FBCWest 526 | No Good, Very Bad, Terrible Decisions - Adam and Eve
Recorded On: 10/23/2022
Bulletin
Hymn # 48 “Fairest Lord Jesus”
SCRIPTURE READING – Ephesians 1:18 - 23
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate
Praise and Worship
“Your Love Awakens Me”
“Let God Arise”
“This Is Amazing Grace”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“No Good, Very Bad, Terrible Decisions: Adam & Eve”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Love Ran Red”
Benediction “God Really Loves Us”
Sermon Notes
Genesis 2:15 God puts man in the garden to cultivate it
Genesis 2:16 &17 God commands that man is not to eat of the fruit f the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but may eat freely any thing else in the garden. If he does he will die
Genesis 2:18 God made a helper for man
Genesis 3:1 – 3 The woman misquotes God
Genesis 3:4 & 5 Satan denies what God has said
Genesis 3:6 The woman starts to justify her decision and after eating gives it to her husband to eat
Genesis 3:7 – 11 Everything is changed now
Genesis 3:12 The man blames God
Genesis 3:13 The woman blames Satan
Romans 12:9 Abhor evil
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
If you watch. Not sure what's on. For various streaming channels. It seems that mini series seem. To be a very popular. Thing to watch and so I'm going to adopt him and and have a mini series myself. Now, this miniseries. Junior Bolton, but I'm gonna tell you where to stop before I tell you what it is. All too often in churches and in the world today, we like to take serious matters like sin or terrible decisions and call them mistakes. If you know about subtraction. The principles of it and you take. Let's say 53 and subtract 13. And you come. Up with 41, you made a mistake. Wear white after Labor Day. You may or may not have committed a fashion faux pas based on what the current fashion. Icons tell us whether you can or can't wear white after Labor Day. Those are mistakes. But I'm not talking about. Mistakes the title of this series is. No good, very bad, terrible decisions. Because it seems that we all make them. When some of us make them anymore of abundance than others. And So what I want to go through in this temporary this this limited miniseries, if you will, is to go through some different people in the scriptures. No good, very bad, terrible decisions and see what we can learn from that so that we don't make those very same. Very bad, no good, terrible decisions. And the first people I'm going to take a look at is Adam and Eve, not because they're chronological because I'm going to skip around. It's history, but I think what we can learn from them is, is is very profound. Now I believe. And I think, and Adam and Eve are real people. I don't think that they're a story or myth to explain how we. All got here. Why do I believe that? Because I believe that the word of God, especially the first five books of Moses, is the. Word of God. And God told us how it came about. I firmly believe. It because Jesus, the son of God. Who we are told was the one who created everything, confirmed the stories and the information given to us in the in the scriptures. And so if he was there, then I believe him. So I believe Adam and Eve were in fact. The first man and woman on the earth, and we all come from them, and that is why I don't believe that there are races. There's one race, the human race. There's a lot of ethnicities. There's a lot of different things, but we all come from that one couple. That's all I want to say about that so. I want you to. Take a look. At Genesis Chapter 2, we're going to start with verse 15. It's a story that you've learned. Probably if you ever went to. Sunday school whether you were in nursery or elementary or high school, it's one of those things that we all seem to know about. But we seem to kind of look at the overall picture and sometimes we don't. Notice the real minute detail which gives us more understanding and so in verse 15 it says then. The Lord God. Took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. So first God put us there. Now sometimes we think that the whole reason we gotta go to work. Is because Adam sinned? No, it was God's original plan that we worked, and that doesn't necessarily mean you show up at an Office 5 to 9 to 5 that work. Maybe being a parent at work, maybe being a mission, there may be all kinds of different things, but God has called us to work. He started it out in the Garden of Eden and when he comes back and we roll and rain with him in the millennial. Afterwards we're going to work again. We're not going to be strumming harps on clouds. Work is something that is not a penalty. It is something that God intended us to do. So he's there to cultivate it. Now, because of the sin, things don't go as well as it should have been, but that was the plan and the Lord God commanded the man, saying from any tree of the garden. You may eat freely. But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat or the day that you eat from it. You will surely die. So God places the man in the garden. And he says you get the rule and reign over it. It's yours. You get to work it. You get to the benefit from it. They're just simply one restriction. And that one restriction is there's a tree called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You don't eat from it. Now after we all know what happens. We all see that part of us