THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT PART I: WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
GENESIS 2:25 – 3:10
SUNDAY JUNE 20, 2003
INTRODUCTION: THE CORPSE OF SIN
When he was arrested in February 2002 for dumping off as many as 200 bodies in nearby woods, 28 year old Ray Brent Marsh, the operator of Tri-State Crematory told authorities that the incinerator had not worked for some time. A spokesman for the company that made the incinerator said the Marshes had turned down all offers to service the unit since 1984. A two year recommended service call costs $795. The average cost to the family for a basic cremation is about $1,200. Operator costs are about $25 to cremate a body. What was the payoff for neglecting this small expense? Why did this happen for so many years?
No one really knows, but maybe what resulted in unbelievable negligence began during one busy month. “I need to get that fixed ASAP. Let’s be sure to take care of that tomorrow. Maybe next year we can afford it.” The Marsh Family was known as a good family. Maybe you are known as a good person- a good family. And yet there is that one “thing”--that one vice-- you need to fix. ”I’ll work on it tomorrow.” And tomorrow turns in to next year. And soon, you are overcome with the mountain of sin that surrounds you, the corpses of your own making that are too numerous to hide.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7).
Source: SermonCentral staff. Citation: CNN.com,
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Today, I want us to begin on a journey of realization. The church has a great responsibility to instruct us in the ways in which we are to live our lives and just how it is we can live lives pleasing to God. To do this, there are some things we must understand. I believe one of the most basic truths we must learn as Christians is how the Devil works. If you don’t believe there is a Devil, he already has you. If you know he exists, but are not concerned with his existence, you are heading toward destruction. BUT, if you believe he exists and desire to know how to avoid his attacks and our downfall, you are in the right place today!! Today, as our text points outs, we are going to look at how DEVIL desires to deceive and how we can stand up to that deception.
THESIS SENTENCE: THE DEVIL’S DESIRE IS TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LORD GOD!!
I. IT BEGINS WITH TEMPTATION
A. Temptation begins with a tempter
1. Our text begins with not just any tempter, but one who is craftier than any other.
2. Why do you think we are told this? It is an immediate clue to watch out!! 3. The one that desires to tempt you is no slouch; he knows what he is doing!!
4. And just to make it clear what kind of character this is, no it is not a lion or any other noble creature, it is a snake! Throughout the rest of scripture the snake is known as the Devil or Satan!
B. Temptation is just that: TEMPTATION
1. “HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, ‘Did God really say, you must not eat from any tree in the garden.’”
2. Why this conversation? Why does the Devil approach the woman? Was Adam there? It appears from verse 6 Adam was present, but does not speak up! 3. The Devil loves to start conversations that draw us to a place of doubt, a place of questioning what we believe and have been taught.
4. His desire is to lead us away from the Lord God!
5. Notice how the text calls our Lord the Lord God, but the Devil calls HIM simple God. Then notice what Eve begins to call our Lord. No longer is it the Lord God, no longer is this our friend we talk to in the Garden, this is a separate entity: God! This is subtle, but powerful!!
QUESTION: Where is it that the Devil is tempting you?? What conversations has he started with you? What sin is he making appealing to you??
ILLUSTRATION: FOR MY NEXT TRICK: A 31-year-old man from Santa Cruz, Calif., was walking outside town on a date when he happened across a rattlesnake. To "impress" his gal, he picked the snake up. "The snake was mature," said a rescue worker. "It had 10 rattles," which he knew because "the victim had time to count all the rattles while it was on his hand" biting him. The unidentified man was admitted to intensive care, and is expected to survive. (Santa Cruz Sentinel) The definition of "Impress”: 1) To affect strongly; 2) To produce a vivid impression or image; 3) To mark or stamp." Yep, all three primary definitions satisfied. This Is True, August 11, 2002.
TRUTH: DON’T PLAY WITH SNAKES!
II. IT CONTINUES WITH THE ACT COMMITTED
A. The act committed begins with desire
1. James 1: 14 –15 makes it all to clear: “But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.” 2. Now this takes us to far in the journey to fast, but it points out an important fact. We cannot be tempted unless we want to be.
3. Yes, it starts subtle. Watch our text and see how it works!
B. The act committed ends with the committing the act VS. 6
1. First and foremost, Eve listened to the Devil/ serpent!
2. Second, she took notice of the fruit of the tree he had enticed her to notice! 3. Third she took the fruit in her hand!
4. And almost last, SHE ATE!!
5. I wish I could say this is the end of the temptation process, but look how verse 6 ends, “She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it!”
6. Not only did Eve succumb to the temptation of the enemy of our souls, Adam jump right in as well. Have you ever notice that we don’t like to sin alone!
7. What is so detrimental about Adam participating in this act is that in Genesis 2: 17 he is specifically told not to eat of this fruit!
QUESTION: WHAT TEMPTATION ARE YOU DABBLING WITH??? WHAT IS IT THAT LOOKS TO GOOD TO PASS UP? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SPECIFIACALLY KNOW IS A NO, NO!! AND YOU DO IT ANY WAY!!
