Paradise Lost
Series: Beginnings
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 3rd November 2024
Passages:
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Well, good morning, everyone.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 It'd be great if you could keep your Bibles open there.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 I'm actually going to be going through to verse 9 this morning,
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 so you'll need it in front of you when I look at that.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 But also the St. Paul's app has got an outline.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:20 Four points this morning, and that's our journey
00:00:20 --> 00:00:24 as we continue on into Genesis.
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 This is, if you're new with us today,
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 we are looking at the beginning of all things.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 It's just a framework, the foundation of the Christian faith,
00:00:35 --> 00:00:40 and in particularly, not just the beginning of creation,
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 but the beginning of our knowledge of God.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:47 Genesis fundamentally is about who God is,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 and they're from that how we come to understand ourselves.
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 So let me pray as we launch in.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:59 Gracious God, we are grateful for what we have been engaging with
00:00:59 --> 00:01:00 in your word.
00:01:00 --> 00:01:04 In a world that looks at all the details around us
00:01:04 --> 00:01:08 and causes elements of anxiety to arise in us
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 with a great deal of uncertainty about the future
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 of the world in which we live,
00:01:12 --> 00:01:13 there are so many things that trouble us.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 You're a God who exists outside of your creation.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:19 You never had a beginning.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:20 You never had an end.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:21 You're everlasting to everlasting.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 You are God, and you're a God who sovereignly rules
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 and ordains and controls all things,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 even if we don't understand it.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 Help us to lean into you,
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 the majestic, beautiful, good God.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 And so today, as we open this word,
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 change our hearts and our minds,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:44 help us to see the issues that are fundamental
00:01:44 --> 00:01:45 in each one of our lives,
00:01:45 --> 00:01:50 but help us to see you a good and a great God as well
00:01:50 --> 00:01:54 and how you've resolved those issues for us.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 For those of us who have taken this journey,
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 been following you for many years,
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 we come to texts like this
00:02:04 --> 00:02:08 knowing how it all plays out.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:13 Lord, break through that rut now
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 so that we might see you in newer ways,
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 in clearer ways, in majestic ways.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:20 Amen.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 On the 21st of April, 1970,
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 Leonard Casey, a Western Australian farmer,
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 withdrew from Australia and set up his own micronation.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:36 His 75 square kilometre farm,
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 517 kilometres north of Perth,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 became known as Hutt River Province.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:45 He withdrew from Australia
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 because of an ongoing dispute about wheat production,
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 particularly with the Western Australian government
00:02:52 --> 00:02:53 about wheat production.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 So Leonard Casey became known as His Majesty,
00:02:57 --> 00:02:58 Prince Leonard I of Hutt,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 and then granted royal titles
00:03:01 --> 00:03:02 to the rest of his farming family.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:05 It produced, over time,
00:03:06 --> 00:03:07 it produced its own currency,
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 its stamps and its passport,
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 none of which was recognised
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 by any government in the world.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 In fact, someone was arrested in Germany
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 in the 1980s
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 using a Hutt River Province passport
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 for entry into Germany.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:30 Now, what followed for Leonard, Leo,
00:03:30 --> 00:03:36 was years and years of legal disputes
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 until, on the 2nd of December, 1977,
00:03:40 --> 00:03:41 Casey had had enough
00:03:41 --> 00:03:42 and he declared war on Australia.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 Baffling, really.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 But he notified the authorities of Australia
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 three days later
00:03:53 --> 00:03:57 that he was ceasing hostilities against Australia.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 He withdrew his declaration of war
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 because, frankly, no one turned up.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 And so he moved on.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 In 2017, after 45 years,
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 sitting on his self-styled throne,
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 Prince Leonard stepped down as ruler.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 His youngest son, Graham,
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 took the throne as the new ruler,
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 inherited Hutt River Province,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 as well as his dad's $2.5 million of debt
00:04:24 --> 00:04:25 to the Australian Taxation Office.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:31 On the 3rd of August, 2020,
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 the Principality of Hutt River Province
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 was formally dissolved.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 The Principality's land was sold off
00:04:38 --> 00:04:45 in 2021 to settle an ongoing legal debt
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 of more than $2.7 million.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 So Hutt River Province was this...