in atom. As I frequently tell you, I could probably go the rest of my life with never eating another bite of ice cream. Until you tell me I can't have ice cream. And then that's what I want. And there's a sense of that man is always wanting what he can't have when God has placed restrictions. And again, God places restrictions not because he wants to limit our fun or our achievements, or what we're going to do. He limits it because he knows what's best for us. And in this case, he knows what's best is to not eat from the tree of the garden. Of good and evil. He not only he makes it very clear you, it doesn't say you may not eat it. You shall not eat it. It's a command. Don't do it. When the Lord. God said it is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper suitable for him, and so I'm going to skip and and if he went to Sunday school and all that, you know you know, God puts a a deep sleep upon him. He takes one of Adam's ribs and he fashions a woman, and he gives the woman to the man. And there's an instant chemistry, and Adam thinks God done a wonderful job. And they become. Husband and wife. She's to be his helper. She's to be there with him to help him to work, to companion him, and to do. All of those things. I want you to skip over to Genesis Chapter 3. And I have no idea how long that how long Adam was alone and how long Adam and Eve who words at this point simply called the man and the woman. Have been in the garden. It may have been a week. It may have been a day. It may have been 1000 years. We're not told because it's not important how long it was. What happens next is what's important, and so in Chapter 3 it says now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made, and he said to the woman. Indeed, has God said. You shall not eat from any. Tree of the garden so. Right off. Pain comes. To question Eve. To challenge God's authority. Which is exactly what Satan always does. Satan is a liar. Satan is one who always wants to challenge God's authority because what he wants is for people and others to worship him and not God. So he comes to EVE with an ulterior motive to get her not. To pay attention and to follow. What God has said. And the woman said to the servant. From the fruit of the trees of the garden, we may eat. But from the fruit of the tree, which is in the middle of the garden, daughter said, you shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die. Now I want you to notice. There's been something added to what God said. God said you shall not eat it. Eve quotes and said you may not eat it or touch it. Now I don't know who came up with the extra language. It could have been Adam who told her God said don't eat it, don't touch it because he's trying to put guardrails up. And we as humans tend. To do that? For instance, in the scriptures, it tells us that we are not to boil. A kid in its mother's milk. And for the Jews to avoid that, they tell their people you can't have a cheeseburger. Now the last I. Ah, when I go to the grocery store to buy hamburger meat? It isn't made from a kid. It isn't made from a goat made from a cow. So that part's wrong. The second part is when I get that cheese, it's usually produced from a whole different kind of cow. But we call it dairy cow, so it's very unlikely that the dairy cow has any connection with the beef cow. So but But the fear is that you might violate it. They put up extra guardrail. So I don't know if if Adam did that or Eve just. Made it up, but you get into trouble when you misquote God. And there are a whole lot of churches, unfortunately that are doing that today. We misquote what God said. Oh God wouldn't send anybody to hell because he loves everybody. Then why did he send Jesus? People want to tell you what they think about the scriptures rather than what God says about the scriptures. And so when you find yourself being told something that isn't truly scriptural but is either added to or subtracted from, you're very likely to make a really bad. Terrible decision. Because you're going to think something is different than it. Ought to be. Now what we're going to see in this case, in many other cases, is that many times one bad decision doesn't lead to irrevocable. Or catastrophic. But we do see. When there are a series of bad decisions that that can happen. And so. The woman misquotes God. But the serpent said to the woman, who surely will not die, he countermands what God has to say. He basically calls God a liar. You're not going to die. For God knows that in the day you eat from it, your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing good and evil. So First off he lies about. For God has said, and then he lies about the reason God has said it. He says the reason God doesn't want you to eat from this tree is because you'll become like him because you'll know the difference and know about good and evil. Now God knows about good and God is good. He knows and has observed what is evil, but he is not evil. But that one attribute doesn't make God, only God. God made the wool. God made man and woman. God made the universe. God is all powerful, that is omniscient buttons. On this science God is who God is. God is love that is holy brothers. All of these things, and simply because he may know what the difference is and what is good and what is evil and know these things will not. Make her God. But Satan doesn't care. This caitians a liar. We challenge his