Master or Mastered
We have a choice concerning our sin.
Genesis(34) (Part of the Origins(34) series)
by Stuart Johns(35) on June 2, 2024 (Sunday Morning(42))
Confession(5), God's Help(1), Honor(1), Submitting(1)
Origins
Master or Mastered
(Genesis 4:1-16)
INTRODUCTION
“A true story is told in the setting of New Orleans in the 1980s by policeman John Dillman. Two men had contrived a get-rich-quick scheme. One of them developed a relationship with and married an innocent young woman and took out a sizable insurance policy on her life. During their honeymoon he took her for a walk and, just as his accomplice was driving by in a rental car, pushed her to her death under the wheels of the speeding vehicle. The suspicions of the insurance company eventually brought the two conspirators to trial. What struck Dillman as unbelievable during the trial was the total lack of remorse on the part of the two criminals. What reminds me of Cain is the next part of the description by Plantinga:
Pointing to the way the police kept interfering in their lives by pursuing, interrogating, and charging them, the two men complained that they were themselves the real victims in this whole affair and implied that they ought to be not punished by consoled.
In this illustration we see one of the most insidious aspects of human fallenness: a refusal to be held accountable.”
[Walton, The NIV Application Commentary, Genesis, 267-68].
BODY
ME
Fun with my family
I enjoy having fun with my parents and siblings
I will send them crazy things, just to make them laugh or I’ll say funny things when we are talking
When my parents remind me of something that I did as a child, I’ll say, “I can’t believe Fred did that!” or “I can’t believe Heather did that!”
I jokingly shift the blame to my brother or sister
WE
How many of us have jokingly or actually shifted the blame to someone else?
Last week we saw that Adam and Eve tried to shift the blame to someone or something else. They did not want to take responsibility for their sin. As we will see today, the apple did not fall far from the tree, because Cain did not want to be held accountable for his sin. He ignored the Lord’s instruction about doing what is right and allowed sin to take control of his life. Cain had a choice concerning his sin. Our big idea reflects the same truth for us, that . . .
BIG IDEA – We have a choice concerning our sin.
Let’s pray
GOD (Genesis 4:1-16)
Siblings (vv. 1-2)
Adam and Eve knew each other and she became pregnant
Lay (NIV)
Most translations say that Adam “knew” his wife
The Hebrew word for “knew” is yāḏaʿ (yaw-dah’) and it literally means “to know” in a personal and intimate way, not just facts about someone
She gave birth to Cain
Cain’s name means “acquire, get, possess”
There is a play on words in the Hebrew with Cain’s name and Eve’s statement about bringing forth a man
“By a play on the sound of the verb ‘brought forth’ (qānîtî), Eve names her eldest ‘Cain’ (qayin).” [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Volume 1A, Genesis 1-11:26, 264]
Eve recognized the Lord’s help with her pregnancy and birth
We are not told in this narrative whether or not this was their first child, but it was probably their first son
Eve knew, from the consequences of her sin, that bearing children would be more painful
She was going to need the Lord’s help to make it through labor
How many mothers, out there, knew they were going to need the Lord’s help with their labor?
PRINCIPLE #1 – God is pleased when we recognize that we need His help.
This applies to everyone
Mother’s this applies to us today whether we are going through labor or life
Father’s this applies to us when we face hardships as the head of our household
Young people this applies to us when we are just starting out and are fearful about the future
Children this applies to us when we experience heartache and hurt
It applies to those who are dealing with physical ailments, financial struggles, relational trouble, emotional issues, etc.
Daniel Henderson, founder of Strategic Renewal, has said, “Prayerlessness is our declaration of independence from God.”
God wants us to cry out to Him for help
Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Read Psalm 142:1-7
Romans 8:26-28, In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
What do you need God to help you with today?
#1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Recognize that I need God’s help with _______________ (need) by crying out to Him.
