Sin is a loaded word. For those outside the faith, it’s a funny and dated religious term. For Christians, we repeat it so often that it loses its bite. Scripture reveals that sin is worse than we know. Jesus is so serious about it that he says, “If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out.” What is it about sin that’s so fatal it would require Jesus to go to the cross?
This Lent we do a soul examination, studying all the ways God describes the complex of sin. Lawlessness, adultery, rebellion . . . The cancerous nature of sin means that we need to go deeper than surface confession. The problem is worse than we know, which makes our Savior greater than we can imagine.
Invocation
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, who delivers us from all evil.
Invitation Prayer
Lord, evil often comes from those closest to us. Peter denied you and Judas betrayed you. You know the pain of evil that comes from your friends. Comfort us when we are hurt by those we love. Lord Jesus, without you we fall. With you, we stand. Stay with us, Amen.
Word
“Genesis 3:6-7
She took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”
Meditation: Assigning Blame by Pastor Nathan Schultz
It is not lost on me the way many view the Christian faith’s responsibility in both spoken or unspoken contempt for women. It is embarrassing that many find their shameful thoughts and actions rooted at the beginning of creation.
The trope often goes something like, “Eve was tricked. She is gullible, weaker, and couldn’t withstand evil. It is her fault.” Taking another look at the story, assigning blame in such a way is foolish. It is a use of scripture in which we justify whatever we may feel towards another person. But such negative feelings towards Eve and any other woman are not grounded in reality.
When you hear this story, have you ever asked yourself, “Where is Adam?”
God gave man and woman to one another to care for each other. It was a mutually beneficial relationship. They were connected, meant for one another, and responsible for and to each other’s actions.
The question needs to be asked. “Where is Adam?”
Adam is standing by with grim curiosity. He is failing in his responsibility to someone he was given to care for and protect.
Before Eve took the next step in rebellion and doubted God’s care for her, it was Adam who rebelled against God himself. Don’t make light of it. Adam’s failure should ring much louder and crush any misogyny you may create out of this story. He failed her and he failed God’s intention for how their relationship was meant to work.
Sin and rebellion is a much bigger problem for you than you ever imagined. In the New Testament, Paul writes, “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Romans 12:5). Again he writes, “If one part stuffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad” (1 Corinthians 12:26) . There is a connectedness to those who are in Jesus. There is no guilt experienced alone. We take part in the problem together.
In light of this story, it is important for all those who trust in Jesus to know we are responsible to one another. Sin is not a solitary sport, but impacts and hurts all of us.
If this connection to one another rubs you the wrong way, hear some good news about being connected to another man. Jesus is one who does not stand idly by, turning away from your rebellion. He steps into our world and comes near to us. His connection to humanity is described this way, “For our sake he made [Jesus] to be sin, one who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus is in it all with you. He wades into the mess and you no longer look weak, gullible, or unable to withstand evil. Jesus stands with you.
Jesus, you know my rebellion, and yet stay with me. Protect me from myself and my rebellious way. Forgive all of it, even the parts I cannot see. Amen.
Sending
Lord, in the face of evil, you call us from death to life, from silence to speech, from idleness to action. Go with us now. Send us with your gifts. Sustain us by your promise. Amen.