1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:26,100 Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul. Worship His holy name. Sin like never before, O my soul, I'll worship Your holy name. 2 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:52,100 You're rich in love, and you're slow to anger. Your name is great, and your heart is kind. For all your goodness, I will keep on singing. 3 00:00:52,100 --> 00:01:20,000 Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find. Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul. Worship His holy name. Sin like never before. 4 00:01:22,100 --> 00:01:52,080 O my soul, I'll worship Your holy name. And on that day, when my strength is failing, the end draws me, and my time has come. My soul will sing Your praise on me. 5 00:01:52,100 --> 00:02:22,080 One-ending, ten thousand years, and then forevermore. Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul. Worship His holy name. Sing like never. 6 00:02:22,100 --> 00:02:52,080 Before, O my soul, I'll worship Your holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul. Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, O my soul. 7 00:02:52,080 --> 00:03:22,060 I'll worship Your holy name. Yes, I will worship Your holy name. Lord, I'll worship Your holy name. 8 00:03:22,060 --> 00:03:52,040 Lord, I'll worship Your holy name. 9 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,040 Holy is He. 10 00:03:54,040 --> 00:04:12,040 Sing a new song to Him who sits on Heaven's mercy seat. 11 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:19,040 Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. 12 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:26,040 Holy, holy is He. 13 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:40,040 Sing a new song to Him who sits on Heaven's mercy seat. 14 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:46,040 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty 15 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:53,040 who was and is and is to come. 16 00:04:53,040 --> 00:05:00,040 With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings. 17 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:09,040 You are my everything, and I will adore You. 18 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:32,040 Clothed in rainbows are living color. Flashes and lightning, rose of thunder. 19 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:39,040 Blessing the dawn of strength and glory and power be to you the only wise king. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come. 20 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:45,040 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come. 21 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,040 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come. 22 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:52,040 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come. 23 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:05,040 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord almighty, who was and is to come. 24 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:10,040 With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings. 25 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:15,040 You are my everything, and I will adore you. 26 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,040 I adore you. 27 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:44,040 Filled with wonder, o'er struck wonder, at the mention of your name. 28 00:06:46,040 --> 00:07:14,040 Jesus, your name is power, breath and living water, such a marvelous mystery. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. 29 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:40,040 With all creation I sing praise to the King of Peace. You are my everything, and I will adore you. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. 30 00:07:45,040 --> 00:08:10,040 Test. Test. Test. Test. 31 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:45,020 Thank you. 32 00:08:45,040 --> 00:09:15,020 Thank you. 33 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:45,020 Thank you. 34 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:43,200 Good morning. We are glad that you are here with us this morning. Whether you're joining us here in person or watching with us online, 35 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:52,460 we are thankful that you are here, and we hope our service this morning will be a blessing. I want to begin by reading from the 95th Psalm. 36 00:11:52,460 --> 00:12:02,000 It says this, "O come, let us sing to the Lord. Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with 37 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:11,360 thanksgiving. Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise. For the Lord is a great God and a king above all gods. In his hand 38 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:19,240 are the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry 39 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:28,420 land. O come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his 40 00:12:28,420 --> 00:12:38,200 pasture. We are the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day, Masa, in the 41 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:45,780 wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test. They put me to the proof, although they had seen my work. For 40 years, I 42 00:12:45,780 --> 00:12:54,580 loathed that generation, and they said, "They are a people who go astray in their heart. They have not known my ways. Therefore, I 43 00:12:54,580 --> 00:13:05,040 swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest." And so, in the 95th Psalm, we have, first of all, an invitation to behold the 44 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:14,040 greatness and the goodness of God. And an invitation to worship, "Come, let us sing to the Lord." And in verse 6, "Come, let us worship and 45 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:23,540 bow down." And this worship is predicated on who God is, and what He has done. That He is our rock of salvation. That He has 46 00:13:23,540 --> 00:13:33,060 given us many good blessings to be thankful for. That He is a great God, and a King above all kings. And in addition to 47 00:13:33,060 --> 00:13:40,060 calling us to worship this morning and to behold the greatness and the goodness of God, this psalm also 48 00:13:40,060 --> 00:13:48,060 calls us to evaluate our lives and to look at our hearts. And the psalmist used the illustration of the 49 00:13:48,060 --> 00:13:54,060 Israelites in the wilderness. It's quoted again in Hebrews saying, "Don't harden your hearts. Don't be like 50 00:13:54,060 --> 00:14:01,080 those in the wilderness who go astray in their hearts." So this morning we come to worship. We 51 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:09,080 come to see the goodness of God, and we come to examine our hearts. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we 52 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:18,080 thank you for your word. We thank you for how it encourages us, how it instructs us, and how it convicts 53 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:25,080 us and calls us to evaluate our lives. And so as we gather for worship this morning, whether in this building 54 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:33,080 or online, I just ask that you would help us to see your goodness, to see your grace, to see the wonder of 55 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:39,080 the blessings that you have poured out on your people. But you would also call us to moments of evaluation, where 56 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:46,080 we look at our life, where we repent of our sin, where we recommit our lives to following after you. It's in 57 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:54,080 Jesus' name we pray. Amen. If you would be standing with me, we're going to begin this morning by singing a 58 00:14:54,080 --> 00:15:01,080 song that's based a little bit on the song we just read, "Come, now is the time to worship." 59 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:53,080 This is the time to give your heart. Come, just as you are to worship. Come, just as you are before your God. Come. 60 00:15:53,080 --> 00:16:13,080 One day every tongue will confess you are God. One day every knee will bow. Still the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly choose you now. 61 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:41,080 Come, now is the time to worship. Come, now is the time to give your heart. Come, just as you are to worship. 