1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:03,040 Welcome to the Illuminate Church podcast. 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:05,640 We hope today's message is encouraging to you. 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,680 How you feeling? Well, I'm glad you feel that way 4 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,440 because I want to welcome you to Debbie Downer Sunday. 5 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:22,960 Everybody clap your hands. Yeah, Debbie Downer, if you're 6 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,160 not familiar with this wonderful human being, everyone's having a 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,200 great time. And then Debbie Downer shows up 8 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,040 and brings everybody right down into cringe, like, you know what 9 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,360 I'm talking about. Like, you're at a gender reveal 10 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,440 party, which is all the rage. I guess we just had kids. 11 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,360 But what? Not kidding. 12 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,760 So the pink, pink confetti flies out of the balloon. 13 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:46,720 And Debbie Downer, you can hear off to the side. 14 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,640 You're like, well, it's a girl. One day she'll experience the 15 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,120 pain of childbirth and stretch marks. 16 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,520 I'm trying to do the Debbie down her face, but I'm smiling too 17 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,840 much or you're at a wedding. We were at a wedding yesterday. 18 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:07,480 A bunch of us here. We went over to north of 19 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,720 Brooksville, saw Camille Turner get married to Ryan Hughes, now 20 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,520 Mr. and Missus Hughes. That was fun, beautiful, 21 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,240 wonderful. Praise God and Debbie Downer 22 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:19,040 would stand up and like, well, here we are at the toast time 23 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,320 and I'd like to tell you that 43% of marriages end in divorce. 24 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:23,840 So good luck with that everybody. 25 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:30,440 Let's raise a glass, right? Well, just at the height of 26 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,160 something good, Debbie Downer brings it all down. 27 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:41,080 Genesis chapter 3 is the Debbie Downer chapter of Scripture. 28 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:46,560 It's just the truth where we ended last week in understanding 29 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:48,800 the book of Genesis where faith begins. 30 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,360 There are first facts and faith found in Genesis. 31 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,240 If you want an answer to any question in life, you can find 32 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,280 it in Genesis. And where we ended last week is 33 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,360 saying that all of created life, especially humanity, all of the 34 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,080 creation of the earth, fits together with God in this one 35 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,720 sentence. This is the plan from the 36 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:09,960 beginning. If you missed last week's 37 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,640 message, go watch it. But this is the plan. 38 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:17,440 God's intent is to dwell, to rest with humanity here on the 39 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,960 earth. It's his created temple. 40 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:24,960 He spent seven days creating this inglorious place that he's 41 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,480 then put us in the center of. And he also put Eden, which is 42 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,840 like his throne room. And he said, hey, we're going to 43 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:35,440 hang out here forever. This is where our story begins. 44 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,640 He set up the perfect place. Then he gives us the keys and 45 00:02:40,640 --> 00:02:43,080 the instructions and says, hey, don't wreck it. 46 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,280 And it was beautiful, it was peaceful, it was good. 47 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:52,120 We ended last week Genesis chapter 2, verse 25, where Adam 48 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,200 and Eve are naked and unashamed in front of God. 49 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,200 And it's not about physical nudity as much as it's just 50 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:04,640 about being present without any cares with the Lord, with each 51 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:07,440 other, no sin, no shame, no condemnation. 52 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:12,240 It was perfect. The entire meta narrative, which 53 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:17,040 is this overarching story, the thread of the entire Bible, is 54 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:21,400 this plan fulfilled. God wants to see this plan. 55 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,520 His intent to dwell with us here on the earth fulfilled. 56 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:28,760 God with us, us with God in perfect union, in a perfect 57 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,280 place. This is the plan, right? 58 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,360 Yeah. But Houston, we have a problem. 59 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,680 Debbie Downer's about to arrive. 3 chapters into the Bible, the 60 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,920 devil appears. But note this for later and for 61 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,960 a Hallelujah later. 3 chapters from the end of the Bible, the 62 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,600 devil disappears forever. Amen. 63 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,080 Three from the beginning, three from the end. 64 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,080 Genesis chapter 3 is where we're going to be today. 65 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,240 If it's not apparent to you, if you need a Bible, raise your 66 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,520 hand. If you got a Bible, flip quickly 67 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,200 to Genesis 3. It's the second book in the 68 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:03,640 Bible. First you have table of 69 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:08,080 contents, then Genesis. Just making sure you're paying 70 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,080 attention. Genesis chapter 3. 71 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,040 Anyone else need a Bible? We'll get those to you right 72 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,360 now. We're going to read the first 13 73 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,360 verses aloud here. And faith comes by hearing in 74 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,880 that of God's words. So soak it in, John, you got it. 75 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:24,160 Here we go. Verse one. 76 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:28,800 Now the serpent, which to be clear is the devil was more 77 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,480 crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. 78 00:04:32,840 --> 00:04:37,560 The devil said to the woman, Did God really say, that's how I 79 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:43,120 picture him speaking, You must not eat from any tree in the 80 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,320 garden. The woman said to the serpent, 81 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:51,360 Well, we may eat from the fruit trees in the garden, But God did 82 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,560 say, you must not eat from this one tree that is in the middle 83 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,840 of the garden, and you must not even touch it, or when you eat 84 00:04:57,840 --> 00:04:59,840 from it, your eyes will be opened. 