Welcome to the first part of our sermon series, “Eat This Book: It’s Love At First Bite.” This message explores the intriguing narrative of Genesis 3, where we encounter the first mention of the serpent’s deception and the significant concept of the ‘Law of First Mention’ in the Bible. We delve into the original sin, the serpent’s cunning, and the profound consequences of disobedience and manipulation of God’s Word. Furthermore, we reflect on the foundational elements of love and worship as introduced in the Scriptures. Join us as we uncover the depth of these first mentions and their impact on our understanding of God’s love, truth, and the essence of worship.
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Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which
the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You
shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
Genesis 3:2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees
of the garden;
Genesis 3:3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said,
‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
Genesis 3:4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
Rule #13: Recognize the Law of First Mention in the Bible which means that the
first time an idea or word is introduced in the Bible is important.
You can’t really understand what is going on now, unless you understand what
went on before.
I. THE FIRST MENTION OF THE DEVIL IN SCRIPTURE.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which
the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You
shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
Revelation 12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with
the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
Revelation 12:8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven
any longer.
Revelation 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the
Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his
angels were cast out with him.
II. THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF A LIE IN SCRIPTURE.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field …”
Genesis 3:1 (WoS) Now the snake was the top of the animal cunning league,
undisputed king of sly among all God’s creative work. ”
Genesis 3:1 “… And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat
of every tree of the garden’?”
Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the
garden you may freely eat.
Genesis 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for
in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Genesis 3:4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
F. LaGard Smith (quote)
“When I was young , my father came home one night to relate a bizarre experience
Over several weeks he had studied the Bible with a man in our town who had
shown interest in learning more about Christianity. With patience Dad had
carefully gone over a variety of doctrinal beliefs and shown the man biblical
passages which gave rise to those beliefs.
Dad went back to visit the man, not sure of what his reception would be.
The man was surprisingly friendly, but said that there was no need to discuss
any further the same doctrine they had discussed the week before. Dad asked
if the man now understood that the teaching was biblical, but the man said,
‘No, those passages aren’t in my Bible.’
Curious, Dad asked if he meant that they were there, but that he simply had
a different understanding of them. Again the man replied, ‘No, they’re not in
my Bible.’
Perhaps the man just couldn’t locate the right passage. Dad thought. Dad took
the man’s Bible to open it to the proper passage. What Dad saw, much to his
amazement, was that the passage was in fact not there. The man had taken
a pair of scissors and literally cut it out of his Bible.”
“The Jefferson Bible”.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41n8sKuqEuL.jpg
Deuteronomy 4:2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take
from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I
command you.
The devil uses addition, subtraction, and rejection.
Genesis 3:5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit
and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to
do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,
for he is a liar and the father of it.
III. THE FIRST MENTION OF LOVE IN THE BIBLE.
Genesis 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham,
and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Genesis 22:2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you
love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of
the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
Matthew 10:37 “…. He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
A bell’s not a bell ’til you ring it
A song’s not a song ’til you sing it
Love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay
Love isn’t love until you give it away
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Rule #5 All of the Bible is about Jesus.
Johm 5:46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.
IV. THE FIRST MENTION OF WORSHIP IN THE BIBLE.
Genesis 22:5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy
and I will go over there and worship and then return to you.”
* There was no assembly of people gathered in some building, yet Abraham
called it worship.
* There was no music, no singing, no praise team, no choir, no soloist.
* There was no money given.
* There was no prayer offered.
2 Samuel 24:24 “… I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have
cost me nothing.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service.
