Genesis 5

Chapter 5 begins with a reiteration of some of what we’ve already learned in chapters 1 and 2– “[1] This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. [2] Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. [3] When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. [4] The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. [5] Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.”

The language used here at the start of chapter 5 is very similar to the language used in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…”

I think Moses is doing several things here.

First, I think he is gluing the creation narrative to history. Adam was not a hypothetical figure, a metaphor for all of creation. He was a real person made in the image of a real God. The stories of the Bible aren’t mystical, nor are they fairy tales. They are real stories rooted in real history.

This may seem like a trivial point to some of us. But, it’s not! I’ve had countless conversations over the past few months with people who struggle to see the Bible as a historical account. They view it as folklore, a fairytale, or a mystical story that conveys good morals. But I want us to see that the Bible doesn’t endorse this! The Bible roots itself in history. It’s a historical account. The Bible is filled with real stories rooted in actual history. Adam was a real man created in the image of a real God who had real descendants that traced themselves down to a real Savior. And this Savior lived a real life, performed real miracles, died a real death on a real cross by the hands of real people, and this crucified Savior really rose from the grave.

A few weeks ago, I cut a man’s hair who was visiting from Mississippi. He and his wife had taken the Amtrak into town to celebrate their anniversary.

The Amtrak is a modern railroad system. It’s a fun and unique way to travel. Everything about a train ride feels distinct: the seating, the smell, the steady rhythm of the tracks beneath you. But one thing that’s distinct about a train ride is its lack of flexibility: the train can only go where the track leads. You can’t change your mind on where you want to go halfway through your ride. Once you get on the train, your next stop will be Mobile, AL.

When people ask, “Why are genealogies in the Bible?” I tell them they’re like the railroad tracks on which God’s faithfulness runs. They keep the story of God’s faithfulness moving in the right direction. They ground us in real history, and they carry us straight to our real Savior, Jesus, the one who historically came, historically died, and historically rose from the grave.

Second, I think we see that God’s blessing on mankind wasn’t diminished once sin entered the picture. God blessed mankind and commissioned them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. And that blessing is culminating right before our eyes.

Seth was born “in the likeness of Adam,” which I think is a play on words that is intended to show the continuity between Adam and Seth. On Thursday, someone pointed to my oldest and said to me, “That boy is your son! He looks just like you.” Perhaps his facial features resemble mine, or his mannerisms reflect mine. But that person was stating that my son bears my image. And in the same way that my children bear my image, Seth bears Adam’s image, and Adam bears God’s image. I think Moses is seeking to show us that, although the image of God has been marred by sin, it’s still there. God and man’s story didn’t end after the fall. Sin destroyed a lot of things, but not God’s good, redemptive plan for humanity. Because of God’s grace, love, and mercy, man’s story continues. We are still image-bearers of God. Although our moral nature has been twisted, our relationships have been marred by sin, our worship has been misdirected, and we are described in the Bible as spiritually dead individuals in need of new life, God’s image is still in humanity. Therefore, we treat everyone with respect and reverence. We carefully love, honor, and respect all people everywhere.

God and man’s story didn’t end after the fall. Although we are all sinners in need of grace (which is why Jesus came), everyone still bears the image of God and is worthy of love, honor, and respect. Seth bears Adam’s image, and Adam bears God’s image. We are image bearers.

Now, before we begin to unpack the genealogy provided for us here, I want to answer a question many of us have probably asked at some point. After the service last Sunday, I had someone come to me and ask, “How could there already be others outside of Lamech’s immediate family line to murder?”

That’s a good question, one worth answering!

I think Moses gives us a helpful little distinction in verses 4-5 when he says, “The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters.”

So, I think what we have in chapters 4 and 5 is selective genealogy, meaning these two chapters don’t record every person born from Adam and Eve; they are selective in who they describe. Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters not recorded in these genealogies. So, by the time Lamech killed the man and the young man, there could have already been hundreds or even thousands of people on the earth.

Now, let’s spend some time looking at the genealogy provided for us here. There are a few things that should stand out to us as we read through this. The first thing that should stick out is the fact that these dudes were OLD! Adam was 930 years old when he died. Seth was 912 years old when he died. Enosh was 905 years old when he died. Kenan was 910 years old when he died. Mahalalel was 895 years old when he died. Jared was 962 years old when he died. Enoch was 365 years old when he died. Methusaleh was 969 years old when he died. Lamech was 777 years old when he died. Noah (as we will see in Genesis 9:29) was 950 years old when he died.

If we were to exclude Enoch, since he didn’t die a natural death, the average lifespan provided here would be 910 years. And, including Enoch, the average lifespan was 855 years old.

Can you imagine how bad their knees must have hurt? Can you imagine having a midlife crisis at the age of 475?

Now, not only did these men live long lives, but they also had children relatively late in their lives, at ages that seem unrealistically old. Adam had Seth when he was 130 years old. Seth had Enosh when he was 105, Enosh had Kenan when he was 90, Kenan had Mahalel when he was 70, Mahalalel had Jared when he was 65, Jared had Enoch when he was 162, Enoch had Methuselah when he was 65, Methuselah had Lamech when he was 187, Lamech had Noah when he was 182, and Noah had his boys when he was 500. So, including Noah, the average age here was 156 years old.

Now, this is a mind-blowing reality that none of us can relate to, because the window for conception and birth is seemingly much smaller than it was back then, along with the length of one's life. Life has seemingly deteriorated since this point before the flood. A shift occurred in Chapter 6, where God said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”

This long lifespan didn’t last forever. Soon, the days of one's life would shorten drastically. Yet, here in this time, Moses intentionally records for us the length of one's life.

Now, when you compare Seth’s line with Cain’s line, I find some interesting parallels. In Cain’s line, you see their skills and their wickedness recorded, but not the length of their lives. In Seth’s line, you find the length of their lives recorded, but not their skills or wickedness.

I think that’s because Cain’s family line represents humanity apart from God, a life that might achieve much but fail to produce any lasting spiritual legacy. Seth’s line represents a lasting legacy that leads to redemption.

You may be able to achieve much in this life apart from God. But, apart from him, you will not produce an ounce of spiritual significance.

So, what do you want to be remembered for in this life? Your skills? Your sin? Or the small role you played in God’s glorious story of redemption?

But, with that, here’s what I find remarkable. These are the individuals who lived the longest lives in the history of the Bible. And yet these are some of the individuals that we know the least about in the Bible. All we really know about them here is that they had children and died. Yet they played a valuable role in God’s grand story of redemption.

In the same way that every rail, every tie, and every fastener is essential to a railroad track, every individual here is vital to God’s story of redemption; each name is another link in the track that leads us to Jesus!

In a social media-driven world that makes us feel like we need to let everyone know every detail of our lives, may Genesis 5 show us the truth that the world doesn’t have to know all the details of our lives for us to be effective in the kingdom of God! The long lives that these men lived played a small but vital role in God’s grand story of redemption. They lived, they bore children, and they died.

When you read a passage, it’s helpful to look for repeated words or phrases. In doing so, you will be able to discover the intended point of the text. Three words are repeated often in this chapter. Three that have a bite to them. Three words that make us uncomfortable to hear.

When I was in high school and college, I loved rap music. Now that I’m older—and maybe a little senile—I think rap it’s loud and obnoxious. But back when I was a young whippersnapper, I listened to it all the time.

In high school, my choice of songs wasn’t exactly God-glorifying. But by college, my taste had shifted toward what many would call Christian rap.

There was one particular song, though, that I could never listen to. I couldn’t listen to it because in the background of the beat, there was this subtle ringing, a ringing that was just faint enough to notice, yet constant enough to drive me crazy. It reminded me of my alarm clock.

The lyrics of the song were phenomenal. But, no matter how good the song was, that one ringing sound ruined it for me. And it ruined it for me because I felt like it didn’t belong in the song.

Well, like that irritating ring in the song, there’s a ringing in Genesis 5 that catches our attention. It’s a refrain that doesn’t seem to fit the melody of creation and life. Over and over again, we hear the ringing of the phrase, “and he died.” Those three words echo through the genealogy like an out-of-tune note. Deep down, we know they shouldn’t be there. Death is an unwelcome intruder, an uncomfortable and tragic reality that wedges itself into the song of all of our lives.

So, here’s the truth we all have to face: one day, life on this earth will end for all of us. Eventually, we’ll be reduced to words on a page, pictures in an album, or videos on a feed. “And he/she died” will one day be words that conclude the small paragraph used to describe our lives. One day, no one will remember our names or care about the lives we lived. The Earth will go on without us.

Is this a reality we’ve all come to terms with? Have we come to terms with the fact that one day we will take our last breath?

The beauty of the gospel is that it addresses this unfortunate reality; It interjects life into death, hope into something that is terrifying, and peace into something unsettling.

Now, if you’re observant, one of these men was not like the rest. Enoch, unlike the rest of these men, “walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Before we observe how he left this earth, let’s look at how he lived while on the earth.

Enoch was a man who walked with God. Walking with God expresses deep fellowship, intimacy, and obedience. It’s a life lived in proximity to God. It’s a life lived in fellowship with God. It’s a life lived in agreement with God.

It implies a life of walking next to someone; not before, not behind, but beside in intimate fellowship. It points to a righteous and devoted life that stands in stark contrast to those around him.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “It is a delight to such children to be with their father. The roughness of the way or of the weather is nothing to them: it is joy enough to go for a walk with father. There is a warm, tender, affectionate grip of the hand and a beaming smile of the eye as they look up to father while he conducts them over hill and dale. Such a walk is humble too, for the child looks upon its father as the greatest and wisest man that ever lived. He considers him to be the incarnation of everything that is strong and wise, and all that his father says or does he admires. As he walks along he feels for his father the utmost affection, but his reverence is equally strong: he is very near his father, but yet he is only a child, and looks up to his father as his king. Moreover such a walk is one of perfect confidence. The boy is not afraid of missing his way, he trusts implicitly his father's guidance. His father’s arm will screen him from all danger, and therefore he does not so much as give it a thought— why should he? If care is needed as to the road, it is his father’s business to see to it, and the child, therefore, never dreams of anxiety; why should he? If any difficult place is to be passed, the father will have to lift the boy over it, or help him through it—the child meanwhile is merry as a bird—why should he not be? Thus should the believer walk with God, resting on eternal tenderness and rejoicing in undoubted love. A believer should be unconscious of dread either as to the present or to the future. Beloved friend in Christ, your Father may be trusted, he will supply all your need.”

So, as a child walks with dad, Enoch walked with God. With joyful fellowship, complete trust, and total obedience, he walked side-by-side with God. Hebrews 11:5 describes him as a man of faith, “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now, before he was taken, he was commended as having pleased God.”

Enoch was a man of faith. But his faith was not without works. He was commended as one who pleased God. This further reiterates the point that faith without works is dead. If your faith resides in Jesus, your obedience is surrendered to Jesus. By faith Enoch was taken up, but before he was taken up he was commended as having pleased God. He was a man who walked with God. If the title Christian is on your name tag, there is a way in which you are expected to walk. “We were buried with him by baptism into death in order that we too might walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4).” We are to walk by the Spirit so that we might not gratify the desires of the flesh (Gal 5:16). We are to walk in love as Christ loved us (Eph 5:1-2). We are to walk in the light as he is in the light (1 Jn 1:7). Enoch walked with God, and Christians are called to do the same. We are to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We are to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16). We are to walk in love as Christ loved us (Eph. 5:1-2). We are to walk in the light as He is in the light (1 Jn 1:7).

Not only was Enoch a man who walked with God, but he was also a man who spoke for God. Jude 14-15 describes Enoch as a prophet who said, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way.”

Strangely, Jude is quoting here an extra-biblical source, a book that isn’t in the biblical canon. This quote is found in a well-known Jewish tradition from the book of 1 Enoch 1:9. The Book of Enoch was written between 300 BC and 100 BC, thousands of years after the time Enoch is believed to have lived on earth. The timing of its composition lends itself to the conclusion that it would be impossible for Enoch to have written this book. Therefore, although it’s claimed to be written by Enoch, it was written by anonymous Jewish authors who used Enoch’s name as a literary figure. Yet Jude still attributes these words to Enoch. So it’s likely that this prophecy was passed down through oral tradition over the years.

So, as Enoch walked with God, he spoke to a corrupt people, warning them of a judgment that was on the horizon. He possessed a robust faith in God’s coming justice. He knew sin would not go unpunished, and he warned those who lived contrary to his God. Part of walking with God is a willingness to speak on behalf of God to those who live against God.

But we see that the man who walked with God was later taken by God. He miraculously escaped death.

We don’t know how this happened. Perhaps it was visible. Maybe he rode up on a cloud, just as Jesus did before his disciples. Maybe he was taken up in a chariot. Maybe it happened in the middle of the night. But, no matter how it happened, this man was missed. As we see in the book of Hebrews, he was not found. The phrase “not found” implies that he was searched for and could not be located.

What a way to be remembered, as a man who walked with God. What reputation do you wish to have one day? How do you hope to be remembered? Oh, LORD, may we be men and women who have the reputation as those who walk with God. May we know the intimate fellowship of a life with God!

If Genesis 5 is full of ordinary people who lived long, ordinary lives for the glory of God and played a small part in God’s grand story of redemption, we can do the same. Church, how do you want to be remembered?

Genesis 4: Cain and Abel

“[1] Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” [2] And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.”

ADAM KNEW EVE

We’re not spending much time here. But have you ever really thought about why Scripture uses the word “knew” regarding the activity that leads to conception? It’s the same word used in chapter 3 when Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened and they “knew that they were naked.” So, it’s a term that conveys intellectual knowledge, a deep and true understanding of something.

I think this pushes back against the idea of sex being an impersonal thing. It’s not causal, nor is it self-serving. In a world that intends to make sex casual, God teaches us that it’s deeply intimate and personal. It’s not something simply designed for pleasure and power; it’s something intended to heighten a relational union. It’s an opportunity to learn one another better, an opportunity to serve one another selflessly in the most vulnerable and intimate way.

IS HE THE MESSIAH?

Now, once Eve gives birth to Cain, she declares her excitement over his arrival— “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD!” The language used here in Hebrew could be a bit confusing. Most traditional translations, like the ESV, translate this to say, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” But, the literal rendering says, “I have gotten a man— the LORD.” Because of this, some think that Eve believes Cain is the promised deliverer, the offspring who would crush the serpent's head. She’s declaring something with joyful excitement. This is no ordinary child; this is the one who will make things right. As John Calvin put it, “She hoped that he would be the man who should repair the ruin inflicted by Satan.” But, as we will see in a moment, he is not the one. Eve rightly believed that God’s word would be true. However, she misinterpreted and misapplied his promise at this time.

GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN WORTHY OF WORSHIP

In verse 2, we see that she gave birth to another son named Abel. Abel was the keeper of sheep, and Cain was a worker of the ground. So, we catch a glimpse into their occupation, which reiterates the point that work is good! It’s a God-glorifying endeavor!

As we continue to read, we see the first offering made to the LORD in the Bible— “[3] In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, [4] and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, [5] but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. [6] The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? [7] If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.”

Notice first how worship existed long before the law was ever given. Before Israel existed as a nation, before the tabernacle or temple were built, before the priesthood was established, and before the Levitical system was revealed, offerings were made to the LORD as an act of worship. From the very beginning of time, mankind knew that God was worthy of worship.

We don’t know what birthed this action. God may have instructed them elsewhere to do it. No matter the motive, they recognized the need to bring something before God as an act of sacrificial worship.

AN OFFERING OF FAITH VS AN OFFERING OF WORKS

Now, when you examine how their offerings are described, I think you will find distinctions being made between the two. Cain’s offerings were “of the ground,” which signifies they were a part of his crops. They were the fruit of his labor. Abel’s offerings were “of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions,” which means they were a part of his harvest, too. But the difference was that Abel brought his best. God had regard for Abel and his offering, but not for Cain and his offering.

Notice that God accepted the person before he accepted the gift. He rejected the person before he rejected the gift. The major difference between Cain and Abel’s offerings was not that one was a fruit basket while the other was a juicy platter of meat. It was the heart in which they brought them. Cain’s offering was an expression of works, while Abel’s offering was an expression of faith. Cain viewed the offering as a checklist, while Abel viewed it as an expression of worship. Cain viewed the offering as a means to benefit himself, while Abel viewed the offering as a declaration of God’s glory and worth.

If I were to ask you, which offering is better: $1,000,000 or $1? The only correct answer is the one offered in faith. The acceptance and rejection of Cain and Abel stemmed from their heart and motives. God always cares more about our hearts than he does our actions— “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (Ps. 51:17).”