00:04:54 --> 00:04:58 It, in fact, became quite a popular tourist attraction
00:04:58 --> 00:05:03 mainly because they wanted to visit the nutjob who did this.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:09 And so it was a spurious attempt by Leonard Casey
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 to evade laws and responsibilities
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 that he did not agree with,
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 primarily with the Australian government
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 but ultimately with the federal government.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 From the moment he declared independence,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 his life started to decline.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 Ongoing legal battles,
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 mounting debts, conflicts.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:33 And now Hutt River Province
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 doesn't even exist.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 Doesn't even exist.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 The core problem that saw the creation
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 of Hutt River Province,
00:05:42 --> 00:05:46 the core problem for Leonard Casey
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 and the core problem for you and me
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 and all the humanity
00:05:50 --> 00:05:54 finds its origin in what was just read out to us by Anne
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 in Genesis chapter 3.
00:05:56 --> 00:05:59 The issues of our world
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 are very obvious.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 I don't need to unpack that for you at all.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 I mean, open the newspaper, turn on the TV
00:06:07 --> 00:06:11 or just spend a quiet half an hour or so
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 with your own heart and mind.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:21 Every worldview has to account for the world
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 in which we live in some way.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 And this is the Christian account.
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 This is a Christian account.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:32 Does it fit with our experience of the world?
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 So, if you've got the St. Paul's app,
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 you'll see four points there.
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 The first point is the mock.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 Genesis 3 starts with a mock,
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 hidden as a question.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 Verse 1,
00:06:47 --> 00:07:00 So here, the rest of the Bible tells us
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 what we have here is we have Satan
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 speaking through the serpent.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 Now, we've got probably a heap of bunch of questions
00:07:08 --> 00:07:08 about that.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 But this text is primarily about us
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 and how we got to be the way we are.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 The fall of the human race
00:07:17 --> 00:07:21 does not start with an action.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 It starts with an attitude.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 It starts with a desire.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 It starts with a scoff.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 It starts with a mock.
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 It starts with a roll of the eyes.
00:07:33 --> 00:07:37 The key to understanding what this verse is about
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 is the word really.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:44 It's a word that in actual fact
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 is translated as indeed.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 Did God indeed say?
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 The serpent is not so much denying
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 what God has said,
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 he's in fact rolling his eyes
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 at what God has said.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 He's mocking what God has said.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 He isn't saying God didn't say it.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 He's saying,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 I can't believe God said that.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 It's a joke.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 Surely God did not really say that.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 It's a statement.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 It's not a question.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 Come on, Eve.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 Come on.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 Get with the times, Eve.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 This is the year one.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 I mean, get with the modern times.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 Surely you don't believe that stuff anymore.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 He's trying to change, ultimately,
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 Adam and Eve's attitude towards God's word.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 The fall of the human race
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 starts with an attitude of the heart.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:52 This happens more often than not in our modern world.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:58 Very rarely does anyone lose God
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 through an argument.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 They lose him through an attitude
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 or through an atmosphere.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 An atmosphere.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:12 When the consistent voice of culture across every platform says that
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 Christianity is not reasonable,
00:09:17 --> 00:09:21 it's not relevant for a modern era or even dangerous,
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 then there's an atmosphere that we breathe each day.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 It's subtle.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:34 Very rarely do you ever engage with a full frontal attack
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 on the Christian faith in terms of its logic.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:42 What we're confronted with consistently
00:09:42 --> 00:09:47 from children's TV through to comedians and in the media
00:09:47 --> 00:09:53 and is the mock, the joke, the pithy one-liners
00:09:53 --> 00:09:57 that seem reasonable but actually make no sense at all
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 if you spend time unpacking them.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:04 And it is overwhelming the atmosphere that we breathe.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 For every argument against the Christian faith,
00:10:09 --> 00:10:14 there would have to be more than 99 mocks, scoffs, sneers.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:21 None of those 99 mocks and sneers and scoffs
00:10:21 --> 00:10:25 are themselves an argument in any way whatsoever.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 However, they're not rational in any way whatsoever.
