Intro: Genesis is a wonderful book of beginnings. It carries some amazing truths. We find out what sport God likes best. In the big inning God created the heavens and the earth so he must like baseball best. We find His favorite state Noah looked out of the Arkansas. Really God is no respecter of sports or states.
We do however see in this book a beginning of all things. We see the destructive disease of sin that grows out of one decision. From this one decision we get all of the brokenness of the human race. But wait! There is good news. From God’s decision in this passage a possibility of restoration and transformation. From man’s decision there is destruction and decay from God’s decision restoration and new life.
There is a story of a man and woman who decided how to make decisions and keep the peace in their marriage. They decided that the husband would make all the big decisions and the wife would make all the little decisions. The question to them both was does that really work. The husband proudly responded, “Oh, yes, 66 years and so far not one big decision!”
We must be careful not to look at the decisions we make so lightly. The decisions we make define our lives. Please understand that the decisions we make carry far beyond the moment we make them. Adams decision is still impacting the lives of people almost 7000 years after he made it.
While we exam this passage we discover what led Adam to make such a disastrous decision. We also see how God responds to the destructive decisions of His creation.
It must be clearly stated that decisions have consequences. It is our decisions that determine our destiny. Paul tells us the ultimate end of the decisions made here in Genesis in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!
What is at the heart of these attitudes and actions that come from someone doing religion instead of walking in relationship with Jesus? A lack of love is at the heart of what Paul was talking about. A lack of love was at the heart of Adams decision to disobey God.
I. Adams destructive decision
A) Adam refused His spiritual responsibility
Someone once said, "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing." Adams problem was that he did nothing. He stood by and refused to exert the spiritual authority given to Him by God.
What was Adams first responsibility? Look at Genesis 3:11 “Who told you? Did you eat from the tree I commanded you not to? Adam was to listen to God and obey!! This clear responsibility to listen to God permeates and penetrates both old and new testament. Deuteronomy 6:5 Hear O Israel, read through the book of Deuteronomy and you find God over and over again saying listen to my voice. God spoke at Jesus’ transfiguration, Mark 9:7 “this is My beloved Son, listen to Him.” Jesus constantly was telling people he who has an ear let him hear.
A) Why don’t we listen to God’s words?
1) Competing voices -- “because you listened to your wife.” Genesis 3:4, 17, the devils voice and the voice of Adams wife competed against God’s voice. If we listen to wrong voices we will make wrong choices.
2) Compelling desires (Read Genesis 3:6)
B) What do we miss when we don’t listen?
1) Words of life
2) Words of instruction
When we don’t listen to God’s word we live in confusion. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that God’s words are for training in righteousness. Teaching takes hours. Training takes a lifetime of listening and applying.
B) Adam rejected His relationship with God
Genesis 2:16, 17 (read) God clearly said in the moment you decide to disobey me you will be separated from me.
Adam said yes to his good thing and said no to the best thing. James tells us that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. So often we choose the gifts instead of the giver.
So what was the result of this rejection of God? Adam essentially told God “Hey I got this leave me alone.” With that rejection of God Adams relationship with God was broken (death) and his relationship with all other humans was ruptured.
If we reject our relationship with God we are asking for dysfunction in our other relationships.
A) Separation is the result of rejecting God
Kurt Warner’s testimony: “Before accepting Jesus as my Lord I lived my life for only me. I never asked God what he wanted for my life. I was living only for what I wanted. When I was 25 years old I realized I was nothing without Jesus and that I was separated from Him because of sin. I asked Jesus to come into my life and show me His way. He did! Jesus became first in my life and a great change took place.”
B) Suffering is the result of rejecting God
C) Adam relinquished His children’s inheritance
So many today think the Bible is out of date. This is usually the case when individuals don’t read it for themselves. From Genesis to revelation we are instructed on what Adam released that was meant for His children.
Our inheritance was the Prince of Peace. We were to walk with God and because of His presence we could live as he designed us to. Whatever is broken in our lives comes from not accepting the inheritance of Jesus as our savior, peace and Lord.
As someone once said, “contrary to popular belief it wasn’t the fruit on the tree that got us banished from paradise it was the pair on the ground.” We can choose to live without our inheritance of wholeness but we don’t have too. Adam made a destructive decision and God made a redemptive decision.
II. God’s redemptive decision
A) God confronted Adam and Eve with their sin
Why did God ask the questions of Adam and Eve? Was he ignorant of what they had done? Did he really not know where they were? He was giving them an opportunity to come clean and confess their disobedience.
God graciously confronted Adam and Eve in search of reconciliation. When we fail to address issues with others we are not being gracious. A father wants to teach and train their children. That often takes gracious confrontation.
God’s questions are direct and aimed at the destructive decision Adam made. “Who told you, you were naked?” An inner change had taken place that wasn’t apparent to Adam.
When confronted by a holy God they blamed someone else. But if you look closely there is also a confession. “I ate.” If we will confess our destructive disobedient decisions to God our Father he will take over and deal with our sin.
B) God defeated the serpent and his schemes
In defeating the serpent and taking the penalty of sin on Himself God satisfies both His holiness and His grace. God never says “That’s okay don’t worry about.” Remember He confronted their sin. Then he covered it by sacrificing life to give them clothes. Jesus does the same by giving His life so that we can wear the clothes of righteousness.
Satan’s plan for your life and the life of this church are frustration, separation, dysfunction, aggravation, defeat and ultimately death.
God’s plan for your life and the life of your family and this church are peace, joy, unity
C) God restored man’s inheritance (Read Genesis 3:21)
Ezekiel 44:28 God is our inheritance. Nothing can remove what God has restored.
Conclusion: Which decision have you made? What voices have you been listening to?
