Two Paths: The Path of Love or the Path of Cain

1 John 3:11-18

The New International Version Chapter 3

11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth

INTODUCTION

Leigh the shutterbug

“Why do you like black and white photography so much?”

Color Photos require less of the viewer....emotions are hidden and the viewer can put whatever context on it he or she wishes.

B&W however, requires you to look deeper

You can see the emotions or intent in the person’s eyes

Nothing is hidden like in a color photograph

A picture of her mother taken shortly after Leigh’s divorce…looking back she can see the pain in her eyes

A black and white photo forces you to read between the lines like the fine print in a contract.

When you take a black and white photo you have to carefully consider your light source....the play of light and darkness

A color photo of Palmer’s Chapel at Chattahoochee, for example is just an old church

In her black and white photo you can see the love in the place.....you can almost see generations of people coming and going from those doors

If John had lived in our day he would take black and white photos

Last week we looked at the children of God and the children of the devil

This week we look at how the children of God are evidenced by their love

The children of the Devil are evidenced by their hatred.....their following the path of Cain

THE PATH OF CAIN

This message is nothing new

In verse 11 John points out that this message is nothing new:

11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

Jesus’ command to Love One Another

Remember that John is contrasting the evidence of those who are genuine Christians and those who claim to be but are not.

The test is whether their life demonstrates love for other believers or hatred of other believers.

In the Gospel of John chapter 13, Jesus is with the disciples in the upper room. He begins the evening by washing their feet, signifying that they are to love one another. He goes on in verse 34 to say

The New International Version Chapter 13

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

The Path of Cain

In today’s passage, John goes on to compare what loving one another does not look like: The path of Cain. Verse 12

The New International Version Chapter 3

12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.

Sphazo

In the greek, the word used here for murder is Sphazo. There are numerous greek words for murder or kill.

This one is very specific. It indicates the cutting of the throat of an animal sacrifice.

It is the same word used in Revelation 5:6

The New International Version Chapter 5

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits z of God sent out into all the earth.

Cain and Able

So let’s explore this by going to Genesis Chapter 4.

The New International Version Chapter 4

Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. b She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” 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 keeper?”

10 The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

What was wrong with Cain’s sacrifice?

It cost him nothing?

God had already established the necessity of an animal sacrifice in atonement for sin when he killed an animal to cover Adam and Eve in the Garden

Cain came with a sacrifice but an unrepentant heart

God Rejects Cain’s sacrifice but then gives him instructions to be restored

Do what is right

If you do not do what is right

Sin is crouching at your door

The idea of a beast laying in wait for prey to come along so that it can pounce

Cain doesn't repent

Instead he allows his anger and jealousy to grow

Anger and jealousy turn to hatred for his brother

Cain hatches a plan

The attitude of the heart here is “You want a sacrificial lamb.....well I will give you one”

He lures his brother away from the safety of the family into the field and he kills him.

The hebrew word here Ya Hir. It has a connotation of particular brutality but also an element of Pride and arrogance

Why did Cain Hate his brother?

Because Able was righteous and he was not

Unrighteous people are infuriated by those around them who are righteous

That is why John tells us in verse 13 not to be surprised when the world hates us.

Let me Ask you....are you on the Path of Cain

Is there someone who you bear a grudge for? Your simmering hatred for them keeps you warm at night?

Are you convicted by another believer’s righteousness and instead of it bringing you to repentance, you secretly come to despise them?

Do you mistrust or see those who are different from you as “other”? People will often emfatically declare “I’m not racist....I love people of other races.” What they really mean is “Well I like them as long as they think, act, dress, and talk just like me.”

Do you allow yourself to be drawn into camps of “them and us”? Democrats and republicans....Our denomination and other denominations.....Born here and not born here.....haves and have nots......and yes white and black or brown.......well you get the idea....and think of them as wrong and us as right?

The New International Version Chapter 3

15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

This teaching is straight from the lips of Jesus....remember that John likely heard these words himself

Matthew 5:21–22 NIV

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

THE PATH OF LOVE

A better way

John has laid out the dark hues in his photograph of the portrait of a false chirstian....then he lays out what the light hues look like in the portrait of the genuine article.

A true Christian lives a life marked by love for the brothers and the sisters.

1 John 3:14 NIV

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

1 John 3:16 NIV

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

So what does love look like?

Our greatest example

John 15:13

The New International Version Chapter 15

13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Our love for our spiritual brothers and sisters should be the same kind of love that took Jesus willingly to the cross.

Remember last week we looked at the definition of this kind of love.....Agape love

“an attachment of the affections to any object, accompanied with an ardent desire to promote its happiness: 1, by abstaining from all that could prove injurious to it; 2, by doing all that can promote its welfare, comfort, or interests, whether it is indifferent to these efforts, or whether it appreciates them.”

Actions speak louder than words

1 John 3:17–18 NIV

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Some of Jesus’ strongest words related to this teaching

Matthew 25:31-46

The New International Version Chapter 25

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

CONCLUSION

Want to know the evidence of a heart filled with the love of Christ?

Leigh

Helen

Kent

Jane Markley

The Cutshaws

I have stories about nearly every person in both churches

To love is to see human need, take personal ownership, and be moved from the heart to make a difference.

Paul tells us in 1 Corninthians 13 “And now let me show you a most excellent way

1 Corinthians 13 NIV

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

So let me ask you precious one.....

Take a deep, unflinching look into that black and white photo that is your life and ask yourself.....are you on the path of Cain or are you on the path of love?