Hebrews 11:4 says, “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.” So, Abel’s sacrifice was righteous and acceptable because it was done in faith. It was rooted in trust in God’s mercy; it was rooted in worship of God’s greatness, and it was a display of humble adoration of God’s provision. Cain’s offering, however, wasn’t rooted in faith. It was self-serving.

Church, it’s essential for us to remember that it’s possible to do the right thing with the wrong motives and still be doing the wrong thing. You may have been doing “good” religious things your whole life, not out of faith, but out of works, not out of worship, but out of performance. It’s possible that you are far more selfish than you want to admit.

May the story of Genesis 4 serve as a warning to us. May these verses extend to us the warning that we may be able to convince the people around us that we are “righteous” by doing “righteous things.” But we cannot fool the God who sees the heart. The Christian life is not a performance for God; It is a personal relationship with God. We get to offer our best to the LORD because he is worthy of our best!

SIN IS CROUCHING

God accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's. And look at how Cain responded. He didn’t respond with humble repentance. He responded with anger and rage. His face fell with rejection.

Look at what the LORD says to Cain after he grew angry and his face fell, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.” God is graciously correcting Cain, encouraging him to correct the posture of his heart. In doing so, he’s warning him of the danger of his present situation. He portrays sin as a beast waiting to devour him. Like a lion ready to pounce on its prey, sin is crouching at the door of his heart, desiring to rule over him. Sin’s mouth is watering, longing to control him. But, he must be careful not to let it devour him. He must rule over the sin in his heart. Cain can either master sin through obedience and humility, or he can be mastered by sin through jealousy and pride.

Saints, may we not move on too quickly from this warning. Are we aware of the reality that sin is lurking? Do we understand that we can either master sin or be mastered by it? We must always take sin seriously; it’s crouching at the doors of our hearts, trying to destroy us.

Be careful, brothers and sisters, not to let sin devour you. It starts as a speck and grows into a mountain. What began as a religious performance evolved into anger and jealousy, and as we will see in a moment, anger and jealousy evolved into murder. The sins of the heart don’t often stay in the heart. But, many of us think that we can live with sin in the same way that someone could live with a Lion as a pet. Sin is a beast waiting to devour us. You can either put it to death or be put to death by it.

PREMEDITATED MURDER

Notice that Cain doesn’t say a word in response to God. He doesn’t take heed to the warning God gives. Instead of responding to God, Cain speaks to Abel. He turns his back on God and goes to his brother— “Cain spoke to Abel, his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

This wasn’t accidental. This was premeditated murder. His jealousy and anger led him to murder his brother. As God was warning Cain about the state of his heart, Cain was planning to take matters into his own hands. The sin of the heart evolved into the sin of his hands. Anger and jealousy led to murder.

1 John 3:11-12 says, “[11] For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. [12] We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.” I think the warning in 1 John 3 tells us that we are all a little closer to Cain than we are to Abel. Our hearts gravitate toward hate more than it does love. Therefore, we must be careful to make sure we’re walking in love.

How is your heart today, friends? Is it full of love? Or is it full of hate? Is jealousy brewing in there? Has God’s blessing on someone else caused your face to fall? “Sin is crouching at the door. It’s desire is for you, and you must rule over it.”

GRACE IN JUDGMENT

Following this, the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” Like in the garden, this isn’t a question of ignorance. It’s a probing question intended to get to the heart of the matter at hand. Cain responds with one of the most audacious responses imaginable. He says, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” To which the LORD responds, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

So, the LORD pronounces judgment against Cain. He will continue to work, but his productivity will be significantly reduced compared to before. And he will be sent out from the presence of the LORD and will be a homeless wanderer for the rest of his life. And Cain, like a child who just got grounded, throws his hands up and says, “That’s not fair!” He said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

But God, filled with grace and mercy, responds, “Not so!” If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Please do not miss the grace of God here! We don’t know what the mark left on Cain was here. Some think it was a physical, visible mark given by God, like a horn on his forehead, or a letter from God’s name inscribed on him, or the bright shining of his face. Others believe it was an invisible sign, an inward or moral mark that represented guilt and alienation from God. Either way, no matter what this mark was, it was an act of grace, a sign of protection on the most undeserving. In the face of murder, God protected the guilty, preventing Cain from experiencing the fruit of the very sin he’s guilty of.

From the jump, we learn two things here: (1) man is far more sinful than we realize, and (2) God is far more gracious than we realize. God is both just and gracious.

ABEL, A SHADOW OF CHRIST

Now, before we begin to unpack what happens when Cain leaves, I want to circle back to Abel real quick. Jesus described Abel as the first martyr who suffered for righteousness' sake. He was walking in righteousness and suffered at the hands of the unrighteous. This reminds us of the reality that doing the right thing will not always be celebrated. The righteous will be hated by the unrighteous. No one demonstrated this better than our Savior, Jesus. Jesus walked in perfect obedience to the Father and was unjustly killed by the hands of sinners. So, we must always take heed to Jesus’ words, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Sometimes people won’t like us for doing what’s right, but Jesus was faithful even when it was hard.

TWO FAMILY TREES

Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, which means wandering. Then Moses begins to describe Cain’s family tree. And as he describes it, he’s setting up a contrast to a different line, a better line. One will culminate in greater wickedness than before, while the other will culminate in the praise of God.

Genesis 4:17-24 says, “[17] Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. [18] To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. [19] And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. [20] Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. [21] His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. [22] Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

So, Cain had Enoch. Enoch had Irad. Irad had Mehujael. Mehujael had Methushael. Methushael had Lamech. Lamech takes two wives. From his first wife, Adah, he had two sons: Jubal and Jubal. And from his other wife Zillah, he had a son named Tubal-Cain. Jubal #1 was the father of those who dwelled in tents. Jubal #2 was the father of all who played musical instruments, the lyre and pipe. Tubal-Cain was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. Then in verse 23, we see Lamech declare a poem, a spoken word to summarize the weight of his wickedness.

[23] Lamech said to his wives:

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

[24] If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold,

then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.”

This poem is intended to relay to us the weight of sin present in the line of Cain. If the punishment of Cain’s sin would be repaid sevenfold, then the punishment for Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold. Cain’s sin has spread drastically through his family tree. It didn’t stop with Cain; it bled through his descendants. As their city grew, its morality decayed.

Side note: When Jesus was asked how many times someone ought to forgive someone, Jesus said, “not seven times, but seventy times seven.” This could be a wordplay Jesus used to draw his disciples' attention back to this story. As Lamech used this phrase to describe the severity of sin, Jesus used it to describe the severity of our forgiveness of sins.

But, in contrast to Cain’s descendants, another family tree is established. Genesis 4:25-26, “[25] And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” [26] To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.”

There are a few things that have changed here in Eve’s declaration. First, she intentionally omits Cain as one of her children. Cain has forfeited his place in God’s plan of redemption. A new line has been established. Second, notice how her language has shifted from human effort to divine provision. At the birth of Cain, Eve declared, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” At the birth of Seth, Eve declared, “God has appointed for me another offspring.” Her efforts have fallen short, but God has made another way. He has appointed another offspring for her. Salvation doesn’t rest upon the shoulders of human effort; it rests on the shoulders of God’s gracious provision. A new seed has been planted. A new family line has been birthed. All according to God’s sovereign plan, a reset in the story has begun. It’s from the line of Seth that the serpent crusher would be born. It’s from the line of Seth that Christ would be born. When it seems like there’s no hope, we must remember that God is always working out his good plan. Unlike Cain’s family line, which was littered with hate, jealousy, and murder, it’s through the line of Seth that we see people beginning to call upon the name of the LORD. And it’s from Seth’s family tree that the Savior is born. And through the coming of this Savior, God is making a diverse and united people from all over the world that will call upon the name of the LORD.

Will you call upon his name today?

Genesis 3:15-24

“[14] The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all livestock

and above all beasts of the field;

on your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”

[16] To the woman he said,

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;

in pain you shall bring forth children.

Your desire shall be for your husband,

and he shall rule over you.”

[17] 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;

[18] thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;

and you shall eat the plants of the field.

[19] 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.”

[20] The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. [21] And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

[22] Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” [23] therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. [24] He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

PAINFUL CHILDBEARING AND BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS

Let’s start by looking at the words God spoke to Eve. To the woman, he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

In a surprising and almost tender way, I want us to notice the gracious nature of God here. Even as He announces the consequences of sin, He does so with grace. God doesn’t strip Eve of His good gifts; instead, He allows her to continue enjoying them, though now mingled with pain and conflict. She will still experience the blessing of bearing children, but that joy will come with pain. She will still experience a relationship and partnership with her husband, but it will now be marked by tension and struggle. Even in judgment, God’s grace is present. His justice and mercy work hand in hand.

The first portion of this verse seems to be pretty straightforward and clear. No epidural can truly mask the reality of this verse. Although there is no joy like holding your newborn baby, sorrow, anguish, and pain are present when a woman gives birth to her child.

Now, if the wording is clear in the first half of this verse, it’s relatively unclear in the second half. The second part of this verse can be somewhat confusing. So let’s try to unpack that a little bit!

“Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

The Hebrew word translated “desire” appears only three times in the Old Testament: here in Genesis 3:16 (“Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”), in Genesis 4:7 (“Sin’s desire is for you, but you must rule over it”), and in Song of Solomon 7:10 (“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me”).

On one hand, the word can refer to a longing or yearning for something. However, the parallel with Genesis 4:7 provides the clearest clue to its meaning in this context. When we read these two passages together, it seems that “desire” carries the sense of wanting to control or dominate. If that’s the case, then God is saying that Eve will have a desire to control or dominate her husband, while her husband will respond by ruling over her. What was once a loving partnership—where Eve was a complementary helper suited for Adam—has now become a struggle for power and control because of sin. The harmony of mutual service has been replaced by tension: a sinful desire on the wife’s part to usurp her husband’s leadership, and a sinful tendency on the husband’s part to rule harshly over his wife.

Now, just to be clear, though, this does not mean that male headship was a result of the Fall. As we saw in chapter 2, God established Adam’s leadership and Eve’s complementary role in creation before sin entered the world. So, to claim that headship is part of the curse would be like saying that childbearing itself is part of the curse. It’s not the gift that’s the problem, but how sin distorts it. The Fall didn’t create headship; it corrupted the way men and women live it out. Sin fractured the harmony between husband and wife, turning partnership into conflict.

But here’s the beauty of the gospel: through Christ, God has begun to restore the original intent for harmony between men and women. In Ephesians 5, Paul calls wives to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ, and he calls husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church. So, where sin inserts an unhealthy desire to control or dominate, the gospel calls women to honor and respect their husbands, encouraging them to lead well. And where sin inserts an unhealthy desire to be domineering and oppressive, the gospel calls men to be servant-hearted leaders who lovingly care for their wives.

DIFFICULT WORK

Then, the LORD directs his focus toward man. He says to Adam, “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.”

Like the words spoken to Eve, we find God exposing how sin will impact the center of man’s life, his work. As we saw back in Chapter 2, work was good. Before sin entered the picture, Adam was commissioned by God in the garden to tend the garden. So, like childbearing and marriage, work is a good, God-glorifying thing. It is a key component in God’s design for humanity. So, God designed work to be good. But here we see that, because of sin, the ground now works against us. The ground is cursed because of Adam. In pain, we eat from it. There are now thorns and thistles that sprout up among our harvest. By the sweat of our face, we eat bread. All the days of our lives, we work hard as our work works hard against us. We labor with all our strength, yet our work seems to fight back at every turn. As we toil, the very ground toils against us. We struggle to master our work, and our work struggles to master us. Work is good, but work is hard, harder than it was originally intended to be.

But, again, the Bible paints a beautiful picture of how we as Christians ought to approach work— “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward (Col. 3:23).” We are to be hard workers, workers who work for the glory of the Lord, not the glory of man!

The apostle Paul displays this beautifully in 1 Thessalonians 2:9, "For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God." 

Paul's example here ought to be a perfect demonstration of how we ought to work. Paul "labored and toiled, working night and day," meaning he worked hard. Hard work is a good thing that our early church fathers demonstrated well. Paul was well acquainted with sweat. He was familiar with the grind. 

But, why? Why did he work hard? 

He worked hard for the benefit of others— "that we might not be a burden to any of you." Paul demonstrated to us, by his actions, that Christians ought to work selflessly. Paul didn't see work as a means to serve himself. He saw it as a means to help others. 

So, we are called to work hard, and we are called to work selflessly. But, most importantly, he worked hard and selflessly so that he could preach the gospel— "while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God." 

The order here is critical for us to see and understand. Paul did not preach the gospel while he worked. He worked while he preached the gospel. 

Why is that important? That's important because it teaches us the proper order of priorities. To Paul, advancing the gospel was more important than working productively. 

But, here's the paradox of the Christian faith: when your main priority is work, you will be a terrible preacher. But when your primary focus is preaching, you will be a great worker. 

Let me explain.

If you preach the gospel while you work, that means work is your main priority, and you will eventually never share the gospel because sharing it will become a threat to your work. But, when the advancement of the gospel is priority 1, you will do everything in your power to make Christ look beautiful! You will honor your boss because you want your boss to see, know, and experience Christ. You will serve and work hard for your coworkers because you love them and want them to see, know, and experience Christ. And because of the cross and by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will put to death the inner sluggard and wicked worker and begin to work honestly so that Christ may be glorified in your work! 

We always want our words to align with our actions. So, when we give our lives to preaching the gospel, we give our lives to hard work. We work hard as employees, not for our own gain, but for Jesus to be made beautiful.

PUSH US TO JESUS, THE ALL-SATISFYING SAVIOR

Now, Kent Hughes draws a helpful application here. In his commentary on this passage, he highlights how all of the curses spoken here were intended to push us to Jesus. He says, “The grace in all of this is a sense of dis-ease and dissatisfaction in what ought to be the most rewarding areas of life. Bliss, perfect peace, is no woman’s lot in this world. And as we shall see, the center of the man’s life will also know the same striving. These punishments are God’s graces. Marriage alone will give no woman all she wants. Mothering is fraught with pain from birth onward. To be a mother is to experience a new and ongoing index of pain. Nothing completely satisfies. This is a grace because it will drive the willing soul to seek God. Augustine praised God in retrospect for this uncomfortable grace, saying, “Your goad was thrusting at my heart, giving me no peace until the eye of my soul could discern you without mistake.”

Motherhood, marriage, work. If we look at these things as a means to satisfy our souls, we will soon figure out how they all fall short. None of them can satisfy the deep longing of our souls that only God can fulfill. And that dis-ease and dissatisfaction is a grace from God because it should drive your heart to the one who can truly satisfy!

THE FIRST DEATH, A SHADOW OF THE DEATH OF OUR SAVIOR

Following this, we see further grace from the LORD in that He now provides garments for Adam and his wife, Eve. This is the first death in human history. And the first death in human history was instigated by God for man. The innocent died in the place of the guilty to cover the shame of the guilty. As Adam and Eve sought to cover their shame with fig leaves, God stepped in and provided a better covering.

Church, I hope we catch a glimpse of the gospel here. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.” In the same way that the animal died to provide a covering for the shame and guilt of Adam and Eve in the garden, Jesus— the lamb of God— died to “take away the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29).” As the prophet Isaiah puts it, “He has clothed us with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” The first sacrifice in the garden covered human sin temporarily, but Christ’s sacrifice covers sin completely and eternally.

KICKED OUT OF THE GARDEN

Notice then what God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—“ therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and the flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

There are some interesting observations here.

First, we catch yet another glimpse into the triune nature of God here— “the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.” Like chapter 1, when God created man in his image, “making man in our image, after ourlikeness,” we find yet another glimpse into the triune nature of God.

Second, what really stood out to me is that God didn’t want Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of life, even though He never initially told them not to. If you remember, God gave Adam permission and restriction. He said he could eat of any tree, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There was only one tree they weren’t to eat from.

So it makes you wonder: why now? Why did God suddenly prevent them from eating from the tree of life when they were once allowed to?

I think what we start to see is that this was actually an act of grace. God wasn’t just punishing them by sending them out of the garden; He was protecting them. If Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of life in their fallen, sinful condition, they would have lived forever separated from God, stuck in a state of sin with no chance of redemption. So even in judgment, we see God’s mercy. He prevented eternal life in a broken state, so that redemption and restoration could still be possible. But the tree of life isn’t gone forever. For us, whose hope resides in Christ, we look ahead to a day when the tree of life will be available for us again.

In Genesis 3, mankind was kicked out of the Garden; in Revelation 22, humanity is welcomed back to the Garden-City, where God dwells among His people, and the curse of sin is no more. In revelation 2:7, Jesus says, “To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” In Revelation 22:2,14, the tree of life is in the restored creation, freely available again to those redeemed in Christ.

