Rev. Wayne A. Lawson, M.Min
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church
Ardmore, OK
(Preached Mothers Day)
RevWLawson@aol.com
http://firstbaptistok.org/
Scripture: Genesis 2:21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Title: When God Created Eve
This morning I want to spend a few minutes honoring not only Mothers – but, I want to honor all Women. I found myself praying some weeks ago about this mornings Mother’s Day worship service. The Holy Spirit dealt with me in such a unique way. I want to spend some time examining a familiar passage of Scripture. I pray that it will become alive in your spirit just as it has become so alive in mine. I will talk this morning from the subject “When God Created Eve.” The Greek word Genesis which is the introductory book in Old Testament - means the beginning. The Bible opens with the words “IN THE BEGINNING” that is to say Genesis. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. On six different days God created LIGHT – DARKNESS – FIRMAMENT – DRY LAND – SEAS – GRASS – SUN – MOON – STARS – WATER CREATURES – FOULS OF THE AIR – CATTLE – CREEPING THINGS – BEASTS OF THE EARTH. On the SIXTH DAY God created MAN in His own image and placed him in the Garden of Eden.
· On the first day God created and pronounced in Vs. 10 “…GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD”
· After second day of creating God pronounced in Vs. 12 “…AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD”
· After three days God created and pronounced in Vs. 18 “…AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD”
· On day four Vs 21 “…AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD”
· After creating living creatures and cattle on fifth day Vs. 25 “…AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD”
· On sixth day God created man in His own image and gave him dominion Vs. 31 “…AND BEHOLD IT WAS VERY GOOD…”
I do realize that we are all very familiar with the creation account. However, there is something within it that seized my attention. After God created and looked out at all that He had done. He pronounced it all to be good. God now was in communion with his creation called man. God would talk with Adam even in the cool of the day. Yet, the Narrative quickly turns in Chapter 2 Vs. 18 it is here that God notes Adam needed more. Vs. 18 “AND THE LORD GOD SAID, IT IS NOT GOOD -- THAT THE MAN SHOULD BE ALONE; I WILL MAKE HIM AN HELP MATE FOR HIM.” God saw that it was not good for man to be alone so He took a rib from Adam and created. God did not create another man for Adam -- Adam needed more than another male’s companionship. God gave definite spheres to these intelligent creatures. Anatomically, Adam was given a large strong body. Eve was given a smaller more delicate body.
When God created Eve, she was created with the purpose of making a positive difference in the world. Without the presence of Eve as a separate identity, even though all was perfect in the world, God was able to say “something here is not good.” There was Adam, the perfect man, and yet he was missing something that was good. The good he was missing was Eve. Everything alive had been made from the dust of the earth, but God desired to take creation to another level. He wanted a fantastic product, so God used some complicated parts to begin.
· He put Adam to sleep and took a rib and some flesh from him and started working on Eve
· While Adam was yet asleep, God and Eve had some time together as God prepared her for this historic meeting
· It would be great to know what all God told Eve about Adam while he was sleeping
· But I guess we’ll have to hold that question in the Pool of eschatology
You see my brothers and sisters I see something really significant in this text. Something that took me years to understand. There are “Three Things” I see in this text. First, God created a “Woman.” Eve had been created for Glory and Honor . There was something special about woman from the very beginning of creation. Adam knew instinctively that He was to honor this woman. In Hebrew, the word for man is “Ish” and the word for woman is “Isshah.” Adam recognized Eve to be on his level and that honor was due to her. That same honor has been due to all of Eve’s descendants because every woman has been created for glory and honor. There is a beauty all about yourself as a woman, because you were created in God’s image with the purpose of bringing good into the life of others.
The first book of the Bible reveals wonder upon wonder to those who seek to know more about its many Treasures. But none is more intriguing to learn more about than the Woman God created. She was complete, perfect. She is the only woman ever to be created and not born. So when God took from Adam’s side the first thing he created was woman. We know nothing of Eve’s physical appearance. Have you noticed that the Bible does not give us the faintest clue as to what this first Woman looked like?
· Was she Tall – Short
· What were the color of her Eyes
· What was the length of her Hair
· How did she Smile – Frown
· Woman’s glory is not defined by her Appearance
· We get caught up in all of that – but God didn’t
· The Woman was beautiful because of whom God had made her to be
· Need to understand no matter your Complexion
· No matter what your Size
· Created by God therefore, you are Beautiful
Well my brothers and sisters I still see more in this text. Not only did God create Woman when He took from Adam’s side. God also created a “Wife.” Eve was created to be more than a Woman. She was also designed to be a Wife – a helpmate to Adam. Here is a newsflash for the brethren – being a helpmate does not mean you are beneath someone else. At times a Wife may be the stronger one, but at other times a Wife may be the weaker one. There will be other times you are on the exact same level. Eve was a Help - suitable for Adam. That means she could rise to whatever level of help Adam needed for the situation. A Wife has always had a great ability to endure pain and hardship because of the strength God placed within her. The word Helpmate expresses the notion of complementarities. The wife is a helper matching or corresponding to her husband. She is suitable for him. Together they make a perfect pair because they are both designed by God to complement each other – to form a perfect whole – a harmonious team. The man and the woman are different; yet these differences are designed by God to compliment each other, to work together in such a manner as to make them stronger and more effective together than if they were apart.
