The Story of the Bible

I would like to suggest that the story of the bible and the simple gospel message of Jesus Christ can be

summed up in 3 trees!

The Tree of Knowledge

The Tree of Calvary

The Tree of Life

The Garden Life was good (1:28-

31, 2:9)

- Adam & Eve had dominion

- Herbs & fruit trees for food

- A beautiful placeIn a close fellowship with

God, in His presence!

Genesis 2:9 “And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

They had access to the tree of life. They could freely eat of it. But the same was not so with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The Tree of KnowledgeGenesis 2:16-17 “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”

The command seemed simple. Did Adam and Eve keep it?

All appears well until the serpent arrives on the scene: he was “more crafty than any beast of the field which the

LORD God had made (3:1).”

Eve is deceived (3:1-6)- The Serpent lies - “You will not surely die.”

Eve is tempted (3:6)(cf. 1 John 2:16)- Good for food: Lust of the flesh

- Pleasant to eyes: Lust of the eyes

- Desirable to make one wise: Pride of life

Adam and Eve Sin- She picked the fruit and ate of it

- She gave some to Adam and he ate

They lost there home in the garden, and their right to the tree of life.

• Genesis 3:22-24 “Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"-- 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

They could no longer live forever! But this wasn’t the worst consequence of their sin...

Consequences of their sin:

They were separated from God by their sin!

Isaiah 59:2

God is a HOLY GOD.

He cannot have any fellowship

with sin!Psalm 5:4Ephesians 2:1

Colossians 2:13

Any sin separates man from

theHoly God!

Our Sin ProblemSin is not just a problem of Adam and Eve,

but for all men and women!

Romans 3:23

Have You Broken God’s Laws?

11

You shall have no other gods before meHave you ever put anything

before God, even family?Covetousness is idolatry

(Colossians 3:5)

You shall not take the name of the lord your god in vainHave you ever used God’s

name disrespectfully?This is called Blasphemy

Honor your father and your motherHave you ever in your life

disobeyed your parents?

12

You shall not commit adulteryJesus says lust is adultery in

the heart (Matthew 5:28)

You shall not lieEven a “little white lie”!If you believe you have no

sin (1 Jn 1:8, 10)

Have You Broken God’s Laws?

You shall not stealHave you done this’ even

something small?

You shall not killHave you murdered

someone?Jesus says hate is murder in

the heart! (Matthew 5:21-22; 1 jn 3:15)

13

Are you going to stand before the Lord in judgment as:

An Idolater?A Blasphemer?A rebellious child?A murderer at heart?An Adulterer at heart?A thief?A Liar?

Have You Broken God’s Laws?

There is a price for us

to pay for our sin

Our Sin Problem

God should justly punish us for our rebellion against Him!

Romans 6:23

“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

James 1:14-15

and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

God takes sin seriously...

• Why did the flood happen?

• Genesis 6:5-8

• 2 Peter 2:4-9

A just God must punish those who break His law!

We need help!We need a way:

- To once again have access to the tree of life

- To be reconciled to God and forgiven of our sin

- To not suffer the consequences deserved for our sin

The Tree of Calvary

God gave us a way!

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy!

Jesus took upon Himself the

punishment we deserve!

19

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried” (v4). “He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well -being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed” (v5). “The LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” (v6). “He was cut off out of the land of the living (death) for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due” (v8).

He is described as a lamb being led to slaughter (v7) He is an offering for sin (v10)“My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities” (v11).

“ For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross , so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

Colossians 1:20-22

“and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself...having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight”

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” -Ephesians 2:13

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

-Ephesians 1:7

1 Peter 1:18-19

“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Jesus’ innocent life qualified Him to be a sacrifice for the

guilty!“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH.”

1 Peter 2:21-22

Jesus Defeated Sin & Death

He defeated sin and the death that it causes by the resurrection

Without the resurrection, Jesus’ death for our sins is meaningless (1 Cor. 15.13-22)

23

“if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”

Acts 17:30-31

This day could happen at any time! Will you be ready?

The resurrection proves that all of the claims of Jesus and His Apostles are true, including the fact that Jesus will judge us!

"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

To receive forgiveness of our sins that separate us from God,

we need the blood of Christ. Through His blood we are

justified (Romans 5:9), redeemed, and forgiven of our

sins (Ephesians 1:7)

Notice how Paul portrays the

Christian in the following verses:…If we died with Him we shall also live with Him

2 Timothy 2:11

Now if we died with Christ we believe we will also live with Him.

Romans 6:8

…for you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3

I have been crucified with Christ…Galatians 2:20

The Christian in these verses is portrayed as someone who in the past died with Christ and presently now lives with Christ.

We must die with Christ to live with Him

When does this happen?

When does God view me as….

• Freed from sin

• Dying w/ Christ

• Dead to sin

• Crucified w/ Christ

• United with Christ’s death

We need God’s answer!He gives it in Romans 6

How do we die with Christ???

Romans 6:2-7Died to sin (v2)

Baptized INTO Christ (v3)

Baptized INTO His death (v3)

Buried WITH Him…INTO death (v4)

United WITH Him (v5)

Crucified WITH Him (v6)

FREED FROM SIN (v7)

Saved by FAITHRomans 6:17-18

“But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

obedient from the heart

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

--Galatians 3:26-27

buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the

working of God, who raised Him from the dead

--Colossians 2:12

Counting the Cost

God expects us to be obedient and make the appropriate changes in

our lives (Repentance)

Romans 6:1-2; 10-16

30

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”

-Rom 6:1-2

If your faith in the gospel message leads you to respond by repenting of your sins and by being buried with Jesus in baptism, you will be freed from the bondage of sin today, and…

God

No longer separated from God!

And you will one day be able to have access to the Tree of Life

Revelation 2:7 “To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.”

Our God gives us many promises in the scriptures of an eternal reward of life and rest...

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)”

“And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever (Revelation 22:3-5 ).“

Will you be able to eat of the tree of

life?

By Your Faith (Col.2:12)Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12

Romans 6:5