[Sunday Sermon] The Gospel(2) - Sin: The Broken Image

“6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.””

— Genesis 3:6-10

Last week’s message highlighted the goodness of creation and humanity’s unique dignity as bearers of God’s image. We were designed for right relationships—with God, ourselves, others, and the world—reflecting God’s own goodness. However, this week confronts the reality that those relationships have become broken, introducing the concept of sin and the Fall.

1. Sin : Not trusting God​
   In Genesis 3, the serpent deceives Adam and Eve, prompting them to doubt God’s goodness and trust their own judgment. Sin is not merely a wrong action like lying or stealing; at its core, it is refusing to let God be God and placing ourselves in His position. This rebellion against God’s rightful authority shatters our harmony with Him.

2. Broken : Four dimensions ​
   As soon as Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, their relationships collapse on every level:

• With God: They hide in fear, no longer freely conversing with Him.

• With Self: They become ashamed of their nakedness and cover themselves with fig leaves.

• With Others: Adam blames Eve (and even God), causing distrust and conflict instead of unity.

• With Creation: The ground becomes cursed, producing thorns and thistles, signifying a lost dominion over nature and material life.

3. Fallen : For all and everyone​
   This brokenness extends to every human being. Romans 3:23 declares, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Far from merely labeling people “bad,” this truth is profoundly liberating: no one is perfect and everyone is in need of rescue. Rather than hiding behind accomplishments or blaming others, we can be honest about our brokenness, recognizing our universal need for God’s grace.

4. Redemption : From only God
   Even as Adam and Eve face exile from Eden, God shows compassion by providing garments of skin (Genesis 3:21). This hints at the future sacrifice and covering God would ultimately provide in Christ. Although humanity can no longer return to Eden on our own, God actively pursues us and prepares a way back to the right relationship through His redemptive work.

 Like Adam hiding behind the trees, we often hide behind our pride, blame, or shame. Yet God still calls out, “Where are you?” There is a hope beyond our brokenness; the Gospel story continues with God’s plan of salvation. 

Prayer:  Gracious God, we recognize our brokenness and how we have tried to hide from You. Teach us to see our sin for what it is—our attempt to be our own gods—and to trust in Your goodness instead. Thank You for pursuing us with mercy and preparing a way for our restoration. As we continue this Gospel journey, open our hearts to Your call, that we may be healed and live in the fullness of Your design. Amen.

(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)