Clothing Ourselves Killen 6/2/24 - Killen Global Methodist Church

3 min read

Genesis 2:24-25 nkjv24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.Genesis 3:6-11 nkjv”6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

❓ What do you try to hide about yourself❓

⭐ We all have something to hide---- Some form of imperfection, fault or failure that make us feel vulnerable and unacceptable like we are “not enough”.

⭐ We all have our “thorns in the flesh” faults, failures, weaknesses, mistakes, shortcomings, sins that we are ashamed of and are embarrassed that we have. (from time to time)

➢ Paul even had something that he didn’t like about himself and was tempted to hide from others. 2 Corinthians 12:6-9.

2 Corinthians 12: 6-9): 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

💥 When Adam and Eve chose to sin, it changed everything. But two major things they tried to hide from:

1. God

2. Themselves

3 Each other

How they saw themselves:

The fact that they were naked was irrelevant in their sinless condition. Their lack of shame was not due to ignorance: it was due to innocence.

Loss of innocence caused them to hide from each other! v7) 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Feel like we are different and don’t “fit in”
We are not enough because we are so aware of our own shortcomings. (Don’t see others)
- The things we see about ourselves that no one else sees. (pride)
- Wishing to be like others because we think they have the perfect life.

💥 Instead of getting our value from God, we turn ourselves completely over to worldliness to find our identity, belonging and value! ( Looks - success - status - money - clothing - cars - etc.)

Result of trying to cloth ourselves.

Not where God wants them to be.(Spiritually) v9God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
Afraid of Him v10) “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid
Afraid of rejection v10) I was naked.
Hid from God v10) and I hid myself.”
Stopped listening to Him v10) Who told you that?
Stopped trusting Him v11) 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

💥 This is how sin destroys our life:

When it makes us afraid of God.
Afraid to be who God wants us to be
When we hide ourselves from God and each other
When we stop trusting God and His Word and look to ourselves for covering.

💥 If we want our hearts restored to innocence….. If we want to be free from the shame and guilt the world dishes out….. If we want to discover and be comfortable with who we were created to be then:

I. v11) Who told you that you were naked? We must stop listening to and believing lies.

Especially lies that are appealing to our flesh. Desirous to make one wise.
- All these things is what the world offered instead of what God wanted to give them.

II. v11) Obey God. Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

Trust God’s Word to know what He is doing and to believe what is not right.
Walk by faith not sight.
Don’t disobey no matter how “right it might feel to do so”.

Know the word. Read it.

III. v9) Be who God created you to be! 9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” Are you who God wants you to be?

Stop running away from who God wants you to be.
You’re not going to change who I am!! ( or we become who we think we are supposed to be)
Though I changed completely and became a completely new creation in Christ,
- He didn’t make me someone I’m not.
- - God doesn’t look on the outward appearance.

⭐ We can be like Paul. 2 Corinthians 12: 6 lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. (Paul didn’t mind being naked about himself)

Allow fear to rule us. Break our fellowship with God. v9) Where are you?
Have a right relationship with God.
- Most don’t like what it makes them feel about themselves
- Keep doing our own thing our own way

When God comes, He finds us where we are not supposed to be…. STILL HIDING.

9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”