Eve recognized the Lord’s help in giving birth to Cain
While it is not stated here, I’m sure she recognized the Lord’s help with the birth of Abel
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel
We are not given an exact timeframe between Cain’s birth and Abel’s birth
There may have been other children (perhaps girls) born between Cain and Abel – we are just not told
Abel’s name means “breath”
The narrator moves quickly through time from the birth of Cain and Abel to their choice of occupation
Abel was a shepherd (kept flocks)
Cain was a farmer (worked the soil, like his father)
The time frame is not given, because that is not the primary focus of the passage
The narrator is moving time forward, so he can highlight a specific event
It happened in the course of time (another vague time reference)
Sacrifices (vv. 3-5a)
Cain’s offering
He brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering
Notice that the narrator does not say he brought the firstfruits of the soil – that is significant
Abel’s offering
He brought fat portions from some of the firstborn animals from his flock
The fat portions would have been the best parts of the animals
Notice that the narrator says that the fat portions came from some of the firstborn animals
The Lord’s appraisal of the offerings
The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering
The Lord did not look with favor on Cain and his offering
What made the difference between the two offerings?
Some scholars believe it was what was offered
Abel offered a blood sacrifice, which the Lord had done in order to cover over Adam and Eve’s nakedness/sin
Cain brought fruits and vegetables
What we see as acceptable offerings to the Lord in Leviticus and Deuteronomy included both animals, grain, and wine
So, it probably had nothing to do with what was offered
Other scholars believe it was the intent/attitude of the giver
Abel not only brought the firstlings of his flock, but he also brought the best of the firstlings
During the lambing season, Abel looked over the new lambs and chose the ones that were the best
It would have been the ones that were the fattest and healthiest
He was intentional about his offering to the Lord
The writer of Hebrews lists individuals from Old Testament times and shared what they did by faith
Hebrews 11:4, By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
This speaks of Abel’s heart attitude – he was in a right relationship with the Lord
It appears as though Cain just offered to the Lord what was readily available
Perhaps he did not offer the first fruits and vegetables from his garden
And maybe he did not offer the best of what he had
He was not intentional about what he brought, which revealed his heart attitude
Jude 11, Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
Jude is addressing Jewish Christians who were really godless men
He gave three examples of men who were faithless, godless men that did whatever they wanted (Cain, Balaam, and Korah)
Cain’s heart attitude proved that he was not in right relationship with the Lord
“. . . Abel was offering his best – and the best of his best. His was an offering of consecration, a sacrifice that was costly to him. Cain, however, just brought what was nearest to hand.” [Atkinson, The Bible Speaks Today: The Message of Genesis 1-11, 105]
PRINCIPLE #2 – God is honored when we give Him our best.
Are we offering the Lord the best of our time, talents, and resources or are we giving Him what is nearest to hand?
This happens when we prioritize anything over spending time with the Lord and fellowshipping with His people (sleep, hobbies, recreation, etc.)
It can happen when we donate items to a thrift store (we give them worn out and broken down items)
It is evident in how we give financially to the Lord (do we intentionally set aside our tithes and offerings or simply give what is in our wallet?)
#2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Honor God by giving Him the best of my ______________ (time, talents, resources).
I pray that all of our offerings will be offerings of consecration that are costly to us, so that God will be honored
The attitude with which we give to the Lord will set us apart as individuals who are faithful and righteous or faithless and unrighteous
Our attitude will determine our altitude
Sins (vv. 5b-9)
Anger
Cain was angry and his face was downcast
The Lord’s first two questions to Cain were not designed to scold him, but to get him to confess his failure and recognize his sin, which would lead to repentance
We have a choice concerning our sin.
The Lord’s third question is rhetorical
It was designed to elicit an answer of “Yes!”
When we do what is right, we will be accepted
Romans 6:16, Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Joshua 1:8, Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
John 14:21, Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.
