From Creation to Redemption: The Power of the Cross

 

Summary

In the beginning, God created the universe, including every planet, star, and living creature. The Book of Genesis describes the creation week, a period of seven literal days, during which God brought order and life to the world. On the sixth day, God created the first humans, Adam and Eve, and on the seventh day, He rested, blessing and sanctifying the Sabbath as a day of grace and gratitude. The Garden of Eden, their first home, was abundant with life and resources, including two significant trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God commanded Adam and Eve to enjoy the garden's bounty but warned them not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, as doing so would lead to death.

Despite God's provision and warning, Adam and Eve disobeyed, eating from the forbidden tree, which led to their shame and separation from God. This act of rebellion introduced sin and death into the world, altering the perfect creation. However, Genesis 3 also offers hope, foreshadowing the coming of Jesus Christ, who would ultimately defeat sin and death. God's grace is evident as He provides garments for Adam and Eve, symbolizing His desire to cover their shame and sin.

The sermon explores the significance of three trees: the Tree of Life, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the cross of Jesus Christ. The Greek word "xulon" is used to describe both the trees in Genesis and the cross in the New Testament, highlighting the connection between these pivotal moments in salvation history. While Adam and Eve's disobedience led to the loss of access to the Tree of Life, Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross restores that access. Through His death, Jesus bore the curse of sin, offering forgiveness and reconciliation to humanity.

The cross, a symbol of death, becomes a source of life and restoration for those who embrace God's gift of grace through faith in Jesus. As believers, we are called to choose the cross, trusting in Jesus' atoning sacrifice and holding on to the hope of eternal life. Let us praise God for His immeasurable love and grace, and let us live in gratitude for the life-giving power of the cross.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Sabbath, established at creation, is a day of grace and gratitude, reminding us of God's provision and care. It invites us to rest in His presence, acknowledging that our worth is not based on our work but on His love and grace. [02:25]

2. The Garden of Eden, with its two significant trees, represents the choice between obedience and rebellion. Respecting God's boundaries leads to fulfillment and flourishing, while disobedience results in separation and death. [05:16]

3. Despite humanity's rebellion, Genesis 3 offers hope through the promise of a Savior. Jesus Christ, the seed of the woman, would ultimately defeat sin and death, restoring our relationship with God. [15:26]

4. The cross of Jesus, referred to as "xulon" in the New Testament, connects the story of the three trees. While Adam and Eve's disobedience led to death, Jesus' obedience and sacrifice on the cross bring life and reconciliation. [23:19]

5. Embracing the cross means accepting God's gift of grace through faith in Jesus. It is through His sacrificial death that we are granted access to the Tree of Life, experiencing forgiveness, restoration, and eternal life. [36:38]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:18] - Opening Prayer
- [00:41] - Creation of the Universe
- [01:23] - Creation of Adam and Eve
- [02:08] - The Significance of the Sabbath
- [03:24] - The Garden of Eden
- [04:27] - The Forbidden Tree
- [05:32] - Obedience and Allegiance
- [07:45] - The Fall of Humanity
- [10:16] - Consequences of Disobedience
- [14:49] - Words of Hope in Genesis 3
- [17:33] - The Three Trees
- [21:33] - The Cross as the Third Tree
- [27:18] - Jesus' Sacrificial Death
- [30:28] - Redemption Through the Cross
- [36:38] - Embracing the Cross
- [37:24] - Closing Remarks

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 2:2-3
2. Genesis 2:9, 16-17
3. Genesis 3:1-7

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Observation Questions:

1. What did God do on the seventh day of creation, and why is it significant? ([02:08])
2. Describe the two special trees mentioned in the Garden of Eden. What were their purposes? ([03:46])
3. How did the serpent deceive Eve, and what was the result of Adam and Eve eating from the forbidden tree? ([08:04])
4. What actions did God take after Adam and Eve sinned, and what do these actions symbolize? ([13:07])