ILLUSTRATION: Stolen car
I was sitting at a stop light this morning. The lady in front of me was going through papers on the seat of her car, and when the light changed to green she did not obey its command - a green light is a commandment - NOT a suggestion. When the light turned to red, and she had still not moved, I began (with my windows up) screaming epithets and beating on my steering wheel. My expressions of distress were interrupted by a policeman, gun drawn, tapping on my window. Against my protestations of "You can’t arrest me for hollering in my car," he ordered me into the back seat of his. After about two hours in a holding cell, the arresting officer advised me I was free to go. I said, "I knew you couldn’t arrest me for what I was yelling in my own car. You haven’t heard the last of this!" The officer replied, "I didn’t arrest you for shouting in your car. I was directly behind you at the light. I saw you screaming and beating your steering wheel, and I said to myself, "What a jerk. But there is nothing I can do to him for throwing a fit in his own car. Then I noticed the ’Cross’ hanging from your rear view mirror, the bright yellow Choose Life’ license tag, the ’Jesus is Coming Soon’ bumper sticker, and the Fish symbol, and I thought you must have stolen the car."
TRUTH: WHEN WE COMMIT THE ACT WE HAVE SINNED!
III. IT CAUSES A NEED FOR A COVER UP
A. Covering up is the blame game
1. Our text gets really interesting here. As soon as their eyes were open, they realized they were naked! For some reason, this doesn’t sound good. This nakedness caused a problem.
2. So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 3. This eyes wide-open business doesn’t seem to be working out like they thought. 4. Not only did they cover up their nakedness, when they heard God coming, they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the Garden.
5. This is what you call a cover up!!
B. Covering up is saying, “THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!”
1. What is so interesting to note is that it is God who seeks out man, not man who seeks out God.
2. The Lord God decides to ask some questions: “Where are you?”
3. With this, the cover up continues: “I heard you in the Garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
4. Never before had Adam been afraid of God. Never before had Adam hid from God.
5. Then the questions continue: “Who told you that you were naked?” “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
6. With all these question comes the blame Game: “The woman you put here with me…”
7. Now it is the woman’s turn: “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
8. Have you ever noticed how we hate to take the blame for our own sin!!
QUESTION: What is it you are covering up? Who are you hiding from? Who is it you are blaming for your sin? Did I hear you say, “THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT”?
ILLUSTRATION: Willie Nelson apparently at one time owned a golf course. He said the great thing about owning a golf course was that he could decide what par for each hole was. He pointed at one hole and said, “See that hole there? It’s a par 47. Yesterday I birdied it.”
TRUTH: WHEN YOU PLAY THE COVER UP GAME YOU PROVE YOU ARE GUILTY!
IV. IT ENDS WITH PUNISHMENT
A. PUNISHMENT IS NAKED AND ASHAMED!
1. Does sin go unpunished?
2. Does God except the excuse, “THE DEVIL MAKE ME DO IT?”
3. Do you remember chapter 2, verse 25? “The man and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame.”
4. Shame has entered the picture; punishment has begun.
B. PUNISHMENT COMES TO ALL INVOLVED
1. The Devil is busted first and we think yeah, we are off the hook!
2. NOT! Next comes the woman! She is not cursed, or at least we don’t read that word in the context of what God has to say to her. BUT, her condition is worse than before.
3. Now us men can say, thank you Lord, the Devil and my wife deserve the blame, but surely not I!!
4. NOT! Last, but certainly not least, the man is dealt his new set of cards!
C. PUNISHMENT IS SEPERATION FROM THE LORD GOD
1. Just when it can’t get any worse, it gets worse.
2. Verse 23 of chapter 3 teaches us that in addition to everything else, no longer can Adam and Eve stay in the Garden.
3. What took place in the Garden? Adam and Eve had fellowship with The Lord God. This would now end. Separation form God was the greatest punishment dealt!!
QUESTION: IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, WHERE DO YOU STAND? ARE YOU NAKED AND UNASHAMED OR NAKED AND ASHAMED?
TRUTH: THE PUNISHMENT FOR SIN IS SEPERATION FROM GOD! THIS IS THE DEVIL’S ULTIMATE DESIRE FOR OUR LIVES!
CONCLUSION: I CORINTHIANS 10: 13 READS, “NO TEMPTATION HAS SEIZED YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MAN. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT TO THAT YOU CAN STAND UP UNDER IT.” Where does the Lord find you today? Can you stand naked before the Lord God and feel no shame? This is the gift of Salvation! OR do you stand before the Lord God naked and want to hide? The Devil is out to get you, but the good news is we don’t have to play his game! Don’t say, “The Devil Made Me Do It!” Confess to the Lord God your need for Him and allow Him to be your Salvation and Protection from The Mean Ole Devil!!
BENEDICTION: JUDE 24
