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Sermon Notes

This Side of Paradise

Sunday 27 April 2025 Pastor Craig Ledbetter Genesis 3:16-24; 4:1-3
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I. Introduction

A. Studying Genesis

  1. We have seen all that God did in creation of this entire universe

    • Not a series of accidents, lasting billions of years
    • But absolute miraculous instances of creation
    • God started with nothing, and created everything, from sand to stars, and from giraffes to galaxies

  2. We read how God marvellously created the first man and woman

  3. Then the bringing together of that man and his wife into a perfect relationship called marriage

  4. They lived in a Garden - in a Paradise

    • Called the Garden of Eden
    • A perfect place with perfect weather
    • All the animals were vegetarians! Including lions and tigers and bears
    • Both Adam and Eve had a fruitful purpose, and a closeness to their Creator
    • Everything was good!
    • It was Heaven on earth

B. But in Chapter 3, something happened

  1. A Serpent - A sneaky, lying serpent literally walked into the Garden and deceived Eve into thinking she and her husband could live without God

  2. A Lie - He convinced her that she could be a god just like Jehovah if she exercised her free will and just did what SHE wanted

  3. A Decision

    • And so she did
    • She disobeyed God’s clear simple command
    • And at first, it seemed like everything was fine
    • And so she went and got her husband Adam to disobey as well

  4. And everything changed

  5. There were Serious Consequences

    • The main consequence was death
    • God had warned both Adam and Eve

II. Message

A. The Curse Upon the Serpent (Genesis 3:14-15)

  1. Cursed above all animals
  2. Upon his belly he would go
  3. The promise of the coming Seed who would crush his head

B. The Curse Upon the Woman (Genesis 3:16)

  1. Sorrow in childbearing
  2. Her desire would be to her husband
  3. He would rule over her

C. The Curse Upon the Man (Genesis 3:17-19)

  1. The ground is cursed for his sake
  2. In sorrow he would eat of it all his days
  3. Thorns and thistles
  4. By the sweat of his face he would eat bread
  5. Until he returns to dust

D. Expelled from Paradise (Genesis 3:22-24)

“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” - Genesis 3:24

  1. They were driven out of the Garden
  2. Angels with flaming swords guarded the way back
  3. They could never return on their own

E. Life Outside the Garden (Genesis 4:1-3)

  1. Adam knew Eve his wife
  2. Cain was born - then Abel
  3. They brought offerings to the Lord

III. Conclusion

A. We are all on this side of Paradise because of sin

B. We cannot get back to God on our own

C. But God made a way through His Son Jesus Christ

D. The way back to Paradise is through the cross

E. Will you trust the One who can bring you home?

For more information, contact Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig at www.biblebc.com

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