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of the Sabbath as a day of grace and gratitude challenge modern views of rest and productivity? ([02:25])
2. In what ways does the choice between the two trees in the Garden of Eden reflect the choices we face in our daily lives? ([05:16])
3. How does Genesis 3:15 foreshadow the coming of Jesus Christ, and what hope does it offer to humanity? ([15:26])
4. What is the significance of the cross being referred to as "xulon" in the New Testament, and how does it connect to the trees in Genesis? ([23:19])

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current work-life balance. How can you incorporate the principle of the Sabbath as a day of rest and gratitude into your weekly routine? ([02:25])
2. Think about a time when you faced a choice between obedience and rebellion. What did you learn from that experience, and how can it guide your future decisions? ([05:16])
3. How can the promise of a Savior in Genesis 3:15 encourage you in times of personal failure or sin? ([15:26])
4. In what ways can you embrace the life-giving power of the cross in your daily life? Consider specific actions or attitudes you can adopt. ([36:38])
5. Identify an area in your life where you need to trust in Jesus' atoning sacrifice more fully. What steps can you take to deepen your faith in this area? ([36:38])
6. How can you live in gratitude for God's immeasurable love and grace this week? Think of one practical way to express this gratitude. ([36:38])
7. Consider someone in your life who may not know about the hope offered through Jesus Christ. How can you share this message with them in a meaningful way? ([36:38])

Devotional

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional.

Quotes



God provided abundantly for his creatures but that one tree the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil was to be a test of Allegiance humans were to enjoy great freedom and joy and to flourish and experience fulfillment in the garden of Edom and on the Earth but they had to respect their creaturely boundaries if they were to live in obedience to God within those beautiful boundaries of a relationship of trust and obedience to the Lord they would experience fulfillment they would flourish on the earth apart from their creator they would not even exist let alone have such an amazing home as that garden and planet Earth obeying God's word would be an expression of allegiance of gratitude of trust and love for their creator on the other hand alternatively disregarding God's word and eating from The Forbidden tree would constitute rebellious Disobedience. [00:47:56]

Despite God's Loving Care despite his word of warning they ate they disobeyed they rebelled against their creator they ate from The Forbidden tree as we find also pointed out in on verse 13 the woman was deceived and she followed the words of the serpent instead of following the word of God and the man listened to the voice of his wife as we find pointed out in verse 17 and he ate of the fruit from The Forbidden tree instead of remaining faithful to God in his word Genesis 3 contains one of the saddest accounts in the whole of the scriptures yet it also contains words of Hope. [00:09:08]

The Lord God said to the serpent because you have done this cursed are you more than all cattle and more than every beast of the field on your belly you will go and thus you will eat all the days of your life and I will put enity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed he shall bruise your you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel to the woman he said I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth in pain he will bring forth children yet your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you then to Adam he said because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you saying you shall not eat from it cursed is the ground because of you in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you and you will eat the plants of the field by the sweat of your face you will eat bread till you return to the ground because from it you were taken for you are dust into dust you shall return. [00:11:47]

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothe them earlier in the narrative we read that after finding that they were naked Adam and the woman sold fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings that was part of their way to try to address their situation in contrast as we find here in verse 21 the Lord God made garments for Adam and his wife he graciously provided garments for them not only that he made garments of skin for Adam and his wife here we have a subtle reference to the first sacrifice these were garments of skin in the Lord it says that he clothed them God clothed Adam and the woman brothers and sisters today God has the same desire of covering Sinners with garments to cover their shame to cover their nakedness as consequence of their sin he wants to cover Sinners with the garments of the righteousness of Jesus Christ who died as the Lamb of God. [00:15:58]

