Knowing Where You're At Series

OPEN: Some wealthy hunters had come to Colorado and hired an experienced hunting guide to lead them into the mountains. They had been trekking into the woods for a couple of days when it became obvious that they had become hopelessly lost. It wasn’t long before the hunters became angry with their guide and one of them shouted at him:

"You told us you were the best guide in Colorado!"

"I am," said the guide slowly looking around. "But I think we're in Wyoming now."

Have you ever gotten lost?

I have.

When I first moved to Logansport I wanted to go to Monticello (due West of town). But a half hour later I found myself in Winamac (North of town).

I was frustrated.- irritated with myself.

I don’t like being lost.

That’s why I really appreciate these new GPS devises.

All I have to do is type in your address, and a little map comes on my screen and gives me a good idea as to where you live.

The devise is called a GPS for “Global Positioning System”

It helps you to avoid getting lost.

It helps you to know where you’re at… and where you’re going.

Now for the next few weeks we’re going to be talking about a different kind of GPS. I call it “GOD’S Positioning System.” God’s positioning system is designed to help you know where you’re at… and where you’re going.

The first time we see this GPS system used is in Genesis 3.

We’ve heard this story since we were little children.

God has created a beautiful garden for Adam and Even and has left them only one command: Not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that stands in the middle of the garden. It’s an easy command to obey… until one day the serpent comes along and convinces Eve that God has unduly restricted them. God had denied them the great blessings of that fruit because He really didn’t want what was best for them.

So Eve takes a bite of the fruit… then she gives it to her husband and he eats.

Once they take the bite from the fruit they know something’s wrong.

• they become ashamed.

• and they realize they’re naked.

They’ve taken the wrong turn back at that tree and now they know they’re lost.

AND they remember that God told them not to eat of that tree

They remember that God said “… you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Genesis 2:17

They’re lost.

They’re going to die.

But then they do the oddest things when they come to that realization

“…they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:7-8

They try to hide their nakedness with fig leaves!

And then they try to hide from God behind the trees of the garden.

They try to hide the fact that they’ve messed up.

ILLUS: Their behavior is a little like a driver who lost. But instead of turning around and going the right way, he just speeds up. He’s lost… but at least he’s making good time.

So Adam and Eve try to hide the fact that they’re lost.

And then they hear this voice - the voice of God.

(pause) “Adam, where are you?”

Now wait a minute!

Doesn’t God KNOW where Adam is? (wait for response)

Of Course He Does. He’s God!

So why does He ask the question to begin with?

God asked the question because Adam needed to know where he was at.

That’s God’s GPS in action.

There’s a universal truth that is undeniable:

You can’t solve a problem in your life until you know there’s a problem in your life. The First thing a person (who is lost) needs to do is realize they’re lost. Until they realize they’re lost, they’ll just continue going down the wrong road.

I mean – if they don’t think they’re lost - why should they change course?

They’re making such good time.

You can’t solve a problem until you know there IS a problem.

That’s why groups like Alcoholics Anonymous believe the 1st step in handling alcoholism is to admit “I’m an alcoholic” – I’ve got a problem!

You can’t solve a problem until you know there IS a problem

Now Adam’s got a problem.

• He’s sinned.

• And he’s going to die.

But he’s fooled himself into thinking the problem has been taken cared. He’s covered his shame and his nakedness with fig leaves. And he starts hiding from God.