When Sin Comes Knocking Part 1

Genesis 4:1–16 CSB

1 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.” 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.” 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” 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. 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 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, 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, east of Eden.

Every day we are faced with decisions.

What is for breakfast, what is for lunch, what will I wear, who will I hang out with. Will I read my bible or will I not read my bible. Will I share the Gospel or will I keep it to my self.

A reporter once asked a bank president what his secret of success was. the president replied, “Two words.”

“And what are they?”

“Right decisions.”

“How are right decisions made?”

“One word.”

“What is that?”

“Experience.”

“How do you get experience?”

“Two words.”

“What are they?”

“Wrong decisions.”

Right or wrong, you will make decisions.

Sin is going to ALWAYS be knocking, it will always be trying to find its way into you life!

What are you going to do when it knocks on your door?

notice the position of sin.

In verse 7

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

The Hebrew verb used here, ravats, normally indicates lying down, as in resting (29:2; Isa 11:6); it can also refer to lying in wait like a predator does when waiting for prey (Gen 49:9).

It is not always out just screaming look at me, I am sin, I want to ruin your life!

It goes back to what we looked at last week and saw how Satan’s goal is to isolate us to a point where he can like a lion, devour us one by one.

How does a lion stalk its prey?

It crouches down and waits for an opportune moment to pounce out and destroy you.

And Moses goes further to show us sins desire.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

The Hebrew word used here, teshuqah, also occurs in 3:16 in relation to Eve’s desire for her husband. Both here and in the curse of 3:16, the context is negative: The desire represents something to be resisted, as it is connected to sin.

Today we will two different examples of how we can respond, when Sin Comes calling and what happens with each of those responses.

I. Cain’s Response

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

Genesis 4 introduces the theme of conflict between brothers. This theme will return in the story of Jacob and Esau (25:19–34; 27:1–45) and again with Joseph and his brothers (37:1–35). In each story an older brother is passed over in favor of the younger. The narrative illustrates the deepening effects of sin in the world.

How often do we allow the idea that someone else got what we wanted or what we felt like we deserved, derail us from our Christian walk.

a lot of people ask what was wrong with Cain’s offering? Why did God not accept it?

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

The Hebrew word order here may hint that Cain brought whatever was close at hand while Abel brought the best of what he had (Gen 4:4). Cain’s offering could also be of poor quality, but there is no direct statement about this in the text.

Cains offering was simply “of the ground” as the Hebrews notes while Able’s was of the “first fruit of the flock”

Side note, ANYTIME YOU GIVE GOD SOMETHING OTHER THAN YOUR BEST AND YOUR FIRST, YOU ARE DISRESPECTING THE KING OF KINGS.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

Abel’s offering seems to demonstrate great care and attention to his relationship with Yahweh. He offers exactly what later texts indicate Yahweh requests of his people (Exod 13:12; Num 18:17). By offering the firstborn and best portions, Abel makes the greater sacrifice and reflects a righteous attitude (Prov 3:9).

So in vs. 7 God tries to encourage Cain, this is not a rebuke.

The Hebrew word that God uses when he says “won’t you be accepted” is a word that literally reads “lifting up.”

Even when we fail God and perform under His expectation, he is waiting and ready to “lift us up.” All we have to do is “Repent” or turn around and do right!

So God tells Cain, just do right and I will accept you. And how does Cain respond?

Genesis 4:8 CSB

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

He gave into sin and commited the first murder that we have record of in the Word of God.

He took the life of one whom he had been raised with, and because of this, because he opened the door and let sin rule in his life, he was cursed by its consequences.

Genesis 4:11–16 CSB

11 So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. 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 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, 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, east of Eden.

with the key verse being vs. 16

Genesis 4:16 CSB

16 Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Cain, left the presence of the Lord.

That is ultimately what we do when we choose to allow sin to rule over us, we choose to live outside of the presence of the Lord.

Can I encourage you, there is another option.

There is a door number 2.

II. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s Response

The year is not approx. 585 B.C.

2500 years has passed and SIN IS STILL WAITING!

By the way, 600 years later it would still be waiting to tempt a tired and hungry Jesus and it is still waiting today, some 2000 years later to devour you and I.