SUMMARY

In Genesis 3:14-24, we witness both the devastating consequences of sin and the astonishing grace of God. Sin brought forth death, pain, and misery. But Christ came to make things right!

After Adam and Eve’s rebellion, God pronounces judgment on the serpent, the woman, and the man. Yet even as He speaks these words of cursing, His mercy shines bright. To the serpent, God declares ultimate defeat: though Satan would wound humanity, a promised offspring would one day crush his head—a foreshadowing of Christ’s victory at the cross. To the woman, God allows her to continue enjoying His good gifts of marriage and motherhood, but now intertwined with pain and conflict. Sin corrupted the harmony between husband and wife, turning partnership into power struggle. But the gospel of Jesus restores what sin distorted. To the man, God curses the ground, transforming joyful work into painful toil. Yet even these pains and frustrations are a gracious reminder that the world cannot satisfy our deepest longings. The pain of labor, the difficulty of relationships, and the dissatisfaction of life under the fall… all of these are meant to drive us back to the God who alone can satisfy.

God’s grace abounds. God clothes Adam and Eve with garments of skin, an act of mercy that foreshadows Christ’s covering for sin. And when God sends them out of Eden, it’s not just punishment; it’s protection. He guards the tree of life so they won’t live forever in their fallen state, preserving the possibility of redemption through Christ.

In the end, Genesis 3 doesn’t leave us without hope. The story that began in the garden finds its completion in the gospel. The serpent’s curse is crushed, sin’s power is broken, and the tree of life reappears in Revelation, freely available to all who belong to Jesus. Even in judgment, God’s grace is hard to miss. Through Christ, the curse is being reversed, and one day, paradise will be restored.

Genesis 3:8-15

“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.”

14 The Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all livestock

and above all beasts of the field;

on your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

15  I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”

THE UNCHANGING NATURE OF GOD

The first thing I want us to notice is the stark contrast in language used regarding God here in this passage. Starting in chapter 2, Moses began to consistently refer to God as “LORD God” (Yahweh Elohim). But a shift took place in the second half of verse 1. As the serpent tempted, he removed the title LORD. He sought to minimize Eve and Adam’s view of God by depersonalizing him— “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’”

So, I want to reiterate the point Wayne made last week quickly. Part of Satan’s playbook is to minimize the great and personal nature of God. As Deitrick Bonhoeffer puts it, “Satan does not here fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.” It’s as if Satan handed Eve a pair of binoculars backwards. He sought to minimize Eve’s view of the almighty, gracious, and personal God. He attempted to portray God as small, mean, and distant, as less caring than He truly is.

Because of this, I believe that part of my role as your pastor is to remind you of what Satan seeks to make you forget. Part of our job as brothers and sisters in Christian community is to remind one another of what Satan strives to make us forget. A proper view of God should enhance proper living. A high view of God should lead to high moral standards. The blurrier our view of God is, the blurrier our view of sin becomes.

As the serpent tempted Eve, he attempted to minimize the glorious and gracious nature of God. But I want you to notice the stark contrast in language in verse 8–“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden…”

Isn’t it beautiful how no lie of the enemy can ever change the true nature of God? The LORD God never changes. He stays the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. Satan may succeed in actually diminishing our view of God. But he will never succeed in diminishing God.

SINNERS ARE NATURAL HIDERS

Now, let’s look at what happens whenever Adam and Eve take the fruit and eat it. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, their eyes were opened. They knew they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. So, where they were once naked and unashamed before sin, they are now naked and ashamed. Sin has brought forth shame and hiding. But they didn’t just hide parts of themselves from one another. They sought to hide themselves entirely from God.

Look at verse 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 in the garden.”

Church, I want us to understand that Adam and Eve’s decision to hide is a decision we follow today. Attempting to hide from God is the natural human response to sin. Now, I intentionally use the word 'attempt' because we cannot actually hide from the all-seeing, all-knowing God. As Psalm 139:7-8 says, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!”

There is nowhere that you can go that God cannot see. There’s no forest you can run to, there’s no darkness that can conceal you. However, sin has conditioned our hearts to think that darkness is safe. Like Adam and Eve, we think life in the trees is safer than life in the garden. A life in the shadows is safer than a life in the open light. A life apart from God is better than a life with God.

Now, check this out. If you remember, God had given Adam the command to eat from any tree in the garden except the one. And once they had eaten from the one, they sought to hide in the abundance of trees.

Like Adam and Eve, we’re tempted to find comfort from our sin in the abundance that God has given us. We seek to find safety in the material things God has provided. But, in the same way that a full forest couldn’t save Adam and Eve, a full bank account can’t save us. A bigger house can’t save us. A bigger paycheck can’t save us. A full pantry can’t save us. A loving spouse can’t save us. Healthy kids can’t save us. A longer vacation can’t save us. Nicer clothes can’t save us.

It is human nature to hide from God because of our sin. And it is human nature to seek to find safety from God in the good things God has provided. But, no gift given by God can ever protect us from God.

If you were to search your heart, do you think that you would discover that you feel safest hiding behind material possessions? Like are you content with your sin never being exposed as long as your bank account is full? Would you be willing to exchange material possessions for a life with God?

THE GOD WHO PURSUES AND CALLS

We all have fig leaves, something we use to mask the shame and guilt we feel from our sin. We don’t want others to see the shame and guilt we are carrying because of our failures. Therefore, we put on a mask. And we all have woods that we try to run to to hide from the God we’ve sinned against. We seek to escape the presence of the all-knowing, all-seeing God of the universe because deep down we know that we’ve sinned against him. But look what God does in verse 9. He calls out to Adam. He says, “Where are you?”

This isn’t a question of ignorance. It’s a probing question intended to expose the off nature of their location. And before we look at Adam’s response, can we just let this reality marinade in our hearts for a moment? God knew what happened here, and yet he pursued. Do not miss the fact that God is in the business of pursuing sinners. He is in the business of calling out those who are hiding in darkness.

This is true of all who are in Christ today. We were all hiding, cowering away in the trees when we heard God call out to us! When we were all content with God walking by and never returning, God stopped and called out to us!

Can I pause and draw a separate point of application that I thought about last night?

Christian brothers and sisters, we must know that it is the natural inclination of the human heart to hide and run. Some of us have been deeply hurt by someone who is not a follower of Christ. And we’re still hurt because we’re holding out for that person to come to us and apologize, to be the bigger man and right their wrongs.

Here’s my encouragement to you. You hid in the darkness wearing fig leaves, just like your offender. And you didn’t come out of the trees until Christ called out to you. If Christ pursued reconciliation with you, you can seek reconciliation with your offender.

BLAMESHIFTERS

God called out to Adam, “Where are you?” Adam responds, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” To which God responds, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

Notice how God addresses the sin at hand with precision and patience here. Each question is calculated, and each question reveals another layer of the deeper issue at hand.

Adam responds to God’s question, “The woman you have to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” God then directs his attention to Eve, asking her, “What is this that you have done?” And Eve responds, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Yikes! Neither Adam nor Eve accepted responsibility for their wrongdoing! Both acknowledged something was off. But neither acknowledged that something was off because of them. Adam shifted the blame off of himself onto Eve and ultimately onto God— “It’s the woman that you gave me!” And Eve shifted the blame off of herself and onto the serpent— “The serpent deceived me and I ate!”

I read a quote this week that I thought was so true: “To err is human; to blame it on others and upon God is more human.” Adam and Eve both portrayed themselves as the victim here. Adam was the victim of the poor decision of the woman whom God had given him, and Eve was the victim of the attacks of the serpent.

Friends, like Adam, we all have a little blame-shifter in us. It’s never our fault. It’s someone else’s fault. It’s our poor upbringing’s fault. It’s our surroundings’ fault.

It’s God’s fault.

You cheated on your taxes because politicians are corrupt. You stole from your work because your employer didn’t pay you enough. You’re mean to your children because you were raised in a broken home. You’re promiscuous because your dad was never around. You look at pornography because your wife won’t be intimate with you. The list can go on and on. It’s never your fault; there’s always an excuse. And some of these excuses may be valid. They may possess ounces of truth in them.

Was Adam correct in his statement that God gave Eve to him to be his wife? Absolutely! Was Adam correct in his statement that Eve gave him the fruit to eat? Sure! Was Eve correct in her statement that the serpent deceived her? Of course! But, were any of those valid excuses for their wrong doing? Absolutely not!

No excuse provided was able to justify their actions. They were not the victims; they were the perpetrators.

At the heart of the gospel is an acknowledgment of our own failures. At the heart of the gospel is a receiving of grace for the offenses you are guilty of. We must admit that we are sinners. There is no justifiable excuse that we could offer God that would remove from us the guilt of our sin! Adam and Eve both stood guilty before God. You and I, apart from Christ, stood/stand guilty before God. And as they stand guilty, God speaks. He begins to usher in punishment, first to the serpent, next to Eve, and then to Adam. These words spoken are strong and just.

CHRIST, THE SERPENT-CRUSHER

Next week, we will unpack the theology of the words spoken here in more detail. But I want us to see the hope in God’s words spoken here. Before God ushers out punishment to Adam and Eve, he ushers out punishment to the serpent. And in these words spoken to the serpent, we catch a flicker of hope, a glimpse of light. Perhaps God’s not done with Adam and Eve? Perhaps there’s hope for them? Perhaps there’s hope for us?

To the serpent, God says, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

The language here is harsh. It’s strong. It’s humbling. It’s defeating. Because of his deceptive work in the garden, he will be cursed above all other creatures. He was condemned to crawl on his belly, a sign of total humiliation. But, not only will the serpent be humbled, he will be defeated and crushed. From that day forward, there would be enmity between him and the woman, between his offspring and hers.

Enmity entails hostility. It’s combative language. It’s language of struggle. But, there wasn’t just going to be a struggle between him and the woman. He was going to be defeated by her offspring. As the serpent will bite at the heel of her offspring, his head will be bruised by his heel. This act was an act that we believe was fulfilled on the cross! On the cross, Satan struck the heel of Christ, but Christ struck Satan’s head through his death and resurrection. The bite of the enemy was the crushing blow against the enemy. Jesus crushed Satan on the cross, dismantling his power to deceive and devour.

The rest of the Bible operates out of this promise. It’s designed to tell the story of how Genesis 3:15 becomes a redemptive reality for God’s people! God, through Christ on the cross, had a plan to make things right for sinful humanity! As death and condemnation were extended to us through Adam’s trespass, righteousness and justification were extended to us through Christ. God has shown his love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. We have now been justified by his blood. Our hope is found in Christ, the Serpent-Crusher.

So, the beauty of the gospel is that we don’t have to hide in shame. We can come to God humble and broken, admitting our faults and confessing our sins. And in doing so, we are met with freedom and grace! We get to joyfully declare Romans 8:1, “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.”

So, for those of us who have been shifting the blame our entire lives, I invite you to come to God, humble and broken, so that you can experience true grace and mercy!

And for those of us who have come to Christ humble and broken, but still feel shame, I employ you to cling to Hebrews 12:2, “keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”Hebrews 12 thus challenges us not to look inward at our sin but to look upward at our Savior. As one commentator puts it, “Shame focuses on our sin. Freedom focuses on his salvation. Shame focuses on our past. Freedom focuses on our future. Shame is defined by our failures. Freedom is defined by our faith.” — Bethancourt, Phillip

Genesis 3:1-7

Genesis 2:19-25

“[18] Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” [19] Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. [20] The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. [21] So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. [22] And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. [23] Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.”

[24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. [25] And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

If you’ve been following closely, you will begin to notice how verse 14 stands in stark contrast to everything that has transpired up until this point. Up until this point, the word “good” had been used only in a positive sense. God spoke, creation followed, and God saw that it was good. God spoke, creation followed, and God saw that it was good. God spoke, creation followed, and God saw that it was good. Then on the seventh day, God saw everything that he had made and declared it as “very good.” But here we see God declare something to be “not good.” He says, “It is not good that the man should be alone.”

In Genesis 1:26, we see God say, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” So, in chapter 1, we’re first introduced to the triune nature of God. There is one God who eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Therefore, if we are made in the image of a communal God, we can rightly conclude that we are made for community.

God’s declaration is theologically and psychologically true; it is not good for humans to be alone. The triune God who exists in perfect community has declared it is not suitable for the one made in his image to be alone.

So, let's examine what God does to address this need with Adam— “He made a helper fit for him.”

And as we see in the preceding verses, the helper he makes for Adam is Eve. Woman is the helper fit for man. Eve is the one that, before the foundation of the world, God chose to come along and assist Adam’s leadership. So, God created Adam and placed him in the garden, with the specific command to work and enjoy his creation. And as Adam did so alone, God brought to him a helper fit for him. Eve was uniquely designed in the image of God to come alongside and assist Adam with strength and dignity. God made Eve special, just like Adam, in His image. She was made to be his strong and caring helper, working with him to do what God called them to do.

The timeline set for us here is one that the rest of the Bible follows. Although they are both equally made in the image of God, the man (Adam) is the head of the household, the one God has called to work hard and lead his home lovingly, and the woman (Eve) is the one God has called to come alongside and help him. She is the helper fit for him. And that word helper is not a demeaning term; it’s not a term of weakness. It’s a term of dignity and strength. Psalm 33:20 says, “Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.” So, if the term 'helper' is a title of honor and strength regarding the LORD, it has to be a title of honor and strength for Eve, as well.

Men and women are created equally in dignity, value, and worth before God. They’re both image bearers. But they’ve been given distinct, complementary roles. The man in the garden was called by God to lovingly and sacrificially work for God’s glory, and then the woman was called by God to lovingly support, nurture, and help man do so.

Proverbs 31:11 says, “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.” Married men, listen to me. God has called you to work for your family, and he has called you to lead your family. But God, in his infinite grace and mercy, has given you the gift of your wife. She is the helper fit for you. So, do not run from her; run to her. Let her be of help to you. Eve was uniquely designed in the image of God to come alongside and assist Adam in glorifying God with strength and dignity. God made Eve special, just like Adam, in His image. She was made to be his strong and caring helper, working with him to do what God called them to do.

Now, in a way, verse 18 serves as the thesis statement for what’s going to transpire for the rest of this chapter, which is the creation of woman. Verses 19-20 set the stage for what Adam was doing before Eve entered the picture, and I think it heightens for us the importance and value of Eve in this context. So, let’s look at what was transpiring before Eve was made for a moment.

“[19] Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. [20] The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.”

The first thing we see here is God alluding to how the animals were made. In the same way that Adam was formed out of the ground, all of the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens were formed. But, as we saw in verse 7, unlike the beasts of the field and the birds of the air, God breathed life into the nostrils of Adam, making him distinct from the rest of creation. Animals found life through God’s creative word, but man found life through God’s intimate breath. God granted Adam authority over the rest of creation, entrusting him to name all the living creatures.

To name something means you possess authority over it. If I walked up to you and said, “Your son is so cute, and I love the name ‘John.’ But today he will now be known as ‘Judith.” You would look at me like I had four heads because I do not possess the authority to name your child.

So, Adam was exercising dominion over God’s creation by naming all the living creatures. But as he did so, he began to take notice of how something was different between him and the rest of creation. And the difference wasn’t wings or hooves; it was the fact that he was alone. There were multiple giraffes; there was a boy giraffe and a girl giraffe. There were multiple elephants; there was a boy elephant and a girl elephant. There were multiple aardvarks; there was a boy aardvark and a girl aardvark. But here Adam sits all alone. Unlike the rest of the creation, “there was not found a helper fit for Adam.” So, God took action— “The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.”

There’s beautiful intentionality here. God did not have to create woman in this way, but he did. He could have easily created both male and female from the dust, just like he did with every other animal. But he didn’t! With great intentionality and purpose, God chose to cause a deep sleep to fall on Adam, take from him his rib, and form Eve from it. Eve was taken out of Adam, formed out of his very being, making her equally an image bearer as Adam. She was a precious addition to Adam, a gift given by God as a complementary helper to him. As Matthew Henry puts it so beautifully, “The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”

Look what Adam says when God brought her to him, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man.” Here, we find Adam immediately acknowledging the gift this woman is to him. He was apparently aware of his need, and he saw how God met that need, which led him to joyfully celebrate her presence—“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh!”

Husbands in the room, listen to me! Adam publicly celebrated Eve as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. Follow Adam’s example here and use your words to celebrate your girl as the gift that she is! A Godly man will always use his words to build up his wife, not tear her down, to celebrate her, not berate her. There should never be any doubt in anyone's mind that your wife is the most precious thing in the world to you. That’s bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh!

