This past Sunday I preached on Genesis 3 as the foundation of why we need to take seriously our call to be personal evangelists. Our world is facing great peril but this peril did not start with COVID. It has been around from the Fall. This peril is known as SIN. 

One thing in particular struck me as I studied Gensis 3. Beginning in verse 8 after Adam and Eve sin they hear God walking among them in the garden and immediately hide themselves. They have already taken it upon themselves to cover their nakedness with fig leaves, what I believe is the beginning of man centered religion. Mankind forsakes a real relationship with God for trying to be good on his own and cover up his own sins. This is known as self-rightousness. Now Adam and Eve are blessed to have communion with God in the beautiful garden God has created. And yet, they give it up. They chose to try to hide themselves instead of walking with God. 

Thousands of years later and we are still choosing to do so in many ways. God has redeemed us through Jesus Christ and has given us the Holy Spirit to walk and talk with us on a daily basis. Yet, we find ourselves choosing sin, quenching the Spirit, and seeking to hide from the very presence of God. We give up communion with God for fake pleasure derived from sin. We become captured by the lures of self-rightousness instead of relying on an authentic move of the Spirit. Our churches become stoic and predictable instead of alive and passionate. All the while we are hiding in fig leaves instead of walking in the cool of the garden with our living God. 

When God came looking for Adam and Eve, he very well knew were they were and what they had done. Yet, in Gensis 3:9 God says "Where are you?" Let's not miss it! This is the beginning of God seeking and saving those who are lost. This is the Gospel in Gensis 3. God did not come commanding and demanding things of Adam and Eve. God came as a loving Father seeking them so that he could cover them with lasting garments. God is calling out to them so that they in turn can call out to God in confession of their sins. This is the hope of Genesis 3. No amount of sin on the part of Adam and Eve could stop God from moving on their behalf. 

No matter how much you may be trying to cover your sins with self made garments or how often you try to hide from God, make no mistake about it - He knows where you are and what you have done. And yet, he's calling out your name today. He's asking where you are. Not because he is ignorant - he knows where you are and everything you have done. He's calling out your name because he loves you. He's seeking to save you. He's seeking to cover you with lasting garments of true rightousness instead of the "fig leaves" of self rightousness. 

Stop trying to be righteous before God on your own. Give it up, own up, and just come to Jesus. The exchange He will give you is more than you could ever ask or imagine. If you are a sinner lost in your sins, come to Jesus. He does not require you to do anything on your own except believe in Him as Savior and Lord through faith that He is who the Bible says He is. If you are a follower of Christ saved by grace but trapped in self-rightousness - come out of hiding. Take off the fig leaves and get dressed in the rightousness that only God can give. 

God wants to commune with you on a daily basis but it can only happen on His terms. Will you come?