SATAN THE ADVERSARY: “DID GOD REALLY SAY?”
GENESIS 3:1-13
INTRODUCTION… Making Skillful First Impressions
Any good business teacher or etiquette instructor will tell you that first impressions are supremely important. It may be the first impression that gets you hired rather than not. It may be that first impression that get you that important sale or not. It may be that first impression that gets you the all important first date, or not. First impressions are important and there is a lot of great advice out there.
(http://www.taibros.net/archives/2005/04/06/making-skillful-first-impressions)
1) Looking sharp! - In most cases, before a person ever hears a word you say, they’ll see what you look like. So help yourself out and look good. Depending on the situation you’re in, you’ll want to dress accordingly. If you’re going to a job interview, then wear a suit or at least a shirt and tie. If you’re meeting new people, dress casually but sharp. You want to stand out and blend in all at the same time.
2) Cheese! - I’m talking about smiling! The first facial feature that most people see, even before what you’re wearing is your smile. After they see your face, they’ll usually take a look at the rest of you, which is what makes the smile so important. By smiling when you go into the situation, you’re not only easing any tensions that may be present, but you’re presenting yourself in a positive manner.
3) Walk the walk! - Now that you’re dressed for the occasion and looking good, as well as having a good smile, the next important thing is showing confidence. By the way you stand, sit, or move, a person can tell a lot about you based on your body movement. Eye contact is also critical. Make sure you look at the person you’re meeting, and that you’re looking at them right in the eyes. By using your body movements to show confidence, you’ll be well on your way to making a good first impression.
4) Firm, not wimpy! - A good handshake is very very important. Many things can be determined just from shaking a person’s hand. Now you may be asking what does a handshake have to do with anything? If you give a person a weak handshake, they’ll think that you won’t know how to handle yourself. If you go and give too strong of a handshake, they’ll think you’re too dominant and overbearing. A good handshake can only help you out when trying to make that good first impression.
5) E-nun-ci-ate! - Now that you’re looking good, smiling, and are showing good confidence, you’ll need to begin talking. While you may be doing well so far in making a good first impression, you can’t slow down here. You’ll need to also make a good impression with your words. Speak clearly, and speak in an appropriate voice level.
6) Plan ahead! - This may not always be possible, but in cases where you do have a chance to, make sure you plan ahead. If you know you’re going into a situation where you’ll be making a first impression on someone, figure out what you need to do, what you need to talk about. Become knowledgeable and use it to your advantage. Do what you can to be prepared, as you don’t get another chance at making a good first impression. 7) Just be yourself - In the end though, even if you’re looking good and sounding good, it’s important to still be yourself. If you’re able to give that first impression, but you did it being somebody that you’re not, then when you have to meet that person again in the future, they’ll eventually find out what kind of person you really are. If the person you really are is less than that first impression you made, then it’ll be impossible for you to recover.
The passage that we will look at today gives a great first impression about a central figure in the beginning of Genesis... Satan.
I. WHAT SATAN DID THEN
Genesis chapter 3 gives us a wonderful picture of the beginning of human life as God created it. To get the full picture, we really need to read and study Genesis chapters 1-2 as well. God created all things and He created all things seeing them as “good.” When God created human beings, notice His opinion (Genesis 1:31), God has created human beings in His image and called them “very good.” Other translations may say “excellent in every way” (NLT) or something of that nature, but the truth remains that God created human beings and they were and are the crown of His Creation. Genesis chapter 2 describes for us the place in which God set His glorious creations. He made the Garden of Eden just for them. It was a place full of rivers and had an abundance of food. Genesis chapter 2 also describes God creating man and woman and instituting marriage. The situation for human beings was to be one of plenty and holiness and goodness. The situation was to be one where people walked with God on a daily basis. Genesis 3:8 tells us this and also Revelation 21:4 tells us that one day this will be reality again. The situation was that God would always be the focus of our lives and we would be able to worship Him. The Book of Revelation promises that this will be reality again after the return of Christ. Everything in the Garden was good. People were very good. There was no death, no sorrow, no sickness, and no need for anything for God had provided it all. God tells them in Genesis 2:16-17 (we need to look at this because it is important later): “And the Lord God commanded the man, ’You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
Yet, trouble would soon come to Paradise with the introduction of Satan.
READ GENESIS 3:1-13
Satan makes a great first impression and we can tell a lot about him based on this very first impression. Genesis 3:1 describes this Satan with the word “crafty.” Crafty is one of those words that can have a positive meaning and also a negative meaning. Crafty can mean prudent and wise, but also shrewd and ill-natured. The Bible uses this word in both ways in other passages in Job, Proverbs, and 1 Samuel. What does it mean here? This most memorable use of ’crafty’ in Scripture is making a comment about Satan that he indeed is one of ill-nature and danger. Satan appears to Adam and Eve in the guise of a serpent. Some folks believe, because of the curse of 3:14-15, that the serpent did not look like what we think, but was more beautiful in appearance. I do not know... Scripture does not specifically say that. I do know that Scripture specifically says that Satan came into the Garden of Eden that God made and he began to speak to Eve.
I want you to notice the first words recorded in Scripture by Satan. Here is the very first impression that he gives. What are his words? What type of words are they?
