HOW THE WORLD CHANGES (Outline)
June 1, 2008 --
PENTECOST 3 --
Genesis 3:8-15
INTRO: Biblically speaking the world has had major changes in history. Whether the world wants to admit it or not God’s word is very clear concerning cataclysmic events that completely changed history. Consider creation. Without God’s creating power there would be nothing. The history of the world began when God began the creation of the world. Another history changing event took place at the birth of Jesus, the Christ, Savior. Even historians have admitted that Christ was a living, historical person. As believers we know and confess that Christ also was the sinless Son of God. Each event changed history.
Of course there are other history changing events in the record of God’s word. Today’s text presents us with the most drastic event in human history. Sin entered the world and everything, absolutely everything changed – forever. This change took place then and is here now no matter what the world might say, believe, or teach. "But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe" (GALATIANS 3:22).
HOW THE WORLD CHANGES.
I. Mankind sins, ruins perfection.
II. God saves, restores perfection.
I. MANKIND SINS, RUINS PERFECTION
A. In six days the Lord God Almighty made the heavens and the earth. He looked and it was good.
1. In fact the creation was very good. Into this perfect creation the Lord placed Adam and Eve.
2. Chapter 3 of Genesis opens by telling of the first sin. Mankind disobeyed God’s perfect will.
B. Verse 8 describes the great change that took place once sin entered perfection. They hid from the Lord.
1. One day Adam and Eve walked with God and talked with God. After sin they hide from God.
2. But God does not give up. God persists, verse 9. God calls out in mercy to the man.
3. The man, Adam, explains, verse 10. After sin there is fear and shame and hiding and lying.
C. Man resists and God persists, verse 11. God wants Adam to admit the truth of his sin.
1. Verse 12. Adam blames God for the woman, the woman for the fruit. Sin ruins perfection.
2. Verse 13. God calls in mercy to Eve. Eve blames God for the serpent, serpent for deceiving.
3. God is persistent. God is patient. Adam and Eve finally confess: and I ate. I sinned.
D. We persist in sin. We persist in turning away from God. We persist in disobeying what God wants for us. This is sin. Sin changes everything. Look at Adam and Eve. They knew God’s will perfectly. After disobeying the dividing wall of sin created fear, shame, and lying. They were separated from knowing God’s will perfectly. We live thousands of years after this catastrophic, history-changing event. God’s will is not any easier to know perfectly today. Sin still divides man from knowing the mind of God. "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear"(ISAIAH 59:2). The blame game is not an excuse God wants to hear. Sins separate.
E. We know that it is not easy to admit our sins. No one likes to say, “I am wrong”. We are. Sin cannot be explained away, swept under the rug, or denied. Yet, this is what the world does so very often. At times, we too, would rather deny than confess. We would blame others, even God himself rather than admit our own wrongdoing. “Yet in spite of all this you say, `I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you because you say, `I have not sinned’"(JEREMIAH 2:35). Do not be deceived God is not mocked. There is still joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.
F. There is absolutely, positively no escaping. We have inherited our sinful nature from our very first parents, Adam and Eve. If you do not believe it, just look around. Day after day after day the media reports example after example of mankind’s inhumanity to his fellow man. Crimes against one another increase and become more and more violent almost daily. This is sin. Perfection is ruined. We sin daily and we sin much against our God. We sin in thought, word, and deed. "Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one"(PSALM 53:3).
HOW THE WORLD CHANGES!
Mankind sins and ruins perfection.
Thankfully God comes to save.
II. GOD SAVES, RESTORES PERFECTION
A. Some like to ask: “Why did man sin?” The real question is: “Why did God persist to save mankind?”
1. God does not immediately drive out Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. God promises.
2. Adam blamed God for the woman who gave him fruit. Eve blamed the serpent who deceived.
B. God’s curse turns to the root cause of sin, verse 14a. “God…to the serpent,…’you have done this.’”
1. Verse 14b. The serpent is cursed above all livestock. He will crawl on his belly in the dust.
2. The one who tried to destroy man will forever be at man’s feet in dust (from which man came).
C. God’s first promise of a Savior is here in the midst of the curse of the serpent. Verse 15.
1. There would be enmity = hatred between Satan and the woman. No longer so friendly.
2. The children of the world (Satan’s offspring) and believers (Eve’s offspring) would be at odds.
3. The Savior (Eve’s seed) would crush the head of Satan. Satan would only strike Jesus’ heel.
a. Satan strikes Jesus’ heel at his crucifixion.
b. Jesus’ resurrection crushes Satan’s head.
D. How the world changes. Mankind ruined perfection. The Lord God Almighty steps into the history of the world to make it His story. The Lord God Almighty promises to restore perfection to his imperfect creatures. It is not that Adam and Eve or anyone deserves to be saved. God does it all out of his grace and mercy. Creatures who lost perfection and were lost themselves are now saved by the Creator. "But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world"(1 JOHN 2:1b, 2). Jesus’ sacrifice is for the sins of the whole world, not just a chosen few. True, not everyone will receive the benefit of Christ’s work. Man still resists today. God still persists forever.
E. Sin started because man wanted to be in control. We are still the same today. How often do we not think that we know what is best for us and when. Yet God is patient and does not want anyone to perish. At just the right time the Lord God sent his son to redeem mankind. The promise was made to Adam and Eve. The Savior came thousands of years later. God is patient. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time"(1 TIM. 2:5,6). God promised to restore perfection. God does so in forgiveness.
F. Christ, our Savior, came to provide the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus also come to carry out that first promise of a Savior in Genesis. Jesus came to crush the head of Satan. "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death"(HEBREWS 2:14,15). We have been set free from sin, death, and the devil – forever.
CONC.: HOW THE WORLD CHANGES. Mankind resisted doing what was right. Adam and Eve sinned and ruined perfection. Thankfully and joyfully God persisted in carrying out salvation. From that first sin, God promised a Savior. God promised to restore perfection in the midst of imperfection. By the holy, innocent suffering and death of Christ, our Savior, perfection is restored. Our sins are forgiven. Heaven is our home. Adam and Eve brought sin. Christ brings righteousness. "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous" (ROMANS 5:19). HOW THE WORLD CHANGES. Mankind sins and ruins perfection. God promises and saves and restores perfection. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
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PENTECOST 3 readings:
HOSEA 5:15-6:6;
ROMANS 4:18-25;
MATTHEW 9:9-13;
(PSALM 119)