85 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,640 And oh, I skipped a line, didn't I? 86 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:05,960 Must not touch it or you will die. 87 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,600 Verse four Look at what the devil says. 88 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,560 God makes a promise. If you eat of it, you will die. 89 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:16,880 And the devil says you will not certainly die. 90 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,240 The serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat 91 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,280 from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like 92 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:29,160 God, knowing good and evil. Verse 6 The turning point of all 93 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,680 of humanity. When the woman saw that the 94 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,120 fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, 95 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,440 and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate 96 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,280 it. She also gave it some to her 97 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:45,040 husband who was with her, and he also ate it. 98 00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:49,360 Then the eyes of both of them were open and they realized they 99 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:51,760 were naked, so they sewed fig leaves together and make 100 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,160 coverings for themselves. The man and his wife heard the 101 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,240 sound of the Lord as he was walking in the garden in the 102 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,120 cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God, which you 103 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,440 can't do among the trees of the garden. 104 00:06:03,840 --> 00:06:05,160 But the Lord God called to the man. 105 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:09,680 Where are you? And as you probably heard in the 106 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,400 message that Pastor Preston preached here months ago, he 107 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,280 said this isn't a location question. 108 00:06:15,280 --> 00:06:17,680 Where is your location, but where is your heart? 109 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,960 God knows where they are. He's omnipotent and omniscient 110 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:24,600 and omnipresent. He knows everything. 111 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,800 Verse 10 Adam answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was 112 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,440 afraid because I was naked, so I hid and he said, Who told you 113 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:35,480 that you were naked, that you now know the knowledge of good 114 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,880 and evil? Have you eaten from the tree 115 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:39,320 that I commanded you not to eat from? 116 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,720 The man said the woman, You put me here, she made me do it. 117 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,360 She gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it. 118 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,520 And the Lord God said to the woman, what is this you've done? 119 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:57,400 And the woman said, he, the serpent made me do it and I ate. 120 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:03,080 Specifically, the serpent deceived me and I ate it. 121 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:06,240 That's why to this day we know of the serpent Satan as the 122 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:10,560 great deceiver in Genesis chapter 3. 123 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,680 We've moved from creation to corruption. 124 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,840 We've moved from ruling, caring for the earth to rebelling 125 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:24,360 against God, and everything that flows from this moment is a 126 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,200 disruption to the plan. The plan was God, his intent to 127 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:31,200 dwell and to rest with humanity here on earth. 128 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:37,160 Now the image of God has been distorted and sin and all of its 129 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,720 outflow, death has entered the picture. 130 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,600 Don't raise your hand, but is anybody here hurting today? 131 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:50,960 You feel broken. It all goes back to this moment. 132 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,480 But here's the good news. And the title of today's message 133 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:57,520 is we. We're broken. 134 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,280 But as you see in Genesis chapter 3, we're not abandoned. 135 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:04,080 And this is the good news of the gospel. 136 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,560 We are broken, but we are not abandoned. 137 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,720 Somebody say Amen. So how did Adam and Eve get 138 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,400 there? And to put it into proper 139 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,040 perspective, how are we still getting there today? 140 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,200 They got to a certain decision that brought in corruption and 141 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:22,720 death. And we are still making 142 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,560 decisions today that bring in corruption and death. 143 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:26,960 How'd they do it? How do we do it? 144 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:30,920 Let us add to our learning today. 145 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,080 Let us seek God for wisdom. For in Genesis 3, we will see 146 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:41,960 what people call the sin cycle. We see it in Genesis. 147 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,600 If you read to the Old Testament, you'll see it 148 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:49,160 repeatedly in the people of God who are supposed to be following 149 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,280 after the Lord. This repeated sin cycle, we see 150 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,320 it still in our hearts today, if we're being honest. 5 steps in 151 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,520 the sun cycle. That all begins with doubt. 152 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:00,760 Everyone say doubt. Yeah. 153 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:05,040 The opposite of faith is not fear. 154 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:12,000 The opposite of faith is doubt, disbelief. 155 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,680 And here is the most cunning and crafty of all the animals, who 156 00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:20,880 is a schemer and a deceiver, and he's come to plant seeds of 157 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,680 doubt in our mind about three things. 158 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,960 First of all, he gets us, wants us, like you did with Eve, to 159 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:36,040 doubt the word he says. Did God say basically saying to 160 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:37,880 Eve? Did he say it right or did you 161 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:41,480 hear it right? And did you notice that the 162 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,680 devil made God's command more restrictive than God made it? 163 00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:47,960 God said don't eat from one tree. 164 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,760 The devil said don't eat from any of the trees. 165 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,560 Trying to make God sound worse than he is, and he isn't bad at 166 00:09:55,560 --> 00:09:57,680 all. Do not eat from any tree in the 167 00:09:57,680 --> 00:10:00,600 garden. What he is getting us to doubt 168 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,200 here by doubting the word is to doubt the authority of God. 169 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,800 This is where the devil begins. Is God really the ruler? 