Building Godly Relationships – Reflections from Eden | A Sermon on Genesis 2:18-23

Introduction
Today, we’re continuing our series on the second creation story in Genesis.  Last week, we learned how the story of God’s creation in the Garden of Eden shows how intimately God was involved in creating us and how it shows He cares deeply for us and is not afraid to be involved with our messy lives. 

Today, we’ll learn how the creation story teaches us the importance of relationships—with God, with creation, and with others.  And we’ll learn about Jesus’ most important rule about relationships.  Are you ready?

Genesis 2:18-23
¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” ¹⁹ So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. ²⁰ He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

²³ “At last!” the man exclaimed.  “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh!
She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’”

God Is Our Deepest Need
The story of the Garden of Eden shows God created us for relationships.  First of all, there is our relationship with God.  Something everyone of us needs to understand, we were made for God.  Life is not about us, alone.  If you have everything in the world you desire, but don’t have a relationship with God, you will be unfulfilled.  There will be a hole deep in your soul you cannot satisfy.  And it will unsettle everything else about your life.  So if you skip this first idea, you will always struggle in the rest of your life.  You have to start by getting right with God…

But People Need People Too
But isn’t it interesting what God says in verse 18?  “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”  Even God recognizes that people need people.  You might think God is all we need.  But even God knew we need relationships with other people.  That’s why church is so important.  Our spiritual life and our worship of God is not complete without including other people. 

So God created all the animals and let Adam name them.  And this shows how humanity has dominion and the important responsibility of taking care of creation.  We were created to “tend” the Garden and “watch over it”, not to just exploit it and use it however we wish.  But of all the animals God created, none was just right for Adam.

Bone of My Bone - Genesis 2:21-23
²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.  ²³ “At last!” the man exclaimed.  “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh!  She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’”

Finally, Adam had a helper just right for him.  And I just learned this week some insights about the Hebrew word for helper.  The Hebrew word for "helper" in Genesis 2 is ezer. It is a combination of two words, one meaning "to rescue" or "to save" and the other meaning "to be strong". It can also be used as a verb, meaning "to defend, protect, surround, and cherish".  It is the same word often used for God in multiple places in the Bible—such as in Psalm 115:11, “[God] is their help and their shield.”  So, think about that if you ever think a woman being man’s “helper” is a weak or degrading thing.  In the Bible, God is also called helper and uses the same word used for wives!

Eve was created from Adam’s very own rib.  This illustrates the unity and partnership God intended in human relationships.  We are to love each other, help each other, nurture, respect, and build up each other.  We are to be strong for each other when the other is weak.  We are to defend, protect, surround, and cherish one another.  What a beautiful and fulfilling design God gave us.

Unfortunately, we are broken.  We don’t experience the beautiful vision of the Garden in real life.  Because we sin, we live in a fallen world full of broken relationships.  People mistreat each other, use each other, and we all suffer the consequences of sin.

That’s why Jesus came to save us.  He showed us how we were meant to live.  He lived as the perfect human—doing everything right that we had done wrong.  Jesus suffered the same troubles we suffer and he was tempted in all the ways we are tempted, but He did not sin.  He was faithful to the end.  And then He died for our sins so that we can be forgiven if we will repent and turn to Him and follow His way of living.

The Golden Rule
As the perfect Son of God, Jesus taught the most important rule about healthy relationships.  In Matthew 7:12, Jesus said, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”

You see, not only did Jesus wash away our sins, He also shows how we can break free from the power of sin.  He shows us how to live.  And it goes right to the very core of who we were design by God to be—people who live in harmony with each other.
We are to treat people the way we want them to treat us.  How do you want people to treat you?

Do You Want People to Be:

• Fun to be around
• Loyal, honest & trustworthy
• Genuinely caring
• Want what’s best for you
• Praying for and protecting you
• Forgiving
• Cheering for you/supporting you
• Were generous with you
• Honored & respected you
• And truly loved you

Wouldn’t that be nice!  Don’t we all want to be treated that way? Jesus says, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.”

How to Have Great Relationships with Others:
So you want to know how to have great relationships with others? Here’s the secret:  Treat others the way you want to be treat.

