The Promised Lamb: Why Did Jesus Come? | Genesis 3:15 | J. Allen Mashburn

This may seem like a strange place from which to preach a Christmas sermon.  Yet, here in the midst of man’s greatest tragedy, is the revelation of man’s greatest hope.  

For it is in this tale of sin, judgment and death that we meet the message of the saving Gospel and the Person of the Lamb of God for the first time.

The Context.  God has made man in His image.  He created man in perfect innocence and placed him in a perfect environment.  Adam has been given dominion over the Lord’s entire creation and he has been presented with a perfect companion, a woman called Eve.  They live an idyllic existence, free from pain, disease, death and sorrow.  Every need they have is met and they enjoy unbroken, unhindered fellowship with God Himself, Gen. 2:8-9.  The only restriction they have regards one tree which is located in the Garden of Eden.  This tree is called “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”  

Adam is warned to stay away from this tree, for to eat its fruit will bring death into the world, Gen. 2:15-17.

Well, for an undefined period of time things go well in the Garden, until one day when Eve finds herself confronted by a serpent controlled by Satan.  This serpent tells her that God is holding out on her and Adam.  He tells Eve that God does not want them eating of the fruit because God knows that when they eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they will be like him.  Eve succumbs to the temptation of the devil and eats of the fruit.  

Adam also falls for the lie and eats as well.

In an instant, everything changes!  They are no longer innocent and pure, but they have become sinners; they have become fallen beings.  

Immediately, they are aware that everything has changed.  They become ashamed because of their naked condition and seek to cover themselves with fig leaves, v. 7.  In the midst of this tragedy, God comes into the Garden to fellowship with Adam and Eve.  He calls out to them because they have hidden themselves from them, v. 8.  God knows what they have done and extracts a confession from Adam, v. 10-12.  Then the blame game begins.  Adam blames Eve and God, while Eve blames the serpent, v. 12-13.  God immediately pronounces judgment upon Adam, Eve and the serpent, and God casts them out of the Garden of Eden.