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I. THE FALL: WHEN SIGHT TOOK THE THRONE
Genesis 3:6
“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom…”
• Eve doesn’t openly reject God; she reevaluates Him.
• God’s Word ? questioned
• Human perception ? elevated
The Hebrew word for saw is ????? (ra’ah): to see, perceive, evaluate, and judge.
Eve isn’t just looking - she is interpreting reality apart from God.
Three things she saw:
1. Good for food ? physical appetite
2. Pleasing to the eyes ? aesthetics
3. Desirable for wisdom ? intellectual pride
? Temptation isn’t random - it hits the flesh, eyes, and pride, just like 1 John 2:16 warns.
II. WHAT WAS CHALLENGED IN EVE (AND US)
A. Trust in God’s Word
God said: “You shall surely die.”
The serpent said: “You will not die.”
Eve chooses observation over obedience. This is epistemological rebellion - deciding truth based on what we see, not what God said.
“relating to the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion.
B. Identity as an Image-Bearer
The serpent implies: “You are missing something.”
But Genesis 1 says: humanity is made in God’s image.
The temptation isn’t evil - it’s independence from God.
III. CONSEQUENCE: EYES OPENED, BUT NOT TO GOD
Genesis 3:7
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked…”
• Enlightenment without righteousness.
• They see shame, exposure, and vulnerability.
• Hebrew ?????? (‘erom) speaks of defenselessness.
Observation promised wisdom - it delivered shame.
IV. THE SECOND ADAM: JESUS IN MATTHEW 4
Where Adam and Eve failed in a garden of plenty, Jesus wins in a wilderness while fasting.
A. The Same Three Temptations
1. Stones to bread ? lust of the flesh
2. Temple jump ? pride of life
3. Kingdoms of the world ? lust of the eyes
B. Scripture Over Sight
Eve says: “I see…”
Jesus says: “It is written…”
• He refuses to trust hunger, circumstance, or visibility.
• Victory comes not from what we see - but from what we trust in God’s Word.
C. Fasting Clarifies Authority
Fasting weakens the flesh so the Word speaks louder.
Jesus shows us that obedience over sight is the path to victory.
V. MODERN CULTURE & CHURCH SYNCRETISM
A. Culture Repeats Genesis 3
Temptation today:
• “If it feels right…”
• “If it looks good…”
• “If it makes sense…”
Sight, emotion, and experience now define truth.
B. Church Syncretism
Like Colossae, we mix Scripture with:
• Self-help
• Cultural ideology
• Personal ambition
We say: “God said this… but I see that…”
Same rebellion as Eve.
VI. FASTING & PRAYER APPLICATION
• Fasting = realignment, not deprivation.
• Declare:
o God’s Word > my appetite
o God’s truth > my perception
o God’s will > my comfort
“Even if I don’t see it yet - I trust God’s Word.”
Fasting trains us to trust Scripture over sight.
VII. CALL TO DECISION: LIVE BY SIGHT OR SCRIPTURE?
Hebrews 11:1
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Psalm 119:105
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Challenge Questions:
• Will we live by sight or Scripture?
• By observation or obedience?
• By culture or Christ?
Congregational Declaration:
“Lord, we trust Your Word -
even when circumstances contradict it,
even when culture challenges it,
even when our flesh resists it.
Look what the Lord has done - and we stand on what He has said.”
