Genesis 4, Crouching Tiger
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, Crouching Tiger
, Crouching Tiger
Intro - African Red Trapdoor Spider, digs a hole and creates a trap-door over his hole. When an unsuspecting prey come near it bursts from its trap door, grabs its prey and drags it back into its den.
As we look at the murder of Abel tonight one of the truths that we will consider is how sin is like a crouching Tiger - ready to pull us completely in.
Gen 4:1-2
Thoughts:
Adam and Eve have 2 children Cain and Abel.
Cain is a farmer. Abel is a Shepherd.
Look how soon you see domestication of livestock and farming develop. A good guess would be that within 20 years of the Fall that animal domestication and organized farming was taking place.
I. The offering vs. 3-4
3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
A. Offerings and worshiping God with the fruit of your work was not an invention of the Tabernacle with Moses. Offerings happened at the beginning of Genesis.
II. What is an acceptable offering in structured worship? vs. 4b-5
4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
We see that not only was the worshiper (Cain) rejected, but the offering was rejected.
God has specified that we bring an offering to Him that He is pleased with.
This cannot be any kind of offering we want.
The New Testament has given us examples of holy offerings
A. An offering that the Lord has specified as holy.
There are commanded elements we find in scripture:
-Reading and preaching of God’s Word of God
-Singing to God and about God
-Prayer
-Testimony
-offering, first fruits of our labor
-Sacraments: Baptism, Lords Supper,
Some denominations include foot washing or laying on of hands, or anointing with oil.
B. There are offerings that are not specified in scripture to be used in structured worship.
-God has placed limits on our expressions of worship, especially when the church gathers
-These are going to seem obvious
-Reading of other Holy books like the Hindu Veda or Koran.
-Ministers have done this in Christian churches.
-A giant bond fire to the Lord as part of corporate worship
-Bicycle wheelies for the Lord (in structured worship)
-other
You laugh, but there are churches who have used these type of things in a corporate worship setting
Transition back -
An offering has to be acceptable to God.
C. The heart of the worshiper has to be acceptable.
11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
12 “When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
13 Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
From we see that going through the outward motions of worship only and not having a heart and life that lines up is detestable to God.
In , God says “stop it”. Stop honoring me with your lips and empty rituals.
Stop using worship as a habit or a tradition.
Instead give me your life and heart.
This is why when we talk about following God we emphasize making Him King.
Abel struggled making God his King on the inside. This reflected in his outward offering.
III. The Worshipers must bring what is acceptable
III. The Worshiper
A. Able
God had regard for Abel and his offering.
2 observations
A. -The offering was acceptable…blood offering that was from his first fruits.
B. -The worshiper was acceptable - the heart was prepared, humble, engaged, ready to worship
One commentator (Kenneth Mathews, New American Commentary) said,
However, Cain did not bring the firstfruits (bikkûrîm; cp. ); he brought only “some” of his crop (v. 3). This is contrasted with the offering of Abel (“but Abel”), who brought not only “some” of his “firstborn” (bikkōrôt) but the best of the animal, the fatty portions (v. 4).
B. Cain, vs. 5
5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
2 observations:
-The offering was not acceptable - Not a blood sacrifice, not first fruits
-The worshiper was not acceptable - the heart was not humble, surrendered and prepared for worship
-The former (failure to bring an acceptable offering) reveals the later - that Cains heart was not acceptable
Transition - Note how God does not immediately reject Cain. Look at the grace in this!
IV. The Confrontation of Cain (Vs.6 -7)
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.
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.”
A. God does not respond in anger.
B. In love God confronts
-Love confronts. Love does not let sin go.
-We have a tendency to let sin go in others lives.
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Transition - God not only confronts, but he does so with love and graciousness.
C. Loving Warning Sin is crouching at the door.
A tiger crouches, then overwhelms its prey with its power.
A constrictor snake crouches or coils and overwhelms its prey with its power.
Sin was crouching about to spiritually injure cain.
The soil of Cain’s heart had been prepared to receive the seed of greater sins because small initial sins were not confessed. (Repeat)
D. Unconfessed sin will rule us.
-We have a tendency to manage our sin. We think that we have control over it.
Sin that goes unconfessed and un-dealt with grows and gains even greater power over us.
We see this warning from God.
“Sin is crouching at the door … it will rule over you.”
V. The Murder -
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
VI. The Confrontation and Punishment -
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
Here is opportunity for confession. Here is another opportunity for repentance.
There is no regret, just more heart hardness.
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.” 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.
Gen 4:10-16
Punishment makes someone pay for what they have done.
Discipline - Trains the person not to repeat the same mistake.
Punishment versus Discipline
God disciplines His children.
If you are not disciplined by God, you are not His child.
Cain ignored the discipline of the Lord, when God confronted Him twice.
Cain received punishment.
This all started because Cain came to worship with a hard heart.
Question - Is there something holding you back from having a tender heart before God?
Is there a pride or arrogance in your life?
Is there a lack of spiritual engagement? Do you come to worship corporately or in your daily time with the Lord - unengaged.
Engagement in worship comes when our hearts accept our need of God (are humble) and come ready to lift Him up above ourself.