00:10:30 --> 00:10:34 A mock is a mere assertion trying to create
00:10:34 --> 00:10:38 an atmosphere of doubt and defence.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 It is not an argument in itself.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 They need to give an argument as to why they think
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 the Christian faith is not reasonable, relevant and good
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 and very rarely do you ever hear it.
00:10:57 --> 00:11:01 Even the great secular debaters of this era,
00:11:03 --> 00:11:09 very rarely will any of them endure an entire debate
00:11:09 --> 00:11:12 without getting personal, without scoffing in some way,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:18 without taking, ridiculing their opponent,
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 their Christian opponent in some way.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:28 Be careful, Christian, not to fight fire with fire
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 and use the same techniques back.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:37 Now, we're not told here how long Adam and Eve deliberated
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 after being targeted by the serpent.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 But surely the atmosphere was created.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 They were torn.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 They were confused.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 They were disorientated.
00:11:48 --> 00:11:54 I wonder when the mocking of the serpent started to prompt in them
00:11:54 --> 00:11:58 quiet whispers of worthlessness,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:03 of alienation, of questioning, of confusion,
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 of disorientation, of purposelessness.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 I wonder how long it took for fear and desperation
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 to start setting in.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:15 It started with just a mock.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 Just a mock.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 Then comes the lie.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:27 What follows the attitude of the heart is a lie for the mind.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 Chapter 3, verse 2.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 The woman said to the serpent,
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 but God did say you must not eat fruit from the tree
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 that is in the middle of the garden,
00:12:40 --> 00:12:43 and you must not touch it or you will die.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 And then here comes the lie, verse 4.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 You will not certainly die,
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 for God knows that when you eat from it,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 your eyes will be opened.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 You see, the serpent's message here,
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 the undercurrent of the message is,
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 if you will obey God,
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 it will truly ruin your life.
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 He doesn't want you to eat of the tree
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 because it will open up for you
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 a whole new avenue of looking at the world,
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 whole new opportunities for you.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:21 Satan is trying to get into Adam and Eve's mind and heart
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 and our mind and heart
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 that if you obey God,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 you will ruin your life.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 You will miss out on life.
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 If you obey God, you will not be happy.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 If you obey God, you'll be held back.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:38 You will not realise yourself.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 You will be oppressed.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 You will be miserable.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 You see, Satan knows just how to destroy.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 Notice in the arguments here,
00:13:48 --> 00:13:51 notice he does not start with,
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 get a platform up,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 let's have a debate about the existence of God.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:58 That's not where he's starting at all.
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 Doesn't start with the existence of God.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 It's pretty obvious.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 I mean, they actually were walking with him yesterday.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 He doesn't go after the word of God,
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 the will of God,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 the perfection of God.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 What he goes after is the goodness of God.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:19 The very first lie is about the goodness of God.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:24 And the love and the grace and the goodwill behind
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 every single one of the commands of God.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 He is getting them here to doubt God's goodwill.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 He is getting them to distrust God.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 And that lie went in deep.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 Adam and Eve were targeted.
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 They were deceived.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 They were gaslit.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 And they were harmed.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 And in targeting God's goodness,
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 the serpent also targeted their own glory
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 as bearers of the image of God.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:59 didn't just attack God from outside.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:02 He attacked them from the inside.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 And that lie of the serpent is deep
00:15:07 --> 00:15:10 in the heart of every human being.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 It's a lie that causes us to question
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 the goodness of God.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 And his goodness
00:15:17 --> 00:15:21 behind every single one of his commands.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 You see,
00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 this gets worked out in various ways for us.
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 The religious moralist lives a life
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 of legalistic restraint
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 in order to earn salvation
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 through their upright life and good deeds.
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 Ultimately, they do not trust
00:15:39 --> 00:15:42 the grace and the goodness of God
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 to do it for them.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 The religious moralist
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 does not trust
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 in the goodness of God.
