1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 How are you all doing today? 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:10,860 Awesome, I'm doing really well and we'd like to start by saying welcome to anybody that's here in our sanctuary new this morning 3 00:00:10,860 --> 00:00:16,620 Or if you're joining us online, we just we're so glad you're here to worship with us today. And so welcome welcome. I 4 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:23,040 Am pastor Nathan and this morning we are going to be continuing our journey 5 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:29,520 Through the fall of mankind that we read about in Genesis chapter 3 6 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:35,880 This is the moment the big moment where mankind's perfect fellowship with God 7 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:38,480 their creator was 8 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:44,600 Destroyed beyond all human repair and we thank God that God was able to repair it 9 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,560 But in the garden we read last week that the serpent 10 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:54,760 Being used by Satan or filled with Satan or speaking through being spoken through by Satan 11 00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:03,320 Spoke and deceived Eve into eating of the tree that they were forbidden from eating from and he did this by 12 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:05,480 questioning God's Word 13 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:13,480 He did this by questioning God's goodness and through those two things Satan tempted the very first couple into sin 14 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:21,840 He asked Eve did God really say a question that Satan is still whispering into everybody's minds today 15 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:27,960 Especially as we deal with some of the big social challenges and and you know 16 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:34,480 People wanting to live this way and live that way and the question still comes up. Did God really say 17 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,680 It's nothing new. It goes all the way back to the beginning 18 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:44,880 And then the other thing that Satan suggested in the very beginning was would a good God keep something from you 19 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,640 Right. Why would God say don't eat of that tree that it must be the best thing 20 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:58,000 And thus Eve then rationalized her disobedience by minimizing God's gracious abundant provision into a 21 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,520 diminished version of the truth of it 22 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:06,440 She inflated God's one and only prohibition far bigger and far more 23 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:14,040 Bigger and far more restrictive than God intended and then she softened the consequences of disobeying God's Word 24 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:21,280 Into well really something worth risking and in that it left her open to believe the outright 25 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,760 direct lie of Satan 26 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:30,320 Despite all of her experience of God's goodness and again, that's how Satan works today and 27 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,360 Much like Eve she saw 28 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:40,200 Then she took then she ate and then she gave it thinking she was doing something good 29 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:48,080 You see Eve was deceived even though she disobeyed God and even though she's guilty of the consequences of doing so 30 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,160 Still she was deceived but her husband Adam he took 31 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,360 He ate knowing full well that he was doing something bad 32 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,760 And then according to Romans 5 12 sin then entered the world through the one man 33 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:08,800 And death through sin and in this way death spread to all people because all have sinned 34 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:11,360 We all struggle with it 35 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:17,320 We all struggle with our obedience to God and the devil knows he knows how to tempt us and 36 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:24,840 Dietrich Bonhoeffer said this in one of his books with irresistible power desire sees his mastery over the flesh 37 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:30,080 It makes no difference whether it's sexual desire or ambition or vanity 38 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:34,560 Or desire for revenge or love of fame and power or greed for money 39 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:41,080 Joy in God is extinguished in us as we seek all of our joy in the creature 40 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,680 At this moment this moment of temptation. God is quite unreal to us 41 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:51,280 He loses all reality and only desire for the creature is real 42 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,600 In this moment Satan does not hear fill us with hatred of God 43 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:04,160 But simply a forgetfulness of God the lust thus aroused envelops the mind and the will of man in deepest darkness 44 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:08,720 The powers of clear discrimination and a decision are taken away from us 45 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:15,840 And then the questions present themselves is what the flesh desires really sin in this case 46 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:23,040 Is it really not permitted to me? Yes even expected of me now here in my particular situation 47 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,040 to to appease my desire 48 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:31,680 And it is here in this moment that everything with that within me rises up against the word of God 49 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:40,080 That is exactly what happened to Eve in her treatment of God's word in her conversation with the serpent in the garden 50 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:47,200 And then Adam and Eve's very carefree physical nakedness. They're very carefree emotional nakedness 51 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,480 They're open transparent honesty. They're unrestricted 52 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:55,600 Harmony with God and with other dissolved they died right there 53 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:02,880 But it wasn't physically and that was something that the serpent capitalized on but they died spiritually 54 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,600 You see in God's word death is the opposite of life 55 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,400 Not the opposite of existence 56 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:17,040 Biblically dying doesn't mean to cease to exist as some cults teach in the world today 57 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:21,760 But dying is biblically called being cut off from the land of the living 58 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:28,000 And so Adam and Eve's lives would then be a diminished existence far less than what God intended 59 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:33,120 Far less than what it could have been and their existence would be one of death 60 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,120 The world around them would die the animals around them to die 61 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,000 Their families would die they would die 62 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:43,040 And it was a 63 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,040 existence of God's word 64 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:49,040 And it was a existence of complete and thorough sinfulness 65 00:05:49,840 --> 00:05:51,280 but still 66 00:05:51,280 --> 00:05:56,400 When God confronts them on their sin, he does so in a divinely gracious 67 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:58,800 and gentle 68 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:00,800 And even healing way 69 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:07,760 And from their confrontation with God we are going to be reminded today what to do and what not to do 70 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,160 When we sin against almighty God 71 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:14,560 But first we're going to worship because God is worthy 72 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,200 We like to start our days, you know, okay 73 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,240 This is what we're going to look at but but let's worship God first 74 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,240 It's a great way to start any day to praise him for who he is 75 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,240 For what he's done 76 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,000 What he's doing 77 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:35,120 We even read in the psalms that the best thing to do when we're down when we're in difficult difficult situations is to praise God 78 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:37,600 Because his goodness 79 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,120 is forever 80 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:45,040 His glory is forever and he is with you his child forever. Let's pray father 81 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:47,840 We thank you so much God for your word 82 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,040 We thank you God for who you are 83 