Trials produce Endurance

STRUCTURE

give thanks to Brother Ray and Brother Robert for the opportunity and privilege to speak to the guys today.

1.) Read passage together

2.) Pray together

3.) Introduce the topic : The topic of today’s message is …”Trials produce endurance”

a.) By show of hands, how many of you have brothers as siblings? A friend whom you call brother? How many of us ARE/HAVE BEEN a brother to someone?

Intro

Chapter 4 starts off with life OUTSIDE the garden. “ Thanks Mom…thanks Dad!” …But God is still with them…and with us.

We are introduced to two sons who are first described by their occupation in a very complementary way…on purpose. ( Purpose: to demonstrate the harmony that God intended starting from chapter 2 ) And as we read we found out what will ultimately become of these two brothers - a horrific even that will change the trajectory of their lives, both for now and for eternity.

Intro statement:

Faith in Christ is the “blood that runs through a believer’s veins. It ties him or her to the household of God as brothers and sisters.”

Ephesians 2:19–20 ESV

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

BODY

I have three points to share with you based off the text that applies to identifying your brother as well as identifying God’s desires for us as we walk with Him and each other.

1. THE LORD …AND YOUR BROTHER NEED you to be WHOLE-by way of your presence, your serving/ in your brotherly love…Wholly!!!! (as in completely, in the moment, , give your all, full!!)

Abel is a shepherd and Cain is a farmer. Brothers….Working together….Abel needs Cain..and Cain needs Abel.

Thank God that He is a God that applauds unity more than uniformity. I don’t have to do what you do. You don’t have to do what I do. IN THE BODY of Christ, we ALL don’t have to preach the same, to MC the same , to set up, or build. HOWEVER, we are all called to serve with whatever capacity (gifting, treasure, time etc) The Lord has blessed you with.

Your offering, your life-presented as a living sacrifice is what God wants. God wants a full bodied worship, a full bodied loyalty, A full bodied love. LUKE 10:27 records Jesus answering a question about the greatest commandment :

Luke 10:27 (ESV)

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… and with all your soul …and with all your strength… and with all your mind…and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Tracking from Gen. 4:3-5

It is the time of worship. Both brothers present their offering. Based off the text, there’s much description regarding Abel’s offering indicating that it was more preferred that Cain’s. Not that Cain’s was bad, but Abel’s was better.

Many views on why Abel was regarded and not Cain:

Some scholars view the story as God prefers shepherds over farmers. (That isn’t true because Genesis 2:15 tells us God placed Adam in the Garden to tend to and cultivate it.)

Others scholars believe that God approves animal sacrifices and not fruit or grain offering. ( That isn’t true because we have Leviticus that tells us of God approving and instituting them. (grain, that is… Leviticus 2)

****It is known and understood within a Jewish context that the “posture of your heart” WHEN you give is reflective of WHAT you give. ******

We get a little help from Hebrews 11:4 which tells us this way :

Hebrews 11:4 (ESV)

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.

To feel accepted is one of the greatest desires in the human experience. It’s one thing to feel unaccepted by a group, team, or even family. That pain is very real. But there is… a greater pain…a pain where even the thought of it is enough to disturb, to shake, to bring down a believer…that is …to be rejected by God. A chilling thought. I pray that none of us would experience that.

It was at this point Cain lost sight of what is best for God, and… who his brother is.

What is the point of stressing these brothers and offering and acceptance?????

I know this group isn’t the least bit guilty of this, lol, but I have been very guilty of not giving the whole of me-especially when I can.

1. Maybe we feel that we don’t have enough to give.

2. Maybe we’re too selfish.

3. Maybe….we’re too self absorbed/wrapped up in what we’re doing?

4. Distracted by other things and lose sight of our contribution as God’s representatives-image bearers on this earth. Maybe we feel our words don’t matter.

QUESTION: Is God getting the best of you? (embellish on being a “Sunday Saint”?, Do you short change God? ex. One-for-you-God-one-for me-two for you God-one-two-for me, etc.lol, “I know you said this God, but my connections/ affiliations say this”, my job wants me to do this but God will understand)

Is your brother receiving the best of you? (embellish on text-only relationships, ignore, snooze, do not disturb buttons on our phones are in heavy use, “see you on Sunday”, empty promises, a “God bless you” here and an “I’ll pray for you”, there, knowing you could be present? Where’s the servant-leader mentality? Where’s your sacrifice? “We make time for what we make time for”.)

