Understanding Human Brokenness and Divine Responsibility

 

Summary

Setting our roots in the faith and serving Jesus Christ is a privilege and a joy. As we embark on a new series titled "The Inside Story," we will explore the profound questions of human existence, the Christian life, and the future life. Today, we begin with the inside story of human life, asking why the world is as it is today. This question is not just philosophical but deeply personal, as we witness the brokenness in the world and in our own lives.

The book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon, provides a lens through which we can understand this brokenness. Solomon, a man of great wisdom and wealth, experienced the emptiness that comes from pursuing worldly desires. In Ecclesiastes 7:29, he concludes, "God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes." This verse highlights the contrast between how God created humanity and how we have chosen to live.

Adam, the first man, was created upright, with a natural inclination towards goodness and righteousness. He loved God instinctively, without the need for external laws or constraints. However, Adam's righteousness, while natural, was also changeable. God made him free, with the ability to choose, and with that freedom came the possibility of sin. Adam and Eve's choice to disobey God led to the loss of paradise and the introduction of sin into the world.

This narrative challenges us to stop blaming God for the world's brokenness. God did not burden Adam with sin; it was humanity's choice to turn away from God's design. As we reflect on this, we are called to recognize our own role in perpetuating the schemes that lead us away from God's original intent.

Key Takeaways:

- Understanding Human Brokenness: The world is broken not because God made it so, but because humanity chose to turn away from God's upright design. This understanding calls us to reflect on our own choices and their impact on the world around us. [06:49]

- The Nature of Righteousness: Adam was created with a natural inclination towards righteousness, highlighting that doing good was instinctive. This challenges us to consider how we can align our lives with God's original design for humanity. [09:13]

- The Gift of Freedom: God created humanity with the freedom to choose, which inherently includes the possibility of choosing against God. This freedom is a gift, but it also comes with responsibility and consequences. [13:33]

- The Consequences of Choice: Adam and Eve's choice to disobey God led to the loss of paradise and the introduction of sin. This narrative reminds us of the weight of our choices and the importance of seeking God's guidance in our decisions. [15:27]

- Stop Blaming God: We must stop blaming God for the world's brokenness and recognize our own role in perpetuating it. This calls us to take responsibility for our actions and seek to live in alignment with God's will. [17:21]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:18] - Introduction and Series Overview
- [00:48] - The Triathlon Analogy
- [01:22] - Stage One: The Inside Story of Human Life
- [02:18] - Questioning the State of the World
- [03:04] - The Reality of Evil
- [04:23] - Personalizing the Question of Brokenness
- [04:56] - Introduction to Ecclesiastes
- [06:49] - Solomon's Conclusion
- [08:00] - The Creation of Adam
- [09:13] - The Nature of Uprightness
- [11:07] - The Law Written on the Heart
- [12:31] - The Changeable Nature of Righteousness
- [13:33] - The Gift and Responsibility of Freedom
- [15:27] - The Consequences of the Fall
- [17:01] - Application: Stop Blaming God

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Ecclesiastes 7:29: "God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Ecclesiastes 7:29 reveal about God's original design for humanity? How does this contrast with the current state of the world? [06:49]
2. According to the sermon, what was the nature of Adam's righteousness, and how was it different from our current experience? [09:13]
3. How does the sermon describe the freedom given to Adam and Eve, and what were the consequences of their choices? [13:33]
4. What examples from the sermon illustrate the brokenness of the world today, and how do they relate to the choices humanity has made? [02:18]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of being created "upright" challenge our understanding of human nature and sin? [08:54]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our choices contribute to the brokenness of the world? How does this align with the message of Ecclesiastes 7:29? [16:41]
3. What does the sermon imply about the role of personal responsibility in addressing the world's brokenness? [17:21]
4. How does the narrative of Adam and Eve's choice to disobey God serve as a warning for our own decision-making processes? [15:27]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent decision you made. How did it align with or deviate from God's original design for righteousness? What can you learn from this experience? [09:13]
2. Consider a situation where you might be blaming God for something wrong in your life. How can you take responsibility for your role in this situation? [17:21]
3. Identify an area in your life where you feel the freedom to choose. How can you ensure that your choices align with God's will and design? [13:33]
4. Think about a time when you witnessed or experienced brokenness in the world. How can you respond in a way that reflects God's original intent for humanity? [06:49]
5. How can you cultivate a natural inclination towards righteousness in your daily life, similar to how Adam was originally created? What practical steps can you take? [09:13]
6. In what ways can you actively seek to stop perpetuating the schemes that lead away from God's design? How can you encourage others to do the same? [16:41]
7. Reflect on the relationships in your life. How can you work towards healing and reconciliation, taking inspiration from the original harmony between Adam and Eve? [10:02]

Devotional

Day 1: Human Choices and Worldly Brokenness
The world is not broken because God made it so, but because humanity has chosen to turn away from God's upright design. This understanding calls us to reflect on our own choices and their impact on the world around us. The book of Ecclesiastes, particularly through the wisdom of King Solomon, provides insight into the emptiness that comes from pursuing worldly desires. Solomon's conclusion in Ecclesiastes 7:29 highlights the contrast between God's creation of humanity and the paths we have chosen. Recognizing this brokenness is not just a philosophical exercise but a deeply personal one, as we see the effects of these choices in our own lives and the world at large. [06:49]

Ecclesiastes 7:29 (ESV): "See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes."

