Genesis 3:8- 3:15
8They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” 14The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
And God said it was good. God out of nothing created the world, the land, sea, stars and moon. God created the skies, mountains, streams, and trees. God created it all out of nothing and repeatedly God said it is good. And for no other reason than God’s own pure joy for creating, God breathed life into humankind to live in the good creation. Eve and Adam were created by God in God’s image. Perfectly made to live a perfect life in God’s perfect creation.
They were gifted a life without want. God provided all they needed, in fact God provided an abundance. They were free to roam. To tour God’s countryside. Take in the view. Connect with nature. Live in perfect companionship. For the sake of mutual love and care.
God created Adam and Eve so they might experience pure joy and love both being poured out for another and being received by another. It was God’s kingdom and it was good. Everything was good. At least for a short period of time, God’s kingdom was perfect, without fault, without blame, without shame. For a moment it was as good as it gets. In the book of Genesis, we read two stories of the creation. Chapter one offers the most common telling of creation. A day by day illustration of God breathing life onto the canvas of creation. And each and every day God reflects, it is good.
Chapter two is a bit more generic about the creation of creation itself. Rather chapter 2 focuses in on the birth of humanity, as God crafts Adam and Eve in God’s image. Eve and Adam were created by God out of pure joy for life. For a brief moment, in the first two chapters of Genesis, we are given the fullest glimpse of the kingdom of God. I suspect we all know what happens next. Adam and Eve don’t even make it past the third chapter of scripture without stepping in it. Perhaps you’re familiar with the chain of events. God says, I give you this good creation. Do what you will. Be fruitful and multiply.
Eat from any tree in the garden except from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve are good until the crafty servant passes by. The serpent manipulates them to believe that God is holding out on them. God said that eating the fruit means death. The serpent convinces them that they won’t die.
As the story goes, the woman saw the fruit, it was pleasing to the eye. Takes a bite. Passes it to Adam. He eats. Suddenly they view themselves differently as naked and they hide.
This is where we meet Adam and Even in our story today story from Genesis 3. This whole section in Chapter 3 is one of my favorite stories, but in this particular scene I can’t help but chuckle. God strolls through the garden looking for them. He calls out to them, “Where are you!” Adam responds, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” 13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”
I always think of a scene from Home Alone. Kevin McCalister, the youngest of a dozen kids is being taunted by his oldest brother. Kevin is searching for a piece of cheese pizza and Buzz shoves the last piece into his mouth right in front of Kevin’s face.
Out of anger Kevin shoves buzz and buzz runs into the table, which starts a whole chain events causing everyone to be made and point the finger to Kevin. So Kevin points to buzz and says “he did it!” How often have you seen kids playing, and in a moment something goes terribly wrong...something is broken or there is a new stain…and they both freeze. Point to each other and say he did it! It’s not my fault! This woman whom YOU gave me….She made me do it. It’s not my fault….The serpent tricked me!
There is something oddly comforting about the third chapter of Genesis isn’t there? God’s perfect creation becomes distorted and suddenly we feel a strong camaraderie with Adam and Eve. There is a sense of relief as Adam and Eve point the finger…Not my fault!
How often are we quick to place blame. How quick are we to throw someone else “under the bus” as they say? How easy is it to deflect responsibility, undermine any control, choice, or influence we may have and in any given situation? Our gut tells us to deflect blame to someone else so that they’re are held accountable and therefore we will be free of consequence. And I know I chuckle at this story on the surface, but deep within this narrative is an honest lesson about the self that is worth reflection. Pointing the finger like Eve and Adam is more than deflecting blame.
When we distance ourselves from situations of trouble and remove ourselves from any sense of responsibility or blame, we feel, at least for a moment a sense of relief. It’s not my fault. Not my problem. It’s someone else’s issue. There is nothing I can do about it.
And what we’re really doing is not taking any responsibility for the action or situation. We’re denying to have any choice, control, or influence over the moment of conflict. We’re distancing ourselves. Protecting our own image. Covering our own… well.
Adam blames Eve to say it’s not his fault, but he had a choice in the matter.
Eve blames the serpent to say it’s not her fault, but she knowingly ate the apple.
They share responsibility yet both deflect blame. And deflecting blame ultimately does not free them from the consequence of our actions. The truth of the narrative is, that we share a mutual responsibility with one another. A responsibility to and for one another that began in God’s good creation. And it is further cemented into our very being by the water’s of baptism.
When we are washed, named, and claimed as children of God, we belong to a body of people, called to live in perfect companionship with one another. For the sake of mutual love and care. God created us, and saved us so that we may experience pure joy and love both being poured out for another and being received by another. This means that when one member of creation rejoices, we all rejoice. When one member suffers, we all suffer. We are called into communion with one another. Yes, even brothers and sisters whom we have never met, and will never meet, we are bound to them as God’s good creation through the waters of Christ. Make no mistake…Just because we may not be physically present with our siblings in Christ in their moment of shame, guilt, deceit, depression, and tribulation. Just because we’re not beside them when the serpent tricks and the apple is plucked, doesn’t mean that we are free from any responsibility. After all they are our siblings. When they hurt we hurt. Surely it’s not my fault that some folks are from a poor and underprivileged community, it’s not my fault they live in a food desert, it’s not my fault they have been pushed out to make way for developments and now they have no access to public transportation, housing, or basic resources. Surely it’s not my fault that my classmate or coworker suffers from depression because of a tough family situation or because look, talk, walk, or sound different. Surely it’s not my fault they live in a country ravaged by war and are now displaced seeking shelter and safety.
The truth is friends that although we may not share the same experiences as our siblings in Christ, we do share in one baptism. One communion. One body. We have different experiences, yes, but we have the same story in God.
We have a responsibility to care for them because they are our siblings in Christ. We may not bite from the same apple and share in their everyday trials, but we do have the power to affect the systems that bring out siblings down.
We do have the ability and gift to bear their burdens and stand firm beside them as the crafty serpent manipulates, tricks, and divides. And rather than deflect the blame and say it’s not my fault, we have the freedom, the power, the gift to say forgive us God for we have sinned against you and against one another. For things done and left undone. For things said and let unsaid. Perhaps the biggest sin in that 3rd chapter of Genesis wasn’t just Adam and Eve denying God’s good gift of creation, but rather it is Adam and Eve turning on one another. Refusing to accept responsibility for one another. Adam and Eve turned inwardly to protect themselves.
And in that moment the serpent was successful by driving them apart. Disrupting the companionship. They turned inward on themselves. Denied their God-given, God-created companionship to one another.
And look, my point is not to convict or make you feel guilty for the many pains in this good world. Rather, I want you to hear the good news, that not only did God create each and everyone of us to live in God’s incredible, abundant, and fruitful creation, and I mean all those whom we many never meet…but God claims us in baptism to be in communion with one another. So that when you hurt, we all hurt. When you fall to deceit, or suffer from guilt, shame, depression, sadness, loss, grief, pain…whatever it may be…the body of Christ doesn’t turn away from you, The Body of Christ doesn’t deflect blame.
We don’t dismiss your story or your experience.
We stand beside you. With you. We surround you with mutual love and companionship. We confront sin, navigate the turbulent systematic waters. Because in God’s good creation…in God’s kingdom… where for no other reason than God’s own pure joy for creating, God breathed life into each and every one of us…that is how God would have us live.
God’s gift of life is too precious for us to spend it turning away from our neighbors. Our family in Christ. And when we live lives the way God created and intended. When we turn smash the serpent and turn to God and one another then maybe, just for a moment, or a lifetime we may glimpse how good God’s goodness really is.
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