9/28/25 “Adam & Eve”
“Adam & Eve”
Genesis 2:18 – 3:24
Today we begin a new sermon series.
We are about to embark upon an adventure that will take us to a place where few pulpits dare to tread.
A place so complicated and full of danger that only the bravest of congregations make it through a series such as this.
This will be the upcoming voyage of Lavalle Advent Christian Church…
…Our eight-week mission…to explore biblical relationships…to seek out new truth…to boldly go where few pastors have gone before…(And probably for good reason 😊)
We are going to dive into a universe of mystery – where we will encounter worlds filled with intrigue, frustration, happiness, pain, elation, anger, joy, and every other emotion you can imagine….and probably some you can’t imagine.
That’s right, folks….we will be flying at warp speed into the subject of: MARRIAGE!
Now, before we embark on this matrimonious Enterprise, I want to address those of you here this morning who are single….
maybe you are widowed….maybe you are divorced….maybe you haven’t met that special someone yet….maybe you have met that special someone, but you haven’t made the decision to tie the knot yet…
Don’t be phased or stunned, this sermon series is for you as well, ok?
Even though we’ll be looking at a different couple from scripture each week, the biblical concepts and truth that we will be learning from their relationships will apply to everyone – regardless of if you are married or single.
In fact – those of you who are single may actually benefit more from this series than married individuals will….
You will be able to preemptively look for – and hopefully avoid - some of the relational pitfalls that some of these marriages from the Bible fell into…
…especially if you are looking to ever change your ‘single’ status to that of ‘married’ someday…
But even if you are perfectly content with being single, and you have no plans of getting married – or remarrying – the relational concepts that we will learn from these couples in the bible will help you to successfully navigate those ongoing relationships that you currently have with friends, family, co-workers, fellow-believers….even strangers you meet on the street.
So – no matter what your marital status – I guarantee you will get something out of these upcoming messages.
Ok, so here we go. Marriage.
It’s a word that conjures up many ideas, emotions, and preconceptions.
Here’s a few thoughts about marriage you may (or may not) have heard before:
Mignon McLaughlin said: “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”
Andre Maurois said: “A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.”
Ruth Bell Graham wrote: “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.”
Tom Mullen wrote: “Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry.”
Ann Landers said: “Sensual pleasures have the fleeting brilliance of a comet; a happy marriage has the tranquility of a lovely sunset.”
Agatha Christie said: “An archaeologist is the best husband a wife can have. The older she gets, the more interested he is in her.”
Socrates once said: “By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.”
Rita Rudner wrote: “I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.”
Mae West said: “Marriage is a fine institution, but I’m not ready for an institution.”
An unknown author wrote: “A good marriage is one where each partner secretly suspects they got the better deal.”
George Eliot wrote: “What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel they are joined for life – to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?”
…and perhaps my favorite quote of all about what marriage should be is from Timothy Keller: “To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.”
Turning to our passage of scripture for today, if we’re gonna have a sermon series looking at married couples, what better place to start than at the very beginning, right?
Adam and Eve provide for us a unique look at how God originally intended marriage to be…
…but then how sin twisted a perfectly harmonious union, into one that would become decayed and deformed with strife, envy, frustration, and selfishness.
Let’s begin by looking at verse 18 (Genesis 2:18) in Genesis chapter 2: “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”
The wording here emphasizes the idea that the man, Adam, needed a direct counterpart….a companion…a helper…an equal.
He was incomplete by himself without someone to complement him in fulfilling the task of having dominion over the things of the earth.
Verses 21 through 23 go on to describe how God formed the woman from the rib…or – actually - to be more accurate to the original language…it was from the ‘side’ of the man….
Many – of course - in the modern scientific community have traditionally clung to the embattled theory of Darwinian evolution in the attempt to explain man’s origins…while scoffing at the idea of an all-powerful God who created the first man and woman…
However, modern findings – such as the recent revelation that all human beings can now trace their genetic ancestry back to one woman who lived far more recently than previously thought –
….these new discoveries continue to steadily pull the pendulum of naturalistic science back to a paradigm that now must recognize intelligent design as a valid explanation of man’s origins.
This miraculous formation of the woman from the man leads us into the next verse (verse 24) ….this verse is a basic instruction for people of every generation to follow when it comes to the marital union.
Genesis 2:24 states: “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
This is a simple – but profound – verse
First of all, it provides the unmistakable truth that legitimate marriage is between one man and one woman…anything other than this matrimonial framework simply does not constitute a biblical form of marriage.
…it also teaches us that when someone enters into a marital covenant, their priorities need to shift.
Each individual who marries must leave...then cleave.