Join us for our sermon titled “Eat This Book: Keep The Main Course, The Main Course,” where we dive deep into the metaphorical language used in the Bible to underscore the severe consequences of sin and the profound nature of God’s kingdom. This message will explore significant passages such as Mark 9:43-48, emphasizing the drastic measures suggested for avoiding sin and its eternal consequences. We also delve into various similes and metaphors across the Bible, from the vivid descriptions of Jesus in Revelation to the parables illustrating the kingdom of heaven. The sermon will challenge you to prioritize the essential truths of the scripture, avoiding distractions and focusing on what truly matters in our spiritual journey
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Mark 9:43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life
maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be
quenched—
Mark 9:44 where ‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
Mark 9:45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter
life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall
never be quenched—
Mark 9:46 where ‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
Mark 9:47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter
the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell
fire—
Mark 9:48 where ‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
Rule #12: Don’t Major on the Minors or Minor on the Majors, but Keep the Main Thing,
the Main Thing and the Plain Things are the Main Things
In a CBS morning interview, Joel Osteen was asked the question:
Do you feel like you’re cheating people by not telling them about the Hell part?
Or repentance part?”
Joel Osteen answered: “No, I really don’t, because it’s a different approach.
You know, it’s not hellfire and brimstone. But I say most people are beaten down
enough by life. They already feel guilty enough … My goal is to make God good
and let them know, hey, I tell them all the time, God’s smiling down on you right now.
You’re his child. He’s got a great plan for your life. You can overcome mistakes,
and to me, that draws people to God.”
The Bible uses similes to describe Jesus
Revelation 1:14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His
eyes like a flame of fire;
Revelation 1:15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice
as the sound of many waters.
Jesus incorporated numerous similes into His parables to help us understand:
Mark 4:30 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with
what parable shall we picture it?
Matthew 13:31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven
is like a mustard seed …”
Matthew 13:33 Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like
leaven, …”
Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field …”
Matthew 13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful
pearls, …”
Matthew 13:47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet …”
1 Peter 1:24 “… All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the
members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
Job 9:18 He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.
Isaiah 40:15 “Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust
on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow
of Your wings,
Job 19:20 My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the
skin of my teeth.
Daniel 5:5 In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote
opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the
king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
Exodus 31:18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai,
He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the
finger of God.
Genesis 8:11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly
plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded
from the earth.
Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
Psalm 34:16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither
his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Psalm 91:4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
Deuteronomy 1:28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our
heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and
walled up to heaven …
Mark 9:43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life
maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be
quenched—
Mark 9:44 where ‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
Mark 9:45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter
life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall
never be quenched—
Mark 9:46 where ‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
Mark 9:47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter
the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell
hell fire—
Mark 9:48 where ‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
The hand symbolizes what is done, the foot where one goes, and the eye what is seen.
Romans 8:13 “…by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body …”
Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth:
fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Mark 9:44 where ‘Their worm does not die.
Mark 9:46 where ‘Their worm does not die.
Mark 9:48 where ‘Their worm does not die.
Verses 44, 46, and 48 are a direct reference to Isaiah 66:24,
Isaiah 66:24 “And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who
have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not
quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
The Hearse Song by Harley Poe
Don’t ever laugh as a Hearse goes by
For you may be the next to die
They wrap you up in a big white sheet
From your head down to your feet
They put you in a big black box
And cover you up with dirt and rocks
And all goes well for about a week
And then your coffin begins to leak
And the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out
The worms play pinochle on your snout
They eat your eyes, they eat your nose
They eat the jelly between your toes
A big green worm with rolling eyes
Crawls in your stomach and out your eyes
Your stomach turns a slimy green
And puss comes out like whipping cream
You spread it on a slice of bread
And that’s what you eat when your dead
And the worms crawl out and the worms crawl in
The worms that crawl in are lean and thin
The ones that crawl out are fat and stout
Your eyes fall in and your hair falls out
Your brain comes tumbling down your snout
And the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out
They crawl all over your dirty snout
Your chest caves in and your eyes pop out
And your brain turns to sauerkraut
They invite their friends, and their friends too
They all come down to chew on you
And this is what it is to die
I hope you had a nice goodbye
Did you ever think as a Hearse goes by
That you may be the next to die
And your eyes fall out and your teeth decay
And that is the end of a perfect… day
Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the
people.