170 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,680 Is God really the king? Did God really say, does his 171 00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:15,240 word stand up in the garden and in Central Florida? 172 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:18,040 Then he gets us to doubt the wisdom. 173 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,800 To doubt the wisdom is to doubt the why behind the word. 174 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,800 There is a reason that God has said to not eat from the tree, 175 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:28,640 the from the fruit of this one tree. 176 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:30,920 I shared it last week. I'll share it briefly here. 177 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:34,080 God says don't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and 178 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:38,880 evil, for when you do that, you will think that you're God 179 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,120 because you have all the information, the knowledge of 180 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,520 good and evil. The problem is your knowledge 181 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:48,800 comes with limited power, limited ability, meaning humans 182 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,920 make great humans but make terrible gods. 183 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:54,640 And when you think that you can take the place of God, it's when 184 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,560 things begin to unravel. God essentially saying don't eat 185 00:10:57,560 --> 00:11:01,360 this from this tree. Let me be God and you be you. 186 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:06,960 It's a perfect relationship. All of His commands have 187 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:08,680 reasons. All of the rules of God, 188 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:12,280 including the one here in the garden, were to keep the plan, 189 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:16,080 The plan I want to be with you. Perfect union in a perfect 190 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,920 place. God's intent to dwell with us is 191 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:23,400 kept by keeping the rules. And by the way, they're not 192 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,440 rules. They're standards by which to 193 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,120 care for the earth and care for one another and to care for the 194 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:32,640 Lord. Doubt the word, doubt the 195 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:35,000 wisdom. And the third thing he gets us 196 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:40,320 to doubt is God's way. He says you certainly will not 197 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,840 die. Note this from the beginning. 198 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:47,920 What got what the devil is trying to teach us is that God 199 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:53,320 doesn't keep his promises. God doesn't stick to his word. 200 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:56,680 God doesn't stick to his way. It's the devil's message from 201 00:11:56,680 --> 00:11:58,960 the start. The devil wants you to believe 202 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,840 that God is not holding you up, but he's holding you back. 203 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,600 I'm just going to kind of convince you that what God's up 204 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,880 to is not right, and what he even said is not going to 205 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,320 happen. Don't believe it. 206 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,240 I don't know if you ever consider the consequences of 207 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,520 what you're about to do. And it's the devil always 208 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,200 sitting there saying, well, it won't be as bad. 209 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:29,920 They won't hurt that much or even blind you to the outcomes 210 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:31,920 of what might happen based on a decision. 211 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:33,840 This is all the work of the enemy that's happened since the 212 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:35,800 beginning. God's not really going to do 213 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:37,080 that. They'll be real. 214 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:43,200 No consequences. Doubt leads us to the second 215 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:44,720 part of the sin cycle, Deception. 216 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:46,880 Everyone say deception. Yep. 217 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,480 They're all going to be DS because that's what preachers 218 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:51,320 do. Alliteration. 219 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:53,880 It's one of the classes at seminary. 220 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:55,560 Everything must. Yeah, whatever. 221 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:03,520 Deceived because of our appetites, because of the things 222 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,760 that we lust for. Philippians chapter 3 says that 223 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,560 this way, their destiny is destruction, Their God is their 224 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:13,560 stomach, and their glory is in their shame. 225 00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:15,680 Their mind is set on earthly things. 226 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:21,440 We see 3 appetites with Eve, which means we see 3 appetites 227 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,760 with all humanity. The appetite for the flesh, our 228 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:28,080 physical desire. The serpent convinces Eve that 229 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:31,600 the fruit is good for food, appealing to her physical 230 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,240 hunger, seeking to satisfy her with something other than God. 231 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:38,760 This will take care of your flesh. 232 00:13:39,680 --> 00:13:42,200 That's what you need. Appetite of the eyes. 233 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,560 This is visual allure. This is beauty. 234 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,880 We saw that the fruit was a delight to the eyes. 235 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,640 Fanciful. It draws her in because of its 236 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:55,400 appealing appearance and the worldly pleasure that it 237 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,080 promises. Like, whoa, look at that. 238 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:00,540 Looks good. Mm. 239 00:14:00,540 --> 00:14:03,680 Hmm. Anybody you ever feel this way? 240 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,360 Last night, I'm staring at all the desserts on the wedding 241 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:10,480 reception table. They were all appealing. 242 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,920 Yeah, appetite of the flesh, appetite of the eyes, and 243 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:21,440 finally appetite of pride. The serpent promised Eve that 244 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:26,520 eating the fruit would make her like God, knowing good and evil, 245 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,680 appealing to her pride, appealing to all of our pride. 246 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:34,840 The desire for self governing, wisdom and independence from 247 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:35,880 God. Believe this. 248 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:40,080 The devil wants us to act independent from God. 249 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,160 That's his deception. You don't need him. 250 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:49,920 You can become like him. You are able just eat of the 251 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,560 fruit. This is the devil's folly from 252 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,920 the beginning. In heaven, before the earth was 253 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:59,280 created, Satan tried to become like God, and God cast him down 254 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,560 like lightning. There's only one God. 255 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,400 Pastor Kim said it earlier. There might be a lot of Lords 256 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:08,520 and kings, but there's only one Lord of Lords and one king of 257 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:09,360 kings. Amen. 258 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:13,640 I just stole what you said, Pastor Kim. 259 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:20,520 Yeah, they only clap like 5%. So I want you to know that Satan 260 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:25,240 used these same 3 avenues of temptation against Eve, later 261 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:29,960 against Jesus. Matthew chapter 4, Luke chapter 262 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,360 4 look a lot like Genesis chapter 3. 