Sermon Notes 5/29/2011

Title: Generous Justice: Part 1

New Testament Texts:

• 2 Peter 3; 2 Peter 2
• 1 Peter 3:8-22 – The way to preserve life is through death. Entering into the ark was passing through death in order to gain life (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:11-13; Luke 9:23-24).
• Hebrews 11:1-7
• Matthew 24:37-41; Matthew 25:31-46

Old Testament Texts:

• Psalm 29
• Isaiah 54:9-10

Where is Christ?

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Luke 24:13-35 – Jesus revealed Himself on the road to Emmaus by using “Moses and the Prophets” (Old Testament only). Also, Jesus refers to "Moses" when He rebukes the Pharisees for not knowing Him (John 5).

Genesis 1:1-2:3/John 1:1-14

Genesis 2:4-3/Ephesians 5; Romans 8:28-29

Genesis 4/Hebrews 12:24

Genesis 5/Jesus is typified by Noah and the Ark (next two weeks)

Introduction

 

The story of the flood continues along the line of mankind’s downward spiral into sin. Adam – Cain – Lamech – wickedness filling the earth in Genesis 6:1-2 – every intention of the thoughts of his (man’s) heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5) – the earth was filled with violence (6:11-12 – Note the threefold repetition by Moses). The narrative is illustrating God’s plan to redeem His people through Christ. The earth is filled with violence and unceasing sin, we are saved and brought to a new world on the merit of Christ; as God pours out His wrath on the vessel (the ark and Christ), we are placed in Him and transported to another place (Ephesians 2:6). Noah and the Ark are a type of Christ. We will discuss the details of the typology later.

 

Also, we see the same pattern of God being just and the justifier (Romans 3:26) grace and truth (John 1:17). Remember with Adam/Promise of the Seed and Driving from the Garden; Cain/Seth; Noah “I will destroy the earth (6:13)” so “build an ark (6:14).”

 

We see the reaffirmation of the covenant made with Adam (9:9). God is not doing something new. God is continuing His plan of creating a people for himself.

A Covenant is God outlining what He has determined to do. God continues to reaffirm His covenant with Noah(6:18; 9:9, 17) showing that God’s plan depends on His Word, not Noah’s righteousness. A covenant is a promise that God binds himself to through His Word. God gives very high compliments to Moses (righteous; favor; walked with God), yet the story ends with Noah disgracing himself in drunkenness and cursing his son. This illustrates II Timothy 2:13 and shows that it is solely on the basis of God’s Word that His will is accomplished.

 

God’s Covenant outlines several main points:

1. God hates sin and will judge sin (2 Peter 2), especially vv. 4-9. Bitterness, vengeance is both rooted in not trusting God in this. God’s judgment is sudden, severe, and thorough (see Revelation 14:14-20). We see it at the Tower of Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah, Israel died in the wilderness, the deportation of Israel to Assyria, the deportation of Judah to Babylon, the Cross – God will judge you if you remain in your sin. Jesus, in Matthew 24:36-39 points to the narrative of Noah to warn of coming judgment.
2. The flood is dated. Also, notice that no other event (excluding births and deaths) in Genesis is dated – not creation, the fall, Abel’s murder, the Tower of Babel, the call of Abraham. Specific dates are given five times in the flood narrative (7:11; 8:4, 5, 13, 14). What is the point: there is an appointed time where judgment and redemption will conclude (Matthew 24:36).
3. In evangelism and teaching, we should not apologize for or deemphasize God’s judgment. Why don’t kids coloring books have dead bodies floating in the water around the Ark? Justice points to an offence and the realization of an offense points to mercy. The doctrine of judgment and eternal punishment is vital to understanding the love of God and the overall character of God. Lessen the severity of the punishment = lessen the seriousness of sin = lessen the holiness of God who has been sinned against = lessen the work Jesus did and the love Jesus showed for us = lessen the Gospel = dilute mercy… … …God will redeem and preserve a people for Himself (Romans 9:1-8). There was the warning of Enoch (Jude 14-15), the preaching of Noah (2 Peter 2:25), and the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Romans 1; Genesis 6:3). Although judgment will be sudden, it will not be a surprise. Also, we must distinguish between free grace and cheap grace. Grace is free, but not at all cheap.
   • Also, when considering 2 Peter 2:4-9, 1 Peter 3:20, Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 – There were only a few saved. It would not be out of context to assume that salvation will be proportionate (few – Luke 13:23; many – Matthew 7:22).
4. God will redeem and preserve a people for Himself (Romans 9:1-8). There was the warning of Enoch (Jude 14-15), the preaching of Noah (2 Peter 2:25), and the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Romans 1; Genesis 6:3). Although judgment will be sudden, it will not be a surprise. 

