In The Beginning…
Genesis is the “Book of Beginnings”. Nearly everything that we know about our existence and the universe began in the Book of Genesis.
The beginning of time.
The beginning of the world.
The beginning of the human race.
In Genesis chapter one we find the beginning of the universe – the earth – plants and animals and the human race. In Genesis two we see the beginning of a family – in Genesis four we find the beginning of worship but here we also find the beginning of war. (Cain killing Able) As we proceed through the book Genesis we see nations, governments, and kingdoms arise. We see another new beginning after the flood. In this book we find the beginning of slavery, of jealousy, of envy, of lust and idol worship and so much more – but what I would like to focus on this morning is chapter three verses one through fifteen
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'" The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 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 loin coverings. They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself." And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel." Genesis 3:1-3:15 (NASB)
I. The Beginning of DECEPTION
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'" The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!”
What can we learn about him from this first mention in Genesis chapter three?
1. He is subtle – crafty – clever – sneakier.
2. He is the author of doubt.
3. He is the author of deception.
4. He is the chief of liars.
5. He is the enemy of God. He is ruler of a powerful kingdom standing in opposition to the kingdom of God.
Satan is the father of lies. Jesus said this about Satan:
"He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
John 8:44b (NASB)
Folks here is a fact: A half truth is not the truth.
Do you know what you have when you have a half truth? You have a lie.
It reminds of the man that did not want to go in to work on day so he went to the freezer and took out a pound of hamburger. He started tossing the package up into the air and catching it. He then called work and told them that he could not go in to work that day because he had been throwing dinner all morning. Folks that is deception.
Satan is a liar. He will twist God’s word. He will twist scripture.
If you think that being a Christian makes you immune from deception – remember this warning from Jesus.
"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”
Mat 24:24 (NASV)
II. The Beginning of DISOBIDIENCE
They did exactly what they were told not to do.
“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”
Folks here are some facts about sin:
Sin Is Attractive.
Sin Is Pleasurable. "…for a season;" Heb 11:25
Sin Has Devastating Effects.
Sin is a cancer that destroys the soul of man. The Bible says:
“But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” James 1:14-15 (NASB)
Imagine the regret – the heartbreak – the sorrow that Adam and Eve went through after they sinned against God. Eve would remember her fall from grace as she would give birth to children. Adam would remember his disobedience as he would till the ground and find weeds growing among the crops. The effect would last their life time and beyond. Every day as Adam tilled the soil he was reminded of his sin.
III. The Beginning of PUNISHMENT
A Minister tells the story of Jill – his 6-year-old daughter – who was “helping” him in the front yard of the parsonage. She chattered away about her Sunday school lesson on Adam and Eve. He thought he’d test her so he asked, “Did you know Adam and Eve sinned?” “Yep,” she replied. Her father asked, “What did God do to them as a punishment?” Her answer was immediate and matter-of-fact. Without even looking up she said, “He made them have kids.”
To the woman God said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children…” v. 16
To the man God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life…” v. 17
Then God drove the both of them out of the garden – not to return again.
This seems like very harsh punishment. But the Bible says:
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” Gal 6:7 (NASB)
Sin does not go unpunished.
A. Every Wrong Must Be Made Right.
B. Someone Has To Pay For Every Wrong.
C. Judgment Is A Necessity.
If God compromised in sin – then His holiness would be lost. God must require judgment.
Don’t permit anyone or anything to cause you to reject the Word of God. Adam did and it cost him a great judgment. A judgment that was hard – sorrowful – and damning. Adam lost all that he had - judgment takes all away. An ex-convict once said that the men who are in prison for an extended period of time lose everything – their family – their home – their association with the outside world – their ability to function in the free society.
Hear me today – God’s punishment for sin – takes all.
God still judges sin. There is a death sentence for sin. God has not changed His mind just because man doesn’t think God would be that mean. God must still deal with sin.
IV. The Beginning of MERCY
“The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.” Gen 3:21 (NASB)
In this verse of scripture we find an act of God’s mercy. God who was sinned against made the sacrifice for the sinner. The sinner could not make his own sacrifice. Their nakedness was now oppressive to them. They tried to cover themselves – but all they used was fig leaves. Fig leaves would not stand up to the elements of this world. So God took a living creature and made a way to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness. In doing this, God was showing the world that a Heavenly Sacrifice would one day be given for the covering of man’s sin.
“…without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Heb. 9:22
God did not ignore their sin – He punished them – He sent them from the garden – but before He did that He covered them. He showed them an act of mercy but He also gave them a ray of hope.
V. The Beginning of HOPE
“I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel." Gen 3:15 (NASB)
God Had A Plan Before Creation.
1. The plan has always been Jesus Christ.
2. The plan of God is not an afterthought. There has never been any other plan. Did it ever occur to you that nothing ever occurred to God?
3. The plan is not an act of desperation. God has never lost control of the universe – nor the destiny of mankind. God has never been nervous or desperate. He has had this same plan for man’s redemption for all eternity past.
He has always had a Savior for man.
Before there was a sin – there was a Savior.
There has always been a cross in God’s plan.
There has always been a Sacrificial Lamb of God that took away the sin of the world.
The plan of redemption is not something that God had to come up with after Adam sinned. Adam’s sin just put the wheels into motion, but the wheels were already there in the form of the free will of man.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18 (NASB)
(I want to thank Jerry Shirley for the sermon starter ideas.)
