Genesis 4:1-16
October 20, 2002
Did you ever watch any of those cheesy Saturday afternoon jungle movies from the forties and fifties. Many of them seemed to involve some form of a treasure hunt where great white hunters slogged through the deepest densest jungle you could find. Another scene that a lot of them seemed to include was the quicksand scene. One of the party - usually someone who really deserved such a gruesome fate would fall into quicksand. Sometimes other party members tried to pull them out but the vine would break or the branch would snap. The more that they struggle, the deeper they become trapped. Usually the final scene showed a single hand frantically grasping above the quicksand before it was all over.
Today in our text from Genesis we have the spiritual equivalent of the person trapped in quicksand. His name is Cain and the quicksand in which he is trapped is sin. Today we want to see the way that Cain slowly sinks into it and how it eventually consumes him.
1. A start with great promise. 4:1-2a
The first child born into the world
Eve either says -
I have been involved with the Lord in the creative act
or
I have brought forth the man - the seed that would crush the serpent’s head.
Abel - breath or vapour - vanity
2. The unacceptable sacrifice 4:2b-5
Why was it unacceptable?
A. It didn’t include blood
B. It wasn’t the best
C. Cain lacked faith.
NIV Hebrews 11:4 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.
3. Misplaced anger 4:6-8
God confronts Cain about his anger. Sin desires to control you.
Cain gives in and redirects his anger towards Abel.
4. Denial of guilt 4:9-12
brother’s keeper - yes you are
5. Fear 4:13-14
6. Separation from God 4:15-16
Perhaps today you find yourself sinking in the quicksand of sin. You are sinking fast and you feel like only your hand is left, grasping above the surface. All the things you have tried to grab have failed you. Your only hope is God’s grace which can pull you from the muck.
