Genesis #4: The Beginning - One world, two directions

Pastor Gary

Rock Hall Charge

Genesis: The Beginning • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago • Presented 4 years ago • 19:17

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How we respond to sin determines the course of our life. In sin, our life is marked by negative effects on others or we turn from sin, in worship, and lead others to God.

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I heard a pastor at a conference one time say your direction not your intention determines your destination.

Your direction not your intention determines your destination.

He called it the principal of the path. Meaning the path you are on will determine where you wind up in life.

This is true, but it also depends on which way you are going on that path.

I remember the first time I went away with a group of students as a new youth pastor, we went to camp and hike the Appalachian Trail near Annapolis Rock. It’s a rock cliff outside Hagerstown with a beautiful view of the valley below. I had never been there and thought it would be a fun place to take some kids.

It was probably a 2 mile hike from our camp site to the site. Along the way we met some very interesting people hiking the trail. I had no idea what we had gotten into.

I remember talking to one older hiker who told us it was his 12th time to hike the trail. He said you just get on and keep walking.

If only it was that easy.

We got to the cliff and after some time appreciating the view, the kids were ready to leave… it had rained, snowed, and now the sun was shining but the temperature was falling so sure, lets head back.

Head back the same way we had just come up…3 miles in… the same 3 miles back.

As you might expect, the kids wanted to get a head start…didn’t want to go with us old folks. They asked if they could go on back to camp. I asked… you know the way back? “Of course we do, we just go back the way we came.” Exactly, but in reverse.

All was fine… we made it back without much excitement… then I realized the kids hadn’t made it back and I realized that while the trail would have lead them right back to the camp; it only worked if they were heading in the right direction.

One trail that went in two directions. See I told you it wasn’t as easy as the old hiker who had been there a dozen times said it was.

You

In life we often are presented with choices all the time of which way to go. Some of those choices are as different as night and day. But some of them are like trying to pick out the right trail in a forest - They look the same. Sometimes it’s clear. Go uphill or downhill… but sometimes it’s just slight differences but once we travel that way for a while, you are way off course.

Like those kids… it wasn’t until they were way down the trail that they were able to see how far off their choice had taken them.

Today I’m going to ask us to look at just one of the choices we all deal with on a regular basis. I’m going to ask us to consider where each alternative is taking us.

One leads us in the direction we want to go, and the other actually takes us away from where we want to go.

Remember, your direction determines your destination… that principal is a reality. What do I mean? Here’s the question I want us to answer today,

Which direction are you going?

Join me in Genesis chapter 4 as we begin.

I’m not going to read it all today, I trust you to do that on your own. There’s a lot in the story that we won’t touch on that I believe if you are following along in our readings and study, God will speak to you.

In Genesis 4 we read it starts this way:

Genesis 4:1–2 NIV

Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.

Now remember, these are our ancestors. The first born. The first born without experiencing the Garden.

The first two people to only experience the world outside the garden.

Think how different that would be from the way their parents Adam and Eve experienced.

I can imagine the stories:

Boys, you may not believe this, but your mom and I used to walk around with God and the mosquitoes didn’t bite us.

And no morning glories growing in the watermelon patch.

Our sheep, we didn’t have to protect them from lions.

Yea dad that’s great....Dad, why did you name that a hippopotamus?

They had heard stories of their walking with God… good stories, but from another time, a time that they couldn’t really imagine.

We see Cain is a farmer, Abel a shepherd. Cain toils at the ground like his father Adam while Abel keeps the flocks.

Now… spoiler alert… if you hate spoilers, just sing the alphabet song for a moment...

Hebrew Scholars think this, their roles in caring for creation, is the root of the problem in the story in chapter 4. Cain, the farmer… simple farmer. Abel, the shepherd… noble shepherd.

If you are Jewish, or are familiar with the teachings of the Bible, this certainly gives you a hint as to how things are going to play out. All throughout the Bible, heroes have been or will be shepherds. The protectors, the watchmen, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Jacob, David. On and on shepherds are the ones identified as doing the work of the Lord.

WAVE… OK come on back

Two sons, one a farmer and one a shepherd:

Genesis 4:3–5 NIV

In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 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, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

There have been all sorts of attempts to explain what was wrong with Cain’s offering.

People have said, it wasn’t the best, his first fruits… it was just some of his harvest.

