The Gospel in a Nut Shell
(Genesis 3: 6-13 & 21)
By Jesse Crooks Southern Baptist Revivalist(Evangelist)
Introduction
If satan could be successful in destroying all scripture, save this one page, and believe me he would like to do that, we would still have enough of God's word to point man to the cross and salvation. Seldom has so much been said in so few words. You see, here in the opening chapter of history is "The Gospel in a Nut Shell." Here we see the love of God, the lostness of man, and the glory of redemption. Here we see God's call, man's confession, and then God's provision. Look with me for a few moments at our text. First God's call.
God's Call
The text says, " they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day (He) called unto Adam and said unto him, “Where art thou." (Gen 3: 8-9) Folks this was not the voice of a god who needed information. The Lord knew where Adam was. He knew the very tree that he was hiding behind. He knew all about what he had done. Nor was this the voice of an angry God who had come to bring judgment although punishment would be a natural result of their fall.
Rather, I think this was the cry of a broken-hearted God, who came that day to restore His fallen creation. Listen, sin breaks the heart of God. We need to understand that we were created in the image of God and to have fellowship with Him, but our disobedience breaks that fellowship. God is grieved, when our fellowship is broken.
Notice, it was God who came to restore the relationship. Adam and Eve did not go to God, rather God came to them. This has been true ever since. God comes to man in the cool of his day, and seeks to restore our broken relationship. Jesus said, "No man comes to me, except the Father draws him.” (John 6:44) That emptiness you feel down deep in your soul in quietness of the day, folks that's God seeking to restore your broken relationship with Him.
I am so glad that's true. When I was lost in sin, a loving God sought me out and restored my broken
relationship, He came to me I didn't go to Him. “In loving kindness Jesus came, my soul in mercy to
reclaim. He sought me before I came. Before my sinful soul was stirred. Form the depth sin and shame by
grace He lifted me.” ( Charles Hutchinson Gabriel )
Even now when I sin, He comes and calls me back into a relationship with Himself. With a loving heart that's broken over my sin, He seeks me out and restores my relationship. Listen, my prayer is that during these days of Revival those of us who have broken that sweet relationship with Him will answer His loving call to restoration.
Man's Confession;
Adam said, "I was naked; and I hid myself."(Gen.3:10) Adam, I believe, was referring to his physical state. But in that one short statement Adam summed up the condition of all sinful men before a righteous God. God sees us as we are. It would be embarrassing to stand before you physically naked and preach; it would be even more embarrassing to stand here with all my sins exposed. What if we could see each-others sins this morning? What if everyone could see all the thoughts we had and the things we've done even this week, I pray a lot of days for the Lord to help me live in such a way that I would not be ashamed if my thoughts and actions were put on a giant screen for everyone to see. I'm sad to report to you that I am not able live that way for very long at a time, before I’ve said something, done something or though something that I would be ashamed for everyone to know.
Folks, we may fool each other. We may even fool our mate. But the fig leaves of our self-righteousness melt away in the sunlight of God's holiness. We can't hide from Him. We can't blame others. Isn't it interesting how man has not changed? Adam even tried to blame God. It was the woman You gave me. She made me do it (Genesis 3:12). Like Adam, we still try to blame others for our sins. It's my family, my boss, or the devil, they made me do it. Friend, God sees us as we are. The only hope we have is to confess and ask His mercy and forgiveness.
God's Remedy;
Verse 21 of our texts God killed an animal to provide a covering for Adam's and Eve's physical nakedness. The Bible doesn’t say what kind of animal God killed. I suspect it was a lamb. A little innocent lamb, for one day, yonder on Calvary God sacrificed the Lamb of Glory to provide a cover for our sins. Folks it makes me want to have a spell.
Listen, thanks to Calvary we don't have to stand in the presence of a Holy God with all our sins laid bare.
They've been covered by the blood of Glory's precious Lamb. Oh, listen Christians, we don't have to go around
with the guilt of our sins hanging over us, it’s covered by the blood of The Lamb. Don't you let Satan
put a guilt trip on you like he does on Jesse some times. John says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The Bible says “As far as the east is
from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions (sins) from us. (Psalms 103:12) Micah says,
“And Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19b) Someone has said, He also put up a no fishing sign.
Don’t go looking in my closet to find my sins. They are covered in the blood. They’re buried in the depths of the sea. Glory!!
I believe a loving tender hearted God will be walking among us during these days of revival and calling those of us who have sinned back into fellowship with Him. He wants to cleanse us and restore our relationship.
God is calling not only Christians, but those of you who have never trusted Him. The very fact that you are here, is evidence that He's calling you. He's calling you through that urge you had to get up and come to church this morning, or through that person who invited you. My friend you can accept or reject His call to repentance and salvation. But this Bible says that one day His call to repentance and salvation will no longer be heard, and then there will come a summons to judgment. This you must obey. Then, my friend, you'll stand before a righteous God with all your sins exposed. Which will it be? Will you answer His call to repentance, or wait for your summons to judgment? I have received only one summon to court in my life. Can you believe “a crook” has only been called to court one time. Back then, I had no choice but to appear. If that was true in the courts of the world, how much more true is it in the court of the King of the universe.
Conclusion:
Listen, do you hear a still small voice within your soul? That is the voice of our loving Lord calling you. May I tell you who needs to respond? If you are here and you've never accepted Christ as your Savior, you need to come and let Him forgive you and cover you with His blood.
If you are a Christian, and you have allowed sins to break your relationship with the Lord, He calls this morning. He wants to restore that relationship. You need to come here to this altar and ask Him to
forgive you and restore that relationship. That's what Revival is all about.
