Tempe Nazarene Church
July 11, 2010
Pastor Brian Delbridge

“Full or Empty?”

Genesis 3:5–6

1. Introduction
   1. Once he stopped dwelling on what was wrong in his life and started looking at what was right in his life, he could start living effectively again.
2. Living Life Full
   1. Perception determines the quality of life.
      1. The serpent got Eve to believe two lies:
         1. God is not a reliable source of life.
         2. We are unfulfilled living in union with God.
      2. The moment Eve perceived a lack, she did lack.
         1. The very act of believing she was deficient was creating a deficiency.
      3. By attempting to get life by filling the vacuum Eve personally created instead of being centered on the fullness of God in us!
      4. If we are empty, it is because our focus is on our perceived lack (self-centeredness) instead of God!
   2. Judgement blocks fullness.

      v. 6

      When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

   3. Doing rather than being leads to emptiness.
      1. The serpent convinced Eve that life was found in her doing rather than her being!
3. Conclusion
   1. We are all:
      1. condemned.
      2. provided a way of escape.
   2. In Christ, we are:
      1. forgiven.

         1 John 1:9

         If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

      2. loved.

         John 3:16

         “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

         Footnotes:
         ^a Or his only begotten Son

   3. Because of His love and forgiveness we can:
      1. abide in Him.

         John 15:4–11

         ⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

         ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸ This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

         ⁹ “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

      2. place Him at the center of our lives.
         1. When we do, we live in love.
   4. Are you full or empty?