The Big Story: Week 2, December 3, 2017

Istrouma Baptist Church Podcast

Johnella Howard, 72-years-old, and her caretaker, Susan Snow, entered a Publix grocery store in Florida. In the course of their shopping, Johnella apparently suffered a nasty fall. Her caretaker rushed to the management of the store to report the fall. Employees called 911 and first responders attended to her.

It was a nasty fall, because it was staged. Truth be told, she didn’t fall as much as she took a dive! The whole episode was captured on camera. The pair had come across some water in an aisle. The footage shows Johnella smearing the water around with her foot. She then kneels, and turns to sit, before lying down. In fact, the camera catches her adjusting her hair before getting into position.

The motive? Money. They sued the store for $300,000, but an investigation revealed the ruse.

What a fall from grace it turned out to be! Instead of getting $300,000, they were prosecuted and faced 35 years in prison. The temptation and transgression came back to bite them—hard!

I thought of this bumbling pair as I prepared for this week’s message. We are going to look at the story of the “fall of man.” That is how Genesis 3 is typically described. But the truth is, Adam and Eve didn’t fall as much as they took a dive. They knew God’s will but purposefully transgressed it in hopes of some payoff, but oh the heartache their fall unleashed!

As we will see this morning, all of us too have fallen and, in most cases, the reality is that we’ve just taken a dive. Like Adam and Eve, we’ve know what is right, but have often fallen for the wrong. Their story is really ours as well.

But here’s the good news: though we are fallen, we can be forgiven!

The Big Story

“Chapter 2: The Fall”

Genesis 3:1-9 and 21

1. The choice to sin
   1. Our enemy has a target
   2. Our enemy has a tactic
2. The consequences of sin
   1. Sin brings shame
   2. Sin brings separation
3. The covering for sin
   1. Is an innocent sacrifice
   2. Is an invincible savior