62 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:56,080 Come, just as you are before your God. Come. 63 00:16:56,080 --> 00:17:09,080 One day every tongue will confess you are God. One day every knee will bow. Still the greatest treasure remains for those 64 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:25,080 who gladly choose you now. One day every tongue will confess you are God. One day every knee will bow. Still the greatest 65 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:37,080 treasure remains for those who gladly choose you now. Come. 66 00:17:37,080 --> 00:18:05,080 Now is the time to worship. Come. Now is the time to give your heart. Come. Just as you are to worship. Come. 67 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:20,080 Just as you are before you're gone. Come. Come. 68 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:33,080 So we had the sound plugged into the wrong input, so I'm going to give them a minute to switch that over. And that was completely 69 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:42,080 my fault. As we get ready to sing in just a moment how great is our God, I would just remind you from the 70 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:50,080 95th Psalm, verse 3. "For the Lord is a great God. In His hands are the depths of the earth. The heights of the 71 00:18:50,080 --> 00:19:00,080 mountains are His also. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land." Let's sing. 72 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:30,080 The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty. Let all the earth rejoice. All the earth rejoice. 73 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:59,080 He wraps himself in light. His darkness tries to hide. He trembles at his voice. He trembles at his voice. How great is Al Gore. Sing with me. How great is Al Gore. 74 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:28,080 Oh, see how great, how great is Al Gore. And page to page he stands. And time is in his hands. Beginning and the end. Beginning and the end. 75 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:57,080 That God had given one. Father, Spirit, Son. The Lion and the Lamb. The Lion and the Lamb. How great is Al Gore. Sing with me how great is Al Gore. 76 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:26,080 Oh, we'll see how great, how great is Al Gore. How great is Al Gore. Sing with me how great is Al Gore. Oh, we'll see how great, how great. 77 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:31,080 How great is Al Gore. 78 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:48,080 This morning, we're going to sing how deep the Father's love for us. 79 00:21:56,080 --> 00:22:23,080 How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure. 80 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:46,080 How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away, as wounds which mother, chosen one, bring many sons to glory. 81 00:22:46,080 --> 00:23:08,080 Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders. Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers. 82 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:36,080 It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life. I know that it is finished. I will not boast in anything. 83 00:23:36,080 --> 00:24:04,080 No gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. 84 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:16,080 But this I know in all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom. 85 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:50,080 Several years ago, I was in a car accident, and it was one of those weird situations where, I guess technically, it was my fault, because I was the one operating the motor vehicle, but there were exigent circumstances. 86 00:24:50,080 --> 00:25:08,080 So it was my fault, but also, it wasn't quite all my fault. And I remember getting the ticket from the officer, and he said, "I'm sorry. I don't want to give you a ticket, but our rule is that if a car leaves on the back of a flatbed truck, we have to give somebody a ticket." 87 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:20,080 And so I thought, "You know what? I've never been to court before. Never really wanted to go to court before. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to go to court. I'm going to explain my side to the judge." 88 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:32,080 And so we got there, and I got there a little bit early, and the judge comes in early, and he asked if anybody was there. You know, he started calling names, and I was the only one there at that point for traffic court. 89 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:44,080 And so he calls me up to the front, and I'm standing before the judge. And even though it's just traffic court, there's something about standing before a judge that's a little bit frightening and a little bit terrifying. 90 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:55,080 And so the officer that had written me the ticket comes up, and the judge asks for his side of the story, and he gives it. And then he asks me, "How do you plead? Do you plead guilty or not guilty?" 91 00:25:55,080 --> 00:26:07,080 And the police officer had done such a good job explaining things, he said, "You can also plead no contest." And I said, "Well, what's that?" He said, "That's where you agree with what he said." And I said, "Absolutely, I agree with everything he said." 92 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:16,080 And then the police officer did something startling. He pulls out a piece of paper and says, "Let me tell you about the exigent circumstances." 93 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:26,080 And he explains exactly what I was going to explain, he hands the judge a copy of my driving record, which was clean, and the judge says, "All right, you can go." 94 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:34,080 And I'll tell you what, the nervousness, even though it wasn't a big deal, it's just traffic court, the worst thing that's going to happen to you is a fine. 95 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:47,080 But to have someone stand there and advocate for me, it was a wonderful thing, to know that you are guilty, and there is someone standing there pleading your case. 96 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:56,080 In 1 John 2, it says this, "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. 97 00:26:56,080 --> 00:27:02,080 But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 98 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:10,080 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 99 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:15,080 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 100 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:20,080 Whoever says, "I know Him," but does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 101 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:25,080 But whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. 102 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:27,080 By this we may know that we are in Him. 103 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:32,080 Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walks. 104 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:42,080 And the picture that John paints is that we are standing in front of the heavenly judge, and we are guilty. 105 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:46,080 And it's not like where I stood in front of the judge and I had a good excuse, right? 106 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:50,080 This is a standing before the judge with no excuses. 107 00:27:50,080 --> 00:28:08,080 And there is Jesus, the crucified Son of God, standing next to us, advocating for us, not because we're innocent, not because we have a good reason, but because Jesus has already paid the consequence and the punishment that we deserve. 108 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:13,080 That's what John means when he says He is the propitiation for our sins. 109 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:33,080 That Jesus Himself has paid the price. And as we stand before God the Father, the Most Holy Judge, we stand with our Advocate Jesus who says, "Yes, He is sinful, but my blood has paid the price for His sins." 110 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:49,080 And John will say, as a result of understanding the sacrifice of Jesus and the encouragement that that brings to those of us who are weak and who are sinful and who are fearful, he says, "It also calls us to righteousness." 