Redemption and Hope: Overcoming the Fall Through Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing Satan's Tactics

Satan's strategies of confusion, presumption, and ambition are timeless and designed to lead us away from God. He distorts God's word, encouraging us to doubt and presume upon God's grace, and tempts us to usurp God's authority by deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong. Recognizing these tactics helps us guard against sin and remain faithful to God. By understanding how Satan operates, we can better equip ourselves to resist his temptations and stay aligned with God's truth. [06:25]

Genesis 3:1-5 (ESV): "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 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.'"

Reflection: Identify a recent situation where you felt confused or tempted to act against God's word. How can you apply the knowledge of Satan's tactics to resist similar temptations in the future?

Day 2: The Burden of the Knowledge of Evil

The fall introduced the knowledge of evil into humanity, a burden that separates us from God. This knowledge is not just external but internal, affecting our desires and actions. It is a heavy weight that distorts our understanding and leads us away from God's original design. Recognizing the depth of this burden helps us see our profound need for redemption and the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice. [17:12]

Romans 7:21-23 (ESV): "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you struggle with the knowledge of evil. How can you invite God into this struggle and seek His redemption and transformation?

Day 3: The Insurmountable Barrier of Judgment

The flaming sword symbolizes the judgment of God, which we cannot bypass on our own. It underscores the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin. This barrier is a reminder of our separation from God due to sin and the impossibility of returning to His presence through our own efforts. Only through Christ, who bore the judgment for us, can we hope to enter God's presence and experience reconciliation. [22:40]

Hebrews 12:28-29 (ESV): "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God due to sin. How can you embrace the grace offered through Christ to overcome this barrier and draw closer to Him today?

Day 4: Hope in the Promise of Redemption

God's curse on the serpent contains the promise of redemption. It points to Christ's victory over evil, offering hope that evil will not have the final word. This promise invites us to trust in God's plan for salvation and to live in the assurance that Christ has overcome the world. By holding onto this hope, we can navigate the challenges of life with confidence and faith in God's ultimate victory. [25:11]

Colossians 2:14-15 (ESV): "By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively trust in God's promise of redemption in your daily life? How does this hope influence your actions and decisions?

Day 5: The Path to Reconciliation Through Christ

Jesus' sacrifice on the cross opens a new way to God, overcoming the barrier of judgment. By trusting in Him, we are delivered from evil and assured of eternal life in God's presence. This is the heart of the gospel and our ultimate hope. Embracing this truth transforms our lives, guiding us to live in alignment with God's will and purpose. [38:07]

Ephesians 2:13-16 (ESV): "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to experience reconciliation with God? How can you take a step today to trust in Jesus' sacrifice and embrace the peace He offers?

Sermon Summary

In Genesis 3, we encounter the pivotal moment that explains the human condition and the world as we know it. God, the Creator, endowed the first humans with a life filled with blessings, purpose, and His presence. However, the introduction of Satan, the enemy, marked the beginning of humanity's struggle with sin. Satan's strategies—confusion, presumption, and ambition—are designed to lead us away from God. He first sows doubt by questioning God's word, then encourages presumption on God's grace, and finally tempts us with the ambition to be like God, deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong.

The fall of man resulted in the knowledge of evil, a burden we all carry. This knowledge separates us from the paradise of God, as evil cannot coexist with His holiness. The flaming sword guarding the way back to Eden symbolizes the insurmountable barrier of God's judgment. Yet, hope is not lost. God, in His mercy, deflected the curse from Adam and Eve onto the ground, foreshadowing the ultimate deflection of judgment onto Jesus Christ. Christ bore the curse on the cross, opening a new way for us to be reconciled with God.

The promise of redemption is woven into the curse pronounced on the serpent. God foretells a relentless battle against evil, culminating in the victory of Christ, the offspring of the woman, who will crush the serpent's head. This victory, achieved at the cross, offers us a path to salvation. However, the world remains in its fallen state because it rejects Christ, choosing instead to be its own god.

Our deepest problem is twofold: the knowledge of evil and exclusion from God's presence. Jesus, by His death, has made a way past the judgment for those who trust in Him. He offers deliverance from evil and the promise of eternal life in God's presence. As we navigate this world, we are called to recognize our true problem and embrace the hope found in Jesus Christ, who alone can restore us to the paradise we lost.

