This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "When Following God Is Not Popular", Genesis 6:1-10, 10/28/2018

WHEN FOLLOWING GOD IS NOT POPULAR

Genesis 6:1-10

In verse one and two we see the present of the Holy Trinity; The person of

God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and God the Son all working together.

The reason we say person is because God speaks of Himself with human

characteristics. He has knowledge, He is in control, He gets angry, and He is

grieved. He punishes those He loves and His grace and mercy endures

forever.

MARRIAGE, THE FOUNDATION OF FAMILY

V:1-2. "When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to  

          them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they    

          married any of  them they chose. "

A. The estimated time frame between Genesis 1 and chapter 4 is 1700 years.

     1. God's plan to populated the earth continues through time.

     2. Man's desire for woman and the woman's desire for man never changes,

         because it is God's plan.

B. God's first human institution, marriage continues through out time.

    1. What we consider in our hearts and see with our eyes, controls our actions.

    2. What began with Adam and Eve is in our DNA forever.

    3. Family life cannot continue without the relationship between a man and a woman.

        a. The devil is busy trying to destroy God's design for family

             with alternative life styles.

        b. The devil does influence some to rebel against God's plan for family.

             but he will not succeed because God's plan is permanent.

    4. I have been young, but now I am old, but my love for family has never changed.

    5. It is not my design, but God's.

WE ARE ALL LIVING TO DIE

V:3. " Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal;    

         his days will be a hundred and twenty years."

A. The moment Adam ate from the Tree Of Knowledge And Of Good and Evil, death

      became the future of man.

    1. Man became mortal with Adam's disobedience.

    2. Adam's sin put a time frame on our lives.

B. Adam and his descendants originally  lived 900 plus years.

    1. Because of man's continued sinfulness, God reduced man life span to

        120 years.

    2. Sin shorten a man's life span.

    3. God placed His Spirit in man which gives him life.

    4. When God withdraws His Spirit, man dies.

MAN'S LOVE FOR HIS WOMAN CAN LIFT HIM UP OR BRING HIM DOWN

V4. "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward when the

       sons  of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the    

       heroes of old, men of renown. "

      A. The word "Nephilim' means bully or tyrant. Perhaps  from the Hebrew word

            Naaphal which means "he fell", an earth born man fallen from the true

            religion.

           1. The word renown is the Hebrew word "shem" which means honor.

                authority and character.

           2. Some interpret this as, the sons of Seth who married the daughters of Cain.

           3. Men in the past who had accomplished great thing married women of

               sinful men and were changed to sinful men.

           4. To please his woman, a man will do the wrong thing.

                a. That's how it all started.

                b. To please Eve, Adam ate the forbidden fruit.

      B. Their children born in sin became sinful. 

           1. We were all born in sin and shaped in iniquity.

           2. All men, after Adam were born with a conscience, knowing  good from evil.

           3. God had not given any new laws or commands for man to live by, except the

                command He gave the first family.

           4. Under the influence of the devil, man chooses evil.

THE LORD IS GRIEVED BECAUSE OF OUR SIN

V:5. " The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that

           every  inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. "

        A. Once sin entered into man, he became more sinful.

            1. Without rules and regulations, there is nothing to gauge the sinfulness of

                 man.

            2. After Adam's sin, God instituted the sacrifice of animals for the atonement of

                sin. 

         B. We have no Biblical record of God giving any new commands to man after

              Cain killed Abel.

            1. What we do know, because of the record of Enoch, God continued

                 to talk with men who chose good over evil.

            2. How many of you have brought your children cell phone and tablets?

            3. You have exposed yourself and your children through multimedia

                 to every evil inclination and thought of evil men and women.

                a. Pornography is a multibillion dollar industry that is open to you

                    and your children through your hand held devices.

                b. Social media exposes your children to all acts of violence.

                c. Even with parental controls, evil can be back doored into your

                    hand held devices.

            4. We are in the same situation as man was before the flood.

            5. We need a more solid Christian foundation today than we needed

                 in the past.

