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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/scott-macleod/creation/
Thank you very much for moving into the center. We do appreciate that very much. For those that might have just arrived or unaware of what's happening. There's been a change. We are moving from ministry to the preaching of the gospel message.
We'll go on from four to five and brother Murray McCandless will follow me and close the meeting. Now before we read from the Word of God, let's bow our heads and we'll speak to God in heaven. Our gracious God we praise you once again for thy son the Lord Jesus and for his death on the cross for our sins.
It's a wonderful thing to have the living Word of God before us. We thank you for the value of it. We thank you that long after time is gone and long after the universe is gone. We thank you for the living Word of God.
Thank you that abideth forever. It will never change. We thank you that we can look into its covers find out exactly how we are in this world. How we are born naturally into this world as sinners and we can find out what thou has done in Sending the Lord Jesus into this world to die for our sins.
And we thank you for the precious blood of the Lord Jesus that cleanses from all sin. We thank thee and praise you for the resurrection of thy son from the dead and his ascension into heaven and we thank you for this opportunity to be able to direct sinners to the Word of God and The gift of thy salvation.
We would pray especially for this young man that we've just heard about in our hearing. Doug Thou know us all of the situation and we leave him with thee tenderly and ask that thou will give help in the Savior's name.
Amen. Now let's turn in our Bibles. Please to Genesis chapter 2, please. The book of Genesis chapter 2 the very first book in our Bibles and I'm just going to try to abbreviate my readings here. I want to try to bring before you in your mind.
Anyway, I maybe maybe many people can remember this from Sunday school. But a little bit about creation story and then there's some things I'd like to bring out from it. So we're going to start in Genesis chapter 2.
We know from chapter 1 that God has spent a number of days Creating the physical world the universe the stars the water light and there's a whole number of things. That's beautiful, but we come into chapter 2.
Let's look at verse number 7 now. This is going to be events that happen on day number 6 so here's what we have verse number 7 of Genesis 2 and the Lord God formed man of the Dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.
So I want to stop there for a minute there you've got this perfect man. Standing in this tremendous environment that God has created. He had no complaints. Everything was just beautiful to his eyes. We can take time if we could but we're not going to in Genesis chapter 1 God could say very good.
Everything was perfect. Now. Here's what the man sees. After he's been created look at verse 8 and the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had formed and Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree.
So now Adam is seeing this every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food the tree of life also in the midst of the garden and the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil now come down to verse number 15 and the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden and of Eden to dress it and to keep it and The Lord God commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden Thou mayest freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil Thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest are of thou shalt surely die.
Now notice verse 18 the man heard this and God said it is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him Help meet for him. Once again verse 19 Adam is watching all of this and out of the garden the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air.
It's just trying to imagine that all of the beasts and all of the fowls. I was thinking as I was sitting there earlier this afternoon people that develop airplanes. They just study the wings of those birds in the heavens.
They're still marveling at the engineering perfection. That's in them. It's amazing. So here's Adam he's seeing all of this coming from the hand of God look at verse number end of verse number 19 and Brought them on to Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name thereof and Adam gave names to all cattle and the fowls of the air and So on verse 21 and the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam he goes to sleep and he slept and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof and The rib which the Lord God had taken from the man made he a woman.
Now Adam is awake and brought her on to the man. What a lovely lovely picture. And Adam said this is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.
Now we come into chapter 3 verse 1 now the serpent that is a Snake that is now being used by the devil and the serpent was more subtle than a beast of the field which the Lord God had Made. And he said unto the woman Yea half God said he shall not eat of every tree of the garden.
And the woman said unto the serpent We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God has said you shall not eat of it. Neither shall you touch it lest you die.
And the serpent said unto the woman you shall not surely die now just first time verse 6 and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and That it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and Gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat and the eyes of them Both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves Aprons, that's the idea of a small girdle an apron.
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves From the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. They never did that before verse 9 and the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou?
And he said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid Because I was naked and I hid myself. And he said who told thee that thou was naked. Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat.
And the man said the woman whom thou gave is To be with me. She gave me of the tree and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman What is this that thou has done. And the woman said the serpent beguiled or tricked me and I did eat.
Now come down to verse number 20. And Adam called his wife's name eve because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife. Did the Lord God make coats? Not aprons. Coats of skins.
