Walk in Darkness or Light?
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Genesis is about the beginning.
The very first word in the Hebrew Bible is b-resit or in the beginning
Its the beginning of the universe, the beginning of time, the beginning of life, humanity, society and sin Genesis even tells us of the beginning of a purposeful and fulfilled life, “Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth, have dominion and subdue the earth.
It can be broken into two large sections: chapters 1-11 form the foundation or introduction for the Bible. And chapters 12 - Revelation 22 give us the unfolding story of God’s redemptive plan for lost humanity.
It is in these first eleven chapters that we are introduced to God.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
There is no discussion as to God’s origin, nor is there any argument for His existence. God is, God creates and God speaks.
And we catch a glimpse of the plurality of God’s nature in these early chapters. “Let us make man in our image.”
So very early on we are given the foundation of two critical doctrines that will be fully revealed in the New Testament.
God’s triune nature and the image of God in humanity.
It is written as divine history telling us the story of how all that is came to be and the reasons we are who we are.
It begins with a good creation. In fact, when God looks at His creation, He is quoted seven times, “It is good” and the seventh time God will affirm that what He has created is “very good!”
All creation is inspected by The Master Craftsman and found that it was indeed a good work. And then God rested.
It provides the oldest historical account world wide, why there is a seven day week.
Some believe that a seven day week originated in ancient Babylon because all they could see were seven planets, so the Babylonians based the week on that. But modern archaeology has shown us that it is much older than that.
There are those who have tried to change the seven day week, into ten days, a metric type week. But seven days have persisted through the centuries.
Why? Because God created the universe and all that is in it in six days and rested and took pleasure in His creation on the seventh.
Genesis also answers the question of pain and evil in the world. Why do we suffer? What caused disease and death.
Who our fist parents were, and what they did to bring about the catastrophe that we call sin.
And lastly, the first eleven chapters give us a clear picture of the downward spiral of society as men who no longer want to bear God’s image, make their own choices and their own way without the aid of God.
And it is this last that I want to focus our attention on today.
How that the world system is in reality, a system of walking in darkness.
Literally, it is a walking away from God!
Message:
Message:
1. Choosing darkness over the light is easy. All we have to do is listen to our own voice.
1. Choosing darkness over the light is easy. All we have to do is listen to our own voice.
John 8:12 (ESV) 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 (ESV) 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Darkness is used in Scripture to express a great many things. Sometimes it represents sorrow, ignorance, sin, and at times, Satan and his influence.
Today I want us to see that our decisions, our choices, the way we live can be a choice of walking in darkness, walking away from God, literally walking away from the light.
Cain was just such a man. One who met with God, knew who God is and was warned by God but because of anger, and disappointment, walked into darkness.
That choice created a contrast between two systems. A godly system that follows God and His commands and a worldly system that follows the flesh and carnality.
Dan Barker: Freedom From Religion Foundation
“My folks’ spirituality was so strong that they often found it hard to find a church that met their needs. So we church-hopped for many years. I can’t remember all the churches, but we were Baptists, Methodists, Nazarenes, Assemblies of God, Pentecostals, fundamentalist, evangelical, “Bible-believing” and charismatic.
For a number of years we formed a family musical team and ministered in many Southern California churches–nothing fantastic–Dad played trombone and preached, Mom sang solos, I played piano, my brothers tooted various instruments and we all joined in singing those famous gospel harmonies. It was a neat experience for us kids. My childhood was filled with love, fun and purpose. I felt truly fortunate to have been born into the “truth” and at the age of fifteen I committed myself to a lifetime of Christian ministry.
My commitment lasted nineteen years. It gave my life a feeling of purpose, destiny and fulfillment. I spent years trekking across Mexico in missionary work–small villages, jungles, deserts, large arenas, radio, television, parks, prisons and street meetings. I spent more years in traveling evangelism across the United States preaching and singing in churches, on street corners, house-to-house witnessing, college campuses and wherever an audience could be found.
I was a “doer of the word and not a hearer only.” I went to a Christian college, majored in Religion/Philosophy, became ordained and served in a pastoral capacity in three California churches. I personally led many people to Jesus Christ, and encouraged many young people to consider full-time Christian service.”