               

THE PAIN OF DISOBEDIENCE

V:6. " The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled    

          with  pain.

         7 So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the  

         earth  men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the  

         air, for I  am grieved that I have made them."

A. Can you imagine giving your children the very best that money can buy.

     1. You train them with best teachers money can buy.

     2. You took them to Church to ensure that they had a personal relationship

          with God.

B. Can you imagine the disappointment you would have if you came to check up

         on your children and found that their live were in shambles and they

         are mixed up with all the wrong people, doing all the wrong things.

       1. Can you imagine counseling you children to get them on the right

           track to no avail.

      2. Can you imaging the pain you would feel when every time you turn

          around your children are in trouble no matter how much you pray.

      3. God was so grieve by what He saw in His children that he hated He

          created them.

      4. God sees all that we do and is grieved by our sins.

      5. God was so grieved that He decided to kill the human race and all

           the animals He created.

    C. God took six days or time periods to create a prefect palace for man.

        1. God gave man His house rules to live by which he rejected.

        2. God gave man a method to atone for his sins which he rejected.

        3. God tolerated man's rebellion against Him for 1700 years.

        4. We cannot take God's tolerance of our sinful behavior as a weakness.

            a. We must see God tolerance as His love for us.

            b. There is an end to God's tolerance when He punishes us for our sins.

            c. God gives us time to repent before He exercises His judgment.

D. One thing we must understand is we can be replaced.

      1. God does not need us.

      2. We need God to survive.

      3. God can get some folk to praise Him  .

      4. God did not destroy His creation, He destroyed the man He put in

          His creation.

THE FAVOR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

V:8. " But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. "

A. The Word of the Lord never returns void.

    1. From Adam to Noah is 1700 plus years.

    2. God preserves His Word in hearts of a few men.

    3. God's Word     can be ignored and overlooked by the majority of

        the people, but it will convict a few people.

    4. Out of the millions of people on earth, the Word of

        God found a home in the heart of Noah and his family.

B. Those who honor the Lord has favor with the Lord.

    1. Just because every one is jumping off a cliff don't mean its

        right.

    2. Noah and his family ignored the sins of the crowd.

    3. Sin is always fun and popular.

    4. But sin dishonors God and leads to death.

    5. God has a plan of salvation for those who follow His commands.

      6. Noah believed God and was counted as righteous.

STARTING FRESH WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS

V:9-10. " This is the account of Noah.

   Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with   

   God.

10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. "

A. Before you can train your family to follow God, you have to follow God.

    1. Three things we can learn from Noah.

        a. Noah did what was right before the Lord.

        b. Noah treated his family and neighbors with respect.

        c. Noah not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk.

        d. Noah was blessed in the house and out the house.

   2. Noah trained his family to follow God and his command.

       a.  Noah was a man of faith.

       b. Noah chose good over evil.

   3. Noah found favor with God because of his obedience.

THANK GOD FOR HIS DISCIPLINE

Rev M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Park Way South

Houston, Texas 77041

For more lessons, follow me on facebook and visit my

blogs; remmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com

This Week's Sunday School Lesson,"Family Life Began", Genesis 4:1-15, 10/21/2018

FAMILY LIFE BEGINS

Genesis 4:1-15

THE MISSION TO POPULATE THE EARTH BEGAN

 V:1-2. Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man."

2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil."

A. God's plan for family began with an intimate relationship between the man and

     his wife.

     1. God's command to Adam and Eve is found in Genesis 1:28:

         "God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the

           earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over

           every living creature that moves on the ground."

     2. There is no mention of the names of girls being born to Adam and Eve,

         a. To multiply the families, Adam and Eve had daughters.

         b. Verse 1:28 says God blessed them to fulfill his Divine Will.

         c. Genesis 5:4-5: "4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons

             and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died."

         d. Adam and Eve had daughters during and after the time of Cain and Abel

B. Give God the credit for your blessings.

    1. Eve gave thanks to the Lord for her children .

    2. God blesses our children with different talents and desires.

    3. Able was a herdsman and Cain was a farmer.

    4. Our children learn from what we do as parents.

    5. The jobs of Cain and Able followed the command God gave Adam.

 THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TYPE OF CHURCH

V:3-4. " In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.