• Have fun
• Be loyal, honest, & trustworthy
• Genuinely care and want what’s best them
• Prayed for them and protect them
• Quickly forgive
• Cheer for them and support them
• Be generous with them
• Honor them & respect them
• Truly love them

Maybe you have some other ways, you want to be treated.  What would you add to your list?  The secret, in every situation, is to treat others the way you want to be treated.
Did your friend win a major award?  How would you want to be treated if you won an award?
Did your friend make a huge mistake?  How would you want to be treated if it was you?
Did your friend hurt your feelings?  How would you want your friend to treat you if it was you who hurt their feelings?

The key to great relationships is to imagine how you would feel if you were in their shoes and then to treat them the way you would want to be treated.

Holy Communion
As we reflect on God's beautiful design for relationships, we are reminded of how sin has distorted that plan. But through Jesus, we find hope. Jesus came to restore what was broken. His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate act of love, making up for our sin and showing us how we can live in harmony with God and each other once again.

In Holy Communion, we remember this sacrificial love. We remember how Jesus' body was broken and His blood shed so that our brokenness could be healed. As we come to the table today, let's reflect on our relationships—with God and with others. Where there has been brokenness, seek restoration. Where there has been hurt, seek forgiveness. And as we take the bread and cup, may we be reminded of Jesus’ love and commitment to restore our lives and relationships to God’s original, beautiful design.

And remember, Jesus is not dead.  He is risen!  He is risen indeed!  And as we come to His table today, He is here with us to nourish and strengthen us, to impart His grace to equip us to live in His Kingdom where we live in harmony with God, with each other, and with all creation.

 

God’s Personal Touch – The Intimacy of Creation in Eden | A Sermon based on Genesis 2

Introduction
Today, we’re continuing our series on the second creation story in Genesis.  Last week, we learned the Bible tells two stories about creation.  Genesis 1 gives us the cosmic view—God’s powerful voice speaking everything into existence.  The second story, found in Genesis 2, focuses on the Garden of Eden and God’s close, personal involvement in creation.  Here, God doesn’t just speak. He gets His hands dirty. He forms humanity from the dust of the ground. He breathes life into Adam’s lungs. He plants a garden and walks with Adam and Eve. This is a God who is not just powerful but personal.

Today, we’re going to explore what this intimacy means for us. We’ll see how God’s personal touch in the creation of Adam and Eve shows us that we are made for close, loving relationships—with Him and with each other.

Genesis 2:4-9, 18-22
⁴ This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth.  When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵ neither wild plants nor grains were growing on the earth. For the Lord God had not yet sent rain to water the earth, and there were no people to cultivate the soil. ⁶ Instead, springs came up from the ground and watered all the land. ⁷ Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

⁸ Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. ⁹ The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” ¹⁹ So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. ²⁰ He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

God Forms Adam With His Hands
Let’s start by looking at how God created Adam. Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

This image is so powerfully intimate.  In Genesis 1, God simply speaks, and the universe comes into being.  But here, in Genesis 2, we see God forming Adam with His hands, shaping him from the dust like a potter molds clay. This is personal. God didn’t just speak us into existence—He formed us with intention and care.

I want you to think of the Almighty God, with His perfect divine hands squeezing and pinching and shaping a lump of muddy clay, until it forms the perfect shape of a human being.

We are not just one of many things God created. We are crafted by His hands, shaped with purpose. God is deeply invested in who we are. His fingerprints are all over us.  Is oil of His hands has soaked into us.  His DNA is mixed with our own.  And He knows every part of us because He formed us Himself.

This hands-on act of creation shows God’s desire to be close to us. He’s not afraid to get His hands dirty.  He wants to be involved in our messy, muddy lives—shaping us, guiding us, walking with us every step of the way.

God Breathes Life & Spirit Into Adam
Next, after forming Adam, what does God do? He breathes life into him. Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

See that, in your mind.  The Divine Creator stooping down over Adam’s lifeless body, breathing His breathe into mankind.  This breath of life is more than just air filling Adam’s lungs. It represents the spirit, the soul, the divine spark that makes us human. God didn’t just give Adam a body—He gave him life, both physically and spiritually.

And this life carries with it a kind of sovereignty.  God wants humanity to love Him.  But love must be freely given.  It cannot be forced.  It cannot be coerced.  Therefore, God gave us free will—the freedom to choose if we will love God.  There is every reason for us to love God, and no reason not to love God.  But the choice is always left up to us.