And clothed them. That's all we're going to read and we'll look to the Lord to bless the Public reading and the thoughts that we'll take from it. What I want to do for you today is I want to try to contrast a man Standing on this earth in a garden at the end of chapter 2 of genesis.
And I want to contrast that with the same man standing in the end of genesis chapter 3. They are completely two different men, they're the same man, but they're thinking the different a different way.
There is going to be an appreciation That adam will have of god at the end of chapter 2. But when we come into chapter 3, he's now going to have a completely different appreciation Of just who god is and right in between genesis chapter 2 and genesis chapter 3 is the awful scourge of sin.
Now what I tried to emphasize in the first part of my reading is this. Here is adam and I want to sort of speed it up just a little bit. I want to bring you to day number six. Here's adam being freshly taken from the ground.
And I just sort of want to think for a moment as he stood upon a perfect world a perfect earth. And he started to look around at all of these things that god had made. And it must have been beautiful it was unaffected by sin.
The word of god tells us that as a result of sin that sun doesn't shine as bright. That moon and those stars do not shine as bright as when god made them without sin. They were in they were perfect. And here is adam looking at all of this.
Material all of it as it came from god and then as he stands there. It's almost like god is going to say but this is not good enough for you adam. Watch while I make you a garden. Uh almost a condensed miniature of all of this power and might a wonderful paradise a garden just for you.
And adam stands back and he watches. As the same god that provided all of this Provides this wonderful little section of the earth so privileged with all of these Different trees bearing fruit and all these things that were god just didn't give him one apple tree.
He gave him bananas and pineapples and all of this variety. And I can almost see adam as he's as he's entering into that garden. And he's looking around at all of these things that have come from the hand of god.
You know what is in being impressed upon his mind all of this for me. It's perfect. God is doing all of this for me. God is providing 100 for me and it's perfect. And then he listens and he hears god say.
It's not good for man to be alone. And then he's put to sleep. And then he wakes up. And before him comes this perfect Mate a woman. And god just introduces him. There you go. There's your wife. I can just see adam once again, just like for me.
This is all for me. Can you understand that at the end of genesis chapter 2? Here's this man fresh from the hand of god and he understands this. I am at the center of all god's provision. Everything is circling around me.
Everything is for my growth for my promotion. It's all for my good. That's the appreciation that adam had of god at the end of chapter 2. Do you know what happened. Sin came into the world. Now he's afraid of god.
You know what surprises me? Here is a man that has witnessed The creation of god being formed. He witnessed animals taken right out of the dust and made to live. He witnessed birds all the different varieties That fly in the heavens.
He witnessed it just all coming from the very hand of god. Now when he's in trouble, he's affected by sin. Why doesn't he turn to that god for help? The only thing that god has done up until that point is done everything for him.
Everything was for his benefit for his blessing. Why didn't adam? With the woman standing next to him when all of a sudden sin they disobeyed what god said not to do. Why didn't he look at eve his wife and say?
Let's call it for god to help us. I know he can help us. Because I have witnessed what he's able to do he's able to provide. Why didn't he do it? Friend, let me ask you a question today if you're here not saved.
If you're still in your sins. Maybe you don't want to face it. You are presently on a road that is taking you to an awful place called hell. How come you're not calling it to god for help? Why are you afraid of god?
Adam had no reason to be afraid of god. There was no reason there wasn't one instance. He could reflect back upon that would cause him to be afraid of god. There was everything that he had seen that would cause him to go to god.
You see friend that's what sin does to us it warps. Our understanding of who god is. Do you want to know friend where your salvation lies? It doesn't lie in yourself. That's going to be so illustrated here because the first time it's it's nice to contrast.
But as you go through genesis one and two you're going to find it this this hebrew word made made made and god made and god made and god made. You know what? You're going to find out the first time it's used with man Adam.
He's making something that he didn't consult god for. And you know what it is. It's just a little girdle. See once he committed sin. Once she committed sin once they understood they disobeyed god. They became sinners.
They were naked before god. And as a result of that consciousness of openness to god, you know what they figured out our sin has caused nakedness. All we need to cover ourselves is a little apron. See he didn't fully understand how terrible his sin was.