But 2500 years has passed. Because of her bad decisions over and over again, Israel finds herself in Babylonian captivity, under one of the most wicked men to ever rule. King Nebuchadnezzar.

You all know the story, or at least you should. The king made himself a statue because he reckoned himself a god.

He built this golden statue 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide and he set it out and told everyone, that at the sound of every kind of music, they were to stop what they were doing, fall down and worship or they were to be thrown into a fiery furnace.

Now, there were some people who were not happy with the way Daniel and his friends were being treated and the knew that the 3 young Hebrews would not bow, so they went out of their way to make sure it was brought to the kings attention.

Lets pick up our reading in Daniel 3 verse 12.

Daniel 3:12–23 CSB

12 There are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men have ignored you, the king; they do not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” 13 Then in a furious rage Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than was customary, 20 and he commanded some of the best soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 So these men, in their trousers, robes, head coverings, and other clothes, were tied up and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Since the king’s command was so urgent and the furnace extremely hot, the raging flames killed those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.

Sin came knocking and this time it was in the form of a bully.

vs. 15 - King Neb asks “who is the god who can rescue you from my power?

Sin will ALWAYS question the power of God.

But these young men has ALREADY determined exactly how they would deal with sin and temptation when it came their way.

Their bold address to the world power in vs 18 shows that they fear God more than the king.

Would to God that we would fear God rather than man, That we would fear God rather than government, that we would fear God rather than sickness

This doesn’t mean that we we Rebel, it doesn’t meant that we don’t respect, this does’t mean get a shot or dont get a shot, this doesn’t mean don’t pay your Taxes, Jesus said render unto Cesar what is Caesar's.

BUT WHAT IS DOES MEAN IS THAT EVEN WHEN THE WORLD SAYS SIN, ILL SAY NO, WHEN THE WORLD SAYS SIT DOWN, I’LL STAND UP, WHEN THE WORLD SAYS SHUT UP ILL SPEAK UP!!

IT MEANS THAT EVEN IF MY GOD DOES NOT RESCUE ME FROM THE FIRE THAT THIS WORLD WANTS TO PUT ME IN, ILL NOT WORSHIP ITS GOLDEN STATUES!!!

This of course ticked off the king royally… and so he had the fire increased 7 times hotter; He had the 3 young men bound up and then he had them cast into the fire.

What’s the difference

obviously the difference is that one group chose to not give into sin while the other man did.

But what did it look like for the 3 Hebrew men?

Look with me to:

Daniel 3:24–27 CSB

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?” “Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king. 25 He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God—come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. 27 When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.

The king was amazed, all of a sudden the 3 men who were just thrown into a fire that was so hot it burnt the men doing the throwing, are now loosed and walking around unharmed and not alone but they were walking with Jesus!

HAS ANYONE HERE EVER BEEN BURNT BEFORE? OR BEEN IN A FIRE?

OUR HUMAN RESPONSE IS TO GET OUT OF THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

STORY OF ME GRABBING A COAT HANGER

BUT NOTICE THIS AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THEN IN THE MESSAGE, IF YOU MISS THE REST DON’T MISS THIS.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t even try to come out of the fire until the king called them out.

They were content to stand in the flame because that’s where Jesus was!

AND FRIEND, THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO BE THAN WHERE JESUS IS AND ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN TO THAT PLACE YOU’LL NEVER WANT TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE.

You see, sin is going to come, and it is going to threaten you, it is going to tell you that if you don’t give in, you will be laughed at, and mocked, or even hurt or killed.

But when you realize that the God of the universe will walk with you in the fire and keep its flames from having an impact on you, you’ll say, bring on the flames!

Can I brake a misconception for you real quick.

We often hear this verse quoted when talking about evangelism.

Revelation 3:20 CSB

20 See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

But friend this is not dealing with evangelizing the lost. This is describing a request for a renewal of fellowship.

In their self-sufficiency, the church in Laodicea had locked Christ out. He wants them to repent and allow him back in.

If you have already opened the door and let sin in, can I encourage you to listen, Jesus is knocking, desiring for you to repent and re-enter fellowship with Him. (NOT LOSS OF SALVATION - LOSS OF JOY)