In this story of re-creation, God follows His original intention in:

• Giving man dominion over all the earth (9:2)
• Giving the command to be fruitful and multiply (9:1)
• Blesses man (9:1)
• States that man is made in His image (9:6)
• The Scripture states that both Adam and Noah walked with God (6:9)
• After receiving God’s covenant and walking with Him, both Adam and Noah sinned. The result of their sin was a consciousness or a knowing (3:5; 9:24); they both realized that they were naked (3:7; 9:21); both of their sin separated them from those they loved (Adam with Eve and Noah with Ham). In both instances their nakedness was covered. As a result of sin, human seed become divided between those pledging allegiance to Satan and those walking with God.
• Both Adam’s son Cain and Noah’s son Ham are doomed to wander. In an effort to establish security for themselves, they both build a city (Cain finds Enoch in 4:17 and Babel is found in Genesis 11). Both Adam and Noah represent what all of man has done: the table is perfectly set for man to enjoy God and His blessings. Both men see miracles (Adam the creation of Eve and Noah the flood). Both decide in the face of grace to do what pleases them above what pleases God. God displays His character in both instances by passing down “generous justice” (Simultaneous Judgment and Grace).
• The judgment of the flood is gracious to a) display God’s character b) preserve a people for God c) to cleanse the earth of all evil so that God’s people could walk with God without hindrance. 

Genesis 6-9 are a reversal of Genesis 1

 

Understanding the narrative in its literary context reveals many similarities between the flood narrative and the creation narrative in Genesis 1. In both we have “the deep” (7:11; 8:2; 1:2), the earth is covered by water (7:24; 1:2), the Spirit or wind of God was over the waters (8:1; 1:2), the waters recede (8:1-5; 1:9), dry land appears (8:5; 1:9), the classification of animals (6:20; 7:14, 21, 23; 1:21, 24-25), God blessed them (9:21; 1:28), “be fruitful and multiply” (8:17; 9:1, 7; 1:28), human beings made in God’s image (9:6; 1:27). The Holy Spirit wants us to understand that the flood is the undoing of creation and the world after the flood is a new creation, or at least God’s new beginning with His creation. Further, just as Adam has three sons, of which Cain was cursed and Seth would carry on the line of the seed of the woman, so Noah has three sons, of whom Canaan (son of Ham and the father of the Canaanites) is cursed (9:25) and Shem is blessed (9:26) to carry on the line of the seed of the woman (Greidanus).

As God made chaos into order in Genesis 1, He now lifts His sustaining hand and the earth returns to chaos.

Genesis 5

 

• Genesis 4:17-26 and the line of Cain is meant to contrast Genesis 5 and the line of Seth. God places man’s situation of hopelessness next to His plan of certain hope.
• Eight times we read “and he died” until coming to Enoch. “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death” (John 8:51). “Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all die, but shall be all changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
• “It is one thing to talk about God, to reason and speculate about Him, to hear and read about Him, it is quite another to know Him. This is the practical and experiential side of the Christian life. If we would know God we must walk with Him: we must come into living contact with Him, have personal dealings with Him, commune with Him (Pink).
• The Cainite Lamech sought to redress wrong through revenge (4:24); the Sethite Lamech looked in hope to the Lord to provide the seed through whom would come deliverance (Reformation Study Bible).

Genesis 6:1-4

 

• Before the act of sin we see the same terms “saw; good; attractive” as we did in 3:6
• 120 years probably refers to the span of time between this proclamation and the flood

There has been considerable difference of opinion among commentators and expositors in respect to the identity of these “sons of God.” The view which has been most widely promulgated and accepted is, that these marriages between the sons of God and the daughters of men refers to unions between believers and unbelievers. It is supposed that the sons of God were the descendants of Seth, while the daughters of men are regarded as the offspring of Cain, and that these two lines gradually amalgamated until the line of distinction between God’s people and the world was obliterated. It is further supposed that the Deluge was a visitation of God’s judgment, resulting from His peoples’ failure to maintain their place of separation. But, it seems to us, there are a number of insuperable objections to these interpretations.

If the above theory were true, then, it would follow that at the time this amalgamation took place God’s people were limited to the male sex, for the sons of God were the ones who married the daughters of men. Again, this would also mean that the sons of God were believing humans who suffered God’s wrath (inconsistent with the Gospel and 2 Peter 2:5 that states the flood was brought upon the ungodly). Also, one wonders why the union of unbelievers with believers would result in giants.