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 The rebel liberalist
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 pursues a life of free abandon
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 because they do not trust
00:16:00 --> 00:16:00 the goodness
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 and the grace of God
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 and that following him
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 is in fact the best life.
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 Totally different ways
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 to respond
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 to the exact same lie.
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 The lie that God is not good.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 That he's holding out on you.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 That he wants to
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 ruin your life.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:22 And humanity's life
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 has been ruined
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 by embracing the lie.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 Going to impact next week
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 more of how we see that
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 in every sphere of life.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 So that brings us to...
00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 First, there's an attitude of the heart.
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 Then there's a life of the mind.
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 And this leads to the tree
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 and the act of the will.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 Have a look at verse 6.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 When the woman saw
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 that the fruit of the tree
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 was good for food
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 and pleasing to the eye
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 and also desirable
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 for gaining wisdom,
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 she took some
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 and ate it.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 She also gave some
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 to her husband
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 who was with her
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 and he ate it.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 I'm not unpacking this
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 but just in the last week
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 I've been reflecting
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 what...
00:17:12 --> 00:17:16 what was happening
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 in the heart,
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 the emotions
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 of both Adam and Eve
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 that they would look at that tree
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 and they would want that more
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 than the God
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 that they walked with day by day.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 How destroyed internally were they
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 to actually reach out
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 and grab at that point?
00:17:37 --> 00:17:41 Just the thought
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 that I'm reflecting on.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 They're in paradise.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 It's perfect.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 They can do anything
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 except eat from the tree,
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 this particular tree.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 So what's the big deal
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 about the tree
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 and what kind of fruit was it?
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 You know,
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 as you're walking through
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 Harris Farm.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 Hmm.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 You know,
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 it could be a choco.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 My experience is
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 it probably was a choco
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 if you've ever eaten
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 one of those things.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 But the point here is,
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 I say that as a joke,
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 don't take that as a note
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 by the way.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 There's no Hebrew translation
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 of choco here at all.
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 Let me just...
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 What's the big deal
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 about the tree?
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 What's so bad
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 about the fruit?
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 What if God
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 had given Adam and Eve
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 an explanation
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 so he knew
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 which fruit not to order
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 on Woolworths
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 or Coles?
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 If he had some...
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 What if God
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 had said to them...
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 What if God
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 had said to them
00:18:40 --> 00:18:43 that if you
00:18:43 --> 00:18:46 from this tree...
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 If you eat
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 from this tree,
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 you'll be suffering
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 hardship
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 and broken
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 relationships
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 and disease
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 for the rest
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 of human history?
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 What if he had said that?
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 What if he had said
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 that if you do eat
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 for the tree,
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 your life in every sphere
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 will be ruined?
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 They might have
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 walked away.
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 They might have
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 walked away.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 Here's a taste for you.
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 Let me just show you.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 They might have
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 walked away.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 The reason why God
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 didn't give them
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 an explanation
00:19:17 --> 00:19:20 is absolutely crucial
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 to why this command
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 is so important.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 The reason why
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 we know nothing
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 about what is
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 significant about
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 this tree
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 or what kind
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 Fruto is,
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 it helps us
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 understand why
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 this command
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 is so significant.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 If he had
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 given them
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 an explanation
00:19:35 --> 00:19:38 and they
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 walked away,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 they'd be
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 walking away
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 because it would
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 be cost-benefit
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 analysis.
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 That's the reason
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 they'd walk away.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 It's not worth
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 my time.
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 It's not worth
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 my future.
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 It's not worth
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 ruining my life
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 to eat of this
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 tree.
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 That's not
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 obedience.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 That's religion.
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 It's cost-benefit
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 analysis.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 And that would be
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 they would not
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 eat of the tree
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 out of self-interest.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 And they would
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 still be in the
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 driver's seat
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 of their life.
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 God wanted
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 Adam and Eve
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 to live as if
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 he was God.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 They were made
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 in his image.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 They'd been given
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 the gift of life
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 was spoilt.
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 And I use that
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 term in a positive
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 way, spoilt with
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 the abundance of
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 Eden.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 And he wanted
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 them to live by
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 his power and
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 under his
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 authority.
