The Promise Whispered

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Big Idea: The reason for Jesus' coming into this world is the mercy of God in response to our sin. Sin is the problem. Jesus is the solution.

Introduction

This morning marks the beginning of a new sermon series which I’m calling: The Promise of Christmas. 

Each year Christmas seems to come around with greater frequency and in many ways, greater speed.  Try as we might to slow things down, it seems that we turn around and it’s here again...and so we often find ourselves almost half-heartedly giving into it and getting into it with enough enthusiasm so as not to be labeled “Scroogish” or “Grinchy.” 

Sometimes I wonder if the luster of Christmas has faded because we have lost touch with the core of Christmas...because too often we get swept up in the all the packaging of Christmas never getting our hands on and fully engaging with the soul gripping and heart satisfying promise of Christmas.

[Illustration] – It’s like the gag gift that is packaged in beautiful wrap in the biggest box under the tree but when you un-wrap it, the box is full of mostly Styrofoam packing peanuts, a few bricks to feign substance and a gift that resembles a lump of coal. 

The last few years in our Christmas series we have focused on slowing down and being intentional with our time, energy and focus so that we don’t miss the personal significance of Christmas.  We have revisited some of the traditions of Christmas to be refreshed in their meaning so we might more fully engage.  This year, this series is going to be a little different.  This series will take us back to the basics of Christmas.  It will cut beyond all the Christmas bows and tear through all the Christmas wrapping. It will crawl in back of all the cultural traditions and take us to the fundamental biblical promise of Christmas. 

I realize that this may not sound like a heart warming Christmas series of messages.  But, if you will track with this series for the next several Sundays leading up to Christmas, I believe your heart is going to be invigorated and your Christmas spirit will be renewed with substance and rich, full meaning.  I think this series will refresh your excitement for the biblical significance and the divine joy of the season...the stuff that grips the soul and engages the heart.  And if you have trouble “getting into” Christmas because the frenzied pace or the relentless commercialism has caused you to lose heart and be full of cynicism, then this series is for you.

Despite the emotions that might get stirred up in you during the Holidays, the Bible tells us that Christmas is a season that is all about promise.  And I’m going to show you what I mean by that during this series.  I’m calling this first message, the Promised Whispered.  In this message we’re going to go all the way back to Genesis and take a look at the fundamental need for Christmas.

Did you ever wonder” why Christmas anyway?”  Or what the point of Christmas was?  The text we’re going to look at today is not in the typical line up of Christmas passages, but it’s where the purpose of Christmas starts. Understanding Genesis 3 is foundational for a full and rich appreciation of Christmas.  Because before you can really enter into the joy of Christmas with heart and soul, you have to have a clear understanding of the ‘why’ of Christmas.

[Transition]- Let’s begin our discovery of the “why” of Christmas in Genesis 3 {READ vss 1-6}.  To understand the “why” of Christmas you have to understand the main problem with you and the people around you: In other words, all humankind.

I. To understand the ‘why’ of Christmas, you have to understand our problem.

Up to this point, God had blessed Adam and Eve with many good and beautiful things.  They lived in complete and perfect intimacy with God and they lived in complete and perfect intimacy with one another. They knew only personal wholeness and relational satisfaction and fulfillment.  Imagine your relationship with God, with your spouse, with your family and with your friends without any pollution of sin and self-centeredness.  Try to imagine that.

Now, into that state of affairs, a problem arises.  The problem is introduced by Satan, God’s chief enemy.   Notice in verse 1 that Satan tempts Adam and Eve to sin by challenging God's goodness and questioning his Word (3:1). 

The Bible says that when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s will for them, they brought disobedience into the human experience.  Most of us are well aware of that.  Most of us are well aware that in our hearts there lives a proneness to do life how we want to do it...not how God wants us to do it.

And as we review this story today, and see again with shocking clarity how Satan leads Eve to challenge God’s goodness and question the validity of his Word....I think we should be aware, that the enemy still uses those two tactics to trip us up; nothing all that new under the sun.

Q uestioning God’s goodness and questioning the validity his Word are often at the core of the enemy’s attacks on us.  And we have to be wise to that and counter act that attack on our faith by calling out to God in prayer and calling on him to fill us with his power and confidence.  We have to call on him to bring clarity to our thinking and reassurance to our faith.  We have to then rely on that power and confidence and make right choices...choices that are in alignment with his desires...his will...his word.  We have to make the choice to ‘resist’ and when we resist the devil, the Bible tells us that “he will flee from us.”  He will come back and try again later...but, the promise is there.  If we resist, he flees...if we yield to him, he wins (James 4:7).

Now, in verses 2-5, Satan follows up his questions with a lie that is disguised as a promise.  He promises them that they would actually be like God if they disobeyed him. Please realize, in reality, they were actually more like God before sin entered their lives, but became less like him after their sin (3:2-5).  Delivering lies disguised as a promise is another one of Satan’s favorite tactics.  Think about it. 

Sin always seems to hold such promise.  Before we enter into it, Sin always looks so promising...but, it always makes us worse off.  It always promises something good, but actually results in only bad.  It always promises freedom, but delivers only bondage.  It always promises joy but delivers only pain and heartache.  It’s altogether symbolic that Satan in the form of a serpent, raises his own will above God’s and in the end becomes little more than an worm in the dust. 

