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Creator and Creation - Eden

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We all have a longing for home. We all have felt homesick.

Humans crave belonging.

Genesis 2:8-17 NLT
[8] Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. [9] The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. [10] A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches. [11] The first branch, called the Pishon, flowed around the entire land of Havilah, where gold is found. [12] The gold of that land is exceptionally pure; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there. [13] The second branch, called the Gihon, flowed around the entire land of Cush. [14] The third branch, called the Tigris, flowed east of the land of Asshur. The fourth branch is called the Euphrates. [15] The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. [16] But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— [17] except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
https://bible.com/bible/116/gen.2.8-17.NLT

Eden is where heaven and earth overlap.

What do we see in the Garden of Eden?

Life and choice

We are called to eat from the tree of life. But there is also the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which we are told to stay away from.

Work and purpose

God says to work and take care of the garden

Goodness and beauty

There is harmony in nature in the garden.

God invites "trust me, I love you." but a voice whispers into the dark corners of the human heart "God is a liar "

Eden shows up throughout scripture where God's presence is

  1. Eden
  2. Tabernacle - exodus 26-28
    1. Like a mini Eden
    2. Lampstand = tree of life
    3. Law = tree of knowledge of good and evil
  3. Temple - 1 kings 6:29-31
    1. The place where God's presence dwelt always looked like Eden. That is God's "style"
  4. Gethsemene
    1. Jesus is crying out to God
    2. Jesus is in a garden when Judas comes
    3. John 19:41-42 - Jesus was laid in a tomb in a garden
  5. Revelation 22:1-5
    1. The story of God ends in a Garden city

We often think that worldly solutions will fix our pain. But they always fail.

Cling to the promise of place

John 14:1-3 NLT
[1] “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. [2] There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? [3] When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.14.1-3.NLT

Jesus says not to let our hearts be troubled. It's not always easy now, but a place is being prepared for us.

Let his presence produce fruit

John 14:15-19 NLT
[15] “If you love me, obey my commandments. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. [17] He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. [18] No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. [19] Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.14.15-19.NLT

Meditate often on the sermon on the mount. These are some of Jesus' clearest instructions.

We either sow to the flesh or we sow to the Spirit. We need to yield to the Spirit.

We produce fruit when we abide in Jesus and partner with him.

John 15:5-8 NLT
[5] “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. [6] Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. [7] But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! [8] When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.15.5-8.NLT