Friday, November 30, 2012

December 1, 2012

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:6-8
 
Therein is the power of the Christian Story. God sent His Son to pay the penalty for your sins! That act is called the “atonement”.
 
The Christmas story has several strong implications:
 
1) God takes sin so seriously that He sent His Son to deal with it.
2) So, either He didn’t love His Son very much OR He loves you as much as He loves His Son!
3) Which do you think it is?
 
THE ANSWER IS HE HATES SIN BECAUSE HE LOVES PEOPLE AND SIN DESTROYS PEOPLE.
 
SIN = Saying “No” to the Father and “Yes” to the Flesh
 
I. THE FIRST ADAM, Genesis 3
 
Sin Wrecked People, 3:1-13
 
GOD HATES SIN BECAUSE HE LOVES PEOPLE AND SIN DESTROYS PEOPLE. HE IS SERIOUS ABOUT SIN BECAUSE HE’S SERIOUS ABOUT PEOPLE.
 
1) Sin Contaminates – V. 1 – “Did God really say……?”
                                  V. 3 – “You will not surely die….?”
                                  V. 5 – “You will be like God…..”
 
When Adam and Eve listened to the serpent and said "No" to the Father and "Yes" to the flesh, it forever changed how humans think. Once deceived, now our minds are contaminated by sin.
 
2) Sin AlienatesV. 7 – Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together……”
 
Once they said "No" to the Father and "Yes" to the flesh, their innocence was gone and forever replaced by shame and self-consciousness.
 
3) Sin Isolates, V. 8-10 – They hid themselves
 
Adam and Eve went from a perfect relationship characterized by innocence and intimacy to one of distrust and dishonesty.
 
 
4) Sin Separates, V. 9 – They hid from God
 
Knowing they had disobeyed God they couldn't face Him so they hid. Sin took them from walking and talking with Him to hiding from Him.
 
This is provides tragic proof of how sin destroys people and relationships - two things God loves and desires. He hates sin because sin destroys these things He loves.
 
Sin Wrecked Paradise, 3:16-21
 
This beautiful garden that God had created and blessed was suddenly cursed and broken.
 
“All of creation groans………” Romans 8:22
 
 
God is serious about sin because sin destroys what He loves. He couldn't allow that to stand. Sin could not continue its destructive assault. God immediately announced a plan - Genesis 3:15 - "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
 
The plan of redemption began to unfold and the countdown to Christmas began!
 
 


 
 

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