111 00:28:49,080 --> 00:29:01,080 You see, when we break this bread and we drink this cup, we're reminded of what John says. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He paid the price. 112 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:21,080 We're a propitiation for our sins. And when we break this bread and drink this cup, we are reminded of that price. We're reminded of the beating, of the flogging, of the mockery, of the nails, and the cross. 113 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:29,080 We're reminded that our sin is costly. And so this is a moment to be reminded of the Father's love who sent the Son. 114 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:42,080 It's a moment to be reminded that we have an advocate with the Father. It's a moment for us to be called, to leave aside, and set aside our sin, and to walk in righteousness. 115 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:50,080 So I'm going to pray, and I would ask that you partake together with me. We'll partake of the bread first, and then the cup, and we'll do so together. 116 00:29:50,080 --> 00:30:00,080 Father in heaven, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that you loved us. Thank you that you provided for us. 117 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:11,080 Thankful that you sent your son to die for a sinful people. We are thankful for his sacrifice and the suffering of the cross that pays the price for our wrongdoing. 118 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:28,080 I ask that you bless this bread, that you bless this cup. May this nourish us. May this remind us. May this encourage us. May this call us to evaluate our lives. May this help us to walk in holiness. 119 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:39,080 It's in your son's name we pray. Amen. If you would, take the bread as Jesus took the bread with his disciples, and he said, "Take, eat. This is my body." 120 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:58,080 And then Jesus took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Will you drink with me? 121 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:10,080 Father, I thank you for the gospel. I thank you that we do not have to be fearful. I thank you for forgiveness. 122 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:23,080 And I thank you for hope. And I thank you for taking our shame and our brokenness. Thank you for the hope that you give us of the wonderful gift of the resurrection. In your son's name we pray. Amen. 123 00:31:40,080 --> 00:32:07,080 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, 124 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:36,080 cursed are you above all the livestock and above all the beasts of the field. On your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He shall bruise your head." 125 00:32:36,080 --> 00:33:05,080 And you shall bruise his heel. To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing. In pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, 126 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:34,080 and have eaten of the fruit of the tree of which I commanded you, you shall not eat of it. Cursed be the ground because of you. In pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat all the plants of the field. By the sweat of your 127 00:33:34,080 --> 00:34:03,080 face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground. For fraud of it you were taken, for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. The man called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Then the Lord God said, 128 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:32,080 "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now lest he reach out his hand and take from the tree of life and eat and live forever. Therefore the Lord sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed a cherubim and a flaming sword 129 00:34:32,080 --> 00:35:01,080 that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life." Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. For while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for us. 130 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:30,080 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps, for a good person, one would dare even to die. But God shows his love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since therefore we now have been justified by his blood, and much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 131 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:54,080 If, while we were sin enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. 132 00:35:54,080 --> 00:36:22,080 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree, so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promises from his spirit through faith." This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 133 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:54,060 Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word. Help us this morning as we consider the first gospel, as we consider that light of the Holy Spirit. 134 00:36:54,080 --> 00:37:07,720 That's shown into the darkness as we look toward your glorious plan of redemption. We just ask that you would be with us, encourage us, teach us, and strengthen us. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 135 00:37:07,720 --> 00:37:24,060 Now, all of us, I think every single one of us, have had those bad days where nothing goes right, nothing works right, there's conflict, there's frustration, there's struggle, and we end up discouraged and grumpy and yelling at everybody in the family. 136 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:46,080 A few years ago, before Luke was born, there was a day for me that started with optimism. It was all these things that I needed to do, and I was ready to do them, and I was fueled up, and I was ready to go, and then it happens probably two or three times a year, the power in the subdivision goes out. 137 00:37:46,080 --> 00:38:12,080 And worse, it was winter, and all of our heat is electric, and so here was all these things that I planned to do. Every single one of them required electricity or working internet service and all of these things, and so I tried for a little bit, and then what we did is Rachel and I put the kids in the car, and we drove to Cracker Barrel and soothed our grief with country-fried steak, right? 138 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:22,080 Because sometimes days just go bad, and the only thing you can do is just go eat something that is probably really, really bad for you. 139 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:38,080 And as Brent read in the third chapter of Genesis, this is one of the darkest chapters in the Bible. And if you consider Adam and Eve in this chapter, 140 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:50,080 they're not just having a bad day that they can humorously fix by eating something from Cracker Barrel. They lose everything they have in a single day. 141 00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:58,080 Right? They lose their innocence. Before this time, the world was light and joyful, and they weren't afraid, and they didn't feel shame. 142 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:06,080 But in the moment where they took that fruit and they disobeyed God, shame and darkness comes into the world. 143 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:11,080 And they can't fix it. They can't hide from it. They can't excuse it. 144 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:19,080 Their relationships are broken and damaged where they once walked with God in the cool of the evening. 145 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:26,080 Now they hide from Him. Their relationship with each other is damaged. 146 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:33,080 In Genesis 3:16 it says, "Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, and he shall rule over you." 147 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:43,080 And so you go from this design of creation where men and women work together in the garden for the good of all the people and for the glory of God 148 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:48,080 to now relationships between men and women have become confrontational. 149 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:55,080 And the reason for that is because where God used to be at the center, we have placed ourselves at the center. 150 00:39:55,080 --> 00:40:05,080 And so men place themselves at the center, women place themselves at the center, and both of us fight with each other to be in the place of importance. 