Matthew 19:4-6 (NKJV),

4 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Genesis 2:25 (NKJV),

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Genesis 3:1-5 (NKJV),

3 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

GOOD NEWS: Jesus is the truth.

John 14:6 (NKJV),

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Genesis 3:6 (NKJV),

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.

James 1:14 (NKJV),

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

1 John 2:16 (NKJV),

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

GOOD NEWS: Jesus empowers us to accept one another.

Romans 12:10 (NKJV),

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Genesis 3:7 (NKJV),

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.

GOOD NEWS: Jesus didn't come to fix you; He came to LOVE you.

Romans 5:8 (NKJV),

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Genesis 3:8 (NKJV),

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.

GOOD NEWS: Jesus’ love destroys shame.

Romans 5:5 (NKJV),

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Genesis 3:9-10 (NKJV),

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."

GOOD NEWS: Jesus' love cast out all fear.

1 John 4:18 (NKJV),

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Genesis 3:11-12 (NKJV),

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."

GOOD NEWS: Jesus’ love sets us free.

2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV),

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Genesis 3:21 (NKJV),

Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

Luke 5:17-26 (Four friends lowered the paralytic.)

John 1:29 (NKJV),

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

NOTES: