Sermon Notes + 12.3.2023 | Northpoint Church

12.3.2023

SERMON NOTES

The Seed of the Woman
Genesis 3:15
Dr. Tony Chute, Lead Pastor

Overview: Known as the “protoevangelium,” Genesis 3:15 is the earliest declaration of the gospel in the Bible. God has pronounced a curse on the serpent for deceiving Adam and Eve, but He does not curse humanity, which He intends to redeem. God declares that He will put enmity between the serpent and the woman until the seed of the woman crushes the serpent and ends all his works. Thus, the life and death battle which has begun in Genesis will continue throughout human history until the seed of the woman reigns victorious. Embedded in this declaration is the need for a child to be born who will fulfill this mission. As history unfolds throughout Scripture, it is clear that Jesus Christ is the subject of the promise and the object of our faith. The announcement of this promise at the beginning of history and the fulfillment of this promise at the end of history indicates that Jesus Christ is not only central to our faith but also the centerpiece of history.

01. The enmity that we experience in our lives and in this world is the result of human sin; there is, therefore, no human solution to the end of our enmity.

02. The promise that God made at the beginning of human history is being carried forth to the end of history; there is, therefore, no reason to despair.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY

1. What is the true identity of the serpent? What does his true identity suggest about his intentions? What did the serpent promise but fail to deliver (Genesis 3:6)? What did the serpent say that convinced Eve to go against God’s Word (Genesis 3:4)? How does the strategy of the serpent (Satan) remain similar to the strategy of temptation today?

2. What does enmity mean? What types of enmity are found in the Bible and in our world today? What is the cause of enmity in our world? Do you agree or disagree with the statement, “there is no human solution to the end of our enmity?” Why or why not?

3. In what way is Genesis 3:15 the first declaration of the gospel in history? How does the reference to the “offspring” or “seed” of the woman locate the fulfillment of the gospel in a single person rather than all of humanity? (See also Galatians 3:16 for a similar example). What does this singular focus on Jesus suggest about the collective inability of humans to save ourselves?

4. Notice the description of how the serpent reaches his end—his head will be bruised, or crushed. What does this imagery indicate about the eradication of enmity and evil in the world? How is the cost to the seed of the woman (Christ) described in this verse? Are you mindful that the eradication of evil in the world has come at the highest price, namely, the death of the Son of God?

5. As you trace out the promise-fulfillment of this passage in the Bible, do you find that it gives you more confidence in God’s Word? Think of how God has arranged all of human history to complete the mission of redeeming us from our sins so we can have a relationship with Him. Do these thoughts encourage you to trust God more in your daily life? What other promises of Scripture do you rely on for comfort and hope?

For Further Reading: John Piper and Jonathan Edwards, God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (With the Complete Text of ‘The End for Which God Created the World’). Crossway, 2006.