Transformers – Transforming Lives by Transforming Grace
God’s World Transformed – part 2
It’s a four part Series from now until launch day. Part one - God’s World Transformed. Last week: God’s Glory Revealed in The Creation: Nothing, Something, GLORIOUS. God’s world was awesome in every step of the imagination. Think of it, Lion with lamb; Dinosaur with man, Wolf with deer, snake and lizard all hanging out with rodent…and peace everywhere. God walked with them at evening time and they fellowshipped face to face. AMAZING
This week: A Planet Captured by SIN! It all changes this week. Why? One word – SIN. Sin is the problem of the world. It’s not an oops. Sin is not a triffle, it’s a tragedy; Sin is not a failing, it’s a fatality. Sin is not a curiosity, it’s a cancer. (SAY THAT AGAIN) AND, and it’s growing in the center of your life’s purpose. Apart from Christ, it will take you down. Sin is the problem of the world. NOTICE THIS -
Sin is the problem in all NATURAL DISASTERS. Creation Groans to be free from sin!
Romans 8:22 – “22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
The World is broken! It’s not suppose to be this way. Tsunami’s Tornado’s, Hurricane’s, Earthquakes and Volcano’s. God didn’t create the world, the Universe to fight against the creation put on it.
Also POLITICAL DISASTERS. Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Cleveland HS. Why? Sin! Imagine if man didn’t crave POWER. Is power wrong? I know what the Bible says: “Once God has said it, twice I have heard it – Power belongs to the LORD…” (Ps. 62:11) (2 Cor. 4:7 also says “Power belongs to God…)
Then there is ECONOMIC DISATERS. ? – How much would our world be changed if we just removed one word – GREED. Wall Street, Housing, Bailouts all would go away w/o Greed. Greed is sin!
Also – MORAL DISASTER. Every moral disaster is this…"me thinking something will help me that I don’ t already have…to please me…to minister to me…or to improve me…REALLY and the grass isn’t greener on the other side either.
Lastly – RELATIONAL DISASTER. How many relational issues would be solved if we remembered – Love is YOU BEFORE ME and sin is me before you.
Now it’s easy to see sin in the world or the newspaper; in society or on my street. See it in my family, or your family…BUT – what is missing – YOU. Where is hard to see sin – in the mirror. ? – What makes it so hard to see it in the mirror? (Easy question teacher – love you) ITS SIN!
PRIMER ON SIN – Genesis 3
1A) We are sinners by CHOICE vv. 1-5
Not because of your mom’s choice, or dad’s choice, or even teachers choice.. it’s your choice.
4 steps here that sin does:
1b) Sin comes to us and it gets us to DOUBT God’s word. (vv. 1-3)
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
Satan gets you to doubt his word in you marriage, your finances, about truth, and Love and kindness and generosity.
2b) Sin comes to us and it gets us to DISTORT God’s word. (v.3)
3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” DID GOD SAY ANYTHING ABOUT TOUCHING THE FRUIT - no.
Why did you pick such a beautiful fruit? Really? Why? SIN LOOKS BEAUTIFUL. Sin looks like it will do something for you, but it wont! SIN ALWAYS PROMISES MORE THAN IT CAN DELIVER; IT TAKES YOU FURTHER THEN YOU WANT TO GO AND PAYS MORE THEN YOUR WILLING TO PAY.
3b) Sin comes to us and it gets us to DENY God’s word. (v.4)
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. NOT true. Sin always gets us to deny God's word on the matter before we jump into more sin.
4b) Sin comes to us and gets us to DISCREDIT God’s word. (v.5)
5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” It’s just like today – God’s motives according to the bible - don't keep on sinning for your own good! What Satan says – he’s keeping something from you… Adultry – Something your missing; Giving – think of what you could do with that money; Sundays – wouldn’t it be nicer if you had another day off? Not much has changed since the garden!
2A) We are sinners by NATURE (various text.)
Genesis 3 – Eve and Adam sin; Gen. 4 – Cain murders Able; Genesis 6 – “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” God’s glorious creation is now firmly entrenched in sin’s bondage. Illustration – Little kids – their good, but there what? Bad! ? – what do you have to teach them? To Tell a lie/truth; to obey/disobey; fight with brother or be at peace; SHARE/Keep; Listen/Ignore? What we need to know is this - the truth can’t be learned…only Jesus can change that. Only Jesus can make us what we ought to be.
3A) The EXTENT of sin (Various Texts)
1b) Everyone is a sinner…
Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
Ecclesiastes 7:20 – “Surely there is not a man on earth who does good and never sins.”
2b) To claim we have no sin is SELF-DECEIPT. (1 Jn. 1:8)
“…if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth of God is not in us…”
3b) The person furthest from God is not the greatest sinner but most often the most self-righteous person.
4b) Every person acknowledges sin, even the apostles – 1 tim. 1
5b) Even those not obvious are sinners –Like Grandma and New Born Babies
4A) The INTENT of SIN
1b) to PURSUE you – like a dog after a hotdog! It wants to pull you down. I once had a friend named Marvin whose dog was a Bull Mastif. "puppy-dog" Here is how we met. Marvin told me to start running across his back yard and his puppy would catch up...Skeptically I did it, and that BEAST found me and knocked me down and pinned me too the ground and began licking my ears. I couldn't believe he chase me down. But that's just like sin! God says to Cain in Genesis 4 – “Sin is crouching at your door and Its desire is for you…”
Maybe tonight this is why you came and sin is after you and you know it. Sin is pursuing you and you’re thinking about the unthinkable and you need to stop it. You need to NOT do it. Sin is pursuing you.
2b) to DISAPPOINT you – We say at Harvest - “Choose to sin, choose to suffer! To often we forget this simple truth. Sin never delivers like it says it would. You're gonna suffer! You will be disappointed.
3b) to TRIP you up -Sin is a snare, a trap and the devil will stop at nothing trip you up an keep you from your destined path of following Jesus
4b) to ENSLAVE you – Romans 6:16 “you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” 2 Pt 2:19 – “For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” God is pretty clear. Slave of Sin or servant of God. Which will it be for you?
5b) To EXPOSE you – You messing around? It’s gonna come out…Satan will make you happen. He hates you and he wants you to trip up. Numbers 32:23 – “behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.” Proverbs and Psalms – “everything done in secret will one day come out.”
Conclusions:
Here is what I want us to get. Sin isn’t just out there, it’s in here, and in me and you. (point to heart - go ahead, do it now). God’s world was glorious, but it’s fading fast now. What we need to do? Here are some verses:
A – admit your sin is really against GOD.
Psalm 51 – “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”
C – Confess your sin to GOD – 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness…”
T – Transform you way of thinking to God's way of thinking:
Romans 12:2 - But be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may be able to prove the will of God, the good and acceptable will of God...
Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed
Sin has destroyed the glorious world God created...next week the transformation begins!