If, then, the sons of God are not the saints of the age, who are they? In Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7, the same expression is found, and in these passages the reference is clearly to angels. It is a significant fact that some versions of the Septuagint contain the word “angels” in Genesis 6:2, 4. It seems to be the teaching of Jude 6 that the sons of God are fallen angels. These sons of God appear to be angels who left their own habitation, came down to earth, and cohabited with the daughters of men.

Immediately after the Devil had brought about the downfall of our first parents, God passed a sentence on the serpent. Hence, in due course, Satan sought to frustrate this purpose of God. His first effort was an endeavor to prevent his Bruiser from entering this world. His effort was to destroy the channel through which the Son of God would come. Also, the word for giants means “fallen ones.”

Against the view that the sons of God refer to fallen angels, Matthew 22:30 is often cited. The qualifying clause in Matthew “in Heaven” stops the argument. The angels in Heaven do not marry, but those who left their own principality did.

- A.W. Pink’s Commentary on Genesis

 

Genesis 6:5

 

Show the link between behavior and desire (James 4:1-3; Genesis 4:7).

 

Genesis 6:6

 

The text repeats terms with “repent” and “grieve” to highlight that God was feeling Indignant Rage.

 

Genesis 6:9-10

 

• Intimacy = Righteousness. Notice how being a righteous man and walking with God are inseparable. In all of Scripture, “He walked with God” is only said of Enoch (5:22) and Noah. “Walked” is a picture of close proximity, intimacy, and harmony or agreement. “O LORD, who shall live in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:1-2) “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 119:1). The “blameless” are characterized by abstaining from sin (2 Samuel 22:24; Ezekiel 28:15).
• This is the third of ten sections in Genesis. “These are the generations of…” always depicts a new section in the book.

Although God is immutable, He is not predictable.

 

Abel believed God, and he died. Enoch believed God, and he did not die. Noah believed God, and everybody else died. The first three heroes of faith celebrated by the writer of Hebrews 11:4-7, drawn from the first three sections of Genesis, experienced radically different results from their faith. The common denominator of their faith is that they pleased God (Waltke).

 

Lesson: We cannot “box” God. Disappointment is birthed from expectation. Our expectation in serving God is to show our love to Him. Our hope or expectation should be in exalting Christ.

 

• Although God redeems through unmerited sovereign grace, He chooses to use people as His partners in redemption. Understanding that God is all powerful, all wise, and not secluded to one location, yet chooses to use people as His instruments to accomplish His plan should make us crazy about evangelism and discipleship. The most Calvinistic people should be the most evangelistic people.
• This shows that what pleases God is obedience to His Word (6:22; 7:5, 9, 22). Everything Noah did was aimed at “later.” Think about what it cost him financially, time, reputation, identity.

Genesis 6:11-14

 

Notice how closely judgment and mercy are linked together in vv. 11-13 also note 8:1 (God remembered Noah).

 

Genesis 6:14-22

 

• General command followed by specific instruction. “Run John, run, the law demands, but gives us neither feet nor hands. Better hope the Gospel brings, it bids us fly and gives us wings” (John Bunyan). God gives us instruction and grace to fulfill His commands.

Genesis 6:16

 

The door is of great importance. There is only one door (John 14:6). Also, note Genesis 7:16 “The LORD shut them in” (John 10:28-29).

 

Genesis 6:17

 

Notice that God is the main actor. Up to this point, we have not heard Noah say a word, nor will we ever. Read Psalm 29:1-11.

God saw that the earth was corrupt; He determined to make an end to all flesh; He commanded Noah to make an ark; He gave instructions on how to make the ark; He promised to send rain; He closed the door; He remembered Noah; He made the wind blow; He told Noah to go out of the ark; He made a covenant with Noah; He made the rainbow; etc.

 

Closing with Psalm 29

Should We Sing the Star-Spangled Banner in Church This Sunday???

By Kevin DeYoung

This post probably has something to make everyone unhappy. But here goes. With Memorial Day on Monday (in the U.S.) and, no doubt, a number of patriotic services scheduled for this Sunday, I want to offer a few theses on patriotism and the church. Each of these points could be substantially expanded and beg more detailed defense and explanation, but since this is a blog and not a term paper, I’ll try to keep this under 1500 words.

