Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
We are in our summer series of open sermons.
I mentioned at the beginning of the summer that we are going to be exploring various chapters through the bible and today we are going all the way back the beginning in Genesis and looking into chapter 4.
When I was doing sermon planning, I had thought this was going to be about the story of two brothers.
I had titled it “Two brother” but this passage once I began to study and to prepare to bring the Word to you this morning this passage is filled with so much more.
It has a famous line in this chapter,
“Am I my Brother’s Keeper”
This always stood out to me and it was what drew me to this text, but the greater outline from the writer of this text has four elements of our lives that we need to be aware of as we lives our lives for Christ.
We are going to explore 4 major parts of our lives, Our Worship, Our Confession, God’s Grace, and His blessing.
In Exile
To begin we must put this text in the greater context of the storyline of the Bible.
If you are not familiar with Chapter three in the book of Genesis you would know that this is the description of the fall of Adam and Eve and their subsequent removal from the Garden of Eden.
This removal and exile was not only from the Garden, but also from that close intimate relationship with their creator.
The cause of their action was very significant as it affected us as created beings holding the image of God.
Mankind since that moment in time has been in exile from God, but the Good News is that God was never satisfied with the actions of man
and made a way that we can return from the marred relationship with God and be restored to Fellowship with God.
That’s the gospel, the Good News
But in this moment of the story, found in Chapter 4, we find the new exiles begin to develop a new relationship with their creator.
Let’s turn to the Genesis and begin with Chapter 4 vs 1
Let’s pray
Worship
Have you ever felt like you were in Exile?
I mean those moments in your life when you feel alone, abandoned, cast aside.
What is the first thing that you feel like you should do?
Do you grab hold of the Eeyore personality in
Winnie the pooh and go around with a cloud around your head.
Is that the life of an exile?
In this passage we find the couple who have just been exiled from the Garden and they conceive, give birth to their first son, in all that they begin to Worship God.
Eve’s View of God
The narrative begins with Eve.
To worship, let’s look at Eve’s view of God.
The coupe begins to have children and she does two things.
She recognizes her ability to bring forth life
She acknowledges that God is active in the mystery and wonder of Conception and birth.
So here is a thought......
When you come to worship do you come figuratively with your hands up or your hands out.
In other words do you come to worship and praise Him no matter what the circumstance or is you worship as a means to an end to have a relationship with God to be provided with the blessings.
In researching this passage I found that there can be two ways to see the worship of Eve in this passage.
The first is one of the Hands up to God.
Remember in Chapter 3 God told the serpent
With the first Child, Eve could be praising God that He is active in bringing about that moment.
I could imagine that in her mind this would not take the generations it did, rather like most parents, there is great promise and potential in your offspring.
I guess this is the first parent that had unrealistic expectations of her child and what he or she would grow up to be.
The second interpretation that we can surmise from Eve’s worship is her hand out.
Commentators have taken this as This is what I have done.
I created a child.
Yes God helped me, but look what I am able to do.
One commentator even went so far in that Eve was comparing herself to God in being able to create a man, like God had.
I will let you decide your take on the two perspectives, but I will remind you that when we come to worship, we come in two ways,
Hand Up or Hand out.
Worship to give or worship to get.
Eve’s second child, Abel who’s name is the same description found in Ecclesiastics of meaningless give the impression that Eve’s worship begins to give a sense of God why are you not acting in my life.
The Brother’s Worship
The writer of the text then moves that focus of worship from the mother to her sons.
an offering was brought forth to God by both of the boys.
Eve had’t lost faith in God, as her faith and teaching was given to her boys as they grew and came to worship to God themselves.
Yet once again we see the two ways of worshiping.
Hands up or hands out.
I believe Abel came with his offering with a hand up.
While Cain gave his offering with his hands out.
Why, God was pleased with one and not the other.
Many have speculated that the offering of shed blood was pleasing to God over the offering of produce, but there is now description in the text to describe
“the why” of God’s approved over the other.
It has been said
“Several times, especially in prophetic literature, we are informed that God’s reason for rejecting a sacrifice or offering was usually that religious ritual became a substitute for obedience and holy living.”
- pg 59- Hamilton, Victor: Handbook on the Pentateuch
The writer of Genesis wanted to make clear that it was our response from our worship that indicates our heart or intention.
Remember, Man sees the outward, God sees the heart.
Cain’s came with a hand out.
He wanted to receive a blessing from God for what he had done.
What he had come to offer.
That is the key point and difference between coming to worship God with a figurative Hands up and Hands out.
Does our worship come with strings attached?
God I come to worship because of the blessings I receive or because of who you are?
How many people do you know that when the prayers offered to God are not answered they begin to blame God, get angry at God for not granting the desires of their heart.
Hands out worship.
How many people do you know that no matter what circumstance is thrown at them, they still continue to praise God for who He is.
Cain was like the first person.
He came to God and worshiped Him.
Offered up the work of his hands and then discovered he did not receive the response from God that he wanted.
He was Angry.
Angry at God.
Has their been times you are angry at God.
The world we live in today has many opportunities for us to get angry, and we wonder why God doesn’t deal with people like we believe He should.
But what does God do with Cain?
Does He rebuke his for his Anger?
Does he wait for the Angry to go away or see if it will fester,
no God brought Cain’s attitude to light by asking him
“Why are you angry.”
God warns Cain that our response good or bad is our choice,
Anger if not dealt with can lead to sin
What makes you angry?
I read a story the other day,
Mendelssohn once visited the cathedral at Fribourg, and having heard the great organ, went into the organ loft and asked to be allowed to play it.
The old organist, in jealousy for his instrument, at first refused, but was afterward prevailed on to allow the great German composer to try the colossal “thunderer” of the cathedral.
After standing by in an ecstasy of delight and amazement for a few moments, he suddenly laid his hands on the shoulders of the musician and exclaimed: “Who are you?
What is your name?”
“Mendelssohn,” replied the player.
“And can it be that I had so nearly refused to let Mendelssohn touch this organ!” said the organist..
Christians often refuse to let God have His way in their life because they are afraid of the outcome.
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