BROTHER'S KEEPER
amen Well this morning we are in Genesis chapter 4 and I want to talk about being our Brother's Keeper My Brother's Keeper last week. We did a review which was really a preview of Genesis 1 2 3 end and what we saw is this this this story that's being told in Genesis. Genesis is a store telling us the story of God's creative work and God's plan for Humanity. And so we discover in Genesis 1 2 3 in it in a seed form that the most important truth and realities in all of creation. We discover at first of all, where are we we are in God's creation. We are God's kingdom God is a God who takes chaos and makes it to order God is functional God loves to take things and make them work when God creates and says it is good. It is good. It is good. He is demonstrating over and over again what I have made what I've called into being what I have organized and structured actually does what it's supposed to it is good. We live in God's creation in God's kingdom God as the Creator is The Sovereign owner and ruler over all of his creation. And we saw that who we are is that we are Gods imagers. We are made in the Imago Dei in the image of God made us. So we are apart of God's kingdom, but we're not only subjects of the Kingdom. We are called to be co-rulers with God of his kingdom God makes a lot of stuff in creation, but he only makes one thing in the physical universe that he calls his image Bearer Mankind. We are created unique and distinct out of creation to rule with God. Now in order to rule with God he makes us like him in his image. We are given responsibility. We are given moral reasoning we are given the ability to shape and organize and bring chaos into order just like God. We're called to reproduce and multiply and fill the Earth just like God did this is who we are at our core. We also saw something in Genesis 1 2 3 that if you lived at all in this world, you know profoundly to be true. There's something really really wrong. This this good creation dysfunctional creation of God has been broken things are not as they could be and things are not as they should be there is something wrong in the system God's imagers.
Chose rather than to walk in faith and obedience with God to try to become God. And an eating from the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil take upon themselves responsibility and privilege. That was not there and the results. Death enters into the universe mankind is created in the image of God to partner with God to transform chaos into order and instead. What happens is we bring more chaos and death into God's good creation.
The good news that we saw in Genesis 1 2 3 is that our God is a god of Grace. Amen. He does not give up. Even when we are faithless. He is he is faithful God is a god of Grace. He's a god of Holiness. He's a god of righteousness. He is a God of Justice there were consequences for the man and the woman there were significant consequences to The Serpent and to the Earth. That's so God removes them from the garden, but he doesn't remove them from his plants. Doesn't have a plan. The plan is to rule over his good Creation With His Image Bearer and even when we proved faithless and rebellious and we break God's good creation. God refuses to give up on his plan and on his family. I find that to be incredibly good news is a review of Genesis 1 2 3 but as I said last week what we're going to see in Genesis 4 this morning as we continue through is we're going to see that played out over and over and over again, but it it's going to get worse. It's much like a circling toilet. It's going to keep spiraling down.
And the toilet is an apt metaphor for what it's going to describe. So you got your Bibles go ahead and open up to Genesis chapter 4 if you know the Bible is going to be up here on the screen. We start this way Genesis 4 verse 1 now Adam knew his wife and she conceived and bore Cain saying I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord. He's one of those verses that seems straightforward on the surface. We can just read it and pass on but there's some interesting things happening is actually one of the most difficult verses to translate in the Book of Genesis. Adam had known his wife knowing describing sexual intimacy between the man and woman as knowing is an intentional play on words and reference back to Genesis chapter 1 2 3 where they reach out for the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and the first thing that happens after they eat of it is their eyes are open and they know that they are naked and they are shame. This idea of knowing a new he knew his wife and she conceived. And Boris, I know this is significant because we looked at Genesis chapter 3 very very closely and we saw that in the pronouncement against the serpent the curse against the cash that Divine being that rebelled against God God promised that there was going to be an unfolding conflict. Between the seed The Offspring The Children of The Serpent and the seed The Offspring The Children of the woman in other words, one of the first the first Messianic promise or prophecy that were given is in Genesis 3:15 and says he will crush your head while you will bruise his heel crush his heel this this idea is that God is going to bring about a deliver through the woman. The woman was the one that was engaged in the conversation with the serpent. The woman is the one that took the fruit and gave it to her husband and it's almost like God says to the serpent. Are you want to mess with the woman? You're going to get more than you bargained for which I found to be true all my life.
