Sermon Introduction: 

This morning we are continuing a sermon series in the book of Genesis titled "Beginning and Blessing." The first two messages covered the events of creation and God's good design for everything, including man and woman. This week we will look at Genesis three and how sin entered this perfect world and messed everything up. However, as we talk about sin and its consequences, we will also look at God's goodness and how He has already begun the work of restoration, renewal, and rebirth. 

Scripture Reading: 

Genesis 3:1-24: Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God 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, and I hid myself." He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you."

And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever—" therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the Garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the Tree of Life.

Opening Prayer: 

Gracious God, as we gather here today to reflect on the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we ask for your presence to be with us. May your Spirit guide us as we explore the themes of sin, temptation, and redemption. Please help us to learn from your scriptures so that we may live more faithfully in our own lives. Amen.

Two Trees: 

The Garden of Eden was a beautiful place where a man could do meaningful work and enjoy unbroken fellowship with God. In the middle of the garden were two significant trees: 

The Tree of Life was in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. - Genesis 2:9, ESV

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." - Genesis 2:16-17, ESV.

In the garden, Adam had access to a tree that would give eternal life, as well as a tree that came with the promise of death. God's Word tells us both trees were in the middle of the garden, always available to Adam. So why did Adam delay receiving eternal life? It is a good question and one many could ask themselves today. Why do people delay receiving the gift of eternal life that Christ offers us? We have the opportunity to live the blessed life with Christ both in the here and now and in an even grander way in eternity to come. Why would anyone choose not to receive this fantastic gift?

Some delay in coming to Christ because they feel no urgency. They see the Christian life as settling down, which is something they are not ready to do. They assume it is a decision they can make some other day. Many need to realize that, if taken seriously, the Christian life is the most exciting and fulfilling life anyone can live. I have never met a genuine believer who regrets giving their life to Jesus, but I have met many who regret not surrendering their life to Christ sooner. Do not make the mistake of assuming you will always have tomorrow. The only moment we truly have is this present moment. You have everything to gain, and all you have to lose is the chains of sin that weigh you down. 

Others simply have a fundamental misunderstanding of the Gospel. They want the eternal life Christ offers, but they want to "get right" before they give their life to God. This is like saying, "I must be clean before I take a bath," or "I must make myself well before seeing a doctor." Listen to God's Word: 

And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." - Luke 5:31-33, ESV.

"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8, ESV.

There was also a forbidden tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Only this one tree was forbidden, and the consequences of disobedience are also clearly spelled out, "in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:17, ESV). The fruit was not poisonous, but the sin of disobedience is a deadly poison whose only antidote is the blood of Christ. As the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome: 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23, ESV

The Deceit of Satan:

God is not a God of deception or confusion. The choice God gave Adam was clear; life or death. Unfortunately, a tempter enters the garden in the form of a serpent. He would sow seeds of doubt and confusion that would cause Adam and Even to question the goodness and truthfulness of God. Later biblical writers would make it clear that this serpent was Satan, an angel fallen from grace because Satan had attempted to become like God but failed to dethrone the almighty. Now he sneaks into the garden to tempt Adam and Eve to follow in his footsteps. 

Notice the crafty way in which Satan speaks to Eve in Paradise, 

He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" - Genesis 3:1, ESV.

There are multiple layers of deception just in this one question. The tactics used in the Garden millennia ago are still used against Christians today. 

First, Satan utters the phrase that has led countless millions to stumble, "Did God actually say…"  Then Satan exaggerates God's commands to portray God as unreasonable or excessive. "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?"  God did not say any such thing. God gave every tree in the garden except one. Finally, Satan depicts God as withholding good things from His people, causing them to wonder if there is something better than God in this life.

The same twisted logic is used today. Many voices will downplay anything related to God's goodness. They will instead try to make it seem as though God is repressive, harsh, and unnecessarily denying us good things. They will take your eyes off all the abundant blessings from God and try to keep your focus on the few things that God withholds from us for our good. Then these voices will do all they can to market the things which are not good and repackage them in beautiful ways that lead you to wonder in your heart, "Well, did God really say…?"

