Why Should Easter Matter To Me?

EASTER 2024

WHY SHOULD EASTER MATTER TO ME?

GENESIS 3:1–7 NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, “DID GOD REALLY SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN’?” 2THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, “WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, 3BUT GOD DID SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE.’ ” 4“YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE,” THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN. 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.” 6WHEN THE WOMAN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYE, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM, SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS WITH HER, AND HE ATE IT. 7THEN THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM WERE OPENED, AND THEY REALIZED THEY WERE NAKED; SO THEY SEWED FIG LEAVES TOGETHER AND MADE COVERINGS FOR THEMSELVES.

INTRODUCTION: I GUESS YOU HAVE PROBABLY NOTICED THAT EASTER SEEMS TO BE PRETTY EARLY THIS YEAR. WE NORMALLY EXPECT EASTER TO COME IN THE MONTH OF APRIL AND NOT MARCH. MANY FOLKS THINK THAT THE DATE OF EASTER IS LINKED TO THE PASSOVER MEAL. THAT WOULD BE INCORRECT. THE ASSOCIATION OF EASTER AND THE PASSOVER HAVE MORE TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT JESUS WAS JEWISH. YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT IT WAS AFTER THE PASSOVER MEAL THAT JESUS CELEBRATED WITH HIS DISCIPLES AND ALSO INSTITUTED COMMUNION THAT HE WOULD SOON FACE HIS ARREST, QUESTIONING, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION.

THE SATE OF EASTER IS RATHER TIED TO THE LUNAR CALENDAR. THE EASTER DATE IS ALWAYS THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE FIRST FULL MOON THAT FALLS ON OR AFTER MARCH 21. MEANING THAT EASTER CAN FALL AS EARLY AS EARLY AS MARCH 22ND AND AS LATE AS APRIL 21ST.

THIS MORNING, OUR CONCERN IS NOT WHEN EASTER FALLS, BUT WHY DOES EASTER MATTER TO ME, OR YOU ANYWAY.

IN ORDER TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, WE NEED TO TURN THE PAGES OF OUR BIBLE BACK TO THE BOOK OF GENESIS, CHAPTER 3 AND THE FIRST SEVEN VERSES. IT IS HERE MANKIND IS INTRODUCED TO SIN. AND WITH THE ENTRANCE OF SIN, THE NEED FOR EASTER BECOMES REAL AND FOR THE SAKE OF OUR ETERNITY, EASTER SHOULD MATTER TO US.

I. THE CHARACTERS OF GENESIS 3

a. ADAM

i. ADAM WAS CREATED BY GOD

ii. INFUSED WITH THE LIKENESS AND IMAGE OF GOD

iii. HE WAS GIVEN DOMINION OVER ALL THE EARTH

iv. HE WAS INNOCENT AND WITHOUT SIN

v. HE WAS NAKED AND UNASHAMED

vi. HE HAD THE CAPACITY TO CHOOSE

b. EVE

i. SHE WAS CREATED FROM – OUT OF ADAM

ii. SHE WAS GOD’S ANSWER TO THE FIRST CRISIS IN THE BIBLE – IT WAS NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE

iii. SHE WAS INNOCENT

iv. SHE WAS NAKED AND UNASHAMED

v. SHE HAD THE CAPACITY TO CHOOSE

c. THE SERPENT

i. COMES ON THE SCENE WITHOUT INTRODUCTION

ii. THE SERPENT WAS CREATED BY GOD

iii. THE SERPENT WAS SUBJECT TO MAN

iv. THE SERPENT HAD THE DISTINCTION OF BEING CRAFTIER THAN ANY OF GOD’S OTHER CREATION – A CLASS BY HIMSELF

v. ALTHOUGH NOT MENTIONED HERE, JOHN IN THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION WOULD IDENTIFY THE SERPENT AS SATAN

II. THE CONFLICT IN EDEN

a. THE ROOTS GO BACK TO THE REBELLION OF SATAN HIMSELF

i. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THE SMARTEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL OF GOD’S CREATION HE WANTED MORE.

1. THE WORD FOR SERPENT MEANS SHINNING UPRIGHT CREATURE. BEFORE THE FALL SERPENTS WALKED UPRIGHT

2. THE SERPENT COULD TALK, NOT UNLIKE BALAAM’S DONKEY WHEN THE ANGEL SPOKE THROUGH IT

ii. HE WANTED TO BE LIKE GOD AND TO BE GOD

1. HE WAS TO BE THE REFLECTION OF GOD’S GLORY. HE WAS NOT CONTENT WITH THIS

2. HE WANTED TO SIT ON GOD’S THRONE

3. HE WANTED TO OCCUPY GOD’S PLACE

iii. WICKEDNESS WAS FOUND IN IS HEART

1. HIS DESIRE TO BE USURP THE POSITION OF GOD WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD NOT BE IGNORED

2. HE WAS CAST OUT OF HEAVEN

iv. THE GOAL OF SATAN IS REBELLION IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND IT BEGINS WITH GOD’S FIRST CREATION

b. THE POINT OF ATTACK IS EVE

i. SATAN APPROACHES HERE “CRAFTY

1. THE WORD IS OFTEN TRANSLATED CUNNING

2. HAS A MUCH MORE POWERFUL MEANING – THE ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING THAT STOPS SHORT OF NO MEASURE, HOWEVER REPREHENSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH ITS PURPOSE

3. THE GOAL OF SATAN AND THE FALL OF MAN WERE CENTERED AROUND THE DESIRE OF SATAN TO CHALLENGE GOD’S AUTHORITY AND TO ELEVATE HIS OWN POSITION