amen
So so here's this promise. There's going to come through the woman a deliver a conqueror of Redeemer.
a warrior who will defeat the enemy
Remove the curse and taint of sin unto death. This is a profound promised. If you had been there if your Eve and you've heard this promised and now you're out of the Garden of Gods closed you with animal skins and God still with you guys not abandon you or giving up on you. God is still calling you to be his imager and you know, this promise has Tom that you are going to have a seed. Who's going to set things right? You going to be pretty excited when you get pregnant? And that's exactly exactly what happened to his wife. She conceived and bore pain his name Kane. Is it just a play on words of when the next words that says I have gotten or created a man. The word they're forgotten or created tonight. Kane is cayenne fit its display on where's another where she saying? I have created I have done what God has asked me to do. I have brought into existence this new life. So pretty amazing thing.
And that says this and almost all of your translations are going to say something like this. I have gotten a man. With the help of the lure with the help of the Lord. What's fascinating is it? That last phrase with the help of is not in the text. It's not a text. Is it something that the translators do to try to make sense of what she saying? Literally this is what the verse reads then Adam had no nivas wife. She conceived and bore kaempf and I have created a man Yahweh. That's what it says.
An essay that you can understand why translators have some issues with that because it it seems like she said I have created a man the Lord. Covenant real name of God's Not Just a low-key, but y'all way I have created a man the Lord.
Especially because of the ancient Jewish rabbis, when they when they would translate and struggle with this text that they thought they would have trouble with this because she can't mean what she say she came in it. So it's got to be with the help of or it's got to be an angel of the Lord or a messenger of the Lord or
just think about the story.
Is expecting to become the bearer of a savior? She have this deep and profound sense of calling that a seed is going to come through her from her that God is going to use to destroy. the Divine Rebellion against him There's almost a sense of deep and profound understanding that unless God makes it happen. It's not going to happen. So she thinks mistakenly. But this child that she had is the answer.
the promised one
mistakenly is an understatement.
Because Kane wasn't the seed of the woman. But rather one of the seeds of the serpent. It continues says this and again she bore his brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep and Cane a worker of the ground is interesting this this story in Genesis chapter 4 It's really the story of Cain even wait tables introduced then she bore his brother importance and significance in the stack. He doesn't speak in Genesis chapter 4. His significance is that he is the brother of Cain and fast me because words and names mean thing in the scriptures, especially in the early chapters of Genesis. mmm, this this may make some of the uncomfortable but Adam Are Hebrew names right? And Hebrew had not been invented yet? Cain and Abel are Hebrew names and Hebrew had not been invented yet. What am I saying? Whatever they call each other it wasn't Adam and Eve or Cain and Abel. These are names that the author of scripture in telling the story intentionally chooses to tell us something that they are feel logical Imaging. able created one created able
able means vanity meaningless Ecclesiastes, right meaningless. Meaningless. Everything is meaningless Stables name. Literally means the root of the word means breath Vapor. You know that that just that moist warm breath.
There and then it's gone. Fastlane because that's exactly what happens to Abel in the story. Now, we see that they've been removed from the Garden Kane becomes a worker of the grounds like his father. There's still Priestly actions happening here. There's still the images of God. God has not removed the biblical mandate for them to rule and spread and create. Kane has a place of honor and prominence. In fact in the ancient cultures of those days. The eldest son was the only heir When the father would die everything would go to the eldest son and then he could distribute it to the others if he chose to so Kane has a place of Promise. He becomes a pharmacy works the ground his brother Abel becomes a herdsman. What I think is important to notice is that they are doing what they were made to do. They are bringing order to God's world.
bursary in the course of time Kane brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground enable also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portion. The word that's used here for a sacrifice. It's it's well known in the Hebrew scriptures the mica. It's not intrinsically a blood sacrifice. It's a gift. It's a gift offering. Each one of them brings an offering unto the Lord that's fascinating. There's no law commanding it. There's a wreck the law has weighed yet to be given we're hundreds of years away from the giving of the law and yet there is this this this sense. Because they are made by God and for God and they are ruling with God is God's images that they need to honor God. EXO Cain and Abel both bring an offering to the Lord. and in pain brings
fruits and vegetables that he's grown. farmer able brings sacrifice of meats and gods favorite part the fat portions smells the best
What's the difference between them? some commentators in a lot of people want to say well Abel brought a blood sacrifice and that's what made it more significant, but the text doesn't say that and there's no requirement for a blood sacrifice. The difference is not one of the substance of what they brought it's a difference of quality. How they brought it the text basically read like this Kane brought something that he found. Abel brought the best The first fruit right of this flock he brought the highest-quality. It's not about what they brought. It's about how they brought it.