Because our first parents rebelliously took of the Forbidden tree The Forbidden culon of the knowledge of Good and Evil we they and we too lost access to the tree or the kulon of Life by contrast while they rebelliously took from The Forbidden Tree by contrast Jesus Faithfully gave his life for us on the cross on the kulon to restore human access to the tree or the kulon of life through him our first parents went against God's Will and expressed word when they chose to take from the tree from the sulin of the knowledge of Good and Evil and thus they forsook everlasting life for Humanity they went against God's Will and expressed word by contrast Jesus fulfilled God's will and his word choosing the cross choosing that sulon and by God's grace through Jesus substitutionary death on the cross we may live by faith in Jesus. [00:27:15]

Our first parents took from what was not theirs and lost that which they should have cherished by contrast to save us Jesus lovingly took what was ours our punishment so that we may have what he lovingly wants to grant us Abundant Life in a sense our first parents chose a a tree or aulin of death and humans lost access to the tree of the exul of Life by contrast Jesus lovingly and self- sacrificially chose a tree or aulin of death the cross and he's the way and the truth and the life because of the of the Cross Jesus is the way back to the suul of Life the Tree of Life. [00:29:48]

Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the tree on the kulon that we having died to sins might live for righteousness what a contrast between what our first parents did and what Jesus did when we consider the Dynamics of these three suah the Tree of Life the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and the cross another text I want to consider with you is Galatians chapter 3: 13 and 14 Galatians 3: 13 and 14 and look at what the Apostle Paul does here and this is really remarkable Galatians CH 3: 13 and 14 and the text says Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree that The Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. [00:30:28]

The cross of Jesus is a Wonder of God's grace the cross of Jesus is the suul Theon of the curse and as such as aulon of curse it is aulon of blessedness for those who believe in Jesus Christ the son of God the cross of Jesus is the culon of blood the pure and innocent blood of the Lamb of God and as such as aulon of blood it is also Theon of forgiveness and reconciliation as it says in Ephesians 2:8 to9 and the new King James version that it is by Grace it says that it is through faith that we are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God not of Works lest anyone should boast it is through that kulon the cross the suul of blood and Reconciliation that we have saved by grace through faith is a gift of God not of Works lest anyone should boast. [00:32:54]

The cross of Jesus is the culon of death and as such as the kulon of death it is the of restoration of life for those who by faith Embrace God's gracious gift through Jesus what a wonderful what a wonderful Wonder ful thing the cross of Jesus a wonder of the grace of God and I want to consider one more Bible verse with you more more Bible passage it's in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 21 through 23 and I'll read this one in The New American Standard Bible 95 1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians chapter 15 vers 21 through 203 look at what the Apostle Paul says for Since By A Man Came Death By A man also came the resurrection of the Dead for as in Adam all die so also in Christ all will be made alive but each in his own order Christ the first fruits after that those who are Christ at his coming that is those who are of Christ who belong to Christ. [00:34:08]

Because our first parents disobediently took from the tree or the kulon of the knowledge of Good and Evil Humanity lost access to the tree or the kulon of life but by God's grace through Jesus through his death on the cross that kulon those who take from that third tree from that third suon those who take from the third tree so to speak those who Embrace God's Gift of grace through Jesus death on the cross on that kulon those who Embrace that gift they will be granted access to the tree of the kulon of Life the tree the kulon of the knowledge of Good and Evil led to death but the cross leads to life the sulon of blood and Reconciliation leads to life because of jesus' death on the cross we who Embrace Jesus gift will have access to the Tree of Life praise God praise God for his gracious immeasurable unfathomable self-sacrificial atoning forgiving reconciling restorative life giving love let us choose let us Embrace let us trust let us hold on to the cross of Jesus Christ. [00:35:56]

The Sabbath is a special day even for us now it's very interesting looking back at that week our first parents were created on the sixth day but then their first full day was the seventh day the Sabbath day so they had not even had a full weeks worth of work yet and they already have a day of rest they enjoy the rest afforded by God's gracious Providence and care that helps us see that the Sabbath is a day of Grace it's a day of gratitude because God provides for his children now the Lord provided a beautiful garden the Garden of Eden to be the first home of our first parents. [00:02:30]

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Transcript
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