Creation in Conflict

The original story for the Little Mermaid was written in 1837. Disney didn't come up with it. In the original story, the mermaid never gets the prince after sacrificing everything for him, and she throws herself into the sea and becomes seafoam: The Dark Truth Behind the Little Mermaid

If we don't know our original story...

• we won't know how we got here
• and we won't know the way out

How did we get to Genesis chapter 3?

1. A voice in the garden
2. A bite at the tree
3. A cover up plan

The story of the serpent is the most deep and profound insight into human nature ever written.

A voice in the garden

Genesis 3:1-5 NIV
[1] Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” [2] The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” [4] “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. [5] “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.1-5.NIV

• Satan misrepresents God's words with a question
• then Eve adds to what God said: 'and you must not touch it'
• sin begins as an atmosphere that leads to an attitude which leads to an act

If we don't know God's word, it becomes easy to be confused.

A bite at the tree

Genesis 3:6 NIV
[6] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.6.NIV

We are sinners. We are not primarily good people who sometimes make mistakes. We are mistakers.

In my mind, we're like bottles of water that have had disease dropped in. Water is inherently good, but it is tainted by disease. That's how we are.

A cover up plan

Genesis 3:7 NIV
[7] Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.7.NIV

Genesis 3:8 NIV
[8] Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.8.NIV

• the creation is trying to hide from the creator
• this is tragic and looks silly to us. How can you hide from God? But...
• This is us!
• we also think we can hide and cover up from God

Many of us cover up with busy-ness. A busy life does not mean a blessed. A full life does not always mean a fulfilled life.

Funerals cause us to reflect on our own lives differently, because many of us never slow down enough to think about it.

We can also use religion to cover ourselves up.

What went wrong is what is wrong.

The way out also involves.

1. A voice in the garden
2. A bite at the tree
3. A cover up plan

A voice in the garden

Genesis 3:8 NIV
[8] Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.8.NIV

The God of the Bible is a pursuing God.

You just need to stop running. God will come to you.

Genesis 3:9-11 NIV
[9] But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” [10] He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” [11] And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.9-11.NIV

God's not asking because he wants to know where they're at. He's asking because he wants them to know where they're at.

God will ask us is questions to see our situation as it truly is.

a bite at the tree

Genesis 3:14-15 NIV
[14] So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. [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."
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.14-15.NIV

A cover up plan

Genesis 3:21-24 NIV
[21] The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. [22] And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” [23] So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. [24] After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.3.21-24.NIV

We are covered by God's grace and righteousness.

Jesus came to save us and restore us.

Romans 5:17-19 NIV
[17] For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! [18] Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. [19] For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.5.17-19.NIV