Common questions on this age old topic:
⁃ Why is sin so tempting?
⁃ Why do I do things I don’t want to do?
⁃ How can I conquer temptation?
⁃ Where can I find strength to resist?
⁃ Why is this so difficult?
Genesis 3:1-7 – First sin in the Bible. But prior to sin, Adam and Eve were in a time of blissful innocence. A perfect creation, perfect relationship with God, perfect relationship with each other. No death, no sorrow, no pain, but that would change once sin came.
Who is the serpent in Genesis 3:1? We find the answer in Revelation 12:9 “The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.” Satan is a Hebrew word meaning – the adversary, the enemy. And the serpent takes on the form of a serpent.
We read what Jesus says about the devil in John 8:44 that the devil “was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Satan’s Garden Strategy
⁃ Doubt God’s Word – Genesis 3:1 the devil says to Eve “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The devil plants doubt. Eve replies in Genesis 3:2-3 that they could eat fruit from the trees except not from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, lest they would die.
⁃ Deny the consequences – Then the devil replies in Genesis 3:4 “‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman.” The devil moves her toward denying the consequences.
⁃ Deify ourselves – The devil continues in Genesis 3:5 “‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'” We want to be in control instead of allow God to be.
Then we read in Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her and he ate it.” From this we learn that temptation comes with:
Passion – I want things that I like and that look good
Pleasure – I want things that give me joy and comfort
Pride – I want to be in control
1 John 2:16 we read, “For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – does not come from the Father but from the world.”
Our story continues in Genesis 3:7 “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made a covering for themselves.” They now understood good and evil, their eyes were opened to evil and they had shame, sorrow, loss, pain, suffering, guilt. Sin took away their blissful innocence.
What happened next? Then we read in Genesis 3:21 “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” What does this tell us? It tells us that sin brought death to an innocent victim – an animal was slain – and it shows us sin has a consequence – Sin must be paid for by an innocent victim – and this is a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God – Jesus – who would lay down His life on a cross for us, because we all have fallen for the devil’s garden strategy.
1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
Confronting Temptation:
⁃ Remember Jesus, who He is and what He did – 2 Timothy 2:8 We are to keep our eyes focused on Jesus
⁃ Resist the devil and he will flee from you – James 4:7
⁃ Run from temptation and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace – 2 Timothy 2:22
⁃ Replace our focus on the things that destroy with the things that build us up. We are not to focus on the things that are tempting, but rather we should focus on what God’s word says. Let His word take root in our lives because God’s word give us power and strength, direction and guidance- Psalm 119:11
⁃ Rely on the Holy Spirit who leads us to faith and brings to mind the teachings of Jesus – Romans 8:6
Pastor closes with a beautiful hymn that his mother taught him.
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