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 Their lives,
00:20:45 --> 00:20:45 the world that
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 they inhabited,
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 was all a
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 gift.
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 None of it was
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 a possession for
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 them to do as
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 they pleased.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 And so God
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 simply said,
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 do not eat
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 of the tree.
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 That one.
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 Don't eat of that
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 one.
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 And with that
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 command,
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 they can
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 choose to
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 live with
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 God as
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 God or
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 themselves as
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 God.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 It's just as
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 simple as that.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 The serpent
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 knows this
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 because he
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 suggests that
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 they take the
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 tree and you
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 will be like
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 God.
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 It is so
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 essential that
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 we look beyond
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 the rules like
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 the Ten
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 Commandments and
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 others that we
00:21:30 --> 00:21:32 see and see
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 that there is a
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 key reason for
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 every single
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 one of them.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 And the key
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 is this.
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 God is God
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 and you are
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 not.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 Do not put
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 yourself in the
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 place of God.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 Obey him
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 simply because
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 he is God.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 God.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 Every single
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 thing that is
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 wrong with us
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 in this world
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 is linked to
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 the root issue
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 of putting
00:21:58 --> 00:22:00 ourselves in
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 the place of
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 God.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 Now that's
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 pretty obvious
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 the big stuff
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 like murder.
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 It's me playing
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 God over another
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 human being.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 It's me taking
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 a life.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 But what about
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 all the other
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 things?
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 What about
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 anxiety?
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 Some of us
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 are eaten up
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 by worry in
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 life.
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 Why?
00:22:14 --> 00:22:17 For me
00:22:17 --> 00:22:19 personally
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 that is
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 I have an
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 idea of
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 how my
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 relationship
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 should go.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 I have an
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 idea of
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 how church
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 should go.
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 How my
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 health should
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 go.
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 How my
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 plans should
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 go.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 And there
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 are times
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 I'm not
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 fully confident
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 that the
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 sovereign God
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 who brought
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 everything into
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 being is
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 over it all.
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 Because the
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 lie runs deep
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 in my heart.
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 God you
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 know if
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 you're good
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 I think you
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 do it this
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 way not
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 that way.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 I put myself
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 in the place
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 of God.
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 Mistrust
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 puts me in
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 the place of
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 God.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 What about
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 grudges?
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 If you don't
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 forgive someone
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 it's because you
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 are taking God's
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 place again.
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 We think we
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 know what a
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 person deserves.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 We think we
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 have the right
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 to ensure that
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 they get what
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 they deserve.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 That's me on
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 the throne of
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 my life
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 again.
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 How is it
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 possible that I
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 could ever
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 know the
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 depths of
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 another person's
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 mind and
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 heart when I
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 don't even
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 know my
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 own?
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 All of our
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 problems stem
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 from us taking
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 God's place.
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 And this
00:23:32 --> 00:23:34 fundamentally is
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 just choosing to
00:23:35 --> 00:23:37 obey or not.
00:23:37 --> 00:23:41 choosing to
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 obey God or
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 not on the
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 basis of
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 whether I
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 think it
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 makes sense
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 or not.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 William W.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 Borden was
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 the heir of a
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 wealthy Chicago
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 family.
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 I've mentioned
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 him, this
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 guy, in the
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 past.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 In 1904 and
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 1905 at the
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 age of 16 he
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 travelled the
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 world.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 And this
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 was followed
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 by a brilliant
00:24:08 --> 00:24:10 career at Yale
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 and then Princeton
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13 Seminary where
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 he committed his
00:24:13 --> 00:24:15 life to seeking
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 to win
00:24:16 --> 00:24:18 Muslims in
00:24:18 --> 00:24:20 China to
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 Jesus.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 In 1903,
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 sorry, 1913,
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 sorry, at the
00:24:26 --> 00:24:28 age of 25 he
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 left for Egypt
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 and he never
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 looked back.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 Before he
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 left, Borden
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 gave away
00:24:35 --> 00:24:37 $800
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 in his
00:24:38 --> 00:24:40 day, which
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 is equivalent
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 to over $20
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 million today.
