kicking that grass, like punishing that grass, killing that grass, you guys would be like, man, 00:35:44.860 --> 00:35:47.020 I can't believe he violated that grass that was so sacred. 00:35:47.200 --> 00:35:48.400 No, you won't care. 00:35:48.580 --> 00:35:49.650 Like get rid of the grass. 00:35:49.740 --> 00:35:50.290 It doesn't matter. 00:35:50.360 --> 00:35:50.900 You can't violate it. 00:35:51.240 --> 00:35:54.140 But if I were to go outside today and out, you're going to see me in the parking lot doing that to a person. 00:35:54.620 --> 00:35:56.440 You'd be like, man, that is wrong. 00:35:57.100 --> 00:35:57.720 That is wrong. 00:35:57.800 --> 00:35:59.580 I said, they are created in God's image there. 00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:00.400 They're valuable. 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:01.090 They have worth. 00:36:01.400 --> 00:36:07.380 What are you doing now, if I were to do that to a police officer, consequences are greater, right? 00:36:08.860 --> 00:36:09.860 Fair to do that to the president. 00:36:11.960 --> 00:36:20.060 Consequences are even greater, but in this passage, we're not talking about a person talking about 00:36:20.060 --> 00:36:20.520 God. 00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:23.580 It's the magnitude of the offense. 00:36:26.860 --> 00:36:28.460 Sin against Holy God. 00:36:30.860 --> 00:36:34.400 Just to talk in more sinful state. 00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:38.400 When Paul outlines this forest, he does it beautifully in Romans, but just listen to this. 00:36:39.420 --> 00:36:46.460 It says in Romans one 18 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the 00:36:46.600 --> 00:36:47.580 truth and unrighteousness. 00:36:49.560 --> 00:36:56.800 And if you're wondering where that wrath of God lies against the people who suppress the truth, it tells us in Romans three 23 for all have sin. 00:36:57.940 --> 00:36:59.140 Everyone has sin. 00:37:00.220 --> 00:37:07.320 Everyone has violated this, Holy God, and so the wrath of God rest in that, which is why in Romans six 23 00:37:07.320 --> 00:37:09.540 it tells us for the wages of sin is death. 00:37:11.520 --> 00:37:15.650 All of us experienced separation from God because all of a sudden and all of us are under his wrath. 00:37:17.280 --> 00:37:19.220 That's the magnitude of the sand. 00:37:19.220 --> 00:37:20.700 You're like, man, this is not good. 00:37:20.700 --> 00:37:27.720 I know when you understand that the significance of Genesis three starts exploding and not only it's understanding what the 00:37:27.720 --> 00:37:33.440 rest of scripture, and so just keep walking with me in this, in this simple thinking for just a moment. 00:37:33.820 --> 00:37:35.200 I'll never encourage you to send beyond that. 00:37:35.400 --> 00:37:38.140 Okay? 00:37:38.140 --> 00:37:42.560 The magnitude of sin. 00:37:43.140 --> 00:37:43.920 Consider this the consequences. 00:37:46.840 --> 00:37:52.060 Genesis three 16 we talked about the consequences. 00:37:52.240 --> 00:37:58.460 It relates against the nature of God, but consider, consider how this consequence affected our nature in everyday living. 00:37:58.480 --> 00:38:05.600 If you're looking Genesis three in verse 16 and on, he gives us the curse of sin and that curse he 00:38:05.600 --> 00:38:06.460 is even done. 00:38:06.460 --> 00:38:12.580 So according to gender, he says to the woman, he said, I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth in the pain. 00:38:12.580 --> 00:38:15.460 You will bring forth children, yet your desire will be against your husband. 00:38:15.460 --> 00:38:17.220 He rule over you and Adam. 00:38:17.220 --> 00:38:20.840 He said, because you've listened to the voice of your wife and eat into the tree, you should. 00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:26.860 You should not eat from curses the ground because of you in toil, you'll eat of it all the days of your life, both thorns and thistles. 00:38:26.860 --> 00:38:30.710 It shall grow for you and you will eat the plants of the field by the sweat of your face. 00:38:30.740 --> 00:38:33.580 You will eat bread until till you return to the ground. 00:38:33.580 --> 00:38:37.320 Because from it you were taken and for it you will become dust. 00:38:37.720 --> 00:38:39.400 Okay. 00:38:40.120 --> 00:38:45.940 So he's saying the consequence of sin is always around you and the effects of it. 00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:53.270 You have the ability to recognize every day just the destruction that has taken place in this and how much we need rescued. 00:38:54.120 --> 00:38:59.120 I mean, the fact that you die demonstrates the curse of sin. 00:39:00.160 --> 00:39:03.820 And when you get to the story of Adam and Eve, this is how it's similar to every religion in the world. 