Another explanation is that he didn’t give a blood offering like Abel did.

Both of these are attempts to square this with the requirements given later in scripture. To this point there is not requirement for an offering.

That’s the other thing… this was an offering, not a sacrifice. Even in the Jewish custom, an offering has very different guidelines than making a sacrifice. It’s true that often a sacrifice includes the shedding of blood, or the first fruits. But an offering doesn’t normally have that same expectation. Grain offerings, oil offerings, wine offerings, etc.

What we do know is that Cain went first with fruit of his harvest. His brother followed with the choice portions of the firstborn of his flock. His little brother brought a better offering.

An offering that was found acceptable by God while Cain’s wasn’t.

It wasn’t because of the offering he gave, it was because of the heart he gave it with with.

Hebrews 11:4 tells us: “By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.”

This isn’t the first time an offering was deemed better than others because of the heart with which it was given.

Remember in Luke 21, a widow is seen coming to give her offering and she gives 2 pennies and Jesus says she gave more than any other because she gave out of faith.

I mean think about it. Did God need their offering? Does God really need our offering? What’s the point of giving an offering to God? Is it a chance to brag? I hope not. When we give out of our love for God, our offering is an act of worship.

That was the problem with the direction Cain was starting down, his heart wasn’t in his worship.

But Cain didn’t realize he was heading the direction. He thought everything was fine… and honestly when you and I first look at it, we are quick to say they both did a pretty good job considering they gave out of what they had.

Their offering represented what they had produced… but as Paul wrote in Corinthians

1 Corinthians 4:4 NIV

My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

That’s a good reminder to us. How we feel about our offering isn’t the point. Just because we don’t “feel” we are heading the wrong direction, doesn’t mean we aren’t headed for a bad place.

What Cain thought about his direction wasn’t what was important. It was an offering to God, so the question is, what did God think about it? and God didn’t approve.

Why not? Because Cains heart wasn’t there. He was more concerned that his brother’s offering was better than his than anything else.

But God didn’t write Cain off. Look in verse 6

Genesis 4:6–7 NLT

“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

God doesn’t leave his offering alone. He uses it for a teaching moment. He corrects Cain and give him a chance to make it up… to fix his heart.

But rather than acknowledge that his heart is in the wrong place, that he failed to give an offering out of his faith in God, instead he allowed his anger to grow.

God warned him… you can control how you respond here.... Cain, you still have a choice… which direction are you going to choose?

Your anger is going to take you somewhere you don’t want to go… but you don’t have to go there.

This ever happen to you?

Has the Lord ever impressed on you the right thing to do, but instead, you chose to save face. To stay strong.

I’m not going to apologize. I’m not going to talk to her after that. I’m not going to help him anymore. If I do that everyone will just think I’m weird.

It’s about our willingness to do what pleases God. Knowing which way we should go and still getting to decide.

In rebellion, Cain accepts his sin, he choose to stay on the path that his anger has set him on.

And the path of anger and resentment will always lead us away from God.

You probably know this part of the story. In anger, he was set on a direction that took him to actually murder his brother and bury the body in attempt to cover up his sin.

And then when confronted by God about it, in stead of humbling himself by admitting his guilt, he responds with the smart tongue of rebellion:

“Am I my brother’s keeper”

Now look at where Cain has gone. He started out this chapter seeking to honor God. But jealousy took over his heart… it led him to fight and kill his brother, bury the body to hide his sin, and now where confronted by God… He denies any responsibility for his brother.

He began with good intentions… but look at how far he has gone and he doesn’t even see it.

Most people don’t intend to be on that road. It took one decision and another and another. and there they are. they see the world around them is gettign harder, but fail to consider the direction of their life.

I think of people all the time who are on a road to destruction and they don’t even realize that getting off the path is as easy as stopping and turning around.

It takes a bit of courage to admit when we have been wrong though.

Then, God knowing what had been done and the heart that had committed the sin, proclaimed judgement upon Cain for his act

Genesis 4:11–12 NIV

Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

The farmer’s way of living became a curse for him. It was to be his frustration to find a place where he could do what he knew how to do.

This gets his attention

Genesis 4:13–14 NIV

Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

It got his attention, but it didn’t bring him to repentance. All he saw was the weight of his punishment.

Ever been there? Begin sorry for getting caught more than for what you did?

That was Cain. He had ample opportunity to turn around. But he was in rebellion and his heart couldn’t or wouldn’t turn back.

