“euangelion” = good news

In order for news to be good – it has to occupy bad territory

The world we live in is not the world as God created it.

“shalom” = perfect peace

1.God 2.Others 3.Self 4.Creation Shalom

The L ORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. – Genesis 2:15

“In the early stories, the point was that the Creator loved the world he had made, and wanted to look after it in the best possible way. - N.T. Wright

To that end, he placed within his world a looking-after creature, a creature who would demonstrate to the creation who he, the Creator, really was, and who would set to work developing the creation and making it flourish and fulfill its purpose. - N.T. Wright

This looking-after creature (or rather, this family of creatures: the human race) would model and embody that interrelatedness, that mutual fruitful knowing, trusting and loving, which was the Creator’s intention.” - N.T. Wright

And the L ORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 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.” – Genesis 2:16-17

WHY BOTHER PUTTING THE TREE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

GENESIS 3 – The Fall Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the L ORD God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. – Genesis 3:1-7

“[Sin is the] culpable disturbance of shalom” – Cornelius Platinga, Jr. (Former President; Calvin Theological Seminary)

“The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” - Revelation 12:9

Sin started – not with an action, but with a belief

Sin started – not with an action, but with a belief Satan Calls Into Question:

Sin started – not with an action, but with a belief Satan Calls Into Question: 1. God’s goodness – “Did he really say?...”

Sin started – not with an action, but with a belief Satan Calls Into Question: 1. God’s goodness – “Did he really say?...” 2. God’s trustworthiness – “You won’t die.”

“God is a flower of truth and right and beauty, and he has no roots and needs no water, no sunshine, no soil. He is absolutely self-sufficient. We are planted in God. We get all our water and light and nutrition from him. – John Piper

Yes, we can cut our stem and try to be like him. We can be our own source of life and light and truth and right and beauty. We can. And die. – John Piper

Commission: Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. – 1 John 3:4

Commission: Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. – 1 John 3:4 Omission: If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. – James 4:17

The story is far more than merely the removal of sin – it’s the restoration of shalom.

And they heard the sound of the L ORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the L ORD God among the trees of the garden. – Genesis 3:8

“Sin has the devil for its father, shame for its companion and death for its wages. “- Thomas Watson

But the L ORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” - Genesis 3:9-10

But the L ORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” - Genesis 3:9-10

11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”

13 Then the L ORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 The L ORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field;

On your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

16 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.”

17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you;

in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” -Genesis 3:11-19

1. Self

2. Others

1. Self 2. Others 3. The World

1. Self 2. Others 3. The World STUFF

1. Self 2. Others 3. The World STUFF COMMON GRACE

1. Self 2. Others 3. The World "God is a liar," (Satan) says. "He has deceived you, taken your freedom, and restricted your joy." Satan's lie is still the same today: "You can be free. Do whatever you want. It is your life. There are no divine laws; no absolute authority; and above all, no judgment. You will surely not die." - MacArthur

1. Self 2. Others 3. The World 4. Spirituality

1. Self 2. Others 3. The World 4. Spirituality “Oh, that’s easy – grace.” – C.S. Lewis

The essence of the fall of Eve and Adam - is the supreme pleasure we have in being independent, and deciding for ourselves what is true and right and beautiful, rather than finding supreme pleasure in God as the fountain of all that is true and right and beautiful. The essence of the fall is preferring to be god rather than enjoy God. – John Piper

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.

3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. – Isaiah 55:1-3

“Christ is much more powerful to save, than Adam was to destroy.” - John Calvin