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 That was his
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 own portion
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 that he'd
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 accumulated in
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 the vast
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 family wealth.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 He gave it
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 away to
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 charitable
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 missions
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 everywhere
00:24:51 --> 00:24:54 and he
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 went to
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 Egypt.
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 Egypt.
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 He did
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 not know
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 at that
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 point, at
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 the age of
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 25, it
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 was the
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 final year
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 of his
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 life.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 In
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 Cairo, he
00:25:05 --> 00:25:07 contracted
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 cerebral
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 meningitis
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 and died.
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 His mother
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 was on her
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 way to
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 Cairo to
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 have a
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 holiday with
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 him, but
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 instead she
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 arrived just
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 in time to
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 bury him.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 It is
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 said that
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 she found
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 his Bible
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 as she
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 cleaned up
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 his things
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 and in
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 his Bible
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 were the
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 words,
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 no reserve,
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 written,
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 no reserve.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 And the
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 date he
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 wrote it,
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 it suggests
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 that he's
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 been written
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 shortly after
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 he renounced
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 his fortune
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 and gave
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 it away to
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 missions.
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 Later, he
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 was said to
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 have written,
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 no retreat.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 retreat.
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 And the
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 date of
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 that no
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 retreat was
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 after his
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 father told
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 him that he
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 would never
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 hold a
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 position in
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 the family
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 business from
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 here on
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 in.
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 And finally,
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 shortly before
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 he died in
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 Egypt, and
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 it's believed
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 to be the
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 last words he
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 ever wrote,
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 no regrets.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 No regrets.
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 Why did he
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 not write,
00:26:19 --> 00:26:21 what are you
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 doing, God?
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 I mean,
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 can't you see
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 everything I've
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 done for you?
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 Here I am in
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 Egypt looking
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 to go into
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 the mission
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 field to
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 extend your
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 kingdom.
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 What are you
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 doing after
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 everything I've
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 done for you?
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 Why did he
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 not write
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 that?
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 It's because
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 he didn't
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 obey God
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 for reputation.
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 He did not
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 obey God
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 for results.
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 He did not
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 obey God
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 for impact.
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 He obeyed
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 God because
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 God is
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 God.
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 And he
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 wasn't.
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 At least
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 in this
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 instance,
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 Borden
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 disbelieved
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 the lie
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 that you
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 cannot trust
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 God.
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 Let me
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 say as a
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 side point,
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 he ended
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 up inspiring
00:27:07 --> 00:27:09 thousands of
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 people to
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 become
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 missionaries
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 in the
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 generations
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 that followed.
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 He never
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 knew that
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 on his
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 deathbed.
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 Through
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 his death,
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 he's had
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 significant
00:27:20 --> 00:27:22 impact in
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 the lives
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 of thousands,
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 if not
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 millions.
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 So Adam
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 and Eve
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 took the
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 fruit,
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 setting
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 course of
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 human history
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 a distrust
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 of God.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 So friends,
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 hear this.
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40 what your
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 and mine,
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 what our
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 hearts
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 desire,
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 the mind
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 justifies
00:27:46 --> 00:27:48 and our
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 will's
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 action.
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 In the
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 final verses
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 of this
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 section,
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 we see the
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 rest of
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 humanity
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 and human
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 history in
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 summary form.
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 Verses
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 eight and
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 nine.
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 Then the
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 man and
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 his wife
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 heard the
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 sound of
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 the Lord
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 God as
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 he was
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 walking in
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 the garden
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 in the
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 cool of
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 the day,
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 and they
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 hid from
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 the Lord
00:28:12 --> 00:28:14 among the
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 trees of
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 the garden.
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 But the
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 Lord God,
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 called out
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 to the
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 man,
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 where are
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 you?
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 There's a
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 couple of
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 things I
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 want to
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 point out
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 here.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 The first
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 thing is
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 Adam and
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 Eve went
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 into hiding
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 the moment
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 they rejected
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 God.
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 They went
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 into hiding.
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 The consequence
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 of not
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 trusting in
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 the goodness
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 of God
00:28:35 --> 00:28:37 is we
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 hide.
