Sermon Notes | 10.1.23
A Story of Shame
Genesis 3:1-13
[1] 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’?” [2] And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, [3] 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.’” [4] But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. [5] For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [6] So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. [7] Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
[8] And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. [9] But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” [10] And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” [11] He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” [13] Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (ESV)
The Pattern of Shame
Genesis 3:1-7
The Pattern: Deceit –> Doubt –> Discontentment –> Desire gone wild
In succumbing to the lie that they need something they already have, they annihilate themselves, and, so, ‘after sin there is nothing for it but death.’ – Crispin Fletcher-Louis
The Pain of Shame
Genesis 3:8-13
Flip open a fashion magazine or scroll through your social media feed, and you’ll be bombarded with image after image of perfectly sculpted, flawless bodies and the inherent judgement that comes with them. As a result, soon-to-be brides obsess over pre-wedding diets, new mothers stress over ‘getting my body back’ within weeks of giving birth, and entire industries are dedicated to preventing the natural process of aging. Within the church, the messages can be just as mixed. Women are simultaneously celebrated for being ‘smoking hot wives’ at the same time they are told that their bodies are a source of temptation, a ticking time bomb that, for the love of their brothers, they must defuse. Men experience shame over their bodies, as well; they may believe themselves too short, too thin, too heavy, to have too much body hair, to have not enough facial hair, or to lack muscle tone. Men also receive confusing messages about sexuality: On the one hand, a natural appreciation for beauty becomes equated with lust, resulting in shame for even noticing the attractiveness of a woman (or another man). But when age causes a man’s sex drive to wane, the same shame tells him to seek out small blue pills to recover his manhood. – Hannah Anderson
The Presence of God
Genesis 3:8-13
It is far easier to live with a tree that is planted and fixed than with a God who can come and go as he pleases, leaving Adam and Eve vulnerable to a snake. – Curt Thompson
A Prayer for Salvation
“Heavenly Father, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever before believed, but through your Son Jesus I can be more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you that he lived the life I should have lived and paid the debt and punishment I owed. Receive me now for his sake. I turn from my sins and receive him as Savior. Amen.”