* Satan states a question in verse 1, “Did God really say, ’You must not eat from any tree in the Garden?’” Satan asks Eve a question about the command of God. What was the command? Was the command not to eat from the trees in the Garden (note 2:16-17)? No! There was only one tree that was forbidden and in verse 2-3 Eve tells God what the command was.
* Satan states a twisting-lie in verse 4, “You will not surely die.” Satan’s next words to Eve are a lie. I cannot help but read into Satan’s words that he is telling Eve that she will not die on the spot if she were to eat the fruit. That is not even what God said in the first place. Satan states as fact in verse 4 that Eve would not die if she ate from the tree. Was that true? No! God had already stated that if they ate from the tree the consequence would be death. I want you to quickly compare 2:17 and 3:4. Satan uses the word ’surely’ like God did in his command, but when Eve told Satan of the command in 3:3, she did not use this word... Satan already knew what the command was and even used God’s words. He was twisting it!
* Satan states a twisting-half-lie in verse 5, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened , and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Why do I say that this is a half-lie? The result of eating from the tree is what Satan describes. Adam and Eve do eat from the tree and they go gain the knowledge of good and evil. However, there were also consequences of eating that were left out: sin, separation from God, nakedness, and destruction of God’s Creation.
II. WHAT SATAN DOES NOW
So, we know that first impressions are very important. What is your first impression of Satan? My first impression can be summarized in three words: liar, liar, liar. I do not want you to think that this liar’s work was done in the Garden of Eden. Satan is still at work spreading as many lies and twisting half-lies as he possibly can. What sorts of things does Satan do in our lives?
* Doubt: Satan lies in such a way that tempts us to question God’s Word and His Nature. Now, having questions and looking for answers is not a bad thing. It is a needed thing. Yet, Satan tempts us to doubt God and doubt His promises and many times this doubt leads to unfaithfulness, which is a sin.
* Discouragement: Satan lies in such a way that tempts us to look only at problems and the negative side of life and not God’s Promises. Satan never wants it to be known that God has made so many great promises in His Word and has kept every single one. Satan wants to lie and make us discouraged and feeling that God does not love and support us. All lies.
* Diversion: Satan lies in such a way that tempts us to make the wrong things the priority. Satan spreads lies that it is ok to make sports a priority on Sunday instead of church activities. Satan spreads lies that it is ok to skip Sunday School, Bible studies, and personal times with God because other things are important. Satan spreads lies that your job is more important than your wife, children, or grandchildren. Satan even spreads the lie that your volunteer work here at the church or in the community is more important than your family. Satan spreads lies that you do not need to rest on the Sabbath. These are lies from the pit of Hell that are designed to draw us away from God and divert our attention from God.
* Defeat: Satan lies in such a way that tempts us to give up. Satan lies so that you will give up praying, give up going to church, give up hoping in Christ, give up sharing your faith, and give up on anything that brings you into a right relationship with God. Satan wants to do whatever he can to make sure that Christians have nothing but a defeated attitude.
* Delay: Satan lies in such a way that tempts us to put something off so that it never gets done. You should realize now what position Satan likes people in. He likes it when our posterior is resting comfortably and we have no desire to get up. Satan lies and tells us that sharing our faith is not all that important. Satan lies and tells us that we have all the time in the world to do what God asked us to do ages ago. Satan wants to see us put off today what we can do tomorrow, because most of the time it never gets done.
III. WHAT WE SHOULD DO THEN AND NOW
I hope that you can see from the first impression that Satan gives that he is one who is a liar. One of his major weapons is lies. What do we do to fight against these lies? What is it that is our offense and defense against Satan that tempts us with so much?
Psalm 86:11 says, “Teach me your way O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.”
Psalm 119:43 says, “I have chosen the way of truth, I have set my heart on Your laws.”
Jeremiah 7:28 says, “Therefore say to them, ’This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.”
John 3:21 says, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
John 8:32 says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
In order to fight off Satan, we must be Christians committed to the Truth of God revealed in His Word and we must also live it out. We must do this. We must hold fast to the Truth of Scripture or we allow Satan room to work his lies. We must live out our faith so that we are not tempted away from God. We must be people committed to the truth.
I want you to notice in Genesis 3:2-3 that Adam and Eve knew the truth. Eve told Satan what the command was. She knew what the Truth was and what was expected of her. What then did she lack? Verses 6-7 describe them eating the fruit and verses 12-14 describe them blaming someone else for the sin. What was it that they lacked? They knew the Truth, but were not committed to living it out.
CHALLENGE
I challenge you this day to fight Satan’s lies by knowing what the Bible says by studying it
I challenge you this day to fight Satan’s lies by living out that which you find in Scripture
I challenge you this day to fight Satan’s lies by being committed to the Truth
CONCLUSION.. Ambition of Satan (http://elbourne.org/sermons/index.mv?illustration+4879)
Martin Luther had a dream in which he stood on the day of judgment before God Himself -- and Satan was there to accuse him. When Satan opened his books full of accusations, he pointed to transgression after transgres sion of which Luther was guilty. As the proceedings went on, Luther’s heart sank in despair. Then he remembered the cross of Jesus -- and turning upon Satan, he said, "There is one entry which you have not made in your books, Satan." "What is that?" retorted the Devil. And Luther answered, "It is this -- that Christ died for my sins."
