I mentioned to you last week that child’s review of the Bible, making the Internet rounds (“The Children’s Bible in a Nutshell”). Listen to the description of this morning’s passage of scripture: “[God] split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren’t embarrassed because mirrors hadn’t been invented yet. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. Not sure what they were drive in though, because they didn’t have cars.”

 

Whether you’re a child or a grown-up, here’s a question: do you like snakes? I don’t. Even when I visit Runge Nature Center, I worry that the glass separating the snake from me isn’t enough. Our story this morning begins with a serpent, described as more cunning or crafty than any other wild animal. He spoke to Eve, inviting her to question—to doubt—God: “Did God say…?” The serpent suggested, “God doesn’t want you to grow up and share God’s knowledge. He wants to keep you down on the farm, ignorant and dependent” (vv. 1-5).

 

I had thought about showing a slide of one of the hundreds of works of art regarding The Fall, but to be honest with you, most of them are rated R, as the first man and first woman are depicted in their natural state. But there’s another reason I didn’t use art work. Somehow, if we see temptation as coming from a snake, offering some fruit from a tree, we’ll say, “I’ll be sure to watch out for snakes and bad fruit!” But you and I know our own temptation is not that clear-cut and obvious. It’s more disguised. In fact, our temptation may not be between good and evil, but between good and the best. We know that From our text, we do know this: exploits our own vulnerabilities (it fashions itself to our weaknesses and tastes); it is organized and intelligent; and evil takes many forms (it disguises itself and doesn’t always look dangerous).   

 

But now, Eve and Adam faced a choice. Sin involves choices. You see, this is what separates us from chimpanzees, zebras and field mice…we are created with this freedom to obey or disobey God. Adam and Eve had all these trees they COULD eat from, but they wanted the one they could not. A two-year-old has a room full of new toys but wants to play with the TV remote control! Somehow, we all think our world has no boundaries, no limits…the ad campaigns tell us this. The credit card companies do, too! But God created the world with boundaries and when we cross them, that’s sin. Tony Campolo says that the subtitle of the Bible could be, “Smart People, Stupid Choices.”

 

Notice the experience of sin (v. 6), moving from sensory experience to behavior. Eve saw that the fruit was good (sensory experience), that it was a delight (imagination), then she desired it (a choice of her will, down where we make up our minds) and she took it (behavior and choices). The key turning was when sensory input and imagination moved to her will. The will! Our desire to have our own way and assert our will over God’s!

A little girl is standing on the sofa. Her mother tells her to sit down, “We don’t stand on the furniture.” After a severe warning, the little girl finally sits. “OK, but inside, I’m still standing up,” she says. Pride, stubborn will. Pastoral counselor Myron Madden once said that we are willing to give God everything except the last word. Basically, Adam and Eve wanted God to arrange the world on their terms. Their will, their way. And that’s what sin is—a selfishness that moves us to the center of life. To paraphrase one of my favorite TV characters, Frasier Crane, “Copernicus just called, and you’re not the center of the universe!”

 

And then look what happens (v. 7). What they had bargained for was to have their eyes opened and be as God. Oh, after their sin, they got their eyes opened alright. But what they knew was not God-ness, but nakedness. There was for Adam and Eve a shame, a loss of innocence. Do you ever make moral bargains that go bad?

 

And notice the guilt and fear that gripped them. No sooner than they knew they were naked did they hide from God (v. 8). Mark Twain once commented, “Human beings are the only creatures who are created with the ability to blush…and we’re the only creatures who need to blush.” But they only compounded their mistake. Hiding from God doesn’t fix anything. Notice how their fear and guilt take over. God asked them, “Where are you?” (v. 9) and rather than answer the simple question with a simple yes or no, they start justifying, deceiving and blaming. “I heard you, God, and was afraid, and this woman you gave me…this man you gave…the devil made me do it…” (vv. 10-13). Instead of bringing their sin out into the light of day, words, excuses and fear.

 

But the story of the Bible is never hopeless. There’s always grace. As soon as Adam and Eve had sinned—even before they hid themselves—here comes God (v. 8)! Adam and Eve’s downfall and God’s footfall! Don’t ever forget that know matter how badly you blow it, here comes God! Years ago a teacher was training some young seminarians how to read scripture effectively. One student read v. 9 with some boredom and detachment: “Adam, Eve, where are you?” The next read it too hurriedly: “Adam, Eve, whereareyou?” The third one stood and barely audible, with tears in his eyes whispered, “Adam, Eve, where are you?” The teacher declared, “You’ll make it as a preacher.”

 

No matter what poor choices you have made—sinful, willful choices—remember: here comes God, in the cool of the evening, after you! I love the poem, “The Hound of Heaven,” by Francis Thompson. The opening stanzas go like this: “I fled Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years;/I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways/Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears/I hid from Him, and under running laughter./Up vistaed hopes I sped;/And shot, precipitated,/Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,/From those strong Feet that followed, followed after./But with unhurrying chase,/And unperturbéd pace,/Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,/They beat—and a Voice beat/     More instant than the Feet—/“All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.”