4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, "

A. God established the sacrifice of animals as atonement for sin when He killed

     an animal for a covering of  Adam and Eve,

   1. The atonement was in the blood of the animal, symbolic of the blood of

       Jesus shed on the cross.

   2. John 6:53: " Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the    

       Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

   3. Relationship and fellowship of the first family was restored with acceptance

      of the covering of the animal's skin by Adam and Eve.

B. Adam and Eve had taught their son's the important of the sacrifice to God.

   1. Cain and Able had a personal relationship with God.

   2. At the time of the offering, they were grown men who made their own

       decisions.

C. Abel was obedient to the teaching of his parents.

    1. He reverence  his God by bringing  the required sacrifice.

    2. He showed respect for his parents through his love for God.

    3. Abel brought God the very best.

    3. Abel believed the Word and followed the Word.

    4. He brought to God the best part of the best animal of his

        flock as a sacrifice to God.

    5. The animal Abel chose was the first born of his flock.

    6. Jesus was the first born of God the Father in the flesh

       offered for our sins.

       John 6:54: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will

       raise him up at the last day."

       Colossians 1:15: " Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every

       creature"

   7. God favors what we do to honor Him according to His standards.

D. Cain was rebellious.

    1. He did not respect the teaching of his parents or the command of God.

    2. He brought to God the fruit of the ground as a sin offering.

       a. We must remember, that Adam and Eve tried to cover their

           sin with fruit of the ground.

       b. They may have discussed their sin with Cain  with Abel.

    3. Cain did not take time to kill an animal and bring the best part to

        God as an offering.

    4. You can have two children raised in the same family with the same

         values, that choose different ways.

  

THE FIRST COUNSELING SESSION

V:5. " but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. "

A. You cannot expect God to favor your disobedience.

    1. Cain became angry because God did not approve of his way of honoring

        Him.

    2. Our ways are not God's ways and our thoughts are not God's thoughts.

    3. God does not accept our lack of effort.

B. Cain was upset with his own disobedience.

    1. He disbursed his anger outward.

    2. He should have taken an inward reflection on his behavior.

UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM

V:6-7. " Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?

7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

A. Cain valued the worth of his actions above any desire to please God.

    1. Cain knew right from wrong, but he chose wrong.

    2. Cain's pride got in the way of making the right decision.

    3. God encourage Cain to do what was right and be accepted by Him.

B. God presented Cain with his problem.

    1. Sin is waiting to come into your life.

    2. Satan was influencing Cain to rebel against God.

    3. Satan's desire is to destroy you.

C. God presented Cain with the solution to his anger.

    1. You have the power to overcome sin.

    2. You must chose to be obedient to the Word of God.

    3. Obedience is the way to master sin.  

    4. Obedience lead the way to peace with God.

BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE

8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

A. Cain valued his feelings above the life of his brother.

    1. Cain saw his own failure in the life of his brother.

    2. He deceived his brother into going into the field with him,

        perhaps away from the sight of Adam and Eve.

    3. He allowed Satan to take complete control of his mind

        which led him to kill Abel.

B. Evil originated with Satan and is propagated through the minds of

    individuals.

   1. No murder of man had ever occurred.

   2. Cain's thought of killing his brother came from Satan.

C. Why God allows bad thing to happen to good people is always

     a perplexing question

    1. Abel was a faithful man who followed God's commands.

    2. Why  God allowed him to die at the hands of his brother,

         we may never know.

    3. We do know that God said all things work together for those who

        love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.

    4. The evil of Cain was the out right rejection of

        Godly values.

ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES

V:9-10. " Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

10 The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. "

A. God's questions to us are designed to get us to recognize and confess our sins.

    1. The question forced Cain to reflect on his actions and make a decision

        to tell the truth or tell a lie.

