Hi, my name is Greg and I’ve been an Elder at Riverside for the last 2 years. Megan and I have been married for 22 years and have seven kids, one daughter-in-law and one granddaughter : Nick and wife Morgan, Charlie, Ben, Lincoln, Crisiya, Tariya, Eddie and granddaughter Genevieve.
The passage you are going to read today is Genesis 3. In this chapter our species made a choice that would affect humanity severely. Eve was by herself and she was deceived by the serpent. She took the conversation and the fruit from the forbidden tree back to Adam and they ate it. Their eyes were opened and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. Shame causes fear and fear makes us want to hide. So when they heard the Lord God walking in the garden they hid. God knew where they were but he asked where are you. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. Because of their transgressions God cursed them. The serpent will be cursed more than all other animals and made to crawl on their belly. For Eve, she will endure pain during pregnancy and child birth. For Adam the ground will be cursed and grow thorns and thistles and he will work the ground until he returns to it. God made clothes from animal skins for Adam and Eve and banished them from the garden. God placed cherubims at the garden and a flaming sword to guard the tree of life.
This narrative tells a story of paradise lost, the result of the first willful human sin. The consequences were immediate shame and lifelong separation from their home with God. It is only because of the birth of Christ that we don’t have to live apart from God. We can live with him now and forever. Because of Jesus we don’t have to live as a paradise lost but as a paradise to come. It is only because of Jesus that we can be forgiven for our transgressions.
- KNOW (What does the text say about God?)
- BE (What does the text say about us?)
- DO (What is the text calling me/us to do?)