…they are to leave their parents….and cleave to their spouse.
In other words, your spouse now comes first.
They come first before your parents…your children…your best friend (Unless, of course, your spouse is your best friend – which is the ideal scenario, right?)
Guys, when you have a free day and your buddies want you to come with them for an all-day fishing trip…but your wife really wants you to go shopping with her for pumpkin spice candles…you do know what to do, right?
Ladies, when your mom (or daughter) wants you to go shopping with her for pumpkin spice candles, but your husband really wants you to go riding with him in the side-by-side….you do know what to do, right?
Yeah – you know what – you may have to sacrifice what you wanted to do that day….you may not enjoy everything your spouse enjoys….
but your spouse knows that…and the effort that you put forth in sacrificing your own desires and wants for your spouse’s happiness – that deposit will pay enormous dividends in preserving peace & joy in your marriage.
…and if both husband and wife continually sacrifice for each other…what a beautiful melody of marital harmony that will produce!
I remember spending every growing season on my grandparent’s farm…and the only time I remember my grandparent’s arguing – the only disagreements I ever heard them have were when one of them was trying to persuade the other one to do what the other one wanted to do!
In other words, it would become a battle of who would submit the most to the other person….talk about counter-cultural comedy!...
It was an absolute hoot listening to them playfully lobby for the interests of the other person before those of their own.
I learned a lot about marriage from both sets of my grandparents who were both married for many decades…
And for those of you who are single – this concept of submission to the desires of others isn’t just for the married crowd…
If you want to experience more joy in your relationships with others…make it your heart’s desire to reflect the love of Jesus to others in a selfless manner – and watch how God will use those relationships for His glory….
…and to make you a more joyful person in the process.
It really is counterintuitive…but the more we intentionally partake in selfless submission to others, the more joy we will experience in life.
There’s a reason why the apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:21 to “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
In any relationship, always have the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross in view…continually keep in mind that he engaged in the ultimate self-less act for your benefit…
…therefore, we ought to imitate the actions of our savior…beginning with our spouses…and working out from there.
Chapter 3 of Genesis also contains the event that everyone immediately thinks of when they hear the names Adam and Eve.
(Unless your granddaughter’s name is Eve, then you think of her! 😊)
The marital union of Adam and Eve is – and always will be – known for disobedience and sin….isn’t that sad.
I mean, think of the many good decisions that these two individuals made throughout their – very long - lives…
(Adam lived 930 years, after all)
…but he will forever be remembered for an act of disobedience.
…and – as we all know – that act of disobedience…immediately precipitated by his wife’s act of disobedience – plunged all their ancestors….including you and me…into a sinful state of depravity.
The moment we were conceived, each one of us took on a sin nature that set us on a trajectory of willful disobedience to the moral law of a holy and righteous God.
This is why we all desperately need a savior….this is why we all desperately need Jesus.
Paul says in Romans 8:7-8 “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”
It is only through accepting the offer of salvation through the name of Jesus Christ that are we able to escape a destiny of eternal damnation…and receive eternal life in Him.
Something that gets asked a lot concerning the fall of man here in chapter 3 has to do with the serpent.
What did he look like?
Was he a beautiful creature?....an ugly creature?....a snake with legs?....did he resemble a personal injury lawyer? (One bite, that’s right!) ….Not sure.
Honestly, we don’t know much about the pre-diluvian (pre-flood) world – especially that of the Garden of Eden.
What we do know is that it was a world that was very different than what we see around us today – a world that has become deformed and anemic through the effects of sin.
The world before sin had no death, no disease, no weeds, no pain, no frustration….no personal injury lawyers!
We really don’t know what the serpent looked like – but definitely not like the hideous creature we see in so many works of art that attempt to put this chapter into an artistic rendering of some kind…
Personally…my guess is that the serpent was most likely a beautiful, charismatic creature….
Not charismatic like Creflo Dollar charismatic….Charismatic, as in he was most likely alluring….enchanting….educated…perhaps a bit - mysterious.
Humanity has always been intrigued by mystery…haven’t we?
However the serpent appeared, we know that he was a manifestation of Satan himself.
Verse 1 (Genesis 3:1) of chapter three tells us that he was crafty…maybe your translation uses the terms ‘cunning’ or ‘clever’
…and the fact that Eve was not afraid of a talking serpent really drives home the point of how little we really know about the world before the fall….
…and what the world will be like after Jesus returns and restores things to their original, sin-less condition….
But that’s another sermon for another time.
As you all know, Eve falls victim to the serpent’s clever manipulation and deception…then, Adam – who, according to verse 6 (Genesis 3:6) was there with her the entire time….ate of the fruit as well.
