What Does it Mean? ~ Covering
Over the next 4 Sundays, we will be looking at 4 important Old Testament images that provide a context to help us understand the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection. Knowing this background will enhance our appreciation for Easter.
God clothing Adam and Eve
For this service, we will focus on one important feature: the nakedness of humanity and the clothing God provides.
- The problem: nakedness
- When God created humankind, they were the crown of creation
- Then they sinned. They no longer reflected God in unblemished likeness
- They ran away and hid. They covered themselves. The glory was lost
- What remained was shame
- God's solution: covering
- They experienced brokenness through sin
- The importance of God providing covering
- God offered hope (Genesis 3:15)
- We have a shame problem too
- We struggle with the same issues
- We have a shame problem, too
- We get angry
- We lie
- Driven by addictions
- Selfish
- Proud
- examples could be multiplied
- God's solution: Jesus' death (and resurrection)
- God didn't stop being gracious
- He traced them down
- Called our for them
- Gave them hope
- Clothe their nakedness
- So What? What does this teach us about Easter?
- We all have a problem with shame
- A reminder that our gracious God still pursues sinners, covering our shame when we can't
- Easter points forward to a day when creation will be renewed because the Seed of the Woman has crushed the head of temptation and sin
Even now, God’s Spirit is at work to change us “from glory to glory.”
When that work is done and we rise anew with Jesus,
we will be glorious again. And that is worth celebrating, at Easter and all year!