What You Talking About Willis

What you talking about Willis

Genesis 2:16&17, 3:1-7

Intro: Back in the 80’s, there was a television show called Different Strokes. The star of the show was a child named Gary Coleman. In this show, two black children were adopted by a rich white man because their mother who was his maid died. He took the children in and he and his daughter accepted them as part of the family. The show lasted seven seasons and highlighted many social and economic problems in their producing these comedies. The only thing that is really memorable about the show is the phrase “ what you talking about Willis”. When his brother Willis would say something that Gary Coleman’s character didn’t like or didn’t really understand, that’s what he would say. “What you talking about Willis”.

. As I was preparing for this message, it occurred to me that the story of the first sin, the narrative of Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden is much like this conversation.

. You see, it was all about what God had said and the confusion that the serpent created by casting doubt about God’s word.

. I could have titled this sermon What you talking about God, because that is what’s at issue. God’s word.

. When we first started our journey in Genesis, we saw that God’s word was the driving force in creation and stability in the world.

. We were created by God’s word and we are sustained and held together by God’s word.

. God’s word is Jesus Christ.

. John wrote that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and that the word was God.

. He made this statement as he was describing Jesus.

. Today, we are going to look at another part of the creation narrative.

. The placing of man and woman in the Garden and God’s word to them.

. Creation is finished, God has had Adam name all the animals and realizes that none of them are appropriate partners for him so God creates woman.

. Just before He does that though, He gives him one restriction on what he is allowed to do.

In Genesis 2: 15-17 we see this.

15The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

16But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—

17except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

. That’s it, that’s all there was. No other restrictions. Adam was free to live his life as he wanted.

. God even provided him a partner that was perfect for him.

. Everybody was content, living in the Garden and taking care of everything.

. There was purpose in Adam and Eve’s lives.

. They were living by God’s word. They were true to God’s word.

. We don’t know how long Adam and Eve had been around when the events took place in the Garden but; my personal opinion is that a considerable time has passed.

. Our scripture is probably the most well known story in all of history.

. The story or account of the fall.

. Lets look at our scripture.

. Genesis 3:1-7

. 1The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

2“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied.

3“It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’ ”

4“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.

5“God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

6The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

7At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

. We talk and preach about the original sin. Was it greed, was it covetousness, was it pride.

. It was all of those but the issue was really God’s word.

. What did he say and what did He not say.