Introduction
We live in a time that some have called ‘the season of the knife’. Twenty seven London teenagers have been murdered this year so far. Many families all over this region today are heartbroken. To them the Cain and Abel story would be too hard to hear. They would perhaps be too sensitive to its gruesome reality.
And the story it tells is this: As the human race spreads, as it advances in the arts and technology (yes we read here of music and tools being developed), as it progresses it also regresses. Humanity goes forward, but backwards. As time goes by not only does man get cleverer but he and she gets more sinful, more violent, more alienated from each other. Worst of all, this leads some to increased alienation, and further distance from God.
This is about life outside the Garden. Adam and Eve have been banished from Eden. After a while Eve becomes pregnant. She gives birth to a son, and later to another one. The first born is Cain, his younger brother, Abel. The brothers have different jobs. Cain is a farmer, who works the land. Abel is a shepherd, a keeper of sheep. And so far, everything outside of the garden seems rosy. They have jobs, they are a family, they speak of the Lord. But suddenly all that changes. And we know the bloody outcome.
So how did things goes so terribly wrong? Note three aspects of this story with me this morning:
1. Note the way Cain related to God
2. Note the way Cain responded to God’s warning
3. Note the results of Cain’s actions
1. The way Cain related to God, vv3-5
We read that both brothers brought offerings to God. But we read that God wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. And we may feel sorry for Cain! Surely he was trying his best. Surely he brought worship gifts to God. Why is it that God isn’t pleased with Cain?
Some say it’s because Abel’s offering was a sacrificial lamb or goat. It was a blood gift, whilst Cain’s gift was only fruits of the soil. In other words, Cain only brought fruit and veg.
And it’s true that the Bible gives a special place of blood sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 says that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” And Jesus is the perfect blood sacrifice. John the Baptist recognised Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Jesus is the climax of the Bible. We need to be forgiven and made clean. Only Jesus’ blood can do that.
But God also told the Israelites in Leviticus that the fruits of the soil were one of the types of sacrifice they were to offer. So Cain was quite probably within his rights to offer God some of his crops. So, what’s the problem?! Why wasn’t God happy with him and his offering?
I think the answer is in the way verses 3-4 are written: “Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil”, but, “Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.”
Abel brought some of the firstborn, no waiting around, he carefully selects the youngest, the best specimens of the flock, and he takes the fat portions, the best parts of those lambs, and he dedicates them to God. Whilst Cain seems to carelessly grab some of his crops, as if, ‘O, that’ll do.... God oughta be happy with that.’ Cain seems less God-focussed, and not really interested in pleasing God. Cain seems to go through the ritual of worship. But God sees through it.
I think that’s why Hebrews 11:4 says that, “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did.” You see, Abel’s sacrifice was better because it was offered in the right attitude. Abel loved and respected God; so Abel showed that by giving God the best and most valuable things that he had. Abel didn’t have a religion. He had a relationship with God.
What about you and me? How do we relate to God? Why are we in church this morning? Am I here just because I’m a Pastor and that’s what I do on a Sunday? I’m just doing my job, or worse: I’m just doing my ‘bit’ for God?? People have various motivations for being in church:
- We grew up going to church, so it’s natural.
- Our friends are here, so it’s nice.
- If we don’t go then people will think bad of us.
Or did we come today because we have a relationship with God? Come because His Word tells us to! Come because through joining together in song and prayer and giving our money, we have the chance to show God what he means to us.... Come because we know we as a family need to hear his voice in the Bible reading and preaching, so we can receive instruction in how to live our lives the coming week.
Have we come as a Cain this morning, or as an Abel?
2. The way Cain responded to God’s warning, vv6-8
It doesn’t say how God spoke to him. But Cain heard from God. And Cain knew his relationship with God wasn’t good. And God speaks to us about our relationship with him. He’s given us a conscience that we can tell right from wrong. It’s like a muscle though, and if we don’t use it, it’ll grown weak. And God has also given the Christian the Holy Spirit...
And just like with Adam and Eve, God’s questions are his gracious invitation to put things right. God asks, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?” It’s a moment of decision for Cain. God warns that this careless attitude towards God, this dabbling with sin is like playing with fire. Sin, like a crouching and ferocious lion is at the door of Cain’s life. If Cain will not put things right with God, if Cain will not say no to sin, the lion will pounce, and it will have him.
This is the moment of decision. What will Cain do?
You see, this was God’s invitation to Cain to put things right. Cain could’ve said:
- Yes God, you’re right!
- Yes, Lord, I’m struggling with sin at the moment.
- Yes, God I’m not putting you first in my life, I’m not giving you the best of my time, my wealth and my energy. I’ve been living for myself.
- Please will you forgive me? I want a close relationship with you.
- I don’t want sin to master me. I want YOU to master me.
How different things would’ve been...
What do you do when God lets you know there’s something you need to put right?
3. The results of Cain’s actions, vv9-16
Well, Cain lost that moment of opportunity. Cain instead continues in his selfish ways. He opens the door to the crouching lion of sin. And just 4 chapters into the Bible we have the first murder. Murder in the first degree. It’s planned. It’s premeditated. “Let’s go out to the field”, v8. No one else around. No one to see the club come down on Abel’s head. No one to hear the screams for mercy. No one to see the blood. No one except God. who asks, Where’s your brother?
Cain lies and makes a joke of Abel’s absence. He says, in effect, “Am I the shepherd’s shepherd?”
See how Cain progresses from coldness towards God to outright mockery of God. And God sends Cain far, far away, to a life of constant wandering, a life of restlessness.
If you choose a life without God you will get a life without God.
But a life without God is a life without true rest. A life of looking here and there and everywhere for meaning in life but not finding it. St Augustine prayed, ’You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you’ .
That’s why Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest... come to me and you will find rest for your souls.”
If you are restless today, is it because you haven’t wholeheartedly come to Jesus?
Conclusion
And so, this is the story of the progressive decline of the human race, the spread of sin, the increase of violence, the godlessness. But if all we see here is doom and gloom, we’ve missed the point. Because, at the end of the day, it’s also the story of a God who can’t stop being gracious. 3 signs of hope:
1. See God warning Cain; trying to help Cain.
2. See God putting a protective mark on Cain... what was that mark? We don’t know... But Abel’s blood crying out to God from the ground. The cry of Abel screaming to God for justice. And yet see God putting a protective mark on Cain.
3. See how the NT sees Jesus in verse 10. The book of Hebrews tells us, We have come to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
You see, Abel’s blood cries out quite for justice.
And rightly so.
But Jesus’ blood shed on the cross cries out grace; for our forgiveness.
That’s why Jesus’ blood is better. It covers our sin. It puts a protective mark on us.
And so the signs of hope are signs that show us who God always is. His outrageous love for the murderer as well as the victim. His outrageous love for people like you and me.