Adam uses careful wordplay here in this declaration. He calls her woman (ishah in Hebrew) because she was taken out of man (ish in Hebrew). This wordplay links their identity; they mutually belong to each other. Although different, she was equal with him, one with him— “this at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”

This is marriage language being used here, which is why Moses follows up with, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” Obviously, Adam didn’t have a father or mother to leave at this time. But God is establishing His design for the marriage covenant moving forward here.

The word “therefore” links what was just said with what’s about to be said. So, in the same way that God brought Eve to Adam for them to become one, “a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Before there was ever a father and mother to leave, God sculpted the marriage covenant between a man and a woman to be an act of both leaving and cleaving, where they leave their parents to become one with their spouse. Something special takes place in marriage. And out of this union that was formed, the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. In every way imaginable (physically, emotionally, and spiritually), they were completely innocent and vulnerable and open with one another. There was no guilt, fear, brokenness, or shame. There was no hiding or mistrust. In every way, they were fully known and fully loved. This was God’s original design for creation.

In Matthew 19, Jesus was asked the question, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?”

The question was prompted by an attempt to rightly interpret Deuteronomy 24:1, which allowed a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce if he found some indecency in her. Some interpreted this strictly, limiting it to a case of sexual immorality. Others interpreted it broadly, permitting divorce for almost any reason. But Jesus said, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” So, Jesus directed their attention past the law back to God’s original design for marriage in creation. In doing so, he’s making the argument that God, in the beginning, designed marriage to be a covenantal, one-flesh union between a man and a woman that was meant to be permanent and not causally dissolved by human decision.

So, if Jesus engaged the questions of his culture regarding marriage by directing their attention back to God’s original design in the garden, we ought to do the same. When it comes to defining marriage, the Bible consistently points back to Genesis 2, which teaches that God designed marriage as a lifelong covenant union between one man and one woman. Society will seek to say you can enjoy the benefits of marriage without a marriage covenant, and that’s a lie. Society will seek to say that you can leave your marriage whenever you want, and that’s a lie. Society will seek to say that marriage doesn’t have to be between a man and a woman, and that’s a lie.

Paul, for example, warns against sexual immorality in 1 Corinthians 6:15-20. He says, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” So, here Paul is preaching against sexual immorality, and he’s saying that sex is only to be enjoyed within the confines of marriage. In the beginning, God designed sex to be a gift that is to be enjoyed between a husband and a wife, a man and a woman, within a marriage covenant. Sex is the forging together of two bodies, the act of two becoming one flesh. Therefore, it is a sin to seek to enjoy the benefits of marriage outside of a marriage covenant.

Paul, in Ephesians 5, makes one of the most beautiful theological connections between marriage and the gospel. In Ephesians 5:31, he quotes Genesis 2:24 to describe marriage and its mystery, pointing to Christ and the church. In Ephesians 5, he’s making the argument that God ultimately designed marriage to be a portrait of the gospel. So, God intentionally crafted the marriage covenant in the manner that He did, so that it could be a portrait of the gospel, Jesus’ relationship with the church.

Let’s look at this within its greater context. In Ephesians 5:22-33, he says,

“22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

Here we find Paul adding color to the black and white definition of marriage that always existed before Jesus died on the cross. And the color that he’s adding is the gospel. In the garden, Adam was given the responsibility to lead, nourish, and lovingly cherish his wife, and Eve was to complement and help Adam rule over creation. In the garden, Adam was the head of the house, the leader of the home, and Eve was called to help him and submit to his leadership. In the same way that being a helper isn’t a sign of weakness, submission isn’t equivalent to a lack of dignity and worth. Submission shouldn't be offensive; it should be an honor. We see this demonstrated for us in the Trinity. In the Trinity, we see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as equal in worth, value, and honor; they are one. But, despite this oneness, each person has a different role.

In John 5, Jesus says that he was sent by the Father to do the work of the Father, walking in complete submission to the Father's will. So, although Jesus was one with the Father, he willingly submitted to the will of the Father. But, because He submitted to the Father, that doesn't mean he was any less than the Father. He is the Word made flesh, fully divine! He is the One all things were made by, through, and for! He is the One every knee will bow and every tongue will confess as Lord! Yet, he willfully, intentionally, and joyfully submitted himself to the Father's will. 

So, if submission is offensive, Christ should be offended. But if Christ doesn’t balk at submission, we shouldn’t either. Submission shouldn't be offensive; it should be an honor. It’s an act of strength and dignity, an opportunity to display the life and character of our Savior and Lord, Jesus. 

Now, submission assumes leadership. For a wife to submit, the husband must lead. And his leadership must be sacrificial and loving. As the head of the household, the man lays his own wants and desires down for the good of his wife. He cares for his bride like he would care for his own body. He bathes her in the Word of God as he’s in it daily. The best leaders are selfless leaders. The most godly husbands are the most loving husbands.

Now, I think two of the biggest temptations within marriage to distort this beautiful design are two-fold. Either (1) a wife refuses to submit to her husband and rule over him, or (2) a husband seeks to abuse his right to rule over a woman through harsh, cruel, and exploitative domination. Neither are biblical, and neither should be encouraged or accepted. Instead, God designed marriage to be a forging together of two bodies, where a wife submits to her husband as he lovingly lays down his life for her good, caring for her as he would his own body. And what’s beautiful is this was all God’s original design to ultimately display the gospel, Jesus’ relationship with his bride, the church. God designed marriage in the garden to be a portrait of the gospel!

Genesis 2:4-18

As we move into this portion of Genesis 2, we must see and understand that it presents a zoomed-in view of what has already been told in chapter 1. Chapter 1 is a wide-angle view of creation, while Chapter 2 is a zoomed-in view. It’s a retelling of what’s already been told. In these verses, we find a more detailed description of God creating man and placing him in the garden, where he was to dwell with God in harmony while tending to the garden.

Let’s dive in.

“4  These are the generations

of the heavens and the earth when they were created,

in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.”

5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

When you hear the word “generations,” you might be like me and think it refers to genealogy or a family tree. If so, you’re likely very confused by what this verse means— “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” However, the Hebrew word for generations (toledot) can also mean the story that flows from something or someone. For example, Genesis 6:9 states, “These are the generations of Noah,” which is then followed by the story of Noah, not a list of his children. So, in simpler terms, verse 4 is saying, “This is the story that has unfolded after God has made the heavens and the earth.”

Some view this verse as a section heading that signifies a transition in the book of Genesis. It’s an attention grabber. It begins the transition of a broad view of creation to a narrow view of the formation of man, woman, and the garden. So, we’re transitioning from the wide-angle view of creation into the zoomed-in view of creation.

THE LORD GOD

Before we move on, I would like to draw our attention to something in this verse, specifically a transition found in the text. Up until this point in the Bible, God has been called “God”— “In the beginning God…Then God said… So God created…So God blessed the seventh day…”But now I want you to notice how God is described as “the LORD God.”

In Chapter 1, the Hebrew name used for God is “Elohim,” which highlights Him as the powerful and majestic Creator. However, in Chapter 2, God is introduced as Yahweh Elohim. Yahweh highlights God’s relational nature as our covenant redeemer. So, this title, “LORD God,” highlights God’s greatness and closeness. God, the creator, is God our redeemer. The personal God is the powerful God. The one who formed the stars is the one who formed us. The one who spoke the sun into existence breathed his breath into man’s nostrils. The one who holds the universe in his hand is the one who redeemed us with an outstretched arm.

God is both transcendent and immanent; He is sovereign over all and closely dwelling with those who belong to him. God is powerful and personal. The One who dwells closely with his people in the garden is the One who created all things. We are reading the story of a mighty and personal God forming man into his image, placing him in his garden to rule over his creation.

A LAND WAITING FOR CULTIVATION

Verses 5-6 then describe the state of creation before man was formed. No bush of the field or small plant of the field had yet sprung up. So, with the camera lens zoomed all the way in, we’re beginning to see what creation looked like before humans entered the picture. Bush of the field signifies wild, uncultivated shrubs or plants that require rain to survive. Plants of the field signify cultivated crops or food plants that require human farming. So, the ground was waiting for someone to work it. It’s as if God’s good creation was unfinished without man’s participation. Yet, even still, God was providing and sustaining his creation by a mist or spring coming up from the land to water the face of the ground.

It’s not worth spending much time here, but some interpreters have trouble understanding the word "mist" here. Some interpret it as a dew-like mist, while others interpret it as an underground spring or stream. Either way, Eden was a well-watered sanctuary. God was miraculously providing for his creation during this time.

Then, in verse 7, the climactic moment transpires, and man is made— “Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

This is poetically beautiful and theologically rich language.

Like every other beast of the field, God formed man out of the ground. But, unlike any other part of God’s creation, he breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life. Animals found life through God’s creative word, but man found life through God’s intimate breath. Many commentators highlight how the language of breathing is one of warmth and intimacy. It almost depicts the imagery of a kiss. God personally and intimately made man. He who was formed from dust was intimately given life by almighty God. All human life is special to God. It’s valuable to him. God made the first man from dust and breathed life into him. God made people in a special, loving way, and every life is precious to Him.

Then, in verse 8, we see God place man into the garden that he planted in Eden— “And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.”

The term garden means “a protected area,” and Eden means “delight.” So, the garden was a special enclosed sanctuary planted by God within the land of delight. The garden was a special, safe place in Eden, full of wonderful things. As we will see in how it’s described in a moment, it is a place of abundant, life-giving joy. Man's first home was one of blessing and delight, not struggle and scarcity.

Look at how it’s described in verses 9-14:

First, we see that God brought up beautiful and fruitful trees, trees that were pleasant to the sight and good for food. Two of those trees were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life represented God’s life-giving presence and the gift of eternal life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil represented moral autonomy and covenant testing.

Second, we see that a river was present to water the garden, and then it divided into four rivers that went from Eden to various regions. Eden was the source of blessing that touched all of these neighboring regions: Havilah, Cush, and Assyria. Havilah was a land of abundance and resources, a place rich with gold, bdellium, and onyx. Cush was portrayed in Scripture as a distant and powerful nation. Assyria would later become one of Israel’s greatest enemies. These regions together represent abundance, distance, and future enemies. The river of Eden touched all categories of the earth— near and far, friend or foe, wealth or poverty. God’s life flowed out to the whole world.

Then we see in verses 15-17, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”

The Hebrew word for work is ʿābad, meaning to serve, cultivate, or labor, while the Hebrew word for keep is shāmar, meaning to guard, protect, or watch over. This tells us that Adam was called to tend the soil, cultivate growth, and guard it from harm. The call to work tells us work is a good, God-glorifying thing. Before sin entered the picture, work was present. Work is a key component in God’s design for humanity. God designed work to be good. The enemy wants us to believe the lie that work is bad, but the Bible teaches us that work is good!

Do you believe your job is good, church?

***I know this may conflict with some of our politically conservative leanings, but this teaches us that God designed humans to take care of their creation. He put man in the garden to work it, to tend to it, and take care of it. God has entrusted man to take good care of his creation.

Now, notice that when God puts man in the garden, he gives him specific instructions! He gives him permissionand restriction. He says, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.” As Phillip Bethancourt puts it in his commentary on Genesis, “God’s commands include both freedom and fences, liberty and limits, rights and restrictions, guidelines and guardrails— all for our good and his glory.” Sometimes we may face the temptation to view God's commands as unloving and oppressive. But what we find is that the opposite is true! God gives man freedom to enjoy his creation— eat of any tree! Except this one tree. Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

But why? Why doesn’t he want man to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Because “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” To choose to eat from this tree would surely bring death.

God’s command here is good because it’s for man’s good! All of God’s commands are good because God is good! A good God seeks good things for his people! Therefore, when we read his commands, we trust that they are for our good! The moment we begin to see God’s commands as something other than good is the moment we start to wade into dangerous water. And as we will see in a few weeks, this is what will happen with Adam. Adam failed to obey this single command from God. He sought to sidestep God and His word to become wise on his own. He sought to take matters into his own hands. He sought to determine what was right without reference to God’s revealed will. As we will see in a few weeks, sin will enter the picture through the first Adam.

But! Here’s what’s beautiful!

The New Testament describes Jesus as the second Adam, the last Adam. So, where the first Adam failed to obey God, the second Adam came and walked in perfect obedience to God. Sin and death came through the first Adam, but grace and life came through the second Adam, Jesus Christ (Rom 5:12-21). In the first Adam, we all die, but in the second Adam, Jesus, we all can be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22)! Adam's disobedience brought condemnation, but Jesus’ obedience brought justification and life. Jesus came to restore that which was lost in the garden. He brings eternal life and restores God’s presence with his people. And we see this all anticipated throughout Scripture.

When you look at the temple in the Old Testament, you see a lot of parallels between the temple and the garden. This leads many to believe Eden was the first ‘temple-garden,’ the original sanctuary of God’s presence. The garden was an enclosed place where life flowed. It was where God dwelt with man, personally interacting with Adam and Eve. In the same way, the temple was God’s dwelling place among his people; it’s where God met Israel. In it were gold, precious stones, and trees, mirroring those in Eden. Water rituals were performed in it, which symbolized life-giving imagery. The temple was Eden’s architectural and symbolic continuation.

In the same way that Adam was called to work and keep the garden, the Levites were called to work in the sanctuary and keep it from defilement. So, Adam’s calling in the garden wasn’t just agricultural; it was priestly. But Adam failed in his role as a priest. He failed to work and keep it as he should. But Christ ultimately came and fulfilled Adam’s role as a priest. He is the great high priest! He was appointed by God as the great High Priest, offering salvation to those who obey Him. He is the greater Adam, the one who restores that which was lost in the garden.

But he wasn’t just the greater Adam, he was the true temple, God’s dwelling place among men. He is the tree of life fulfilled, the one in which eternal life is found. He is the rivers of blessing in which His Spirit is poured out to the nations. All who are in Christ look ahead to a day when Eden will be restored, where God will dwell with his people for all eternity with no curse, death, or separation. We look forward to a day when we will no longer fail, when we will dwell with God in the new Jerusalem in peace and harmony, where a river of life flows from God’s throne and the tree of life bears fruit for healing, for all eternity.

Genesis 2:1-3

Let’s dive in.

“[1] Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. [2] And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. [3] So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

REST LIKE GOD

Here Moses is emphasizing God’s completion of creation— “The heavens and the earth were finished… on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done.”

At the start of chapter 1, God’s work of creation has begun. At the start of chapter 2, God’s work of creation is brought to a close. Creation is complete; it is finished. It doesn’t lack a thing. God is done. He stopped, observed all he had made, declared it to be ‘very good,’ and now rests.

The word rest means “to cease, stop, or desist.” This implies the reality that there is no work left to be done. There was not one ounce of lack left in God’s creation. Therefore, he stopped and enjoyed/took delight in his finished work. God wasn’t fatigued. He didn’t need a breather. The omnipotent, all-powerful God of the universe rested on the seventh day because he finished the work that he had done.

The Hebrew word shabat is where we get the word Sabbath. The word Sabbath is a term you’ve likely heard at some point in your life. After all, one of the Ten Commandments is to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. In the Bible, the Sabbath is a special day when we stop working to worship God. So, God is modeling for us here how we ought to treat work/rest. As image bearers of God, we are to imitate how God works. As God’s people, we ought to work as God works and rest as God rest. And throughout the Bible, God's progression of working six days and resting on the seventh day serves as a model for his people.

In Exodus 20:8-11, for example, we find God specifically giving his people the Ten Commandments. In them is the command to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

“[8] Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. [11] For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

Do we feel the weight of what’s being said here? On equal footing with the command not to murder is the command to remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy. As a people who hold in high regard human life, we ought to also be a people who hold in high regard the Sabbath.

At some point, as a parent, you will likely hear the words, “I’m not hungry,” whenever you tell your child to eat their dinner. But your response will probably be: "Well, you still need to eat. Because if you never eat, you could get really sick and die. And we love you way too much to let you get sick and die. So eat the chicken.”

I fear some of us approach rest like my son approaches dinner. We don’t rest from our work because we’re tired; we rest from our work because God calls us to. The God who didn’t need rest chose to rest, and he calls his people to rest.

Notice the explanation provided here. Notice the “for” in verse 11– “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” God is saying, “Do as I have done.” In the same way God worked for six days and rested on the seventh, we ought to work six days and rest on the seventh.

God “blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” This is identical language used back in Genesis 2:3, which says, "God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” That word ‘blessed’ is the same word used in chapter 1 regarding fish, birds, and man. He blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply.” So, in the same way God blessed man to be fruitful, God blessed the Sabbath to be fruitful for man. The sabbath day of rest was intended to be a blessing to God’s people, both physically and spiritually. God calls us to life, not death, blessing, not destruction. But Satan wants us to believe the opposite. Satan wants us to think that obedience to God leads to a life of misery and want. So, do not miss the fact that the day of rest was intended to enrich human life, not destroy it. In the words of Jesus, “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” It was a gift, not a burden. So, if we choose to work when God calls us to rest, then we are choosing to miss out on blessings.

