2469 Sunburst Road, Evington VA

What a blessing it was to join Lakewood Baptist Church for their online service this morning as part of this incredible journey, the 124th church I have visited. Though I had originally planned to worship in person somewhere else, God redirected my steps, and I know without a doubt I was meant to hear this message today. Isn’t it amazing how He orders our path so precisely?

Today’s sermon by Pastor Chase Hinson was one of the most profound I have heard. His message, titled Cosmic Treason and Divine Confrontation, came from Genesis 3, the story of humanity’s fall in the Garden of Eden. He wove in the poetry of John Milton, Paradise Lost and On His Blindness, to show how deeply the theme of our brokenness and separation from God runs through history and art.

Pastor Chase reminded us that the Bible gives no description of the serpent’s appearance, because that is not the point. What mattered was not what he looked like, but what he did. His cunning words in Genesis 3 led to what Pastor Chase called cosmic treason, humanity choosing to defy the Creator, to distrust His Word, and to reach for autonomy.

And here’s the question that pierced my heart: Why didn’t Adam and Eve just say no?

But then the Pastor pressed deeper: Would we have done any better? Do we do any better today?

The serpent still uses the same tricks in our own lives, twisting God’s Word, planting seeds of doubt, making lies sound reasonable. He tempts, but he cannot force. He whispers, but he cannot compel. The choice to sin is always ours.

This left me asking myself… How often do I, like Eve, listen to the lies instead of standing on God’s truth? How often do I, like Adam, remain silent when I should speak God’s Word with boldness?

The Pastor reminded us that treason in our country carries the penalty of death. So it was in Eden. Adam and Eve had full access to every good thing, yet they turned from God’s command: “You shall not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.”

That’s what sin does, it clouds truth, it blinds the eyes, it makes fog seem like light.

But oh, how merciful is our God, that even as Adam and Eve faced judgment, God began a plan of redemption. Even in their failure, He spoke a promise that one day the serpent would be crushed.

Pastor Chase described the serpent as “the beast of the field, cunning, shrewd, strategic.” His sudden entrance should make us feel what Pastor compared to the suspense of the Jaws theme song, danger is near, the water isn’t safe, and you know something devastating is about to happen.

That description made me pause. Do I take Satan’s schemes as seriously as I should? Or have I become so accustomed to temptation that I no longer feel uneasy about danger lurking nearby?

And here is another truth that both sobers and comforts me, Satan is not equal to God.

He is limited. He cannot act without God’s permission. He is not all-powerful, all-knowing, or eternal. He is a deceiver, but he is no match for the Lord.

As I listened, my heart was moved to gratitude. Because while Adam and Eve fell, while the serpent deceives, while humanity continues to stumble, God has provided a Savior.

Jesus did not give in to temptation. Jesus obeyed perfectly where Adam failed. Jesus bore the penalty of our treason so that we might be free.

This sermon led me to wrestle with some hard but necessary questions:

Am I daily choosing God’s voice over the serpent’s lies?

Do I truly believe that God is enough, or am I still reaching for forbidden fruit in my own life?

Am I living as though my sin is a light matter, or do I grasp the weight of my treason against the King of Kings?

And yet, beyond conviction, I felt hope. Because even when I am unlovable, even when I am broken, even when I fall short, God still loves me. He is my Provider, my Protector, my Redeemer.

I am so grateful for Lakewood Baptist Church and for Pastor Chase’s powerful teaching. This was one of the clearest, most thoughtful explanations of Genesis 3 I have ever heard. If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to watch their services online or visit in person.

As for me, I will carry this message close to my heart, the serpent still whispers, but my God has already won. The lies of the enemy are strong, but the truth of Jesus Christ is stronger.

I thank God for this journey, for the breath in my lungs, for saving my life when I wanted to give up, and for healing my broken heart week by week as I step into these churches whether in person or online. I cannot wait to see where the Holy Spirit leads me next.