Genesis 3:22-24

22 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—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 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.

The fall.

Driven out of the garden to have to work on the ground from which he came.

The consequences of their sin must be sinking in at the point they walk out of the garden into a place where Adam will have to work to make things grow.

A glance back reveals the lush garden now blocked from entry by a cherubim and a flaming sword.

They realize there’s no turning back.

Looking ahead brings such a stark contrast that it makes Adam gasp. The beauty of the garden was never more apparent than the day that they were driven from it.

This is the end result of their sin.

I can’t help but think that if any of us were able to actually see the consequences of our actions, before we do them, we would act quite differently.

I can’t imagine Adam and Eve would choose to eat of the forbidden fruit again…

Not after realizing what they were losing.

What are you in danger of losing today?

Genesis 3:20-21

20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Immediately after God finishes His cursings – painful childbirth, toil in labor – He does a genuinely caring, loving thing. He makes clothes for Adam and Eve.

They’re ashamed, feeling naked and bare. God, Himself, has ripped them a new one.

Then He turns around and covers their shame, covers their nakedness.

Throughout the Bible we see many passages that speak of being clothed by God, new garments that have been washed clean, even armor to protect us. Yet this one is a true physical example of God’s loving care for us.

When we turn to Him, He clothes us.

When we turn to Him, He covers our shame.

When we turn to Him, He forgives our sins.

Let’s be honest for a second… what’re you wearing?

Are you wearing clothes from God?

or

Are you trying to cover yourself up, with your own clothes?

[aside] I hope you realize this is a metaphor, that we’re not talking about real clothes that God made for us. Its a metaphor for covering our sin and shame. [/aside]

Turn to God and let Him clothe you in peace, forgiveness and grace.

2 Corinthians 5:2-4

[2] For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, [3] if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. [4] For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Genesis 3:16-19

[16] To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”
[17] 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;
[18] thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
[19] 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.”

Consequence – noun - a result or effect of an action or condition

Here we find the consequence of letting sin into the world.

1) Childbirth is more painful. I haven’t been through it, but I can’t imagine a single woman who wouldn’t mind if it was less painful. Ouch.

2) Cursed is the ground – thorns and thistles – weeds will grow and you’ll have to work hard to get food.

3) Death – actual, physical deaht – to the dust you shall return.

Its funny, because the thing we think of the least when we sin is the consequence of our actions. We don’t think about how much this’ll hurt someone, or hurt us. We just do it because it feels good, or we feel justified because we deserve it.

When, if we actually think about the consequences, we might pause.

Stop and think.

1 Corinthians 10:13

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

When we stop to think we’ll be able to see the way out.

The difficulty is in the midst of the temptation to stop.

Think about the consequences of your actions.

Adam and Eve just ate a fruit, and we have painful childbirth, weeds, and death.

What can you prevent?

Genesis 3:14-15

14 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.
15 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.

Some say this is just about the volitile relationship between men and snakes. I’m more apt to side with those that say this is the first stating of the gospel.

The serpent isn’t just a snake.

The offspring isn’t just Cain, Able or Seth.

This is much bigger than a snake bite, much bigger than a bruised head.

This is about the gospel, hope.

Jesus died, but it wasn’t over.

Jesus rose, to give us hope.

These bruises are only temporary.

This life is not the end.

Death is not the end.

Place your hope in God today.

Genesis 3:14-16

[14] 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.
[15] 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.”
[16] To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”

The serpent is cursed.

But so is humankind.

First, to the woman, God says, “I will multiply your pain in childbirth.”

Ouch. I mean, I’ve been around births, but I’ve never experienced the pain myself. Nor do I want to. It is definitely a painful experience. Yet here we see that it didn’t have to be that way.

Sin does what it always does – causes pain.

Pain in childbirth. Pain in shame. Pain in broken relationships. Pain in injury.

Sin leads to pain.

But as we saw yesterday, God will forgive our sins and cleanse us.

That doesn’t stop the consequences of the sin, it still can hurt people, but you can be forgiven.

Grace leads to forgiveness.

Forgiveness leads to life.

Genesis 3:10-13

[10] And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” [11] He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” [13] 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 blame game. We’ve all played it. Its not my fault – they made me do it!

God asks Adam if he had eaten of the tree that he wasn’t supposed to. Adam responds, “Well, God, that woman, you know, the one YOU gave me, well she gave it to me and I ate it.

This isn’t really what happened. Adam sat by and watched Eve eat it, and when she didn’t die, he wanted some too.

So God asks Eve, “What have you done?”

Eve blames the serpent.

Adam blames Eve, Eve blames the serpent, and neither actually acknowledge they’ve done wrong.