If the God sees the heart. And so it says the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering but fourtane and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry and his face fell. I like the imagery of that. We've all seen that especially with young kids right when you went kid gets angry and they just they look down angry and are hard and down every everything about them the issue here that we're seeing reveals within came is is an issue with pride. King's Pride becomes hurt that Abel His little brother is enjoying the the benefit of God's acceptance and he the elder brother The prominent one. is rejected he is very very angry in the Hebrew there at it literally means to burn he burned exceedingly. soft red. He's angry. He's not angry just at the fact that his offering wasn't accepted. He's angry that his brothers offering what?
Pride is hurt. The Lord said to Cain. This is one of my favorite verses in this chapter because we see the mercy and the grace and the kindness of God. God doesn't come to him and beat him up. That doesn't come to him and shame him. Doesn't come and belittle him God calls. Encourages Kim says the Lord said to Cain. Why are you angry? Why has your face phone? If you do well, will you not be accepted and were therefore accepted in the Hebrew literally means lift it up. Says to him. Why are you why are you looking down? If you will just do the right thing you can be lifted up. God comes and throws him a Lifeline pain, dude.
You're facing a real challenge here right now. This is not gone the way that you wanted to but if you will do what is right.
You can be lifted up.
There's a lesson here. when others achieve success How do you respond? When others are honored and you are not what happens within you, I mean, it really can go one of two ways. We can admire what they have accomplished and strive to emulate them. Maybe even surpassed them or we can grow jealous and wish them harm. And there's a choice involve there isn't there? There's a choice that when others succeed when others are honored, how will you respond? fascinating question is actually economic policies and structures develop out of this concept if You see the success of somebody else and are motivated by it your chance of succeeding goes up exponentially if you see somebody else's success and you're angry and jealous about it. Your chance of success is almost non-existent.
How come some says dude this can be okay? If you do well, will you not be lifted up? But if you do not do well.
If you do not do well. send Is crouching at the door it desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it. Love the imagery of this week we can get through this. Make the right choice, but if you don't understand the consequences. You don't live in a vacuum. You don't live on a blank slate you you were born came into the midst of a battlefield there is evil in this world. Not just the evil created by our choices, but there are instruments and personalities and Spiritual Beings of evil. There are forces that desire to destroy you came and if you give them a little bit they'll take it all. Can you guys be careful see if you see the kindness of God the grace of God In This Moment you got to be careful? Sin is crouching at the door the imagery of a of a wild beast.
Mean cats aren't really wild beasts. Right but there's still a wild beast in them cat like at a window and they see a bird outside and they free tents and they go absolutely still in a Crouch and the at any moment. They're ready to pounce that's the imagery that God is using there's evil in this world. There is a force that is profoundly anti-life. And it wants to destroy you. If you give in to it. If you, date it if you don't resist and fight it it will destroy you.
The interesting the word therefore crouching at the door. In the Hebrew, it's it's nearly identical to an akkadian word, which is another culture at the time.
Open Archway, demon. A demon that would would dwell at the entrance of a house. I bet if a flap of a tent. And it would pounce and Destroy on someone that the writer of Genesis is picking up on all of these cultural elements that they're strange and different than odd to us. But to the ancient Israelites, they understood what he's describing here. We live in the context of a spiritual Cosmic battle.
God is cleaning with Kane. Be careful. Consider your choices recognized there are enemies far more powerful than you can imagine and all they want to do is take you out careful pain.
I love what James says in verse James chapter 1 verse 13 to 15. He describes this process the process that Kane is going to experience right now. It says this let no one say when he is tempted. I'm being tempted by God for God cannot be tempted with evil and himself tempts. No one. God's not tempting same Gods trying to help pain. Listen to what? It says it says this 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.
