And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19 ESV).
“Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” is a question I hate to hear, especially when I’m in the doctor’s office after a battery of tests has been done to determine the state of my health. Having said that, there have been those times in my life when I have been asked just such a question. Honestly, it is a question that many of us ask ourselves regularly. It seems the longer I live, the more likely I will receive bad news as easily as good news. That is the context of our reading today.Adam and Eve, the first human beings, were created good. If God created all things good, including humankind, then why is there so much bad in the world and in our lives? Where did sin come from? This question has intrigued people throughout the ages. Genesis 3 tells us the sad story of the fall into sin. God had called Adam and Eve to obey him freely and willingly as they cared for his creation. But they failed to obey. Because of their disobedience, which we call sin, this world and our lives are now filled with brokenness, pain, and sorrow. Further, the lives of all people will end in death (Genesis 2:17; Hebrews 9:27).
Perhaps today you are experiencing the devastating effects of sin around you: the death of a loved one, a life-threatening disease, hunger, homelessness, or the ravages of war. Thank God that the story does not end there.
In Romans 5, the apostle Paul compares and contrasts Jesus and Adam. While Adam, the first man, brought sorrow and death, in Jesus we receive new hope and joy. Christmas reminds us that God sent his Son to heal this sin-scarred world, to forgive our sins, and to give us eternal life. What an awesome gift! And here’s more good news: you don’t need to wait until Christmas to receive this gift. Why not trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord today?