2. THE LORD AND YOUR BROTHER need you to be…HOLY. Gen. 4:7

We see here in verse 7, God provides Cain with correction and an opportunity to ‘make it right”. God desires Cain to be made right with him, to be in a right relationship. As HE does with us. Our sin doesn’t stop GOD’S DESIRE for us to be made right with him. But your sin negatively affects the relationship. Thank God for Jesus. HE is our go between, our substitute, our Savior, Our Answer. The ONLY ANSWER. This is the heart of the Father. And no, this isn’t about Abel being better than his Cain. Abel isn’t good…The Lord is!!!

God is clear to Cain; He must not allow sin to rule his life. He must rule over it.

Men, we are called to be holy…set apart. Because of God …’BE Holy, for I am holy” says the Lord Lev. 19:2 Lev 20:7

What’s Cain’s response to God’s instruction?

Answer: wants to talk to Abel……(internally ..Anger, jealousy, hostility, envy, “ ********blood in his eyes”; selfishness, he’s closed off,)

How many of us guys deal with anger? Negative thoughts about a person or brother? Looking to be combative? Jealous of another’s place, posture, position in life?

James, the half brother of Jesus, describes the anatomy of sin this way in…James 1:14–15“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

(I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t want to do the kind of ‘talking’ Cain was doing, lol)

He brings Abel into a field and slayed him. He used talk…a conversation, speech to lure him in. If we were Hebrews, we would’ve picked up on the word and it’s imagery used for killed. The image is of a repeated striking by a stone.

Guys, We can not afford to play with sin. Our first description of sin is like an animal…crouching, waiting, not impulsive, alert, on the prowl, preying…not praying and if it was ever praying…it would be for you to give in…looking for the right opportunity to make you fall.

Sin has only one objective…to kill you. Your sin wants to kill you. Amen?

3. THE LORD AND YOUR BROTHER need you to be…Humble.

Let’s notice a few things about Cain; When God confronts Cain about the whereabouts of his brother, God is not searching for information. HE isn’t lacking anything. Cain is… .and often, I am. You are. We are. Humility.

In verse 9, his response to God is very telling. When He asks ‘Am I my brother’s keeper”, he’s implying not one thing but two in regards to his position:

That he is not his brother’s keeper and

God is Abel’s keeper.

A “brother” is defined as …a kin, male sibling, someone from the same group or tribe.

A “keeper”, in this context, is defined as one who guards, protects, watches over, and demonstrates qualities that are worth emulating in other. Cain has become defensive, deflecting, prideful…I would even argue disrespectful. Did he really think God didn’t know what he’s done? Did he really think that The Lord would have nothing to say?

After God giving out judgement, his response is even more telling than the one given in verse 9. He says in Gen 4:13 “My punishment is greater than I can bear.”

Please notice that he never repents; He processes his life going forward based off of his own interest and welfare and not God’s. He was only concerned about his earthly status and condition/function instead of his standing with God.

And what does God does? He protects Him… in spite of Him. I’m pretty sure if you look over your life, you’ll see God’s grace all over you…and you didn’t repent.

I’m going to leave that there and let it simmer….

What if Cain only communicated/confessed his sin, (repentance) to God,? What if Cain expressed himself not with an intent to deceive , murder, be evil, but with speech that expressed humility to the Lord? To his brother? what if the conversation with his brother would’ve been one fueled by candidness, honesty, respect, transparency, a brotherly love. One that is edifying???

For many of us talking about our feelings don’t come easy. I beg to differ. We vet, we process, we make assessments based off of our experiences, rites of passage, upbringing, if you will, and so on. If we can talk sports and our feelings about a team, a political affiliation, or religion, we can lean in and talk to one another.

A courageous conversation? “i’m struggling with you in this area” or “What you did back there…” “I gotta come clean with you regarding…” you get the picture.

If you are a brother, you are expected to have relations with your brethren, and the greater household of God. You are expected to communicate. What to communicate??

Let’s start here…your testimony of “ you’re not perfect, nor will ever be on this side of Heaven,…but the Lord saved me. Jesus saved me. “ I was a “fill in the blank”, but He saved me, is saving me, and will save me.