Key Takeaways

1. The Nature of Temptation: Satan's strategies of confusion, presumption, and ambition are timeless. He seeks to distort God's word, encourage us to presume on God's grace, and tempt us to usurp God's authority. Recognizing these tactics helps us guard against sin and remain faithful to God. [06:25]
2. The Knowledge of Evil: The fall introduced the knowledge of evil into humanity, a burden that separates us from God. This knowledge is not just external but internal, affecting our desires and actions. Understanding this helps us see the depth of our need for redemption. [17:12]
3. The Barrier of Judgment: The flaming sword symbolizes the judgment of God, which we cannot bypass on our own. It underscores the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin. Only through Christ, who bore the judgment for us, can we hope to enter God's presence. [22:40]
4. Hope in the Curse: God's curse on the serpent contains the promise of redemption. It points to Christ's victory over evil, offering hope that evil will not have the final word. This promise invites us to trust in God's plan for salvation. [25:11]
5. The Path to Reconciliation: Jesus' sacrifice on the cross opens a new way to God, overcoming the barrier of judgment. By trusting in Him, we are delivered from evil and assured of eternal life in God's presence. This is the heart of the gospel and our ultimate hope. [38:07]
** [38:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:16] - Introduction to Genesis 3
[00:32] - God's Creation and Ownership
[01:03] - The Gift of God's Presence
[01:34] - The Fall of Man
[02:13] - Introduction of Satan
[03:46] - Satan's Strategies: Confusion
[07:14] - Satan's Strategies: Presumption
[09:53] - Satan's Strategies: Ambition
[12:41] - The Knowledge of Evil
[18:04] - Exclusion from Paradise
[20:19] - The Flaming Sword of Judgment
[23:08] - The Human Problem
[24:38] - Hope in God's Curse
[31:08] - The Promise of Redemption
[36:46] - Jesus and the Flaming Sword
[39:35] - Deliverance Through Christ

Sermon Clips

The first of these is very simply confusion notice verse 1 of chapter 3 did god actually say you shall not eat of any tree in the garden now here's something extraordinary god has given one prohibitive command and the enemy's first strategy is to question it did god really say that how can you be sure that that's what god really meant [00:04:28]

Satan's second strategy is to try and induce the man and the woman to presume on the grace of god and just so that you see that this really is a pattern rather than something that only happened here when you come to the temptation of the lord jesus the second temptation is in exactly the of exactly the same sort [00:07:56]

The enemy of our souls knows how much we like that suggestion we're made as we saw last week in the image of god but we're not content with that we want to be god we're made like god why can't we be god why should god be the one who's telling us what to do [00:10:06]

Now notice that in all of this tempting uh satan has one objective we've looked at his strategy here's his goal here's his objective it is very simply to introduce to the human race the knowledge of evil and i want to suggest to you that this is the first part of our greatest human problem [00:12:38]

And in that act of disobedience they get the knowledge of evil and it has been with us all ever since adam and eve can no longer separate themselves from the knowledge of evil they had had only the knowledge of good it was paradise now they've got the knowledge of good and the knowledge of evil [00:15:52]

The sword of course represents the judgment of god and what is being communicated to us very very clearly here is that there's no way for the man and the woman to get past this awful judgment of god and to get to the tree of life it's just not possible to get past it the judgment of god will strike you down every time [00:22:20]

And the hope that the bible brings to us began on the very day that adam and eve were driven out of the garden notice this by the way you do not have to wait until the new testament to find god's wonderful message of hope it's all over the old testament that actually is full of our lord jesus christ [00:23:47]

Now i hope that with me you will be thanking god in your heart at this moment from he for his curse on evil if god did not consign evil to destruction who in the world would be able to do so who else could i mean you read you've become a student of history many of you are students of history [00:25:35]

The god of the bible will always deal with sin and will destroy it but he finds a way to deflect his judgment away from the man and the woman in order to create room for them to be reconciled back to him again that's the god of the bible the curse for adam's sin must go somewhere [00:28:18]

And when you experience pain and disappointment and frustration in life in this fallen world thank god that the curse is on the ground and not on you and remember this that in the new testament we are told that god has subjected the creation to frustration that's a reference right back to genesis in chapter 3 [00:30:23]

God promises that there will be an offspring of the woman notice that phrase this person is not described as an offspring of the man but an offspring of the woman he will come into the human line and when he comes he will engage in a great struggle against the enemy christ will come that's what's being referred to here [00:32:50]

And if you will trust him and you will follow him when the time comes for you to pass from this life you will go through and pass the judgment of god in safety because the sword that would have cut you down broke itself on him as far as you are concerned and what lies ahead for you is an everlasting life [00:39:37]

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