Now, that’s probably a hard pill to swallow for many of us because there’s something deep within all of us that doesn’t necessarily love the idea of rest. There’s something within us that consistently feels the need to continue working. There’s a temptation to think that a day of rest means a day of loss. Our work is never done, so not working means not getting paid. But, in a world that says “blessing comes from grinding,” God says “blessing comes when we stop and rest.” In a world that says we will lose when we stop working, God says we will gain when we stop working. And, we have to ask ourselves which voice we will listen to? Will we listen to the world that fuels our selfish desires? Or will we listen to God, the one who knows best?

Exodus 31:12-17 tells us that this day of rest was to be a sign between God and his people. It’s a mark that displays our exclusive belonging to the LORD.

“[12] And the LORD said to Moses, [13] “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. [14] You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. [15] Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. [16] Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. [17] It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

Don’t miss the beauty here. The sign that God has chosen to use for our belonging to Him is rest, not work. God doesn’t say, “Roll up your sleeves and work harder, and your hard labor will be a sign forever between me and the people of Israel.” No! Rest is the chosen sign of our belonging to God. When we rest from our work, we are declaring our trust in God’s provision! Rest is an intentional declaration of worship! It’s you saying, “Although I could work, I choose to rest in the God who provides!” It’s a time of worship and remembrance! When we rest, we show that we trust God to take care of us.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15 says, “[12] ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. [13] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [14] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. [15] You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.”

The Sabbath was intended to deepen one's love, awe, and worship of God. It is intended to be a time when we remember that God has brought us out of bondage into freedom and celebrate that God has saved us with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. More than a time to nap, the Sabbath was intended to be a time of worship.

A SHADOW OF WHAT WAS TO COME

Now, all rest temporarily scratches an itch within our hearts for a greater rest. For Israel, as they wandered through the wilderness, they longed for the promised land. They longed for the rest it would bring. They longed to escape the taxing demands found in the wilderness. They longed to no longer have to no longer set up and tear down tents. They longed to no longer have to gather manna every morning. They longed for the safety of a home. In Deuteronomy 12:8-11, God says, “…[9] for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you. [10] But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety…” So, for Israel in the wilderness, the promised land was an anticipated place of rest, a place of safety from all their enemies.

Well, the author of Hebrews masterfully connects the seventh day of rest here in Genesis to the promised rest in Canaan. But, he does so in a way that directs our attention past Canaan to a true rest we can experience today in Jesus. In doing so, he’s telling us that all who believe in Jesus have entered into true rest. The true mark of our belonging to God is our rest in the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

Notice in the book of Genesis that there is no morning or evening on the seventh day. God’s rest is ongoing. If God’s seventh-day rest had ended, there would be no continuing rest for his people to enter into today. But the Christian hope is that God’s rest is still extended to us today in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 4:9-10 says, “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”

So, the author of Hebrews draws a parallel between the creative work in Genesis and the redemptive work of the cross. God finished his work on the seventh day, and he declared it very good! And right before Jesus took his last breath on the cross, he declared, “It is finished.” The Sabbath pointed ahead to Jesus. It was a shadow of the things to come. It was a shadow of the real and true rest that is found in Jesus. Jesus came and fulfilled what the Sabbath ultimately pointed to: true rest in the finished work of the cross.

At the heart of the Christian faith is rest and freedom, not works and bondage. The gospel invitation is not “get your life together so that you can experience the wealth of a relationship with God.” The gospel invitation is “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Are you tired today? Are you burdened with guilt and shame? Come to Jesus and rest in his finished work of the cross. Come to the risen savior and find hope! In Christ alone, you will find rest today, and in him we look ahead to the day when we will rest safely with God for all eternity.

Genesis 1:3-23

Genesis 1:1-2

Before we dive in, though, I think it might be helpful for us to do some heavy lifting regarding authorship and context.

Genesis is obviously the first book in the Bible. But it’s also the first book of the Pentateuch, the first five books in the Bible. These five beautifully woven books were intended to be read and treated as one grand work designed to teach Israel about its history and help it with its future.

The book of Genesis, along with the rest of the Pentateuch, was written by Moses. Nowhere in this book do we have Moses raise his hand, identifying himself as the author. However, the Bible consistently assumes that Moses is the author of the Pentateuch.

“[14] Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” — Exodus 17:14

“[24] When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end…” — Deuteronomy 31:24

“[31] just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings.” — Joshua 8:31

“[6] But he did not put to death the children of the murderers, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded, “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. But each one shall die for his own sin.” — 2 Kings 14:6

“[5] For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.” — Romans 10:5

“[15] Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.” — 2 Corinthians 3:15

“[45] Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. [46] For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. [47] But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” — John 5:45-47

If you’re not familiar, Moses was the one God called to set his people free from slavery in Egypt and to lead God’s people through the wilderness into the promised land in Canaan. However, Moses never reached the promised land, meaning Genesis was written while God’s people wandered through the wilderness.

The Pentateuch was God's preparation for his people to enter the promised land by providing them with a history and a future. God’s people had been suppressed by the Egyptians, who worshipped other gods for 430 years. Thebook of Genesis teaches God’s people the truth about God and creation. There is no multiple gods. There is no sun god, a sky god, or a god of the underworld. There is one God who is the creator of all things. And this is how he has operated throughout history. As God’s people wandered through the wilderness, preparing to enter the land promised to them, Genesis provided them with a past “rooted in the very land that they were about to enter,” and the rest of the Pentateuch supplied detailed instructions for how to faithfully live once they entered this land.

Today, we will unpack the first two verses of the 1,533 verses in the book of Genesis.

Let’s dive in.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

THE BIBLE IS ABOUT GOD

Before we unpack the nuts and bolts of these two verses, we must understand that the Bible begins with God and ends with God. Therefore, the Bible is about God. From Genesis to Revelation, it is about him— “In the beginning, God created…”

It’s easy sometimes to read the Bible with a me-centered lens, asking questions like, “What does this say about me?” “What is this saying to me?” “What does this mean for me?” But, before we ever get to those questions, we must first ask, “What does this say about God?”

God is the main character of the Bible, not you, me, Moses, Abraham, David, Peter, or Paul. Therefore, opening the Bible with any other framework would mean we’re missing the main point. Before the Bible directs our gaze inward, it directs our gaze upward. And as our gaze is directed upward, we learn that God, the creator of all things, was present and active before anything was made.

GOD IS ETERNAL

The term “beginning” implies the beginning of time. So, at the beginning of time itself, God was there. This teaches us that the creator of all things, God, is eternal. From “everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2), God was there. As Kent Hughes eloquently puts it, “Whichever way we look— to the vanishing points of the beginning or the end— God is there, having always been there.”

Is this a truth about God that we often consider? That God has eternally existed at all times. Before the foundation of the world was laid, God was there. And he wasn’t just there inactively existing. The book of Ephesians tells us that God “chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him.” So, before time existed, God was there. And before time existed, God had already crafted his perfect will of redemption through the death of his Son on the cross. And before time existed, God had a plan for your life.

GOD IS THE CREATOR

God is eternal; he has no beginning or end. This eternal God is the source of all things. The eternal God who existed outside of time created all things— “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

You know what’s fascinating? That word “created” is only accredited to God in the Bible. Man may build, but God creates. Man may craft, but God creates. Man may construct, but God creates. To be the creator of something implies you’re the source of something. He is the creator, and we are created! He is the source of all things; we are not!

God had no preexisting material to create anything, yet he created everything out of nothing. This is what theologians call the doctrine of ex nihilo. Hebrews 11:3 says that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Before anything existed, God was there, and he called into existence things that did not exist (Rom 4:17). He spoke light out of darkness (2 Cor. 4:6). The eternal God, who existed before time, created all things out of nothing.

The words “heavens” and “earth” are opposites intended to highlight totality. They’re intended to communicate all of creation, all of the cosmos. Nothing exists that has not been brought to existence apart from God. He is the source of all of life. I was having a conversation with a young man on Friday at the barbershop. He wants to design spaceships one day. I asked him to tell me an interesting fact about space.

Here’s the fact he enlightened me with: Do you know that while traveling at the speed of light (which is a speed only massless items can travel at; it’s the cosmic speed limit), it would take us roughly 25,000 years to get to the closest known galaxy? For context, it would take 2.1 minutes to get to Venus, which is 23,612,105 miles.

This vast universe is what we are describing when we say “heavens.” From the farthest galaxy to the closest stream, from the biggest star to the smallest atom, all things get their breath from God.

God is eternal—not bound by time. God is the creator—the source of all things. God is transcendent—he is above and beyond all things. The highest heaven cannot contain God (1 Kings 8:27). He exists in a league of his own; his existence doesn’t depend upon anything outside himself. He is the one seated on high (Ps. 113:5). He is the one who looks far down on the heavens and the earth (Ps. 113:6). He is the sovereign God and King, the divine ruler and creator of all, the one from whom all creation gets its life.

ORDER OUT OF CHAOS

Verse 2 then says, “…The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep…”

“Without form and void” was a rhythmic phrase in Hebrew (tohu vavohu) intended to highlight creation's disordered and empty nature. It was an empty wasteland that was uninhabitable. It’s the antithesis of what the Earth is now. The earth that is now full of life and light was once formless and lifeless.

I think the commentator Umberto Cassuto describes it well when he equates the earth to a lump of clay before the potter sculpts it into something beautiful. He says, “Just as the potter, when he wishes to fashion a beautiful vessel, takes first of all a lump of clay, and places it upon his wheel in order to mould it according to his wish, so the Creator first prepared for Himself the raw material … with a view to giving it afterwards order and life.… It is this terrestrial state that is called tohu and bohu.”

Another commentator pointed out how these words are used elsewhere in Scripture (Isaiah 34:11 and Jeremiah 4:23) to describe a barren and empty wasteland, an uninhabitable land like the wilderness.

- “…Night and day it shall not be quenched; its smoke shall go up forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever. But the hawk and the porcupine shall possess it, the owl and the raven shall dwell in it. He shall stretch the line of confusion over it, and the plumb line of emptiness.” — Isaiah 34:11

- “I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light.” — Jeremiah 4:23

The imagery of deep waters further describes a world unsuitable for human life. The “face of the deep” doesn’t necessarily communicate the ocean as we know it. But it signifies deep, vast, and chaotic waters.

So, Moses intentionally chose language to signify an uninhabitable land—a chaotic, formless, and dark land. And as the earth was chaotic, formless, and dark, God’s Spirit was hovering over the face of the waters. This is similar language used in Deuteronomy 32:11 to describe an eagle hovering over her nest to protect her young— “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions.”

So, as chaos was present, God was there. The Spirit of God brought order out of chaos, form out of formlessness, light out of darkness.

Did Moses understand the Trinity at this point? Likely not. But is this verse one of the first glimpses into God's triune nature? I think it absolutely is! Although it's not clear here in Genesis 1, we’re already catching glimpses into God's triune nature.

This is the same Spirit who hovered over the Virgin Mary as she conceived the Savior of the world. This is the same Spirit that descended upon Jesus after he was baptized in the Jordan River. This is the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead. This is the same Spirit who fell on the early church at Pentecost. This is the same Spirit who is testifying to the Son right now. This is the same Spirit who resides within our hearts right now as Christians.

We serve a mighty and powerful God who is always working. No amount of chaos or barrenness can thwart his good plan. God can bring order out of chaos, form out of formlessness, and light out of darkness. I believe the language Moses chooses to use here would have captured his readers' attention by drawing their minds to the wilderness in which they found themselves.

Can you imagine what this phrase must have done to the heart and mind of those who first read this in the wilderness?

Year after year, as Israel wandered through the desert in hopes of God leading them into the promised land, they were reminded that the God they were following was the God who formed the formless, who shaped the shapeless, and who turned a wasteland into a garden. In the same way God prepared the earth for human habitation, he was preparing to lead them out of a desert and into a specially prepared homeland. In the wilderness, they were a lump of clay that was being prepared to be moulded. The God who possesses the power over life and death can turn deserts into gardens.

A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST JESUS

As we will learn in Genesis 2-3, sin entered the picture, and sin brought death and chaos into the world. Sin brought forth a greater wilderness, a darker darkness. But the Bible also teaches that, before the foundation of the world, God had a plan to make things right through the death of his Son on the cross. He had a plan to make us into a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and have us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

All who place their faith in Jesus become a new creation. Perhaps you’re burdened with the fruit of your own sin today. Perhaps your life is in chaos because of it. Maybe you feel like you’re wandering through the wilderness with no hope of a garden. I’m here to tell you that the God who created the heavens and the earth can also make you new. In the beginning was God, and in the end God will be… and you can dwell with him in perfect harmony for all eternity.

Evangelism in Acts pt.4

Evangelism in Acts pt. 3

Evangelism in Acts pt.2

Present in the undercurrent of our passage today is this truth: a people eager to live out the gospel will be a people presented with opportunities to preach the gospel. The Holy Spirit will open up doors for us to preach. As we seek to walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit in our day-to-day lives, he will present us with unique opportunities to share the glorious message of Jesus Christ with others.

At the end of chapter 2, we see the early church exploding: “[42] They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. [43] And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.”

Well, in chapter 3, we catch a glimpse of the wonderful signs that the apostles performed. In our passage today, we will find the apostles healing a man who could not walk, which opened up an opportunity for Peter to share the gospel's truth with a large crowd.

Now, before we begin, I want to draw our attention to who is performing the miraculous works at this moment in time—“…many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.” God was doing something special and unique in and through his apostles at this moment in time. I believe these unique works done through the apostles were intended to validate the apostles' message regarding Jesus in the early church.

I say that to say this: the apostolic ministry that we see in the book of Acts is not being continued today. Put more bluntly. The application of our passage is not for you to walk away thinking you can heal a lame man on the street. The application of our passage is not for you to feel guilty for not having enough faith because you aren’t like Peter. There was a unique power being displayed in and through the apostles at this time.

Now, with that being said, God has been, and always will be, a God of miracles. So, I am not saying that God has stopped working, nor am I saying that he has stopped healing. God is not bound by the laws of nature. He can do as he pleases. The God who parted the seas still moves mountains today. There is no sickness that He cannot heal. And through his word, the all-powerful God of the universe invites us to pray for healing. But just because he can heal, doesn’t mean he always will. Sometimes, God plans to display his power in and through our weakness. Sometimes God plans to teach us that his grace is sufficient for us in and through our lowest moments.

CONTEXT:

At the start of chapter 3, Peter and John go to the temple to pray. At the temple gate lies a lame man who was carried there to ask for alms from those entering the temple. In other words, he’s asking for help at a place where people are most generous.

As Peter and John walked by, the man asked them for help. Peter and John pause and look at him, and Peter says, “Look at us.”

The man directs his attention to them, expecting financial help from them. But, Peter responds, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

He then takes him by the right hand and raises him up, and immediately, his feet and ankles are made strong. Leaping up, he stands and begins to walk. He enters the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God. The man is full of joy and excitement over God's work in his life, leading to everyone taking notice! They saw him walking and praising God, recognizing him as the one who was once lame and asking for alms. As a result, they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

The man clung to Peter and John. The crowd was curious and ready to hear from them, which presented an opportunity for them to preach the gospel.

Now, before we get into Peter’s message, I want us to observe what led to his message more closely and see if there’s some application we can pull from it.

We live in a social media-driven age, don’t we? Social media can bring many good things, but it can also bring many bad things. When it comes to the church, one of the hidden adverse effects of social media is that it can taint our motives. It can lead us to turn private works into public works. It can lead us to believe that the world has to know about the good things we’ve done, turning private works into public works, turning works done for God’s glory into works done for our own glory.

So, with that in mind, let me ask you, “What captured the attention of the audience?” Was it Peter telling others of the work he’s done? Or was it simply the fruit of his work that captured their attention?

Nowhere in this passage do you find an ounce of evidence supporting the idea that they performed this work for personal gain. I’m convinced that if the man who was healed had not leaped, shouted, and clung to Peter, no one would have known it was Peter who had healed him. I’m convinced Peter and John would have been content exercising their good works in the shadows with zero recognition. And I believe Peter’s example demonstrates a proper view of gospel service. True gospel service must be an expression of love, not an expression of pride. True gospel service leaves behind the question, “How will this impact me?” True gospel service is content with only benefiting someone else.

