Introduction
Turn to Genesis 3.
Reverse Sunday… Today, we decided to flip things around. Ordinarily, I preach in person in our Celebration service, and I am live-streamed to our Summit service and chapel. Today, I’m preaching in person in our Summit service, and we are live-streaming to our Celebration and chapel services. This is a celebration of how God is working throughout the ministries and services of our church!
Announcements
Marriage Matters: A six-week discipleship group starting Sunday, September 8, at 4:00 p.m. Sessions will be held at the church with free childcare provided or in the homes of several ministers (without childcare). Sign-up sheets are available. Space is limited, so please sign up. The church has invested time and resources into this because healthy marriages are worth it!
Learn the Bible Daily Devotions: We begin with Ephesians 1 tomorrow morning.
Question for the Day: Why Do We Continue to Sin?
Frustration with personal sin is common. As Christians, we grow from focusing on others’ sins to becoming more aware of our own. Despite progress, lingering sins remain frustrating.
Paul shares this struggle:
- Romans 7:15: “For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate.”
- Romans 7:19: “For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.”
- Romans 7:24: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”
As Christians, we are freed from sin’s power (Romans 6:6–7), God continues His work in us (Philippians 1:6), Christ’s character is being formed in us (Galatians 4:19), and there is no condemnation as we grow (Romans 8:1). However, we still desire more victories over sin.
Genesis 3: Understanding the Foundation of Sin
Genesis 3:1 introduces the serpent as cunning. In Genesis 3:6, we see the process of temptation:
- Looked: Eve noticed the fruit was good for food and delightful to the eyes.
- Desired: The fruit was desirable for gaining wisdom.
- Took: She ate the fruit and gave some to her husband.
This pattern appears throughout Scripture, including Achan’s sin (Joshua 7:21) and David with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1–4).
The Mechanics of Sin
- Coveting is the Root Sin
- Coveting is desiring something God has not given or promised.
- Examples: Eve (Genesis 3:6), Achan (Joshua 7:21), the Tenth Commandment (Exodus 20:17).
- James 1:14–15 teaches that desire (coveting) gives birth to sin, which leads to death.
- Coveting Triggers Other Sins
- Anger: Triggered by not receiving what we think we deserve.
- Sexual Sin: Triggered by coveting relationships or experiences outside God’s design.
- Lying: Triggered by coveting acceptance, gain, or freedom from consequences.
- Many other sins follow this progression from coveting.
- Coveting Grows in the Soil of Ingratitude and Lack of Trust
- Ingratitude: Focusing on what we lack rather than being thankful for God’s blessings. Eve’s sin began with ingratitude for the garden’s abundance.
- Lack of Trust: Wanting things now that God has promised for later or doubting God’s plan.
Conclusion
To overcome sin, we must cultivate gratitude and trust in God. Recognizing coveting as the root sin can revolutionize our approach to godly living. By identifying and addressing the mechanics of sin, we can experience more victories and deeper freedom in Christ.