n There is not a spiritual man alive today, when he is about to be marooned on a deserted island for many years, and must make a choice between having his Bible or his Wife with him. He’ll trust his memory for the Scripture – we will quote Scripture – “The Word have I hid in my heart…” - but he wants his wife by his side. He needs his wife with him. That is how God designed it when he took from Adam’s rib and created a Wife.
To stay true to the Text, I can not close at this point. Recall with me that I mentioned at the outset that there are three things that I find in the text. We have discovered that God took from Adam’s side and created (1) Woman (2) Wife. The third thing that God created was a “Mother.” So God took from man’s side and created a Woman, Wife and a Mother. I fully understand that not all women are mothers, but all mothers are women. I am reminded of the words that Paul spoke about Brother Timothy. II TIMOTHY 1:5 “WHEN I CALL TO REMEMBRANCE THE UNFEIGNED FAITH THAT IS IN THEE, WHICH DWELT FIRST IN THY GRANDMOTHER LOIS, AND THY MOTHER EUNICE; AND I AM PERSUADED THAT IN THEE ALSO.” I imagine Timothy, as he was growing up, made all the same mistakes that our own children (and we ourselves) made. I can imagine that he went through his rebellious stage, that he spent time experimenting in the world, that he perhaps went out "with the boys" and did all the wrong things. Yet his grandmother Lois, and his mother Eunice planted the seeds of the Gospel in his heart by teaching him from the time he was a child. They shared with him a love of the Scriptures. Later on in his life when Paul led him to Christ, this foundation laid by his godly mother and grandmother came into play.
· Don’t know where Timothy’s Father was
· Text is clear Mother, Grandmother Trained him
· Became one of the Bishops of the New Testament
· Every notice the Professional Ball Player
· Once in the Camera after a good play – “Hi Mom”
· Dad paid their college but – “Hi Mom”
· Dad worked two full time jobs but – “Hi Mom”
· Dad tussled with that boy to teach him manners and be respectful but – “Hi Mom”
God created Mothers to teach your children. Turn off the television, shut down the computer and Plant the Seeds. If you take the time to lay the foundation your children will be more likely than not to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. Mothers, teach your children to respect you, to respect the Father, to Respect God and to respect the laws of the land. It is important that we understand this morning – “When God Created Eve – it was an exciting day in History. God created A Woman, A Wife, A Mother - in such a unique way. You have been designed by God that you are able to be a help in many different ways and situations. Even if there is not an Adam in your life that does not reduce the glory and honor God created for you. Because you are still a Help:
· Sometimes you are a help to other women
· Sometimes to children
· Sometimes to situations
· Sometimes to the church
· And sometimes to God
· God would not have created you if He had not intended you to be a help to His Kingdom
-- When God put Adam to sleep
-- God created the First Woman – the First Wife – the First Mother
-- Priority of creation gave Adam headship but not Superiority
-- Both man and Woman were endowed for Equality and for Mutual Interdependence
-- When God took from Adam’s side it became a Great and Profound Mystery
-- God created Three Things from Man’s side
-- What a Beautiful Mystery it is
-- I don’t know about you, but I like a Good Mystery. Every now and then I can figure out the mystery before the book or movie comes to an end. But there are other times that the end is revealed and I was not able to figure it out. Well what are you saying Rev. I have grown to understand that a “Woman” is a Mystery there are some things I still don’t understand. If you have been married any amount of time then you know that a “Wife” is also a Mystery, no matter how long you have been married, there are still things about her you don’t understand. As much as I love my “Mother” I don’t understand everything she thinks about or everything she says. There are some things that Mother thinks about that will remain a Mystery to me.
-- Perhaps I can not reach you this morning on my Theological plane
-- Let me divorce myself of my theological position
-- If I had to Sum it Up and knock on your front door and explain the day When God Created Eve
-- I would have to run back to the year 1978 when I was still in High School hitting the house parties and trying to do my own thing. I would be forced to borrow the words from the Commodores when they struggled to understand this mystery of how God created a Woman – Wife - Mother
-- Come on Commodores and help me explain this morning
-- I can hear Lionel Richie saying – just tell them like this Rev. - Your Once,(no, your) Twice, (no, your) Three Times a Lady
-- When God Created Eve – God looked out and said “Yes it is Good”
(Close)
