3-8-2020 “Beginning at the Beginning” Genesis 1-3

Second Sunday of Lent

Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor

The Book of Genesis is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It begins “in the beginning” and follows us all the way to the story of Joseph in the land of Egypt. The first three chapters are mesmerizing. Actually, these chapters tell two different versions of Creation. The first is Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a. The second one begins where the first one ends. They are not telling different stories, mind you. They are simply offering two accounts of the same event. We read part of that story last week in worship.

Yahweh creates the universe in six days and rests on the seventh. He creates Adam from the dust and creates Eve from Adam. English translations claim that she is created from Adam’s rib, but the original Hebrew word is more akin to our word “side,” which means that she may have been half of him, but that’s a sermon for another time. Adam and Eve live in Eden. Paradise. Perfection. They can basically do as they please. There are two trees in the middle of the garden. They are allowed to eat from one of them (the Tree of Everlasting Life), but not from the other (The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). You know the story: they are tempted by the serpent and eat the forbidden fruit. Immediately their eyes are open, and they are aware that they are naked, because now they have knowledge. They sew figs leaves together to clothe themselves — and when God arrives, they hide out of fear and shame. Then, Yahweh calls them to the carpet. Why are you hiding? You know what happens then.

I remember when my daughter Sarah was very little. She must have been in second grade. She came to me one day and asked me if the story of Adam and Eve was true. I thought of something that Marcus Borg once said: “The Bible is true, and some of it actually happened.” However, it would be difficult to explain that concept to an eight year old, so I simply asked her what she thought — the classic move that parents makes when they do not want to answer a question, or they don’t know the answer!

I look at a lot of the Bible that way — actually, I look at it both ways. I think a lot of Scripture actually happened in history (just as it is written) and I think other parts are not factual (in that they may not have happened), but that does not make them any less important or true, to harken back to Borg.

I tend not to think of the Garden of Eden as a literal story, but I think it contains more truths than any factual story I have ever read. This is a story about God’s creative love in action — how he formed us not out of some divine need or lack. God created us because he wanted to share his love with us. The setting was one of perfection. It was pristine. We were to exist in harmony with God forever. But sin entered the world and created a gulf between us and God. Evil reared its head, and everything changed when we embraced it.

The story of Adam and Eve is our story. It is recreated in every human being in every age. We were created out of love by a God who is love. We were born to coexist with God: to completely love and trust him. Eventually, we all reach for and eat the forbidden fruit. We give into the serpent’s seductive temptations. We forfeit paradise.

How tragic would it be if the story ended that way?

Underlying this story — be it a historic event or not — is the fact that through our disobedience, sin entered the world. Evil became manifest, and it has been here ever since. Lent is a time where we are painfully aware of this, when the evil that surrounds us (be it of human or natural origin) feels as if it is right in front of us, right before our eyes.

There are many images, symbols, and metaphors that people use for Lent. Many of them have to do with dryness, sterility, and a stony road that we trod — the latter based on a line by James Weldon Johnson from the spiritual “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Lent is a trying time. It forces us to look at the evil that pervades the world, and the sin that is a fundamental part of our human nature. It asks us to repent and to find ways of rising above the mire of sin and evil, to see them for what they are. It asks us to focus on God, and God’s will for us. That what “would Jesus do” saying is quite apropos for Lent.

“John Piper [said] that sin…‘gets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier.’” Isn’t that the truth! Sin is seductive. Satan is alluring. If this wasn’t the case, then we wouldn’t be lulled in by it. Temptation does make us believe that we will be happier if we take that bribe, do that drug, have that affair, and cheat on those taxes.

Jesus says something different. We hear his voice throughout the Gospels telling the curious, “Follow me.” He says the same thing to us — and by “Follow me” he is not just saying walk where I walk and go where I go. He is also saying follow my Word, my teachings. Wrap them around your heart. Plant them in your soul. Let them be the light to guide you through these arduous weeks.

Rev. Shawn Thomas reflects on what it means to follow Jesus. He begins by saying,

“I think many people would foolishly say: ‘Yes, I follow Jesus; I go to church.’ But just ‘going to church’ is not following Jesus. Going to church should be a part of following Jesus; but there is much more to it than just that. You can go to church and not be a follower of Jesus at all. In fact, you can go to church and be possessed by a demon!” Now I do not think that any of you are possessed by a demon, but I do get his point: going to church does not make you a Christian any more than going to Red Sox game makes you an expert on baseball.

That said, going to church does prepare you for the rest of your everyday life as a Christian. It gives you the tools you need to withstand temptation, to avoid the easy way out, to not give in to society’s seductions. Everything we do and experience at church — from worship, to fellowship, to outreach; from baptism, to confirmation, to communion — equips us for what we face when we’re not here. It is formative, informative, and transformative.

The words that you pinned to the large wooden cross in our sanctuary are a pledge you have made. The words written in this book (the Bible) will help you fulfill that pledge. Follow both. Follow Jesus. Amen.