Think about this in your own life?  Doesn’t sin basically boil down to this: question God’s good intent, question his Word and then fall for a lie disguised as a promise and end up regretting it?  I mean, think about the junk you’ve been through...didn’t it basically follow that path?  Question God’s goodness, question the truth of his Word, fall for a lie disguised as a promise that will meet your need and in the end regret the consequences. 

[Transition] – Let’s take a look at the consequences.  Look at Genesis 3:6–13

II. To appreciate the ‘why’ of Christmas you have to be aware of the consequences of our problem.

The most obvious consequence of their sin is estrangement—there is estrangement from God and there is estrangement from each other.  Sin disrupted divine-human fellowship and human relationships.  Their innocence was replaced by an awareness of good and evil and it introduced shame and guilt which drove a wedge between them and God and it worked to introduce awkwardness and shame into their relationship with one another.

John Piper said, “When sin entered the world, it ruined the harmony of marriage NOT because it brought headship and submission into existence, but because it twisted man's humble, loving headship into hostile domination in some men and lazy indifference in others. And it twisted woman's intelligent, willing submission into manipulative {compliance} obsequiousness in some women and brazen insubordination in others. Sin didn't create headship and submission; it ruined them and distorted them and made them ugly and destructive.” John Piper, "Husbands Who Love Like Christ and the Wives Who Submit to Them," sermon preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church (6-11-98); submitted by Aaron Goerner, Utica, New York

Verse 16 tells us that a second consequence is pain.   Read verse 16. What was once an unmitigated privilege, without pain or sorrow, has been corrupted by the fall.  What was once a beautiful, complementary relationship has turned into family strife.

Verses 17–19 tell us that sin didn’t just bring pain for the woman; it brings pain for the man as well.  Read verses 17-19.  It’s not only pain in procreation, it involves discord in marriage, frustration and toil in work.  It's no surprise that Satan still strikes at those areas.

[Transition] – Now in the middle of these verses where God is describing the consequences of their disobedience and rebellion from his perfect desire and will for them, he whispers a word about the solution to their sin and its consequences.  The whisper of the solution is so subtle you can easily read right over it.  Look at verse 15. 

III. The ‘why’ of Christmas is whispered in the solution to our problem.

Ironically, the promise of solution to their sin problem is whispered in God's curse-word to Satan.  It’s stunning that God did not come to them to obliterate them.  His wrath did not instantly consume them.  In addition, it's interesting that God's solution is not, "Eve, here's what you need to do." Instead, in his indescribable grace and mercy, God takes the initiative.  To Satan God says, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; {notice he doesn’t say theirs} he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” 

I think it is significant to note that in this account, even before God pronounces a penalty for sin to humankind, the mercy of God fashions the curse upon the tempter into a whisper of hope for the tempted!  Before he pronounces judgment, he displays mercy.  The rest of the bible makes it clear, the merciful solution would be God's Champion, who would come into the world and win the battle over Satan.  The “he” of this curse-word to Satan is the divine offspring of Mary, the Son of God, the Messiah named Jesus.  He will bring final a final death blow to Satan and he will bring healing for his bite on humankind’s heel. 

1 John 3:8 says, “...The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.” TLB

Romans 16:20, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet....”

Revelation 12:9 – “This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.”

Paul connects all the dots on this in Romans 5: 15-19 – “For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.  And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.”

[Illustration] – Play segment from The Passion of the Christ where Jesus is being tempted by Satan and then he stomps the serpent’s head.  Cue people up to be looking and listening to Satan’s tactics and Jesus’ response...

Conclusion
The reason for Jesus' coming into the world is the mercy of God in response to our sin. The mercy of God fashions the curse upon the tempter into a whisper of promise for the tempted!  This promise whispered healing...this promise whispered peace...this promise whispered reconciliation...this promise whispered safety...this promise whispered complete and total restoration of our lives.  Over the next weeks leading up to Christmas we are going to discover more and more about this promise of Christmas.  The reality is, it’s impossible to understand the soul stunning, heart captivating meaning of Christmas without understanding the meaning of Jesus who is the promise whispered in Genesis 3.

INVITATION:

In this story about humankind’s sin, I want you to see what God’s immediate response is.  Look again in your Bibles at verse 8-9.  God came searching for them in their hiding.  God came calling for them in their shame and guilt.  And he is doing the same to you today. 

Some of you have already come out of hiding and embraced his love and forgiveness by trusting in his Son Jesus as your covering for sin and your promised hope for eternity. 

But, maybe you are here today and you didn’t realize that God really loves you and is actually pursuing you to offer forgiveness to you for your sin.  You’ve been hiding from God just like Adam and Eve did, not realizing that God wants to connect with you to forgive you and whisper promise and hope to you.  I want to invite you come out of hiding.  I want to invite you to call out to Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, your leader and forgiver. 

You could say something like this: 

Jesus, I thank you for being the solution to my sin problem.  I don’t want to hide from you anymore.  I need you to forgive my sin and fill me with your Spirit so that I can live for you, rather than living for your enemy.  I want to give my life to you today. 

Pray...

If this prayer on the screen reflects the desire of your heart, I want you to lift up your eyes and make eye contact with me so that I can pray for you as you begin your new life as a Christian.