151 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:17,080 And Genesis 3 says one of the results of the fall is now there are broken relationships, not just between man and God, but between men and women. 152 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:29,080 And then they lose their home. Therefore, the Lord God sent him out from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 153 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:41,080 He drove out the man, and at the east of the Garden of Eden, he placed a cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the tree of life. 154 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:50,080 Everything for Madame and Eve has become more difficult. So they have lost their innocence. They have broken their relationships. 155 00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:57,080 They're now homeless, put out of the garden. And more than that, everything becomes much more difficult. 156 00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:04,080 Look at what God says to Adam. "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree which I commanded you, 157 00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:12,080 you shall not eat of it. Cursed is the ground because of you. And in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. 158 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:19,080 Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you. And you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread. 159 00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:26,080 Till you return to the ground. For out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return." And so God says, 160 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:32,080 "You're going to go out and work," which used to be something that was wonderful and a gift from God, 161 00:41:32,080 --> 00:41:41,080 now becomes toil. And it's a struggle. And it hurts. And you are in pain. And there's competition in the ground, 162 00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:49,080 which once freely gave food. Now there's thorns and thistles. And we can see this even in how we care for our lawns. 163 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:55,080 We have some friends who just moved into a new house. There's a little backyard. And the dad of the family, 164 00:41:55,080 --> 00:42:00,080 because dads like to kind of play with the lawn, he said, "I'm going to get some of that weed and seed 165 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:05,080 stuff and spray it on the lawn. And so our lawn will be nice and green." And so you know what happens? 166 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:13,080 Sprays the weed and seed stuff on the lawn. And it turns out it was all weeds and no grass. And so the lawn, 167 00:42:13,080 --> 00:42:24,080 which at least was green, now is brown because of all of the weeds. And it's a picture of how we toil in this world. 168 00:42:24,080 --> 00:42:30,080 You have to fight and strive and it's in pain and in struggle. And then what does God say? At the end 169 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:40,080 of the day, you die and go back into the ground. It's bleak. And what's worse is this isn't even something 170 00:42:40,080 --> 00:42:47,080 that you can blame on someone else. Right? We've all had those experiences where something has happened to 171 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:53,080 us and it was bad and it was painful, but at least we could comfort ourselves by simply saying, 172 00:42:53,080 --> 00:43:02,080 it's not my fault. That's not the case with Adam and Eve. They can't look at the loss of their innocence, 173 00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:08,080 the loss and brokenness of their relationships, the loss of their home, the struggle that now lies before 174 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:19,080 them ending in the day when they go back into the dirt. It's all their fault. God gave them one simple 175 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:25,080 command. Don't even hit this tree. It's not a hard command to understand. It doesn't need a lot of 176 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:39,080 explanation. Just don't do it. And they did it. And all of the things that happen are their fault. They don't even 177 00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:45,080 have the consolation of saying someone else is responsible for this because at the end of the day 178 00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:53,080 they know that it is their sin that has brought these consequences. We find the truth in Genesis 179 00:43:53,080 --> 00:44:01,080 chapter three that life can be dark, and it is dark because of sin. And we said last week that the story 180 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:07,080 of Adam and Eve, we like to sort of blame them and say it's all their fault and it is all their fault, but 181 00:44:07,080 --> 00:44:13,080 also the story of Adam and Eve is also the story of us because we have made the same decision to choose our 182 00:44:13,080 --> 00:44:21,080 desires over God's desires, and we end up with our innocence broken. We end up with broken relationships. 183 00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:31,080 We end up with the pain and the struggle and the suffering of the fall. And so their story is our story. 184 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:41,080 And their darkness is the darkness that we walk. And what's interesting about this darkness, it's not just dark, but it's the 185 00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:50,080 darkness of rebellion. It's not just that the lights went out, but the world is plunged into darkness because men and women have 186 00:44:50,080 --> 00:45:00,080 chosen their own way over God's, and we are rebels against God. We are trying to depose Him from His rightful place at the center of 187 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:10,080 all things and put ourselves there in the center where we are the King. And if you think through history how we deal with 188 00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:17,080 rebellion, there's a lot of ways we can deal with rebellion. So sometimes we try to eradicate rebellion. And so there have 189 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:27,080 been nations where a political rebellion and uprising happens, and so the leaders send people to eliminate those who are 190 00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:35,080 rebelling. And so you can try to eliminate rebellion, but you can also try to sort of quash it, to push it down through 191 00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:44,080 cruelty and punishment, to force people to do the right thing, to listen to the king. You can try to reason and 192 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:54,080 bargain with the rebels, to see the truth. Let's make a deal. Let's compromise. You can try to contain it, to keep 193 00:45:54,080 --> 00:46:01,080 it in one place. What's interesting is into the midst of the darkness of rebellion, God doesn't do those 194 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:14,080 things. In a surprising move, He makes a promise. And in Genesis 3:15, a chapter filled with darkness, you have 195 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:27,080 a glimpse of the good light of the Gospel. In fact, commentators call this the first Gospel. Genesis 3:15. I will put 196 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:37,080 enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. 