The First Evangelistic Sermon

The first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis are an authentic record of the beginning of the universe and the world. It is the work of Almighty God and is a testimony to logic, rationality, meaning, purpose, and the precise design of what we know as science. Within the first two chapters of Genesis, we see the beginning of cosmology, astronomy, meteorology, biology, botany, geology, anatomy, physiology, and that the idea of "primitive man" is only a whim that unfortunately has been peddled as fact for years and woe be to anybody who says otherwise. Within Genesis 1 and 2 we read of an exact area where a literal garden and source of four rivers began. Our origin began in the area known as the "Middle East", specifically the area of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and the Persian Gulf (modern day Iran). This is also the area where our troubles began. We read about it in Genesis 3 and witness the consequences of thinking that we can do a better job than God in running the world.

In Genesis 3:10-12 we see how Adam went from having an intimate relationship with God to accusing Him of creating the woman and then casting the blame for his sin on her. Eve in turn did not confess her rebellion, but shifted the blame to the words of the serpent, whom the Bible refers to as Satan, "the adversary", the original rebel against God's rule that ended up with him being cast out of heaven along with a third of the angels who sided with him (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11- 17; Matthew 25:41; Luke 19:18; John 8:44; Revelation 12:7-17, 20:1-10). The devil and his angels cannot and will not repent of what they have done. Their fate is forever sealed (Genesis 3:14-15; Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24, 3:11, 5:7; Luke 4:41). God did not let Adam and Eve off the hook and let things be. Their rebellion and arrogance towards Him merited the sentence of death upon them, both physical and spiritual, and a curse was placed upon the earth (Romans 8:20-22) that would produce thorns, thistles, and difficulty in raising the crops they needed in order to survive (3:14-24). They were driven out of what was their perfect home with perfect conditions. Sin is never overlooked or dismissed by God. The penalty for sin He placed on humanity is just and we have only ourselves to blame.

Because of our sin and rebellion, any attempt or ability on our part to rectify our condition is futile (Isaiah 53:4-6, 64:6; Romans 3:23). Our sins have placed us on "death row". If not for the undeserved mercy and grace provided us by God, we would be doomed to a literal and eternal hell. Our sins are the undeniable evidence that prevent us from entering God's heaven in our own strength (John 3:14-16,14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9) Yet, even in the midst of the tragic circumstances of the fall, God gave the promise of a coming Redeemer to Adam and Eve and all of humanity (3:15) who would inevitably crush the head of the evil one once and for all and seal his eternal destruction. With that promise, God initiated the first evangelistic message that extends to anybody who is tired of wallowing in the dung and mud of their sin to come to Jesus Christ for rest, freedom, mercy, and grace (Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:28-30). The devil, who tried to destroy Jesus and the promised salvation He provided (1 Corinthians 2:7-8), lost the battle when Jesus, having completed His work of redemption on our behalf upon the cross, rose from the dead in triumph, dealing the final blow to Satan's deluded beliefs that he would be the victor over His Creator.

I wanted to show you in this brief message the seriousness of sin and how it affected both our ancestors in the past and how it affects us in this day and age as well. The penalty for sin has not changed or been watered down in order to placate our feelings and opinions. God does not and will not change on this issue. He does not give us a multiple choice of saviors and sages from which to pick and choose. His offer of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ is still the ONLY way by which He has sovereignly decreed for us to be redeemed and made whole in order to enter heaven. He will not compromise in order to please us or make us "happy". The cross of Christ is a brutal reminder of how horrendous sin is and of the horrendous price that Jesus willingly paid to rescue us from its deadly and horrifying grip on us. God Incarnate lovingly paid our sin debt, and we have absolutely no right or reason to question or reject it. Adam and Eve attempted to cover their nakedness and shame by using fig leaves, which represents our futile efforts to hide the obvious. Fig leaves decay, fall apart, and do not solve the problem. God provided the means by which we are redeemed, and it was not by a dry leaf, but a permanent sacrifice that would cover our sins once and for all. That sacrifice was provided by the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot return to Eden without it. God gave the first evangelistic sermon in Eden, and He still calls out for you to come to Him for salvation.

donaldwhitchard@outlook.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

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