For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 (NKJV)Word of God
Here is the story you’ve been waiting for. An amazing story I hope you’ll be able to follow through with:
1. Introduction a) God b) God creates all that is. c) God creates man & gives him authority over creation (all that God creates is good)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
2. Man comes into the picture. a) Man is formed. b) Garden of Eden. c) A command is given
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
3. Sin a) Woman comes into the picture. b) Trick by the serpent. c) Both sin, eyes opened) Questions asked: i)Where are you? – For they had left God’s presence ii) Who told you…? – For the basis of their identity, trust in God had been stricken (Chpt. 2 vs 25) e) Man and Woman (Adam and Eve) chased out of the Garden of Eden… Guarded from the Tree of Life ( separated from Life, man is set to die in sin)
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
4. What next? a) Adam and Eve bear children. b) Sin encroaches… Abel is murdered by Cain. c) The Blood of Abel is symbolic of the blood of Jesus… Both are shed and their judges/accusers (Pilate, Cain) wash their hands from being associated with the crime. One was humanity-condemning (Cain was accursed) , the other was humanity-saving (follow this story to learn more…there is hope) d) {PS – Abel offered the first sacrifice, that was accepted by God}
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord .” Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord . Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
5. Is all Hope lost? a) Evil and Wickedness increase. b) Lifespan is reduced to 120 years c) God vows to destroy mankind. d) “But Noah…”
Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
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