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Genesis 3:21 – Grace In All the Most Unusual Places – Sermon
This study is about finding grace in the most unexpected places. This lesson is about being surprised by grace. And maybe the biggest surprise of all, is that we can still be surprised. Our God is a God of grace and that means He is a God of surprises. The biggest surprise of all came one Sunday morning. Grace born not only of a God of love, but the hate of hell. And the devil has never recovered from that eternal surprise.
Do you love surprises? When it comes to God, do we ever think of “surprises?” Undeniably, we worship “The God of Surprises.” The Bible is filled with God’s little and big unpredictable acts. God’s gifts of grace are not surprising because of His character. They are surprising because of the timing. Often times God gives a gift a grace to those in rebellion as a sign that He loves them no matter what. It is not the gift that is surprising, but the timing.
Being surprised, either by God’s grace or facts, is one of the driving forces that keep me studying. I loved being surprised by the Bible. When I read a text, and see the unexpected, it awakens me intellectually and spiritually. It makes we want to read more and understand more.
More importantly and essentially, it also challenges me in ways that are not always easy or comfortable. This is especially true when I am surprised by grace. It shifts my natural paradigm away from easy condemnation to uneasy grace. Yes there is a place for condemnation. And there is a place for grace. And sometimes the grace replaces the condemnation when there is repentance and forgiveness (Rom.8:1). And amazingly, sometimes God’s grace paradoxically stands side by side with the condemning judgment. The voice of God says, “I do not approve of what you are doing; but I love you no matter what.” Together we will find grace in all the most unusual places.
When we think of grace, we need to get beyond the overarching idea which is connected to salvation. We need to see grace in a broader sense of the word. It is a gift. It is favor. And it can take many forms:
1 Peter 4:10 HCSB Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.
When we see grace expressed in all these small, temporal ways, let us see them as foreshadowing the greatest eternal form of grace. Day to day grace teaches us of the grace that leads to that great eternal day.
ADAM AND EVE
We all know the sad story. If we were reading it for the first time, it would be filled with surprises, most of which are not pleasant.
- Are you ever surprised that Adam and Eve couldn’t obey this simple little command?
- Do you think Adam and Eve were surprised that when they ate the fruit, their decision brought consequences they never expected?
- Do you think at the very movement that they ate of the forbidden fruit they were surprised by the unexpected result of shame?
- Do you think when their eyes were opened, they were surprised?
When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they got something they did not expect. They got something they expected – knowledge – but what they expected was not quite what they expected. Isn’t that the usual surprise of sin?
Genesis 3:7-8 NASB Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. (8) They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
And then they hid. Surprise! And then God found them. Surprise again!
Did you ever notice that Adam and Eve hid themselves twice? They hid themselves in the garden; and they hid their nakedness with fig leaves. They hid themselves among the trees that they rejected. And by trying to cover their sin, they revealed it. I never cease to be surprised at the naiveté of us all – trying to hide our sin usually reveals more than simply confessing it.
Not surprising, they received the curses. Not surprising, they are driven out of paradise and removed from the presence of the tree of life.
Beside the curses, besides losing the garden, and the tree of life, what does God do?
God gives them something they did not ask for, but needed; something totally underserved but given anyway; something they tried to give themselves, but failed. God gave them clothes.
Genesis 3:21 HCSB The LORD God made clothing out of skins for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.
God gave them grace. Surprise!
Lessons Learned:
- We try to fix our own problems, but only God can.
- We try to hide our need for grace, but our efforts only reveal our need even more.
- Even when we lose everything, God still provides something.
CAIN
Having a brother, and having two sons, I know about explosive emotions that are not all positive when it comes to having a brother. I remember us dividing our room, either with real tape or imaginary tape, to keep the other one off our side. I remember the competition on the basketball court, where the only thing bigger than our egos was…well, nothing. I remember wanting to…, well we can all fill in the blank with what we wanted to do to our siblings. I would not be surprised if either or I or my brother even said, “I hate you; I’m going to kill you!” But, I cannot image in my wildest dreams or nightmares, ever really wanting to murder my brother, let alone even trying. After all, we slept in the same room. It would have been oh so easy to…oh, never mind.
