Series Overview (Pastor Allen's 3 Questions)
* Q1: Single unified story? Yes (divine authorship)
* Q2: Why learn it? Cohesive worldview, clarifies gospel, defines identity/purpose, focuses on Christ
* Q3: What is it? Promise-plan: God's unbreakable promise to send a Rescuer (family line, global sharing)
Today's Focus: God's first announcement of the Rescuer
Background: Paradise Before the Fall
* Gen 1: God creates, speaks, and all is "good" (repeated 4x)
"very good" (Gen 1:31)
"very good" (Gen 1:31)
* Gen 2:8 – God plants Eden garden, places man there
* Gen 2:9 – Every tree is pleasant to sight and good for food
+ Tree of Life & Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
* Gen 2:16-17 – Freedom to eat all except Tree of Knowledge ("you will certainly die")
* Gen 2:25 – Naked and unashamed (perfect harmony, no sin/fear/death)
Summary: Eden as Paradise – full fellowship with God
Part 1: The Fall – Enmity’s Curse
* Temptation (Gen 3:1-5)
* Serpent's deception (Gen 3:1-5)
* Question: "Did God really say...?"
* Attack on God’s Word - Partial truths + lies:
* God knows –eyes opened, like God, God withholding good
* Knowledge gained through disobedience
* The Fall: Eve is deceived…eats, gives to Adam…he ate (Gen 3:6)
* Romans 5:12 – sin entered the world through one man…
* Immediate consequences (Gen 3:7-13)
* Curses pronounced (Gen 3:14-19)
* Serpent (Gen 3:14-15) – curse, enmity/hostility
* Woman (Gen 3:16) – pain in childbirth, relational struggle
* Man (Gen 3:17-19) – cursed ground, toil/sweat, death (dust to dust)
* Expulsion (Gen 3:22-24)
* Mercy in preventing eternal sin (Gen 3:22)
* Exile from Eden (Gen 3:23)
* Cherubim & flaming sword guard Tree of Life (Gen 3:24)
Part 1: The Fall – Enmity’s Curse
* Back to Gen 3:15a – Enmity’s Curse (not good news)
* God-ordained…opposition…conflict…spiritual warfare
* Enmity…hostility
Part 2: Victory’s Promise
* God announces hope announced amid judgment!
* Protoevangelium – first good news (Gen 3:15b)
* Adam's sin brings death (Rom 5:12)
* God promises a Seed – victory over serpent—the Messiah
* Fulfilled in Jesus Christ – ultimate Seed of woman
* Believers share victory – collective seed
* Gal 3:16 – Seed is Christ (singular)
* Gal 3:29 – If in Christ, you are Abraham's seed/heirs
* Victory through Christ (Heb 2:14-16) – destroys devil, frees from fear of death
So Now What?
* God announces the unbreakable promise – The Seed has come!
* Hope you are not alone
* Invitation
* Come to Me (rest) – Matt 11:28
* Response and Action
* Follow Me - Repent, believe
* Believe – never put to shame (Rom 10:11)
* Today: Confess sin, trust Christ's death/resurrection, receive promise