The fire that shall never be quenched, and the fire is not quenched
Lyrics “And When I Die”
Now troubles are many there’re as deep as a well
I can swear there ain’t no Heaven but I pray there ain’t no hell
But I’ll never know by livin’ only my dyin’ will tell.
Charles F. Kettering said,”We should all be concerned about future because we will
have to spend the rest of our lives there.”
Mark 9:43 “… It is better for you to enter into life maimed … than to go to hell
Mark 9:45 “…It is better for you to enter life lame, than … to be cast into hell
Mark 9:47 “…It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye …than to be
cast into hell fire
Jeremiah 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved.
How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?
This sermon, titled “Eat This Book: But Read the Book Right,” offers an insightful exploration into the correct interpretation of Scripture, emphasizing the balance between literal and figurative meanings within the Bible. It confronts common misunderstandings about biblical texts, illustrating how to discern between literal descriptions and metaphorical language to deepen understanding and faith.
Sermon Notes
Rule #10 Scripture is to be understood in its literal, normal, and natural sense.
The literal meaning of a word is its original, basic meaning.
Man literally means man and day literally means day and devil literally means devil.
Rule #11 You take literal language as literal and figurative language as figurative.
We should take the Bible literal but there are two kinds of literal
Plain literal and figurative literal.
Any figure of speech — statement or phrase not intended to be understood
literally — is figurative.
If the plain sense of the text makes perfect sense, seek no other sense.
If the plain sense of the text doesn’t make sense, seek some other sense.
John 10:9 (AMP) I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved …
I. THIS RULE CORRECTS.
John 4:30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
John 4:31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
John 3:32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
John 4:33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything
to eat?”
John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish
His work.
John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of
this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which
I shall give for the life of the world.”
John 6:52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this
Man give us His flesh to eat?”
John 6:53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat
the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
John 6:54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise
him up at the last day.
John 6:55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
John 6:56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up.”
John 2:20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,
and will You raise it up in three days?”
John 2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
John 2:22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered
that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which
Jesus had said.
Jesus never forced anyone to understand something He said.
II. THIS RULE CLARIFIES.
Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house.
And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares
of the field.”
Matthew 13:37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed
is the Son of Man.
Matthew 13:38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom,
but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
Matthew 13:39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end
of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
Luke 10:29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Luke 10:30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing,
wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Luke 10:31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he
saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked,
and passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.
And when he saw him, he had compassion.
Luke 10:34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine;
and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
Luke 10:35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave
them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more
you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
Luke 10:36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell
among the thieves?”
Luke 10:37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him,
Go and do likewise.
Origen in his Homily 34.3
“Here’s the interpretation of the story. The man who was going down is Adam.
Jerusalem is paradise. Jericho is the world. The robbers are hostile powers,
The priest is the law. The Levite is the prophets. The Samaritan is Christ.
The wounds are disobedience. The animal is the Lord’s body. The [inn] which
accepts all who wish to enter, is the Church. … The manager of the [inn] is the
head of the Church, to whom its care has been entrusted. And the fact that the
Samaritan promises he will return represents the Savior’s second coming.”
Augustine of Hippo aka Saint Augustine lived from 354-430 AD
“Augustine’s allegorisation of the Good Samaritan, in which the man is Adam,
Jerusalem the heavenly city, Jericho the moon — the symbol of immortality;
the thieves are the devil and his angels, who strip the man of immortality by
persuading him to sin and so leave him (spiritually) half dead; the priest and
levite represent the Old Testament, the Samaritan Christ, the beast his flesh
which he assumed at the Incarnation; the inn is the church and the innkeeper
the apostle Paul.”
III. THIS RULE CAUTIONS.
1. Hell will not be decided by a poll,
2. Hell will not be decided by human logic.
3. Hell will not be decided by human emotion,
4. Hell will not be decided by human reason.
5. Hell is only to be decided by Biblical revelation.
Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me,
you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life.”
