Seeds

From the depths of eternity a Word is spoken, a seed is planted and life springs forth,

the universe begins it celestial spin

the sun establishes its track across the sky

the moon is set in its orbit

Palm Trees and oaks spring from the ground and the fruit tree blossoms

birds begin to build their nests in their branches

fish swim in great schools across the newly formed oceans and seas

the roar of the lion is heard and the thunder of the hooves of the great beasts shake the earth

The Father of Life has spoken and a galaxy is born and filled with beauty and animation

He bends to the earth and from the dust He has created he forms a body and calls him Adam – man. In the quietness of the garden God breathes into that body the “breath of life” and

as he does eyes flutter, lungs expand, muscles contract – and God says, “It is good.”

From Adam's side the Lord of Life removes a rib and from it He forms a partner, a completer for Adam who will be called Eve, because she will be the mother of the race. They stand there in the Garden together as God says to them – all that you see is yours to inhabit, to populate, and to rule over. Everything here is for you to enjoy and to inhabit – every plant, every tree, every fruit – EXCEPT THIS ONE PROHIBITION.

There is one tree from which you must not partake - “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”. You must not partake of this tree because the result of doing so will bring death. I do not want death for you, I did not create you to know death, but to live in eternal communion with me. I created you to live as a co-Regent with me on the earth. As long as you obey this one commandment – you shall never die.

The FATHER OF LIFE has spoken.

From his hiding place in the branches of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil comes another voice, who wants to plant another seed, a different seed, a “contrary” seed.

“Hath God said?” hisses the FATHER OF LIES. Is there any prohibition set out before you? It would seem that God is trying to limit you, to stifle your creative potential. He is surely most jealous of you and fearful that you might become as powerful as He is.

“You shall surely not die......” It is simply that God has knowledge He wants to keep for Himself – There is a power in the fruit of this tree that God does not want you to know. For in this there is knowledge of fearful and wonderful things, there are experiences contained here like no other.

All of these other trees? Boring, Drab, Adventureless – God is trying to keep you down on the farm because there are things out there that are there for the taking -

Look at the fruit – isn't it beautiful, so appealing?

Smell its aroma – its so appetizing, so delicious

Touch it, don't you feel wiser, more intellectual already?

Taste it – it will make you as a god. Give it to your husband......you don't want to keep this to yourself do you?

THE FATHER OF LIES has spoken.

Isn't it interesting that in Genesis 3 WORDS are the seeds that were planted in the Garden -

First God speaks and from His words flow all of life – everything that is came from His words.

Then another WORD is spoken. It is a different word, an opposing word – I have called it a “contrary word.” - and from this word flowed death.

In Genesis 3, God said that there would be enmity between the seed (offspring) of woman and the seed of the serpent – and the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent and the serpent would bruise the heel of her seed. We know that “seed” of the woman was preserved through the generations of man until it came to fruition in a stable in Bethlehem. We know that this “seed” of a woman crushed the head of the serpent in His act of dying upon the Cross of Calvary.

We also know – that in The Gospel of John, chapter One – that seed is called the “living Word.” In the beginning (that's what we've been talking about), before the Garden and in the Garden, was the Word. “And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made In him(the Word) was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4).

In his temptation in the Wilderness – there was a confrontation again, between the serpent and the seed, and in that encounter the Seed says to the Serpent, “Man shall not live by Bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

What we want you to see today is that not only is there enmity between the Son of God (the seed of woman) and the Serpent (Satan) – but that this confrontation also set up an enmity between the WORD of God (whom we have called the Father of Life) and the WORD of the Serpent (whom we have called the Father of Lies.

John 8:44 – “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do, He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of lies.”

So that when God spoke in the Garden of enmity – there was also established an “enmity” between the Word of God and the word of the Serpent. We can see it so clearly in the seduction of Eve – there is a Word that brings life and there is a word that brings death.

God's Word says, “be fruitful and multiply, replenish the earth”

The contrary word replies, “zero population growth, abort your babies, genocide”

God's Word says, “take no thought for tomorrow, what you will eat or drink or wear,”

The contrary word says, “things, you must have things – take care of #1 – get more stuff, make more money.

God's Word says, when you commit a sin, confess your sin to me, repent, and I will forgive you

The contrary word says, “there is no such things a sin, that is a concept made up by grumpy old men who want to control you......whatever feels good, whatever is fun......whatever YOU want to do – do it.”

Matthew 13:24 – ff. The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and his way.”

God has given us a “good” seed here in his Word, but an enemy has come (one with enmity for the seed of woman) and has and is sowing a “contrary” word into men's lives.

He is saying, “you shall surely NOT die.”

He is saying, “God's word is not true, it is not dependable, it is not a true word.”

The question we want to answer today:

What “seed” has been planted in you? Is it a good seed? Is it a Life-giving Seed? Spoken by the Father of Life.

Or is it a “contrary” word – spoken to you in the hiss of the Father of Lies?

Is this word bringing LIFE to you, to your children, to your marriage? Or, is it the bearer of

death and destruction?

What seeds are you planting today?