Reflection: What is one choice you have made recently that may have contributed to brokenness in your life or the lives of others? How can you seek to align your future choices with God's design?


Day 2: Instinctive Righteousness and Human Nature
Adam was created with a natural inclination towards righteousness, highlighting that doing good was instinctive. This challenges us to consider how we can align our lives with God's original design for humanity. The narrative of Adam's creation shows that righteousness was not something imposed externally but was an inherent part of human nature. However, this natural righteousness was also changeable, as demonstrated by Adam's eventual choice to disobey God. Reflecting on this, we are encouraged to examine how we can nurture our innate inclination towards goodness and align our actions with God's will. [09:13]

Romans 2:14-15 (ESV): "For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them."

Reflection: In what ways do you see evidence of God's law written on your heart? How can you cultivate this natural inclination towards righteousness in your daily life?


Day 3: The Gift and Responsibility of Freedom
God created humanity with the freedom to choose, which inherently includes the possibility of choosing against God. This freedom is a gift, but it also comes with responsibility and consequences. The story of Adam and Eve illustrates the profound impact of human choices and the responsibility that comes with the freedom God has given us. While freedom allows for the expression of love and obedience, it also opens the door to disobedience and sin. As we navigate our own lives, we are reminded of the weight of our choices and the importance of seeking God's guidance in our decisions. [13:33]

Galatians 5:13 (ESV): "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Reflection: How are you using your freedom today? Are there areas where you need to exercise more responsibility in your choices to align with God's will?


Day 4: The Consequences of Disobedience
Adam and Eve's choice to disobey God led to the loss of paradise and the introduction of sin. This narrative reminds us of the weight of our choices and the importance of seeking God's guidance in our decisions. The consequences of their disobedience were not just personal but had a profound impact on all of creation. As we reflect on this story, we are called to consider the long-term effects of our own choices and the importance of aligning our lives with God's intentions. [15:27]

Genesis 3:17-19 (ESV): "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.'"

Reflection: What is one decision you are facing today that could have significant consequences? How can you seek God's guidance to ensure your choice aligns with His will?


Day 5: Taking Responsibility for Our Actions
We must stop blaming God for the world's brokenness and recognize our own role in perpetuating it. This calls us to take responsibility for our actions and seek to live in alignment with God's will. The narrative of human disobedience challenges us to look inward and acknowledge the ways in which we contribute to the brokenness around us. By taking responsibility, we open ourselves to transformation and the possibility of living in a way that reflects God's original design for humanity. [17:21]

James 1:13-15 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: In what ways have you been blaming God or others for the brokenness in your life? How can you take responsibility and seek to align your actions with God's will today?

Quotes

Setting our roots in the faith and serving Jesus Christ is a privilege and a joy. As we embark on a new series titled "The Inside Story," we will explore the profound questions of human existence, the Christian life, and the future life. Today, we begin with the inside story of human life, asking why the world is as it is today. [00:00:18]

The book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon, provides a lens through which we can understand this brokenness. Solomon, a man of great wisdom and wealth, experienced the emptiness that comes from pursuing worldly desires. In Ecclesiastes 7:29, he concludes, "God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes." [00:04:56]

God made Adam upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes. So there's a contrast that is being made between Adam as he was made by God and men and indeed women in the world today. Now, what is he saying about Adam? First, he says God made Adam upright. [00:08:28]

Adam was good and Adam was right in himself; that is just how God made him. It is a wonderful thing doing what was good and doing what was right was completely natural to Adam as he was made by God. It was instinctive. He was made by God with a bent towards what is good and a bent towards what is right. [00:08:54]

Adam loved God, think about this, and he never had to work at it. Never. See, we say, uh, you know, I really ought to pray or we ought to go worship, but there was never any ought about it for Adam as he was made by God. Love for God was in him by nature. [00:09:24]

God made Adam upright. Can you imagine the good news that this was? How marvelous this life must have been that this spontaneous goodness and this love of righteousness just flowed out of the man from his very nature. God then gave this man a wife, and can you imagine what a wonderful and blissful marriage this was too? [00:09:47]

Adam did not have the law written on tablets of stone as they were given later in the time of Moses, but he says the law was written upon Adam's mind, the knowledge of it being created within him by God. And then he says this: God impressed it, that is, God impressed what is right upon his soul. [00:10:48]

Adam's righteousness, his uprightness, was natural to him. He was made that way. But you will know from the Bible story that while it was natural, it was also changeable. Doing what was good and doing what is right was instinctive to Adam, but it was not inevitable for Adam. [00:12:15]

God made man upright, but he also made him free, and freedom by definition always means that there is another choice. God made Adam with a natural bent, a natural inclination towards what is good and what is right, but Adam was not made a robot. God made him a thinking and a willing and a choosing being. [00:13:36]

Adam was upright. He's placed in this glorious paradise, but he is not a prisoner there, and there is a door by which he could choose to leave. And you know the story that the serpent came to Eve, and she said, uh, he said to her, you can be as God. [00:14:35]

God made man upright, says Solomon, but men have gone in search of many schemes. Now that's the scripture. The rest of the message is all application, and I want to offer to you today three very simple but I believe that they are profoundly important applications. [00:16:34]

Stop blaming God for what's wrong with the world. Stop blaming God for what's wrong with the world. God did not burden Adam with sin. It was not God who put this into him. God made him upright. Adam was the one who used his freedom to for... [00:17:09]

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Transcript
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