Mark 9:43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter
into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that
shall never be quenched—
Mark 9:44 where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into
the lake of fire.
A figure of speech is always a pale imitation of the real thing.
Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Exodus 3:2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the
midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the
bush was not consumed.
Exodus 3:3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why
the bush does not burn.”
“Abandon hope, all ye who enter here,”
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Revelation 14:10 He himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which
is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of
the Lamb.
Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and
they have no rest day or night, …”
This sermon, titled “Eat This Book: It’s a Literal Meal,” navigates the complex dialogue between viewing the Bible as the literal word of God versus interpreting it with a blend of literalism and symbolism. It confronts the declining belief in the Bible as the literal word of God in the U.S., presenting statistical data to frame the conversation around modern perceptions of biblical authority.
Sermon Notes:
2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known
to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of
His majesty.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because
when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not
as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, …
Rule #5: All of the Bible is about Jesus
Rule #6: The Bible not only has to be Read, It has to be Interpreted
Rule #7: “A Text Taken out of Context is a Con”
Rule #8: Let the Bible interpret Bible
Rule #9: There is a Progressive Revelation in the Bible
Rule #10 Scripture is to be understood in its literal, normal, and natural sense.
Headline: Fewer in U.S. Now See Bible as Literal Word of God
20% of all U.S. adults believe it is the actual word of God
25% of Christian adults believe it is the actual word of God
49% of all U.S. adults belive it is the inspired word of God
58% of Christian adults believe it is the inspired word of God
29% of all U.S. adults believe it is an ancient book of fables
16% of Christian adults believe it an ancient book of fables.
30% of Protestants say that the Bible is literally true, compared with 15% of Catholics.
A record-low 20% of Americans now say the Bible is the literal word of God,
down from 24% the last time the question was asked in 2017, and down from 30%
of what it was in 2011.
This marks the first time significantly more Americans have viewed the Bible as
not divinely inspired than as the literal word of God.
1. THE BIBLE IS NOT AN ANCIENT BOOK OF FABLES.
2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known
to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of
His majesty.
Dear Dr Gott:
An infinitely wise God placed in Adam and Eve’s environment everything that
that was needed for optimum health. Because He did not place a rifle in Adam’s
hand or teach Eve how to build a trap, how did these two people capture moving
creatures to eat? It’s highly un- likely that Adam and Eve obtained enough vitamin
B12 from their skimpy diet of fruits and vegetables, Could they have suffered
vitamin deficiences?
Dear Reader:
Sure, anybody who fails to eat a well-balanced diet can suffer malnutrition and
vitamin deficiency. But don’t you think you are carrying this Adam and Eve thing
too far? It doesn’t take a theologian to conclude that much Biblical material is
symbolic not literal. No one has the faintest idea of what Adam and Eve ate
and that information is probably not important if, as I suspect the original man
and woman are symbols of an unsophisticated and primitive tribe that existed
without sin until its numbers became more human by obtaining knowledge–
a revolutionary and dangerous turn of events for the shaman and leaders
of such a culture.
Bill O’Reilly: “If you believe in Adam and Eve, there are a number of other things you
have to believe. You have to believe in incest because the race had to procreate
off the children that Adam and Eve had. If you believe in Adam and Eve, you
have to reject the science of evolution and carbon dating.”
Matthew 19:4 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who
made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’
1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.”
The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
1 Timothy 2:13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses …”
Exodus 20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
Exodus 20:10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God …”
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea,
and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed
the Sabbath day and hallowed it
2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as
a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day
John Schneider says “It’s time to face facts: There was no historical Adam and Eve,
no serpent, no apple, no fall that toppled man from a state of innocence.
Evolution makes it pretty clear that in nature, and in the moral experience of human
beings, there never was any such paradise to be lost, so Christians, I think, have
a challenge, have a job on their hands to reformulate some of their tradition about
human beginnings.”
2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known
to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of
His majesty.