When we don’t do what is right, we will be mastered by sin
Don’t miss the importance of what the Lord is saying to Cain – he has the ability to master sin
Sin may desire to have us, but we get to decide – are we going to master sin or be mastered by sin?
PRINCIPLE #3 – We have the ability, through the Lord, to master our sin!
James 4:7, Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:6-10, Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Jesus modeled for us how to resist the devil, by correctly quoting Scripture (Matthew 4:1-11)
How many of us would like to be able to master our sin?
When habitual sin rears its ugly head and we allow it to master us, it is so frustrating!
How many times have we confessed the same sin to the Lord, over and over again
Fortunately, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins when we confess them to Him (1 John 1:9)
#3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Submit myself to the Lord and resist the devil, so I can master my sin.
I’m so grateful that I have the ability to master my sin, when I submit myself to the Lord
We have a choice concerning our sin.
Unfortunately, Cain did not submit himself to the Lord and resist the devil – he was mastered by his sin
Murder
He allowed his jealousy to turn into anger, which led to murder
He deceived his brother Abel
While they were in the field, Cain attacked Abel and killed him
“Cain was the first man who let sin reign in him; he was ‘of the wicked one’ (1 John 3:12).” [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 71]
1 John 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.
Cain’s unchecked and unrepentant anger turned to murder, but his sins did not stop there
We have a choice concerning our sin.
Lying
When confronted about the whereabouts of Abel, Cain lied
The Lord was giving him an opportunity to come clean about his sin, but he denied any responsibility
Cain’s question to the Lord, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” shows an arrogance on his part – he is questioning the legitimacy of God’s question
We have a choice concerning our sin.
Sanctions (vv. 10-14)
The Lord knew what Cain had done, because He is omniscient (all knowing)
The Lord heard Abel’s blood crying out to Him from the ground
Cain would not be able to claim innocence or avoid responsibility, because Abel’s blood was convicting him before the Lord
Consequences of his sin
Cain was under a curse, which meant he would be hidden from God’s presence
The ground would no longer produce for him, which would be devastating for someone who was a farmer by trade
He would not be able to find rest, but would have to wander the earth in search of food
He would fear being killed
PRINCIPLE #4 – There are consequences for our sin.
Just like Cain, there are consequences for our sin also
When we have unconfessed sin, we are hidden from God’s presence – our relationship with Him is broken and needs to be restored
We may experience hardships with our work
Relationships with others will be strained or broken
We will not be able to find rest
Perhaps we will live in fear of having our sin exposed
Punishment is more than we can bear
How many of us have experienced what Cain verbalized – the punishment for our sin is more than we can bear?
That is why we need to keep a short list with the Lord
We need to cry out to Him in repentance and not allow a lot of time to pass between giving in to the temptation to sin and seeking forgiveness
1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
That is an important step for every one of us to take
#4 – My Next Step Today Is To: Confess my sin of _________ to the Lord, so I can be forgiven.
Notice that Cain did not seek forgiveness, even though he was fearful about being killed by other family members
Sympathies (v. 15)
“Cain, who has been receiving words of judgment, now receives a word of divine promise and an act of divine protection.” [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1-17, 233]
Promise
The promise from the Lord showed His mercy and grace
He understood Cain’s fear and reassured him that he would not be killed
If someone were to kill Cain, then the Lord would exact perfect justice on that individual
The number seven is important here
“Seven denotes a complete cycle, and so here perfect justice.” [Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary, 99]
In order to protect Cain and to avoid having to exact perfect justice, the Lord put a mark on him
Protection
It was some kind of distinguishing mark that other people would recognize and know to avoid hurting Cain
The people that could potentially hunt Cain down and kill him would have been family members, potentially siblings
My guess is that the narrator of Genesis only told us about three of Adam and Eve’s children (Cain, Abel, and Seth), but in reality they had many more children
Genesis 3:20, Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.