263 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:37,560 Satan, after Jesus has gone to the wilderness, led by the 264 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:41,760 Spirit, by the way, the Holy Spirit putting Jesus through a 265 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:44,720 season of testing. And if the Holy Spirit will lead 266 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,960 Jesus to a season of testing, what might that mean for us? 267 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,280 Yeah, we're going to talk about Abraham a little bit later in 268 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,120 the series. He also was led to a season of 269 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:56,200 testing. So here goes, Jesus into the 270 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,200 wilderness. And the wilderness there is like 271 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:04,480 desert, no food, no water for 40 days. 272 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,520 And then along comes the devil. Here comes the serpent again, 273 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:16,040 and the first thing he does is temps hungry Jesus in the 274 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:18,640 wilderness saying, if you are the Son of God, tell these 275 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,400 stones to become bread. Just eat the fruit. 276 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:27,200 Go ahead. Next, Satan, show Jesus all the 277 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:28,960 kingdoms. This is Matthew chapter 4. 278 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:32,200 All the kingdoms of the world and their glory in this dazzling 279 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:33,960 vision right before Jesus's eyes. 280 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,320 Look at all of that. And he offered them all of this 281 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:40,080 dazzling vision right before Jesus's eyes. 282 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,720 He says you can have all of it, Just bow down and worship me. 283 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,800 Appetite of the flesh, appetite of the eyes. 284 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:52,800 And finally, Satan tempts Jesus with the misuse of his divine 285 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,040 identity, saying if you are the Son of God, throw yourself down 286 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:01,440 off the pinnacle of this temple. He's twisting the scripture 287 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,720 Jesus of the Bible when he does it. 288 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,359 But he also is trying to suggest to Jesus, why don't you do this 289 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,760 spectacular self exulting display? 290 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:12,480 Throw yourself off here and live. 291 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:23,040 It's pride, flesh eyes, pride, the same old devil, the same old 292 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:25,760 tricks. Look with me at first, John 293 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,920 chapter 2, verse 16, because to this day is still the same. 294 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:36,240 Go ahead for everything in the world. 295 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:40,840 Look at these three. The lust of the flesh, the lust 296 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:46,160 of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father, 297 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:53,400 but from the world. We see it in the Old Testament, 298 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:57,120 in Genesis from the beginning. We see it in the temptation of 299 00:17:57,120 --> 00:18:01,080 Jesus in the New Testament, and we see it in Illuminate Church 300 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:06,240 in 2026. Lust of the flesh, the lust of 301 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:10,560 the eyes, the pride of life. Eve with Adam, they yielded to 302 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:13,960 the devil's deception, bringing both sin and death to bear. 303 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:18,480 We following suit in our carnal thinking, we earn the same 304 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,720 reward. But Jesus fully resisted 305 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,160 securing victory and righteousness for His people. 306 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:34,360 Somebody say glory to God. Deception born of doubt leads to 307 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:37,320 Part 3. Disobedience. 308 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:43,920 Everyone say disobedience, deception will drive us forward 309 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:52,320 from desire to decision. When the devil has deceived us 310 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:56,720 or we've deceived ourselves, a desire rises on us that causes 311 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,200 us to decide to go against the plan. 312 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,840 James chapter one verse 14. But each person is tempted when 313 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,280 they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 314 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,880 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin 315 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:14,720 when it is full grown, gives birth to death. 316 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:23,720 Starts is just a thought, just a seed planted by the deceiver, 317 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:30,000 just enough doubt, just enough deception, just a little Ting. 318 00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:37,200 This is why we are encouraged by Scripture to take every thought 319 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,920 captive. For a tempting thought is like a 320 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,520 wildfire set a blaze and a wandering heart. 321 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,520 And before you know it, and against your better judgement 322 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,720 and even against what you really want to do, like Paul states in 323 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:57,320 the Bible, I have done the thing I do not want to do and based in 324 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:00,160 doubt and deception. Now I am disobeying, which means 325 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,000 I'm not following God's best plan. 326 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,720 Which often leads to our next stop on the sin cycle, disgust. 327 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:21,640 In this moment, our eyes are opened, as God points out. 328 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:25,880 We realize that we're naked. We're exposed. 329 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:31,840 They're shame, disgust over having disobeyed. 330 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,920 It's in this part of the cycle that the enemy moves from 331 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:41,760 seducing us to shaming us. How dare you do the thing I 332 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:45,720 seduced you to do. Now God really is mad at you. 333 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:52,520 God really, really thinks poorly over what you just done. 334 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,680 You low down dirty shame. No good. 335 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:57,440 How dare you and step into a church. 