Peter didn’t meet this need to acquire a crowd; he met this need as an expression of love for the glory of Christ. In our day and age, though, we feel the pressure to broadcast the work we do. When pride drives our hearts and motives, we will seek to use service to serve ourselves. We will use meeting another’s need as a marketing tool to build our brand and reputation. We will design shirts and make sentimental videos that capture the selfless acts we perform, then we will post them on our website or social media to show the world all the good works we do in our community.

But we must heed the warning Jesus gives during his sermon on the mount, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

As we see in Jesus’ words, practicing righteousness before others is not wrong. But it is wrong to practice righteousness before others in order to be seen by others. It’s our motive— our heart— that matters to Jesus. So, may we be a people eager and unashamed to practice righteousness publicly. May we be unashamed of the gospel. May we be anxious to serve and meet the needs of those around us. But may we never be eager to practice our righteousness before others in order to be seen by them. We ought to be a people who are content with crickets over trumpets. If no one ever sings our praises, we will be ok!

But, as we seek to practice our righteousness before others for our neighbor's good and Jesus’ glory, we must understand that people will likely notice. A life of obedience to Jesus will be a life of power. Impact will be made. Humble service that authentically meets the needs of those around us will authentically make an impact in the community around us, and impact breeds curiosity. A faith lived out in front of others will be noticed by others. So, if we are eager to live out the gospel, we must be ready to share the gospel. If we are willing to live out our faith, we must be willing to share our faith. Peter’s life opened up an opportunity for him to preach; the fruit of his actions promoted proclamation. The more we seek to authentically live out the gospel, the more opportunities we will likely have to proclaim the gospel.

So, let’s look at how Peter shares his faith after living out his faith.

When Peter saw the crowd, he quickly capitalized on the opportunity before him. He says to them,“[12] And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? [13] The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. [14] But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, [15] and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. [16] And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

[17] “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. [18] But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. [19] Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, [20] that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, [21] whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. [22] Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. [23] And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ [24] And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. [25] You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ [26] God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

I first want us to notice how Peter is adamant about getting the limelight off himself and onto Jesus. In verse 12, he says, “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power and piety we have made him walk?” And in verse 16, he says, “And his name—by faith in his name— has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

So, throughout this message, Peter is adamant that it was not he who performed the work he accomplished. The healing God accomplished through Peter was not by Peter or for Peter; it was by Jesus and for Jesus. When God works in and through you to meet the needs of those around you, you will be tempted to bask in the glory of praise. But if the heartbeat of our life is the glory of Jesus, we should be eager to give him the glory when he works in and through us.

Now, we’ve all met that person who does something for a neighbor and then awkwardly points to the sky with their head down saying, “It’s all God, brother!” So, just some practical counsel here. We don’t have to make it any more awkward than it already is. A simple and humble explanation of what God has done in and through you will suffice— “God has blessed me, and I felt him leading me to bless you. So, together, we can praise God!”

But, notice how, as Peter shifts the limelight off himself, he promptly shifts their focus onto the cross. In doing so, he’s seeking to show his audience how the work of the cross was a part of God’s glorious plan of redemption. It wasn’t a moment of weakness; it was a moment of power. He says, “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, who you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.”

What Peter does here is remarkable. He’s ironically contrasting their view of Jesus with God’s view of Jesus. In doing so, he’s highlighting their guilt in rejecting and killing their Messiah. The God they’ve always worshipped is the God who has glorified the one they crucified. The one they put in the grave is the one God raised from the grave. The one they delivered to Pilate is the one God exalted to heaven. The one they denied in the presence of Pilate is the one God has given the name above all names. The one they’ve declared as a criminal is the one God declared most glorious. The one they’ve mocked is the one all will one day bow before and confess as Lord.

When the opportunity arises, we want to rightly paint a beautiful portrait of the cross. The cross wasn’t a moment of weakness; it was a moment of power. As we talk about Jesus, we want to exalt Him as the one who is most worthy of worship and adoration.

Peter goes on to say in verses 14-15, “But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.”

These verses give Jesus three titles. In addition to being God's servant, Jesus is also the Holy One, the Righteous One, and the Author of Life. These are divine titles deserving of awe and wonder. As the Holy One, he is the one set apart, pure, and belonging to the Holy God of Israel. And as the Righteous One, he is the one who was completely innocent and just, walking in perfect obedience to the Father. So, (in these two titles) Peter is further highlighting the scandal of the cross. They mocked the servant of God. They let a murderer go free in the place of the Holy One. They declared the Righteous One guilty. But, not only that, they killed the author of life.

Author means originator, founder, pioneer, leader, or source. It implies Jesus being the source of life, the one by whom all things were made by, through, and for. The creator of life came to lay his life down on the cross. They killed the author of life. But God raised him from the dead. And they were all witnesses.

In Isaiah 53, we find the prophet Isaiah describing how God’s servant who would be exalted and lifted up would be despised and rejected by man. He would be “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” He would be “pierced for our transgressions; crushed for our sins.” Upon his shoulders would be the punishment that would bring us peace and healing.

Then in verse 11, he says, “By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous…” So, Peter is connecting the dots from Isaiah 53 to Jesus. He is saying that Jesus was the holy and righteous servant who came to die for the guilty; by his wounds, we can be healed. Through his work on the cross, we can be accounted righteous.

So, as we share the gospel, it’s important for us to be eager to address the scandal of it. The one who holds our life together willingly died in our place. The one who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. The holy one was publicly beaten and mocked. The righteous one was brutally crushed in our place. By his wounds we can be healed. The cross was a moment of power and grace because it viciously dealt with your guilt and shame.

But, for us to truly understand how remarkable the work of the cross is, we have to see how it was all a part of God’s predetermined plan of redemption. It was a fulfillment of prophecy. In verse 18, Peter says, “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But, what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, thus he fulfilled.” Then later on in verses 24-26, he says, “[24] And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. [25] You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ [26] God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

So, although they acted in ignorance, they still stand guilty before God. But the heinous act of injustice on the cross was a fulfillment of God’s predetermined act of redemption. All throughout history, God had been saying through the prophets that he would send his servant to suffer on behalf of his people. And throughout history, God has been saying through the prophets that blessing for all the families of the earth would come through this servant.

A key element of the gospel that we cannot miss is to whom it is offered. “All the families of the earth” can experience blessing in Christ Jesus. Part of the beauty of the gospel resides in the fact that it doesn’t discriminate. One of the beauties of the gospel lies in the fact that it shows no favoritism. All who are broken and lowly can come to Jesus and find life! In him is blessing. So, we don’t share the gospel with just the rich, nor do we share it with just the poor. We share it with everyone! We are eager to take the gospel to the ends of the earth!

And, if you’re met with the question, “Does Jesus love me?” You can emphatically say, “YES! For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life!”

As we share the gospel, we ask the question, “What is the proper response of the gospel?”

Well, Peter says, “Repent and turn back that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”

The language of Peter’s call here implies his audience walking in a direction away from God. Therefore, the call to repentance is a call to turn away from sin and return to God. The right response to the gospel is repentance, an abandonment of sin and a clinging to Christ, and when this takes place, forgiveness and renewal follow because we get Jesus. It’s the presence of the Lord that leads to refreshing restoration. With repentance, we get God. And a life with Jesus is far better than a life without him. In Jesus, we find forgiveness. In Jesus, we find blessing. In Jesus, we find restoration. In Jesus, we find refreshment. As we share our faith, we invite people into loving relationships with Jesus.

Evangelism in Acts pt.1

One of the best ways to become good at something is to study those who were good before you.

As a college baseball player, I wanted to be the best hitter possible, so I studied good hitters. I spent countless hours watching the swings of professional hitters. I watched their hand placement, their legs, their load, their hip placement at the point of contact, and their follow-through. Then, I would video my own swing and strive to emulate every small detail of their swing.

I believe the same principle should apply to our evangelism. If we want to be good preachers, we need to studygood preachers. If we want to communicate the gospel well, we need to look at others who communicated the gospel well. If we want to lead others to Jesus, it would serve us best to study what the early church did in leading others to Jesus.

So, for the next few weeks, we will do just that. We will examine how the early church talked about Jesus so that we can hopefully become better at talking about Jesus.

Now, if I can, I want to be honest and transparent with you for a moment. No one needs this series more than I do. My heart has become calloused and hard toward the call to share the gospel with the lost… and I’m tired of it. I’m tired of the complacency I’ve fallen into when it comes to sharing my faith. I’m tired of feeling like a wall has built up in my vocal cords, preventing me from talking about the most fantastic news in the world.

So, this series is for me more than anyone else in this room today. This series is for your pastor who has grown comfortable with not sharing the gospel. This series is for your pastor who has seemingly lost his zeal for seeing the lost come to know Christ. This series is for your pastor who has grown indifferent to the reality that there are people around him each and every day who do not know Jesus.

The aim of this series is to wake up my sleeping heart, giving me a fresh longing to see the lost come to know Christ through my own gospel proclamation. And, maybe, just maybe, if you’re like me, you need this series to pry your mouths open, too. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will stir up our stagnant hearts to shout from the rooftops the goodness of the Lord!

Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

In these two verses, we find belief and confession go hand in hand. When it comes to salvation, you cannot have one without the other. All who are saved will cling to the truth of the resurrection with their heart and declare their allegiance to Jesus with their tongue. And to declare your allegiance to Jesus with your tongue is to live out your allegiance with your life.

So, it’s essential for us to understand that there are two camps of people in here today: those who have done this and those who have not, those who believe and those who do not, those who have embraced Jesus and those who have rejected Jesus, those who confess him as Lord and those who confess him as fool.

In our passage today, we will find Peter drawing his audience to face this reality head-on. His audience has witnessed the crucifixion and is aware of the resurrection. But they haven’t embraced the fact that God raised him from the dead. They haven’t declared him their Lord and Savior.

At the start of chapter 1, Jesus had ascended and returned to the Father's right hand. The early church, which consisted of 120 people, had just replaced Judas with Matthias. Now, at the start of chapter 2, we find the Holy Spirit falling on the early church on the day of Pentecost. A loud sound like a mighty rushing wind came down from heaven, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in tongues, meaning they spoke in languages other people could understand.

***Pentecost was a pilgrimage feast, which meant Jewish men were commanded to travel to Jerusalem to worship God. It was primarily a celebration of their harvest, where God’s people would bring the first fruits of their harvest as a thanksgiving offering to God. This is why, as we see in verses 5-11, there were devout men from every nation under heaven dwelling in Jerusalem at this time.

When this diverse and large crowd of people heard the loud commotion, they came together and were amazed at how the church spoke in their native language. They said, “[7] Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? [8] And how is it that we hear, each of us, in his own native language? [11]…We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

Please don’t miss how the first visible fruit of the Holy Spirit’s presence within the early church was the church proclaiming God's mighty works. I believe this tells us two things: (1) evangelism is a church wide call that has been a part of the church, and (2) the aim of our evangelism is God’s glory.

Right from the start, with no training and only the Holy Spirit, the church begins to proclaim God's mighty works. And they’re effective! Sure, Peter will stand up and preach in a moment. But, before Peter ever preaches, the church declares the mighty works of God, and they have their audience's ear!

You don’t have to have a degree in theology to effectively declare God's mighty works, and you don’t have to have a degree in cultural engagement to effectively engage the culture! The Holy Spirit will bridge gaps we cannot bridge. There are divisions in this world that we cannot overcome on our own effort: language barriers, racial barriers, social barriers, etc. But these barriers are not barriers to God. The Holy Spirit opens doors we cannot open, and he closes doors we cannot close. He equips us to do things we cannot do, He calls us to people we cannot reach, and he accomplishes things we cannot accomplish. And he will always lead us to seek the glory of God over the glory of self. The more full of the Holy Spirit we become, the greater God will become in our speech.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, lead us to those who need to hear of your mighty works. Holy Spirit, help us to speak of your mighty works in power.

The early church shouted God's goodness in languages they didn’t know, which led to everyone being amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But, as we see in verse 13, others were also mocking them by saying, “They are filled with new wine.”

Many were amazed; some were not. Many inquired, some mocked. So, a Holy Spirit-filled life will undoubtedly lead to some of the world mocking you. As you tell the world of God’s goodness, some will call you foolish. Some respond in belief, while others will react with unbelief. And the temptation will be to allow the fear of striking out to keep you from playing the game. The temptation is to allow the possibility of being mocked to keep you from sharing your faith.

As I’ve assessed my heart some this week, I think this could be an underlying contributor to why I’ve grown silent in my preaching of the gospel. I’ve grown afraid of mockery. I’ve grown to love my own reputation more than I love the reputation of Jesus. I’m more consumed with the glory of Ryan than the glory of Ryan’s Savior and Lord. Therefore, I do not share with others the glory of Jesus.

But this isn’t the case for Peter. The man who once denied Jesus three times is now facing opposition head-on. Peter stands up instead of sitting down. Alongside the apostles, he stands up and addresses the large crowd. He says,

“[14] But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. [15] For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. [16] But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

[17] “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams;

[18] even on my male servants and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

[19] And I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

[20] the sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

[21] And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

[22] “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—[23] this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. [24] God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. [25] For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,

for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;

[26] therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;

my flesh also will dwell in hope.

[27] For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,

or let your Holy One see corruption.

[28] You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

[29] “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. [30] Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, [31] he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. [32] This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. [33] Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. [34] For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand,

[35] until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

[36] Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

[37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” [38] And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” [40] And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” [41] So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

You could safely argue that this is one of the most powerful messages ever preached. It’s the instrument God chose to use to explode the early church, going from 120 to 3,000 members in one day. As you closely look at the bones of this message, you will begin to realize that its power resides in the Scripture it quotes. After all, God's word—not man's word— is as sharp as a double-edged sword. The power of evangelism comes from God’s word, not human eloquence. In simpler terms, telling others about Jesus gets its power from the Bible, not our fancy words.

Human charm and clever speech can cultivate a large following, but they cannot awaken a dead heart to life. What awakens a heart to life is not the persuasiveness of the messenger, but the authority of the message, the living and breathing Word of life. It is not polished speech that saves, but the proclaimed Word of God that pierces the heart. So, as a preacher, the further I drift from the Bible, the duller my words will become. But the closer I get to the Bible, the sharper my words will become. As someone seeking to share your faith with others, the further you drift from the Bible, the duller your words will become. But the closer you get to the Bible, the sharper they will become.

In addressing the crowd, Peter quotes three different Old Testament Scriptures to drive home the point he’s seeking to make.

He quoted Joel 2:28-32 to explain the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In doing so, he’s combating the accusation that they’re drunk. He’s saying that the actions of the church weren’t a byproduct of early alcoholic consumption; they were a fulfillment of God’s promise. They weren’t drunk with wine; they were filled with the Spirit, just as the Scriptures promised.

He quoted Psalm 16:8-11 to show that the Messiah would not see decay. In simpler terms, the resurrection was always going to come. Here, Peter is arguing that David’s words couldn’t simply be about himself. David died and was buried, and his body decayed. Therefore, David had to be prophesying about a greater Holy One who would one day come and not be abandoned to the grave. Peter is saying that Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 16. He is pointing to the cross, highlighting it as a moment foreknown by God. And he is pointing past it to the resurrection, highlighting it as a moment foreknown by God. He wanted his audience to know that the Scriptures foretold Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Then he stacked an extra layer on Psalm 16 by quoting Psalm 110:1 to declare Jesus’ exaltation and authority. Jesus is the risen Lord and Savior seated at the Father's right hand. Jesus is the Lord that the LORD said, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” So, Jesus’ death and resurrection are essential. But, so, too, is his ascension. Jesus is reigning and ruling at the right hand of the Father right now at this very moment.

So, if the power of evangelism comes from God’s Word, we should rightly conclude that as we share our faith, it is good to have our Bibles open. We don’t want to convince people of our opinions; we want to convince them of what the Bible says about Jesus. The Bible is the source of truth; therefore, it is the source of the message we proclaim.

But let’s be reasonable for a moment. It takes time to reach a place where you can sit down with someone with an open Bible to explain the Bible. Most evangelistic conversations are impromptu. They occur in our break room at work or next to the treadmill at the gym. So, the best evangelists have the Scriptures written on their hearts. The best evangelists spend time studying, meditating, and memorizing the Scriptures. When we’re cut, we want to bleed Scripture. We want the word of God to be written so much on our hearts that it effortlessly oozes out of us at all times. If and when the Holy Spirit opens up a door for us to proclaim the gospel, we want to be ready to proclaim the gospel. So, may we work to get to a place where a lack of preparation is never the reason for a lack of proclamation. May we work to get to a place where a lack of evangelism doesn’t stem from a lack of knowledge.

The best evangelists are the best students. They are those who simply want to know Jesus deeply and personally and who want to share that with others. Therefore, behind every minute spent sharing the gospel are countless hours spent in communion with God, abiding in him.