197 00:46:37,080 --> 00:46:47,080 And I want to look at this glimpse of light that we see in the midst of the darkness of rebellion, where God, as King, has every right to 198 00:46:47,080 --> 00:46:55,080 crush and to destroy the rebels, but instead of doing so, He makes a promise. And what's interesting, if you read 199 00:46:55,080 --> 00:47:03,080 through, and we heard Brent read through, that entire section that the curse that God pronounces is against 200 00:47:03,080 --> 00:47:11,080 the serpent and against the ground. And men and women have consequences for our sin in brokenness and in 201 00:47:11,080 --> 00:47:23,080 childbirth and in our work, but God doesn't curse mankind. He curses the serpent. He curses the ground. But to those broken 202 00:47:23,080 --> 00:47:51,080 disciples, he makes a promise. And so the first thing we see about the light is that light reveals. Light shows us what is truly there. I learned this lesson this last week about turning on the light in the middle of the night when I walked down the hall and smacked my toes on a baby gate. I'm still limping. If I would just turn on the light, I could have seen what is there. And one of the things that the first gospel does, Genesis 3:15, 203 00:47:51,080 --> 00:48:19,080 is that it shows us what's really there. And notice what it says. The first thing that it shows us is enmity. Right? This is personal hostility between the serpent and between the seed of the women. And what you have is anger and conflict. And it's not just a passing 204 00:48:19,080 --> 00:48:26,080 conflict where everybody forgives each other and they get to be friends again. This is lasting. So one of my favorite things, and I don't know if she remembers 205 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:36,080 this, but Evelyn, when she was really, really little, we went to this petting zoo. And there was an alpaca, and we were there petting the animal, and the alpaca 206 00:48:36,080 --> 00:48:44,080 sneezed on Evelyn. And Evelyn did not take that lightly. So about a year and a half later, Evelyn and I were at another petting zoo, and we had a 207 00:48:44,080 --> 00:48:50,080 little bag of food. We were feeding all the animals, and we fed the goats, and the sheep, and the camel, and the donkeys, and 208 00:48:50,080 --> 00:48:58,080 we get to the alpacas. And I didn't even remember that she remembered this incident with the alpacas. And Evelyn, the feisty 209 00:48:58,080 --> 00:49:05,080 toddler, reaches her hand into the bag of food, grabs a handful of food, and just flings it at the face of the alpaca, turns 210 00:49:05,080 --> 00:49:13,080 and walks away. Like, there was enmity. And the picture you have in Genesis chapter 3 is that between evil and the 211 00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:23,080 evil and good and people, there is enmity, that there is a spiritual battle that is raging. And so many times, you 212 00:49:23,080 --> 00:49:28,080 and I like to fight the physical battles and the physical arguments, and we miss the fact that so much of the 213 00:49:28,080 --> 00:49:38,080 struggle in our world is a spiritual battle. In 2 Kings, the sixth chapter, the king of Syria is going to war 214 00:49:38,080 --> 00:49:44,080 against Israel. And Elisha, through the power of God, keeps warning the king of Israel about the 215 00:49:44,080 --> 00:49:50,080 ambushes the king of Syria is setting up. And so he will send a message to the king of Israel saying, "Don't 216 00:49:50,080 --> 00:49:55,080 walk down into this valley because the king of Syria is there." And the king of Syria begins to get angry 217 00:49:55,080 --> 00:50:01,080 because he thinks there's a spy. He doesn't realize that it's the hand of God. And so eventually somebody 218 00:50:01,080 --> 00:50:07,080 says, "It's Elisha's fault that none of your ambushes are working." So he sends his army to surround 219 00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:14,080 the city in which Elisha is staying. And one morning they wake up, the servant of Elisha, this 220 00:50:14,080 --> 00:50:19,080 young man, says this, "When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning, and he went 221 00:50:19,080 --> 00:50:25,080 out." You picture him, he walks out the door of his house. And behold, an army with horses 222 00:50:25,080 --> 00:50:32,080 and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master, what shall we 223 00:50:32,080 --> 00:50:36,080 do?" And so you can sort of picture the servant walks out, looks out over the walls of the city, 224 00:50:36,080 --> 00:50:43,080 and surrounding them is this great army. And he knows what Elisha has been doing by warning 225 00:50:43,080 --> 00:50:47,080 the king, knows that this army is likely there for Elisha, and because he's Elisha's 226 00:50:47,080 --> 00:50:52,080 servant, now he's going to face the consequences. And he runs into his master and says, "What 227 00:50:52,080 --> 00:50:57,080 are we going to do?" And there's heartbreak, and there's hopelessness. And look at what Elisha 228 00:50:57,080 --> 00:51:05,080 says. "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with 229 00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:10,080 them." And I imagine the servant goes, "Seriously? It's you and me, Elisha, and 230 00:51:10,080 --> 00:51:14,080 there's a whole army, and they've got swords, and they've got horses, and they've got 231 00:51:14,080 --> 00:51:20,080 chariots, and they've got spears, and it's us." And look at what Elisha does. Elisha 232 00:51:20,080 --> 00:51:25,080 prayed and said, "O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see." So the Lord opened 233 00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:31,080 the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and 234 00:51:31,080 --> 00:51:39,080 chariots of fire all around Elisha. Now the heavenly army, that is a good army. And 235 00:51:39,080 --> 00:51:46,080 so, this young man, in his fear, Elisha prays, his eyes are open, and he sees the 236 00:51:46,080 --> 00:51:53,080 heavenly army that surrounds him. The armies of God that will fight for him. He 237 00:51:53,080 --> 00:52:00,080 pictures and sees the realities of this world. That there is a spiritual conflict. 238 00:52:00,080 --> 00:52:07,080 And what we see in Genesis chapter 3 is that our eyes need to be opened at the fight that 239 00:52:07,080 --> 00:52:13,080 we fight. It's not just against people who are around us. In fact, we tend to demonize 240 00:52:13,080 --> 00:52:18,080 and put down and yell and scream and argue with people. But what Paul says in 241 00:52:18,080 --> 00:52:22,080 Ephesians is, "Finally be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. Put on the 242 00:52:22,080 --> 00:52:27,080 whole armor, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do 243 00:52:27,080 --> 00:52:31,080 not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, 244 00:52:31,080 --> 00:52:36,080 against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual 245 00:52:36,080 --> 00:52:41,080 forces of evil in the heavenly places." And the Apostle Paul says, "The battle that 246 00:52:41,080 --> 00:52:47,080 we fight is not simply a battle against people." He said, "In fact, it's not 247 00:52:47,080 --> 00:52:52,080 against those people. It's against the powers of evil, the spiritual forces." And 248 00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:56,080 Genesis 3:15, it shines a light into the world and shows us the conflict that we 249 00:52:56,080 --> 00:53:03,080 face is a spiritual conflict that can ultimately only be fixed by a spiritual 250 00:53:03,080 --> 00:53:12,080 solution. But it also shows us two lines of defendants. So at one time or another, all 251 00:53:12,080 --> 00:53:15,080 of our children, when they have gotten grumpy, have done the thing where they cross 252 00:53:15,080 --> 00:53:19,080 their arms over their chest and look really, really grumpy. And if you've been 253 00:53:19,080 --> 00:53:23,080 around our kids, you've seen that. And every time I see them do that, I look at 254 00:53:23,080 --> 00:53:28,080 them and I go, "Okay, little Rachel." Because one of my favorite pictures of Rachel was 255 00:53:28,080 --> 00:53:31,080 when she was really little between Penelope and Evelyn's age, and she's just standing 256 00:53:31,080 --> 00:53:35,080 there with the same look on her face, with her arms crossed over her chest, looking 257 00:53:35,080 --> 00:53:41,080 like, "Are you serious about what you're saying?" And you see this picture 258 00:53:41,080 --> 00:53:47,080 of descendants, right? That we look like our parents. And our kids, when they have 259 00:53:47,080 --> 00:53:51,080 that, they look like their mom. When they're being lovely and cherubic and 260 00:53:51,080 --> 00:53:55,080 angelic, they're like me, and when they're being disagreeable, they're like their mom. 261 00:53:55,080 --> 00:54:01,080 Sorry, Rachel. Look at what it says in Genesis 3:15. 262 00:54:01,080 --> 00:54:05,080 "I will put enmity," so there's a spiritual war, "between 263 00:54:05,080 --> 00:54:09,080 you and the woman, and then between your offspring 264 00:54:09,080 --> 00:54:13,080 and her offspring." There's two lines 265 00:54:13,080 --> 00:54:17,080 coming from Eve. Remember, Adam will say to Eve that you're the mother of all 266 00:54:17,080 --> 00:54:21,080 people. So from Eve, you have 267 00:54:21,080 --> 00:54:25,080 the descendants of the serpent and the descendants of hope. 268 00:54:25,080 --> 00:54:29,080 So in Genesis chapter 4, 269 00:54:29,080 --> 00:54:33,080 verse 1, we'll say, "When Eve had conceived, she bore 270 00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:37,080 Cain, saying, 'I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.'" 