336 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:06,560 My, my, my. And then in verse 7 we see the 337 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:11,800 first act of religion. I don't mean religion as in 338 00:21:12,360 --> 00:21:15,120 adhering to a dogma or doctrine of a faith. 339 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:21,040 I mean religion in man's attempt to appease the wrath of God by 340 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:26,800 their own methods, Man's attempt to manage the sin, man's attempt 341 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:30,000 to cover the sin. Fig leaves and hiding. 342 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:33,280 This is man's attempt to fix the problem. 343 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,280 It's not going to work. It doesn't work. 344 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:42,160 God still sees their sin though they're covered in fig leaves 345 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:45,720 and hiding. He sees it all. 346 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:50,400 And disgust finally leads us to the last part of the sin cycle, 347 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,440 destruction. This is where shame turns into 348 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:59,200 sabotage and leads us, drives us back to did it? 349 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:03,680 Was it up there, there? Doubt. 350 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:10,200 That's why it's a cycle and not a linear with a stop. 351 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,440 After we doubt and we're deceived, we disobey. 352 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:16,240 We feel terrible. And then in our terrible feeling 353 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:19,480 the shame, the whole process starts again. 354 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,480 God, why can't I beat this? I doubt that you exist. 355 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:26,440 I doubt that I'll ever get well. I doubt that something's ever 356 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:30,400 going to change and I'm hurting and I need to fix. 357 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,800 So I stopped hurting, deceived. And the next thing you know, 358 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:40,280 right back to Step 3 over and over and over. 359 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,120 If you've ever dealt with this sin cycle in your life, I'm 360 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:45,640 going to count to 3 and I want you to stand on your chair. 361 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:54,600 OK, We won't do that, But I'm just saying we look at this and 362 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:58,200 we see ourselves. Let me I look at this and I see 363 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:07,640 myself and the results of the sin cycle are quick and 364 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:12,160 devastating. In Genesis 3, we read of the 365 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:16,280 curse and I'm not going to read the entire section of the curse. 366 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,080 I'm just going to summarize it here. 367 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,120 But God says to them, where are you? 368 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:23,240 The truth is Adam and Eve are lost. 369 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:27,000 That's where they are. They're lost. 370 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:31,200 The plan has been disrupted. They are off course of what has 371 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:37,600 been intended for the snake. God says you're going to eat the 372 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:43,240 dust, you're going to crawl on the ground for all of your 373 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:46,240 existence, which is incredible because the devil was trying to 374 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:52,400 exalt himself high and God put him low for the woman. 375 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,040 He said that you will have pain in childbirth. 376 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,480 Any ladies ever had a baby. Have you experienced this part 377 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,720 of the curse. It's still a blessing to have 378 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:08,560 children and he also says and your desire will be for your 379 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:11,240 husband. A lot of husbands are like 380 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:20,720 sounds like a blessing. What God is saying is here is 381 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:25,600 your desire will be for your husband's position and the 382 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:29,200 husband's position if you read in Ephesians is to be the leader 383 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,440 in the home that serves the home the same way that Jesus Christ 384 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:39,760 served the church, not driving it and domineering, but giving 385 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:47,680 his life and servant and service of his family. 386 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:52,880 Jesus for the church husbands, dads for their families. 387 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,640 And what we see in the American church, or maybe the church 388 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:00,000 worldwide, is men abdicating this position and women leading 389 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,160 the home because the men won't or don't. 390 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:10,240 It's not an order. It's part of the curse. 391 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:14,560 And to the men, he says, you will have thorns and thistles 392 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,280 and work the ground. In other words, you will toil 393 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:23,520 and it will be painful. All of the thorns and thistles, 394 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:29,840 reminders of the costs of sin. In fact, the pain that we feel 395 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:32,520 on the earth, any pain that we feel on the earth, it's 396 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,240 represented here in the curse, but it's also truly experienced 397 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:38,960 by Adam and Eve and us to this day. 398 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:44,000 All of it are meant to be helpful reminders that outside 399 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:50,160 the plan there is brokenness. This is why Jesus weeps at 400 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:56,440 Lazarus's tomb, for no human was supposed to die and now one of 401 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,480 his closest friends is dead and in the tomb and he even knows 402 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:00,960 I'm about to raise him from the dead. 403 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,080 So why would he be crying about a dead man he's about to raise? 404 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:05,680 He'd be like, hey, I'll watch this. 405 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:13,160 Instead he's weeping because it's never meant to be that any 406 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:16,280 human we ended up in a hole in the ground. 407 00:26:18,120 --> 00:26:22,320 Pain is always a reminder that our current situation was not 408 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:27,480 supposed to be how it is, but thankfully there is a cure. 409 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:34,520 We are broken but not abandoned. We are hurting, but we are not 410 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:37,640 without hope. Somebody say Amen, here's the 411 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,320 cure. Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 we 412 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:43,760 read of the first messianic prophecy in all of scripture. 413 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:48,600 Messianic meaning savior deliver prophecy meaning forth telling 414 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,600 one day a Messiah is coming. Messiah. 