He thought without consulting with god our sin is just this big. Therefore i'll make a covering for us out of fig leaves. That's this big. Listen you notice that when god made a covering. It was a whole coat right from top to bottom.
See friend you and I in this world in 2011 and isa as I look at you and you look at me we have lost. How holy god is. We are here Affected by sin our minds are darkened by sin and we're looking at sin in our own life.
And we honestly look up at god and say well I don't think it's all that bad god. Really what I have done. Really I think the word of god is pretty hard to say that I will die in my sins to go to hell forever.
I just don't think my sin is that serious. You want to know how serious sin was here. God killed an animal while they watched you say. All they did was take a bite of fruit. And no, that's not all they did they sinned against a holy god.
God said don't take it. And what god said not to take she looked at and it was actually appealing to her. There was actually a drawing to it. It's going to make me wise. No, it's going to turn you into a sinner.
It's good for food. It's going to damn your soul in hell. Friend that's the power that the devil has today. As you sit in your sin and as you misunderstand how terrible your sin is sin leads to more sin.
Ultimately, it will land you in a place called hell. Now am I speaking to anyone today and maybe you fit? Adam and genesis, too. I meet them all the time. You mentioned to them. We're having meetings would like to come out.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, they say listen. I I acknowledge god as the creator. I'm, not a heathen. I I bow my head and I give thanks for my food and I do read the bible. I appreciate god. But have you ever appreciated the god of genesis chapter 3.
Adam is now no longer hiding. Adam is no longer afraid of god. Do you know why. Because that has been taken away. And now. Contrasting to genesis 2 in genesis 3. Here's a man now that has watched in amazement.
As god has killed an animal and skinned that animal and made a coat. And god has now provided for adam. Really? He should have died not the animal. Do you know what adam appreciated of god at the end of chapter 3?
That god loves me. Is That god has not just provided for my physical needs but for my spiritual needs. See friend if you're in this meeting today. You might and I thank god for every single person that acknowledges.
God is god wonderful. I love to meet people that just take the god of the bible, but you know, really what happened to adam. It's what the bible calls the new birth. It's called being born again. It's called being saved.
It's called being redeemed. It's caused it's called being delivered from where his sins would have taken him. Listen to what god said the day they eat. You're gonna die. Did adam die. He should have he should have friend you and I do not deserve anything from god but judgment.
That's what we deserve naturally as we come into this world. We are born with a wicked heart. That's against god. God is not in all of our thoughts. And we deserve to go to hell because of our sin. But you know what?
I love about the book of genesis that we see all the way through the bible and I see it right up till now to 2011. God is the one who moved first. Here is adam. He's sinned and he tries to cover and he runs into the woods.
And and as long as god stayed in heaven adam would still be in the woods. Isn't I tell you look. I love preaching the gospel. I love being able to look at you and to tell you that god is trying to find you.
God is actually calling and he's trying to say come out of the woods. Come out and face me. And as long as adam stayed in the woods, he would not admit to his sin. Am I speaking to someone here today?
Are you tired of hiding from god. Are you tired of being afraid of god. Does the thought of Life after death scare you, you know, there's one thing that i've been appreciating recently. Without the bible, okay I don't even need the bible.
I I could talk to somebody who is i'm going to say they're an atheist. All right. They don't even believe in god. Do you know what I know from this bible that they have a consciousness of Life after death.
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 tells me that as I look at you and you look at me, do you know what is built right into the human makeup? Eternity. There's something after life. Don't even need the bible. You only have to be a reader of the bible to understand that i'll tell you another thing.
I know. From the book of romans built into humanity is this a consciousness of right and wrong a moral law. You could be an atheist stand on a platform and just deny the god of heaven and built into that consciousness.
Right and wrong. Judgment for what is wrong? Listen friend. I want to be faithful to you and tender at the same time. You are in a very serious situation in your sin. You have broken the laws of god. And as a result Death is the sentence.
That's solemn. That's why I don't take this lightly when I get up here. That's why this is no place for jokes and storytelling. Because we are looking at people that could possibly be hearing the message for the last time.
And all of the weakness of a preacher. It's a tremendous. It's tremendous to think that god is calling. And you know what? I'd love for today to happen. I would love for someone in the meeting to be like adam.
