April 20, 2025

EASTER: RESTORING EDEN: THE STORY OF GOD

April 20, 2025

 Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Easter! The most wonderful day of remembrance in the life of a Christian, other than the day when we personally came to salvation! Had Jesus come to the earth as a Babe in a manger, but no more, we wouldn’t have a Redeemer. Had He been crucified for our sins, but no more, how would we know He was God? But when He rose from the grave, He became a testimony to the power of our God, able to conquer death, Satan, and Hell. Do you know Him? He sacrificed His life that we might not bear the penalty of our sins. He willingly became the Lamb slain for the sins of mankind, so we could live with Him for eternity. How great is our God!

Focal Passages: Genesis 2:1-7, 1:31, 3:1a, 4:6-7; Isa. 59:2-3; Rom. 5:12, 3:23; Num. 24:17; Micah 5:2; Luke 2:11; John 19; Matt. 27:50-53, 28:1-6a.

In the beginning… was the end!

  • How much do you know about God’s creation, His plans prior to creation, and His plans for the end times? When was all of history, the past, present, and future planned? Discuss. Was everything perfect? What would have qualified as ‘perfect’?
  • When did God the Trinity first design the plan of salvation? Read 1 Peter 1:19-20.
  • During this series for Easter, what have we learned about the prophecies in the Old Testament? How many are there? What were the main themes contained in them? What number became impossible for a man to fulfill? How many did Jesus Christ fulfill?
  • What does all that tell us of God’s knowledge? What is the word we use when speaking of His knowledge? What does it mean?
  • Read Psalm 139. What does the Psalmist say about God’s plans for man? When were the plans for our personal life put into our ‘book’?
  • What New Testament writings are prophetic? In what way?

Satan told us we could do better:

  • Read Gen. 3:1a. What do you think Satan looked like when he confronted Eve? What were the three doubts he planted in Eve’s mind?
  • What do you know about Satan? Read these passages and discuss the verses: Mark 4:15, 8:33, Luke 13:16, 22:3, 22:31, Acts 5:3,26:18, and 2 Cor. 2:11, 11:14. Is he out to undermine whatever God does? Why? Read Isa. 14:12-15. How devious is he?
  • Read Gen. 4:6-7. Was he involved in Cain and Abel’s disastrous fall? Why? Read Rev. 12:9, 13:4, and 20:2. What is Satan’s end? Does he know this will occur?

Our bad decision created a world of chaos:

  • Read Isa. 59:2-3. Who is Isaiah speaking of? Is this as applicable today as it was in his time? What are the five things we do that is an affront to God? What does Rom. 3:23 tell us?
  • Read Rom. 5:12. Why did the transgression in the Garden of Eden set in motion the chaos we currently experience? Are we responsible?
  • Is anyone immune from the effects of sin? How is that like a child born of parents who have been born and raised in America? Is the baby an American? Even though he can choose another country when he is grown, can he change who he was at birth? Do we have to stay in the ‘land’ of our birth through Jesus Christ our Lord?

God created again:

  • Read Eph. 1:4-11. In point 1, when had God designed the plan for the world? Did that include the Fall of man, the advent of Jesus Christ, and the salvation of mankind?
  • God did not come up with ‘Plan B’ if He formatted it before ‘the foundation of the world’; what does that tell us? What difference does that make to us?
  • Read Gen. 3. Was part of this foretold when God confronted Adam and Eve about their sin? Had they acted as He knew they would? What were the curses?

God restores:

  • God planned all of the eons of life. He knew all, and was—and is—in control of all. Are we in the story? What do you know about your own life? Back in Psa. 139, how much of our lives does, (did, will) God know? Is salvation from Him?
  • When God ‘breathed’ the Scriptures to man, He said, through Paul, ‘eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ How does this verse inspire you?
  • Does He promise eternal life to those who accept His grace and Jesus’ sacrifice? Can we rest in His promises? 

CLOSE:

Does it amaze you when people have a warped view of God? Perhaps they think He isn’t all-knowing (omniscient), all-powerful (omnipotent) or in complete control of everything, everywhere, all the time (omnipresent). We see these in Psalm 139, and we realize our view of God is so small we can’t begin to comprehend His magnificence. We will one day fall prostrate before Him!

Does it bother you when people call Him ‘the Man upstairs’? Do you ever contradict them softly, telling them, “He isn’t a man, that He could lie, but He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and everything in it.” In comparison to Him, we are—as Isaac Watts wrote in the hymn ‘Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed’—like a worm. That is why one day, ‘every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.’ Are you anticipating that day with all your being? If you have not accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, what is holding you back? Why not willingly hold out your heart and life for His free gift of grace now, while you are able to be His witness?

By Sandy Day

April 20, 2025

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