The tragedy of this devilish strategy is that it works. Listen to Eve's response, 

And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" - Genesis 3:2-3, ESV

It is easy to miss, but Eve misquotes God's command. God never said they could not touch the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God’s only command was not to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. It is subtle, but in this slight variation, we see Satan planting doubt in Eve's mind. Imagine if my wife were planning a surprise party for me and told me not to go into the kitchen because I would see the cake she had baked and have the surprise ruined. Her telling me not to go into the kitchen was for my benefit. Now imagine if I ran into you at the store and told you that my wife banished me from the house until further notice. Is that accurate? Not at all. My wife told me not to go in the kitchen, but the rest of the house was never off-limits. The fact that I interpreted my wife's words in that way reveals that there may already be some problems forming in our relationship. 

Having caused Eve to question God's goodness ever so slightly, Satan delivers the perfect lie. 

But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." - Genesis 3:4-5, ESV.

Satan never tells Adam or Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Instead, Satan utters suggestive half-truths that cause them to desire what God has forbidden. He tells Eve, "You will not surely die," which is half-true in that Adam and Eve did not immediately fall to the ground dead, although death entered them that day. Sometimes the Bible talks about death as physical death, which separates man's spirit from the body. The Bible also talks about a spiritual death, which separates man's spirit from God while he is still living. This spiritual death was the immediate death that Adam would experience after eating the forbidden fruit. It is also the state we are born into until we are given new life in Christ and the Holy Spirit comes upon us. While Adam and Eve would not physically die that day, spiritually, they would be separated from God, and in that sense, death entered into their spirit that day. Satan omits this truth. He also downplays the danger of sin and twists the facts to make it seem like Adam and Eve would benefit from disobedience. 

"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." - Genesis 3:5, ESV.

Indeed Adam and Eve would receive "knowledge of good and evil." They could live eternally knowing only the goodness of God, or they could disobey and learn what it is like to go beyond the borders of what God has called good. Knowledge, in and of itself, is not evil. The book of Proverbs repeatedly declares that wisdom and knowledge are noble pursuits for those wishing to live godly lives. However, pursuing knowledge apart from God's wisdom and revelation is foolishness. As the author of Proverbs declares, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). Without God guiding our wisdom and our quest for knowledge and understanding, we become what Jesus called "the blind leading the blind" (Matthew 15:14). 

Ironically, we who fell into sin because of pride can only return to God through humility. We desired to be like God and were brought low, but the Son of God humbled himself to become like us so that we could receive salvation through Him.

The Fall 

Sadly, we read, 

"When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate." - Genesis 3:6, ESV.

There is no indication given that Adam or Eve was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit until Satan planted seeds of doubt in their minds. He led them to wonder if God was withholding good things in them; he led them to think that they perhaps knew better than God or could be equal to God in deciding right and wrong. Satan, however, did not and could not force this decision upon them. Neither can God be blamed. As James, the brother of Jesus wrote, 

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. - James 1:12-15, ESV

Here in Genesis three, we saw this pattern unfold for the first time, though it would be a pattern that tragically repeats itself over and over again in the lives of many today. We then read that "their eyes were opened" (Genesis 3:7), and for the first time, they knew shame. It was not as though Adam and Eve had been walking around with their eyes closed shut, but rather that for the first time, they saw the difference between the goodness they had given up and the evil they had chosen.

Immediately following the first sin, we see a division between God and humankind.  

"...the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden" - Genesis 3:8, ESV. 

Never before had man or woman ever felt shame or a need to hide. Now that sin had entered their hearts and their eyes were opened, they were ashamed of themselves. They began to fear God, not out of awe and reverence, but as a guilty criminal might fear a judge. 

God Questions Adam and Eve

We know that no one can hide from God. As the Psalmist wrote, 

"Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” - Psalm 139:7-12, ESV

Still, like Adam and Eve, I know many who try to hide from God. When we are living in sin and doing things that we know are displeasing to the Lord, we will try our best to hide from God's presence. To avoid conviction, we will avoid God's Word and our church community. Our prayer life will become fruitless or nonexistent because we desire to keep repentance at arm's length. 