    2. Cain lied about his brother to God.

    3. He attempted to change the subject to him not being responsible for

        His brother.

B. You cannot fool God.

    1. You cannot fool yourself.

    2. A sinful mind, like Satan, operates in the darkness of deception.

    3. After the sin of Adam, all mankind is born in sin and shaped in

         iniquity.

         Psalms 51:5:  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother               

         conceive me.

SEPARATION FROM FAMILY

V:11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."

A. Satan shows you the glory of your sin but not the actual consequences.

    1. When the mind considers sin, it cannot visualize all the consequences.

    2. Cain's punishment was worst than his parents.

    3. First, he is separated from his parents.

       a, Second, he would no longer be able to use the occupation

           he knew to produce a living.

       b. Third, he would wander on earth and never find a home or peace.

B. There are some sins, you may never recover from.

    1. Some sins may doom you to a life of misery.

    2. Cain represents sin and darkness..

    3. The beginning of the Gentiles race began with Cain's rejection

        of God's Word.

    4. The next male child of Adam and Eve that the Bible names is

        Seth, from which Jewish nation are descendants.

YOU CANNOT IMAGINE ALL THE EFFECTS OF SIN

V:13-14. " Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear.

14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."

A. Cain did not realize the wrath of God on his life when he considered killing

     his brother.

   1. Had he considered the consequences of his parents sin against God,

       maybe he would not have killed his brother.

   2. When jealousy leads to anger, a person may become irrational.

   3. Irrational people do stupid stuff by considering their own

       desires above other.

B. Cain's punishment fit the crime.

  1. He killed his brother on the ground God blessed him to produce

       food for his survival.

  2. God curse the ground so that he could no longer work.

  3. Cain killed his brother, so God drove him away from

      his family.

C. Cain was forever separated from God.

  1. God gave him over to his evil desires
      Psalms 78:50: " He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from

      death, But gave over their life to the plague.

 2. Sin is a plague, if left unchecked will destroy you.

GOD'S GRACE EVEN IN SIN

V:15. " But the Lord said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. "

A. God grace and mercy endures forever,

     1. Even for sinners like Cain who not confess his sin, God is merciful.

     2. Cain deserved to die immediately, but God protected him in a miserable

         life.

B. The life sentence of misery was worst than immediate death,

    1. Sin marks us for life.

    2. Even those who repent have sin in their background.

    3. Every living being has never ending struggle against sin.

    4. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

C. God's plan to populate the earth continued with Cain.

    1. God may allow our sinful behavior to bless generations

        after us.

    2. Sin has a purpose beyond our imagination.

    3. God protected Cain through out his life to be

        the father of another race of people.

THANK GOD FOR HIS DIVINE PLAN

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Park Way North

Houston, Texas 77041

For more lessons, follow me on facebook and visit

my blogs: remmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "The Consequences Of Disobedience"Gen 3:14-24, 10.14/2018

THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE

Genesis 3:14-24

You will notice that the Lord brought judgment against the serpent. Eve, then

Adam in the order of their sin. The serpent started sin with his deception,

with Eve and Adam followed in disobedience.

THE FALL AND THE DEGRADING OF LUCIFER, (SATAN, DEVIL, SERPENT)

V:14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.

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."

A. Every time you see a snake crawling on the ground, it is a reminder of the fall of

     man from the glorious position of walking in the Garden of Eden with God to his

     low position of struggling on earth to make a living with pain and hardship.

   1. We must remember that originally Lucifer was one of God's high angels until

       sin was found in him.

       a. Because of his pride, Lucifer rebelled against God and was kicked out of his

           heavenly domain.  Isa 14:12-17, Ezekiel 28:14-17

       b. Satan  appeared  to Eve in a disguised  form.

           Satan verbally communicated with Eve.

   2. As a result of God's second judgment, he was reduced to a cursed  position

        working in darkness  and hated by man.