1. Being a Christian does not remove ethnic and national identities.

In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free (Gal. 3:28), but this does not mean men cease to be male or Jews ceases to be Jewish. The worshiping throng gathered around the throne is not a bland mess of Esperanto Christians in matching khaki pants and white polos. God makes us one in Christ, but that oneness does not mean we can no longer recognize tribes, tongues, nations, and peoples in heaven. If you don’t have to renounce being an American in heaven, you shouldn’t have to pretend you aren’t one now.

2. Patriotism, like other earthly “prides,” can be a virtue or vice.

Most people love their families. Many people love their schools, their home, and their sports teams. All of these loves can be appropriate. In making us for himself, God didn’t mean to eradicate all other loves. Instead he wants those loves to be purer and in right proportion to our ultimate Love. Adam and Eve should have loved the Garden. God didn’t intend for them to be so “spiritual” that they were blind to the goodness around them. In the same way, where there is good in our country or family it is right to have affection and display affection for those good things.

Of course, we can turn patriotism into an idol, just like family can be an idol. But being proud of your country (or proud to be an American or a Canadian or a Russian or whatever) is not inherently worse than being proud of your kids or proud to be a Smith or a Jones or a Dostoevsky. I find it strange that while it is fashionable to love your city, be proud of your city, and talk about transforming your city, it is, for some of the same people, quite gauche to love your country, be proud of your country, and talk about transforming your country.

3. Allegiance to God and allegiance to your country are not inherently incompatible.

Sometimes Christians talk like you should have no loyalty for your country, as if love for your country was always a bad thing. To be sure, this must never be ultimate loyalty. We must always obey God rather than men. But most Christians have understood the fifth commandment to be about honoring not only your parents but all those in authority over you.

Moreover, Jesus shows its possible to honor God and honor Caesar. This is especially clear if you know some of the Jewish history. The tax in question in Mark 12 is about the poll tax or census tax. It was first instituted in AD 6, not too many years before Jesus’ ministry. When it was established a man by the name of Judas of Galilee led a revolt. According to Josephus, “He called his fellow countrymen cowards for being willing to pay tribute to the Romans and for putting up with mortal masters in place of God.” Like the Zealots, he believed allegiance to God and allegiance to any earthly government were fundamentally incompatible. As far as they were concerned if God was your king, you couldn’t have an earthly king.

But Jesus completely disagreed. By telling the people to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” he was saying there are duties to government that do not infringe on your ultimate duty to God. It’s possible to honor lesser authorities in good conscience because they have been instituted by a greater authority.

If you read all that the New Testament says about governing authorities in places like Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, you see that the normal situation is one of compatible loyalties. The church is not the state and the state is not God, but this does not mean the church must always be against the state. In general, then, it’s possible to be a good Christian and a good American, or a good Ghanaian or a good Korean. Patriotism is not bad. Singing your national anthem and getting choked up is not bad. Allegiance to God and allegiance to your country do not have to be at odds.

4. God’s people are not tied to any one nation.

When Jesus says “go ahead and give to Caesar what belongs to him” he is effectively saying, “you can support nations that do not formally worship the one true God.” Or to put it a different way: true religion is not bound with only one country. This means–as we see in Revelation 7 and Isaiah 49 and Psalm 87 and Matthew 28 and Acts 1and a hundred other places–the Church will be transcultural and transnational.

While American churches are in America, they must never be only American churches. We must keep in mind (and when applicable, explicitly state) that our congregations are filled with brothers and sisters from all over the world. Likewise, we must work hard to help people see that Christianity is not just a Western religion or American religion. Christianity started in the Middle East and quickly spread to North Africa, and parts of Asia and Europe. The Church was always meant to be international. Today there are more Anglicans in church in Nigeria than in England, more Presbyterians in South Korea than in the United States. The promise to Abraham way back in Genesis is that through his family God would bless the whole world. Christianity is not tied to just one certain nation. Following Christ is not an ethnic thing. You can be from any country and worship Jesus.

5. All this leads to one final point: while patriotism can be good, the church is not a good place for patriotism.

We should pray for service men and women in our congregations. We should pray for the President. We should pray for the just cause to triumph over the evil one. We are not moral relativists. We do not believe just because all people are sinners and all nations are sinful that no person or no nation can be more righteous or more wicked than another. God may be on America’s side in some (not all) her endeavors.