Notice the centrality of Jesus in Peter’s testimony. His message is biblically sound and Christ-centered. As he speaks about Scripture, he points to Jesus. Faithful exposition of the Bible means seeing Jesus in the Bible. Peter didn’t preach to the crowd that the Psalms were about them, that they would rise above their enemies and reign victorious. He preached to the crowd that the one they crucified on the cross is the one who would rise from the dead, ascend to the right hand of the Father, and reign victorious over all. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Scriptures. He is the one by whom all of the prophecies ring true. Therefore, if our conversations surrounding Scripture don’t center around Jesus, we’ve missed the point of the Scriptures we’re discussing.

At the heart of our evangelism is a desire to introduce people to the truth about Jesus… for the glory of Jesus. We want to introduce people to who Jesus is, what he did, why it matters, and the call to repent and believe. His life, death, resurrection, and ascension are all essential components of the gospel. And as Peter shines the light on these things, he exposes the crowd as guilty sinners. In verse 36, he says, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” And when the crowd heard this, “they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’”

As we tell others about Jesus, we have to be willing to address sin. When we address sin, we want to create a space where people are welcomed to repentance. We want to cultivate a church culture that welcomes repentance, the turning from sin, and we have to understand that repentance is a public activity. With repentance comes private conviction of sin, which is followed by public confession of sin and public baptism for the forgiveness of our sins.

Evangelism is not a tool to make you look better. It is a humble declaration of God’s goodness. It is an open invitation for sinners like you to come to the risen Savior and experience forgiveness of sin.

3 John pt.2– Who is Diatrophes?

As the church, we exist to glorify Jesus— the One who has saved us— in everything we do. When our eyes are on Jesus, we will be a healthy church. When our eyes get off Jesus, we will become an unhealthy church. Diotrephes was a church leader whose eyes had turned away from Jesus, leading to many problems in the church. From his mistakes, we can learn a lot about what a healthy church should look like.

We’re going to do two things today.

First, we will unpack some behind-the-scenes information regarding the man mentioned in this portion of the letter. Then, we will seek to draw some application from this man's life.

Let’s dive in.

“9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.”

Right off the bat, I want us to notice how we could have had a fourth John if it wasn’t for Diotrephes— “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.”

John had apparently written something to the church, likely a letter of encouragement and counsel. But Diotrephes intercepted it, preventing the church from reading it. And John tells us why this letter was intercepted. Diotrephes intercepted the letter because he did not acknowledge John’s authority as an apostle, and rooted in that rejection was pride. As John describes it, he “likes to put himself first.”

We know little about Diotrephes beyond his character and actions described in these two verses. We don’t know his position, nor do we know his role. He could have been a corrupt pastor, maybe a crooked deacon, or perhaps just an influential church member. But, given the information in this letter, I think it’s safe to say that he possessed some type of influence or authority within the church, given his ability to reject John’s instructions, impact who was welcome, and cast out church members.

As we’ve seen in his letters, John has no problem calling someone a false prophet or antichrist. He’s quick to draw a line in the sand, separating those who are in and those who are out. Because of this, I find it interesting that he doesn’t use either of those titles to describe Diotrephes. This leads me to believe that we have two options here: (1) Diotrephes could be a false prophet waging war against the church, and John waits until he sees him face to face to pronounce such judgment against him. Or (2) it could be that Diotrephes was a believer caught in sin.

I think you could make an argument either way. Verse 11 seems to imply that Diotrephes’ actions are evil, which means he has not seen God. But, in that same breath, John doesn’t accuse Diotrephes of heresy or denying Christ. He doesn’t point-blank call him a false prophet or antichrist. So it could be that John is using such serious language as a warning to Diotrephes and the church that these actions cannot and will not be tolerated within the church. 1 Timothy 3 says, “[An overseer/pastor/elder] must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

Therefore, we could be seeing firsthand the fruit of placing someone in leadership too soon. We could be seeing a church leader who has allowed pride to creep into his heart and distort his leadership.

I always tell college students aspiring to become pastors to be careful and to allow God to lead them into that role in his time. Before the church becomes a place you work, it needs to be a people you love. Before you ever stand in the limelight, you need to labor in the shadows. Before you get a check from the church, you need to serve the church for free. Before you ever lead the church, you need to be led as a member of a church. Before you ever teach the church, you need to be taught as a member of the church. Don’t thrust yourself into a leadership position before you’re ready, and don’t appoint people as leaders before they’re ready. It’s tempting to elevate charisma over character and thrust someone into a leadership position before they’re ready. But, we should heed the warning in Scripture and be slow to crown someone as a leader before they’re ready because pride and conceit are easy to give in to, and conceit and condemnation are close friends. Leaders need time to fail, to be humbled, to be sanctified, to be encouraged, to learn, to process, and to wrestle with their call.

So, it could be that Diotrephes is a false prophet, or it could be that he is a church leader or influential church member who is behaving sinfully. Either way, his actions are not Christ-like; they are evil. And they must not be tolerated within the church.

Diotrophes was a common Greek name during this time in the Greco-Roman world. And, if you remember, this letter was likely written somewhere between 85 and 95 AD. If that’s the case, John is likely the last living apostle. Therefore, we’re on the cusp of transitioning out of this apostolic age. So, it could be that Diotrephes no longer saw the importance of John. It could be that he thought John was old and outdated, and that it was time to pass the torch to the next generation of church leaders. It could be that John was a threat to his position of authority. Or it could be that John was encouraging something that went against his own vision for the church. We don’t know much about why Diotrephes acted the way that he did other than his actions were rooted in pride. All we know is that Diotrophes “loved being first,” and this love for being first has led to a mess within the church.

So, what I want us to do is try to summarize some of the corrupt characteristics found within this man. In doing so, we will seek to draw some applications regarding a healthy and unhealthy church culture.

The first thing we see is that he likes to put himself first. His life was marked by pride. He wanted to be the center of attention. Instead of serving others, he served himself. Instead of supporting others, he supported himself. Instead of allowing the glory of Jesus to rule his every decision, he allowed the glory of self to rule his every decision.

Friends, pride is a dangerous thing. It’s a poison that will slowly lead to your own demise. But it’s also a sin intended to destroy those around you. Pride is like a spark in a dry forest. It will spread farther and faster than you ever imagined, destroying things you never intended to destroy. This man’s self-centeredness prevented the church from experiencing the blessing of encouragement or rebuke through John’s letter; it prevented the church from experiencing the blessing of encouragement from the presence of the brothers; and it drove members of the church out of Christian fellowship.

No sin ever impacts just you; it will always affect those around you. The implications of sin will always go farther than you ever want them to go, and pride has a strange way of blinding you to how your actions affect those around you. It hardens your heart to the reality that your actions impact others. The self-centered man doesn’t care about how his actions impact others; he only cares about how others can impact him.

What a stark contrast in men we have in this letter. Gaius was giving his life, time, and resources to support others who were carrying the gospel to those who had never heard it before. In contrast, Diatrephes was exerting effort to prevent others from carrying the gospel to those who had never heard it before. Gaius was selfless; Diotrephes was selfish. Selfless humility is fertile soil for gospel advancement, while self-centeredness is the weed that seeks to choke out gospel advancement.

A healthy church consists of men and women who are eager to put others before themselves. In using the words of Jesus, “The first will be last and the last will be first.” We bow low so Christ may be lifted high. When we crucify our egos, the beauty of the church blossoms. The strength of the church is found in hearts content with second place. And the strength of the church is crippled by hearts striving for first place. Be careful, friends, not to be driven by pride or ambition.

The second thing we see is that Diotrephes rejected apostolic authority— “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.”

The language here implies Diotrephes is inserting himself as the ultimate authority of the church. He’s turned his nose up at John and scoffs at his leadership and teaching. He’s rebelling against the divine authority that God has put in place over his life.

John was an apostle. The word apostle means “one who is sent.” An apostle was a special messenger with a special title who took a specific message to a specific people. So, the message John and the other apostles proclaimed was God’s message, not man’s message. In Luke 6:13 and Mark 3:14, we see Jesus choose for himself twelve disciples whom he named apostles. He called them to himself, taught them, and sent them out to preach his message. These were men who personally walked with Jesus, who were personally called by Jesus, who were personally taught by Jesus, and who were personally sent out by Jesus to preach the message Jesus had taught them. An apostle was a divinely appointed church leader responsible for proclaiming God's divine message. So, to reject John’s message was to reject God’s message. Diotrephes had allowed selfish ambition to blind himself to obedience to God.

What a terrifying reality, one we’re all tempted to follow. For us, the ultimate authority is God’s word, the Bible, the Holy Scriptures. That is the authority every one of us, pastors included, submits to. No church member is exempt from submitting to authority. As pastors, we are called to submit to God’s authority, and we are called to teach what the Bible teaches and allow that to govern us. If the Scriptures claim Jesus is the only way to eternal life, we embrace him as our only hope and proclaim his name throughout the world. If the Scriptures say something is sin, we call it sin and strive to avoid it. If the Scriptures call something righteous, we call it righteous and strive to walk in it. If the Scriptures tell us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we strive to love him with every fiber of our being. If the Scriptures tell us to love our neighbor as ourselves, we seek to love our neighbors well.

A healthy church consists of men and women who submit to God’s authority. We humble ourselves and kneel before the King of kings, Jesus. The strength of the church is found in hearts that are willing to bow in submission to God’s rule. And the strength of the church is crippled by hearts unwilling to submit to God’s rule. The moment we become unwilling to kneel before the authority God has put in place over us is the moment we begin to unravel.

The next thing I want to see is that Diotrephes was a slanderer. He wasn’t simply rejecting John’s authority; he was seeking to destroy John’s reputation through slander— “talking wicked nonsense against us.” Diotrephes had begun to fabricate stories against John to recruit others to join him in his rejection of John.

Words possess great power. They can be used for good, and they can be used for corruption. They can be medicine or they can be poison. They can build up, and they can tear down. The book of James tells us that the tongue is a “restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.” Diotrephes had begun to use his tongue as an instrument of destruction. With it, I’m sure he corporately blessed God. But with it, he also corporately cursed man. With his words, he’s slowly setting the church on fire.

A healthy church consists of men and women who seek to use their words to build others up. The strength of the church is found in lips eager to speak truth in love. And the strength of the church is crippled by lips willing to gossip or slander. May our words be medicine that offers healing, not a poison used to destroy.

Now, notice what John strives to do here, though. John moves toward his offender, not away from him. He doesn’t overlook conflict; he moves toward it. John has written a letter to the church, which Diotrephes put a halt to. He’s sent the brothers to the church, which he’s put a halt to. And now he’s, in his old age, going to attempt to come to see him face to face to address him.

If I'm honest, John’s example is tough to follow. I hate conflict, so I tend to run away from it, not toward it.

As I surveyed my heart this week, I’ve begun to realize that sometimes, I mistake fear for grace. At times, I’ve felt I’ve been gracious and merciful, when in reality, I’ve just let the fear of conflict keep me from addressing an offense. Grace and mercy are sometimes found in overlooking an offense— “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense (Prov. 19:11). But true grace and mercy aren’t found in overlooking alloffenses. Grace and mercy are displayed best when we are able to look our offender in the eyes and address them. May we follow John’s example in addressing sin face-to-face.

The next thing I want us to see is that Diotrephes refused hospitality and prevented others from showing hospitality— “he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.” This is a stark contrast to the type of lifestyle Gaius was living. Gaius welcomed and supported the brothers, while Diotrephes refused them. Gaius sought to send the brothers out in a manner worthy of God, while Diotrephes kicked people out of the church who sought to support their missional efforts.

Part of faithful Christian living is being a welcoming people, especially when it comes to welcoming other believers. “We’re glad you’re here, come on in” should be words we use often! If Christ has invited us into his holy family, we should invite others into our family.

A healthy church consists of men and women who are hospitable. Our church will be most healthy when we have a healthy relationship with brothers and sisters from other churches. Our church will be most healthy when we use our resources to help our brothers and sisters from other churches. The moment we stop partnering with other brothers and sisters to the ends of the earth, we’ve journeyed into sin. The moment we begin to reject hospitality, we’ve journeyed far from God. May the Lord shut us down the moment we begin to shut our doors to those around us. The moment we begin to put ourselves first, we’ve journeyed into wickedness.

The Book of 3 John teaches us the importance of selflessness and humility within the church. To be a faithful church, we must stay close to Jesus. Gospel doctrine shapes gospel culture. We can tell if we’re walking in obedience to Jesus by the way we treat other Christians.

3 John pt.1– Who is Gaius?

What do you want to be remembered for in this life? A good businessman? A good ball player? A good salesman? A godly man? A godly woman?

Well, in this short letter, which we call 3 John, we can catch a glimpse of the reputations of various members of the early church. The reputations of some were good, while the reputations of others were not so good. Gaius, the recipient of this letter, was a man who walked in the truth. He faithfully lived out the gospel. Diatrophes was not. He was an arrogant and corrupt leader who put himself first, rejected apostolic authority, and led the church away from gospel hospitality.

The book of 3 John will force us to ask the question, “What do we want to be known for in this life?” Will we be known as faithful, selfless, loving, and hospitable Christians who inconvenience themselves for the good of others? Or will we be known as arrogant, selfish, and unloving people who push others out for the good of ourselves? What reputation are you building?

The only things that can truly shape our reputations are the small and consistent decisions we make throughout our lives. As the great prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon, once said, “The eagle-eyed world acts as a policeman for the church… [It] becomes a watchdog over the sheep, barking furiously as soon as one goes astray..… Be careful of your private lives … and I believe your public lives will surely be right. Remember that it is upon your publiclife that the world's verdict will very much depend. (“The Parents’ and Pastor’s Joy”).”

Let’s dive in.

“1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”

As you can see, the author of this letter doesn’t point-blank identify himself at the beginning of this letter. Instead, he simply identifies himself as “the elder.”

Obviously, your Bible likely has the book titled, “3 John.” So, what has led scholars, historians, and commentators to conclude that the author of this book is John?

Well, given the similarity in the introduction to 2 John, many believe the author of 3 John is the same as the author of 2 John. And given the similarities in writing style and themes between the gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John, many believe the author is the same. So, it’s safe to conclude that the elder here is the apostle John.

The term elder is presbyteros in Greek. It’s the same term used in 1 Timothy 5:17 and Titus 1:5 to describe the church office of a pastor/elder/overseer, those who teach, shepherd, and oversee the congregation. This is certainly a title that could and should be accredited to the apostle John. As likely the last living apostle at this time, John was undoubtedly an elder of the church, a teacher, shepherd, and overseer of the church.

But at this point, John was also elderly. If this letter had been written around 90 AD, as many suspect, John could have been between 80 and 90 years old. John was a seasoned believer who had witnessed a lot in his lifetime. In his youth, he sat with, talked with, and followed the Messiah, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. In his youth, he watched blind people see, lame people walk, and the dead come back to life. In his youth, he wept as he watched the Savior die. In his youth, he raced Peter to the empty tomb when he heard it was empty. In his youth, he rejoiced as he touched the risen Savior. In his youth, he was commissioned by Jesus right before he watched him ascend to the right hand of the Father. He had the Holy Spirit fall on him in his youth at Pentecost. He then watched the early church explode when Peter preached the gospel. He watched the church walk in love. He watched the church explode under persecution. He watched Paul come to know Jesus. He watched Paul become transformed by Jesus. He, himself, led people to Jesus. He, himself, discipled followers of Jesus. He, himself, likely wept over the death of his best friends as they died under persecution for Jesus. And now, in his old age, he’s still tenderly and lovingly caring for Jesus’ people.

John is an elderly elder of the church. He is a seasoned church leader and the last living apostle who cares deeply for those he leads.

We then see the recipient of this letter, Gaius.

***We will spend most of our time today unpacking who Gaius is and why John is addressing him. But before we do, let me go on record and say that if any of you are looking for a Godly name for a boy, look no further than Gaius. I commission the next family that gets pregnant with a boy to name their child Gaius.

Gaius was a fairly common name during this time. Therefore, we have multiple instances in the New Testament where a man with this name appears. In Romans 16:23, we find a Gaius of Corinth. Paul baptized him himself, and he later hosted Paul and the church in his home. In Acts 19:29, we see a Gaius from Macedonia, who was Paul's companion and got caught up in a riot in Ephesus. In Acts 20:4, we find a Gaius from Derbe, also Paul’s companion, who helped deliver a collection of resources to the Jerusalem church.