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:56,640 And lord today as we look into your word continuing the story of the fall of mankind lord. May we be 84 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,440 both challenged and encouraged 85 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:04,400 At the reality of of how you confront your people in sin 86 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,680 Lord the world likes to paint a picture where they say if God 87 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:09,360 truly exists 88 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,400 Then he must be this mean vengeful spiteful God 89 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:19,840 Christians lord often live in fear that you're going to strike them down with a lightning bolt or or that you're angry with them 90 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:24,240 And lord, those are those are all lies from satan himself 91 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:29,520 Lord we know that you hate sin and we know that you will judge the sinner 92 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,960 But in all of that God you graciously you judge 93 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:34,960 You graciously you gently 94 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:37,920 Call us out of our sin 95 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,960 Call us from our hiding places that we would simply come to you in honesty 96 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,300 In confession and in that we receive forgiveness 97 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,640 so lord speak to us this morning teach us lord how to 98 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,680 How to deal with the confrontations that you have with us over our sin lord 99 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:00,960 Teach us how to do it right and not wrong. May we learn from the first couple lord 100 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,600 How to approach you and how to not approach you 101 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,840 When we inevitably drop the ball in sin 102 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:14,080 Lord, we love you so much. We praise you for your kindness and your goodness. We love you so much 103 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,080 It's in Jesus name. We pray amen 104 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:20,000 All right, so we are in genesis chapter three 105 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:25,360 And we are picking it up here in verse eight 106 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:29,920 As we continue to study through the fall of mankind 107 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:30,880 now 108 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:37,120 What has happened in the beginning of chapter three is in one single instant the very first couple went from life to death 109 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:39,840 They went from sinlessness 110 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:44,400 To sinfulness they went from harmony to separation 111 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:49,200 they went from trust and honesty to distrust and lying and 112 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,600 These are our original parents. These are our genetic ancestors 113 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:58,640 Yes, all of mankind that exists on the earth today came from two 114 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:00,640 came from two 115 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,360 Adam and eve 116 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:09,040 And they are a picture of every single man and woman since not just in their first sin 117 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:13,440 Not just in that disobedience, but in how they tried to deal with it 118 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,520 And so it's the same pattern with which we're all 119 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:20,320 tempted to deal with our sin today 120 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:26,080 And then the way god deals with adam and eve is again the wonderful picture of how he still deals with us 121 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,800 Today in our sin so read with me in verse eight 122 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:35,280 It says then the man and his wife heard the sound of the lord god walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze 123 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,800 And they hid from the lord god among the trees of the garden 124 00:09:39,680 --> 00:09:43,120 So the lord god called out to the man and said to him. Where are you? 125 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,960 And he said I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked 126 00:09:49,680 --> 00:09:51,680 So I hid 127 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,000 You see the garden of eden 128 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,600 was 129 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,940 Much like the holy of holies in the in the later tabernacle 130 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:02,720 And then the later temple and what I mean by that 131 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,480 Is it was the place of god's special presence? 132 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:11,700 We know that god is omnipresent. He is everywhere at all times simultaneously 133 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:20,320 But there's also many times we see throughout scripture where god himself appears in a very special way or a very tangible way 134 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,680 That seems to be unusual in that sense 135 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,480 Sometimes it's in a human form 136 00:10:27,020 --> 00:10:33,920 Sometimes it's not in a human form, but it's always in ways that are tangible to the human senses that we are created with 137 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:38,420 For example in genesis chapter 12 chapter 18 and chapter 32 138 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:44,400 We're going to read that the lord appears to adam and he did it two times in a way where adam was able to 139 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,120 Perceive him and understand that it was god 140 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:51,120 We're going to read later on that jacob wrestled physically with god 141 00:10:51,680 --> 00:10:58,160 In exodus chapter 3 chapter 24 and chapter 33 we read stories like god appearing in the burning bush 142 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:00,560 As he talked to moses 143 00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:07,360 We also read a couple times in exodus where god himself spoke to moses to arren and to the 70 elders 144 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:12,240 And then we even see god appearing as a pillar of cloud during the day right and a pillar of fire at night 145 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,280 Leading and guiding his people through the wilderness 146 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,040 through the wilderness 147 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,560 Then in job's chapter job chapter 38 through 42 148 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:26,400 We read the story of god speaking to job. It says quote from out of the whirlwind 149 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,080 And so god appears and has appeared to his people 150 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:37,760 In different ways throughout history, you know in the old testament prior to god coming to this earth and clothed in flesh 151 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:43,280 As jesus christ he would take on these different forms at different times in a very special presence 152 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:49,600 And so his presence was in the garden with adam and eve. It was a part of the perfect fellowship that they had 153 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:55,380 But every time god took on a human form throughout the old testament. It was simply a foreshadowing 154 00:11:56,320 --> 00:12:01,440 Of when he would show up to this earth god the son jesus christ the second person of the trinity 155 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:09,200 To live as a human and then to die in our place suffering the full wrath of god as a human while being fully god 156 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:16,480 At the same time and so in the old testament these appearances of god, they're commonly referred to as theophanies right an appearance 157 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:20,960 um of god in a in a tangible way to human senses 158 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,360 Genesis 3 8 here when it says that god was walking in the garden 159 00:12:25,680 --> 00:12:32,000 It is likely one of those times right? It's where god appears in a way that ab and eve were able to perceive now 160 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,120 This comes from a few things here 161 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:39,920 And this is you know i'm dealing with this because people always ask was god actually walking in the garden 162 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:41,920 You know was he really there? 163 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:48,480 Well when it says they heard the sound of god walking in the garden that word sound in the hebrew is actually referring to a physical 164 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:54,880 Sound it's referring to the sound waves that hit the human eardrum and then which we perceive sound 165 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:02,320 So it says the same thing that the man and wife heard that's talking about the the sense of hearing the physical sense of hearing 166 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:08,320 Then when it says god was walking that word in the original hebrew means to physically go about 167 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:14,000 To move from place to place or we might say to go for a walk, right? 