SACRED STORIES

“The Fall”
Pastor Dan Levy – August 6, 2023

1. Know that Satan’s SCHEMES are to cause a SCHISM between you and God.
   
   2 Corinthians 2:10-11 — So that “Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”
   
   Genesis 3:1-5 — Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ You will certainly not die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’
   
   A. Satan QUESTIONS God’s words.
   B. Satan tries to TWIST God’s character.
   C. Satan offers a PROMISE.
   

2. At its core, sin is the attempt to make yourself GOD. And if sin isn’t repented of, it will destroy YOU.
   
   Genesis 3:6-8 — When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
   
   A. Sin is the attempt to decide for yourself what is GOOD and what is BAD.
   B. You always end up looking like your SIN.
   C. Sin results in separation and death.
   

3. Know that Jesus will PURSUE you, FORGIVE you, and REDEEM you, if you let Him.
   
   Genesis 3:8-12, 21 — Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid. And he said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? ...The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
   
   Genesis 3:15 — And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.