October 14, 2007

"Why Can't You Just Be Good?"

Genesis 3: 1- 19; Romans 5: 12- 17

Some time ago in the Rapid City, South Dakota Journal, Dorothy Rosby wrote a column entitled, "'Privileged,' 'Confidential' Some of the Dumb Things We Say'" She writes,

"I've said some dumb things in my life. But we're not going to talk about those now -- or ever. No, I'd much rather talk about the dumb things other people say. One of the dumbest is, "You can't miss it!" from someone giving directions. Believe me, I can. Is it on fire? No? Then I can miss it. Then, there's the old, "Where did you put it last?" when you're ransacking the house for a lost object. Sure I know where I put it last. I'm looking between the couch cushions and under the bed for fun! ...And it hurts when you're discussing a problem with someone you thought was sympathetic, and he says, "It could be worse." Then, he proceeds to educate you on how really bad the situation could get worse before it gets better -- if it ever does get better...Some dumb things people say are simply not true. ..Never listen to the owners of growling dogs who say, "He doesn't bite." That's exactly what the owner of the last dog that bit me said. Remind them firmly, "Of course he doesn't bite you! You feed him!" (Worse is, "He'd probably lick you to death." Like that would be any more pleasant.) Other dumb things we say are a waste of breath. For example, ‘Drive carefully.'...

And of course, dumb things aren't limited to spoken communication. I see the following in bold letters at the bottom of more and more e-mails: ‘Privileged and Confidential! If you are receiving this message in error, please delete immediately.' Number one, it's always at the bottom, after I've read the message I may or may not have been authorized to read. Number two, it seems to me that if you want every literate, English speaker on earth to read something, just put the words privileged and confidential on it. On the other hand, if you really don't want them to read it, label it tax code or rules and regulations.

Having said all of that, I have to admit that I've said some of the above dumb things myself. In fact, I've said some even dumber things. But if I'm ever desperate enough for a column idea that I decide to write about them, I'll title it tax code."

Friends, I would like to add one other dumb thing we say to children (at least I have caught myself saying this): "Why can't you just be good?" or the related "Why can't you kids get along?" Kids, when we parents say this we are not expecting you to think about that question. We already know full well that thinking about this question will not radically change your behavior. Why do we know that? Because pondering that question hasn't radically changed our own behavior. So why do we say it? We say this out of frustration. We say it because we wish you and all of us would be good and get along.

Yet, unlike some dumb questions this one does have an answer. And that answer is found in the story we just read. I know that almost everyone here has heard the story before, many of you as children. But this morning I invite you to hear again. And I am praying that as we all hear the old story again, not only will it give an answer that probably many of us know already, to that question, why we can't be good, but it will also speak to the frustrations and anxieties that make us ask such a question.

The story begins with the serpent questioning Eve about God's command not to eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. In Genesis 2, we find that the name of this tree was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and that God told Adam,

"You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; ¹⁷but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

Did you notice that God never gave Adam a reason why he should not eat from the tree? He just told him not to eat of it and if he did he would die. He didn't tell them why he would die, but simply that this would be the result. Basically he just needed to trust what God said.

Note too that he placed the tree in the middle of the garden, so that Adam and later Eve would be sure to walk by it. Clearly the tree was a test. But what was the purpose of the test? Could it be that it was simply that they needed to trust him?

Has it ever struck you how often God did that with people in the Bible that he chose to have a relationship with? Think of some of the Bible characters. Think of Abraham and Sarah. God promises a son, but takes his time in giving them Isaac; God promises them land, but the only land Abraham received was the cave he bought in which to bury Sarah. Remember Joseph. Before God made him a ruler in Egypt he allowed his brothers to sell him into slavery and allowed him to wind up in prison far away from home. Or, what about the people of Israel? Before they could enter the promised land they had to roam the desert for 40 years. Think about David. Before he could become king, he lived in caves, fleeing for his life from King Saul, always on the run. Think of the prophets and how they suffered, Or what about Jesus' disciples and how they were persecuted and many were martyred for speaking about Jesus? Finally remember our Lord Jesus. He was despised and rejected. As God he was all knowing, but as a man he didn't know the answer to everything. As he suffered hell's agony on the cross, he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me."

"Why?" How many times have you asked this of God and all you got as an answer was silence? Basically, God is saying, "I am not going to tell you. Trust me." Peter has this to say about our test and trials, in 1 Peter 1: 7,

These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed

Faith or trust is crucial to any loving relationship. Isn't that why adultery is so devastating to a marriage? If you are going to love someone you need to trust that person. And God expects his people to trust him.

Satan knew that. That's why the serpent challenged what God said.

"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Adam and Eve trusted the serpent instead of God. What was the result? In doing so they betrayed God's trust in them and they separated themselves from him and opened themselves up to an evil that would poison all their relationships.