168 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:17,600 And then when it says that they hid from the lord god 169 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:21,200 Um that idea of from there means from his presence 170 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,160 It could also mean from his face 171 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:30,880 And so if it is face like his literal face because he was there in an appearance of a man or something 172 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:32,480 and um 173 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,480 just think about how sad that is this 174 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:39,680 this presence of god that they had enjoyed such perfect fellowship with and would walk and talk and 175 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:46,640 They're now hiding from that face. They're they're they're hiding themselves from that face that they regularly saw in the garden 176 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:52,480 But I point that out is because in revelation chapter two or chapter 22 verse four 177 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:59,200 It says that when all things are done and there's a new heaven and a new earth. It tells us that we will see his face 178 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,200 again 179 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:05,440 And so it kind of points that there was a time where we did see his face 180 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,920 And that the end is going to be much like the beginning as god restores all things and so 181 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:14,720 God's stroll through the garden here. I mean it tells us in the text that there was an audible sound 182 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,520 There was some sort of presence that adam neve were able to tangibly 183 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:26,960 Tangibly perceive and so there's there's a few different popular theories for this, you know, of course some say it is a theophany 184 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:28,960 It's god in a physical form 185 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,320 A lot of times in the old testament when god appears in a physical form 186 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,420 Some people say it's a christophany that it's a pre-incarnate 187 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,840 appearance of god the son because god the son 188 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:45,040 Is the only one who's appeared physically on earth and god is spirit and all that that's one of the theories 189 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:49,200 other people say it was a a cloud like like the pillar of 190 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:51,920 Cloud that was going to the wilderness 191 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:58,000 Or a strong wind that it was like this rushing wind that knew was they they knew that god was there when it happened, but 192 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,000 regardless, okay 193 00:15:00,340 --> 00:15:04,660 The point here is that god himself is the one who shows up to confront sin 194 00:15:05,620 --> 00:15:09,140 That god himself is the one who issues judgment in the garden 195 00:15:09,940 --> 00:15:13,380 And the sad contrast to that is that the sound and the presence 196 00:15:13,940 --> 00:15:21,300 That once brought such joy to adam and eve such contentment such peace now produced fear and dread 197 00:15:22,020 --> 00:15:26,100 And so it tells us that they hid from the lord god among the trees, right? 198 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:32,260 We read last time that as soon as they were aware they were naked they sewed fig leaves together now suddenly their their their sad 199 00:15:32,260 --> 00:15:34,260 fig leaves just aren't enough 200 00:15:34,260 --> 00:15:38,660 And they knew it they knew it they didn't say god look at what we made how cute 201 00:15:40,980 --> 00:15:43,460 Instead they knew the purpose of those coverings 202 00:15:44,180 --> 00:15:49,540 Were because they were guilty and they were full of shame and they also knew that they were woefully 203 00:15:49,940 --> 00:15:54,420 Inadequate and so that's why it said they hid themselves among the trees of the garden they tried to 204 00:15:54,420 --> 00:15:58,900 Further cover themselves to hide from god because the fig leaves weren't enough 205 00:15:59,860 --> 00:16:01,860 Now how ridiculous to think 206 00:16:02,580 --> 00:16:08,660 then and today that anybody can hide from god almighty i 207 00:16:09,300 --> 00:16:11,620 Mean it's it's it's a ridiculous notion 208 00:16:12,340 --> 00:16:17,060 We we intrinsically know this when we when we come to understand that god is omnipotent 209 00:16:17,380 --> 00:16:20,820 God is omnipresent and god is all knowing and god is the 210 00:16:20,820 --> 00:16:25,940 And to think that oh i'm gonna hide from him a god that is everywhere at all times 211 00:16:26,420 --> 00:16:31,220 It's just a silly thought but when we disobey god when we've sinned against god 212 00:16:33,380 --> 00:16:35,860 I'm waiting on somebody to silence their phone or their alarm 213 00:16:39,700 --> 00:16:41,700 No 214 00:16:42,420 --> 00:16:47,380 Thank you so much appreciate it that was just gonna distract me like john do an announcement so 215 00:16:48,020 --> 00:16:50,020 okay 216 00:16:50,020 --> 00:16:51,860 Okay 217 00:16:51,860 --> 00:16:53,860 I love you john. Love you brother 218 00:16:54,580 --> 00:16:56,580 so 219 00:16:58,500 --> 00:17:00,500 When we do sin against god 220 00:17:02,020 --> 00:17:05,300 We do what they did we do what job did right in the book of job 221 00:17:05,380 --> 00:17:08,340 It says that he got on a boat and tried to run from god's presence 222 00:17:09,140 --> 00:17:10,900 right, it's just 223 00:17:10,900 --> 00:17:12,900 What what eve did? 224 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,780 questioning god's word right as suggested by the serpent 225 00:17:15,780 --> 00:17:23,700 And and and the whole idea of going did god really say that introduces doubt about god and his word into our thinking 226 00:17:24,020 --> 00:17:26,020 And then it leads to the delusion 227 00:17:26,900 --> 00:17:30,340 That we could possibly be where god is not right? 228 00:17:31,140 --> 00:17:32,580 And that's why in sin, you know 229 00:17:32,580 --> 00:17:37,540 We we will shut the door and turn off the lights and close the blinds because as if that keeps god out 230 00:17:39,220 --> 00:17:42,260 We'll we'll set up anonymous accounts to to look at things 231 00:17:42,260 --> 00:17:46,660 We shouldn't be looking at as if god is not aware who the anonymous account really is 232 00:17:48,020 --> 00:17:52,980 And we think that our internal thoughts, right? It's like, okay. I'm not doing anything outward 233 00:17:52,980 --> 00:17:58,820 But but internally i'm thinking things and we think that's private and secret but psalms 139 2 says 234 00:17:59,540 --> 00:18:01,620 You know when I sit down and when I stand up 235 00:18:02,580 --> 00:18:05,720 You understand my thoughts from far away 236 00:18:07,380 --> 00:18:08,900 Right 237 00:18:08,900 --> 00:18:14,980 Again, we think because we close off the lights and close the blinds that that nobody sees what website we're looking at 238 00:18:16,020 --> 00:18:18,020 We think that you know 239 00:18:18,260 --> 00:18:20,260 We can hide in some way 240 00:18:20,580 --> 00:18:22,740 sin brings hiding 241 00:18:23,620 --> 00:18:27,380 sin brings secrets sin brings lying 242 00:18:28,260 --> 00:18:31,780 But the reality of god's word is is is that god sees us 243 00:18:32,740 --> 00:18:35,700 He even sees our thoughts. He sees what you're thinking 244 00:18:35,700 --> 00:18:38,740 And so you can't hide from god 245 00:18:39,780 --> 00:18:45,300 It's it's a fruitless endeavor and what we're going to see today is instead of hiding what god really wants us to do 246 00:18:45,540 --> 00:18:47,540 Is to be honest 247 00:18:48,340 --> 00:18:51,460 To come into his presence and say god i've sinned 248 00:18:52,820 --> 00:18:54,820 Can you please forgive me 249 00:18:55,780 --> 00:19:01,780 He calls us to to believe his promises when he says, of course, i'll forgive you right but we'll get to that 250 00:19:01,780 --> 00:19:08,580 They tried to hide anyway and god does what he what he does when we hide he finds right 251 00:19:09,140 --> 00:19:11,140 So it says that god called out to them 252 00:19:11,620 --> 00:19:15,700 He called out. He's really calling out to adam and we're going to talk about that in a little bit 253 00:19:15,780 --> 00:19:18,020 But that that phrase called out means to summon 254 00:19:18,820 --> 00:19:23,220 Right. It means to summon somebody. It's like like somebody's in the other room and you're going to be like 255 00:19:24,180 --> 00:19:29,300 Come into my presence right now. It's the idea of of when he says he's going to come into my presence 256 00:19:29,300 --> 00:19:33,700 Now it's the idea of of when he says he called out to adam. He's saying adam 257 00:19:34,420 --> 00:19:36,420 Come out of your hiding place 258 00:19:36,740 --> 00:19:41,140 I know you're hiding but come out and then he asked this very important question. He says where 259 00:19:41,940 --> 00:19:43,700 Are you? 260 00:19:43,700 --> 00:19:48,020 Now we read that and it sounds like it's a question of physical location, right? 261 00:19:49,380 --> 00:19:52,660 But it's not it's not a question of physical location god is all-knowing 262 00:19:53,700 --> 00:19:55,700 So god knew where adam was physically 263 00:19:55,700 --> 00:19:59,220 He knew exactly where he was hiding. It's a it's a question of relation 264 00:20:00,500 --> 00:20:02,500 It's a question of relation like 265 00:20:02,980 --> 00:20:08,100 Like some of you may remember this married couples or or those of you that have dated at some point 266 00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:11,380 Right and you start dating and you're hanging out and you know 267 00:20:11,380 --> 00:20:14,260 And you're just like kind of going through the process getting to know each other 268 00:20:14,260 --> 00:20:18,100 And then you reach that point in the relationship where one of you says 269 00:20:18,820 --> 00:20:20,820 Where are we? 270 00:20:21,140 --> 00:20:22,660 Right 271 00:20:22,660 --> 00:20:27,700 You're not going what restaurant are we in? No, you're talking about the relationship. Where are we right? 