Throughout my life I’ve been guilty of playing the blame game. I blame my problems on other people, or other situations. I won’t hold myself liable for my actions.

Yet God here comes to Adam and Eve, and I think he’s coming to us to, wanting us to admit our fault.

1 John 1:9-10

[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

John says that if we say we have not sinned, we make God out to be a liar. If we don’t confess, we’re saying its not our fault, and make God out to be liar – not a good thing to do.

But John also tells us that God will forgive our sins if we just come to him and admit our fault.

So let’s agree, together, to stop playing the blame game. Confess to God, and be cleansed.

Genesis 3:9

[9] But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” [10] And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

God calls out, “Where are you?”

Adam and Eve hide in fear and shame.

God calls out, and Adam answers, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid!”

Sin breaks the relationship.

Adam and Eve are afraid, feeling naked and trying to hide themselves from God.

Yesterday we talked about how we hide from God.

Today, we get to see that God is looking for us.

Ever gracious, loving and compassionate, God is seeking for us. Its not like God didn’t know where they were. He knew exactly where they were and what they did. Yet He still seeks them.

God keeps looking… even when we try to hide.

Revelation 3:20

[20] Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Jesus is speaking her, and I love the image. He’s knocking on the door, waiting for you to open it.

Are you ready to quit hiding?

Are you ready to open the door?

Genesis 3:8

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.

Have you ever played hide and seek with a young child?

“How’d you find me?”

“You were standing in the middle of the room with your eyes closed.”

“But I thought you couldn’t see me!”

Awwww.

In the same way, Adam and Eve are like children attempting to hide from their parents, only they aren’t playing a game.

It isn’t cute.

They’re hiding because they’re ashamed. Ashamed of what they’ve done.

I just have to say that this isn’t Adam and Eve’s finest hour.

Hide… From God.

Brilliant!

Yet, the truth is that we do it all the time. Or at least I do.

I hide from Him when its not convenient to talk about what He’s done in my life. When its easier to just talk about nothing, rather than the only thing that really matters.

I hide from Him when I realize I nearly went a whole day without praying.

I hide from God by not starting, by not praying, by not loving and by not staying.

How are you hiding from God?

Genesis 3:6-7

 6 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. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

A delight to the eyes – desirous to make one wise… The fruit appears to be so good, worth even defying God for. But what was the real result.

Fear.

Shame.

Kind’ve the opposite of what both the serpent said would happen, and what Adam and Eve thought would too. Commentators disagree on why their eyes were opened – some say its because they actually were given knowledge of good and evil – found that what they did was evil and had shame about it. Others think that the very act of disobeying God made them realize they were naked – bare – before their creator. They disobeyed and felt shame.

Have you disobeyed and felt shame?

Have you ever been tempted by something that appeared to be so, so good?

What happened after the good part passed?

Shame, fear, hurt, pain, anger, frustration.

Sometimes, for me, it opens up a feeling of nakedness, like everyone can tell that I’ve done something wrong.

Romans 7:24-25

[24] Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Without Jesus, I have no hope. Without Jesus I have a life of shame for my past mistakes. Without Jesus, I have pain, anger frustration…

But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, who has delivered me from this body of death – forgiven my sins and loved me even in my sin.

Amen.

Genesis 3:2-5

[2] And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, [3] 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.’” [4] But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. [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.”

Eve corrects the serpent – but like many of us, adds to God’s commandments. God merely said that they could not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She adds, “neither shall you touch it.”

How many times have you added to what God has actually commanded for us?

How many times have you added to what you or someone else was actually supposed to do – according to God, not man?

I don’t know about you, but I do struggle with that. I add on things for myself – get upset when I don’t do them. Or I start to judge those who do other things that actually aren’t against God’s commands.

Anyway, back to the text – in verse 4 we see the serpent respond, and we find that he’s not just curious, he didn’t just mishear God the first time. Here he deliberately deceives Eve.

Yet what he says is half-true…

Adam and Eve don’t die right away, although that’s not what God meant.

Their eyes are opened, but only to see that they are naked – to open them up to shame.

They already are like God, for they were made in His image, but now they’ve experienced sin – evil.

That is the way of sin, though. Half-truths wrapped in a lie.

Glorious chocolate, wrapped in laxative.

An apple that looks so good, so appealing, but once you bite into it, it rots all the way into your stomach.

Sin is half-truths.

Quit listening to half-truths!

Quit listening to the serpent, to those around you that say its just fine, when God says it isn’t.

Quit speaking half-truths! Quit saying that God commands something, that He doesn’t!

If you’re half-right, you’re still all wrong.

Stop listening to the serpent.

Start listening to that smaller, stronger voice – the Voice of Truth.