The devil said to the woman, “Did God actually say…4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
What is wrong?
This is a question you ask multiple times throughout the day. No matter what you are doing, you are constantly trying to diagnose what might be wrong.
Everything from, “Maybe I’m hungry or maybe I’m sick and that’s why I feel this way,”
To “Maybe the chicken didn’t taste good because it needed more salt,” or they are mad at me because perhaps I said this thing wrong or didn’t do that thing right.
“What might be wrong,” is what a mechanic or a doctor or a manager asks to get to the root of the problem or you are asking when considering some of the problems in your life and family.
If we diagnose what is actually wrong, what is the cause, we might be able to make it right again.
Today, our Readings won’t allow any might about it.
When Adam and Eve listened to the devils voice, they brought a lot wrong into the world.
And during a time in which the world is fearing a virus, it might good to consider what we all are infected with and that is sin.
Regarding Adam and his disobedience, Our Lord through the Apostle Paul, sin came into the world, through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. (Romans 5:12).
And so, we can’t make it right again. Because the wrong now infects us. The wrong is part of us, out of the heart comes forth all sorts of wrongs thoughts, words and deeds.
All the times we question if God really said or if God really meant it is because we are by nature sinful and unclean.
What’s wrong? sin came into the world is a good summary, but that summary hardly captures the complexities that we see and feel every day.
Genesis 3 alone mentions:
Death, pain in work, and pain in childbirth and raising children, blaming each other, giving excuses instead of taking responsibility,
Husbands out of selfishness not protecting their wives, and instead neglecting their duties,
wives not listening to their husbands, thinking they know better,
and no one listening to God in the belief that His Word was for their protection, wondering if God was really hold back what was good.
“Eating that fruit might be the best thing we ever did!”
Did God really say? Well maybe not or maybe He did or maybe I don’t actually care. I think I know better.
Diagnose first what is wrong.
There are Sunday’s in which we consider the reaches of sin: the darkness that comes from our hearts, our unbelief in what God actually says, in what God actually tells us for our good or what God actually promises for our comfort.
There are Sunday’s in which we consider that sin entered the world and so now there are sicknesses and plaque, famines and poverty, wars and rumors of war.
But we begin today at the beginning of where it all went wrong.
What is wrong? Behind all the complexities. Behind all that’s wrong with you. Behind all that wrong with those who you love.
Sin came into the world. (Romans 5:12)
And in that death spread to all (Romans 5:12)
And so we might be able to answer what is wrong, but we sure can’t be the one to make it right. We’re a part of the problem. We have the problem dwelling deep within us.
But as we begin at the beginning of where it went wrong, so we also can begin at the beginning of Who will make it right.
Before our Lord lists some of the effects of sin entering into the world, He speaks what is known as the protoevangelium – the first Gospel. The first promise of rescue and redemption and salvation in a world and people gone wrong.
God says to the devil:
15I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
Before our Lord says all that went wrong and before our Lord starts telling us all the ways Adam and Eve wronged Him and each other, and before our Lord starts telling us how we wrong Him and each other, our Lord makes a promise of Who will make it right.
And He says, “I will.”
And that God will send one, born only of woman, born of the Virgin Mary, born under the law and He will make it right.
From that promise on, the Lord had begun to keep His promise that He will make things right.
By Jesus’ baptism, fasting and temptation,
By Jesus’ suffering death and resurrection,
By Jesus bearing our sin and woe and shame,
God is fulfilling the promise that He will make all wrongs right.
Instead of questioning if God actually said or instead of doubt it if God really meant it, Jesus kept saying to the devil, “It is written,”
Instead of blaming anyone, Jesus took on the blame and the buck stopped with Him.
Instead of neglecting His promise to deliver us and protect us from the devil, even though it mean His death on the cross, Jesus crushes the serpents.
With those Words “I will,” “He shall,” God began to keep His promise, and with the Words “It is finished,” God completed His promise.
And what is left is for you to keep receiving those promises here.
For the living Christ to keep reminding you of all of the “I will’s” He has made you in the midst of much complexity and sin.
After Adam disobeyed and Eve were deceived, they became afraid, they tried to cover up their shame and they hid themselves from God,
Where are you Adam? God asked.
We were hiding because we were afraid, they said.
But Adam was hiding from the only One who could have made right what he made wrong.
Where are you, today? Hiding?
No, not today, with the deep complexities of sin in you and around you, with sickness and plague, with fears and shame, with rebellion in you and deception tempting you, you are here because you know what is wrong and you know who has and does and will make all things right.
St. Paul said that through one man, Adam, sin entered the world, but also through one man, Jesus, and His obedience and righteous act, all are justified and righteous and receive the grace of God.
There are many things wrong. But this is right – how God see’s you.
We good, God says.
Declared righteous, He made wrong you right with Him. After that, all things will soon follow.