272 00:20:28,660 --> 00:20:31,380 And god is saying that to adam. Where are you? 273 00:20:33,300 --> 00:20:40,660 As adam and enid had just sinned god is giving a graceful opportunity for both of them to simply be honest with god about what they did 274 00:20:42,260 --> 00:20:46,040 To just be honest with them about what happened in the relationship 275 00:20:47,780 --> 00:20:49,780 So adam 276 00:20:49,780 --> 00:20:51,940 Where are you at right now? 277 00:20:51,940 --> 00:20:54,900 Just please just be honest be honest with me 278 00:20:55,620 --> 00:20:57,700 Now adam realizing the truth. He already knew 279 00:20:58,660 --> 00:21:00,820 and you can't really hide from god despite the 280 00:21:01,460 --> 00:21:03,620 Trying you can't hide anything from god 281 00:21:03,620 --> 00:21:05,300 It it tells us that he you know 282 00:21:05,300 --> 00:21:10,100 He rises up out of his hiding place with guilty face on wearing his ridiculous fig leaves 283 00:21:10,820 --> 00:21:13,380 And and eve creeps out slowly behind them 284 00:21:13,380 --> 00:21:19,140 But but I want to notice something I want to point out to all of us here the important note that I see in this is 285 00:21:19,140 --> 00:21:20,900 God 286 00:21:20,900 --> 00:21:24,980 Drew adam out of hiding. He didn't drive him out of hiding. You understand the difference 287 00:21:25,940 --> 00:21:30,340 He didn't go in there and you know kick his butt and get out of here. What are you doing? You know? 288 00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:32,420 He drew him out 289 00:21:32,420 --> 00:21:37,940 He drew him out with his question when god asked him. Where are you? There wasn't any hint of accusation 290 00:21:39,220 --> 00:21:42,260 It's not the what have you done kind of thing, right? 291 00:21:42,980 --> 00:21:46,180 It was god gently nudging adam to simply tell the truth 292 00:21:46,180 --> 00:21:49,380 And in that we see the grace of god the grace of almighty god 293 00:21:49,380 --> 00:21:52,500 It's like a like a dad calling out to his kid, right? 294 00:21:53,140 --> 00:21:57,940 Kid does something bad and then they're hiding behind the door in the other room and it's like the dad going. Hey bud 295 00:21:58,900 --> 00:22:02,180 I'm not mad at you. Just just come out and tell me what happened 296 00:22:02,980 --> 00:22:06,660 And this is what god is doing here. He says god does the same thing to us today 297 00:22:07,620 --> 00:22:11,780 We sin we blow it we mess up and god's like i'm not mad at you 298 00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:14,980 I just I just want you to be honest with me 299 00:22:15,620 --> 00:22:19,300 And this is what we see in first john 1 9, right? It tells us if we confess our sins 300 00:22:19,780 --> 00:22:23,380 He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 301 00:22:25,060 --> 00:22:28,900 This is why satan works so hard to say no don't confess hide cover it up 302 00:22:30,900 --> 00:22:34,500 Because satan wants us to be languishing under the guilt and the condemnation 303 00:22:36,580 --> 00:22:38,580 And god's going just 304 00:22:38,580 --> 00:22:42,100 Just confess just come to me. Tell me what happened be honest 305 00:22:43,620 --> 00:22:46,980 Let me know what happened tell me and i'll forgive you 306 00:22:48,100 --> 00:22:49,620 I'll cleanse you 307 00:22:49,620 --> 00:22:55,220 Right. This is the relationship that they even had then it's the same relationship. We have today but 308 00:22:55,780 --> 00:22:59,860 Sin the power of sin it focuses us focuses us on ourself 309 00:23:00,660 --> 00:23:02,660 So completely right 310 00:23:03,060 --> 00:23:05,620 Sin is is what spawns narcissistic 311 00:23:05,620 --> 00:23:12,980 Sin is is what spawns narcissism. It's all about me. The focus is me. It's all there and so we default 312 00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:16,100 We default to defensiveness 313 00:23:16,340 --> 00:23:22,920 We default to excuses and and lame explanations, right? We we default to anything but taking responsibility 314 00:23:23,940 --> 00:23:25,460 for our sin 315 00:23:25,460 --> 00:23:30,660 We default to anything but confessing culpability and this is exactly what adam does look at verse 10 316 00:23:30,660 --> 00:23:34,660 And he said I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked so I hid 317 00:23:36,100 --> 00:23:38,420 Did adam admit any wrongdoing there 318 00:23:40,260 --> 00:23:42,260 No 319 00:23:42,260 --> 00:23:44,900 And on top of that he's dodging the real question 320 00:23:45,940 --> 00:23:50,660 God asked a question of relation adam's answering the question of location 321 00:23:51,780 --> 00:23:55,460 And what's interesting is in this moment. Here's god in the garden 322 00:23:56,580 --> 00:23:58,580 gracefully gently, where are you 323 00:23:58,580 --> 00:24:05,220 And what what adam says shows us that he's more aware of his own nakedness and shame than the fact that he sinned against god 324 00:24:05,940 --> 00:24:10,820 Right. He's focused on this. Oh, I was naked. I'm afraid so I hid from you 325 00:24:12,500 --> 00:24:14,180 He had changed 326 00:24:14,180 --> 00:24:17,780 Sin had now muddled his perception and all he could do was express fear 327 00:24:18,340 --> 00:24:19,860 and shame 328 00:24:19,860 --> 00:24:23,060 Now, I believe of course adam knew that he had broken god's command, right? 329 00:24:23,060 --> 00:24:26,020 That's what it tells us in the thing adam was deceived at our own will 330 00:24:26,020 --> 00:24:30,180 That's what it tells us in the thing adam was deceived at or eve was deceived adam was not 331 00:24:31,540 --> 00:24:35,220 And thus the hiding I knew I did something bad. That's why I'm hiding 332 00:24:35,780 --> 00:24:37,780 but his new self-focused state was 333 00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:45,300 Was far more concerned with his own feelings and how he felt than than how his affect his actions affected his relationship with god 334 00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:48,180 and his relationship with his wife and and so 335 00:24:49,460 --> 00:24:52,020 He answers the question without answering the real question 336 00:24:52,020 --> 00:24:55,140 God's saying where where are you in relation to me right now? 337 00:24:57,140 --> 00:25:01,540 Adam adam's like well i'm in the bushes. It's not what i'm asking you adam 338 00:25:02,500 --> 00:25:04,500 You know that 339 00:25:04,820 --> 00:25:11,220 If we remember before the fall right adam and eve were in this unashamed physical and emotional and spiritual 340 00:25:11,460 --> 00:25:13,940 Nakedness with each other and before god, right? 341 00:25:14,660 --> 00:25:19,060 It was this idea of just complete vulnerability and complete open honesty in every way 342 00:25:19,060 --> 00:25:22,980 In that time we talked about that the focus for both adam and eve 343 00:25:23,860 --> 00:25:27,060 The priority of their focus was god and the other 344 00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:30,100 It was about god and their spouse 345 00:25:30,500 --> 00:25:37,540 That was the priority that was the focus but now sin had entered in and now it's selfishness now. It's me first 346 00:25:40,020 --> 00:25:44,980 And this this self-focus of sin in the resultant attempt to hide from god 347 00:25:44,980 --> 00:25:49,220 It's it's still a big part of our fallen condition today 348 00:25:49,780 --> 00:25:53,940 You know roman's chapter 3 verse 11. It says there is no one who understands 349 00:25:54,180 --> 00:25:58,580 There is no one who seeks god all have turned away 350 00:26:00,180 --> 00:26:02,180 That's what god's word tells us 351 00:26:02,980 --> 00:26:07,700 It it's it's universal to our condition as a fallen mankind 352 00:26:07,700 --> 00:26:12,580 And maybe god is speaking to you this morning maybe god is whispering into your heart right now 353 00:26:13,140 --> 00:26:15,140 Where are you? 354 00:26:15,380 --> 00:26:17,940 Where are you in relation to me? 355 00:26:19,140 --> 00:26:20,580 when I was a 356 00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:23,140 This wasn't in my note. So I hope it doesn't take up too much time 357 00:26:23,140 --> 00:26:28,980 But I just felt like the lord wanted me to share it when I was a senior in high school. I was working this job 358 00:26:30,500 --> 00:26:33,300 Driving to grocery stores stocking the shelves, right? 359 00:26:33,300 --> 00:26:37,940 For a for a specialty company and so um one of the days 360 00:26:38,580 --> 00:26:41,540 Actually before that job. I was working at target in the electronics department 361 00:26:41,540 --> 00:26:48,020 And so I was walking around the department and I saw this this really sweet old lady standing in front of the vcrs 362 00:26:49,060 --> 00:26:54,740 Just looked like she had no idea what she was looking at right? And so I walked over and I said, excuse me, ma'am. Do you need any help? 363 00:26:56,420 --> 00:26:57,620 And 364 00:26:57,620 --> 00:27:00,900 This is what she did. She's looking at the vcrs and she's like, oh my god 365 00:27:00,900 --> 00:27:02,900 I'm like, excuse me 366 00:27:03,700 --> 00:27:05,700 Then her head turns back and she goes 367 00:27:06,500 --> 00:27:10,260 What's the difference between a two-head vcr and a four-head vcr? 368 00:27:12,820 --> 00:27:14,820 That was spooky, right? 369 00:27:17,860 --> 00:27:22,340 And uh, and you know, I'm like, okay, I'm gonna go with the two-head vcr 370 00:27:23,860 --> 00:27:25,860 And then she goes, okay 371 00:27:25,860 --> 00:27:30,580 And uh, and you know went on with my life and stuff and then it was a couple years later 372 00:27:30,580 --> 00:27:36,100 I was working at this specialty foods company and I was at a pavilion stocking the shelf and same situation 373 00:27:36,420 --> 00:27:40,020 Sweet old lady different old lady, but she's you know looking up and down 374 00:27:40,020 --> 00:27:42,340 I think it was in the paper towel toilet paper aisle 375 00:27:42,980 --> 00:27:47,700 And you know, I just I was I liked helping people so I went up to her and I was like, excuse me, ma'am 376 00:27:47,700 --> 00:27:49,700 Do you need help getting anything same thing? 