Discovering Genesis, Part 5
Genesis 4:1-15
Introduction
- At our core, at our very molecular level, we were created to worship God
- APP: Worship is not just our praise but also our obedience (critical point here)
-- We must obey the God we serve; in everything; else we are not worshiping
-- It’s more than singing a few songs and listening to a sermon and giving
-- It’s more than showing up once a week and calling ourselves Christians
- Rev 4:11 says, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
- What we saw last week are 4 VERY important aspects of understanding God
1) Man must have an adequate covering to approach God
-- (Not works) We must come to God just as we are; sinners in need of a Savior
2) God does not take a homemade garment; he accepts no substitute
-- We cannot come with our works (fig leaves), but only on God’s provision
3) God must provide the covering that mankind will need for the future
4) The covering is ONLY obtained through the death of Jesus Christ
- APP: It is the BLOOD that covers us; and only the blood God provided
- This morning, we will examine what happened after the fall of mankind
-- In short, this is the RESULT of man’s disobedience and what we live with today
-- We will focus primarily on the first 15 verses of Genesis Chapter 4
- Read Genesis 4:1-15
- Pray
Point 1 – The Birth of Cain and Abel (1-5)
- Right from the beginning Eve began to understand the trials that life now faced
- With the birth of Cain, I’m sure Eve felt this was the redemption God revealed
- Look at what she says, “I have brought forth a man”; “Whew - glad that’s over!”
- What she didn’t know, is that she just gave birth to the world’s first murderer
-- Cain was not a savior, he was not sent to redeem; and so the struggle begins
-- What struggle? Gen 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.” Enmity = actively opposed or hostile
- Where have we seen this before? Romans 8:7, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
-- Since the beginning of time, this struggle has been occurring and describes us
- Eve then gave birth to Abel and these two grew up suffering from rebellion
-- Abel had to tend the animals; Cain was a tender of the ground (crops, etc.)
- (v3) Later in time, Cain brought forth his offering to the Lord
-- Hebrews 11:4 reflects on this … “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.”
- They both came by faith because of what they had heard (Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”)
- Neither could come just because they wanted to; but b/c they believed
- However, there is a serious problem that is about to happen
- This problem, is where we see ourselves in this story and it’s a warning
- Jude 1:11says, “they have gone the way of Cain …” (What’s this mean?)
-- Cain decided that his offering was fine; and there’s no reason for respect
-- Cain, in his offering, denied that he and God were separate
- Cain comes with this ego the size of Israel that he and God are on the same level
- How does this apply to us? Consider your own offering of time/gifts/etc.
-- Do you give God the very best or what’s left that makes you feel convenient?
- Cain and Abel both had the same backgrounds; raised in the same manner
- Both from the same heritage; and here we see the response to God totally
- God demands that we offer our very best to Him because He deserves it
-- But how do we respond? “Here’s my left over God, may it please you …”
- We see that Abel brought his offering to God by faith; out of respect (fear)
-- Cain however, brings his as if he’s going to a BBQ with the neighbors
- TRANS: God however, gives Cain a second chance to obey the Lord
Point 2 – Pride leads to REAL Issues (6-7)
- (6-7) God reminds Cain that he’s the oldest; he’ll always have excellence
-- Cain, in his pride, feels that he will lose this and so we see anger arising in man
- Look at God’s word, “Sin lieth at the door (KJV)”; it means you are about to sin!
- Cain had no idea how vulnerable to sin he was; again; his pride is swelling him
- He honestly feels that he’s good, nothing to worry about it, and it’s dangerous
- Why is it so dangerous? B/c if don’t see ourselves here we’ve got real issues
-- Your pride, your anger, your desires will always lead you away from God
-- The path to Christ is NEVER going to be through your own will and emotions
- Cain, just like us, needed a sacrifice that would be acceptable to God for sin
-- 1 John 3:12 says, “Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brothers were righteous.”
- Cain could have avoided these problems: By obeying God and giving his best
- However, what Cain does is exactly what we do; and sadly, what we teach others
- We think that we bring our barest amount and God will be pleased; false
-- Abraham also brought a burnt offering; no transgression until the Law is given
- So, because the Law had not been given, God actually protected Cain
-- Protected? Yes! He could have easily destroyed Him on the spot; w/o the law
- TRANS: And so, what does this lead to? Man continues to rebel because God didn’t kill him, and so the sins begin to multiply!
Point 3 – Murder, Deceit, Pride, and its Consequences (8-15)
- Cain, unable to get his own way, now has a burning within him that controls him
- His anger burned within him, the jealousy raged, and he killed his brother, Abel
- (v9) shows us Cain’s response: How dare God say these things to me?
-- As if to imply: “I don’t like what God is saying, so I will show Him!”
-- APP: We do the same thing: I don’t like what the preacher said so I’ll just leave
-- Or, even better: “I don’t like feeling convicted so everyone around me is about to have a VERY bad day because I can’t take it out on God.”
-- We must be able to see ourselves in this, b/c God gives Cain the way out
- Here comes God on the scene again to ask the question, Where is your brother?
- Look at Cain’s response (v9) “How should I know? Not my turn to watch him”
-- But just like his parent’s sin; there is no repentance when he’s caught lying
- God tells Cain that he even hears Abel’s blood crying out for vengeance
-- This reinforces the curse mankind has brought upon the Earth by God
- (v13) If Cain’s punishment was greater than he could bear; why not just repent?
- God was providing the way by continuing to communicate; but he never learned
-- The provision God was making here was mercy through grace; as always (Jesus)
-- But Cain, in his pride still, requests to be hidden from God’s face (v14)
-- However, do you see the provision of God still on this murderer’s life?
- (v15) God puts a mark on him, and protects him for his entire life
-- There is no real relevance to what the mark is/was; but it signifies God’s hand
-- Protection is something God always desires for His children; if they repent
Conclusion
- There is no Law given yet, but his sin was not offering his very best to God
-- Then, he compounded it by killing his brother and lying about it
- APP: Cain’s assumption is that he doesn’t owe God anything
-- His deeds were evil, God called him out on it, and still there is no response
- This morning, we’ve got to see ourselves in this else we are lying to ourselves
- If we cannot admit who we are in God’s eyes; we’ll NEVER see His redemption
- The ORDER said to Adam, to Cain, and to the Disciples is the same thing:
-- Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
- Every eye closed and every head bowed …
- Will we repent of our ways or just continue to think we and God are A-OK?
- Don’t believe the lies of the devil
- No matter how many years we’ve lived, there is never going to be a wrong time to repent – but the right time is ALWAYS now
- Pray