00:39:05.680 --> 00:39:12.460 Every religion, the world says, I'm going to, I'm going to undo what I've done wrong by just putting myself up with everything good that I'm going. 00:39:12.700 --> 00:39:17.240 I think that will help with the problem with that is you think you think about the old Testament. 00:39:18.600 --> 00:39:20.220 Old Testament gives us laws, right? 00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:25.420 And Israel began to believe, if I live these laws that will make me good enough before God. 00:39:25.460 --> 00:39:27.080 But there's a problem with laws. 00:39:27.080 --> 00:39:28.360 That's not how law works. 00:39:29.820 --> 00:39:37.220 An example in our own society today would be to think about cops when a cop pulls you over. 00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:46.020 I don't think anyone in this world would probably say, when he pulled me over he said, man, thanks fro bang all the laws today. 00:39:46.080 --> 00:39:47.210 That was really great. 00:39:47.520 --> 00:39:48.630 Have a nice trip home. 00:39:48.860 --> 00:39:52.590 I hope you have a great day and I look forward to seeing you a Bay, all the walls again tomorrow. 00:39:52.700 --> 00:39:54.440 You are so good, right? 00:39:54.460 --> 00:39:58.440 That's not what cops do and that's not their objective in the law. 00:39:59.880 --> 00:40:01.200 They're objective in the laws. 00:40:01.200 --> 00:40:03.900 When you get pulled over, they're going to tell you, guess what? 00:40:05.120 --> 00:40:06.660 You broke it and guess what? 00:40:07.600 --> 00:40:08.090 You've got to pay. 00:40:09.640 --> 00:40:12.420 The purpose of law isn't to show you how good you are. 00:40:13.720 --> 00:40:20.300 The purpose of law is to demonstrate how much you need the grace of God. 00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:22.400 This is where the wheels fall off the bus. 00:40:23.260 --> 00:40:30.260 This is where every religion performs exactly what Adam and Eve did in verse seven they're trying to put the wheels on the bus with 00:40:30.260 --> 00:40:35.920 all of these rules to make God X, have to accept them, but the whole point of the law isn't approved. 00:40:36.280 --> 00:40:43.560 How great you are may have you been in religion before and you're like, man, I keep trying to perform and I just felt unworthy and 00:40:43.560 --> 00:40:45.350 I feel unworthy and I feel like I'm failing. 00:40:45.680 --> 00:40:48.290 I would say to you, that's exactly what the Bible says. 00:40:50.260 --> 00:40:51.700 That was the whole point of the law. 00:40:51.880 --> 00:40:53.280 Listen to these verses for a moment. 00:40:53.440 --> 00:40:57.700 Isaiah 64 in verse six all of us have become like one who is unclean. 00:40:58.400 --> 00:41:01.000 All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment. 00:41:01.140 --> 00:41:02.740 I mean even your good deeds are filthy. 00:41:03.060 --> 00:41:08.320 Isaiah 59 verse two but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God and your sins. 00:41:08.320 --> 00:41:10.520 I've hidden his face from you so that he does not hear you. 00:41:11.340 --> 00:41:18.700 And James two 10 whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles in one point has become guilty of all in Romans three 20 00:41:18.700 --> 00:41:26.000 because by the works of the law, listen, no flesh will be made right in the side for 00:41:26.000 --> 00:41:28.620 through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:32.040 I mean Paul is saying in Romans three 20 it condemns you. 00:41:32.040 --> 00:41:32.830 That is the whole point. 00:41:33.340 --> 00:41:35.970 In fact, if you ask the question, what is the purpose of the law? 00:41:36.300 --> 00:41:42.840 That is exactly what Galatians chapter three in verse 19 says, you can quote a verse of the Bible, what is the purpose of the law of in? 00:41:44.780 --> 00:41:45.900 And Paul defines it in Galatians. 00:41:47.120 --> 00:41:54.160 And in fact, the reason he defines it is because in the church of Galicia, there are Jews who have crept in and kept telling the church, you have to 00:41:54.160 --> 00:41:55.880 obey the laws to be acceptable to God. 00:41:55.920 --> 00:42:02.080 And so Paul writes the book of Galatians to talk about how you receive righteousness and it's not by the law. 00:42:02.080 --> 00:42:04.940 And so then he poses the question, well, what is the law? 00:42:04.940 --> 00:42:12.160 Therefore in verse 19 he goes on in verse 21 he says, this is the law then contrary to the promises of God, well, 00:42:12.300 --> 00:42:14.490 if it doesn't give us righteousness, is it even good? 00:42:14.560 --> 00:42:15.440 I mean, why do we have it for? 00:42:16.600 --> 00:42:23.740 And so he says, may it never be listen for a football had been given, which was 00:42:23.740 --> 00:42:25.200 able to impart life. 00:42:25.780 --> 00:42:31.220 Remember we just experienced death separation from God. 00:42:31.340 --> 00:42:37.760 If a law had been given, which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on the wall. 00:42:39.960 --> 00:42:42.350 There would be no need for Jesus dying on the cross. 