415 00:26:54,640 --> 00:27:00,840 Genesis chapter 3 verse 15, God is speaking to the snake and he 416 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:05,880 says I will put enmity, warring, fighting between you and the 417 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:10,240 woman, between your offspring, devil and her offspring, which 418 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:16,560 will be of course Jesus. He Jesus will crush your head 419 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:21,320 and you will strike his heel. Don't know if you've seen the 420 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,960 movie The Untouchables. It's an old movie now. 421 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:29,360 I guess it used to be old movies were John Wayne movies. 422 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,000 Now, old movies are Sean Connery movies. 423 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:38,560 And Sean Connery is sitting in a church speaking to a government 424 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:42,840 official about how to attack Al Capone and the fight that's 425 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:46,360 happening with the gangs and and the prohibition, all this stuff. 426 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:51,720 And he says this famous line, he says they bring a knife, you 427 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:56,320 bring a gun, meaning they're going to wound you, but you're 428 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,680 going to end them. And Jesus said it first before 429 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,920 Sean Connery and his beautiful Irish accent, so yummy. 430 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:08,040 God said it first. He said, hey, the devil's going 431 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:10,960 to bring a knife. But Jesus, he's going to end the 432 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,320 devil. Amen. 433 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:19,840 Go ahead. All of this is played out in 434 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:21,880 Revelation chapter 12 and following. 435 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,320 But the war begins and earnest between the dragon and the 436 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:27,320 woman. Go read it, Meditate on it. 437 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:32,000 The prophecy fulfilled. You can know that this story, 438 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:36,240 this prophecy, is true based on the history that we have 439 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:40,880 available to us. Actual factual history. 440 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:47,240 What nationality has been warned against? 441 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:55,080 Has genocide been spoken over more than any other nationality 442 00:28:55,080 --> 00:29:04,120 on the earth? Now obviously we think of the 443 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:08,280 Holocaust, we think of recent wars, seven day war. 444 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:14,840 But I'm talking even before Jesus was on the earth, a spirit 445 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:20,560 went out from the enemy that says, whoa, I've heard the plan 446 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:28,440 from the Godhead himself that one day the seed of a woman, the 447 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:32,000 heir, the child, the offspring of a woman will destroy me. 448 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:37,960 So now my plan is I'm going to destroy the people so that that 449 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:41,160 possibility is cut off, snuffed out. 450 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:46,760 Read also the Old Testament where there are attempts to 451 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,880 eradicate the Israelites, the Jewish people from the earth 452 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:54,520 before Jesus was born. It's why David and Goliath 453 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:56,160 happens. Maybe heard the story. 454 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,560 What's going on? The Philistines are standing on 455 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:00,960 one side of the valley, the Israelites on the other, and the 456 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,960 Philistines are massive people and the Israelites are standing 457 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:05,080 there. The scripture says they're 458 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,600 shaking because they know they're about to get wiped out. 459 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,360 That's the plan. The spirit from the enemy goes 460 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:15,360 out, says destroy them. Of course David beats Goliath 461 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:17,800 and yay. Same thing with Esther. 462 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:26,760 Haman had plotted to have all the Jews killed on one day, all 463 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:31,360 of them and Esther and Mordecai will the Lord God intervened. 464 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,960 Herod, he wanted them all dead. Pharaoh in Egypt, he wanted them 465 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:38,680 all dead. Over and over the spirit goes 466 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:44,440 out seeking to destroy the race that would bring Messiah. 467 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,760 The spirit has a name by the way, I did a message on this 468 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:51,280 back in the high school. That spirits name is Hamas. 469 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:58,920 That'll get your attention. This spirit has gone out from 470 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:03,280 the devil seeking to destroy the Jews so that the offspring, the 471 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:06,000 Messiah, would not have opportunity to come. 472 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:11,840 It's proof of the plan. The evidence is before us. 473 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:15,800 It's so obvious that something is trying to destroy the Jews. 474 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,960 Someone why first John chapter 3 verse 8. 475 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,520 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil because the 476 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:25,200 devil has been sinning from the beginning. 477 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:29,320 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the 478 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:33,560 devil's work. The devil ain't dumb, not as 479 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,160 dumb as we think. He knows this is the plan. 480 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:40,240 Jesus is coming to stop his work so he is attempting to stuff out 481 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:46,040 the line of the Messiah. And the last thing that we get 482 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:52,400 in Genesis chapter 3 is a foreshadowing of how the 483 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:57,360 offspring of the woman will destroy the offspring of the 484 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:01,320 snake. Look at Genesis chapter 3, verse 485 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:04,920 21. The Lord God made garments of 486 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:07,400 skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 487 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,120 Remember, they were wearing fig leaves, Scott said. 488 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:14,160 I'm making something else. Verse 22. 489 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:17,040 And the Lord God said, the man has now become like one of us, 490 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,160 knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach 491 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,680 out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat and 492 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,000 live forever. So the Lord of God banished him 493 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,280 from the garden to work the ground from which he had been 494 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:29,320 taken. After he drove the man out, he 495 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,560 placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim with a 496 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:36,680 flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the 497 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,840 tree of life. First of all, let's look at the 498 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:43,400 coverings. Humans try to cover themselves 499 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,040 in an act of religion. This is how we are going to 500 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,600 manage the sin. Cover the sin, and God said it's 501 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:51,640 not covered. I see it. 502 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:57,760 You're naked and ashamed. God knew it wasn't enough. 