Jesus in the OT - Part 6

Intro:

"Nakedness is not exposed flesh but exposed intention. Was Adam any more naked after he discovered shame? Yes."

Calvin Miller

Those words captured me the first time I read them over 20 years ago. Was Adam any more naked after he discovered shame?

What happened to him is both deep and profound and it's impact rippled through history like a large rock thrown in a puddle.

But, God.

Two of my favorite words in the Scriptures. Many places (Eph. 2) we get a dose of bad news only to find God right in the middle of the mess, ready to help.

We were enslaved to our lust and desire ... but God!

We were dead in our sins ..... but God!

We were separated from God ..... but God!

We were destined for hell ..... but God!

Read:
Genesis 3:8-13

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Think:
Imagine the garden of Eden like the stage of a play.

We have all the main players:
God
Adam
Eve
Serpent
Animals

We have all the drama and lies of an enemy:
"God is holding out on you"
"If you listen to me you will have everything and more"
"I will make you powerful"
"I will make you popular"

We have the tension of temptation:
Will they give in?
Will they trust the Lord's word?
What will happen?

We have the darkness of the choice:
They take the fruit and eat it.
They discover shame.
They discover exposure.
They experience decay and death.
They are alone.

A friend of mine rightly captured this when he said, "All choices we make move us closer to the darkness or closer to the light". There is no middle ground on this.

We have the resolution:
Enter the hero from stage right! It's dark. The enemy is laughing. You made the worst decision of your life. You are exposed and fearful.

Enter the hero from stage right! Who is he? What's his name?

It is Jesus in the OT!

Here we have Jesus in the garden looking for his kids that are broken and ashamed.

He calls them by name.

He addresses the issue directly. The loss is real.

He sacrifices an animal to cover their sin and shame.

He protects them from further damage by removing them from the tree of life in the middle of the garden.

How horrible a scene. Such a fall. Such a tragedy. But God .....

Do:
What have you done that is worse than what this couple did? Nothing. There is no sin you could imagine that is stronger than His love.

We make a mess of things, don't we? But God ......

We have been rescued by a God with skin on. We've been saved by a God that dies for us. We have been pursued by a lover that wants to know us. We have been with a God that is not afraid to get into the mess we have created and lead us out.

That's Jesus in the garden. That's Jesus on the cross. That's Jesus in your home.

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