00:42:43.740 --> 00:42:50.800 But verse 22 but the scriptures has shut everyone up under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given 00:42:50.800 --> 00:42:51.640 to those who believe. 00:42:51.840 --> 00:42:58.320 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law being shut up to the faith, which was later to be revealed. 00:42:58.340 --> 00:43:02.860 Therefore, the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ so that we may be justified by faith. 00:43:03.220 --> 00:43:06.360 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 00:43:06.840 --> 00:43:09.460 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 00:43:11.660 --> 00:43:20.500 So why the law God use it to continue to remind us of our need for Jesus is 00:43:20.500 --> 00:43:21.840 the curse of sin. 00:43:23.040 --> 00:43:29.270 And the law of the old Testament was to continue to say, Hey guys, you need Jesus. 00:43:32.380 --> 00:43:33.180 Take your fig leaves off. 00:43:35.740 --> 00:43:36.400 Stop hiding. 00:43:38.780 --> 00:43:40.830 Stop trying to make yourself look good. 00:43:41.700 --> 00:43:42.640 You can't fool God. 00:43:44.300 --> 00:43:45.140 He sees your heart. 00:43:47.380 --> 00:43:51.800 In fact, Adam and Eve from there went on and they rather than, than just fig leaves. 00:43:51.840 --> 00:43:56.440 Now listen what happens in the rest of this passage, God is pursuing them. 00:43:56.540 --> 00:43:58.840 Remember God is pursuing them in this sin. 00:43:59.020 --> 00:44:04.280 And in verse 10 he said, I heard the sound of view in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself. 00:44:05.480 --> 00:44:06.950 And he said, who told you that you were naked? 00:44:07.040 --> 00:44:09.480 Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat? 00:44:10.420 --> 00:44:14.880 The man said, the woman like this is the next response to take resident fig leaves, right? 00:44:15.640 --> 00:44:20.760 The woman who you gave me, she gave me from the fruit of the tree and I ate. 00:44:21.820 --> 00:44:24.520 It's like this, okay, God, you're not accepting the fig leaves. 00:44:24.800 --> 00:44:26.540 Well, it's her fault and it's your fault. 00:44:27.880 --> 00:44:32.140 In verse 13 then the Lord God said to the woman, well, it's snakes fault, right? 00:44:33.100 --> 00:44:40.160 And then she confesses at the very end, the serpent deceived me and I, Adam and 00:44:40.160 --> 00:44:40.610 Eve's. 00:44:40.620 --> 00:44:43.100 Next reaction is to divert and to blame. 00:44:47.600 --> 00:44:55.100 But the story of the garden of Eden, the reason we find it in scripture isn't 00:44:55.100 --> 00:45:00.570 so that we begin to embrace the idea of putting on fig leaves or the idea of blaming other people. 00:45:02.860 --> 00:45:10.820 The reason the stories in scripture is because of what we're about to approach in Genesis three 15 God's 00:45:10.820 --> 00:45:12.560 response. 00:45:14.340 --> 00:45:16.300 God is the one that comes to the Gar. 00:45:18.100 --> 00:45:19.820 God's the one that pursues them and they're hiding. 00:45:22.860 --> 00:45:24.740 God's the one that still loves that heart. 00:45:27.680 --> 00:45:34.780 So you guys, we really examine the depths of sin, magnitude of sin, against the violation of the nature of 00:45:34.780 --> 00:45:43.680 God, the magnitude of sin in the sense of the one that we've offended against and his authority, the 00:45:43.680 --> 00:45:46.380 results of sin and nature, and the way that affects all of us. 00:45:46.580 --> 00:45:53.290 We see that and hopefully we look at that with some degree of heaviness because it has affected all of creation. 00:45:56.420 --> 00:46:02.200 But here's the great part in all of this, here's where God's grace transcends it. 00:46:02.500 --> 00:46:06.940 A whole here's where relate, relate to the story. 00:46:09.380 --> 00:46:13.820 Because there are times in my life where I act just like Adam and Eve. 00:46:14.520 --> 00:46:21.540 There are times in my life or figuratively, I put on Figley where I've done things where I'm like, man, I can't 00:46:21.540 --> 00:46:23.200 even love myself right now. 00:46:24.720 --> 00:46:30.290 I don't want anyone else around me because I can't even, I don't even value me as a person because of what I've done. 00:46:32.540 --> 00:46:39.940 But in that, in those moments where you're even tired of yourself, Jesus comes 00:46:39.940 --> 00:46:47.380 in and Jesus in those moments just wants you to take off those fig leaves in the brokenness 00:46:47.380 --> 00:46:48.440 of your heart. 