Lesson 3: The First Sin / The Fall of Man - Why Obedience to God Matters

1. Opening Prayer

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your holy Word which teaches us right from wrong. Help us today as we learn about how Adam and Eve disobeyed in the garden of Eden. Give us wise and obedient hearts so that we always listen to Your voice and turn away from temptation. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

2. Opening Praise Song

3. Introduction: Why Do Rules Protect Us?

Have your parents ever told you, “Do not touch the hot stove!” or “Look both ways before crossing the road!”? Parents do not give us rules to spoil our fun—they give us rules because they love us and want to keep us safe from harm!

In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had everything they could ever wish for. God gave them only one rule: not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17, WEB). Today, in Genesis Chapter 3, we will see what happened when an enemy came to tempt them to break God’s rule.

4. The Bible Story: The First Sin / The Fall of Man

Part 1: The Crafty Serpent and the Temptation (Genesis 3:1–5, WEB)

The World English Bible tells us that the serpent (used by Satan, God’s enemy) was more subtle (crafty and cunning) than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. One day, the serpent spoke to the woman with a sneaky question:

“Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1, WEB).

The woman answered the serpent that they could eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, except the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, or else they would die. Then the serpent told a terrible lie! He said to the woman:

“You won’t surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” — Genesis 3:4–5 (WEB)

Part 2: The First Sin — Disobeying God (Genesis 3:6–7, WEB)

Instead of walking away from the serpent and trusting God’s Word, the woman stood and looked at the forbidden tree. She saw that (Genesis 3:6, WEB):

1. The tree was good for food,
2. It was a delight to the eyes, and
3. The tree was to be desired to make one wise.

So she took of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too (Genesis 3:6, WEB). That was the very first sin in the world—also known as The Fall of Man.

Immediately, their eyes were opened, and the peaceful innocence they once had was gone! They both knew that they were naked and felt guilty and ashamed. They sewed fig leaves together, and made coverings for themselves (Genesis 3:7, WEB).

Part 3: Hiding from God and Blaming Others (Genesis 3:8–13, WEB)

In the cool of the day, Adam and Eve heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden. Before they sinned, they loved running to meet God! Now, because of fear and shame, the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God amongst the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8, WEB).

Of course, nothing can be hidden from Almighty God! Yahweh God called to the man and asked gently: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9, WEB). God wanted Adam to come forward and confess what he had done.

When God asked, “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (Genesis 3:11, WEB), look at how they answered instead of saying sorry right away:

• The man blamed the woman (and even God!): “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” (Genesis 3:12, WEB).
• The woman blamed the serpent: “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:13, WEB).

Part 4: The Consequences of Sin & The Promise of a Saviour (Genesis 3:14–20, WEB)

Because God is holy and just, disobedience brought sad consequences for everyone involved:

• To the Serpent (Genesis 3:14–15, WEB): The serpent was cursed above all livestock and every animal of the field to crawl on its belly and eat dust. Right there in Genesis 3:15 (WEB), God gave the First Promise of a Saviour: “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” God promised that the Woman’s Offspring (our Lord Jesus Christ) would one day crush the serpent’s head and defeat Satan forever!
• To the Woman (Genesis 3:16, WEB): Pain and sorrow would increase in childbirth.
• To the Man (Genesis 3:17–19, WEB): The ground was cursed for Adam’s sake; thorns and thistles would grow, and by the sweat of his face he would eat bread until he returned to the ground, for out of dust he was taken.

The man called his wife Eve because she would be the mother of all the living (Genesis 3:20, WEB).

Part 5: God’s Mercy — Garments of Animal Skins and Leaving the Garden (Genesis 3:21–24, WEB)

Even though Adam and Eve had sinned, God still loved them deeply! Their flimsy fig-leaf coverings could not clothe them properly, so “Yahweh God made garments of animal skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21, WEB).

Finally, Yahweh God sent Adam and Eve out from the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. At the east of the garden of Eden, God placed mighty angels called Cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24, WEB).

5. Quick Revision Table: Key Facts from Genesis Chapter 3 (WEB)

6. Class Discussion Questions

1. How did the serpent trick Eve into eating the fruit? What should we do if someone tells us it is okay to break God’s commandments or disobey our parents?
2. Can anyone ever hide from God? Why is it always better to tell the truth and say “I am sorry” right away when we make a mistake?
3. Instead of owning up, who did Adam and Eve blame? Why does God want us to take responsibility for our own actions?
4. How did God show His love and mercy to Adam and Eve even after they sinned? (Think about the promise in Genesis 3:15 and the garments of animal skins in Genesis 3:21!)

7. Fun Children’s Activity

8. Closing Prayer

“Loving Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching us today how important it is to trust and obey Your Word. Please forgive us whenever we do wrong, and help us never to hide from You or blame others. Thank You most of all for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to save us and bring us back to You. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.”