When we come to the first brothers, we should not be surprised by the differences between them, one a farmer and the other a herdsmen. We should not be surprised that they did not get along. I highly doubt this was the first argument between them. They are after all, grown men at this time. But isn’t it still somewhat surprising even shocking, even though all of us are familiar with the story, to see Cain killing his brother? Isn’t there something at the core of us that shudders?
And yet, there is another surprise yet to come. Cain is cursed, much like his father had been cursed. And then the cursed Cain complains, “My punishment is too great to bear!” (Gen.4:14). Such a whiner. And then he has the audacity to complain that someone might actually do to him what he did to his brother – “and whoever finds me will kill me (Gen.4:14). Such a hypocrite.
So what does God do? Does God say, “So what, you killed your brother!” “You reap what you sow!” “That’s not my problem!” Would any of us have blamed God for saying those things? Did Cain deserve to have those things said to him? So what does God do?
Genesis 4:15 HCSB Then the LORD replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And He placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him.
Notice the irony, the “Marked Man” is protected by his mark. That same word “mark” is translated as “sign” in the NASB. It is the same word used of the sign of covenants:
- Genesis 9:13 NASB I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.
- Genesis 17:11 NASB “And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.
And yes, that little fact surprised me. It makes me wonder if when God marked Cain, he made a covenant, by literally cutting the mark into the flesh of Cain. A covenant means “a cutting.” I do not know, but I would not be surprised.
So when God gives Cain a sign or mark that protects him, what does God do? He gives Cain grace. Surprise!
Lessons Learned:
- I wonder how much I whine and complain, and yet still receive protection from God?
- I wonder how hypocritical I can be in complaining about how others treat me when I treat them the same way, and yet I receive God’s grace.
- I wonder if I let my emotions change who I want to be, instead of letting God’s grace change me?
ISRAELITES
In Moses’ farewell speech, towards the beginning and end, twice he reminds the Israelites.
- Deuteronomy 8:4 HCSB Your clothing did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these 40 years.
- Deuteronomy 29:5 HCSB I led you 40 years in the wilderness; your clothes and the sandals on your feet did not wear out;
Nehemiah, in recounting the history of Israel, also made reference to this daily grace to the Israelites.
- Nehemiah 9:21 HCSB You provided for them in the wilderness 40 years and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell.
There are three facts that I want to point out. Maybe these facts themselves might be surprising.
First, Israel had the ability and material to provide their own clothes and shoes. They had craftsmen skilled in all manner of workmanship. They were able to fashion the gold, silver, brass and wood items that made up the tabernacle. They also made the veil in the tabernacle. There were engravers in stone who made the high priest’s breastplate. They lived in tents so there had to be tentmakers. Their sewing and weaving skills were apparent when they were commanded by the Lord to make the priests’ garments (Ex. 28). They had all the supplies and craftsmanship to make new clothes. And yet God provided that their shoes and clothing did not wear out for 40 years.
Second, Israel rebelled continually in the wilderness. Nehemiah recounts their sins when he mentions this daily grace.
Nehemiah 9:16-21 HCSB But our ancestors acted arrogantly; they became stiff-necked and did not listen to Your commands. (17) They refused to listen and did not remember Your wonders You performed among them. They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in faithful love, and You did not abandon them. (18) Even after they had cast an image of a calf for themselves and said, “This is your God who brought you out of Egypt,” and they had committed terrible blasphemies, (19) You did not abandon them in the wilderness because of Your great compassion. During the day the pillar of cloud never turned away from them, guiding them on their journey. And during the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go. (20) You sent Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst. (21) You provided for them in the wilderness 40 years and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell.
