Beginnings - Pt. 3 - Hardwired To Haywired Series

Beginnings

Part 3 – Hardwired to Haywired

I. Introduction

We are examining the beginning. Lessons that will enable us to begin this new year off right.

I have challenged you to put God in the right order. He is before all things and all others. What visible indicators let people know that God is first in your life?

I told you last week that you need to hear God Talk because His word sustains you, brings peace, brings healing, provision, it prunes, it brings purpose, and it pardons. So do you have a Word? I trust you have been purposely and diligently trying to find a word this week.

Now I will need to apologize to you today. I had intended to keep moving through the beginning in order. I wanted to talk to you about Day 7 today. However, I really sensed in study that this was the time for me to bring this message to you. So chances are we are going to back track next week. Today, I want us to go forward.

II. Text

Genesis 3:1-13

1The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: "Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?" 2-3The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.'" 4-5 The serpent told the Woman, "You won't die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you'll see what's really going on. You'll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil." 6When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she'd know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate. 7Immediately the two of them did "see what's really going on"—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves. 8When they heard the sound of God (how many of you know it is better to hear God Talk before you sin than after you sin?) strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God. 9God called to the Man: "Where are you?" 10He said, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid." 11God said, "Who told you you were naked? Did you eat from that tree I told you not to eat from?" 12The Man said, "The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it." God said to the Woman, "What is this that you've done?" 13"The serpent seduced me," she said, "and I ate."

III. Blame

It only took about 7 days of existence for Adam to blame Eve (in reality He blames God . . . the woman You gave to me) and then for Eve to blame the serpent (the first instance in the history of the “devil made me do it” excuse and we have worn that excuse out ever since).

The lesson we learn from the beginning is that (Slide 28) blame is hard wired into us! If you don’t believe that, then you don’t have children and you haven’t been accused of anything lately. Don’t we immediately deflect to someone else?

The man that has an affair blames the coldness of his wife.

The man who steals and kills blames his father for no love when he was a kid. The person who gets burned by spilling the hot coffee they just purchased blames the restaurant for giving them what they asked for.

Gregory Rhymes, 15, has eaten at McDonald's almost every day since the age of six. His Macaholic addiction has taken his weight to 400lbs, although he is only 5ft 6in tall. 'I normally order the Big Mac, fries, ice cream or shake - I like to Super Size my orders,' he said. Gregory has developed diabetes. Rhymes' mother, Ruth, claims that she would not have let her son gorge himself if she had known the food contained such high levels of fat, cholesterol and salt. 'I always believed McDonald's food was healthy for my son,' she said.

Most of the folks in our society, and yes as bad I as I hate to admit it some of you sitting here now, suffer from the victim mentality. I was wronged. I was dealt a bad hand. I am just a victim. When we buy into that mentality then it is logical that we buy the next lie of society which is since I am a victim I no longer need to take responsibility for my actions.