But, Adam and Eve's sin did not only affect them. It affected every one of their children and their children's children and every human being ever since; for all humans are children of Adam and Eve

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5: 2)

That one man is, of course, Adam, the father of the entire human race, who along with his wife Eve, disobeyed God and brought ruin on us all.

Notice that the verse said, "All sinned." Our first parents were our representatives before God. A representative stands or acts for other people-- just like our Congress and President. If the President and Congress decide to go to war against another nation, it's not just our President and Congress who are at war but our entire nation. So too, when Adam and Eve refused to trust God and rebelled against him, they spoke for all their children after them. So, not only were they unable to stand in the presence of a holy God; none of us can. All of us have been separated or alienated from God.

Now I realize that some might object. It just does seem fair. And I have to admit that in all honesty I struggle with this idea. Yet the evidence of sin's pollution is too clear for us to ignore.

As Paul says in Romans 3: 10- 12,

"There is no one righteous, not even one;

there is no one who understands,

no one who seeks God.

All have turned away,

Because of what Adam and Eve did we and all other human beings must confess what David wrote in Psalm 51: 5,

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

And we must confess with Paul in Romans 7: 18,

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

Why can't you just be good? That's why. Ever since Adam and Eve rebelled, no matter how hard we try, sin's pollution is with us.

A preacher bought a lawnmower from a neighbor at a garage sale. When he brought it home, he couldn't get it started. He called his neighbor's house and their son answered the phone.

"I can't figure out how to get the mower started." the preacher said, "Is there a trick to it."

"Yes," replied the neighbor boy, "you have to swear at it. My dad did that and always got it started."

The preacher was flabbergasted, "I can't do that. I don't swear!"

The neighbor boy responded, "Just keep pulling on the rope and it'll come to you."

Sin isn't very far from any of us, is it?

It is clear that Adam and Eve understood the significance of their action. We read in verse 7 "Then the eyes of both were opened, and they realized they were naked so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." When the verse speaks of their eyes being opened it is referring to their understanding. Suddenly they understood things in a different light. They understood they were naked. Now in Jewish society nakedness was a mark of shame. Scripture here is using the word naked to picture the shame that Adam and Eve felt. They felt so much shame and guilt over what they had done that they attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves.

And so when they heard God walking through the Garden, they hid themselves, because of what they had done. They didn't understand all the ramifications, all the results of their act, but they knew they stood guilty before God. They knew they had rebelled against him and betrayed his trust. And they couldn't bear to stand in front of his holy presence.

But God didn't leave them alone. He didn't just leave them in shame and disgrace Instead he graciously sought them out. He walked through the Garden and called them. He then explained the ramifications of their sin. No, he wasn't just coming up with punishments on the spot; instead, he was explaining to Adam and Eve the punishments which were already built into the system. He was explaining what death meant and the extent of its destructive power.

But that's not all God did. Before he told them the meaning of death, he gave them the promise of life. In Genesis 3: 15 he cursed the serpent, telling him that he really had won no victory.

And I will put enmity

between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will crush your head,

and you will strike his heel."

A broken relationship with God would not mean friendship with Satan. By God's grace the human conscience could still tell right from wrong. Certainly not perfectly, but it still functioned. Later God would give his law to educate our consciences. But sadly, as we saw a couple of weeks ago, this same law also condemned us. Nonetheless, we human beings would fight the legacy left by the serpent. We would fight evil and death.

But he promised more than struggle; he promised victory. The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent-he will destroy Satan's power. That seed was none other than God's own Son Jesus Christ, who according to Galatians 4: 4 was

born of a woman, born under law, ⁵to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons

But, to redeem those under the law and under sin's curse meant that he would be struck by the legacy of the serpent. He would have to endure suffering, death, and hell. But, it was through his suffering and death that we could be redeemed from the mess we had gotten ourselves into. After Christ had paid for the guilt of Adam and Eve, God sent his Holy Spirit to restore the world and all who believe. It only when are reborn by the Spirit of God that we become part of the seed of a new Adam. It is only then that the death which we received from the old Adam is replaced by eternal life.

And we receive these blessings only by faith. Yes, God is again calling us to trust him. People of God, that is why we gathered around our Lord's Table this morning. Eating and drinking at this table was an act of faith. And some of us came to eat and drink even though our faith is being tried and tested and there are times when we don't know whether it even survives. We came with our brokenness and in our failures. We came as those who say dumb and sinful things and as those who do them. We came as those who want to do good, but don't. We came as those who were tempted to hide from God. Yet, by his grace we are here to celebrate that grace and be comforted by it.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

"Why can't you just be good?" A stupid question. Maybe. And then again maybe not- at least not if asking it leads us to this table and to this cross and to faith in the Lord who died there. AMEN!