Genesis
2:16-25
The fall – the Sin of Adam
Adam, crafted by the hand of His creator,
received the breath of life as the Father Himself breathed into his nostrils.
He became a living soul, perfect, innocent, created in the very image of God.
He was given responsibilities, to be priest, provider, protector, and freedoms;
“I have given you every plant yielding
seed that is on the surface of the earth, it shall be food for you.” He was
given responsibilities, “Be fruitful,
multiply, fill the earth, subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and over the
birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” God
blessed him.
As husband and father, he was an
instructor, “From the fruit of the trees
of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle
of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you
die.’” He failed miserably in the
application. “When the woman saw that the
tree was good for food, that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree
was desirable to make one wise she took from its fruit and ate; and give also
to her husband with her, and he ate.”
He believed the lie. “You surely shall not die! For God know that
in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing
good and evil.” His eyes now open, he knew he was naked. He heard the sound
of the Lord walking in the garden and hid himself. Confronted with his sin he
blamed God and his wife for his failure, “The
woman whom You gave to me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” Using his
own words, he receives a curse, “Because
you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about
which I commanded you…cursed is the ground because of you. By the sweat of your
face, you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, because from it you
were taken. For you are dust and to dust you shall return.” With these words, we observe Ash Wednesday.
Nevertheless, from the ashes, with
repentance and faith we, like Adam, rise to live a new life. For God has put enmity between the seed of the
woman and the serpent. HE will crust his head. The serpent can only strike at
HIS heel. The first Adam brought death and destruction to this earth. The
Second Adam, Christ our Savior, has triumphed and brought restoration to this
broken world. A new heaven and a new
earth will come, according to His design.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday with ashes of repentance and with the
hope of life out of the ashes. With the Lord Jesus in His suffering,
humiliation, agony, and bloody sweat; and at the cross where He took our sins
unto Himself. That great exchange – God’s mercy and forgiveness purchased at
the cross of His own Son!
Almighty and everlasting God, You despise
nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in
us new and contrite hearts that lamenting our sins and acknowledging our
wretchedness we may receive from You full pardon and forgiveness; through Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Prayers from Lutheran
Service Book © 2006 and Lutheran
Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House
Schnorr von Carolsfeld Woodcut
used with permission from WELS
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