377 00:27:50,820 --> 00:27:54,580 Where's your relationship with god? And I'm like, okay, I'm gonna go with the two-head vcr 378 00:27:54,580 --> 00:27:57,620 I'm gonna go with god and I'm like, whoa hold the phone 379 00:27:59,300 --> 00:28:00,900 What 380 00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:04,980 Then she kind of blinks and she goes, uh, can you reach that one on the top shelf for me? 381 00:28:07,060 --> 00:28:10,180 It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it 382 00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:15,460 Because what I was living a life of was there's nothing supernatural. There's no god 383 00:28:17,780 --> 00:28:21,460 And then I have these two occurrences where it's like like the horror movie right 384 00:28:21,460 --> 00:28:24,180 Yeah, and it's like the scary thing and i'm like what? 385 00:28:27,060 --> 00:28:31,060 It was really uh, yeah really creepy so anyways, where was I? 386 00:28:35,220 --> 00:28:39,380 Yeah, I mean maybe maybe god is boom looking at you this morning you say where are you 387 00:28:40,260 --> 00:28:44,740 Where is your relationship with me? Maybe he's saying look it's time to come out of your hiding place 388 00:28:45,220 --> 00:28:50,420 It's time to to come out of your self-loathing and you're you're covering up and your secrets and your lies 389 00:28:50,420 --> 00:28:53,940 Uh, you know and he's saying look like come out of your torment 390 00:28:54,820 --> 00:28:56,820 Come out of the guilt come out of the shame 391 00:28:57,380 --> 00:28:59,620 Come out of this darkness. You're trying to live in 392 00:29:00,820 --> 00:29:02,820 I'm not mad at you 393 00:29:03,460 --> 00:29:05,460 I just want you to be honest 394 00:29:06,580 --> 00:29:12,100 And fear and shame and hiding that I mean that's all the the humanly incurable results of the fall 395 00:29:13,140 --> 00:29:16,520 And really the the beginning of dealing with this incurable 396 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:20,760 Disease called sin is hearing god's voice when he says where are you? 397 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:25,560 And responding appropriately because this is god offering grace 398 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,560 This is god offering mercy. This is god offering forgiveness 399 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:33,560 And so as we move through the narrative here, we're going to see god 400 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:39,960 He he's going to address ultimately three different parties all three parties involved in in the sin here 401 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:43,560 But he addresses them in the order of responsibility, which is very interesting 402 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:48,600 He starts by addressing the man then he addresses the woman then the snake 403 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,640 What that tells us is adam as the husband 404 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:56,440 As the man in the situation. He was the one primarily 405 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:58,280 responsible 406 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:02,440 For the situation here and men, please please hear this 407 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:04,600 You 408 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:07,720 You hold primary responsibility in your families 409 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:12,520 You hold primarily respond primary responsibility in your marriages 410 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:16,280 You hold primary responsibility in your kids lives 411 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:20,840 You hold the responsibility 412 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:29,560 Now that doesn't mean like your spouse or your kids they do something wrong that god doesn't hold them accountable for their individual actions 413 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:35,240 But if god has raised you up to be head of that family, he's going to come to you first and go what happened 414 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,440 What happened you're supposed to be leading these people spiritually 415 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,000 You're supposed to be the priest of this home. What what happened? 416 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,080 He's going to come to you and ask and so it's your job 417 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:50,920 If you're a family man, it's your job to spiritually lead 418 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:53,640 and to and to 419 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:55,720 example and to teach 420 00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:59,240 If you're a single man, it's your job 421 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,120 to be a reflection of almighty god 422 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:05,560 To everybody that comes across your path 423 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:07,560 To everybody that comes across your path 424 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:15,960 But man's sinful nature it leads man to want to abdicate his role, right? 425 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:19,880 And then blame others when things aren't the way they should be 426 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:24,040 It's not my fault 427 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:27,560 All right, I don't handle the finances in my family my wife does 428 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:35,080 And then there's some issue or some problem. It's not me. It's her step up, dude 429 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,480 I'll jump off that soapbox real quick. All right verse 11 430 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:44,920 Then he asked who told you that you were naked 431 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,600 Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from 432 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:52,040 Right. The question here is who told you 433 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,200 That your condition your nakedness was shameful. Who told you that? 434 00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:00,200 Who told you it was wrong who who told you you needed to cover up? 435 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:04,760 Or really who redefined 436 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:12,200 What I defined as perfectly normal and acceptable who redefined it as something wrong and shameful 437 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:20,280 The implication here is is of of the implication of adam now thinking nakedness is something shameful 438 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,000 Nakedness is something to be covered up the implication was clear 439 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:27,160 And so god asked the question. Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to? 440 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,280 All right, adam you're dodging the real question 441 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:37,640 So let me ask you straight out. Did you eat from the tree? 442 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,520 Grace of god, i'll give you another opportunity to answer honestly adam 443 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:45,960 Confess 444 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:47,960 See nakedness wasn't the issue 445 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:51,640 Fear wasn't the issue hiding wasn't the issue 446 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:52,920 What was the issue? 447 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:54,920 Hiding wasn't the issue. What was the issue? 448 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:59,000 Disobeying god that was the issue 449 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:05,880 One of the roots of spiritual growth and maturity is is understanding this point 450 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:11,480 You know a problem with our with our confrontations with god over sin, right? 451 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:13,800 When he comes and and we're talking to him about it 452 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:19,800 We we a lot of times want to focus on the activity of the sin rather than the god we've sinned against 453 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:21,800 That's what we're seeing here 454 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:27,960 He goes, where are you and you're like, oh man, I I cuss those people out and I shouldn't have done that 455 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:37,160 I looked at something I shouldn't have done. I said this to my spouse or my kids or you know, we we want to focus on the activity 456 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:44,120 Because when we do that we create a graded hierarchy of what is bad and not so bad, right? 457 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:50,200 We start to develop this list in my man in our minds that this is a bad sin and this is not such a bad sin 458 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:52,840 And so in our minds we might say, you know 459 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:55,720 something like, you know, uh 460 00:33:56,520 --> 00:34:00,760 Harming my kids or my wife or cheating on your spouse or or you know 461 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:04,520 Abandoning people and and getting mixed up in drugs alcohol, whatever it might be 462 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:08,600 We might say well that that's a very bad sinful thing and god say what are you doing? 