WHEN PERFECTION IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH (Outline)
February 26, 2023 – Lent 1 – GENESIS 3:1-15
INTRO: The Lord God created a perfect world. At the end of each day of creation the Lord declared it was good. Our world is no longer perfect. Humans were given a free will. Adam and Eve decided perfection was not good enough. They wanted even more. Disobeyed. Sinned. They were discontent. "I know what it is to live in humble circumstances, and I know what it is to have more than enough. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, while being full or hungry, while having plenty or not enough" (PHILIPPIANS 4:12). How does such a disaster happen? WHEN PERFECTION IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I. Satan’s is the father of lies. II. Lord is our Father of lives.
I. SATAN IS THE FATHER OF LIES.
A. Verse 1b. Satan tempts with a question that introduces doubt. “Has God really said....”
1. Verses 2, 3. Eve knew they could eat from all the trees except one: middle garden tree.
2. Eve even added that they were not even to touch it. Something God did not say.
B. Verse 4. “You will certainly not die”. More doubt from Satan.
1. Verse 5. Eating the fruit will open their eyes. They will know good and evil.
2. What? Already knew good. Lived in perfect perfection created by the Lord God of Armies.
C. Verse 6. Fruit was appealing. Took some and ate. Gave to Adam to eat. Eyes opened to know evil.
1. Verse 7. Now ashamed of their nakedness. Before no shame. Covered themselves.
2. Verse 8. They heard God’s voice. They hid among the trees. Satan lied. Perfection ruined.
D. Perfection just was not good enough for Adam and Eve. Their discontentment ruined everything for everyone forever. It is easy for us to see our world is no longer perfect. Far from it. Notice how the devil deceives. Satan makes that which is evil sound good. Seem good. Satan led Adam and Eve into doubt. Discontent. Sinning. They lived in a perfect world! His tempts us. “Did God really say?” “Is the Bible really true?” “How can God forgive such a sinner as bad as you?” Do not be fooled. These are all lies. That is the only thing the devil does. Can do. Will do. " …the Devil…was a murderer from the beginning and did not remain standing in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks from what is his, because he is a liar and the father of lying" (JOHN 8:44b). NO truth. Father of lies.
E. The first thing the Lord created was light. “Let there be light.” Light separated the day from night. Light was the opposite of darkness. Light and darkness have nothing in common. It is the same example concerning the Lord and Satan. One would think that the Light would be far more appealing than darkness. Goodness rather than evil. Satan is still alive. Active. Lying. He is the father of lies. Prince of darkness. "In the case of those people, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from clearly seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is God’s image" (2 CORINTHIANS 4:4). Do not be blinded by the devil’s lies. His empty offers to sin. Temptations.
F. Make no mistake. Satan is our dangerous enemy. His only desire is to have each one of us live with in hell. Suffering forever. Dear believer, he does not give up. Satan is proud. Relentless. Always a liar. In today’s gospel (Matthew 4:1-11) Satan even tried to tempt Jesus into sin. Such is the arrogance of the devil. We always want to be watching. Alert. Recognizing the danger. "Have sound judgment. Be alert because your enemy the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 PETER 5:8). Sound judgment is the enemy of Satan. As is the Truth.
WHEN PERFECTION IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Satan is the father of lies.
II. LORD IS OUR FATHER OF LIVES.
A. Verse 9. Tragedy. One day Adam and Eve walk and talk with God. Next day hiding from God.
1. Sin exposed Adam and Eve to shame. Guilt. Evil of sinning. Unworthiness before the Lord.
2. Vss. 11-13. The Lord asks Adam. Adam blames Eve. Asks Eve. Eve blames the serpent.
a. So quickly Adam and Eve learned to lie. b. Blame others. c. Not confess wrongdoing.
B. Verse 14. God cursed the serpent to be the lowliest of all creatures. Crawl on ground. Eat dust.
C. Verse 15. The Lord God of Armies gives life. God did not destroy Adam and Eve. Or the earth.
1. The relationship of Satan and mankind would not be the same. There would be hatred.
2. The gracious, loving Father promised a Savior. This Savior would crush the head of Satan.
D. What a loving, powerful God we worship! Adam and Eve destroyed perfection. It was not good enough for them. The Lord treated them with love. Mercy. Forgiveness. We grumble and complain. Nothing is good enough. Satan distracts us from the one thing needful. All too often we listen to his voice. Walk down that wide, broad path of destruction. Our loving, heavenly Father does not destroy us. The Lord God gives the world his Son to destroy the devil. "Therefore, since the children share flesh and blood, he also shared the same flesh and blood, so that through death he could destroy the one who had the power of death (that is, the Devil)" (HEBREWS 2:14). Jesus put on flesh to die and destroy Satan!
E. We sin daily. We sin much. Our sinful nature is in a constant battle against our spiritual nature. It is an ongoing conflict of light versus darkness. We were once children of darkness. Conceived in sin. Born in sin. Living in sin. By the grace of God we are now children of light. Through baptism the Lord has snatched us out of the devil’s grasp. We are held safely, securely in the palm of the Lord’s hand. We know what is good and right in God’s sight. The blood of Christ pays the price for our sinfulness. Fully. Freely. The old, evil foe is thoroughly defeated. "The one who continues to sin is of the Devil, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. This is why the Son of God appeared: to destroy the works of the Devil” (1 JOHN 3:8). The innocent life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is our Perfection.
F. We are not on our own to face the temptations of the devil. We have the power of the Lord God of Armies on our side. Living in us by faith. In our gospel today (Matthew 4:1-11) Satan tempted the Lord Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus gives us the powerful example to send the devil packing. Satan tempted with bread. Jesus replied: “It is written…” Satan tempted with power. Again: “It is written…” The devil wanted Jesus to test the power of his Father, the Lord God. Simply, powerfully Jesus: “It is written…” Then Jesus dismissed the devil. He listened. He left. Had to because God’s Word is living, active, and powerful. Dear friends we have the same powerful word in us. Use Word against the devil’s lies. Temptations. "So, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you" (JAMES 4:7).
CONCL.: A perfect world. Satan opposed the perfection that God had created. He despised Adam and Eve. He promised them knowledge of evil. Doubts. Lies. Satan is the father of lies. Our loving, heavenly Father gives us life. Truth. Jesus is our Truth. Way. Life. We can be content. “For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly cannot take anything out. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be satisfied" (1 TIMOTHY 6:7, 8). Do not be fooled by Satan. The world. Sinful flesh. WHEN PERFECTION IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH…remember our perfect Savior has prepared a perfect life and home in heaven for each one of us. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
LENT 1 readings: GENESIS 3:1-15; ROMANS 5:12-19; MATTHEW 4:1-11; (PSALM 46)
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