God filing Adam with His divine breath, is a powerful reminder that we are not just physical beings.  We are made in the image of God, filled with His spirit, and eternity is in our hearts. Our lives are not just about surviving day to day. We are made for something deeper. We are made to connect with God, to experience His presence, His love, His guidance.

When God breathed life into Adam, He was giving humanity the gift of relationship with Him. It wasn’t just about existence—it was about communion with God. We are spiritual beings, designed to live in close relationship with our Creator.

The Garden – A Place of Provision and Relationship
After forming Adam and breathing life into him, God creates a beautiful garden for Adam to live in. Genesis 2:8-9 says, “⁸ Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. ⁹ The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

The Garden of Eden wasn’t just a place to live. It was a place where God provided everything Adam needed. There was food, beauty, and peace. Here was work to do, but work wasn’t a burden; it was a joy!  But more importantly, the Garden was a place where Adam could walk with God. The garden represents the ideal relationship between God and humanity and creation—one where God provides for us and we live in His presence as we tend the beautiful Garden.

God wants to provide for us, not just physically but spiritually. He wants us to live in relationship with Him, trusting Him for our needs and walking with Him daily. Eden was more than just a garden—it was a picture of what life with God can look like. It was a place of perfect provision, protection, and presence.  It is a place where we have purpose and know the joy and peace of working out our purpose with the help of God.

The Creation of Eve – Companionship and Community
Finally, God recognizes that Adam needs more than just a beautiful garden. He needs companionship. Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.””

So, God creates Eve, not from the dust like Adam, but from Adam’s rib.  See God in your mind, God laying Adam down into a deep sleep and then reaching tenderly into Adam’s body to remove part of him—a rib.  He shapes that rib into a companion perfectly designed for Adam, to be his equal partner in life for eternity.

The creation of Eve shows that God values human connection. He didn’t just create us to worship Him—He created us to love and care for each other. Relationships are part of God’s design. Whether it’s marriage, friendship, or community, we are meant to live in connection with others.

The Beautiful Vision
As we reflect on the second creation story in Genesis, we see a God who is deeply involved in His creation. He forms us with His hands, breathes life into us, provides for us, and creates us for relationships. This is a God who is not distant but near, not detached but personal.

We need to embrace the intimacy of God’s relationship with us. He knows us, He loves us, and He wants to walk with us daily. It also means we need to value the relationships God has given us—our families, our friends, our communities. Just as God created Eve for Adam, He created us to be in relationship with each other.

Our Brokenness
Yet we also see the great divide between the beautiful vision God gives us in the Garden of Eden and the brokenness we experience in our daily lives
We do not live in harmony with each other.  We sin.  We are selfish.  We betray and are betrayed.  We hurt each other.  There is war.
We do not live in harmony with creation.  Work is a chore.  There is famine. We thirst; We worry and our world sometimes seems out to get us.  (As I right this, thousands are recovering from the effects of Hurricane Helena.)
We do not live in harmony with God.  We are guilty.  We feel ashamed.  Or worse, we don’t care about our disharmony with God.

Jesus came to take us back to Eden.  Romans 6:23 – “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  When we sinned, Jesus came and died for us so that whoever believes in Him and repents of their sin and turns to Him and follows Him will be forgiven and inherit the eternal life.  Jesus came to take us back to the Garden of Eden.

And He came for all of us.  He came for you and He came for me.
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or how far you’ve strayed, Jesus can bring you back. 
You can come back today.  Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and heaven laden.  I will give you rest.”  Won’t you decide to come back with Him today?

No matter what mess you've made in your life, isn't it comforting to know that God isn't afraid to get down in the dirt and remake you? Just as He formed Adam from the dust, God can reach into your broken, sinful life and restore you. He can reshape you from the ground up if needed, giving you a new heart, a new life, and the promise of an eternity where you'll live forever in the beautiful Garden of Eden once again.  Won’t you turn to Him today and ask for help?

Prayer
Lord, we thank You for Your intimate love and care in creating us. Thank You for breathing life into us and walking with us through life. Help us to deepen our relationship with You and with others, recognizing the beauty of the connections You’ve created for us. When we stray, bring us back.  Forgive us through Jesus grace.  There are some who need to come back today.  Bring us back.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.