463 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:09,880 And you go, oh, yeah 464 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:12,600 I did this really horrible thing and i'm not going to do it anymore 465 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:18,920 And what happens is then we develop this whole idea that that because i'm not doing that i'm i'm good 466 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:21,480 I'm very proud because i'm not doing that big sin 467 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:27,880 Never mind that you sinned against god. No, it's just the the thing I I confessed i'm not doing that anymore, but 468 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:30,920 But you know what? We're not so concerned about lying 469 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:35,400 And so we keep lying to our spouse our friends our kids 470 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:39,800 But we don't really do anything about that one that one's not so bad, right? 471 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:48,360 This graded hierarchy and when we understand when we internalize when we believe and and live that that all sin 472 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:50,840 Whether it's stealing whether it's lying whether it's 473 00:34:51,720 --> 00:34:55,960 The whole list the whole gambit all of it is sin against god 474 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,560 It's not about sin against other people that's bad 475 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:07,000 But the biggest issue is it's sin against god. It's disobedience 476 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:14,200 And when we understand it when we internalize this stuff when we when we get that it's all sin about sin against god 477 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:21,240 Then the door is open for us to to respond to god's confrontation on us properly 478 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:27,640 What I mean by this king david you guys remember the story about king david and basheba and uriah 479 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:34,920 Right sees the hot girl. She's showering outside. That's just how it was done in those days. So you know blame on her 480 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:39,400 And he's just like well, and why did you keep looking david anyways? He's just like wow, she's hot 481 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:43,400 Hey, go get her and then boom he sleeps with her. She gets pregnant. He's like, oh shoot 482 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:48,840 Cover it up cover it up how hey uh commander of the army 483 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:52,200 Yeah, I know her husband's out there fighting so put him in the front of the line 484 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:54,600 I want you to tell all the other soldiers to back up 485 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:57,560 Leave him out there alone so he gets killed 486 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:01,560 Right and you know, there's a whole thing where he brought the husband home 487 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:05,480 He's like hey sleep with her and the husband's like I can't do that. I'm uh, i'm working right now 488 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:09,480 I'm my brothers are out there on the battlefield fighting. He's like come sleep with your wife, dude 489 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,720 He's trying to cover it up trying to cover it up uriah gets killed 490 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,600 He takes basheba in then nathan the prophet shows up one day and is like 491 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:22,280 Let me tell you a story 492 00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:26,360 I don't have time to get into all the details about that 493 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:30,280 But he confronts him about this sin with basheba and how he's going to deal with it 494 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:36,120 He's going to deal with this sin with basheba and how did david finally respond look at this in psalm 51 verse 4 495 00:36:37,720 --> 00:36:39,720 He says against you 496 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:42,120 You alone speaking of god 497 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:45,800 Against you and you alone. I have sinned and done this evil in your sight 498 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:48,760 And what is his response now? 499 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:53,160 So you are right when you pass sentence. You are blameless when you judge 500 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:57,880 When we say god i've sinned against you and you were holy and you're almighty and you were perfect 501 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:01,720 And then when the consequences come we're not going to be like this is unfair 502 00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:08,680 No, god, you are you are holy you are you are you are right when you pass sentence 503 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:14,600 And we're in that place of saying god if it's it's you i've sinned against it's disobedience to you 504 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:20,120 That's the big primary thing and so this question that god asked adam was a second offer of grace to him 505 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:24,600 It was a second opportunity to confess. It was a second opportunity to be forgiven 506 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,600 And all adam had to say at this point 507 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:33,640 Yes lord, i did i did eat from that tree 508 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:40,600 I'm, so sorry lord i knew it was wrong i knew it was wrong and i did it anyways 509 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:44,360 God, please forgive me i'm so sorry 510 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:50,280 I genuinely i'm so sorry please help me to help me to be stronger in the future. I need you god 511 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,080 He could have said all of that but he didn't 512 00:37:53,720 --> 00:37:57,480 What does he say in verse 12 the man replied the woman you gave to be with me 513 00:37:57,960 --> 00:37:59,960 She gave me some of the fruit from the tree and i ate 514 00:38:03,240 --> 00:38:05,240 I don't think dinner that night was very peaceful 515 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,200 So he says this and then god goes oh 516 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:16,520 Well, that's all you had to say adam i mean yeah, right i mean of course it's not your fault 517 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:19,960 It's not your responsibility 518 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:23,000 No, that's not at all what god is gonna say 519 00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:28,120 But adam's words here are the words of a self-centered spiritually dead person 520 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:32,360 This is the genesis pun intended of blame shifting 521 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:35,640 It's her fault god 522 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:37,640 She's the one who's to blame 523 00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:39,640 It's her fault god 524 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:41,640 She made me do it 525 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:44,600 She violated my free will 526 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:47,640 I had no control 527 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:54,040 I mean come on god. She handed me the apple you've if i said no we would get in a big fight and you know so i 528 00:38:55,240 --> 00:38:57,240 justify justify justify 529 00:38:57,240 --> 00:39:05,320 But the blame didn't stop with eve because you'll notice her he says the woman you gave to be with me whoa what 530 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:10,200 I imagine god was like 531 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:14,520 Excuse me 532 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:18,520 Eve gave me the fruit. Yeah, but but but in fact god you gave me eve 533 00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:21,720 So it's your fault 534 00:39:21,720 --> 00:39:23,720 You did it this this is on you 535 00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:30,680 Yeah, this this dangerous temptress you gave me this this conniving manipulator. How could you god? 536 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:32,680 I'm the victim here 537 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:40,120 I can't possibly be guilty because i'm two steps removed from guilt. It's you then her then me 538 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:45,800 But adam's accusation was ultimately the same as the serpent's 539 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:53,000 Right the serpent's accusation against god to eve as a better god wouldn't withhold anything from you 540 00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:57,880 Adam is now saying a better god would not have given me such a poor helper 541 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:05,320 This is the genesis then of mankind's blasphemy against god 542 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:09,880 Let's question him let's question his word let's question his goodness 543 00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:15,400 Now eve's excuse follows the same pattern right verse 13. So the lord god asked the woman 544 00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:20,280 What have you done and the woman said the serpent deceived me and I ate 545 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:22,520 now I want to 546 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:24,760 Tell you guys something that's in the original language here 547 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:31,400 The emphasis on that phrase what have you done is not what have you done? 548 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:38,040 It's what have you done let me explain the difference here 549 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:45,880 God is asking eve to take responsibility for her own actions not adam's 550 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:49,400 Adam is being held to account for the family 551 00:40:51,240 --> 00:40:55,400 And adam's like she gave me the fruit and dadada and adam god's like okay eve 552 00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:57,720 What did you do? 553 00:40:57,720 --> 00:41:02,040 What did you do? How about you be honest? How about you confess? 