He chose to listen to his own voice rather than God’s. He would leave the ministry, leave his first wife and children and marry an atheist woman who had founded what would become The Freedom From Religion Foundation.
2. If you don’t want to know how dirty something is, keep it in low light.
2. If you don’t want to know how dirty something is, keep it in low light.
1 John 1:5–8 (ESV) 5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5–8 (ESV) 5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
6If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
We can listen to God’s voice by reading and applying His word to our lives or we can listen to our own voice and like so many others, find ourselves enslaved to sin and death.
3. The consequences of walking in Darkness
3. The consequences of walking in Darkness
Genesis 4:25–26 (ESV) 25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”
Genesis 4:25–26 (ESV) 25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”
26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.
26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.
Don’t miss what you just read. Cain killed Abel!
Within a relatively short time after the fall of man into sin, murder has taken place.
In this very short passage we see the awful consequences of walking in darkness and the contrast of what it means to walk in the light.
To fully understand the context of this passage we need to look back at what has happened earlier.
It begins in worship
Adam and Eve have been required to leave the Garden of Eden.
They have two sons that we are told about. Obviously, there are other children born, because at some point, Cain will find a wife in a place called Nod (wandering).
But we are told this story to show the awful consequences of walking in darkness.
So, two sons, one who worked the ground, a farmer, and the other who worked with livestock a shepherd.
At some point both men felt compelled to bring an offering of what they had produced and give it to God.
According to the text one offering was accepted the other was rejected.
Genesis 4:3–5 (ESV) 3In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground,
4and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
After forty years of ministry and pastoring, I am more convinced than ever, that the vast majority of those who walk away from God, do so because at some point, they become disappointed in God, or God does not do for them what they think He should.
In this instance, because God did not accept his offering, he became angry, and it showed on his face.
God will never force us to believe in Him.
He will never force us to accept His ways, but in HIs mercy, He will come and try to win us.
His great desire is that we should always walk in the light, but we can if we choose, walk in darkness.
Genesis 4:6–7 (ESV) 6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?
Genesis 4:6–7 (ESV) 6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?
7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
God so ofter comes to us to encourage us to continue following. It is difficult sometimes because we live in a fallen world that is filled with enticement from an intellectual as well as a physical level.
Sin is always waiting to overcome us, and we like Cain are commanded to master it.
4. The voice you hear will be the voice that dominates your life and the life of your children!
4. The voice you hear will be the voice that dominates your life and the life of your children!
Jude tells us about those who listen to their voice and follow their own way.
Jude 10–11 (ESV) 10But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
Jude 10–11 (ESV) 10But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Passion so often dominates our reason. We tell ourselves that what we are thinking is perfectly reasonable, until it isn’t.
And then, we want to blame God for the mess.
This is what Cain did. What began as worship ended up as murder.
Sin is not prejudiced, it hates all of equally and will destroy us if we do not take mastery over it.
Sin tells us, “You are right, God is wrong.” And the darkness grows.
If we listen long enough, Sin will tell us, “There is no God.” And our children hear us.
And if we continue away from God and into darkness, we will eventually create a society that no longer recognizes God, His Word, His Son or His love.
And at a time when men began to call upon the Lord, at a time when certain men walked with God, other men, practices adultery and celebrated murder, wrote songs about their sin and called it freedom.
The son’s of Seth, Enoch and Noah walked in the Light, the sons of Cain, Lamech walked according to their flesh and walked in darkness.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When we get to the end of the story, There are none who walk with God any longer except one man, Noah.
All of society was waking the way of Cain except one family.
So often we assume that God was angry, but that isn’t the case here. The Bible records that God was grieved and sorrowful.
His nature is love but He is also holy and that holiness requires justice.
Men had walked away from their creator, they had deliberately walked into darkness they may have called it free thinking in their day, just like its called today.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
God’s love and passion for you are without limit but He is not going to do everything you want Him to do.
He can’t He is God and we are not. Cain wanted only what He wanted and when He didn’t get it, He blamed God and killed his brother.
And because of his choices, society became more corrupted, more dark and eventually would have to be cleansed from the earth.
We have been called into into a high and holy relationship. Walking in the light exposes us and it is unpleasant but it is eternally rewarding if we walk in the light as He is in the light.