   3. God made no animal with ability to verbally communicate with Him

       or man. The word serpent is probably symbolic with the poison of a venomous

       snake .

        a. God allowed the fallen Lucifer to communicate with Eve as

            the serpent as if there was some  possibility of redemption.

        b. The serpent is the Hebrew word hachash. The text added a definite article "ha"

             which is the serpent, or the tempter. It is figurative language

             to put emphasis on  sin as the poison of life.

        c. It probable that Satan appeared to Eve as an angel of light.   2 Cor 11:14

        d. Lucifer used his sinful deception to corrupt God premiere creation

        e. From an angel of light, God reduced him to the devil, Satan, the lord of

            flies, the father of lies and the angel of darkness. 

B. The word serpent is also symbolic of Lucifer's fallen defeated position.

     Isa 12:1, Rev. 12:9, 20:2

    a. The Lucifer has no possibility of redemption.

    b. He is doomed forever to the eternal hell.

C. The word enmity is he Hebrew word eybah which means hatred, hostility.

    1. The enmity maybe Christ himself.

    2. It is the Lord God who made the devil a mortal enemy of mankind.

    3. The seeds of the devil are his demons and those men and women who

         operate under his influence.

    4. The seed of the woman is all humanity.

    5. Satan will bruise man on the heel which means he will

        cripple man's ability to communicate with God.

D. The grace and mercy of God is here noted for the redemption of man.

    1. The bruise on the head by the woman's seed is Jesus on the cross

    2. After the second coming of Jesus, Satan will be locked into the eternal fire

         of hell.    Rev 20:10

     3. All who accept Christ as their personal Savior will have a home in heaven.

THE SIN AND PUNISHMENT OF THE WOMAN

V:16. " To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

A. The judgment for Eve is threefold.

     1. She will have great pain in child birth.

     2. She will have a desire for her husband which will produce

         more pain in child birth

         a. The word desire, from the Hebrew word which means longing

             or craving.

         b. God put the desire for intimate relationship with a man  into the woman.

         c. Since, God did not mention this for man, perhaps it is natural

             for man to long for a woman.

         d. The commission  of Adam and Eve was to be fruitful. and multiply. Gen 1.28

         e  . Notice, there were no children born in the Garden of Eden.

     3. Third, she was permanently reduced to the rule of her husband.

         a. Before Eve sin, she was the help mate of Adam.

         b. After her sin Eve had the added burden of being ruled by

             her husband.

THE SIN AND PUNISHMENT OF ADAM

V:17 -19. "To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

A. Because of the sin of Adam, the ground was cursed for the life of man

     on earth.

    1. Before Adam's sin, the ground was easy to tend.

    2. After Adam's disobedience the ground became hard and laborious to work,

    3. To eat from the ground would require the pain of labor. 

B. Introduced into the ground as a result of Adams sin is thorns and thistles which

     prick the hand while harvesting the ground.

    1. God made the ground hard then add thistles and thorns to make life difficult

        for Adam to survive.

    3. Thirdly, God added sweat glands as a curse and as a blessing.

    4. As a blessing to cool the body of man as he toil and as a curse

        to make man uncomfortable as he worked.

    5. Forth, God added the curse of death as He promise for man's disobedience

        a. The body of man was made from the dust of the earth.

        b. Man is give a life span before his body returns to the earth.

        c. Adam and Eve were spiritually separated from God the moment

            they sinned.

A COMMIMENT TO MARRIAGE

V:20. " Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. "

A. Adam accepted his punishment from God.

    1. Adam continued to be a strong supporter of his wife.

    2. Adam put his wife on a pedestal.

    3. He named his wife Eve, which means life giver or first woman.

B. Adam position for his wife was if we succeed, we succeed together.

    1. If we fail, we fail together.

    2. Adam followed God's command of cleaving to his wife.

    3. Men take a note from Adam.

        a. Don't let you personal circumstances affect you love for your wife.

        b. Be quick to make up for any mistakes you make.

        c. What ever your spouse needs from you, they need it more in times

            of turmoil.

