By Pastor Chad
Some of the most basic human questions are: Why are we here? What is my purpose? Does this life have any meaning? As followers of Jesus Christ, we have answers to these fundamental questions.
All of creation was made for the pleasure and goodness of God. Human beings were made unique among all of God’s creation. We were made very good. We were created in the image of God. As such, we have the ability to commune with God and understand His creation in ways no other created being can. We were specially created to fellowship with and worship God. It doesn’t take an extremely intelligent person, however, to notice that something has gone terribly wrong. We don’t exactly live up to the standard for which we were created. Though we have the propensity for much good, we also have the inclination and history of much evil. It’s as if the main thing we were created to do is the one thing we seek to avoid.
We all have a desire for something that cannot be fulfilled by anything on this earth. We seek to appease this monstrous desire within our hearts with food, frivolity, sex, hobbies, games, and other avenues. But all of these lead us where we began–empty. This separation creates a vacuum in our lives. The only way this deep desire in our hearts can truly be fulfilled and satiated is through Jesus Christ. But we have substituted the life God called us to for a life of desolation. We have substituted the call God has given us for an ethic of pigs. We wallow in feces all the while thinking we are robed in luxury. Such pushes us further and further from the life we were created to live.
The first thing Adam and Eve noticed after the fall was their own nakedness (Genesis 3:7). Adam and Eve were not ashamed to be seen by one another, they were ashamed to be seen by God. They were exposed. They were embarrassed. They were appalled at their own sinfulness. In their shame and guilt, they attempted to cover their sins through human effort. They made loincloths out of fig leaves. If these fig leaves are anything like modern fig leaves, this would have caused significant skin irritation. Thus, in their attempt at covering their own shame, they only made things worse.
Though condemned to die, God did not leave Adam and Eve (and thus all of mankind) without hope. He gave them a picture of how humanity will be saved. In Genesis 3:21, we read that God made “garments of skin and clothed them.” To cover their shame and guilt, something had to die. To cover their sin, blood had to be shed. In the same way, our redemption comes because Christ died. His death covers our shame and guilt. His blood cleanses us of our sins.
The story of redemption is God’s story. It is also Adam and Eve’s story. As descendants of the first man and woman, the story of redemption is also ours. Adam’s guilt and shame is ours; however, Christ’s sacrifice and blood is ours, too–if you will have it.
Watch the full sermon here.