But please think twice before putting on a Star Spangled gala in church this Sunday. I love to hear the national anthem and “God Bless America” and “My Country, Tis of Thee,” but not in church where the nations gather to worship the King of all peoples. I love to see the presentation of colors and salute our veterans, but these would be better at the Memorial Day parade or during a time of remembrance at the cemetery. Earthly worship should reflect the on-going worship in heaven. And while there are many Americans singing glorious songs to Jesus there, they are not singing songs about the glories of America. We must hold to the traditions of the Apostles in our worship, not the traditions of American history. The church should not ask of her people what is not required in Scripture. So how can we ask the Koreans and Chinese and Mexicans and South Africans in our churches to pledge allegiance to a flag that is not theirs? Are we gathered under the banner of Christ or another banner? Is the church of Jesus Christ–our Jewish Lord and Savior–for those draped in the red, white, and blue or for those washed in the blood of the Lamb?

In some parts of the church, every hint of patriotism makes you a jingoistic idolater. You are allowed to love every country except your own. But in other parts of the church, true religion blends too comfortably into civil religion. You are allowed to worship in our services as long as you love America as much as we do. I don’t claim to have arrived at the golden mean, but I imagine many churches could stand to think more carefully about their theology of God and country. Churches should be glad to have their members celebrate Memorial Day with gusto this Monday. We should be less sanguine about celebrating it with pomp and circumstance on Sunday.

Sermon Notes 5/15/2011 and 5/23/2011

Title: Cain and Abel

Text: Genesis 4:1-26
New Testament Reading: Hebrews 11:1-4; Hebrews 12:18-29

Introduction

Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden because of their choice to decide for themselves what was good and evil. Cain and Abel’s parents decided to act independent of God’s Word, doubting His love, and usurping His authority.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Genesis 4 tells us of what happens in the next seven generations following the fall and focuses primarily on Adam’s children Cain, Abel, and Seth.

Key Similarities and Differences

Similarities: As we learned from James 1 and 2 Corinthians 10-11, the method of temptation never changes.

Thoughts – desires – lure (temptation) – choice to sin – conscience – cover or repent (change)

Like Adam and Eve, Cain is tempted to sin, is warned to master (Genesis 4) or judge (Genesis 3) it, chooses to entertain thoughts inconsistent with God’s Word, both give birth to desires (Eve through seeing that the food is good and to make one wise and Cain in entertaining His anger), the LORD pursues both rebellious parties with questions (Genesis 3: Where are you?; Who told you that you were naked? and Genesis 4: Where is your brother?; Why are you angry?); the choice of both parties brings simultaneous judgment and grace; both parties are driven from the presence of the LORD.

Differences:

Eve is tempted outwardly; Cain is tempted inwardly. Adam and Eve stop at God’s first admonition (blame-shifting in Genesis 3 turns to murder in Genesis 4); Cain continues in his sin. Adam and Eve accept their consequences; Cain complains. The murder of Abel is not a “rerun” of the fall – it actually shows a further downward spiral into independence from God. Adam blame-shifts and Cain mocks God (am I my shepherd’s shepherd?).

Eve we rebellious; Cain was religious = same result

vv. 1-2

It is important to remember for a key point that will be made later in the sermon that Scripture is careful to detail Cain was the oldest and Abel was the youngest.

vv. 3-5a

There is a lot of disagreement among the most credible commentators about the reason God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and did not regard Cain’s. The reason I am not going to spend time here is because it is irrelevant. Yes God desires to be worship in His prescribed way. However, that is not the point of this passage. It does matter that God was specific with Cain and Abel, but the Scripture does not give us details. All we really know about why God did not accept Cain’s sacrifice is found in Hebrews 11.

“By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4).

1)      The reason God regarded Abel’s offering was because it was offered by faith. The clearest definition of faith is total reliance or absolute dependence.

Absolute dependence and total reliance on what?

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

“The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17b).

How do I get faith? What does it look like practically?

“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

2)      When you rely on your own strength in worship and service, your “righteous” actions will breed selfish desires, leading ultimately to sin.

3)      When our method for worship is wrong, our motive will follow in the same path. When we worship God in our own strength, we will inevitably worship ourselves.

Cain was no infidel or atheist (A.W. Pink). Cain found himself wandering and separate from God because of self-fueled worship.

The following two passages are huge in this point:

“And Samuel said, ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination (witchcraft in KJV – parenthesis mine), and presumption (stubbornness in KJV – to push, press, or urge) is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king” (I Samuel 15:22-23).

ILLUSTRATION: Imagine for a moment that we could rewind the clock back to the pastor search process. Imagine that the search team told you that Staci was a witch or a sorceress. What would you think? Would your reaction be as strong if I told you that the Elders often forget to pray before Elder meetings (not true by the way) or that Kemp doesn’t prayerfully lead worship during the week (Also not true)?