THE ATONEMENT OF SIN

V:21. " The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. "

A. God showed His love for the first family.

    1. The grace and mercy of God is displayed immediately.

    2. God  kill an animal to make a covering for them.

    3. This sacrifice was the first for the atonement of their sins,

    4. The blood of the animal was a sin offering for God.

    5. Life is in the blood.

B. The sacrifice of the animal was symbolic of the death of

     Jesus on the cross for our salvation.

   1. The deception of Satan had separated man from God.

   2. Adam and Eve's confession of their sin open the door for the

       sacrifice.

   3. They both confessed that they had eaten from the Tree Of Knowledge

       And Of Good And Evil.

   4. God's Grace favored them with the sacrifice of the animal.

   5. God's Mercy was the forgiveness of their sin.

   6. Victory over Satan was in  the atonement  of the blood sacrifice.

THE PROTECTION OF MAN

V:22. " And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."

A. God's Grace and Mercy endures for ever.

    1. Even in bad times, God is at work in our lives.

    2. Eating from the  forbidden tree had given Adam and Eve a conscience.

        a, It is good to know the difference between right and wrong.

        b. It is good to know that there is a consequence for doing wrong.

B. Like us, Adam and Eve would sin again.

    1. To prevent Adam and Eve from eating from the Tree of Life

         which was in the middle of the garden of Eden, He had to

         make provisions to make sure it didn't happen,

    2. If Adam and Eve had eaten from the Tree Of Life in their

        sinful state, they would have been condemned for life.

    3. There would be no chance of redemption.

 

FRESH START IN A NEW HOME

V:23-24. " So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. "

A. Even though you are forgiven of your sin by the Mercy Of God, there are still

     consequences.

    1. Adam and Eve lost the home that God had prepared for them.

    2. They lost the comfort of God's pleasure with them.

    3. They had to start over again with the skills God had given them.

B. Even in our bad times, God is good.

    1. By locking them out of the Garden Of Eden, God was protecting them from

        themselves.

    2. God locked one door, but He open another.

    3. God gave Adam and Eve a place on the east side of the Garden Of Eden.

    4. This closeness of their new home to the Garden of Eden would be a

         reminder of what they lost by rebelling against God.

C. God placed one of His high angels to guard Eden with a  flaming light.

     1, Notice the angel was a Cherub.

     2. This Guardian Angel was a reminder to Satan who was a Cherub before

          his fall.

     3. The sword may represent the power and control of the Almighty God.

THANK GOD FOR BEING IN CONTROL 

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Park Way North

Houston, Texas 77041

For more lessons follow me on facebook and visit my blogs: revmmitchell.com

goodnewsrevmitc.b;ogspot.com

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "The Dispensation Of Conscience", Geneses 3:1-13. 10/7/2018

THE DISPENSATION OF CONSCIENCE

Genesis 3:1-13

God made man in His image and likeness. This is call the Age or Dispensation of

Innocence. Once man disobeyed God's command not to eat from the Tree Of Knowledge

and Of Good and Evil, he entered into The Dispensation Of Conscience.

Satan had fallen after the creation of the Heaven, but before  the creation of the earth.

Job 38:6-7.  Satan was originally created as angel. He fell from heaven because

of his pride. Satan show up in you life to steal, kill and destroy. We could say that

Satan came to steal your peace, kill your joy and to destroy your relationship with

God the Father.

The choice to disobey God and eat from the tree of Knowledge And Of Good And

Evil, introduced man to a conscience. With his conscience came decisions of the

flesh which opposed God's commands and led to his fall from grace.

THE FALL OF MAN: AN AGREEMENT WITH SATAN

V:1. Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

A. Why did Satan start a conversation with Eve and not Adam?

     1. Why did Satan start his conversation about the one command that God gave

          Adam?

     2. Let me suggest two reasons.

          a. God's command was given to Adam before He formed Eve.  Gen 2:16

          b. Eve is the weaker sex.    1 Peter 3:7.

     3. Let me also suggest that Adam was not present when Satan talked to Eve.

         a. 1 Timothy 2:13-15 states,

            " For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

              And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and    

               became a sinner.

