WHO TOLD YOU?
Genesis 2:25-3:11
Turn to Genesis chapter 2.
This morning, I want us consider the question God asked Adam, in Genesis 2…
(when He said) — “WHO TOLD YOU?”
**READ Genesis 2:25 – 3:11**
Vs. 25 says — “And the man and his wife were naked and NOT — ASHAMED.”
God wants us to know there is ONE-THING that I created you to never know the burden of.
The Bible says — Adam and Eve were naked and they knew NO SHAME!!
So, Satan… -wanting to take out man and woman
Decided to put on them the ONE-THING they were never created to bear the burden of; …so that they would be rendered fruitless.
Satan is always after your FRUITFULNESS!!
The enemy can’t get your soul!!
But if the enemy can heap SHAME on you, then he will render you INEFFECTIVE. I mean, Satan comes into the Garden… and asks — Did God actually say?
You see, when the enemy wants to wreck-havoc your life, he will begin by undermining the authority of the Word of God.
Did God really say that?
You see, (in Genesis 2:15) God essentially said – “I created you to never know SHAME.” BUT… If you don’t know what God says about you
Then what is going to come upon you will be a great SHAME!!
Q: WHY?
A: Because if you don’t know WHO you are / in WHOSE IMAGE you were created / and WHAT your purpose is…
Then you’re going to spend all of your life chasing the wrong thing!!
Q: How many of you struggle with SHAME? With DOUBTS and INSECURITY? We live in a world venting so much angst and pain and shame …because of the injustice of ABUSE.
The word ABUSE means: to use an object for a purpose for which it was never designed. And listen… all of us (in some way, shape or form) have been used by this world, for a purpose for which God never designed us.
And as a result – SHAME, DOUBT, and INSECURITY has come into our soul!!
People, at a fundamental, core-level… feel like – “I don’t measure up!!”
**And THE ANSWER to the question of our soul and of our shame is found only in Jesus Christ!!
You and I were created by God, for a relationship with God.
And it’s Jesus that connects us to our creator.
Let me tell you something very important — “You were created in the image of God!!” Gen 1:26
Maybe when you were going to school and university, you had a teacher or professor say to you, THAT: Billions of years ago two nothings came together, and went bang… amoeba… tadpole… ape… human.
All I can say is — You need a lot of faith to believe in the religion of macro-evolution!!
An entire generation has been raised to believe THAT:
-They came from nothing
-They live for no reason
-They are going nowhere
…because they mean NOTHING!!
So, WHY are we surprised when people begin to live like they came from nothing?
But I’ve got some GOOD-NEWS for you today… ☺
**You didn’t come from nothing!!
**You were created in the image and in the likeness of the Almighty God!!
**You are filled with God given destiny… purpose… plan and a calling!!
Genesis 1:26 says, that — “In the image of God, He created them male and female.” IE: We are born with a God-given gender and identity.
-You are LOVED… VALUABLE… SPECIAL… MINE
The enemy will come into your life, and whisper — “Did God really say?”
**We have to know what God said…
TURN-DOWN the voice of the world …and TURN-UP the voice of God!!
A few years ago, the New York Times did an op-ed piece… and in it, they called us: – “THE SHAMING CULTURE”
And God says — I actually created you NOT to know what shame is.
In fact, God even set-up a method of HOW you talk to one another
But we have to KNOW what God has said, and we have to TRUST that what God has said is true!!
Because in verse 3, after Satan questions God’s word — (“did God really say?”) Eve responds by saying — “God did say”.
Which should remind us that:
-We could be in church every week // We could memorize Scripture
—BUT it will be of no effect if we don’t DO it!!
The Bible tells us that — Faith without works is… DEAD!!
Sadly, there’s too many Christians with an ineffective, fruitless, and dead faith… because they’re not putting their faith to work by obedience.
IE: God is not trying to RESTRICT you, rather God is trying to LAUNCH you into your destiny, into your purpose, and into blessing!!
As a result, there is nothing greater, wiser, or better than obeying God!!
And so, in verse 3, Eve goes – But God said … but then Satan said – “Nah”.
**Don’t dialogue with the devil!!
Eve lingered there… (and in Vs. 5 Satan said) – “The reason God said ‘don’t eat’ is because God knows you’re going to be like him.”
Eve had FORGOTTEN that she was already like God // already created in the image of God.
When you FORGET in whose image you were created…
You will end up doing things CONTRARY to God.
You will end up doing things CONTRARY to your identity in God.
**But when you know WHO you already are, you can stand up to the enemy and go: – “I know who I am… I’m a son / I am a daughter of the king.”
“And so, I’m going to OBEY the word of God!!”
But that’s NOT what Adam and Eve did.
Instead, -they exchanged the truth of God for a lie…. And then, they were filled with SHAME!!
Q: Do you know what the difference between SHAME and GUILT is?
–GUILT says — I did something wrong… we should run is TO God.
-But SHAME says – “You are wrong and too far gone.” -So, it makes you run away FROM God.
Q: Do you know why Scripture says that – “God’s mercies are NEW every morning”? A: Because we need God’s mercy every morning!!
Listen, CONFESSION and REPENTNACE is NOT a legalistic / burdensome thing;
Rather, it is a gift … — He is faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Church, there is no better feeling… than the feeling of freedom, of forgiveness, and of cleansing.
But Adam and Eve ran FROM God.
In verse 8 — The Lord walks into the garden…
IE: This was their daily routine; (to walk in the garden together).
But this time, God walks into the garden, and God asks this sobering question — “WHERE ARE YOU?”
Some of you are listening to this today…
…you think your identity is found in your sin, your folly, and your mistake.
And as a result, you’ve been HIDING from God… maybe you’ve even been hiding in plain sight: TRYING to run from reality
**And God is saying – “WHERE ARE YOU?”
When we mess up or something has happened to us… the enemy will try to heap SHAME, DOUBT, INSECURITY, and a FALSE-IDENTITY on you; so that you will RUN and HIDE.
But this is the time to run TO God, not FROM God!!
In the first conversation between God and man, Adam said – I was naked and afraid … so I HID. And maybe that’s been your experience; when you talk to God, -it’s full of fear….
For some of you, it was a major struggle just to get to church today… because you’ve been HIDING from God in your heart.
But I believe (by the grace of God) -You’re going to know the love… forgiveness… mercy…grace of God.
The three questions in this passage that are as pertinent today (in 2024) as they have ever been. 1. Satan asked — “Did God really say?”
- God asked — “Where are you? Where did you go?”
- God asking Adam — “WHO TOLD YOU?”
IE: God was asking… – “At what point did you believe THE LIE of the enemy?”
“When did you elevate someone’s voice above my voice?”
“At what point did you believe that you’re too far from grace?”
WHO TOLD YOU?
Many of us are living far beneath what God has for us… because we’ve ELEVATED the voice of the world, social media, a teacher / a mentor / a professor, a friend, a parent… ABOVE the voice of God!!
That’s why – “Who told you?” … is a critical question, first asked by God Himself. IE: At what point in your life did you believe the lie that crippled you / and paralyzed you / and kept you so far beneath the will of God for your life?
“Who told you?”
(Illustration)
The most important thing you can know
**It’s what does your FATHER say.
– “You are a son (or a daughter) of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!!” – “you can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives you strength!!” (Phil 4:13) – you are Called!! Chosen!! And Redeemed!!”
You are loved!! That you His child, created in His image!!” (Gen 1:27)
There is no condemnation and no shame …for those that are in Christ Jesus!!” (Rom 8:1)
IE: The greatest thing you will ever know on this side of eternity is WHO you are in Him!! And WHAT God says about you and to you!!
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