2. THE BIBLE IS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD, BUT NOT
EVERYTHING IN IT SHOULD BE TAKEN LITERALLY.
Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a
great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon
his heads.
Revelation 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did
cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready
to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
When the Bible uses the name Adam, it means a literal person named Adam and
not just a symbolic representative of the human race.
When the Bible uses the word “days” it means a literal 24-hour day and not a
symbolic representation of an era or an extended period of time.
When the Bible uses the word “devil” or “:Satan” it means a literal devil and not just
a symbolic representation of evil.
3. THE BIBLE IS THE ACTUAL WORD OF GOD AND IS TO BE
TAKEN LITERALLY, WORD FOR WORD.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because
when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not
as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, …
Genesis 3:1 “… the serpent said to the woman, “Has God said?”
1 Thessalonians 2:13 “… as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively
works in you who believe.
This sermon delves into the profound concept of living a resurrection life—a life transformed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It underscores the significance of living not for ourselves, but for Jesus, who sacrificed Himself for our redemption. The message draws on various Scriptures to explore the multifaceted implications of a life lived in the light of Christ’s resurrection.
Sermon Notes:
2 Corinthians 5:9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be
well pleasing to Him.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that
if One died for all, then all died;
2 Corinthians 5:15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
One is to live as if Jesus died yesterday, rose this morning and is coming back tonight!
Luke 2:11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ
the Lord.
1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior
of the world.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Jesus came to save us from sin.
Matthew 1:21 NLT And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he
will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus came to save us from death.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus came to save us from judgment.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from
the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1. RESURRECTION LIFE SAVES US FROM LIVING FOR SELF.
2 Corinthians 5:15 And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan told Candelario (quote)
” You left your child trapped in a tiny prison for days while you were out having a good
time and you committed the ultimate betrayal by leaving your daughter alone without
food. Just as you didn’t let Jailyn out of her confinement, so too you should spend
the rest of your life in a cell without freedom. The only difference will be, the prison
will at least feed you and give you liquid that you denied her.”
At the sentencing, lead detective T.J. Powell wrote a poem he read:
J is for the justice that will be received today.
A is for the angel wings she earned on that dreadful day.
I is for the incremental repetition buildup of suspense for a … death that clearly
makes no sense.
L is for the lack of love while alone for 11 days.
Y is for a young life that was taken away.
N is for new eternal life Jailyn gained on that day. No child should ever have to die this way.
2. RESURRECTION LIFE MEANS LIVING FOR JESUS.
2 Corinthians 5:15 And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
John 10:10 “… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly.”
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ
lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that
just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life.
3. RESURRECTION LIFE MEANS PLEASING JESUS.
2 Corinthians 5:9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be
well pleasing to Him.
John 8:29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I
always do those things that please Him.
4. RESURRECTION LIFE EMBODIES LOVING JESUS.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us …”
1 John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
5. RESURRECTION LIFE SIGNALS A NEW VIEWPOINT OF OTHERS.
2 Corinthians 5:16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view.
At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently
we know him now!
2 Corinthians 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a
new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things
have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
6. RESURRECTION LIFE EXPLAINS BEING CRAZY FOR JESUS.
2 Corinthians 5:13 (NIV) If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God;
2 Corintians 5:13 (NLT) If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
Acts 26:24 (NLT) Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study
has made you crazy!”
Mark 3:21 When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away.
“He’s out of his mind,” they said.
John 10:’20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen
to Him?”
1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people;…”
A.W. Tozer writes in The Root of the Righteous (quote p.156)
” A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom
he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects
to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full,
admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up,
is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and happiest when
he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so
he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible …”
Adrian Rogers said, “I may be a nut, but I’m fastened to a good bolt, the Lord Jesus
Christ.”
Love makes people do crazy things.
William Borden, 1887-1913.
The epitaph at the bottom of William Borden’s tombstone ends with the phrase,
“Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life.”
2 Corinthians 5:15 And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