               But women will be saved through childbearing — if they continue in faith, love   

               and holiness with propriety. "

        b. Adam sinned willfully.

B. The relationship between God and Adam could only be broken if Adam

     ate from the tree He was forbidden to eat.

    1. Satan would have wasted his time talking about trees with fruit

       God told Adam to eat freely.

    2. Satan didn't show up for conversation, he came to destroy.

STUDY THE BIBLE SO YO WILL KNOW THE TRUTH

V:2 The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;

3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'"

4 The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! "

A. It is obvious from this conversation that Adam had taught God's command to

     Eve.

   1. Satan objective was to confuse Eve's understanding of God's command.

   2. 2 Cor 11:3 states. " But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's

   cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion    

   to Christ.

   3.  Satan called God a liar.

       a. Satan led Eve to doubt her understanding of God's command.

       b. In God's command was the consequence of disobedience.

       c.  The lie was that there was no consequence for her disobedience.

SATAN'S DECEPTION; THE FATHER OF LIES

V:5 "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

6 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 desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. "

A. If you can believe one lie about the Bible, you are subject to any lie.

    1. The Word of God is the whole truth.

    2. You cannot change one word in the Bible without affecting your interpretation

        of every other word in the Bible.

    3. Consider 2 Timothy 3:16-17;

       All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for

       correction, for training in righteousness;

       so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

B. Eve dishonored her husband and God by making a decision about the Word

    without discussing it with them.

    1. We should find it easier to talk to God than to a stranger.

    2. We should believe God before we believe a stranger.

    3. We should believe God before we believe ourselves.

C. Consider how the mind works.

    1. Satan introduced into Eve's belief doubt of God's command.

    2. Based on the wrong information, Eve saw with her eyes and believed in

        her heart the lie Satan placed in her mind.

    3. How could Eve know that the tree was good for food if she had not tasted it?

        a. How could Eve know tree would make her wise?

        b. The thoughts were introduced by Satan which she chose to believe

             over the Word of God.

D. It is my belief that Adam was not presence when Satan was having his

     conversation with Eve.

    1. No where in the conversation does Adam repeat the command God

        gave him about the Tree Of  Knowledge and Of Good  And Evil to

        Satan.

    2. No where in the conversation does Satan address Adam.

        a. Satan had no problem opposing God before his  fall.

        b. Satan had no problem trying to temp Jesus in the desert after

            His baptism.

   3. I believe Adam show up after Eve ate from the tree.

       a. Knowing that the damage had already been done, Adam willingly

           ate what Eve gave Him.

         b. Adam failed to consider his responsibility as head of the marriage.

         c. Adam did not have to be a party to Eve's sin, but he chose to disobey

             God's command.

         d. Adam dishonored God by not discussing Eve's sin with God

             before He ate the fruit.

         e. In a way Adam did as God commanded; to cleave to his wife.

PERSONAL REEVALUATION AS A RESULT OF SIN

V:7 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 loin coverings.

A. Notice Eve did not know she was naked until Adam ate the fruit.

    1. Eve was ignorant of her sin until Adam ate the fruit.

    2. The sin of creation is not on Eve, but Adam.

B. The fall of man had noting to do with Eve.

    1. Romans 5:19: " For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were   

        made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made   

        righteous."

    2. Notice, Adam and Eve decided together to cover their sin.

    3. Together, Adam and Eve eyes were open to their sin.

C. God is showing us that Adam and Eve should have decided together to

     to obey His command.

   1. Problems in the marriage began, when the two can't agree.

   2. It may feel good to make decisions independent of others.

   3. God made us  dependant beings.

   4. 1 Corinthians 11:11

       In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of   

       woman.

   5. There should be one voice in the marriage.

       a. The two should be come one flesh.

       b. There is no me or I, but we or us.

       c. Amos 3:3: " Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

THE GUILT OF SIN

V:8 "They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. "

A. After eating  from the forbidden tree, Adam and Eve began to act as sinful beings  

     before God.