I heard thy voice. And I was afraid. What a wonderful thing it would be if right in that seat you were so afraid of eating god in your sins. You couldn't get out of it. Boy, that'd be wonderful If you could just get a hold of this as long as you stay at this level and listen to religious people and all of the Nonsense of mankind you'll never hear the voice of god, but you get into the bible.
You know what you'll hear. You'll hear god's voice. Do you know what I find amazing about the story as long as god's voice wasn't heard they thought they were covered. They thought they were okay. Isn't it interesting after they heard the voice of god and responded, you know what adam said.
I was naked. Not just a minute adam. I I thought you made a nice little girl there. I thought you were covered. Friend listen, the only thing that can cover you before god is what god has provided himself.
It's nothing that you can do. Absolutely nothing. We are the ones that can only produce sin. And isn't it wonderful that god is the only one who can produce the answer for those sins? I look at the contrast of these two garments and here's adam and his and the wife making these coats.
You know what? They never consult god once. Never once. And they're putting the whole thing together. Isn't it wonderful in chapter three that here is god? Making a coat and you know, what's wonderful.
God's not turning to adam saying do you think this is okay adam? Do you think this will do adam? No. Do you know what? I'm so thankful of dear friend. This animal here in genesis 3 that was killed and its coat was taken.
It's only a small picture of jesus christ who came from heaven. I wasn't consulted when the lord jesus was brought into this world to answer for my sin. God didn't come to me or to humanity and say what do you think of this idea?
I'm going to send my son to die on the cross for your sin. God did not have to consult with humanity. God is the only one friend that can measure the full extent of your sin. Not you. You therefore god knowing the full extent of your sin.
Only god is able to provide the answer for that sin. See friend, that's why the preaching of jesus christ is so important. That's why salvation is not found in these little stories. Salvation is found in god's son jesus christ.
Friend, do you know him? I I I discovered jesus christ 21 years ago. I understood that my sin was so terrible. It took the actual death. Of jesus christ. It wasn't enough that he just shed some blood.
Understand that every time in the new testament when you had the idea of the blood of jesus being brought before you. It's not the idea of the amount of blood. It's pointing us to his death. You know what I like to think about.
Historians and archaeologists and all those people. They're really not too sure. Where the cross was on this earth? Oh, they have two possible locations. There is an eye in heaven at this moment. And he can look down upon this earth right to the very millimeter.
And he can see where the blood of his son is staying this earth. You know what? That's enough to take me to heaven friend. Why sit there in your sin? Why be like adam and hide in the woods? I don't know how long he hid in the woods.
I I know from the hebrew grammar that god was calling adam. Where are you adam? Where are you adam? Where are you? I don't know how long he hid in that woods and almost an embarrassment. Should I respond?
Should I go out and face him? Let me give you a very warning very solemn warning friend as I sit down. You die in your sins you sit in time and you refuse to listen to god's voice. Everybody that dies in their sins, they're conscious that god is speaking to them at one point.
You lay in this dirt your body your soul and your spirit will be in hell. Do you know what the book of john tells me the gospel of john? God will stand one day and he will call. And that soul and spirit of yours out of hell will come.
And it will be united with your body. And you will stand complete before a judge, you know, you know really what the gospel is. Come out of the woods. Stop hiding from god. Come out. And face god the ones you've sinned against.
You know what? This might help some some people spend so much time trying to figure out. I can't seem to understand that jesus died for me. Listen. God did not show adam and the woman the sacrifice until after they admitted they sinned.
That's called repentance. Am I speaking to someone here today? And maybe you've got just a little fudged up story with a few little tears. You really don't have god's coat on. You still got your old apron on.
Covering very little. You know what? I was thinking this afternoon as I was thinking about the meeting at this moment. If you and this audience cannot go back to a point in your life when you were afraid of god.
You're not on the road to heaven. If you can't go back to a moment, i'm not talking about an exact time on the clock. I'm talking about a time in your life when you heard god's voice. And you were conscious of it.
And you came out of hiding. And you just admit it to god i've sinned. You'll never see the golden shores of heaven friend never. Please as I end. Admit your sin friend. Respond to the one who's calling you god almighty.
And just allow him to show you who jesus died for.