The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World The Creation and Fall: Genesis How did we get here (in this mess)?

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Gen. 1:31: And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. How then do you explain the state of the world?

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Gen. 3:13: God’s question-What is this that you have done? Discussion: What is sin? What makes something sinful? Why does it appeal to us?

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Gen. 3:14-15 The consequences of sin To the serpent-The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this... 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.”

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Gen. 3:16-19 The consequences of sin To the woman-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.”

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Gen. 3:17-19 The consequences of sin To the man – And to Adam he said, “… cursed is 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 the plants of the field.

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Gen. 3:19 The consequences of sin 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.”

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Gen. 3:19 The consequences of sin Discussion: How do you explain the state of the world? What’s wrong with the world?

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Why Sacrifice? - Leviticus Leviticus 16:18-22 Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. And he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Leviticus 16:18-22 “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and con- fess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilder- ness by the hand of a man...

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Leviticus 16:18-22 “The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness. Discussion: Sacrifice for sin How does the blood of an unthinking animal alleviate sin-guilt? What is the sacrifice really accomplishing?

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World How well was it working? - Isaiah Isaiah 5:1-4 ESV-My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Isaiah 5:1-4 ESV-(God speaking) And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?”

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Discussion: From God’s point of view how does creation disappoint him? What keeps the world from getting better? Why don’t laws work?

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World What’s this got to do with me? - Romans Romans 3:23-25… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Discussion: Do you believe that everyone is guilty? Why or why not?

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World What do I do? - Matthew Matthew 22:37-40 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first command- ment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Discussion: Jesus says everything depends on these 2 truths. Do you think it’s possible to not sin? Why or why not? How do you learn to love God with all your heart? What does it mean to love your neighbor as much as you love yourself? How would loving God and loving our neighbors keep us from sinning?

The Problem: Sin and a Fallen World Response: Ever since the fall, the whole world has been waiting for God to heal the wound of sin. We are still waiting, for the completion of that healing, for the end of all evil, for the full experience of salvation, and while we wait we are learning to love God more and sin less. What struggles are blocking your journey, bringing turmoil into your waiting for Jesus to come again?