Introduction
• Christmas often feels magical, yet the promise can feel unattainable without Christ.
• Today, we explore the foundation of the Christmas story: the very first Messianic prophecy in Genesis 3:15.
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?”
12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”
13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14 So the Lord God said to the serpent:
“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall crush your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.” —Genesis 3:8-15
- Key Verse: And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall crush your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.
(Genesis 3:15)
the first gospel sermon that was ever delivered on the surface of this earth. —C.H. Spurgeon
Key Themes
The Context of Genesis 3:15
• The Scene:
• Humanity’s rebellion: Adam and Eve hiding in shame and fear.
• The intimacy with God is broken; creation itself bears the weight of sin.
• God’s Response:
• Not immediate condemnation but a promise of hope and redemption.
• Genesis 3:15: The first gospel message—a Redeemer will come.
The promise of redemption in Genesis 3:15 is a beacon of hope in a moment of despair. God does not leave humanity to suffer under the weight of sin. Instead, He reveals His ultimate plan to restore all that has been broken.
The Character of God
• Justice and Mercy Intertwined:
• Sin’s consequences are real—pain, toil, separation, and death.
• Yet, in judgment, God declares hope through the promise of a Savior.
Reflection Questions:
How does God’s response in Genesis 3:15 shape your understanding of His grace?
What lies about God’s character do you need to confront with the truth of this passage?
The Seed of the Woman
• A miraculous promise: A Redeemer born of a woman (points to the virgin birth).
• Foreshadowing Jesus:
• A singular Seed will come, fulfilled in Christ.
• Throughout the whole of the Bible God’s promise unfolds:
- God’s promises Abraham that through his seed, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3)
- God affirms to Isaac that the covenant and the promise of the seed would be fulfilled through him (Genesis 21:12)
- The promise further narrowed through Judah in Genesis 49:10
- God’s establishes a covenant that his throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16)
- The prophets then repeatedly speak of the coming Messiah, particularly in Isaiah who prophesies of the virgin birth and the reign of the promised Savior
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” —Isaiah 7:14
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. —Galatians 4:4-5
Victory Through the Cross
• “He shall crush your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
• The cross was Satan’s perceived victory but became his ultimate defeat.
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. —Colossians 2:15
Reflection Question:
• How does the victory of Jesus on the cross give you hope today?
Applications for Today
1. Trust in God’s Plan:
• No matter your circumstances, God’s promises are secure.
2. Reject Fear and Lies:
• Satan whispers lies about God’s distance or anger, but Genesis 3:15 reveals God’s pursuing love.
3. Live in Victory:
• Christ’s victory on the cross calls us to live boldly, sharing His hope with others.
This Christmas, remember that Jesus is the promised Seed, the hope and Redeemer we all long for. His victory is complete, and He invites you to live in the freedom and joy of His love.