503 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:02,040 So what do you do? First look at Hebrews Chapter 9 504 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:03,240 to understand what he's doing here. 505 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:07,160 Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 22 says, In fact, the law requires that 506 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:10,040 nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the 507 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:12,640 shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 508 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:20,320 God said in the garden when you eat from the tree of the 509 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:22,600 knowledge of good and evil, you will certainly die. 510 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:25,640 And when God says you will, it's a promise, and God keeps his 511 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:29,080 promises. And so the sentence over Adam 512 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:31,640 and Eve immediately when they took of the fruit and ate it is 513 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:34,880 death. And so God stands in front of 514 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,080 them, knowing his promises. Well, you, you have to die. 515 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:42,160 But he also knows his plan is to dwell with humanity on the 516 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:43,520 earth. So he's not going to wipe out 517 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:49,120 humanity. And instead, in mercy and grace 518 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:57,080 he brings a substitute that will shed its blood in place of the 519 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,200 humans. And these two animals are 520 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:02,360 sacrificed. Adam and Eve are covered in 521 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:07,440 their skins and atonement. The blood is shed for Adam and 522 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:09,400 Eve. Do you see the foreshadowing? 523 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,159 Do you see the picture? It also foreshadows A 524 00:34:13,159 --> 00:34:16,679 sacrificial system that we see all throughout the Old Testament 525 00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:20,239 in the era of the temple, because the breaking of the law, 526 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:24,719 blood must be shed, a price must be paid, and God was also 527 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:28,159 merciful to the people of the Old Testament, allowing them to 528 00:34:28,159 --> 00:34:30,120 sacrifice animals in their place. 529 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,320 That's sacrificial ram. This the sacrificial bull, the 530 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:41,000 sacrificial goat birds even, which culminates one day in the 531 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:44,679 once and for all sacrifice for the Lamb of God. 532 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,480 John the Baptist when he first sees Jesus on the sea and he 533 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:54,239 says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the 534 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:57,000 world. The shedding of blood. 535 00:34:57,000 --> 00:34:59,360 Religion gets replaced by sacrifice. 536 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:03,640 Fig leaves get replaced by skins, sin gets replaced by the 537 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:08,360 shed blood of the Savior. That's why I can say we're 538 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:12,200 broken but we are not abandoned in Jesus name. 539 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,760 Somebody say Hallelujah. I want to finish with this last 540 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:17,360 part. It may be surprising to you. 541 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:21,600 It was to me and my study. Banished from the garden is not 542 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:25,640 part of the curse. We think this is bad news. 543 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:30,160 I think God thinks of it as good news or better news. 544 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:32,480 The best news is for us to be in the garden with Him forever, 545 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,240 with no sin, no shame, perfect union. 546 00:35:34,240 --> 00:35:36,920 That's the plan. Now that the plan is distorted, 547 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:41,520 God makes a change so that it's still good for us because He 548 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:44,600 loves us. Being banished from the garden 549 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:49,280 is a blessing, not a curse. By casting us out of the garden, 550 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:53,960 away from the tree of life, we do not live forever in our 551 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:58,640 brokenness. It's as if God is saying dying 552 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:01,680 is not the worst thing that can happen to Adam and Eve. 553 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:06,440 Living perpetually under the serpent's dominion, separated 554 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:10,400 from God as his enemy, is far worse than physical death. 555 00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:13,880 We don't want to live forever broken. 556 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:19,240 By removing us temporarily from the tree of life, God is 557 00:36:19,240 --> 00:36:23,920 limiting the potential that the suffering brings, the length of 558 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:26,640 the suffering, by removing us from the Garden. 559 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:29,720 And he does so by placing cherubim with flaming sword 560 00:36:29,720 --> 00:36:34,640 between them on the east side. You cannot come back in exiled 561 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:38,880 from the garden, not allowed fully in the presence of God. 562 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:48,160 He's cherubim, flaming sword. I don't know if you're aware, 563 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:52,640 you probably are, but when they built the temple where God would 564 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:59,280 come and rest his presence, there was a holy place where the 565 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:02,400 priests were allowed. And then there was the Most Holy 566 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:06,320 Place, where the Ark of God was in the Bema seat, the throne of 567 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:08,840 God, where he would come down and meet with the high priest 568 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:11,880 once a year. This beautiful encounter between 569 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:17,880 them, between the holy place and the Most Holy Place was a 570 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:20,360 gigantic curtain called the veil. 571 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:27,720 And the veil separated humanity from the presence of God, almost 572 00:37:27,720 --> 00:37:31,840 as if we're on this side. And in the Holy Place is back in 573 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:36,920 the garden, the Eden separation by the veil. 574 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,480 You following anyone? Say yes, Teresa, you got it. 575 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,200 Second Chronicles 314. Look what's on the veil. 576 00:37:48,240 --> 00:37:51,280 He made the curtain of blue, purple and Crimson yarn and fine 577 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:59,720 linen with cherubim worked into it from the garden to the 578 00:37:59,720 --> 00:38:02,480 temple. The cherubim standing his guards 579 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:07,040 saying You don't want to come in here in a broken state, you 580 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:11,560 don't want to live forever. Is your spirit dying? 581 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:19,000 Matthew chapter 27, verse 51. The moment Jesus makes his 582 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:25,720 sacrifice, the good stuff happens. 