God. And rationale. Now here's where we see the 2nd. Bad decision. When the woman saw that the tree was. Good for food. How does she know that? There are a lot of food that look really. They're really bitter terrible. Just 'cause something looks good doesn't make it good. But she's now starting to rationalize what she's going to do, so she. Saw that the tree was good for food and that it. Was a delight to the eye. And that the tree was desirable to make one wise. Now I want to tell you. She's flat wrong. We're going to talk about this said, but knowing good and evil does not make you why. She took from its fruit and ate. She justified what she did because it was looked good for food. It was desirable and it would make her wise, so she rationalized her decision. And don't we do that? We rationalize what we want to do. We don't say well is this good or is this bad? We take a decision and then we rationalize it. And you can see that from your friends when your friends make a bad decision, you'll hear them and they will rationalize why it was that they did what they did and then what they want you to do. Is do what they did also? Because then that justifies what they did. And so. Misquoted God She rationalized her decision. So what did she do? She violated. The word ago. Because even if the word of God said you not to eat it and. Not to touch it, she did both. But the word of God said, you're not to eat it, and she did anyway, knowing. And she gave also to her husband with her. Those last two words are red. Ought to have a profound effect. She gave it to her husband with. Now let me tell you what we tend to think, and I tend to think that that's wrong. We tend to think she ate. We share. I need. Adam joined with me, so she took the fruit to him and gave it to him. I don't think that was the scripture saying. I think Adam was there the entire time. As he was with her. So he remained silent during the entire conversation between her. And Satan. He did not intercede as he should have as a husband. As a man of God. As a caring person. Saying no, no, that's not what God said. God said don't eat it. Don't eat it. But he let her do it. And then. He ate it himself, knowing God said no. I think what Adam should have done. And I'm not saying I had done it. If I'd have been there. Adam should have. Other than speak up. When she ate from the fruit. He should have said God. Please come. I need you to do one or two things, God. During this time that we have been husband and wife, I've really grown an attachment and love for this woman and I hate to see anything done for her to her. So can you redeem her now? What is it necessary to forgive her for what she did? And if you can't take that, you can't do that. Can you put me to sleep? And take another rib. 'cause that one broke and I need another one. But that's not what Adam did. Adam was willing to violate. God's command. Aren't we all sons and daughters of God? He did so. When he should have stopped. He did so even after Eve did so. Well that he would have said, Lord forgive her. Or make another one. But he didn't. But then the eyes of both were of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Loin covering and they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden of the pool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Among the trees of the garden, everything changed now. Their relationship between husband and wife changed because they discovered. Somehow being naked was shameful and they needed to cover themselves. And then they knew because that they had done what God had told them not to do. They were ashamed and hid themselves. Could you imagine what it must have been like? To walk with God. In the garden. Because they've violated God. Their sin and their shame caused them to high. And all too often, our sin and our shame causes us to hide from God. That relationship that God had wanted to walk with them in the cool of the day to be with them. To share with them, could you imagine the wisdom? That they would have gained by simply walking with God as opposed to eating some food. She violated God, a man he violated God's command. She rationalized it. It simply appears to me that. Adam chose to disregard all of that and watch it all happen. And then partake himself. And as a result, all. Best chain. In verse 12. We see that there's not much difference between the first two people and the rest of us. Then the Lord called to the man and said to him. Where are you? And he said, I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked. So I hid myself. And he being God said who told you you were naked? Now God doesn't need Adam to answer the question. He doesn't ask. The question because he doesn't know the answer. God knows the end. Just like we saw in job, God will ask US questions to get us us to understand. What we've done? So we asked who told you you were Nate. Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat? Now Adam has a choice. I saw a little video the other day of this little kid that was probably maybe 18 months, two years old, not more than three. He had blue icing all over his face. And apparently the deck is the beds off counter without ask. Did you eat the blue cake? And the little boy goes no. And it looks really sincere and really honest. And you would believe him based on how he said it. And the sincerity that came out. Bob was, there was icing on his face that was blue.
