In the Beginning Pt 4.

Introduction

Inside the Gospels of Luke and Mark, we come across a private and teachable moment that Jesus showed his disciples. This happened one day at the temple. With his disciples all around in the grand temple, it must have been quite a wondrous scene. Here rich men were putting money in the temple treasury, and they made it big deal and fuss about, “look how great I am and good of a giver I am!” Their actions screamed. Surely the disciples saw this and were impressed. Jesus, seeing it all, points them to something entirely different. Small, unimpressive, and probably a bit unsightly was a women. A widow, at this time and place the worst off in the society. She was a poor woman, and not much to look at, very easy to look past in the grandness of the temple and rich men’s displays. Though the text, doesn’t say it, I can only imagine this woman was trembling and shaken. Why? Well, in the treasury she dropped 2 small and insignificant coins. Her last money, all that she had to live on, much less in amount than all others, much more in worth to the savior. Jesus points out to them, she gave much more then them. This is the trust in God, humility, and generosity I am looking for. And now, in memorial to her great heart and love for God, she is forever remembered for all that she gave in her poverty much over the the rich that gave in their abundance. Your choices bring you either closer or further from God, and she chose the good choice. Her heart was right, her love was pure. This is to be the kind of lover of God that we are all to be. In today’s text, we will the effects of some of our choices, and the effect that they have on our love for God. But first, let’s pray.

Prayer

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much, that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

Context

This week, we are finishing out mini-series through the first chapters of the book of Genesis, the book of beginnings, in your bible. Next week, we will be starting a short series through the book of Habakkuk, so please go ahead and start reading that book in your personal devotional time.

So far through Genesis, we have seen many great and even some terrible things happen. We saw God create the Heavens, the Earth, and everything that fills them in 7 days by His mere utterance of words. We saw mankind begin, we saw God’s great concern for His favorite of all creation (mankind, that is me and you), even to the point that God said it was not good that the man be alone, so He created Eve, the first woman so that he can have a partner just like him. These two lived with God in His perfect garden for a short while, until something came in. That is, Satan the deceiver came in and deceived them, mankind them to believe that God was holding out on them. So, in the want of “secret power and knowledge” they both partook of the fruit that God had forbidden them, thus the first sin (the first rebellion against God) happened.

This sin, as all sin does, had immediate and terrible effects on everything and everyone, leading even up to the deserved penalty for it, death; which now haunts our world, our dreams, our realities. Even greater than this, is the condition of separation from God that sin brings. In today’s text and the end of last week’s we see that playing, as Adam and Eve were made to be placed out of the Garden, away from the perfect relationship with God that they had before known. What’s clear here is that we have choices, and Your choices will either bring you closer to or further from God. Let’s see that reality plays out in our text today. So let’s jump in and From the text, I want you to see and understand these truths about ourselves and our relationship with God.

Message

The first truth to see and understand is that: The way you worship matters 1-7

4 The man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.”[a] 2 She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

Here we see the narrative begin after the removal of the garden, and Adam and Eve do begin to fulfill their command to fill the earth and multiply and subdue the earth. And yes, if you are wondering about some of the holes in lineage that will follow, it is good for us to understand two things. First of all, in ancient texts (which the bible is) it is common to only mention the males in lineage, and also in Genesis chapter 5, the text mentions briefly that Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters that went unnamed. Anyways, back to the text, the two had two sons early on. One was named Cain, a farmer by trade. The other was Abel, a shepherd by trade. Though Adam and Eve and their children were separated from God, it seems that as a family they were turning back towards Him, we see this in Eve’s response to Cain’s birth. One day when older, Cain and Abel gave offerings to God. But, one thing was clear, something was right with one, and something was wrong with the other. God accepted Abel’s but did not accept Cain’s. This made Cain very angry, the text said furious and despondent. God had concern for Cain of course, and asked Him, what’s going on? You are angry yes, but if you do well, if you offer your sacrifice right yours will be accepted. Do this, give it rightly, because sin is crouching at your door, it wants you, but you must overcome it. Here, all signs point towards Cain not giving his offering as a joyful act of worship, but perhaps more as a duty of something to begrudgingly do. This difference between the two, was all about their attitude and posture.

Perhaps nothing is more dishonorable and disrespectful to God than half hearted, only done out of obligation , or inauthentic worship. This in and of itself serves as mockery of who God is, and is a testimony of our own self worship and veneration of sin. Don’t believe me? Listen to the apostle John’s commentary on the two’s offerings to God. He says of them in 1 John 3 that 12 ….. Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous. Cain gave his offering out of evil, but Abel out of righteousness.

God does not accept the worship of the wicked, we see that plainly here. So, we all have a choice to make, what kind of worship will we offer to our God? Wicked self seeking and selfish worship? Or God honoring and worship that shows our reliance on Him and points ourselves and others to His greatness? This is an important choice that we all must make over and over again, day in and day out. I warn you, to choose well as Your choices will either bring you closer to or further from God. Are you unsure of which one you are doing. Let me give you a simple text, let’s say you have a way that you like to or would prefer to worship, but God has you in spot and shows you that you are to do exactly the opposite. If this rubs you the wrong the way or you are unable to do or being yourself to it, than you have selfish worship that is only separating you from God. We are all very capable of this, so watch out. The way you worship matters.

Let’s keeping go though, and see

The next truth to see and understand is: Your heart-condition matters 8-16

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[b] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”10 Then he said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11 So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed.[c] 12 If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”13 But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment[d] is too great to bear! 14 Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.”15 Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case,[e] whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And he placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. 16 Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.

