WEEKEND RECHARGE!

JANUARY 17, 2026

Monday, January 12—Luke 1; John 1
Tuesday, January 13—Genesis 3:1-7
Wednesday, January 14—Genesis 3:8-24
Thursday, January 15—Genesis 3:14-15
Friday, January 16—Genesis 4

This past week, we began with Luke and John and worked our way back to Genesis. I believe Genesis is the key that unlocks the unity of Scripture. We explored how sin entered the world and the consequences God pronounced. After examining sin’s effects, we considered the promise of a coming Savior in Genesis 3:14-15.

Because of sin, the world is not what it was meant to be. This reality is vividly portrayed in the story of Cain and Abel. Cain’s murder of his brother was driven by pride, jealousy, anger, and a refusal to repent or to trust in God’s grace.

An important part of learning Biblical truth is personal application; therefore, take time to review and reflect. Here is an overview of what we covered this week. Take time to review and reflect on these biblical principles.  

DAILY DEVO OVERVIEW

LUKE 1; JOHN 1: GOD’S STORY OF PROMISE

• God’s Story Is Built on Promise, Not Chance
  From Genesis onward, the Bible reveals a God who creates with purpose and advances history through his promises. What begins in creation finds its direction and fulfillment in God’s plan to redeem humanity through Jesus. 
  
  
• God’s Promises Are Fulfilled in Real History (Luke 1:5-17)
  After four hundred years of silence, God spoke again through the announcement of John the Baptist, the promised forerunner who would come in the spirit and power of Elijah. John the Baptist’s birth showed that God never forgets his promises, even as generations pass.
  
  
• God’s Story Finds Its Center in Jesus (Luke 3:23-38; John 1)
  Luke traces Jesus’ lineage back to Adam, while John takes us back to before creation itself. Together, they show that Jesus is not an afterthought but the eternal Word—present at creation and central to God’s story from beginning to end.

GENESIS 3:1-7: REJECTING GOD’S GRACE

Created to Serve God, Not Ourselves (Gen. 2:15-17)

• Adam was placed in the garden at rest and given work as service to God.
• God’s generosity was unlimited—every tree was available except one.

The Subtle Strategy of the Serpent (Gen. 3:1-5)

• Satan attacked God’s grace (“Did God really say…?”) and integrity (“You will not surely die”).
• Eve added to God’s Word—introducing legalism and distortion.

The Tragic Choice and Its Consequences (Gen. 3:6-7)

• The pattern of sin: saw → desired → take → hide.
• Adam’s silence and passivity enabled the disobedience.
• The first couple’s eyes were opened—but not to freedom; to shame, guilt, and death.

GENESIS 3:8-24: SIN: HIDE AND BLAME

Sin Drives Us to Hide from the God Who Seeks Us (Gen. 3:8-11)

• Adam and Eve hid from God’s presence, revealing fear where intimacy once existed.
• God’s question, “Where are you?” was not for information but for confession.
• Sin always fractures fellowship and produces fear, secrecy, and distance.

Sin Refuses Responsibility and Shifts the Blame (Gen. 3:12-13)

• Adam blamed Eve—and ultimately God.
• Eve blamed the serpent.
• Sin resists ownership and searches for scapegoats.

Sin Brings Consequences—Yet God Responds with Mercy (Gen. 3:16-24)

• Work remained a gift but was now marked by frustration and fatigue.
• Expulsion from the garden was both judgment and protection.
• Even in discipline, God shielded humanity from eternal life in a broken body.

GENESIS 3:14-15: THE FIRST GOSPEL

God’s Judgment Reveals the Seriousness of Sin (Gen. 3:14)

• The serpent’s humiliation—crawling on its belly and eating dust—symbolizes God’s judgment on rebellion.

God Declares Ongoing Spiritual Conflict (Gen. 3:15)

• God announces “enmity” between the serpent and the woman, pointing beyond a natural fear of snakes to a spiritual battle between the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of God.

God Promises a Redeeming Savior (Gen. 3:15)

• Genesis 3:15 is the protoevangelium—the first proclamation of the gospel. The singular “he” points to Jesus Christ, the offspring of the woman. Although Satan would bruise Jesus’ heel through the suffering of the cross, Christ would crush Satan’s head through his sacrificial death and resurrection. God’s response to sin is not abandonment but redemption through sacrifice.

GENESIS 4: SIN-CROUCHING AT THE DOOR

Sin Enters the World and Corrupts Humanity

• Sin began with Adam and Eve, bringing brokenness to humanity and the world (Romans 5:12). The story of Cain and Abel shows how sin affects relationships, emotions, and our worship.

God Warns and Offers Grace

• God confronts Cain about his anger and jealousy: “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:6-7). God’s grace offers an opportunity for repentance and correction, even when we fail.

The Consequences of Rejecting God’s Way

• Cain ignored God’s warning, allowed sin to dominate him, and murdered Abel (Genesis 4:8). Sin carries real consequences, yet God still shows mercy, protecting Cain from immediate harm while allowing him to live with the results of his choice (Genesis 4:12-15).