Right?
Though they asked him again. Did you eat the blue cake and just the same amount of sincerity? In conviction, he goes no. Adam could have done that. He knew he was dealing with God. So he came up with the other way. We explain our decisions. The man said the woman, whom you gave to be with me, she gave it from me from the tree, and I ate it. But God is really kind of your fault 'cause you gave me this lady. And then I she ate it and I took and ate. Well, wonderful, except you had the decision. To say no. But he did it. Or you might want to blame others and hold other people accountable for what you should be accountable for. It doesn't pass muster. But he tries, and so do we. We always want to blame somebody somebody else is accountable for our bad decision. Then the Lord. God said to the woman. What is this you have done? And the woman said, the serpent deceived. Me and I ate. So she does exactly. She follows on. Adam's response. She doesn't try to blame Adam. She blames Satan. He deceived me. But you rationalized it. You're the one who thought. The food. Would be tasty. You're the one who thought it looked good. You were the one who thought. That it would give you wisdom. And instead what it has given you is shame. And sin. And separation. Then God. Is going to deal with them. Before I finish. I want to. We have this tendency in this world that we. Move in. Is very evil. And every day it seems to get more and more evil. And what I hear over and over again as we hear all these more and more evil things happening in the world. It's why. We want to know. Why it happened? Why was this evil? Well, the tree was supposed to give us that knowledge of the difference of good and evil, and apparently in fact, we're always asking why. And let me. Tell you that the answer of Y will never satisfy you. If someone. Takes a gun or a knife, or a hammer, or something, an axe or whatever weapon you that you want to choose. And beats the life out of. A family member of yours. You ask why and they say, well, the person was mentally disturbed. His parents had an alcohol problem and so did he, and he grew up with an angry disposition and he just hated the world and that's why he did it. Does that satisfy you? Oh OK, that's that's great. I feel better now I'm I'll go on with my life. No, there's that missing of that person and it the answer doesn't satisfy. Instead of asking why. Evil happens, we should do what this word of God tells us, and that is found in Romans chapter 12, verse 9. I'm going to take the second part of it. Abhor what is evil. Bring to what is good. Instead of asking why evil, we should be sickened by it, we should turn our eyes from it. We should run away from it. We should not want to understand. It at all. Instead, we should cling to good. And run away from evil. Not justify it, not rationalize it not say well if we understand it, it'll all be OK. No run away from evil. 'cause ever since that route was taken. And ever since that bad, really bad, terrible decision was made. We've all paid the consequence. That's the bad news. So when you're coming to make decisions, make sure it's in conformity with the word of God and not some addition or subtraction from it. Don't rationalize your decision. And don't justify it or seek to hold others accountable. Abhor what is evil. Bring what is good. Here's the good news. I don't care what terrible, bad, lousy decision you've ever made in your life. Jesus paid the price for it. When Adam and Eve had sinned. And they're removed from the garden, they're. Just not kicked out. God shows them something. He sacrifices an animal. So that they understand that there is going to be redemption. And it will come from the sacrifices of animals. And he's going to teach him that there's going to be a Redeemer. And how do I know this? Because when Cain kills Abel, and Seth is born. Eve is convinced that she's the Redeemer. So she already knows. That there's a Redeemer coming and she's hoping it's sooner rather than later. But he sacrifices that animal, showing that there is a penalty for sin. And then he covers them with that animal to take away their shame. And that is exactly what Jesus has done for us. He being sacrificed, and his blood being shed for us. Takes away our sin and covers our shame. Whatever bad terrible, no good decision you've ever made. That ends in sin and tragedy. And catastrophic. Jesus forgives. God is merciful. And he loves. And he showed that even from the first really bad, terrible, no good decision. That had. Catastrophic consequences, not just for Adam and Eve, but for me and you. Because we can see in this short. How we do the very same things we seek to justify. We seek to to blame others. We seek anything other than our own responsibility. But we are responsible. But God. It's covered. And all God's people said. The band is going to come and we're going to sing a song called Love ran Red. 'cause in all those terrible bad decisions that we have made. His love ran red for us. That we might be forgiven.