583 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:30,400 The veil is torn from top to bottom. 584 00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:33,840 Access to the presence of God is restored. 585 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:38,040 Access to Jesus, who is the tree of life is restored. 586 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:42,400 We were broken, but we are not abandoned because God made a 587 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:46,240 way, and that way is Jesus. Amen. 588 00:38:52,290 --> 00:38:56,090 So hold the sin cycle in your mind and hold the reality of 589 00:38:56,170 --> 00:39:02,290 Jesus in your mind. How do we go from this to this? 590 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:06,360 How do we move from this infuriating falling over 591 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:10,920 ourselves constantly to back connected to the tree of life? 592 00:39:12,240 --> 00:39:15,760 Doubt begins the disruption. It's faith that ends it. 593 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:20,440 You want to move from this cycle of sin. 594 00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:23,840 How can I in the Israelites we talk about we keep circling 595 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:29,400 Sinai and God says I'm moving you to Mount Zion and this move 596 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:34,320 from this cycle of death to the tree of life happens by faith 597 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:41,800 belief, believe this God created the first Eden to dwell with us 598 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:45,360 forever. Sin disrupted that plan, but God 599 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:48,520 promises us a new Eden in the Book of Revelation. 600 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,720 We read it last week and in the middle between 1 Eden and the 601 00:39:51,720 --> 00:39:55,480 next. The bridge absolutely is Jesus 602 00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:59,360 Christ himself. The exit from the first Eden is 603 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,880 sin and the entrance to the second Eden is Savior. 604 00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:09,200 Glory to God in the highest one last scripture for you this 605 00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:12,600 morning, Colossians chapter 3 verse 3. 606 00:40:13,640 --> 00:40:19,360 For you died and you're not. Life is now hidden with Christ 607 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:26,000 in God. I hope you can feel this. 608 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:29,320 As an actual reality for yourself. 609 00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:35,200 But at some point we were Adam and Eve, hiding in the trees 610 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:45,720 from God, worried, shameful, fearful, and we can stay in this 611 00:40:45,720 --> 00:40:53,560 hidden place or by faith and the sweet offering of the Lord Jesus 612 00:40:53,560 --> 00:41:00,160 Christ be found hidden in him. I guess the only question is 613 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:04,640 when God comes walking to the garden tonight, you be hiding 614 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:10,920 there or you be hiding here. It's a personal question. 615 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:15,160 No one else can answer it for you, and no one else can take 616 00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:21,440 your place except Jesus. Will you be found in Him? 617 00:41:23,240 --> 00:41:25,400 That's the offer this morning. Would you pray with me? 618 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:31,760 Lord God, we started this message just praying that your 619 00:41:31,760 --> 00:41:37,160 word would counsel us, just believing that you had something 620 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:39,600 to say to us. And God, I believe that what you 621 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:43,240 have in your heart for us is to move from a place of hiding to a 622 00:41:43,240 --> 00:41:46,680 place of freedom, from a place of defeat to a place of victory, 623 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:50,680 from doubt to faith. And you made that way through 624 00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:54,560 your Son, Jesus Christ. We thank you for the sacrifice, 625 00:41:56,480 --> 00:42:01,160 the resurrection, and the glorious ascension to His place 626 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:05,560 next to your throne. We thank you for Jesus. 627 00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:09,920 Maybe you're here today and you're still hiding in the trees 628 00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:13,560 church, just as have your heads bowed, heads bowed, eyes closed. 629 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:15,360 I just want you to consider where am I? 630 00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:18,120 Am I hiding in the trees or am I hidden in Christ? 631 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:22,720 Want to give you an offer? It's not an offer for me, it's 632 00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:25,720 an offer from the Lord. If you confess with your mouth 633 00:42:25,720 --> 00:42:29,440 and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you will be 634 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:32,360 saved. You'll move from the hidden 635 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:37,040 trees of fear to hiding in the tree of life just by confessing 636 00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:41,960 and believing that he's Lord. So church, pray this with me, 637 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:44,320 would you? And give it some oomph in your 638 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:48,000 voice saying, Father, in the name of Jesus. 639 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:54,760 I recognize that I've been hiding in the sin and the shame 640 00:42:55,280 --> 00:42:57,560 in the garden of my trees of fear. 641 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:06,640 Yeah, a lot of words, sorry, but I confess and I believe that I 642 00:43:06,640 --> 00:43:12,960 can be hidden in Christ, that he is Lord, that he is Savior. 643 00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:21,600 And I receive him into my heart into my life today here and now. 644 00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:28,320 Hallelujah. Yeah, Church, I'm just going to 645 00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:31,480 ask you if you've made this prayer today, you saying I'm 646 00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:35,160 moving from the trees of sin and fear and shame into the life 647 00:43:35,160 --> 00:43:38,520 giving tree of Jesus Christ. I'm going to it's going to ask 648 00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:40,960 you to boldly on the when I count the three raise your hand 649 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:44,160 up really high. Maybe one person here, maybe 50. 650 00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:46,080 I have no idea. The Lord knows he called you 651 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:49,960 here today to save your life and to move you from doubt and 652 00:43:49,960 --> 00:43:54,400 destruction and disobedience and disgust to a life of faith. 653 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:57,520 If that's you in the count of three, raise your hand. 123 654 00:43:57,520 --> 00:44:00,200 Anyone believing on Jesus today, come on, it's OK. 655 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:02,760 Be bold. We see we're coming to you. 656 00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:04,520 They're making their way to you. Our ushers have something they 657 00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:10,000 want to give you as you are receiving right here and now the 658 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:14,720 salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ caught up with him 659 00:44:15,080 --> 00:44:18,200 forever and ever. And church, I'm going to count 660 00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:21,360 to 3 now and you're going to stand and we are going to 661 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:24,800 rejoice. 123 Amen and Hallelujah. 662 00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:28,480 Thanks for joining us today. We hope God is speaking to your 663 00:44:28,480 --> 00:44:31,080 heart through this message. If you'd like to connect with 664 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:38,280 us, you can text connect to 407-588-0115 or visit Illuminate 665 00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:40,880 dot church. Have a great week.