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 And I'm
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 going to
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 unpack this
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 a little bit
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 more next
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 week.
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 We hide
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 from our
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 true selves.
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 We can't
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 stand an
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 honest review
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 of ourselves.
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 If it
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 wasn't for
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 verse eight,
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 therapy in
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 our world
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 would not
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 exist.
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 We need
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 therapy because
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 we're constantly
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 hiding from
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 ourselves.
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 Most
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 significantly
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 though here
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 is we
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 hide from
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 God.
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 In the
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 presence of
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 God,
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 we cannot
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 hide who
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 we truly
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 are.
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 And so
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 we must
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 hide.
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 It's not
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 just hiding
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 from consequences,
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 it's hiding
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 from ourselves
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 and God
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 reveals who
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 we truly
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 are.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 We hide
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 from our
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 true selves,
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 we hide
00:29:22 --> 00:29:22 from God
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 and we
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 hide from
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 others.
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 The second
00:29:26 --> 00:29:26 thing to
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 notice and
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 the most
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 remarkable
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 thing is
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 that while
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 we are
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 running and
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 hiding,
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 God is
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 searching.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 He's calling
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 out to
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 us.
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 It is our
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 nature to
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 hide from
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 God and
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 God's
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 nature is
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 to seek
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 us.
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 God calls
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 it out.
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 Where are
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 you?
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 Is God
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 like literally
00:29:53 --> 00:29:55 right,
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 but can't
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 find Adam
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 and Eve?
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 Where are
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 they?
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 You know,
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 we're playing
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 hide and
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 seek.
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 How is it
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 possible that
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 an all-knowing,
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 sovereign,
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 omniscient God
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 who knows
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 every blade of
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 grass that
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 grows and
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 every bird,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 how does he
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 not know
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 where they
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 are?
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 Of course
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 he knows
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 where they
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 are.
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 He's
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 pursuing them
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 is what
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 he's doing.
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 He's telling
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 Adam and
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 Eve, I'm
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 coming for
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 you.
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 I'm here
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 still.
00:30:26 --> 00:30:30 he's
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 calling out
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 to them.
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 He's
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 engaging
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 them.
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 He's
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 reconnecting
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 with them.
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 He's
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 pursuing
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 them.
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 What we
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 need to
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 realize is
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 that if
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 we ever
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 find God,
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 in fact,
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 one of the
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 first things
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 you discover
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 is that
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 it's because
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 he was
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 becoming
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 after me.
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 He had
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 already
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 found me.
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 He found
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 me first.
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 And we
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 see this
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 in the
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 Bible from
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 beginning to
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 end.
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 He is
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 so, so
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 good.
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 Despite
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 our
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 rejection
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 of him,
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 he comes
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 after us.
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 And we
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 see the
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 ultimate
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 expression of
00:31:04 --> 00:31:04 God coming
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 after us,
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 reconnecting
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 with us,
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 pursuing us,
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 engaging with
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 us, is
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 when God
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 the Son
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 himself took
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 on human
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 flesh and
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 descended into
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 our world to
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 come after
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 us.
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 We're going
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 to see this
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 in the coming
00:31:20 --> 00:31:22 weeks, but
00:31:22 --> 00:31:24 ultimately it
00:31:24 --> 00:31:24 is Jesus
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 Christ who
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 stomps on
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 the head
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 of the
00:31:26 --> 00:31:28 serpent and
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 crushes the
00:31:28 --> 00:31:30 lie, gets
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 rid of the
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 mock.
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 He is the
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 one who
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 defeats the
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 serpent.
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 So reading
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 back into
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 these verses,
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 we see how
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 Jesus turns
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 it all around.
00:31:41 --> 00:31:43 in the
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 Garden of
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 Eden, the
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 serpent lured
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 Adam and
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 Eve to
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 ignore the
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 command of
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 God about
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 the tree.
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 Centuries
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 later, Jesus
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 is in the
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 Garden of
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 Gethsemane
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 struggling with
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 the command of
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 God about
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 another tree,
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 a wooden
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 cross, a
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 cross cut
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 from a
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 tree.
