Living In The Tree Of Life (Part 2)

This morning’s message is a continuation of last week’s on the tree of life, and I have entitled our sermon, “Living in the Tree of Life” – Part 2.

I would like to begin with some food for thought by sharing a real life illustration of a historical figure who walked in the tree of life. George Washington Carver said, “I will never let another man ruin my life by making me hate him.” Carver was an African American and a tremendous innovator during a very difficult time in our country’s history after the American Civil War. He was an innovator and creative because he walked in innocence, whereas others were caught up in bitterness over the war, slavery, and racism. Carver’s secret was that he would go into the woods each and every night and pray for God to forgive the people who mistreated him.

If you have hit a roadblock in your job, your creativity, your relationships with other people and with God, then perhaps you have lost your innocence and are walking in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you feel as though you have no joy or purpose in life, then hopefully by the time this message is over you will have discovered how to regain your innocence and life in the Lord by “Living in the Tree of Life.”

Last week, in Genesis chapter 2, we were introduced to two trees – the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We learned that the tree of life was a simple walk with God, as the one that Adam and Eve enjoyed in the Garden of Eden before the fall. The tree of life is a picture of the Spirit-filled life, walking in grace, and bearing fruit.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the formation of a value system, or a way of thinking about what is good and evil. It is a judgment system that is not really concerned with true wisdom or true knowledge, but it is based on elevating oneself. It is based on how well you can judge yourself and perfect yourself, and how you can put everyone else in their place. In this judgment system you will not find life, you will only find death and bitterness of heart.

Flowing in the tree of life and living in the tree of life is making decisions from life and liberty, and what stimulates life in both you and others. It is a desire to please God and to stay away from things that hinder your relationship with him. While living in the tree of life you must base all of your decisions on life and death, and not merely on good and evil.

This morning we are going to learn more that will help us to identify when we have succumb to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and how we can overcome this way of thinking to walk and live in true life in the Lord!

Consequences of Mankind’s Fall (Genesis 3:6-13)

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” 12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” 13 And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

In verses 6-7, we see that Adam and Eve partook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and their eyes were opened, and when this happened they lost something of great value – their innocence. They immediately covered themselves with fig leaves. They thought they could hide and that they would not be found out; and thus the great cover-up began as soon as they started thinking in these terms. If you pick up any newspaper you will probably read something about a cover-up somewhere, where someone has tried to hide their mistakes or wrongdoings. Right?