There were these 2 brothers who asked their parents, “Why can’t we live in that beautiful garden with all kinds of animals and fruit-bearing trees?”. The mother replied, “Because when your dad and I were young, we were foolish and disobeyed its creator. We were expelled from that place created for us.” “Is that the reason why we need to provide for our food, clothes, shelter, and other needs?” one of the brothers asked. “Yes”, the father replied. He continued, “Now we need to sacrifice animals for our sins.”
When the brothers grew up, the older one became a farmer, while the younger one became a shepherd. These 2 brothers are Cain and Abel, their parents are Adam and Eve.
[TALE OF TWO OF WORSHIPPERS]
Genesis 4:3-5 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
Cain and Abel brought their offering to God, they are both worshippers.
But God rejected Cain’s offering. Why?
We can find clues from the words used by the author of Genesis that,
• Cain seemed to just bring what was nearest at hand, probably without thinking much about it (v3) – some of the fruits.
• On the other hand, Abel offered his best (v4) – "The fat portions … of the firstborn" -
o Have you seen an animal in which the fat portions are already separated? Abel needs to separate it.
o When it is time to bring the offering to God, the first-born sheep will not identify itself and say, “I’m here!” Abel must have marked it and taken care of it until it is time for the offering.
The point is that, like a High Priest in the OT, Abel has taken extra effort and time preparing himself, and his offerings, when approaching God’s presence.
The question for us now is, when we approach God, are we more like Cain or Abel? Do we approach the presence of God in reverence, or have we become acquainted with it?
When an airplane is switched to autopilot, the airspeed and altitude of the aircraft are stabilized. In this mode, the pilot can do other tasks, eat, can literally take a break. The pilot only takes the control back when the aircraft is near landing.
Likewise, some of us have this auto-worship button which we switch on before the worship starts and switch off when the service ends.
It happens when meeting God and his people has become routine, and one can appear to be fully engaged. Outside the person seems cruising or flowing in the right direction, but inside there are other things going on.
This scenario can cause one to miss the move of God.
Interestingly, there are people who can still give their best while their focus is on something else. Perhaps they have been so familiar with doing ministry.
But we have to remember that as we are sinners, not even our best or costliest gift is enough. In the end, we have nothing worthwhile to offer.
The prophet Isaiah acknowledged that. He says,
6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind, our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6
The truth is, that giving our best to God is important, but God is more interested in our attitude when we approach him.
So, don’t ever come to God saying,
• I have given everything to grow this group.
• No one in this room can play the guitar or keyboard better than me.
• I have given the best original sermon the people ever heard.
• I have been giving 11% of my salary to the church consistently.
Not that all these offerings are wrong. The only point is that anything that we offer to God, even if it can be considered the best in the world, all are worthless if our attitude is wrong.
[CAIN WAS OFFENDED]
Genesis 4:5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
Honesty check.
Who among you gets a little offended when your gift is rejected?
As we can see from Cain, our attitude can be revealed when we don’t get what we expect.
Sometimes, try to come to God without asking. It is ok to ask. But try to come without asking and just let God reveal our weaknesses and transform us.
Know that God knows what is best for us.
[CAIN’S WEAKNESS EXPOSED]
Cain was angry,
6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 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.”
Cain is angry because God did not affirm his substandard offering, and his weakness was exposed.
Cain was like, I am the farmer here, I am the only one who offers you fruits. I am the only one who leads this farming ministry, I am the only one who can do this and that. His weakness is entitlement and the issue of humility. Does this sound familiar?
[Key Takeaway]
In a nutshell: because of the issue of humility. Cain and Abel both offered something to God, but only Abel did the right thing. And that is to fully surrender to God.
Whatever you don’t fully surrender to God, sin will have a grip on it one day.
Have you surrendered your relationship, your marriage, your health, your emotions, your past? If not yet, don’t be surprised if one day, sin will come knocking.
[CAIN KILLED ABEL]
Genesis 4:8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
1. Unlike Abel, Cain did not demonstrate full surrender to God.
2. God rejected his offering.
3. In his anger, sin came knocking at his door, and he opened his door for it!
Cain, the first man ever born, drew first blood, and committed the first murder, creating the world’s first corpse.
He attacked Abel in the field, an open space. Look what sin can do to a person. Because of sin, he became aggressive. There were only four human beings; he didn’t think that he could easily be caught because he was absent-minded.
But what is the real reason Cain killed Abel? Is it really because God did not accept his offerings? Did Cain kill Abel because Abel wronged him? The Bible is silent about this.
But for a more sensible reason, Cain killed Abel because he couldn’t stand the Favor of God on Abel’s life.
[ARE YOU CAIN?]