And although they worshipped God in the wilderness, noticed what Amos says that is recorded by Stephen:
Acts 7:39-43 HCSB Our forefathers were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him away, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. (40) They told Aaron: Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what’s become of him. (41) They even made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and were celebrating what their hands had made. (42) Then God turned away and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: Did you bring Me offerings and sacrifices for 40 years in the desert, O house of Israel? (43) No, you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship. So I will deport you beyond Babylon!
A third fact is the possible significance of the sandals not wearing out. There is a history to the sandal.
When Moses approached the burning bush,
Exodus 3:5 NASB Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
When God instituted the Passover,
Exodus 12:11 NASB ‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste–it is the LORD’S Passover.
After the Israelites after 40 years of wandering, after 40 years of having their sandals not wear out, when they crossed over Jordan,
Joshua 5:15 NASB The captain of the LORD’S host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Could the sandals have reminded them of the Passover and burning bush? And when the Israelites, in rebellion against God, wandered for 40 years because they refused to trust God and enter into the promised land, what did God do? He gave them daily grace. Surprise!
Lessons Learned:
- How many blessings from God do we receive every single day?
- How many little favors, little gifts of grace do we receive without thanking God?
- Can these little gifts of grace teach us about God’s greatest gift of grace?
JUDAS
Picture this. You know you are about to die. You have told your closest friends you are about to die. They either ignore you or don’t believe you. One of them is responsible for betraying you to your enemies. The others are so self-centered that they argue among themselves which one is the greatest. You know you are about to die.
One more time, you want to get together with your friends. One more meal. One more spiritual gathering. Together you all gather in the same room…and wait. Each one waits. It is customary for someone to wash the feet that were dirty and dusty from daily life. I wonder if they all looked around to see who would be weak enough to serve. Jesus waited and no one served.
Go to another room, another house, another place and time. Jesus once rebuked a Pharisee (Simon) for not providing water to wash His feet, but on the other hand complimented the woman (a sinner) for washing His feet with her tears and drying them with her hair (Lk.7:36-36).
With all this in mind now notice what our Lord said in Jn.13:10, “he that is washed does not need to wash, except for his feet….” Why would our Lord make such a statement? Because the feet of the disciples were soiled on the way to the upper room; therefore…. (Jn.13:10).
In that upper room, the feet were supposed to be washed as they entered the room, washed before they ate. No one showed any favor to any other. Finally,
During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, (4) *got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. (5) Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded (John 13:2-5 NASB).
Peter objects, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” (John 13:6). We have no record of Judas objecting. Jesus makes a veiled reference to Judas as being unclean in the following exchange:
Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t understand now, but afterwards you will know.” (8) “You will never wash my feet–ever!” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.” (9) Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” (10) “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” (11) For He knew who would betray Him. This is why He said, “You are not all clean.” (John 13:7-11 HCSB)
Judas was the one of whom it is said,
“ I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats My bread has raised his heel against Me.” (John 13:18 HCSB)
Were the disciples surprised that Jesus washed their feet? We know Peter was. Was Judas thinking as Jesus washed his feet, “He does not know.” Surprise, Jesus knew. And what did Jesus do? He showed washed Judas’ feet. He showed grace to His betrayer. Surprise!
Lessons Learned:
- We should be shocked that God serves us in His grace even when we are too prideful to serve others gracefully.
- We should look for ways show grace even to who hate us.
- The next time we see something that needs to be done, do it as an act of grace.
Are these the only places where God shows grace in the most unusual places? No, so start looking for them more and more, and get ready to be surprised.
US
This lesson was not meant to be academic or simply about God. This lesson was designed just to create in us a desire to look for daily grace from God to us. Go deeper, get personal, and learn another lesson. Start giving grace when it is least expected. Seeing the giving nature of God even in the midst of rebellious acts by His creation gives us the needed lesson to follow His example. This lesson gives new meaning to the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:38-47 NASB “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ (39) “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (40) “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. (41) “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. (42) “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. (43) “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ (44) “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (45) so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (46) “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (47) “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
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