It was not that Adam and Eve were one of many couples that were created
Romans 5:12, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
Death couldn’t come to all men, if all humanity did not come from Adam and Eve
Keep in mind that the question of who these other people were and what the mark was that God put on Cain are not central to what God wants us to understand from this passage
The greater theme is found in God’s attributes of grace and mercy
PRINCIPLE #5 – God is gracious and merciful.
Just as we have a choice concerning our sin, God has a choice concerning His grace and mercy
“Already we see a God who holds justice in his right hand and mercy in his left.” [Walton, 271]
The Lord could have demanded Cain’s life in exchange for Abel’s death, but He didn’t
He could have allowed his siblings to avenge Abel’s blood, but He didn’t
“In His mercy, God doesn’t give us what we do deserve; and in His grace, He gives us what we don’t deserve.” [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Pentateuch, 38]
We deserve to be punished for our sins – to be eternally separated from God
We don’t deserve salvation, but God gives that to us as a free gift
How have you experienced God’s grace and mercy in your life? (reflect on that today)
Since Cain did not seek forgiveness for murdering Abel, he was separated from the Lord
Settlement (v. 16)
Cain went out from the Lord’s presence
He wandered around until he settled in Nod (node)
The Lord did not send Cain there
“Cain’s residing in ‘the land of Nod, east of Eden,’ implies that he is further removed from the garden than Adam. ‘Nod’ is a play on the word nād, meaning ‘wanderer,’ which refers to the sentence against Cain in 4:11-12, 14." [Mathews, 278]
“The wanderer ends up in the land of wandering.” [Hamilton, 235]
We have a choice concerning our sin.
We can confess it and be in a right relationship with the Lord
We can allow it to fester and lead us to greater sin and be separated from the Lord forever
YOU
Are you ready to recognize that you need God’s help with a need in your life by crying out to Him?
You can honor God today by giving Him the best of your time, talents, and resources.
Do you need to submit yourself to the Lord and resist the devil, so you can master your sin?
What sin do you need to confess to the Lord, so you can experience His forgiveness?
WE
What do we need God’s help with as a body of believers?
We can honor God today by giving Him the best of our time, talents, and resources.
CONCLUSION
We may never experience God’s bold grace first hand, but we may see it expressed in other’s lives.
“Such poignancy is powerfully captured in Víctor Hugo’s Les Misérables. Jean Valjean, the subject of the novel, steals a loaf of bread. As a result he spends nineteen years in prison and, when finally released, finds it difficult to escape his past. On one occasion, taken in by the kindly Monseigneur Bienvenue, he finds himself unable to resist temptation and, in the middle of the night, steals away with a cache of silverware. He does not get far before being throttled by the police. The next day he is hauled back to the house to return the valuables. He is startled at the Monseigneur Bishop’s response.
‘Ah! Here you are!’ he exclaimed, looking at Jean Valjean. ‘I am glad to see you. Well, but how is this? I gave you the candlesticks too, which are of silver like the rest, and for which you can certainly get two hundred francs. Why did you not carry them away with your forks and spoons?’
‘My friend,’ resumed the Bishop, ‘before you go, here are your candlesticks. Take them.’ He stepped to the chimney-piece, took the two silver candlesticks, and brought them to Jean Valjean. Jean Valjean was trembling in every limb. He took the two candlesticks mechanically, with a bewildered air [and] was like a man on the point of fainting.
The Bishop drew near to him, and said in a low voice: ‘Do not forget, never forget, that you have promised to use this money in becoming an honest man.’
Jean Valjean, who had no recollection of ever having promised anything, remained speechless. The Bishop had emphasized the words when he uttered them. He resumed with solemnity: ‘Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.’
This indeed becomes the turning point in Valjean’s life, and the remainder of the novel traces the reverberations of grace in his life. When we read this account of mercy and compassion and see its impact in the recipient’s life, we are appropriately bewildered and awestruck. How much more should we be in awe of God’s mercy and compassion.”
[Walton, 272-73]