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 Adam and
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 Eve were
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 told not to
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 take of the
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 tree.
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 Jesus is
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 commanded here
00:32:10 --> 00:32:10 to embrace
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 the tree.
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 Get nailed
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 to the
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 tree.
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 Adam and
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 Eve ignored
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 the command
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 in the
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 hope of a
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 blessed life
00:32:18 --> 00:32:20 but instead
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 got cursed.
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 Jesus Christ
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 obeyed the
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 command knowing
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 that he would
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 receive our
00:32:26 --> 00:32:28 curse for
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 ignoring God's
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 command about
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 the tree.
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 The curse of
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 separation from
00:32:32 --> 00:32:34 God so that
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 we could receive
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 the blessing of
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 being brought
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 back into
00:32:37 --> 00:32:37 relationship with
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 God.
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 Adam and
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 Eve were in a
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 beautiful
00:32:40 --> 00:32:42 garden and
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 God said,
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 if you
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 obey me
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 about the
00:32:44 --> 00:32:44 tree, you
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 would live
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 and live
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 and live
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48 but they
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 didn't.
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 Jesus is in
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 the darkness
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 of the
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 garden and
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 his father
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 said to him,
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 if you
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 obey me
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 about the
00:32:55 --> 00:32:55 tree, you
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 will die.
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 You will
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 die.
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 You will be
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 crushed.
00:33:01 --> 00:33:01 You will be
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 cursed.
00:33:02 --> 00:33:04 and he
00:33:04 --> 00:33:04 did.
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 He did.
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 He obeyed
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 and he
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 obeyed for
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 you and
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 for me
00:33:10 --> 00:33:12 who deserve
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 to be
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 crushed,
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 who deserve
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 to be
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 destroyed,
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 who deserve
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 to be
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 cursed.
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 He embraced
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 the tree
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 of death
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 and turned
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 it into a
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 tree of
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 life for
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 us.
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 Jesus is
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 the one who
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 reverses the
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 sin of the
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 tree.
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 The sin
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 of us
00:33:28 --> 00:33:30 where only
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 God deserves
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 to be.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 That's the
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 Christian
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 gospel.
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 That's the
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 core of
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 the Christian
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 faith.
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 The tree
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 of salvation
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 is God
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 putting himself
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 where only
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 we deserve
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 to be
00:33:44 --> 00:33:46 on a cross
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 of condemnation
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 and curse.
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 So when
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 Jesus obeyed
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 the father
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 about the
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 tree,
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 he also
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 crushed the
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 lie of
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 Satan.
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 He crushed
00:33:59 --> 00:33:59 the lie
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 that we
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 cannot trust
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 God.
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 You want
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 to look
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 at the
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 goodness
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 of God?
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 See him
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 hanging on
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 a cross
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 for you.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 No more
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 evidence is
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 required than
00:34:09 --> 00:34:09 that.
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 The only
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 way to
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 overcome
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 the lie
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 that God
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 is not
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 trustworthy
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 is to
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 see this
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 God
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 descending
00:34:17 --> 00:34:19 into his
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 world,
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 climbing the
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 tree of
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 death and
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 turning that
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 into a
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 tree of
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 life for
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 us.
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 It's the
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 only way
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 to overcome
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 the lie.
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 this is
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 the only
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 thing that
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 will day
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 by day
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 take the
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 poison of
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 the lie
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 out of
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 our hearts,
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 out of
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 our minds
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 and our
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 attitudes that
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 God is not
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 good and
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 that trusting
00:34:42 --> 00:34:44 in him is
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 unreasonable
00:34:44 --> 00:34:46 and it's
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 irrelevant for
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 our day
00:34:47 --> 00:34:49 or that God
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 is not
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 good.
00:34:49 --> 00:34:52 Jesus on
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 the cross
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 deals with
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 the mock,
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 the lie
00:34:56 --> 00:34:58 and the
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 lie about
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 the tree.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 Amen.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 Amen.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 Amen.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 Amen.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 Amen.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 Amen.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 Amen.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 Amen.
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 Amen.
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 Amen.