Youth Sunday School Lesson – 9/19/10
This week we’ll be talking about the entrance of sin into the world, and of course we’ll be in the Book of Genesis as are all of our lessons during this quarter. Two weeks ago we discussed how G_d created the world, and last week we learned how man was created in His image. In order to set the stage for this Sunday’s lesson, we must remember that everything was perfect at this time on the earth. G_d walked and talked with Adam and Eve on a daily basis, the garden was the ultimate place to be, and the man and woman lived without fear of anything bad ever happening to either of them.
You probably already know the story of the serpent, and how Satan used the serpent to trick Eve as well as Adam. I’m sure you remember from earlier classes when you were small how they were kicked out of the garden and how life changed for them afterward. But this week we are going to look at things in a different light, and in a perspective that may just teach us a little more about the choices we make in our own lives. The essence of this story (found in Genesis 3) is the contrast between what is truthful and what is a lie. Jesus told us in John 8: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The truth Jesus speaks about will indeed make us free, but before it does so, we must first believe in that truth.
Our story opens with Eve being faced with a temptation to eat the fruit of a forbidden tree by the serpent. Temptation is a very important part of this story, but there is a lot more to be considered here than merely ‘she was tempted and she gave in to it.’ If you’ll remember from last week, G_d had placed a special tree in the garden they were not to eat from. This one simple command from G_d was all that Adam was held accountable for during this time, and he had obviously already explained this to Eve when she arrived at this point of our story.
Satan, through the serpent, calls what G_d commanded her to do into question. The first thing we should notice here are the lies propagated by the serpent. He begins by asking Eve if G_d had told them they could eat from every tree in the garden. What he did here was to begin their conversation by asking her about G_d’s Word in a casual manner, and by verifying what she already knew to be the truth. Eve answered that G_d had told them they could in fact eat from every tree in the garden except one, but if they ate from that particular tree they had been told by G_d they would die. With an opening from Eve, Satan had the opportunity to do what he does best; he began to lie to her. Jesus reminds us that all lies come from Satan, as he is the father of lies. He (through the serpent) tells her that she won’t really die, thus calling into her mind a question as to the validity of G_d’s Word. As this point simmers in her mind, he also tells her that G_d is holding back something wonderful from her and Adam - that if they eat from the tree they will become something special. In fact, he tells her that they will become ‘like gods’ if they will simply eat the fruit from the forbidden tree.
If you look closely (and I hope you will) you can find three lies from the devil that are still being used on all of us today. First, he questions G_d’s Word: “Hath G_d said?” As young Christians we should know what the Bible tells us to do and not to do. And we should not be drawn into a debate on topics that question G_d’s Word by anyone, least of all Satan himself. It provides an opening for doubt in our hearts, and once Satan senses that first small crack in our armor, he can use his other lies to trap us and control us.
Secondly he comes right out and tells her that G_d is a liar. He tells her “Ye shall not surely die.” The Creator has no reason to lie and will never lie. He is Holy. You can take His Word to the bank, and the aftermath of the story proves this out for us. As a result of sin entering into the world, we all eventually die. Death is not a result of poor medicine, bad choices, or by accident. Death is a result of sin in our world. The Book of Hebrews plainly states this: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Because of sin, we all have an appointment with death at some time in our future.
Thirdly, Eve is told that she will become like G_d if only she will eat the fruit of this tree. This last lie from the devil is very much still in use today in our modern society, and it is easy to see it if you look for it. We as a culture feel we no longer need G_d because we are as smart as G_d and as wise as G_d. We’ve invented electricity, harnessed the atom, and have iPods and computers to play with. We treat our Creator as if He is merely a distraction instead of Someone we will be accountable to on Judgment Day.
Once the three lies from Satan are pondered by Eve, it becomes a question of her will versus G_d’s will for her life. In the end, the seeds planted by Satan and watered by her own free will bear the final fruit of sin entering into the world. We’ve had our sinful nature with us from that moment forward.
Finally, sin cannot be cured by taking a pill or even by living your life as a good person. The only cure for sin is the cure that G_d provided when He gave His only Son as a sacrifice for us on Calvary. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are freed from the penalty of sin. When we die, it is not the end for us – we have eternity waiting for us in a place where there will be no more sin.
Questions For Class
1. Does Satan still use the same lies on us today? Explain.
2. In verse 6, what things did Eve notice that caused her to finally give in to temptation? Are we still faced with these things today in our own lives?
3. What was Eve’s specific punishment?
4. What was Adam’s specific punishment?
5. In what way were both Adam and Eve punished?
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