The Genesis Of Grace Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Have you ever done something to someone that you really wish you had not done?

• Have you let someone down, caused them pain, hurt them in some way, or tore them down.

• Maybe what happened was a quick flash of the temper, maybe that the time you were doing it, you were ok with it because maybe you were hurt so returning evil for evil did not seem like a bad idea.

• But what happens once we realize what we have done and we are sorry for it?

• What do we want from the one we have wronged?

• Do we want them to return evil for evil or are we looking for something different?

• What about when we realize what our own sin does regarding our relationship with God?

• Our first sin separates us from God, just one, so what would we love to receive from God, what we deserve, eternal separation, or would we want what we do not deserve, His love and forgiveness

• Today Jerry and I are going to begin a new series entitled Amazing Grace.

• In this series, we will examine some of the various aspects of grace along with how the wonderful gift impacts our life and how it we should use it to impact the lives of others!

• Grace is a wonderful gift from which forgiveness, blessings, and salvation flow.

• In the Biblical sense, grace is defined as UNMERITED FAVOR.

• In other words, it is getting something special that we do not deserve and cannot earn.

• SLIDE #2

• Ephesians 2:8 (CSB) For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—

• Today we will begin our journey through amazing grace by looking at the Genesis of Grace!

• So, if you want to follow along, we will be in Genesis 3 this morning. But let us begin our journey this morning by first examining…

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. The problem.

• One of the most obvious times that we need grace is when there is a problem, when we have messed up in some way.

• Genesis 3 is one of those moments.

• In Genesis 1 and 2, we have the creation of all things.

• When God created everything, He said it was good, when He created man, he said it was not good for man to be alone because he would not know when he was wrong ? and He created woman. ?

• All was good, Adam and Eve living the dream in paradise! Probably in Venice. ?

• God gave them charge over everything, but He had one command.

• SLIDE #4

• Genesis 2:17 (CSB) but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

• God gave them everything except on thing, that one tree.

• Some question why did God put that tree in the garden in the first place.

• To understand why, you have to understand that God created us so we could love Him; however, true love requires free-will, it requires one to have the choice whether to love or not to love.

• God is a holy perfect God. God is without sin.

• Sin means to MISS THE MARK. God set the mark for Adam and Eve in simple terms, there was nothing complex about it, stay away from the TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.

• God did not even give them 10 Commandments, but rather just one.

• This takes us to the problem. Satan enters the scene in Genesis 3.

• Satan starts working on Eve.

• He asks her what God said concerning the eating from any tree, Eve replies that God said they could eat of any tree in the garden except the one in the middle of the garden.

• She said they could not even touch it, lest they die!

• So, ignorance of God’s wishes was not the issue, Eve KNEW what was expected of her from God.

• What she will do will be done willfully.

• Satan tells her…

• SLIDE #5

• Genesis 3:4–5 (CSB) “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

• Before the New Testament was written, Satan knew something that Eve was not aware of.

• He knew she could fall prey to temptation.

• SLIDE #6

• 1 John 2:16 (CSB) For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.