Sin is anti face. Finish the opposite of order. It is chaos sin is violating our role as imagers. It is an idolatry a rejection for something else. And anytime we go against God we go against his order we go against his Blessing we get tossed we get his curse and we not life but yes.
Send breeds.
Jesus said this way you've got an anime. This is what he wants to do. He came he seeks to devour you to tear you down to destroy you with Gina says, but I've come that you might have life.
Has the Kane Kane be careful right now? You're in the middle of the battle.
with epic consequences
McCain doesn't listen Verse 18 spoke to Abel's brother when they were in the field Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Brevity doesn't give us much detail I know about you, but I want to know more like I want to know how that went down was it was a premeditated like Kane invite him out, or do they just happen to be out on the field with with Abel? the evil that annoying little brother You know what? I mean like Cain's already upset and we wonder how did how did God positively receive Abel's offering and not receive canes. Right, like I was with God physically present and said good job able not good some some of the ancient Jews commentators believe that the god called down fire from heaven and it devoured Abel's offering but it didn't touch pains. They're out in the field and it was like when that cool when I cool and got took my offering that awesome guy. It was so cool. And Jinx is getting mad matter matter matter. Before you know it. Kills his brother. Kilt The Lord said to Cain. Just like in Genesis 2-3 2-3 when Adam and Eve ate the fruit and God complex. Where are you? What have you done looking for information that he doesn't have
this is getting an opportunity for repentance. Lord said to Cain. Where is Abel your brother? And he said to him. I don't know if I My Brother's Keeper.
Am I My Brother's Keeper? There's almost. There's almost a sense of insult towards God. I'm Not My Brother's Keeper you are. He's your favorite. You accepted his offer. Not mine.
I don't know where he is. Am I My Brother's Keeper?
What a question.
What question am I My Brother's Keeper?
Question that we need to ask today. Just as much as God asked at the cane.
An answer throughout scripture is a resounding. Yes. Yes pain you were your brother's keeper. Yes, Jeremy. You are your brother's keeper. Yes church. We are our Brother's Keeper. We are interconnected and interrelated. We've all been made by God for God. We all share the Imago Dei we belong to each other not based on our Affinity or politics or ethnicity not based on our economics or geography. We are connected to each other on a deeper level of identity. We are made in the image of God. We are brothers and sisters we belong to each other.
We are our Brother's Keeper was so excited that it's just worked out. I was doing this this weekend Martin Luther King jr. Weekend. We think about civil rights movement in the leadership of dr. King and his cry. free quality for an understanding of our interconnectedness of our need for one another spend some time this week reading I do this every year I read several of his speeches. I listen to his last speech.
April 3rd 1968 The I've been to the Mountaintop speech in Memphis.
He said this in that speech. She said in a real sense. All of life is interrelated. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single Garment of Destiny, whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Listen to what he says here. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the inter-related structure of reality.
Just we need to hear that today. Just as much as when he said it in 1968. We live in such a world of radical individualism. We live in a culture that emphasizes the narcissistic. Love of self Above All Else. And the prophetic voice of dr. King's strikes us this morning that says it's not just about you. You can't exist. Well, you can't function correctly. You can't be good by your self you not only need God but you need Community you need the design that has created to be fulfilled. You can't be who God made you to be and you can't do what God called you to do by yourself. We need each other.
We are our Brother's Keeper.
He said this at the end of the speech. He said we either go up together. Are we go down together?
So let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness
dangerous unselfishness, why is it dangerous? Because it means we got to put our agenda our desires our first priority. We got to put them on the Altar and we've got to actually care about other people.
Yes, can you are? Your brother's keeper. And you failed.
And the Lord said what have you done?
The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.
crying screaming Abel doesn't speak in Genesis chapter 4 except through the screaming of his blood in the Earth.
Assassinated because actually in the in the Hebrew the word blood is in the plural Bloods. Your your brothers Bloods are crying out from the ground. The ancient rabbis and commentators understood that it was not only able that was dead. It was everyone that could have come through able that was that not just his blood with the blood of his children his progeny his future when he took out with Kane took out a belief. He removed a whole future.
The rabbi said this way whoever takes a single life destroys there by an entire world.