It was at this time that sin first entered the world….and set in motion the need for a savior – a perfect, sinless, unblemished sacrifice for the sins of man.
We are introduced to that savior in verse 15
While God is announcing judgement upon the serpent, the woman, and the man – a glimmer of hope breaks through the black clouds of hopelessness and despair.
Verse 15 (Genesis 3:15) is called the Proto-Evangelium….it’s actually the first prophetic reference in the bible to the savior, the coming messiah, Jesus Christ.
Did you ever think about that?....Not only is Jesus mentioned in the Old Testament…but he’s mentioned all the way back in the 3rd chapter of the first book of the Bible…
…this entire book truly is all about Jesus Christ – and the mission to redeem his lost creation
This verse describes how the serpent (Satan) will bruise the heal of the woman’s offspring (A reference to Christ)….this is describing the pain and agony of the crucifixion…
…And it also prophecies how Jesus will have the final victory over Satan… this is what is meant by the words “He will crush your head”
In other words, that day in the garden….Satan was informed of his eternal fate
this was the day Satan’s death certificate was signed…
Today, we are simply living in the twilight of his existence.
Satan is a defeated foe, but he continues to fight…he continues manipulate and deceive….
…and looking at the world around us…his tactics continue to be very effective
That’s why its so important for us to stay in the Word…to remain committed to prayer…and to immerse ourselves in a body of believers for direction, accountability, and encouragement.
After Adam and Eve sinned, we are told that they became aware of evil…
Prior to their disobedience, all they knew was righteousness, goodness, and holiness.
Now – they inherited a new nature. A sinful nature. A toxic nature.
They felt guilt. They felt shame.
Now, the immortality they enjoyed by way of the tree of life in the garden would no longer be available to them….they were now mortal.
The clock of their physical lives began to move foreward…tick, tock, tick, tock
They would now eventually die….their bodies would wear out.
Physically - From dust they were formed – and to dust they would return.
Spiritually – They would also experience an eternity of punishment for their sins….had it not been for the words of hope in verse 15!
The amazing thing about the atonement of Jesus is that the effectiveness of his blood flowed back in time – just as it flows forward in time.
Just as faith in what Jesus did in the past saves us today, faith in God’s plan of a redemption through a future deliverer is what saved people of the Old Testament.
In both testaments – Humble faith is the key to eternal life.
Finally, we are told how Adam and Eve are banished from the garden forever.
On the surface, this seems like a horrible ending, right?
But – let’s look at it another way.
What if – after Adam & Eve sinned – God allowed them to continue eating from the tree of life….to be stuck in an immortality of sin, despair, and depravity.
Folks, that sounds a bit like…well, it sounds like hell to me.
I see God’s gracious hand in play here as he assigns the great angelic cherub to guard the garden with a flaming sword (Which, by the way, I’ve always envisioned as a green light saber! 😊)….some of you might remember that reference.
I see it as an act of God’s mercy to allow Adam and Eve – and all their descendants – to physically die – but be risen into an immortality of perfection….not one of depravity, sin, and despair.
This is why it’s so self-defeating for some people today who are trying to upload their consciences to the internet in some attempt to reach immortality in the here and now…how awful an existence that would be!
…not to mention, pure science fiction as well.
So, in closing, what can we take away from Adam & Eve’s marriage?
What did they do well?....What didn’t they do well?
Obviously, this couple is known for making a horrible decision…the worst decision ever made by a pair of human beings.
But they also exhibited positive qualities as well.
They seemed to truly have the best in view for one another….except – of coursed - for when Adam tries to throw Eve under the bus in verse 12 of chapter 3 (Genesis 3:12)
….God confronts Adam about his disobedience and he says to God “The woman YOU put here with me….” She caused me to sin.
Adam, however, was the man of the house, it was his job to make sure that his wife remained pure and undefiled.
At the end of the day, Adam was as much to blame for the fall of man as Eve was.
Eve traditionally receives the most scorn because she was first to be deceived….but let’s not forget that Adam disobeyed as well.
But – as far as we can tell – they loved each other.
They sacrificed for each other.
They accepted God’s judgement together.
They multiplied and had numerous children together.
They stayed together – they died as husband and wife.
So – even though Adam and Eve may not receive an A+ on their marital report card, they exhibited a certain amount of resilience in the face of experiencing a change of nature that no one else in human history ever experienced.
Let’s give them some grace…knowing that you and I would most likely have not done any better.
Let’s instill some of these attributes of devotion and resilience into our own relationships – and see how God blesses those choices in our lives….and in our marriages……
Let’s Pray.