Sermon # 44 - Overcome Evil With Good Series

We read in Genesis 4:1, Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.” (NKJV)

When the first man Adam and his wife Eve had a baby boy, the words of Eve were, ‘I have acquired a man from the Lord.’ Children are given to us by the Lord, and oftentimes we fail to remember that our children are a great blessing to us from the Lord. Those who are searching for a bride or a groom painstakingly do so. A person I met recently mentioned to me that they had seen over sixty brides for their son, and nothing had worked out for him. However, when it comes to having children, parents don’t decide, but the Lord makes that decision, and so also children cannot choose who their parents will be.

Children therefore are God’s greatest gifts and blessings given to parents.

The Psalmist says in Psalm 127:3, “Children are a gift from the LORD; a productive womb, the LORD's reward.” (ISV)

We observe that the word “Lord” is mentioned twice to emphasize that God is the giver of children, and we also take special note that they are a gift and reward from the Lord. God also has a purpose for every single baby born into this world. There are many who think that they are here on earth by mistake, and hence have to merely exist, and survive on this earth.

Every person on earth is God’s masterpiece

We read in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (ESV)

Remember that God has a wonderful plan for each one of us, and no one should go on in life without a purpose. We are God’s workmanship or His masterpiece, created to do good works and His desire is that we should walk in them. All this has been ordained by God even before we came into being. Isn’t it an awesome thought to know that God has a way planned for every one of us to follow? Nonetheless, since God is a good God, He has entrusted us with the free will to make our own choices, and does not force anyone to follow in His ways.

Just imagine the scene when Eve took her baby boy in her arms, The question on her mind could be put this way, ‘Will my son be able to overcome evil or will he allow evil to overcome him?’

This is the question that fits every one of us as we too must examine our lives to check if we are able to conquer evil with good, or if we are allowing evil to defeat us all the time.

Do not let evil overcome you

Paul says it this way in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (ESV)

There is a constant conflict between good and evil, and the question is, Are we are going to be overcome with evil or will we permit good to conquer evil?’

Cain presented an offering unto the Lord

One day Cain decided that he wanted to honor God in some way.

We read in Genesis 4:3, “After some time Cain brought some of his harvest and gave it as an offering to the LORD.” (GNB)

From the above mentioned verse we infer that Adam and Eve had brought up their son well, had taught him who God was, and had instilled in him the fact that God was worthy of worship and reverence.

Many parents take much effort to help their children excel in their studies, and also in other extra-curricular activities like music, sport, dance and various other pursuits. Sadly, these same parents fail to show that same zeal in teaching their children about God, His Kingdom and hesitate to share spiritual truths with them. It is important that we give the best of education to our children, do all that is necessary for them, and endeavor to develop their talents. However, it is our primary responsibility to teach our children who God is, to know their creator and to enable them to realize that God has a specific plan for each one of them. Only when these things are taught while they are really young, will they be able to comprehend the true meaning and purpose as to why God created them. If not, they will be well educated, but will not exhibit godly character.

The mother who influenced her baby boy

The bible talks about a baby who was separated from his mother, and then handed over to her for only a few years until he was weaned. God had a major plan for this baby boy. This baby was Moses whose mother made use of the few years he spent with her to impress upon him as to who he was, and the purpose for which God had chosen him. No wonder then that after many years even after being disconnected from his mother, Moses never forgot who he was, and what he was chosen to do. Moses became a great blessing to the entire nation of Israel because of this awareness that his mother had instilled in him.