Some mistakenly believe that if we come to God will punish us if we come to Him with our sins, when the opposite is true. Holding onto your sin and guilt is the punishment. Coming to God with repentance is how you receive forgiveness and healing. 

While our all-knowing God certainly knew that Adam and Eve had sinned, He appears to them strolling through the garden, looking for His friends. We read, "The Lord God called to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?'" (Genesis 3:9). Adam, stepping out of the trees, declares, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself" (Genesis 3:10). God, knowing what has transpired, gives Adam a chance to confess his transgression and to repent. The Lord God asks Adam, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" (Genesis 3:11).

Unfortunately, Adam does what many of us still do when we fall short; he passes the blame to others. 

The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." - Genesis 3:12, ESV.

Not only did Adam try to cover his sin by shifting blame upon his wife, but he even went so far as to blame God for giving Adam a wife in the first place. Eve gives into the same temptation by casting blame upon the serpent. She was the first to use the old excuse "the devil made me do it," though we know that is false. Satan can tempt us, but he can never force us to do what we do not choose to do. Likewise, the people around us may invite us to join in their sin, but you are the only one to blame for the sin in your life. Adam and Eve's choice to sin, and their refusal to confess and repent, ultimately created a rift between God and humanity, between men and women, and even between humanity and the rest of creation, the effects of which we still feel to this day. 

God's Punishment and Provision

As a consequence of sin, we see the first curses enter the world. In the Bible, a blessing is a divine expression of favor bestowed upon someone. A curse was just the opposite. Biblically speaking, a curse invokes God's judgment against someone for the wrongs they have done. The serpent's curse was to crawl on its belly in the dirt for the rest of its life. When a snake slithers on the ground, it is as low as a creature can go without burrowing into the earth itself. It is an eternal reminder that those who oppose God will be brought low. 

God also declared "enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15). The earliest Jewish scholars interpreted the serpent as a symbol of Satan, but later Christians would see not only Satan but also Christ in this curse. The offspring of the woman is a singular "he," meaning that a descendent of Eve would crush the head of Satan, him dealing a lethal blow. This offspring is Jesus, who was born of a virgin woman. Jesus needed to be a man born of a virgin woman to justly conquer the enemy who had deceived the first man and woman in the beginning. 

"For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." - Romans 5:17-19, ESV

Sin disrupted the roles God created man and woman to fulfill. God created the woman to be man's partner and to have the blessing of bearing children. Now she would know tension and disunity within marriage and great pain in childbearing. Likewise, God created man to care for the earth and enjoy its abundance. Now he would have to work hard for his food. Man now has to work to survive, and even the hardest worker comes to the end of his days. The ultimate consequence of sin is death. 

Despite the curse and the power of sin and death, this passage still has hope. After God declares the curses and consequences of sin, we witness God providing clothes of skin for Adam and Eve. Unless God created these animal skin clothes from nothing, a creature had to die to cover the shame and guilt of man's sin. The descendants of Adam and Eve would offer animal sacrifices to God to atone for their sins until Christ (the Lamb of God) came and died in our place. The one who would crush the head of Satan would also be the one who takes our sin and clothes us his righteousness.

From the perspective of Adam and Eve, the saving work of the Son of God would not come to pass for a long time, but for us, we look back at the saving work of Christ as an event that has already occurred. We are not living in days of blessing when the paradise lost in Genesis three is slowly but surely being restored. We still have much work to do, but we should always remember that salvation and eternal life have been made available to us and all who will come and receive Christ as their Savior and Lord. 

I conclude our sermon today with the word of the Apostle Paul, 

The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" - 1 Corinthians 14:47-55, ESV.

Closing Prayer: 

Loving God, we thank you for the wisdom and insight we have gained from your Word. As we go out into the world, help us resist temptation and live according to your will. May we remember that even when we fall short, you are always there to offer us grace and forgiveness. We pray that you will continue to guide us on our journey of faith and that we may always trust in your love and mercy. Amen.