554 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:06,280 How about you tell me what really happened but 555 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:11,720 Like adam she just kind of gives this straightforward. It's not my response or not my fault response 556 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:14,360 She's like it's the serpent's fault. He deceived me 557 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:21,960 Wow adam what a great example you set for your wife blame shift 558 00:41:21,960 --> 00:41:25,880 But she didn't go so far as to blame god for creating the serpent 559 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:31,240 You know, but still just because you think you're doing something right like eve was deceived 560 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:35,240 Just because you think it's right doesn't automatically make it right 561 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:43,720 See there's a culpability there that they both have individually there's an extra culpability adam has because he's the husband 562 00:41:45,080 --> 00:41:48,200 But she is going to be still held account for what she did and so 563 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:52,520 But the big picture is neither adam or eve accept blame for their own individual decisions 564 00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:58,920 And then nor at this time do we see either one of them showing any signs of remorse for disobeying god 565 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:03,800 And again blame shifting is common demand 566 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:07,160 You know, I read this thing where there's an insurance company 567 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:11,560 Listing some of the excuses that they got from clients for car accidents 568 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:15,000 One of them is an invisible car came out of nowhere struck my car and vanished 569 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:17,480 An invisible car came out of nowhere struck my car and vanished 570 00:42:20,280 --> 00:42:23,320 The other car collided with mine without warning me of its intention 571 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:32,120 These are honest excuses they've gotten you know, we sometimes blame god for putting us in the circumstances that led to us 572 00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:34,360 choosing sin 573 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:39,900 Right a student cheats on their their test and their coursework because well god gave me a professor. That's too difficult 574 00:42:39,900 --> 00:42:45,180 A thief steals because well god didn't give me what I needed. He's the one that made my life so difficult 575 00:42:45,180 --> 00:42:47,180 So I have to steal 576 00:42:48,540 --> 00:42:53,180 And then just one of the epidemics today is people look at pornography. Well god, you know my weaknesses 577 00:42:53,820 --> 00:43:01,820 I mean, why did you make it so easy to to to to get to it and we try and blame god. It's a victim mentality 578 00:43:03,580 --> 00:43:07,340 Scripture teaches very plainly that no one from adam to the very last person on earth will 579 00:43:07,340 --> 00:43:09,340 Ever get away with blame-shifting 580 00:43:09,980 --> 00:43:13,420 James chapter 1 verse 13 it says no one undergoing a trial should say 581 00:43:13,660 --> 00:43:18,540 I am being tempted by god since god is not tempted by evil and he himself doesn't tempt anyone 582 00:43:20,620 --> 00:43:27,980 We we can never say or even entertain the thought that god is tempting me or god is the one responsible for this 583 00:43:28,620 --> 00:43:30,620 for my sin 584 00:43:30,700 --> 00:43:32,700 The bible says don't even think that 585 00:43:32,700 --> 00:43:36,860 But the reality here in genesis and the reality that we see all the way through the new testament 586 00:43:37,100 --> 00:43:42,860 Are the next two verses in james chapter 1 verse 14 it says but each person is tempted when he is drawn away 587 00:43:43,260 --> 00:43:46,220 And enticed by his own evil desire 588 00:43:46,940 --> 00:43:52,380 Then after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin and when sin is fully grown it gives birth to death 589 00:43:54,060 --> 00:43:58,300 The biblical idea when it comes to us choosing sin is we can't blame anybody else 590 00:43:58,300 --> 00:44:02,940 We can't blame god. We can't even blame the devil 591 00:44:03,980 --> 00:44:08,780 The devil made me do it no he tempted you to do it you chose 592 00:44:11,020 --> 00:44:13,020 You know we used to have a 593 00:44:13,180 --> 00:44:15,980 a dv program here at the church for years where we would 594 00:44:16,460 --> 00:44:20,540 counsel guys that are and even women too that got convicted and 595 00:44:21,660 --> 00:44:25,740 One of the common things we would hear from our church is 596 00:44:25,740 --> 00:44:31,260 Common things we would hear from both sides when we would do what's called an intake to kind of you know 597 00:44:31,260 --> 00:44:33,260 Get an interview them find out what happened 598 00:44:33,980 --> 00:44:35,980 Is they'd say well they pushed my buttons 599 00:44:37,500 --> 00:44:40,060 And so that's why I beat the tar out of them 600 00:44:41,660 --> 00:44:44,220 We used to say well, how about you don't have buttons to push them 601 00:44:45,420 --> 00:44:47,420 I mean, how is that a reason? 602 00:44:47,740 --> 00:44:51,660 How is that a justifiable excuse you chose to do something? 603 00:44:51,660 --> 00:44:57,580 And so anyways, you know, we we still do that today and so a foundational truth that keeps us humble I believe 604 00:44:58,300 --> 00:45:03,100 Helps us stay in radical dependence on god and his word is it's just to realize from the get-go 605 00:45:03,100 --> 00:45:05,820 Every single one of us have fallen short of the glory of god 606 00:45:07,100 --> 00:45:10,220 There's none righteous. No, not one the bible says right 607 00:45:11,340 --> 00:45:17,900 We are not justified in in anything when we choose sin. We need to be like the tax collector in luke 18 608 00:45:17,900 --> 00:45:22,620 Where it says he beat his chest and he said god have mercy on me a sinner 609 00:45:23,580 --> 00:45:28,380 That's what should be coming out of our mouth. That's what we should be thinking when it comes to our sin 610 00:45:28,380 --> 00:45:30,060 Not who can I blame? 611 00:45:30,060 --> 00:45:32,060 Not god, you did it 612 00:45:32,620 --> 00:45:35,500 Not anything, but god, please have mercy on me a sinner 613 00:45:36,380 --> 00:45:38,860 Stop trying to convince yourself. You didn't sin 614 00:45:39,340 --> 00:45:41,340 Because you did 615 00:45:41,340 --> 00:45:43,340 We all sin 616 00:45:43,900 --> 00:45:45,900 To not be like the Pharisees. We all sin 617 00:45:45,900 --> 00:45:48,380 To not be like the Pharisees. Well, i'm not as bad as them 618 00:45:49,500 --> 00:45:51,020 So what? 619 00:45:51,020 --> 00:45:54,140 You're not being compared to them. You're being compared to the holiness of god 620 00:45:55,500 --> 00:45:58,700 But the reality is we inherited this selfish prideful nature 621 00:45:59,180 --> 00:46:00,380 from adam 622 00:46:00,380 --> 00:46:02,380 And so we hide we dodge 623 00:46:02,380 --> 00:46:05,580 We get defensive we blame shift when it comes to our own sin 624 00:46:05,900 --> 00:46:09,820 We point to someone else's sin and magnify it so that we can minimize our own 625 00:46:09,820 --> 00:46:14,220 And then we justify ourselves by blaming god for the temptation or the circumstances 626 00:46:14,220 --> 00:46:16,220 All instead of simply coming clean 627 00:46:16,860 --> 00:46:19,420 Answering honestly and confessing the truth 628 00:46:21,420 --> 00:46:26,540 And the result of all of that is is because we're all born with this nature we're born in sin 629 00:46:27,180 --> 00:46:29,980 Then by nature, we're all deserving of god's wrath 630 00:46:32,140 --> 00:46:37,900 Because we're born with this nature we're on our own unable to please god and do right 631 00:46:39,180 --> 00:46:41,340 Right. Nobody has to teach a child to lie 632 00:46:41,340 --> 00:46:43,340 Nobody has to teach a child to lie 633 00:46:45,100 --> 00:46:47,100 Nobody has to teach a a toddler 634 00:46:48,140 --> 00:46:50,140 To be selfish. They're just selfish 635 00:46:50,620 --> 00:46:52,620 mine 636 00:46:53,180 --> 00:46:55,180 Mine 637 00:46:56,220 --> 00:47:01,900 You're like I bought that that's mine, right? Okay. Anyways, but as adults we're not much better are we? 638 00:47:02,940 --> 00:47:04,220 so 639 00:47:04,220 --> 00:47:11,260 Much like he did with adam and eve god comes to us even today graciously and and gently and not in thundering anger 640 00:47:12,140 --> 00:47:14,780 But in a still small voice and he says where are you? 641 00:47:15,980 --> 00:47:17,980 Are you far from me? 642 00:47:18,540 --> 00:47:20,780 Is your is your heart in a place it shouldn't be? 643 00:47:22,140 --> 00:47:23,900 And when we're honest 644 00:47:23,900 --> 00:47:25,900 When we're simply honest 645 00:47:27,660 --> 00:47:32,380 We start to realize how sinful we really are gosh, we're not the good people we think 646 00:47:32,380 --> 00:47:35,900 When we stop trying to blame shift and hide and all that we start to go 647 00:47:36,540 --> 00:47:39,020 I'm really I am really a sinner 648 00:47:39,980 --> 00:47:43,260 And when we acknowledge and admit and accept the truth of our condition 649 00:47:44,060 --> 00:47:46,060 before a holy 650 00:47:46,140 --> 00:47:53,820 Majestic god before this god who is almighty we realize standing before him and him alone that all of our excuses and all of our 651 00:47:54,140 --> 00:47:57,900 Justifications are are pointless. They're useless. They mean nothing 652 00:47:57,900 --> 00:48:02,460 No matter who we try to blame for our decision no matter who we um 653 00:48:02,940 --> 00:48:06,700 You know matter how defensive we try to get about our decision to sin 654 00:48:08,140 --> 00:48:13,660 Standing before god and god alone. We realized that we were utterly lost and utterly hopeless sinful people 655 00:48:14,220 --> 00:48:16,220 desperately in need of a savior 656 00:48:17,740 --> 00:48:19,740 And there was one man in history 657 00:48:20,220 --> 00:48:22,940 Who never tried to blame shift anything? 