With an angry and vengeful heart, Cain reached out and harmed the only person he could, his own brother. Going out to a field alone, Cain kills Abel in cold blood, despite the fact that God had warned him to resist the sin in the heart and that if he changed his cold card, his sacrifices would be accepted. In pride and sin, Cain chose rebellion instead. God of course, knew that this happened. The Lord God confronted Cain, giving him a chance to come clean, yet he did not, and replied with an insolent reply, I don’t know, how should I know, I'm not in charge of my brother. He, of course, did know. And here he is, once again acting with a heart of rebellion against God. From his choice, Cain is cursed. Whereas before he could work hard and know bounty from the land, now he no longer will as he polluted the earth with his brother's blood. In addition, with this life of rebellion, he chose to live the life of an outsider, as he chose to utterly live outside of God’s will and good grace. Hearing this punishment, Cain despairs, but is given one mercy from God, that no one can harm him without a complete and total vengeance brought against them. Then, accepting the gift but not the giver, Cain went out to be further away from God to the east land of Nod; with his wicked heart in tow.

I think every one of us, who has ever been a child or had children knows, that your heart condition, your attitude, your intent matters. We see here that Cain’s intent was very much to do harm, both against his brother and against God. Why? Because He didn’t like that his half hearted offerings weren’t enough for God. He wanted to take the easy way, and God rightly judged it wanting.

So then, let me ask you. What is your intent behind pursuing God? Behind worshiping God? Are you looking to get something out of it? Are you seeking the familiar and comfortable? Are you hoping to get a good feeling. Are you simply looking to get away from hell (Self preservation)? Well, let me tell you these things. Here is what you will get for being a disciple of Christ: The bible promises us a lifetime of difficulty on this world because we are not of it. Are you looking for comfort, then I urge you to look at the early church and Jesus’ early disciples see how often they were uncomfortable and went and did unfamiliar and scary things in places they had never been, a good disciple never prioritizes comfort and familiarity over Kingdom Business. That feel good feeling, it will only be known after death if it’s the real McCoy. Self preservation, know that we are all called to lay down our lives on the alter of sacrifice.Your choices will either bring you closer to or further from God. God knows your motives, and you do too deep down. Your heart condition matters, so make your heart cognition one that bleeds the two great commandments, to Love God and Love People, which lead you to making disciples.

Let’s keep going and see

Another truth to see and understand is: Nearness to God matters 17-26

17 Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. 18 Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the first[g] of the nomadic herdsmen. 21 His brother was named Jubal; he was the first[h] of all who play the lyre and the flute. 22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.23 Lamech said to his wives:Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words. For I killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain is to be avenged seven times over, then for Lamech it will be seventy-seven times!25 Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, “God has given[i] me another offspring[j] in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 A son was born to Seth also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

Cain, now separating himself from God went out and started a family. This family was great, and had notable people within it. As you look at the family tree, you start to notice something though. That is, the family progressively become more wicked and rebellious against God. Just look, after 5 generations, we see a man taking on two wives, that is he decided to take more than God had designed for us. This man was truly wicked, listen to his boast in wickedness. He brags to his wives starting in verse 23, he tells them, he has killed a man woman for wounding him, and a young man for striking him. Lamech is a murder and adulterer. He then brags on his strength and mocks God and the protection he gave Cain. Look, if God will give cain vengeance time 7, mine will be much more, 77. I am more powerful than God he said and thought and lived liked. This family now has many generations of rebellious separation from God, and they all did what they wanted to do, they lived wickedly. Here was a family seeking separation from God. That’s not the end of the story though, we turn now back to the still alive original man and women, Adam and Eve, now with a dead son and a son who has separated himself from them. God gave them another child, Seth to replace the righteous Abel. Seth would have his own family as well, and in this time, that family lineage cried to and for God. Here was a family seeking nearness to God.

Believer, have you ever noticed this? That the closer and in sweeter relationship you are with God at the time, the easier it is to resist sin. If you don’t know this, then heed these words of good and true advice. Stick close to God and you will have less sin to overcome. Now yes, we all have some hidden parts in our heart that we have not invited God into just yet, but let Him in and He will help you to conquer it. However, what I'm talking about here is primarily blatant and obvious sin. Yes, sin loves to feed into itself. And like the mites and parasites that it is, once a one gets in, if it’s not dealt with quickly more and more will either come in or will it beget others. As Marc was sharing with us the other week, the fade is often slow and unseen, little compromises and sins here and there that turn into huge life altering (and sometimes life ending) problems later. Your choices will either bring you closer to or further from God. So, instead of hiding your sin from yourself and others and your own consideration, instead run as fast you can to God. Plead with Him to remove it from you and that you may be closer to HIm, just a young child pleads for his mom and dad during a nightmare. Nearness to God matters, because the darkness cannot abide in the light and the light cannot abide in the darkness, God is the light, so stick as close to Him as you can. Cry out to Him, just as Seth’s family did.

Conclusion

Beloved, As we are about to partake in an important part of our worship, the Lord’s supper together, it’s important for us to dwell on and consider our choices now and in the past, and think on how we will do on the future. Think on and correct those choices that took you further away from God. Think on and replicate those that brought you closer to Him, and as you do so let these truths help you get to the right place, remember the way you worship matters, your heart condition matters, and nearness to God matters.

Do the Lord’s Supper.