    1. It take considerable more effort to be in a sinful state than to be innocence.

    2. They began to see themselves differently.

    3. They saw the difference between the center part of their bodies.

    4. They became ashamed of their bodies which God made perfect.

B. Mentally, they put themselves on a guilt trip.

    1. They had to find something to cover their gentiles.

    2. As far as I know, there was no store to buy thread and needles.

    3. As far as I know thread and needles didn't exist yet.

   4. Fig leaves are small.

       a, It would take many fig leave sown together to make a

           covering for each of them.

       b. They had to find something in the garden to serve as thread.

       c. They had to find something in the garden to serve as a needle.

       d. They had to learn how to sew.

  5. Eating from the tree of knowledge and of Good and Evil gave

      them knowledge they didn't need before in their state of innocence.

  6. In their sinful state, Adam and Eve became creative to cover their

      sin.  

C. The concept of hiding from God was not in their previous state

     of innocence.

    1. The fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and Good and Evil awaken

         in them the need to hid from God.

     2. The knowledge in sin is never complete.

     3. Sin operates in the flesh which lead you to a state of being irrational.

     4. It is irrational to think you can hide in the trees from an all knowing

         and all seeing God.

      5. Knowledge without the Word of God is foolishness.     

GOD'S INVESTIGATION

V:9-10. " Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

10 He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."

A. Notice the judgment call from God is to Adam and not Eve.

    1. Adam was the responsible party, He was the head of Eve,

    2. 1 Corinthians 11:3:

        "Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the

          woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."

    3. We need to remember that Satan's conversation was with Eve and not the

        head of the marriage.

       a. Lucifer the Arch Angel, now called Satan had dishonored his head, God

           the creator.

       b. Satan's first objective was to get Eve to dishonor her head, Adam her husband.

       c. Satan understood that by talking to Eve, that he was in violation of God's

           covenant for marriage.

       d. Satan's objective was to destroy the marriage and the relationship with God.

B. God's call to us is not that He needs knowledge, but He wants us to show

     our knowledge and ignorance of Him.

    1. Notice sin puts the fear of God into our lives.

    2. Sin causes us to make up excuses for our actions.

        a. Adam's first excuse for hiding was his nakedness.

        b. Adam's second excuse for hiding was his fear.

    3. Notice, Adam had never hid from God before his eating the forbidden fruit.

        a. Adam's eating from the Tree of Knowledge and Good And Evil gave

            him knowledge about good and evil.

     b. God's question to Adam was for Adam to show his sin

          through conversation.

     c. All God had to do is hear Adams response to His question

         to confirm that Adam had gotten this knowledge from

         Tree of Knowledge.

     d. God's question was for Adam to verbalize his sin.

ADAM'S SIN: BLAME YOUR SIN ON SOMEONE ELSE

V:11-13, " And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from 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 from the tree, and I ate."

13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

A. The question from God to Adam require a yes or no answer.

     1. God's question did not require an explanation.

     2. Adam was quick to blame God for his sin.

     3. Adam did not take responsibility for his sin.

     4. He was quick give up his wife as the problem.

     5. Adam was quick to forget that God's command

         was given to him.

B. Eve followed Adam by blaming her disobedience on the serpent.

   1. Eve did not take responsibility for her sin.

   2. She followed the advice of Adam to cover up her sin.

   3. She did not consult with Adam before she sinned.

C. To those who are married, you have a help mate.

    1. Important decisions should be made together.

    2. The husband and his wife are not perfect.

    3. A married couple is better together imperfectly.

    4. The head of a married couple is Jesus who

         should be consulted in making a unified decision.

D. To those who are not married, you have a help mate.

    1. Your help mate is Jesus,

    2. You are the bride and Jesus is the bridegroom.

    3. Consult with Jesus through prayer before you make

         any decision.

THANK GOD FOR CHOOSING US.

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Church

5510 West Sam Houston Park Way North

Houston, Texas 77041

For more lessons, follow me on facebook and visit my

blogs: revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com