658 00:48:23,580 --> 00:48:25,580 He was a man without sin 659 00:48:25,580 --> 00:48:29,900 He was a man without sin a man who had done nothing wrong ever 660 00:48:29,980 --> 00:48:36,140 He had nothing that ever needed to be confessed. He had no sin. He ever had to take responsibility for 661 00:48:37,180 --> 00:48:39,180 He was perfect 662 00:48:40,620 --> 00:48:46,780 But then he hung on the cross blameless right in between two blame worthy men 663 00:48:46,780 --> 00:48:53,180 And one of them had the presence of mind to stop blaming others to stop cursing god 664 00:48:54,140 --> 00:48:59,420 And simply said in luke 23 42 jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom 665 00:49:01,500 --> 00:49:06,300 It was during the darkness of the crucifixion that that man's well-deserved punishment 666 00:49:06,300 --> 00:49:08,300 He was a criminal. He was a sinner 667 00:49:08,860 --> 00:49:13,020 But that punishment was lifted from him and placed on jesus christ 668 00:49:13,020 --> 00:49:17,020 Who died in his place and our place today? 669 00:49:17,980 --> 00:49:19,980 He died in your place 670 00:49:19,980 --> 00:49:26,220 The most gracious possible act that anybody has ever done in the history of mankind 671 00:49:27,900 --> 00:49:31,500 And so again I close with the question are you hiding today? 672 00:49:33,500 --> 00:49:38,140 Why are you hiding and you just thought about it you know why you're hiding 673 00:49:38,140 --> 00:49:44,380 You know that you've done wrong. You know that you've sinned against almighty god. Are you dodging the real question? 674 00:49:46,460 --> 00:49:50,460 Where are you in relationship to me? He's not asking where you're sitting right now 675 00:49:53,340 --> 00:49:55,340 Where are you in relationship to me? 676 00:49:56,940 --> 00:49:59,900 Are you in the path of judgment or are you in the path of forgiveness? 677 00:50:00,860 --> 00:50:03,740 Are you in the family of god or you outside the family of god? 678 00:50:03,740 --> 00:50:13,020 Yes, are you in the family of god or you outside the family of god? Have you accepted the truth that your sins are yours and yours alone? 679 00:50:15,500 --> 00:50:17,500 Be honest 680 00:50:17,820 --> 00:50:19,820 Stop the blame shifting 681 00:50:20,380 --> 00:50:22,380 Take responsibility for your own sin 682 00:50:23,580 --> 00:50:26,540 Confess the reality of your fallen condition 683 00:50:28,140 --> 00:50:30,140 And ask god to forgive you 684 00:50:30,540 --> 00:50:32,220 having faith 685 00:50:32,220 --> 00:50:36,460 That jesus christ god the son did truly die in your place on the cross 686 00:50:37,900 --> 00:50:43,420 And when you do that god promises in his word he promises that he will forgive you 687 00:50:45,980 --> 00:50:47,980 But you have to come out of the hiding place 688 00:50:50,780 --> 00:50:52,780 And not make excuses 689 00:50:52,780 --> 00:50:54,780 And not blame others 690 00:50:55,020 --> 00:50:59,420 You have to come out with honest acceptance of your own sin and the penalty that is due for it 691 00:50:59,420 --> 00:51:01,420 Confess the sin 692 00:51:01,420 --> 00:51:03,420 Repent 693 00:51:03,420 --> 00:51:05,420 Ask god to forgive you 694 00:51:05,420 --> 00:51:07,420 Ask god to change your heart 695 00:51:07,420 --> 00:51:11,420 Ask god to strengthen you to live right and for him and he will do that 696 00:51:13,420 --> 00:51:15,420 And then the hope you're going to have in your future 697 00:51:15,420 --> 00:51:17,420 Is that restored paradise 698 00:51:17,420 --> 00:51:19,420 That restored perfection 699 00:51:21,420 --> 00:51:23,420 It's coming 700 00:51:23,420 --> 00:51:27,420 But you're only going to get there if you know jesus is your lord and savior 701 00:51:27,420 --> 00:51:29,420 Let's pray 702 00:51:29,420 --> 00:51:31,420 Father 703 00:51:35,420 --> 00:51:41,420 Lord the picture you give us in your word of us in our fallen state is 704 00:51:41,420 --> 00:51:43,420 It's dismal 705 00:51:45,420 --> 00:51:51,420 Lord it's so hard for us to take full responsibility for our own choices 706 00:51:51,420 --> 00:51:55,420 Those choices lord that are selfish and sinful 707 00:51:57,420 --> 00:52:01,420 Those choices to hurt ourselves or to hurt others 708 00:52:01,420 --> 00:52:07,420 Those choices that are ultimately one thing disobedience to you god almighty 709 00:52:09,420 --> 00:52:13,420 And lord quite honestly we're pretty good at making up excuses 710 00:52:13,420 --> 00:52:15,420 That let us off the hook for that responsibility 711 00:52:15,420 --> 00:52:17,420 We'll blame others 712 00:52:17,420 --> 00:52:19,420 We'll blame you 713 00:52:19,420 --> 00:52:25,420 We'll even matter of factly just say yep I did it but there's no contrition 714 00:52:25,420 --> 00:52:29,420 There's no sorry 715 00:52:31,420 --> 00:52:33,420 And lord that's us in our sinful state 716 00:52:35,420 --> 00:52:41,420 But god you came to this earth to reveal yourself to us 717 00:52:41,420 --> 00:52:45,420 To remind us that you truly are real and you are god almighty 718 00:52:45,420 --> 00:52:49,420 And you came as jesus christ god the son 719 00:52:49,420 --> 00:52:57,420 To live on this earth that lord we would learn who you really are 720 00:52:57,420 --> 00:53:03,420 That you are gentle and gracious and loving 721 00:53:03,420 --> 00:53:09,420 That you do desire to extend grace and mercy and forgiveness 722 00:53:09,420 --> 00:53:13,420 And lord all you said is we have to come clean 723 00:53:13,420 --> 00:53:17,420 To come to you in honesty 724 00:53:17,420 --> 00:53:21,420 To confess our sin to repent 725 00:53:21,420 --> 00:53:27,420 And to ask you to forgive us lord and the mind boggling truth is that you forgive us every time 726 00:53:29,420 --> 00:53:31,420 Lord we don't deserve that 727 00:53:31,420 --> 00:53:33,420 And yet you did it anyways 728 00:53:33,420 --> 00:53:37,420 And so we thank you god so much 729 00:53:37,420 --> 00:53:43,420 Lord we are so grateful and yet lord I ask you to increase our gratefulness lord 730 00:53:43,420 --> 00:53:45,420 Because in many ways we live ungrateful 731 00:53:47,420 --> 00:53:53,420 And lord we know that here on this earth our sin nature dwells with our newborn nature lord 732 00:53:53,420 --> 00:54:01,420 When we put our faith in you we are born again but lord our sin is still there and we wrestle and we fight against it 733 00:54:01,420 --> 00:54:07,420 And lord we ask you to help us in that that we would choose obedience instead of disobedience 734 00:54:07,420 --> 00:54:17,420 That we would just come clean and even in the moment of sin to walk into your light and say god I'm so sorry 735 00:54:17,420 --> 00:54:21,420 And that lord we would cling to the reality 736 00:54:21,420 --> 00:54:24,420 That you atoned for all of our sin 737 00:54:24,420 --> 00:54:29,420 That through faith in you we have paradise to look forward to heaven 738 00:54:29,420 --> 00:54:33,420 Perfection perfect fellowship everything as it originally was 739 00:54:33,420 --> 00:54:39,420 Lord we are so thankful that you as the second Adam Bible says did it right 740 00:54:39,420 --> 00:54:49,420 And we thank you lord that you then give the results of that doing it right you give those to us in faith 741 00:54:49,420 --> 00:54:53,420 And so lord I pray for anybody in here that doesn't know you god 742 00:54:53,420 --> 00:54:59,420 Maybe today lord you have been speaking them and you are still a small voice just saying where are you 743 00:54:59,420 --> 00:55:08,420 And lord today you have revealed to them how many excuses they have made and how often they blame shift and all of that lord 744 00:55:08,420 --> 00:55:15,420 But at the end of all of that they still recognize that they have sinned against you and you alone 745 00:55:15,420 --> 00:55:20,420 Lord may they come out of hiding and confess 746 00:55:20,420 --> 00:55:24,420 And if you want to receive Jesus this morning I just want you to pray this prayer with me 747 00:55:24,420 --> 00:55:34,420 Say father god I'm sorry I have broken your law I have sinned against you 748 00:55:34,420 --> 00:55:40,420 I recognize that I deserve the punishment 749 00:55:40,420 --> 00:55:47,420 But god I plead with you please forgive me forgive me of all of my sin 750 00:55:47,420 --> 00:55:57,420 Save my soul change my heart help me to stop justifying sin but simply to understand 751 00:55:57,420 --> 00:56:08,420 That I need to be honest to confess and to receive the gentle and gracious love that you have for me 752 00:56:08,420 --> 00:56:14,420 Teach me how to live for you lord change my life 753 00:56:14,420 --> 00:56:20,420 And for all of us that have sin in our lives we pray lord just forgive us 754 00:56:20,420 --> 00:56:25,420 Forgive us for hiding forgive us for blaming forgive us for justifying 755 00:56:25,420 --> 00:56:31,420 Help us lord to find the freedom that you have for us in honest confession 756 00:56:31,420 --> 00:56:36,420 Lord your word even tells us we are healed when we confess 757 00:56:36,420 --> 00:56:42,420 And so lord I pray through the confession of sin that forgiveness will be granted and extended grace would be extended and granted 758 00:56:42,420 --> 00:56:48,420 Lord I pray that you would heal relationships and you would heal marriages and you would heal friendships 759 00:56:48,420 --> 00:56:53,420 And lord you would just do a mighty work through the power of your holy spirit that none would be able to question 760 00:56:53,420 --> 00:57:02,420 That is the power of a loving gracious god who saves his people who forgives his people who changes his people 761 00:57:02,420 --> 00:57:08,420 Lord we love you and we thank you it's in Jesus name we pray amen 762 00:57:08,420 --> 00:57:13,420 I pray God would bless all of you 763 00:57:13,420 --> 00:57:19,420 We are going to close in worship and I just ask that you guys just think about your god 764 00:57:19,420 --> 00:57:25,420 Think about who he is if you got to remember what he has forgiven you of remember that 765 00:57:25,420 --> 00:57:31,420 And don't let it weigh you down but say thank you god for setting me free 766 00:57:31,420 --> 00:57:37,420 And ask your god through just worship like help me to extend your grace and your forgiveness to others 767 00:57:37,420 --> 00:57:42,420 Because he will do that it glorifies his name when that happens amen God bless you guys