271 00:54:37,080 --> 00:54:41,080 And so here we see Eve's hope, but she looks at her firstborn son 272 00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:45,080 Cain, and she's saying, essentially, with the help of the Lord, he's the one who's going to 273 00:54:45,080 --> 00:54:49,080 set things right. Genesis 3:15, he's going to be the one who crushes the head 274 00:54:49,080 --> 00:54:53,080 of the serpent. And what happens? Instead of crushing the head of the serpent, 275 00:54:53,080 --> 00:54:57,080 what does Cain do? He crushes the head of his brother. And God 276 00:54:57,080 --> 00:55:01,080 sends him into exile. And Cain 277 00:55:01,080 --> 00:55:05,080 shows who he truly follows. 278 00:55:05,080 --> 00:55:09,080 And so, while God put Adam and Eve 279 00:55:09,080 --> 00:55:13,080 out east of Eden, Cain goes even further away. 280 00:55:13,080 --> 00:55:15,080 To get farther away. 281 00:55:15,080 --> 00:55:17,080 And he builds a city. 282 00:55:17,080 --> 00:55:19,080 And he names the city after his son. 283 00:55:19,080 --> 00:55:21,080 Essentially focusing 284 00:55:21,080 --> 00:55:23,080 himself on himself, what 285 00:55:23,080 --> 00:55:25,080 he has accomplished, and his line. 286 00:55:25,080 --> 00:55:27,080 And then seven generations. 287 00:55:27,080 --> 00:55:29,080 We find a man 288 00:55:29,080 --> 00:55:31,080 by the name of Lamech, who is a descendant 289 00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:33,080 of Cain. And in verse 24 290 00:55:33,080 --> 00:55:35,080 of Genesis 4, if Cain's 291 00:55:35,080 --> 00:55:37,080 revenge is sevenfold, then 292 00:55:37,080 --> 00:55:39,080 Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold. 293 00:55:39,080 --> 00:55:41,080 This is a call back 294 00:55:41,080 --> 00:55:43,080 to God's words. Remember what God said 295 00:55:43,080 --> 00:55:45,080 to Cain, "If anyone harms you, I 296 00:55:45,080 --> 00:55:47,080 will harm them." Seven times over. 297 00:55:47,080 --> 00:55:49,080 And Lamech, in his pride 298 00:55:49,080 --> 00:55:51,080 says, "You think God's wrath is 299 00:55:51,080 --> 00:55:53,080 bad? Look at me. I'll 300 00:55:53,080 --> 00:55:55,080 be way worse than what 301 00:55:55,080 --> 00:55:57,080 God has done." 302 00:55:57,080 --> 00:55:59,080 And then in Genesis 303 00:55:59,080 --> 00:56:01,080 4:25, we see the other line. 304 00:56:01,080 --> 00:56:03,080 "And she bore a 305 00:56:03,080 --> 00:56:05,080 son, called his name Seth. 306 00:56:05,080 --> 00:56:07,080 For she said, "God has appointed 307 00:56:07,080 --> 00:56:09,080 me another offspring, instead of Abel, 308 00:56:09,080 --> 00:56:11,080 for Cain killed him. To Seth also 309 00:56:11,080 --> 00:56:13,080 was born a son, and he called his 310 00:56:13,080 --> 00:56:15,080 name Enosh." And at that time 311 00:56:15,080 --> 00:56:17,080 the people began to call upon the 312 00:56:17,080 --> 00:56:19,080 name of the Lord. So instead of a 313 00:56:19,080 --> 00:56:21,080 city named after his son, 314 00:56:21,080 --> 00:56:23,080 the people call upon the name 315 00:56:23,080 --> 00:56:25,080 of the Lord. You see the contrast. 316 00:56:25,080 --> 00:56:27,080 And in the seventh generation, 317 00:56:27,080 --> 00:56:29,080 remember we have Lamech on Cain's side, 318 00:56:29,080 --> 00:56:31,080 and on Seth's side, in verse 24, 319 00:56:31,080 --> 00:56:33,080 Enoch walked with God, 320 00:56:33,080 --> 00:56:35,080 and he was not, for God took him. 321 00:56:35,080 --> 00:56:37,080 And so you have these two 322 00:56:37,080 --> 00:56:39,080 lines of descendants. One builds 323 00:56:39,080 --> 00:56:41,080 the city out of pride, puts his 324 00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:43,080 son's name on it and says, "Our family will 325 00:56:43,080 --> 00:56:45,080 last forever, because we have belted 326 00:56:45,080 --> 00:56:47,080 it with the work of our hands." 327 00:56:47,080 --> 00:56:49,080 And the other 328 00:56:49,080 --> 00:56:51,080 line calls upon the name 329 00:56:51,080 --> 00:56:53,080 of the Lord. 330 00:56:53,080 --> 00:56:55,080 The seventh generation of one 331 00:56:55,080 --> 00:56:57,080 boasts in his vengeance. 332 00:56:57,080 --> 00:56:59,080 The other seventh 333 00:56:59,080 --> 00:57:01,080 generation walks with God 334 00:57:01,080 --> 00:57:03,080 right up to heaven. 335 00:57:03,080 --> 00:57:05,080 And we don't just see this 336 00:57:05,080 --> 00:57:07,080 in Genesis 3, 4, and 5. 337 00:57:07,080 --> 00:57:09,080 We see it in 338 00:57:09,080 --> 00:57:11,080 1 John 3, who says, "We should not be like 339 00:57:11,080 --> 00:57:13,080 Cain, who was of 340 00:57:13,080 --> 00:57:15,080 the evil one, and murdered 341 00:57:15,080 --> 00:57:17,080 his brother." And why did he murder him? 342 00:57:17,080 --> 00:57:19,080 Because his own deeds were evil, and his brothers 343 00:57:19,080 --> 00:57:21,080 were righteous. 344 00:57:21,080 --> 00:57:23,080 And we see it in Jesus' 345 00:57:23,080 --> 00:57:25,080 words to the Pharisees 346 00:57:25,080 --> 00:57:27,080 in John 8, where he says, 347 00:57:27,080 --> 00:57:29,080 "Do you not understand what I say? 348 00:57:29,080 --> 00:57:31,080 Is it because you cannot bear 349 00:57:31,080 --> 00:57:33,080 to hear my word? You are of your 350 00:57:33,080 --> 00:57:35,080 father the devil, and your will 351 00:57:35,080 --> 00:57:37,080 is to do with your father's desires. 352 00:57:37,080 --> 00:57:39,080 He was a murderer from the beginning, 353 00:57:39,080 --> 00:57:41,080 and does not stand in the truth, because there is 354 00:57:41,080 --> 00:57:43,080 no truth in him. When 355 00:57:43,080 --> 00:57:45,080 he lies, he speaks out of his own character, 356 00:57:45,080 --> 00:57:47,080 for he is a liar, and the father 357 00:57:47,080 --> 00:57:49,080 of lies." And think about how 358 00:57:49,080 --> 00:57:51,080 insulting that is. Somebody comes to you and say, 359 00:57:51,080 --> 00:57:53,080 "Your dad's the devil." 360 00:57:53,080 --> 00:57:55,080 That's what Jesus 361 00:57:55,080 --> 00:57:57,080 says. You're coming from the line 362 00:57:57,080 --> 00:57:59,080 of the serpent, 363 00:57:59,080 --> 00:58:01,080 the line of the devil. 364 00:58:01,080 --> 00:58:03,080 There's descendants, and they will have enmity 365 00:58:03,080 --> 00:58:05,080 with the descendants of the woman. 366 00:58:05,080 --> 00:58:07,080 You see, Genesis 3:15 367 00:58:07,080 --> 00:58:09,080 shows us reality. 368 00:58:09,080 --> 00:58:11,080 It shows us the spiritual 369 00:58:11,080 --> 00:58:13,080 nature of our conflict. 370 00:58:13,080 --> 00:58:15,080 It shows us two 371 00:58:15,080 --> 00:58:17,080 diverging lines, one focused 372 00:58:17,080 --> 00:58:19,080 on self, and one who worships 373 00:58:19,080 --> 00:58:21,080 and calls upon the Lord and walks with 374 00:58:21,080 --> 00:58:23,080 God, and the light reveals and shows 375 00:58:23,080 --> 00:58:25,080 us how things really are. 376 00:58:25,080 --> 00:58:27,080 That the world is broken, and 377 00:58:27,080 --> 00:58:29,080 we have a choice. Will we walk after 378 00:58:29,080 --> 00:58:33,080 God? 379 00:58:33,080 --> 00:58:35,080 And so not only does the light reveal, but 380 00:58:35,080 --> 00:58:37,080 it brings hope. I remember 381 00:58:37,080 --> 00:58:39,080 one of the first times that I drove home from college 382 00:58:39,080 --> 00:58:41,080 and I was young, and wasn't 383 00:58:41,080 --> 00:58:43,080 as smart as I could have been, 384 00:58:43,080 --> 00:58:45,080 and I said, "I could drive 24 hours straight." 385 00:58:45,080 --> 00:58:47,080 And I was able to, with 386 00:58:47,080 --> 00:58:49,080 copious amounts of coffee 387 00:58:49,080 --> 00:58:51,080 and lots of caffeine, and the 388 00:58:51,080 --> 00:58:53,080 windows open, and I remember how 389 00:58:53,080 --> 00:58:55,080 tired I was, and I was getting home 390 00:58:55,080 --> 00:58:57,080 and it was dark, and I don't remember if it was either really early 391 00:58:57,080 --> 00:58:59,080 in the morning or really late at night, and 392 00:58:59,080 --> 00:59:01,080 where we lived at that time in Vermont was on top 393 00:59:01,080 --> 00:59:03,080 of a hill, and you came down 394 00:59:03,080 --> 00:59:05,080 Plank Road over the top of that 395 00:59:05,080 --> 00:59:07,080 first hill, and you could look out, and you could see our 396 00:59:07,080 --> 00:59:09,080 house out there, and I could see the porch 397 00:59:09,080 --> 00:59:11,080 light on. My parents knew I was 398 00:59:11,080 --> 00:59:13,080 coming. They didn't know when, because I didn't have a cell 399 00:59:13,080 --> 00:59:15,080 phone, but there was 400 00:59:15,080 --> 00:59:17,080 a light, and that light symbolized 401 00:59:17,080 --> 00:59:19,080 the fact that there was hope, 402 00:59:19,080 --> 00:59:21,080 that there was going to be a place where I could 403 00:59:21,080 --> 00:59:23,080 go to sleep and maybe eat some breakfast 404 00:59:23,080 --> 00:59:25,080 that I didn't have to buy from McDonald's, 405 00:59:25,080 --> 00:59:27,080 and I was hopeful 406 00:59:27,080 --> 00:59:29,080 because of that light. And so 407 00:59:29,080 --> 00:59:31,080 the light that we see in 408 00:59:31,080 --> 00:59:33,080 Genesis 3:15, it shows us 409 00:59:33,080 --> 00:59:35,080 how things really are, but it also calls 410 00:59:35,080 --> 00:59:37,080 us to hope. 411 00:59:37,080 --> 00:59:39,080 I will put enmity between you and the 412 00:59:39,080 --> 00:59:41,080 woman, between your offspring and her offspring. 