Perhaps some of you can relate to Cain, you are puzzled as to why others are more favored, while you are more deserving,
- because you came to this world first
- because you hold a high position in the church
- because you do well in everything you do
Just an honest reflective question – have you become like Cain lately?
Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
If we read between the lines, Cain is like saying, “Woh, now I am the firstborn! Was it even considered when my offerings were rejected?”
Because of sin, Cain has become a murderer, with no reverence for God, and telling lies became easy for him. Imagine An all-powerful all-knowing God asking him, and he had the guts to tell lies.
This is what sin can do to a person, it causes one to commit more sins.
[2.2 ARE YOU ABEL?]
I hope none of us here is like Cain, instead we are more like Abel. Though as Abel, you wonder,
• why do people talk behind your back?
• why do they hate you?
• why do they do things they do to you?
It’s not that you have a problem, it is because they can’t stand the favor of God in your life.
If this is you,
• Don’t mind those who are determined to frustrate or misunderstand you.
• Not everyone will like you, but no one can deny the Lord’s favor in you.
Taylor Swift once said in her NYU graduation speech - Decide what is yours to hold and let the rest go.
Yours to hold is God’s favour, the desire to understand why people don’t like you, let go of it.
If you believe that you are favoured, just stand firm, believe that no one can shake you.
[CAIN ABONDONS GOD’S PRESENCE]
Genesis 4:10-14 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
To highlight key things here,
• In v12 God said that Cain will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. (Like a runaway).
• In v14 it is Cain who assumes that he is being driven away by God and decides to hide from God’s face.
Remember, their parents Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, but they were still allowed to live on earth and God still interacted with them.
Likewise, God is also allowing Cain to start a new life in a different place.
God is not driving Cain away; he is telling Cain that because he let sin rule over his life, he has chosen a miserable life, and he will be fearful for his life (because sin has consequences).
It is Cain’s sin, that caused him to depart from God.
It is Cain who decided to be hidden from God’s face, because of fear and guilt.
After Cain departed from God,
Genesis 4:17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
We should understand that anyone who departs from God eventually builds his own fortress and hides in it. But God can be everywhere. That is why when we say – we invite your presence, it is not that God is not present, it is more like saying that we are destroying our own fortress, and we are done hiding.
A. W. Tozer. - True and absolute freedom is only found in the presence of God.
Only when you stop building your own fortress, you can fully dwell in the presence of God. So today, be serious in breaking down every brick of sin that made up your fortress. Ask God to help you overcome sin.
[Trivia – Google Timeline]
If you use a single Google account consistently and your mobile device location is always On, do you know that Google keeps the history of your location? I checked mine and noticed that Google has recorded all I’ve been since 2013. I can also drill down to specific dates and review my movement.
Imagine if you can see all the places, you’ve been to hide from God, how does it look like?
What places will come out? Your workplace, your favourite holiday place. your ministry? How many fortresses will be shown?
[GOD MARKED CAIN]
In conclusion, Cain realized what he had done and was worried that someone would kill him.
Genesis 4:15-16 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
God marked Cain for protection. (You can think of it as a stamp, a permanent marker, or a hot iron used for livestock, it can be a spiritual mark)
Whatever it is, God is saying – “You have sinned, and must be punished. But I care for you, therefore I am marking you. As long as you put this mark, you may be a fugitive, a wanderer, a target of the devil, know that my protection is upon you.”
The mark on Cain is a sign of a cursed spirit, yet at the same time a symbol of God’s mercy, an assurance for us that wherever we have been, whatever we have become, God still loves us, God still longs for us.
[WE ARE ALL CAIN]
In reality, we are all like Cain, we are all sinners full of shame and guilt and need to be punished.
But in God’s great love, he wants to mark all of us so that,
- Salvation will be upon us.
- Our punishment can be canceled.
- Sin will have no power over us anymore.
These can be made possible through his son Jesus’s death on the cross when he shed his precious blood and eventually displayed his unmatched power in his resurrection.
By believing in Jesus, we are spiritually marked in the spirit to live a fresh, clean life in him.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, let all of us bow only to Jesus, let us all surrender our lives completely to Jesus, and let’s acknowledge Jesus as King in our lives.
[CALL FOR ACTION]
At this point, I have great news for some of you that you have been reached by God’s grace which brought you here, so that today you will have the chance to accept Jesus, to make Jesus your Lord and Saviour. If this is you, let God completely mark you for salvation.
To do this, allow Jesus to come into your life.
If this is you, you want to be marked, you want to accept Jesus, begin to pray now.
[PRAYER]
Dear Jesus
I confess that I am a sinner.
And I want to thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.
Right now, I invite you to come into my life.
Be my Lord, Be my Savior.
Help me to become the kind of person I was created to be.
I pray all this, in Jesus’ name.
Amen
