Consequential
READ: Genesis 4:9
CHALLENGE: Get Back to God
A.HEAR GOD’S TELLING QUESTIONS
1. WHERE?
· Shows a Lack of Remorse
· Shows a Lack of Honesty
· Shows a Lack of Love
“Am I my brother’s keeper”? YES CAIN – actually you are! You’re the big brother and yes, big brothers protect the younger ones from harm. Not Cain. He’s bearing no responsibility for any of it.
2.WHAT Did You Do?
V10 – The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
Revelation 6:9-10 – When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
Psalm 32:3-5 – When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.
B.REPURCUSSIONS OF UNREPENTANCE
Vv11-12 – Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
· Repercussion 1 – Resistance to Your Efforts
· Repurcussion #2 – Loss of Community
· Repurcussion #3 – Restlessness
C.THE RECKONING
Vv13-14 – Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 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.”
1.Rootless
2.Remembered
But even in James 2 – it’s Rahab the Prostitute. It’s great that we can be redeemed. But what do you want to be known for? Do you want to be known as a loving dad? Then be that. Do you want to be a servant? Be that! You want to be remembered as a grump or a nice person? Be that.
Genesis 4:15-17 – But the Lord said to him, “Not so[e]; 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. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden..
Cain would forever chase what he already had! So stay at home and do what God wants you to do.