I desperately wanted the Gaius in 3 John to be one of these guys. I thought it would be fun to have a better grasp of who this man is and what he did for the kingdom. But, although there’s a possibility that the Gaius described in 3 John could be one of these Gaiuses, it’s not likely. The timing and location indicate that we simply have multiple different Gaiuses in the Bible who played a vital role in advancing the gospel in the early church, which is comforting in its own right. The advancement of the gospel and the health of the church didn’t rest upon the shoulders of one or two faithful Christians; it rested on the shoulders of many faithful Christians who sought to live faithfully for Jesus. The same is true today. The health of the church and the advancement of the gospel will never rest upon the shoulders of one single person.

As we see in these first few verses, Gaius is one whom John dearly loved. He is the “beloved Gaius,” the one John loves in truth. In other words, John’s love toward this man isn’t superficial; it’s authentic. It’s real and rooted in truth. This is the type of love that God calls us to display. Authentic and genuine, not fake and superficial love is what we’re called to possess.

So, how would you describe your love for your brothers and sisters in the church? Do you, like John, love in truth?

In verse 2, John begins to pray for the one he loves, which should teach us to pray for those we love. A tangible way to display authentic love is through fervent prayer. To be a loving church, we must be a praying church.

John says, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” In other words, John prays that his physical health will match his spiritual health.

There are two things worth digging into here:

First, it’s okay to pray for physical health. This is probably more of a point for me than anyone else. But I sometimes think it’s wrong to pray for physical needs, that faithful prayers are only spiritual prayers. But that’s not true because the Bible provides examples of faithful church leaders praying for the physical health of other church members. We always want to pray Biblical prayers, and there’s strong evidence in Scripture of people praying for physical needs to be met. So, may we humbly lift the church's needs up to the Lord.

The second thing I want us to notice is what he’s saying. He’s praying that their physical health will match their spiritual health— “that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” In expounding on this prayer, Daniel Akin said, “A good point of application naturally arises from this prayer. What if I were to pray for you and ask God to bless you physically to the same degree you are healthy spiritually, and what if He answered my prayer? What would happen?! Would you be fit, sick in bed, or nearly dead? Would we need to rush you to the emergency room and have you ushered into the ICU or CCU?”

John then says, “For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

Let’s paint the picture of what’s taking place here. There was a group of Christian brothers who were once with Gaius and later journeyed to John. When they got to John, they told him about Gaius' lifestyle, which caused John to rejoice. The reputation of Gaius has stirred up joy within John's heart, which has caused him to rejoice greatly! And this rejoicing caused John to pick up his pen and paper and write a letter of encouragement.

Can we press pause here for just a quick second? It would serve us well to follow John’s example here. The book of Proverbs says, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” So, may we be encouragers like John. When we see a brother or sister living out the gospel well, may we use our words to encourage them!

Now, John's language can be a bit strange. He says that these brothers have “testified to your truth.”

That’s a weird statement, isn’t it?

John is simply saying that the testimony of these brothers regarding Gaius is truthful. They came and accurately described what was going on in Gaius’ life. They testified to his truth, meaning they gave an accurate description of his life. The reality of Gaius’s life is that he is walking in the truth.

What does it mean to walk in the truth? It means he’s walking in obedience to Jesus, the source of truth. He’s living out the gospel. The message he’s embraced is the message he’s living. This is the reason John rejoices. He says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” One of his greatest sources of joy in his life is seeing or hearing his children walking in the truth.

The phrase “my children” likely doesn’t denote biological children. Instead, it’s likely a description of spiritual children. This could be someone John introduced to Jesus and later discipled in Jesus. Or it could be an individual whom someone else introduced to Jesus, and he has played a role in discipling. Either way, this is a man whom John has spiritually parented.

The phrase “my children” teaches us that our work has just begun once we introduce someone to Christ. Once we introduce someone to Jesus, we seek to teach them what it means to follow Jesus by walking in the truth.

Could John’s words also teach us that Christian joy is tied to Christian discipleship? There could be a multitude of reasons why we might not disciple young Christians. We might feel like we don’t have time or that we aren’t qualified. But, I want us to see that one of the repercussions of not discipling young Christians is missing out on joy. John says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth!” John was encouraged by the way Gaius was living. So, one of the greatest sources of joy is seeing those you’ve invested in spiritually embrace and live out truth! In the same way that a parent rejoices over their child taking their first steps, we can rejoice over seeing those we disciple walking out their faith. Could it be that the more we pour our lives into knowing the truth of Scripture, living the truth of Scripture, and teaching the truth of Scripture, the more joyful we will become?

John then says, “Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore, we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”

Here, we are beginning to see what Gaius was doing that brought John so much joy. We are beginning to see what walking in truth actually looks like.

The brothers who came and testified to John about Gaius were missionaries. They were strangers on a journey. They had selflessly gone out for the sake of the name of Jesus. They weren’t accepting anything from the Gentiles, meaning profit was not their goal. They weren’t selling a message; they were freely proclaiming the hope of Christ crucified. And Gaius was supporting them. He was exerting effort to help these brothers in their efforts to take the gospel to the Gentiles freely. Gaius was helping missionaries.

Can we just take a moment to acknowledge that the Bible has a letter written, not to the ones going, but to the ones supporting? In our attempt to celebrate those who answer the call to go, it’s easy to overlook the call to support. But to do so would be to go against God's heart.

One of our deacons, Troy Andrews, made a beautiful point a few months ago. He said, “Some will be called to go, while others are called to stay back and hold the rope.” That picture accurately depicts what Gaius was doing. Gaius was a rope holder. He was a supporter of those who went. Friends, missional support is just as important as missional living. Not everyone is called to go. Not everyone can go. But not being able to go doesn’t mean you can’t partake.

Look at what John says in verse 8: “Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.” The missionaries have fought to keep the gospel free. Therefore, the church ought to support them.

That word support is the Greek word apolambanō (ap-ol-am-ban'-o). It means to receive. So, John is saying that the type of support we are to give is a hospitable receiving. It’s not simply a throwing of money; it’s a linking of arms, a joining of lives.

But, notice how John describes those who receive and support. He calls them “fellow workers for the truth.” The Greek word for fellow workers is synergos, which means “working together.” It’s where the English word “synergy” derives from. Synergy means a cooperation of action. It implies the interaction of different elements that produce a greater combined effect than the sum of their individual effects. In other words, the gospel will go further when we work together.

Maybe your health prevents you from going on missions. Maybe your bank account prevents you from going on missions. Maybe your family prevents you from going on missions. Maybe your work prevents you from going on missions. Maybe you understand the importance of missions, but you just can’t go, and your inability to go makes you feel guilty. I hope this letter will be water to your soul. I hope you see that holding the rope for those in the trenches is just as important as being in the trenches.

God, help us to be like our brother, Gaius. God, please raise up from Harbor men and women who will answer the call to go and share the gospel with those who have never heard it before. And raise up from Harbor men and women who are content to stay and support those who go. Help us see the importance of both. May we have the reputation of being a people who are faithful in supporting those on mission for the gospel.

2 John pt.2

Now, it could be because this is a relatively new book to me, one I admittedly haven’t read much in my lifetime. But this book is good! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading it this week! I’ve walked away convinced that, had John lived in our day and age, he would have been an excellent rapper. He’s always poetically contrasting things like light and darkness, love and hate, truth and falsehood, children of God and children of the devil, obedience and disobedience, faith and unbelief, the Christ and antichrist. But, here it seems like John is taking his writing skills to a whole new level. In a poetically beautiful way, John is writing to a local church, encouraging her to continue to embrace the sound doctrine of Christ. As the church, we are each called to abide in Christ, and to abide in Christ, we will (1) walk in love, (2) walk in obedience, and (3) guard the truth of the Bible.

“4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”

13 The children of your elect sister greet you.”  

Notice how the meat of this letter begins with John rejoicing over the church's obedience—“I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.”

We won't spend much time here, but as a pastor, few things stir up more joy in my heart than seeing the church walk in the truth. The phrase “walk in truth” implies that the truths of the Bible have impacted your mind as well as your heart. And a heart affected by truth will lead to a life impacted by truth. Walking in truth is truth applied.

When you come to me excited about what God’s teaching you in the Word, I get excited. When I see you living out what you’re learning, I rejoice! One of the best ways to serve your pastors is by living out the truth of the gospel we all love and embrace.

John then says in verse 5, “And now I ask you, dear lady— not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning— that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.”

This is a wordy few sentences. So let me try to summarize what John is saying. Here, John pleads with the church to continue walking in obedience to God by walking in love. He’s reminding the church how love and obedience are inseparable; they’re two different sides of the same coin. You can’t walk in obedience to God’s commandments without love, and you cannot walk in love apart from God’s commandments. Love and obedience cannot be separated— “This is love, that we walk according to his commandments.”

Real love flows from obedience, and real obedience is always motivated by love. Yet, we often seek to separate love from obedience and obedience from love. Let me seek to explain.

Obedience without love is displayed through an attempt to use God’s law as a means to serve yourself by building your own reputation and identity. This is what the religious leaders were doing when Jesus came on the scene. They were using the law to serve themselves, not others. The commandments were a tool to push others down and build themselves up. They were a whitewashed tomb. They dressed nice, they fasted and tithed so others could see, and they prayed loud and extravagant prayers. But there was no love for God, nor was there a love for others. They wore a mask of obedience to appear as those who had divine favor from God. But inwardly, they were corrupt and hypocritical.

Church, we’re not exempt from this. We all face the temptation to love our reputation more than we love others. We all face the temptation to use God’s law as a means to serve ourselves, not others. So, may we be careful not to use the commandments of God for something they were never intended to be. Obedience was never meant to be separated from love.

Now there’s also a temptation to swing the pendulum to the other side and think we can find love outside God’s commandments. But John’s words here teach us that that’s an impossibility. We are to “love one another,” and “love is walking according to his commandments.” The moment we seek to separate love from obedience to God is the moment we’ve journeyed into hate. But this is what we’re tempted to do.

For example, the Bible holds marriage in high esteem as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman. But the society we live in hates this. They claim this is outdated, oppressive, and hateful. So, in the name of love, we’ve sought to redefine what marriage can and can’t be.

The Bible holds authority in high esteem, calling us to respect authority. The Bible calls us to not resist our governing authorities and to honor our father and mother. The Bible calls the man to be the head of the household and lead, love, and serve his home. But the society we live in hates this. They claim this is outdated, oppressive, and hateful. So, in the name of love, we push for equality and encourage others to live their truth and follow their heart.

The Bible holds the Sabbath in high esteem, calling us to keep the Sabbath day holy. But our society hates the idea of someone else getting an upper edge. Therefore, we embrace the notion that work never sleeps, which turns Sunday into a day to finish that deadline or wrap up that tournament. In the name of love, we sell our souls to work or sports.

The Bible holds human life in high esteem, teaching us that men, women, and children are made in the image of God. The society we live in agrees with this, stating that murder is wrong, until human life threatens our freedom to choose. Therefore, in the name of love, we embrace and celebrate the removal of life through the avenue of abortion or euthanasia.

Church, obedience without love is hypocrisy. But love without obedience is hate. If we want to be loving, we must seek to know Scripture, embrace the truth of Scripture, and rejoice with the truth of Scripture. 1 Corinthians 13:6 says, “Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” So, the moment we seek to dismiss obedience to God’s commandments in the name of love is the moment we’ve abandoned love. Obedience to God is one of the clearest ways to display our love for God and one another.

Now, in this exhortation to obey God by walking in love, John reminds the church that this commandment is an old commandment— “…not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning.”

God is far greater than we could ever imagine. So, a key part of the Christian life is learning new things about God. In the same way that we could never collect every grain of sand on the beach, we could never fully grasp God's fullness. But as we learn new things about God, we must remember that there are no new truths, only old truths. Therefore, a key element of the Christian life is remembering the old truths we’ve already embraced.

Now, I was doing the math this week. If this letter was written around 90AD, John had lived as a follower of Jesus for roughly 60 years by this point. It’s even possible he was nearing 90 years old by this point. Yet, in his old age, John hasn’t outgrown the simple call to love one another. We will never outgrow the call to love.

The older we get, the easier it is to become jaded. The longer you live in a fallen world, the easier it is to grow bitter. Every day that passes is another opportunity to get hurt by those around you. But, oh, the joy I feel when I see older saints still walking out their Christian faith. There are not many things more beautiful to me than seeing older saints still embracing the call to love one another as Christ has loved us.

How do we do this? How can we become a John? The only way this can take place is through the warm embrace of the gospel proclaimed in the Scriptures. The truth of the gospel is the heat that keeps our hearts soft and tender, able to display genuine love. Away from it, we will grow cold and hard. If we want to be loving people, we must keep the gospel close.

John then says, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

We’ve discussed this time and time again in 1 John. John is saying that the antichrist is anyone and everyone who dismisses Jesus and preaches something contrary to the truth of him that is found in the Scriptures. And he’s saying you don’t have to look far and wide to see false teachers. Many had gone out into the world to deceive back then, and many have gone into the world to deceive now.

So, how do we know what the Bible teaches about Jesus? What is true? What is false?

Well, when we were going through 1 John, we put together a concise statement regarding a biblical summary of who Jesus is. It went as follows:

“Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man. He came to earth to live the perfect life we could not live, died the death we deserved, and rose again— defeating sin and death— to offer us new life. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven and will one day return. Every person will stand before him to be judged according to how we have lived: those whose faith resides in Christ to everlasting life and those who rejected Christ to everlasting judgement.”

So, anything that goes against these core truths surrounding Jesus is a lie, and we must seek to guard against these false teachings.

Look at the stern warning John gives in verse 8. He says, “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”

It’s worth pausing here for a moment because there are a few interpretations regarding the reward mentioned at the end of this verse. Some think John is talking about a loss of salvation. Others think he’s talking about losing a spiritual award found in heaven (1 Cor. 3:12-15, 2 Cor. 5:10). Others think he’s talking about losing the outcome of a corporate ministry. In other words, if the church were to stray from the truth, John and his companions’ efforts would be in vain.

As we quickly wade through these different interpretations, I think it’s important to remind ourselves of what 1 John 2:19 says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

We’ve already established that not all who are members of the physical church are members of the spiritual church. Perseverance is a sign of authenticity. Those who are born of God will continue to walk with God. Therefore, I don’t think this verse teaches us that we’re able to lose our salvation. So, it could be that he’s referring to an award in heaven. But, I don’t want us to get so bogged down in the weeds of what the award might be that we overlook the warning! A loss is a loss, and a reward is a reward! John is sternly saying that doctrine matters! It matters what we’re being taught! It matters what we believe! It matters what we teach! It matters how we live! So, watch yourself! Watch what message you embrace. Watch what message you preach! Watch how you live!

All who are in Christ will persevere, and all who are in Christ must persevere! A tangible way that God keeps those in him is through their watchful perseverance. The warnings in Scripture are the guardrails that keep us persevering.

John then says, “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.” So, a tangible way to know that we have a relationship with God is our willingness to abide in Christ and his teachings. Those who embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior have God, and those who do not embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior do not have God. Now, remember that John is not likely addressing a woman with children; instead, it’s likely he’s addressing a church in a bit of a poetic and symbolic manner. So, I don’t think John’s intention here is to encourage the church to never have a non-believer in their home. Instead, he’s calling the local church to carefully watch what is being taught within their body.

As pastors, we are responsible for providing teaching, preaching, and counsel from the Scriptures, as well as guarding against false teachers and teaching. Part of our job is to protect the pulpit and ensure we don’t receive false teachers into our house. This is why we have an elder-recommended curriculum for our community groups. We want to ensure we aren’t allowing falsehood to creep into the church's life.

Now, I think there’s some beauty in how John closes his letter here. He says, “Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”

If any of you know me, you know I’m a bit of a tightwad. I hate to spend money. After reading John’s words, I think he might agree with me! That brother doesn’t want to waste paper and ink. Although using these words to justify being a tightwad is tempting, I won’t. I think that would be a significant misrepresentation of John’s original intent. Instead, I want to remind us that in a digital age, face-to-face conversations are better. In a digital age where we love to hide behind a screen, John’s words remind us that face-to-face conversations are better. So, carve out space in both your schedule and budget for coffee with the saints. Prioritize gathering with the local body you’ve been called to. Face-to-face gospel conversations fuel Christian joy— “I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”

John then closes with the statement, “The children of your elect sister greet you.”Remember the imagery John is using. The elect lady and her children are the church, a local congregation. So, John is saying that the local body he’s with (likely in Ephesus) is greeting the local body he’s writing to. Notice there’s zero animosity found in these words, zero disdain. Instead, there’s only warm hospitality and love. We are not in competition with other congregations. We are a small family that is a part of God’s great family, a [b]ody that’s a part of the [B]ody. Warm greetings, not cold slander, are what we’re called to extend to other church families in our city, state, country, and world.

2 John pt.1

1 John 5:17-21

1 John 5:6-12