413 00:59:41,080 --> 00:59:43,080 He shall bruise your head, and you shall 414 00:59:43,080 --> 00:59:45,080 bruise his heel. 415 00:59:45,080 --> 00:59:47,080 And now we have the defeat of 416 00:59:47,080 --> 00:59:49,080 the serpent. There's a 417 00:59:49,080 --> 00:59:51,080 bruised head and a bruised heel. 418 00:59:51,080 --> 00:59:53,080 Now one is painful, right? 419 00:59:53,080 --> 00:59:55,080 We hurt our feet or our heels. 420 00:59:55,080 --> 00:59:57,080 It hurts, and it's uncomfortable, 421 00:59:57,080 --> 00:59:59,080 and we struggle to walk, and it's a huge inconvenience. 422 00:59:59,080 --> 01:00:01,080 But here's the thing: we survive. 423 01:00:01,080 --> 01:00:03,080 If your 424 01:00:03,080 --> 01:00:05,080 head is crushed, 425 01:00:05,080 --> 01:00:07,080 that's fatal. 426 01:00:07,080 --> 01:00:09,080 And the promise 427 01:00:09,080 --> 01:00:11,080 in Genesis 3:15 is that the end 428 01:00:11,080 --> 01:00:13,080 of the serpent is found in the 429 01:00:13,080 --> 01:00:15,080 descendant of this woman. 430 01:00:15,080 --> 01:00:17,080 The serpent will meet 431 01:00:17,080 --> 01:00:19,080 his end. His power 432 01:00:19,080 --> 01:00:21,080 will be broken. And it's just 433 01:00:21,080 --> 01:00:23,080 a tiny glimpse of 434 01:00:23,080 --> 01:00:25,080 that light in the midst of the darkness. 435 01:00:25,080 --> 01:00:27,080 And as history 436 01:00:27,080 --> 01:00:29,080 begins to unfold, and as 437 01:00:29,080 --> 01:00:31,080 God's plan begins to unfold, that 438 01:00:31,080 --> 01:00:33,080 light comes closer and closer. 439 01:00:33,080 --> 01:00:35,080 And so we see it with Abraham. 440 01:00:35,080 --> 01:00:37,080 Through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 441 01:00:37,080 --> 01:00:39,080 We see it through the line of David 442 01:00:39,080 --> 01:00:41,080 until we get to Isaiah 443 01:00:41,080 --> 01:00:43,080 who Matthew quotes 444 01:00:43,080 --> 01:00:45,080 in Matthew chapter 4. 445 01:00:45,080 --> 01:00:47,080 The land of Zebulun, the land of 446 01:00:47,080 --> 01:00:49,080 Naphtali, by the way of the seas, beyond 447 01:00:49,080 --> 01:00:51,080 Galilee of the Gentiles. 448 01:00:51,080 --> 01:00:53,080 The people dwelling in darkness 449 01:00:53,080 --> 01:00:55,080 have seen a great light 450 01:00:55,080 --> 01:00:57,080 for those dwelling in the region of shadow of death. 451 01:00:57,080 --> 01:00:59,080 On them a light 452 01:00:59,080 --> 01:01:01,080 has dawned, and from that time Jesus 453 01:01:01,080 --> 01:01:03,080 began to preach, they repent 454 01:01:03,080 --> 01:01:05,080 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 455 01:01:05,080 --> 01:01:07,080 And so, Isaiah's prophecy 456 01:01:07,080 --> 01:01:09,080 interpreted by the 457 01:01:09,080 --> 01:01:11,080 Holy Spirit through Matthew 458 01:01:11,080 --> 01:01:13,080 says that the light that was 459 01:01:13,080 --> 01:01:15,080 dawning on the world comes through Jesus 460 01:01:15,080 --> 01:01:17,080 and there is hope that he would be 461 01:01:17,080 --> 01:01:19,080 the one who ultimately defeats 462 01:01:19,080 --> 01:01:21,080 the serpent. 463 01:01:21,080 --> 01:01:23,080 We don't just get a glimpse 464 01:01:23,080 --> 01:01:25,080 of the fact that the serpent is 465 01:01:25,080 --> 01:01:27,080 crushed. 466 01:01:27,080 --> 01:01:29,080 We get a glimpse of how 467 01:01:29,080 --> 01:01:31,080 the serpent is crushed. And this is where 468 01:01:31,080 --> 01:01:33,080 it is so surprising. 469 01:01:33,080 --> 01:01:35,080 Think about how 470 01:01:35,080 --> 01:01:37,080 God deals with rebels. 471 01:01:37,080 --> 01:01:39,080 Remember we said there's a lot of ways in which 472 01:01:39,080 --> 01:01:41,080 he could deal with rebels. 473 01:01:41,080 --> 01:01:43,080 He could eradicate them, he could 474 01:01:43,080 --> 01:01:45,080 subdue them, 475 01:01:45,080 --> 01:01:47,080 try to bargain with them, he could isolate 476 01:01:47,080 --> 01:01:49,080 them, but that's not what God does. 477 01:01:49,080 --> 01:01:51,080 For while we 478 01:01:51,080 --> 01:01:53,080 were still weak, 479 01:01:53,080 --> 01:01:55,080 at the right time Christ died 480 01:01:55,080 --> 01:01:57,080 for the ungodly. 481 01:01:57,080 --> 01:01:59,080 For one will scarcely die for a righteous 482 01:01:59,080 --> 01:02:01,080 person, though perhaps for a good person 483 01:02:01,080 --> 01:02:03,080 one would dare even to die, but God 484 01:02:03,080 --> 01:02:05,080 shows his love for us 485 01:02:05,080 --> 01:02:07,080 and that while we were yet sinners 486 01:02:07,080 --> 01:02:09,080 Christ died for us. 487 01:02:09,080 --> 01:02:11,080 That the head of the serpent 488 01:02:11,080 --> 01:02:13,080 is crushed at the 489 01:02:13,080 --> 01:02:15,080 cross, that sin's 490 01:02:15,080 --> 01:02:17,080 power is broken, the fear of death 491 01:02:17,080 --> 01:02:21,080 is removed through the resurrection. 492 01:02:21,080 --> 01:02:23,080 And Jesus comes and he dies 493 01:02:23,080 --> 01:02:25,080 not for good people who have proved how great they are, 494 01:02:25,080 --> 01:02:27,080 but for broken, sinful, 495 01:02:27,080 --> 01:02:29,080 shameful, excuse making, 496 01:02:29,080 --> 01:02:31,080 running and hiding, trying to fix it 497 01:02:31,080 --> 01:02:33,080 but it doesn't work, sinners. 498 01:02:33,080 --> 01:02:35,080 So while 499 01:02:35,080 --> 01:02:37,080 we were living in sin, Jesus comes and saves 500 01:02:37,080 --> 01:02:39,080 us and does so by giving his life. 501 01:02:39,080 --> 01:02:41,080 In Galatians chapter 3 it says 502 01:02:41,080 --> 01:02:43,080 "Christ redeemed us 503 01:02:43,080 --> 01:02:45,080 from the curse of the law by becoming 504 01:02:45,080 --> 01:02:47,080 a curse for us. 505 01:02:47,080 --> 01:02:49,080 For it is written, cursed is everyone who is 506 01:02:49,080 --> 01:02:51,080 hanged on a tree, so that in 507 01:02:51,080 --> 01:02:53,080 Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham 508 01:02:53,080 --> 01:02:55,080 might come to the Gentiles 509 01:02:55,080 --> 01:02:57,080 so we might receive the promised spirit 510 01:02:57,080 --> 01:02:59,080 through faith." The crushing 511 01:02:59,080 --> 01:03:01,080 of the serpent's power 512 01:03:01,080 --> 01:03:03,080 comes through the cross. 513 01:03:03,080 --> 01:03:05,080 And it doesn't happen by God 514 01:03:05,080 --> 01:03:07,080 subduing the rebels through force 515 01:03:07,080 --> 01:03:09,080 or through compromise. 516 01:03:09,080 --> 01:03:11,080 It comes by God 517 01:03:11,080 --> 01:03:13,080 stepping into our world 518 01:03:13,080 --> 01:03:15,080 and taking the place of the rebels. 519 01:03:15,080 --> 01:03:17,080 And bearing the 520 01:03:17,080 --> 01:03:19,080 punishment that the rebels 521 01:03:19,080 --> 01:03:21,080 deserve. 522 01:03:21,080 --> 01:03:23,080 And taking unworthy, ungodly, 523 01:03:23,080 --> 01:03:25,080 sinful people, dying for them, 524 01:03:25,080 --> 01:03:27,080 loving them, and giving 525 01:03:27,080 --> 01:03:29,080 them life. 526 01:03:29,080 --> 01:03:31,080 What I love 527 01:03:31,080 --> 01:03:33,080 about Genesis 3:15 528 01:03:33,080 --> 01:03:35,080 is that this is a text 529 01:03:35,080 --> 01:03:37,080 that is an invitation. 530 01:03:37,080 --> 01:03:39,080 It's a call to be part of a family. 531 01:03:39,080 --> 01:03:41,080 And we saw there's two sides to this 532 01:03:41,080 --> 01:03:43,080 family. And a lot of us 533 01:03:43,080 --> 01:03:45,080 have two sides to our family. We have the 534 01:03:45,080 --> 01:03:47,080 in-laws and the outlaws, right? 535 01:03:47,080 --> 01:03:49,080 We have the people who are really good 536 01:03:49,080 --> 01:03:51,080 and the people who maybe we don't talk about as 537 01:03:51,080 --> 01:03:53,080 much. My grandma 538 01:03:53,080 --> 01:03:55,080 once said in our family we have preachers 539 01:03:55,080 --> 01:03:57,080 and horse thieves, right? The in-laws 540 01:03:57,080 --> 01:03:59,080 and the outlaws. 541 01:03:59,080 --> 01:04:01,080 In Genesis 3:15 we see 542 01:04:01,080 --> 01:04:03,080 two sides to a family. 