Saw and Took | Image Bearer (Part 2)

This week’s message continues our Image Bearers series with a teaching titled “The Reach: Saw, and Took.” Pastor Matthew Vander Els returns to the garden of Eden and uncovers a literary pattern that runs from Genesis through the entire biblical story. Human beings were created in the image of God and commissioned to rule over the creatures. But in Genesis 3, that order turns upside down. The beast begins speaking, the image begins listening, and the humans created to rule creation begin taking their instructions from a creature they were meant to govern. The fingerprints of that rebellion are found in two words: saw and took. Eve saw the fruit and took it. The sons of God saw and took. Achan saw, coveted, and took. Sarah took Hagar and gave her to Abraham. David saw Bathsheba and sent for her. Again and again, the biblical authors reach back to the garden, showing how human beings surrender their calling when appetite becomes their ruler. In this teaching, we’ll explore biblical intertextuality, the serpent as a beast, Adam’s failure to guard the garden, sin crouching at Cain’s door, the repeated pattern of seeing and taking, and the promise of the coming Son who will crush the serpent’s head. This is a message about temptation, appetite, power, shame, addiction, human responsibility, and the God who refused to destroy His cracked image. Join us as we follow the biblical hyperlink from Eve to Cain, from Achan to David, and finally to Yeshua—the one man who faced the serpent’s offer and refused to reach. Where the first Adam grabbed, the last Adam gave. Some helpful study resources for this topic: Carmen Imes — Being God’s Image; Bearing God’s Name J. Richard Middleton — The Liberating Image Robert Alter — The Art of Biblical Narrative; The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary Tim Mackie & The Bible Project — Image of God; Genesis 1–11; Biblical Narrative N.T. Wright — The Day the Revolution Began; Paul and the Faithfulness of God Genesis 1–4 — Read these chapters together and watch the patterns of ruling, seeing, taking, and exile.