Harvard Law Professor Alan dershowitz was giving a talk several years ago in Hamburg. Germany a group of lawyers I asked him this question German group of layers. He says how many of you suffered from the Holocaust how many of you personally suffered from the Holocaust maybe one or two hands went up. nobody else did let me ask them a second question. He said how many of you or your family members have had cancer coronary problems diabetes or a stroke? This time nearly every hand was Ray.
dershowitz pot and then he ass how can you be sure that the cures for those diseases? Did not go up in the Smoke of Auschwitz or Treblinka.
Are we our Brother's Keeper?
Are we interconnected and deep and profound way?
Do our actions and our failures to take care of each other? Have profound consequences. insignificance
Lord said what are you doing the voice of your brother's Bloods are crying to me from the ground and now you are cursed from the ground, which is opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hands. Cain tiller of the soil whose criminal act was the outcome of his offerings of the fruit from the soil stains the Earth with his brother's blood. It is fitting them that the Earth be the instrument of his punishment. It will no longer yield to him. It's produced and he can no longer pursue his vocation. sin, destroys our identity and our capacity he must Become a vagrant and an outcast.
Got this when you work the ground, it will no longer yield to you. Its strength. You should be a fugitive and a Wanderer. on the Earth Cain said to the Lord my punishment is greater than I can bear.
Is an accusation too much. It's not fair. the mark of a repentant person is always the same My Punishment is just the mark of an unrepentant person to say My Punishment is more than I deserve. He's actually kind of blaming God you saying this isn't right. This isn't fair.
How does God respond be whole you 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.
Now if you're a young Earth creationist literal seven days, and and and you got some weird questions here like who is Cain worried about killing him? Cuz if if Cain and Abel and Adam and Eve were the only four people around and he just killed Abel. What's he worried about? He's going to take off for SC next week. He's going to go and build a city really kind of hard to build a city by yourself or yourself. There's some other things going on here, but we're not going to touch on that today or on the Earth. And the Lord said to him not so. And the grace of God in this text is everywhere.
Team got comes to him saying reject God's counsel. He hardened simself. He gives into since he kills his brother. He lies and any wind and any complaints and he accuses God of being unjust and unfair and what does God do God lavishes grace upon k
Looked at the K not. So if anyone kills Cain Vengeance shall be taken on him Sevenfold Lord put a mark on Cain or gave to Cain and Mark have no idea what this is. Somehow makes it clear pain is under God's protection.
This is not a dishonor. This is great.
McCain went away from the presence of the Lord. Settled in the Land of Nod East of Eden the story continues Genesis 1 2 3 Adam and Eve in indulge their pride.
Embrace idolatry reject the goodness of God so they can Embrace their own goodness reject God's godness. In favor of them being like God the consequence is death. The consequence is separation. They are removed from the garden to the east now the story plays out again in their first children. Kane murders his brother because his pride was wounded that his offering was not accepted.
Think about it this way.
Kane went to a worship service. Had a disagreement with somebody there and afterwards in the parking lot kill them.
And then when God tries to reason with him and counsel him, he just complains and complains and complains, but the grace of God will not give up.
It's an alkane is sent even farther east. Under the protection of God.
and a story continue
question for us this morning
Will we be? my cable
brought an offering to the Lord in faith. In humility and with joy offered the Lord the best. Not to follow a rule not to keep a commandment, but because he loved and delighted in.
Will we follow in the footsteps of Cain?
cumbres a narcissistic Pride rejected faith in God
for faith in himself
and brought about great destruction.
the writer of Hebrews mentions able to us in a beautiful way. It says this now Faith. Hebrews 11 the great chapter faith faith is the Assurance of things hoped for the convictions of things not seen by the people of old received their Commendation by faith. We understand that the Universe was created by the word of God. So that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible 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. and through his Bay
though he died.
He still speaks.
Yes, it's a misconception that the Old Testament is about law in the New Testament is about gray. The Old Testament is about obedience. The New Testament is about faith. It's always been about Grace and Faith. It will always be about Grace. and faith
the reality is you and I faced temptation. everyday like came finish crouching at our door constantly
subtly
Dangerously
the blood of Abel Still speaks from the ground. God
if the one we are to trust amen.