543 01:04:03,080 --> 01:04:05,080 Those who follow the serpent 544 01:04:05,080 --> 01:04:07,080 and those who 545 01:04:07,080 --> 01:04:09,080 hope and trust and worship 546 01:04:09,080 --> 01:04:11,080 in God. 547 01:04:11,080 --> 01:04:13,080 And so this text is an invitation 548 01:04:13,080 --> 01:04:15,080 for us to be 549 01:04:15,080 --> 01:04:17,080 part of that family that Genesis says 550 01:04:17,080 --> 01:04:19,080 calls upon the name of the Lord. 551 01:04:19,080 --> 01:04:21,080 That is family that is not in fear 552 01:04:21,080 --> 01:04:23,080 of the evil in the world. 553 01:04:23,080 --> 01:04:25,080 In Galatians 4, 554 01:04:25,080 --> 01:04:27,080 Paul writes this: 555 01:04:27,080 --> 01:04:29,080 "When the fullness of time had come, 556 01:04:29,080 --> 01:04:31,080 God sent forth 557 01:04:31,080 --> 01:04:33,080 His Son, born of a woman, 558 01:04:33,080 --> 01:04:35,080 born under the law." 559 01:04:35,080 --> 01:04:37,080 Hear that? Genesis 3:15. 560 01:04:37,080 --> 01:04:39,080 The seed of the woman. 561 01:04:39,080 --> 01:04:41,080 To redeem those who 562 01:04:41,080 --> 01:04:43,080 were under the law, so that 563 01:04:43,080 --> 01:04:45,080 we might receive adoption 564 01:04:45,080 --> 01:04:47,080 as sons. And because you are sons, 565 01:04:47,080 --> 01:04:49,080 God has sent the Spirit of His Son 566 01:04:49,080 --> 01:04:51,080 into our hearts, crying, "Abba, Father." 567 01:04:51,080 --> 01:04:53,080 And you are no longer a slave, 568 01:04:53,080 --> 01:04:55,080 but a son. And if a son, then an 569 01:04:55,080 --> 01:04:57,080 heir through God 570 01:04:57,080 --> 01:04:59,080 that we 571 01:04:59,080 --> 01:05:01,080 all have chosen. 572 01:05:01,080 --> 01:05:05,080 To choose our desires over 573 01:05:05,080 --> 01:05:07,080 the will of God. 574 01:05:07,080 --> 01:05:09,080 We've all chosen to follow the 575 01:05:09,080 --> 01:05:11,080 serpent, but through Jesus, 576 01:05:11,080 --> 01:05:13,080 we can be brought into 577 01:05:13,080 --> 01:05:15,080 the family. That we 578 01:05:15,080 --> 01:05:17,080 might receive adoption as 579 01:05:17,080 --> 01:05:19,080 sons. We might 580 01:05:19,080 --> 01:05:21,080 receive the Spirit. 581 01:05:21,080 --> 01:05:23,080 And not just family, 582 01:05:23,080 --> 01:05:25,080 sitting on the outside, but sons 583 01:05:25,080 --> 01:05:27,080 who are close to 584 01:05:27,080 --> 01:05:29,080 the Father, who inherit 585 01:05:29,080 --> 01:05:31,080 the good gifts of the Father. 586 01:05:31,080 --> 01:05:33,080 And that's the invitation of Genesis 587 01:05:33,080 --> 01:05:35,080 3:15. It's to be 588 01:05:35,080 --> 01:05:37,080 part of the family that 589 01:05:37,080 --> 01:05:39,080 calls upon the name of the Lord. 590 01:05:39,080 --> 01:05:41,080 Let's pray. Father, 591 01:05:41,080 --> 01:05:43,080 thank you for 592 01:05:43,080 --> 01:05:45,080 allowing us to open your word and 593 01:05:45,080 --> 01:05:47,080 to do so freely. 594 01:05:47,080 --> 01:05:49,080 Thank you that we can read it 595 01:05:49,080 --> 01:05:51,080 and hear it for ourselves 596 01:05:51,080 --> 01:05:53,080 in our own language. 597 01:05:53,080 --> 01:05:55,080 I thank you for all 598 01:05:55,080 --> 01:05:57,080 that you have done for us. 599 01:05:57,080 --> 01:05:59,080 Help us 600 01:05:59,080 --> 01:06:01,080 as we struggle and fight in a world 601 01:06:01,080 --> 01:06:03,080 filled with spiritual battles. 602 01:06:03,080 --> 01:06:05,080 That we would put our hope in you. 603 01:06:05,080 --> 01:06:07,080 That we would follow you. 604 01:06:07,080 --> 01:06:09,080 That your spirit would be at work 605 01:06:09,080 --> 01:06:11,080 in our lives, strengthening, encouraging us 606 01:06:11,080 --> 01:06:13,080 and calling us to righteousness. 607 01:06:13,080 --> 01:06:15,080 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 608 01:06:15,080 --> 01:06:17,080 We're going to stand and sing 609 01:06:17,080 --> 01:06:19,080 "This is Amazing Grace." 610 01:06:29,080 --> 01:06:37,080 Who breaks the power 611 01:06:37,080 --> 01:06:39,080 of sin and darkness 612 01:06:39,080 --> 01:06:41,080 Whose love is mighty 613 01:06:41,080 --> 01:06:43,080 and so much stronger 614 01:06:43,080 --> 01:06:45,080 The King of glory 615 01:06:45,080 --> 01:06:49,080 The King above all kings 616 01:06:49,080 --> 01:06:55,080 Who shakes the whole earth 617 01:06:55,080 --> 01:06:57,080 with holy thunder 618 01:06:57,080 --> 01:06:59,080 Who leaves us breathless 619 01:06:59,080 --> 01:07:01,080 in awe and wonder 620 01:07:01,080 --> 01:07:03,080 The King of glory 621 01:07:03,080 --> 01:07:07,080 The King above all kings 622 01:07:07,080 --> 01:07:11,080 This is amazing grace 623 01:07:11,080 --> 01:07:15,080 This is unfailing love 624 01:07:15,080 --> 01:07:19,080 That You would take my place 625 01:07:19,080 --> 01:07:25,080 That You would bear my cross 626 01:07:25,080 --> 01:07:29,080 You would lay down Your life 627 01:07:29,080 --> 01:07:33,080 That I would be set free 628 01:07:33,080 --> 01:07:39,080 Jesus, I sing for 629 01:07:39,080 --> 01:07:43,080 All that You've done for me 630 01:07:43,080 --> 01:07:49,080 Who brings our chaos 631 01:07:49,080 --> 01:07:51,080 Back into order 632 01:07:51,080 --> 01:07:53,080 Who makes the orphan 633 01:07:53,080 --> 01:07:55,080 A son and daughter 634 01:07:55,080 --> 01:07:57,080 The King of glory 635 01:07:57,080 --> 01:08:01,080 The King above all kings 636 01:08:01,080 --> 01:08:07,080 Who rules the nations 637 01:08:07,080 --> 01:08:09,080 With truth and justice 638 01:08:09,080 --> 01:08:11,080 Shines like the sun 639 01:08:11,080 --> 01:08:13,080 In all of its brilliance 640 01:08:13,080 --> 01:08:15,080 The King of glory 641 01:08:15,080 --> 01:08:19,080 The King above all kings 642 01:08:19,080 --> 01:08:25,080 This is amazing grace 643 01:08:25,080 --> 01:08:29,080 This is unfailing love 644 01:08:29,080 --> 01:08:33,080 That You would take my place 645 01:08:33,080 --> 01:08:39,080 That You would bend my cross 646 01:08:39,080 --> 01:08:43,080 You would lay down Your life 647 01:08:43,080 --> 01:08:47,080 That I would be set free 648 01:08:47,080 --> 01:08:53,080 Jesus, I sing for 649 01:08:53,080 --> 01:08:57,080 All that You've done for me 650 01:08:57,080 --> 01:09:01,080 This is amazing grace 651 01:09:01,080 --> 01:09:05,080 This is unfailing love 652 01:09:05,080 --> 01:09:09,080 That You would take my place 653 01:09:09,080 --> 01:09:15,080 That You would bear my cross 654 01:09:15,080 --> 01:09:19,080 You would lay down Your life 655 01:09:19,080 --> 01:09:25,080 That I would be set free 656 01:09:25,080 --> 01:09:29,080 Jesus, I sing for 657 01:09:29,080 --> 01:09:33,080 All that You've done for me 658 01:09:33,080 --> 01:09:43,080 I want to thank you for joining us this morning. We are glad and thankful that you are here. 659 01:09:43,080 --> 01:09:51,080 Just a couple of announcements as we get ready to wrap up this morning. I'm thankful for those who worked hard. 660 01:09:51,080 --> 01:09:57,080 We have spent the week, a little bit of this week, organizing and moving stuff out of the basement. 661 01:09:57,080 --> 01:10:05,080 So Tiffany and Rachel redesigned some bulletin boards. So if you haven't had a chance to check those out, I encourage you to do so. 662 01:10:05,080 --> 01:10:17,080 We're thankful to Eric for his help. We're thankful to Russell for taking a lot of accumulated junk and boxes to the landfill for us over the past couple months, 663 01:10:17,080 --> 01:10:24,080 where we haven't been able to maybe go to as many places as we'd like. When we needed something as a church, we ordered it. 664 01:10:24,080 --> 01:10:32,080 So there's a lot of shipping boxes. We are so thankful for all of the hard work, and we're thankful for all of your help. 665 01:10:32,080 --> 01:10:45,080 This Wednesday night, we'll be continuing in 2 Peter, and so we will be here at 7. If you want to watch us, we'll be live on the live stream link on the front page of our website, on Facebook. 666 01:10:45,080 --> 01:10:57,080 And we usually start the live stream around 7, but it actually goes live, and we start Bible study around 7:15. So if you'd like to join us for that, we encourage you to do so. 667 01:10:57,080 --> 01:11:12,080 Also, this Thursday, the Ladies' Bible Study is happening, and so that's July 16th, 1:00 p.m. So we'd encourage you to, if you're a lady, come and join our ladies as they study the Word of God. 668 01:11:12,080 --> 01:11:22,080 Let's go ahead and have a word of prayer. Father in heaven, thank you for taking care of us. Thank you for providing for us. Be with us through this week. Help us not to forget the goodness 669 01:11:22,080 --> 01:11:31,080 of your grace and the greatness of your redemption and the strength that you have given us through your Holy Spirit. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 670 01:11:31,080 --> 01:11:34,080 We're going to sing the doxology and be dismissed. 671 01:11:43,080 --> 01:12:05,040 Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.