What Went Wrong? (Sermon Blog)
Series Recap:
In Part 2 of our History series, Pastor Steve walked us through Genesis 2 and 3—the chapters that explain why the world is no longer the way God originally designed it. What began as beauty, harmony, and paradise quickly turned into brokenness, fear, and shame. This message helps us understand the fall, the nature of temptation, and why humanity still wrestles with sin today. More importantly, it shows us that even in the midst of failure, God was already working out a rescue plan.
Life Before Everything Went Wrong
Genesis 2 gives us a picture of life as God intended it to be:
A world full of beauty and provision
Humanity created personally by God
Meaningful work and responsibility
Intimate relationship with God
No fear, no shame, no brokenness
God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden and gave him freedom—along with one clear command. Everything was good. Everything was whole.
Freedom, Boundaries, and Trust
God told Adam he was free to eat from any tree in the garden except one:
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
This wasn’t about restriction—it was about trust.
God gave freedom
God set a boundary
God warned of consequences
True love always allows choice. Obedience flows from trust, not control.
The Enemy’s Playbook
Genesis 3 reveals how temptation works—and it hasn’t changed much since.
Pastor Steve pointed out several key tactics Satan uses:
1. Confusion
“Did God really say…?”
Doubt is planted about God’s goodness and truth
2. Distortion
God’s words are twisted or exaggerated
God is made to seem restrictive or unfair
3. Presumption
“You won’t really die”
Consequences are minimized or dismissed
4. Unholy Ambition
“You’ll be like God”
Desire for control replaces trust
Temptation always promises more but delivers less.
The Moment Everything Changed
When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, their eyes were opened—but not in the way they expected.
Immediately, they experienced:
Fear — something they had never known before
Shame — a sense of exposure and regret
Guilt — awareness that something was wrong
Paradise was lost in an instant. Sin entered the world, and everything changed.
Hiding, Fear, and Shame
Instead of running to God, Adam and Eve hid.
This pattern still shows up today:
We avoid prayer
We avoid Scripture
We avoid community
We distance ourselves from God
Sin convinces us that God is angry, when in reality God comes looking for us.
Blame-Shifting: A Human Pattern
When confronted, neither Adam nor Eve took responsibility.
Adam blamed Eve
Eve blamed the serpent
Blame-shifting has been part of the human story ever since. But nothing gets healed until responsibility is taken.
God’s Response: Judgment and Mercy
There were consequences for sin—but there was also grace.
In Genesis 3:15, Pastor Steve highlighted what’s known as the first gospel:
God promised that one day an offspring would crush the serpent’s head
Evil would not have the final word
A Savior would come
Right at the beginning, God revealed a rescue plan.
Two Trees, Two Outcomes
Pastor Steve drew a powerful connection between two trees:
The tree in the garden brought death
The tree at Calvary (the cross) brought life
Jesus took the curse of sin upon Himself so humanity could be restored.
“The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” — Luke 19:10
Why God Removed Them From the Garden
God banished Adam and Eve from Eden not out of cruelty, but mercy.
To live forever in a broken, sinful state would not have been a blessing. God protected them—and us—by continuing His redemptive plan outside the garden.
The Big Takeaway
Without God, humanity is lost.
Every attempt to create our own paradise apart from God eventually fails. History proves it again and again. But the good news is this:
God seeks us when we hide
God offers restoration instead of condemnation
God’s rescue plan is still active today
The same God who searched for Adam and Eve is still searching for hearts willing to come home.
The History series continues with Part 3 next week.
Join us as we keep uncovering God’s story—and how it shapes our lives today.