00:46:48.440 --> 00:46:50.560 Find a God who accepts you in his grace. 00:46:52.640 --> 00:46:55.610 Find, find a God who allows you to be transparent. 00:46:56.080 --> 00:47:03.260 Find the God that even in seeing your sin, even in seeing the ugliness of it, even in seeing the effects of it, even when other people 00:47:03.260 --> 00:47:10.340 reject you find a God who still loves you beyond all of that and desires to be near you and all of that and whatever state 00:47:10.340 --> 00:47:14.240 your heart is in, that is where God wants to meet you. 00:47:14.260 --> 00:47:21.520 That is the part where the passage of scripture says he comes into our lives and he makes all things new because the only one 00:47:21.520 --> 00:47:26.200 who could truly bring back the death that has happened to all of us is Christ himself. 00:47:26.420 --> 00:47:31.480 Who has given his life for you that you may experience life with him forever. 00:47:31.480 --> 00:47:33.380 Jesus has given his life. 00:47:33.460 --> 00:47:38.740 So you can let go of the fig leaves and just embrace the love of God for which he has created you for in his image. 00:47:42.280 --> 00:47:49.720 They'll let go to just have that moment somewhere where you can just say, 00:47:50.140 --> 00:47:51.940 I don't have to blame other things. 00:47:53.060 --> 00:47:54.750 I don't have to put on the parents. 00:47:55.700 --> 00:47:58.400 I can just come before my God who loves me. 00:47:58.500 --> 00:48:03.070 Even in moments where I don't even love myself because of what I've done. 00:48:05.980 --> 00:48:13.140 No matter how deep you think your sin has gone, the grace and forgiveness of 00:48:13.140 --> 00:48:15.060 God transcends it all. 00:48:17.260 --> 00:48:24.260 And this story for us is written in the garden, uh, about the garden of Eden for Israel, for you to 00:48:24.260 --> 00:48:26.960 just see, take off the leaves. 00:48:28.860 --> 00:48:36.260 Let go of the law that condemns you in religion and find the healing of Christ who is coming to this garden to demonstrate 00:48:36.260 --> 00:48:38.660 his love and give his life for you. 00:48:41.800 --> 00:48:48.960 Stop blaming the things around you and have a sacred moment with a God who has transcends 00:48:49.060 --> 00:48:52.220 all things but yet has made himself eminent. 00:48:54.980 --> 00:48:56.800 It's the theme of scripture. 00:48:58.020 --> 00:49:05.100 I mean, when you read first Corinthians chapter 15 it starts in the beginning with the gospel and at the very end of the chapter, this is what Paul 00:49:05.100 --> 00:49:12.420 says, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through 00:49:12.420 --> 00:49:16.840 our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:49:17.930 --> 00:49:20.230 He pays the debt you cannot pay. 00:49:22.080 --> 00:49:24.480 So let me tell you the beautiful ending to this story. 00:49:26.160 --> 00:49:33.320 This story continues to be written in all of our hearts because everyone who experiences eternity with God all have 00:49:33.320 --> 00:49:35.540 a personal moment of embracing Christ. 00:49:37.760 --> 00:49:41.060 And maybe this morning may be, maybe this is your moment. 00:49:42.720 --> 00:49:49.520 Maybe this is the time where you finally looked at a passage of scripture and you've understood how much God loves you, understood how alienated we are from God. 00:49:49.620 --> 00:49:56.780 And in that moment you can say to yourself before a God whose nature you have violated, say, God, I see in all the consequences of sin 00:49:56.780 --> 00:50:03.880 that ultimately it's been against you and God, you still love me 00:50:07.200 --> 00:50:14.220 and so God, I'm asking, forgive me, God, I'm putting my 00:50:14.220 --> 00:50:22.600 faith in you and what you've done for me on the cross and Lord embraced me beyond that sin and 00:50:22.600 --> 00:50:28.980 love me beyond those fig leaves that I put on even in moments where don't love myself, God love me. 00:50:29.020 --> 00:50:36.100 The way that you say that you love me in the Bible, trust in you for 00:50:36.100 --> 00:50:36.380 life. 00:50:38.460 --> 00:50:47.100 If you haven't had a time like that where you've come before God, can I just encourage it 00:50:47.100 --> 00:50:54.100 is the theme of the Bible to take those moments to 00:50:54.100 --> 00:51:01.660 lay yourself before Christ, surrendering your heart to him, no matter where it's at and 00:51:01.820 --> 00:51:03.340 experiencing new life in Christ. 00:51:05.260 --> 00:51:13.020 I want to tell you the next week I really want to blow our minds and how this story in Genesis three shapes 00:51:13.020 --> 00:51:14.740 the entire story of all of scripture. 00:51:16.480 --> 00:51:17.980 I don't want to invite you to come be a part of that.