But even in this time of judgement, God does what God is becoming known for… even for the hard hearted. Even for the murderer. Even for the rebellious child. God is graceful.

He marks Cain for his protection, declaring:

Genesis 4:15 NIV

But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.

Maybe Cain will turn around now in response to God’s grace... We are all sort of hoping that Cain will turn around… but that doesn’t happen. He goes off under a curse to live out his days.

His direction, not his intention determined his destination.

Then Adam and Eve, we are told in verse 25 have another son. Seth.

Genesis 4:26 NIV

Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

You see the difference?

Seth was born into a world of sin - just like Cain and Abel. But rather than stay on that trail, when Seth’s son was born people began to seek out God again.

Adam and Eve had walked with God… the family had seen what happened to Cain and Abel… and with Seth’s son, people began to be aware of the impact of sin on them and their world.

I’m not saying that everyone was perfect… in fact they were far from it; we will see that as the story goes on. But with Seth and his son’s generation, people began to call out to God… It wasn’t about their intentions… they were changing the direction of life.

It’s almost like the world is being reset through Seth… at least the path to God is being sought out.

I experienced something like this in my life. When we had our son… rather when Michelle had our son, I didn’t have a whole lot to do with it…. But that day, the Lord came upon me in a powerful way. I realized how far from his will I was how I had good intentions, but my life was headed in a direction that I would never want for my son. God helped me change the direction of my life. I praise God for that!

Now, look in Chapter 5

Genesis 5:1–3 NIV

This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

No Cain, No Abel… it’s as though that part of the past is being rewritten. Because men are seeking the Lord, the path of Cain isn’t the only way.

Chapter 5 lays out the generations of Adam through Seth and we something powerful revealed.

you see, In the bible, some numbers refer to spiritual realities, you know, concepts. 7 is one of those numbers. It refers to completeness in a spiritual sense. An end of a cycle. 7 days of creation for instance.

Now, look back at the 7th generation of Adam and see what is happening.

Lamech, the 7th generation from Adam through Cain...

Genesis 4:23–24 NIV

Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

he’s saying, If God was going to avenge Cain 7 times… that’s nothing. Anyone come after me and it’ll be 77 times. It’s like - “If they feared God, they sure better fear me”

Do you hear that pride in his words.

It sounds a bit like something his ancestor Cain would say doesn’t it. There has been no turning toward God for Cain’s ancestors. It appears Cain has led them all down the same path.

That’s the fruit of Cain… They inherited his sense of direction. A life of pride, resentment, sin.

Compare that to the 7th generation through Seth.

Genesis 5:22–24 NIV

After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

You see that, Enoch didn’t die. He was walking with God one day and then he was gone.

Enoch was one of only two people in scripture who are said to have never faced death. both of them because of the way they walked with the Lord.

How did Enoch walk with the Lord? It started back with Seth’s first son… when people began to call upon the Lord.

Seth’s ancestors, while not perfect, shared a history of seeking the Lord, even though they didn’t all “walk with him”; they were seeking him.

Walking with God starts with seeking him.

We aren’t perfect either, but we have the same choice of how to respond to the sin in our lives. We can call out to God… or we can continue in our sin.

Whenever God reveals sin in our lives, we can take that as a call to turn back to God from our sin… to make the choice that Cain refused.

Who knows, years from now, there may be some great great great grand son or daughter famous for walking with the Lord all because you decided to fix your direction on the heart of God.

That can begin today as we surrender our hearts to God’s leading, when we decide to live for him.

You can take that step today, Pray with me.

Lord, today we choose to live not by our good intentions but by choosing follow you and your will for our lives. We know that we have fallen short many time, choosing our way over yours, but today repent of doing things our way. Today we invite you to direct our lives. Thank you Lord for forgiving me of my sin. Thank you for giving me a new life. We want to live for you. Thank you for filling us with your spirit that we might glorify you in this world. Lead us, use us. We love you!

Praise God for the opportunity to turn our lives over to the God of heaven!

God is good.

Now I invite you to join us for our benediction:

Life is much more than an accident.

Where ever I go, I believe God needs me there.

Where ever I am, I trust God has put me there.

He has a purpose for me being there;

Christ, alive in me, wants to do something

through me, no matter where I am.

I believe this and go in His grace

and His love and His power. Amen.

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