Go back with me – past all those characters we hear so much about and hold up as examples – Peter & Paul, Daniel, David,
Samuel – back before Abraham, or even Enoch. Go to the first example – to the beginning – to Adam.
You don’t hear much about Adam. There is a reason.
Think about this - Is Adam in Heaven? Maybe you have always assumed he is. If you were to ask me to guess – I would say “No.” Why?
The story is very sketchy after Eden. The only quotes you hear are from Eve in Genesis 4 at the birth of two sons, “I have gotten a man from the LORD,” and “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." But Adam? – silent.
Adam’s story is one of opportunity, choice, and consequence.
I. Adam’s Opportunity
1. What a Great job opportunity! Imagine the opportunity to garden & farm on the ideal land, with ideal weather. Talk about a green thumb!
2. He had the opportunity for the perfect marriage relationship. The Bible says they were naked, but not ashamed. The reason they were not ashamed – there was nothing to be ashamed of! It’s not that way now is it? I am so glad no one but God can read my mind.
3. He had the opportunity for an intimate, visible, comfortable fellowship with God. He walked with God in the Garden – it doesn’t directly say that – but probably it is safe to assume it since it seemed to be something they recognized after they had sinned.
4. He had the opportunity to prove himself – the opportunity to obey – and the opportunity to sin. (Genesis 2:16, 17)
II. Adam’s Choice (Genesis 3:6)
1. Why?! How could Adam have been so stupid? What was he thinking? We can’t read his mind – we are only told this: Genesis 3:6 …she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. We do know that he saw, he listened, he chose, and God held him responsible.
2. What are you thinking when you choose to ignore, and disobey God –to justify sin? We are pretty stupid too. We can read this – shake heads at Adam - and go right out and do the same.
3. What would have happened if Adam had said no? We don’t have the answer. God would have worked it out.
4. It may seem that if we don’t sin things will be bad. We will lose something precious. We will suffer. But know this – If we will obey God He will work it out. It will be good. If we disobey because we think things will be better – in reality things will be worse.
III. Adam’s
Consequences 1. It ruined the opportunity for a really great relationship with Eve. Now his relationship with Eve would be a mixed blessing. It would be a troublesome relationship because her womanhood would now be linked with pain and sorrow. “Why did I ever listen to you Eve?” Or, “Adam, why didn’t you lead?” Now they look at each other and are ashamed.
2. I wonder if he ever dreamed of what it had been like in the Garden – If he had nightmares of being expulsed – of the fiery sword keeping him out. As he tried to scratch out a living for himself and his family he cursed the day he made that choice – maybe in his sinfulness he even cursed God for doing this to him.
3. The expanding consequences. Have you ever had this thought cross your mind? – “If only Adam hadn’t…” Sin always affects more than just you. “See to it … that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and DEFILE MANY. (Hebrews 12:15) It won’t land just on you. Others will get caught in the wide swath of the reaper as the truth of “a man reaps what he sows” is carried out. (Galatians 6:7)
Like the ripples spreading on a lake – as generation after generation grew out of Adam – the consequences of his sin spread - and he lived 930 years to watch it happen.
We know that our children must answer to God for themselves – but how often do we cringe knowing that we really do share part of the
responsibility – some of it is my fault. Like ripples we see the influence,t