Understanding this principle is huge. When I attempt to serve God in the power of my own flesh it is not all that different than witchcraft at the root because I am attempting to use power outside of God to accomplish something.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (James 3:13-15). How do we get wisdom?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:5-6).

“Such persons truly,  by external works, strenuously labor to deserve well at the hand of God; When they afterwards see that they gain no advantage, they show the selfishness of their hearts – for they not only complain against God, but they break forth in  manifest fury, so that, if they were able, they would gladly tear him down from his heavenly throne. Neither a hundred walls, nor as many fortresses, can free the wicked from disquietude. ” (Calvin’s Commentary on Genesis).

Only a proper understanding of the Gospel keeps us from the snare of religion.

Religion: I obey, therefore I am accepted

The Gospel: I am accepted, therefore I obey

God reveals our rebellion through behavior (fruit) – Matthew 7:16

In religion, our fruit can trick us – often God is gracious to reveal our selfishness in worship through failure or suffering (Luke 15).

v. 5

The source of Eve’s temptation began externally. The source of Cain’s temptation began internally.

Although it is the depraved man’s propensity to sin, he is not a helpless victim of Satan or a slave to depravity.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

vv. 6-7

4)      Cain’s response to correction and disappointment reveals his motive for service: self.

Talk about motive:

In Genesis 3, Eve’s rebellion was about her controlling her own life by serving herself by doing what she perceived was best for her.

In Genesis 4, Cain’s religion was about him controlling his own life by attempting to control God with religion.

Look at the parable in Luke 15. For many people, it will not be their immorality that keeps them out of heaven, but their morality (their attempt to put God in their debt).

• I did __________ and look what I got: passed up for a promotion; excluded from the committee; I was failed to be mentioned from the pulpit; I got cancer; look how my kids turned out; I cannot believe I lost my job = a religious heart that expects our good deeds to buy us God’s favor.

“If you do well” shows that, in the context of this story, feelings are not a prerequisite to obedience.

According to Hebrews 11:4, Cain knew what was required. We cannot fool ourselves into thinking that we can do “religious things” how and when we desire.

Cain did not feel like obeying when approached by God (Cain was angry). Desires are cultivated. We must not allow our desires to be the engine that drives us, but the caboose that follows our behavior. 

A Side note: In training our children, we should address their countenance and discipline them when their countenance is “sinful.” The face mirrors the condition of the heart.

vv. 8-10

Cain rebels; God pursues; Cain Mocks

Contrast between Genesis 4:10 and Hebrews 12:24, “and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”

vv. 11-12

In Genesis 3 God cursed the serpent and the ground, but never Adam and Eve. Here, God curses Cain, confirming that he is the seed of the serpent.

v. 13-14

Further evidence of an unrepentant heart: Cain is more preoccupied with the consequence than he is with the sin that caused it. First, Cain did not trust God in his sin (thought he knew what was best), and now further questions God’s love for him in his consequence. The attitude of the sinner who is suffering consequence should be humble worship because that sinner is not suffering what he deserves in Hell.

v. 15

God shows grace to the ungodly. Like the serpent, God allows the wicked to live because they are instrumental in His plan of redemption. The parallel between God clothing Adam and Eve and placing the mark on Cain. Although they enjoy a degree of grace, they are driven further and further east.

v. 16

The land of Nod is a play on the Hebrew verb “wandering.”

“Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the sinner is an hard” (Proverbs 13:15)

 (Septuagint: hard = enduring rut)

“His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be bound with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray” (Proverbs 5:22-23).

(astray = drunkenness; swerve; wander)

“But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked” (Isaiah 57:20-21).

v. 17

The ensuing account gives a first taste of a self-sufficient society, which is the essence of what the NT calls “the world” (Derek Kinder).

“In seeking the security of a city, it appears that sinful Cain both defied the divine judgment that he should be a vagabond (v. 12) and showed his lack of faith in the protection provided by God’s mark (v. 15). The earthly city provided both civilization and protection, but culminates in the building of a city that challenges God’s supremacy (Genesis 11:4)” (The Reformation Study Bible).

vv. 18-24

What is the Primary Point of the Passage? The primary point is found in Genesis 4:25

Moses traces Cain’s line through seven generations until Lamech’s wickedness of murdering and not hiding (Adam) or attempting to deceive (Cain in the field), but boasts openly about his rebellion.

Remember the original audience? Israel is facing impossibility as God’s redeemed people (entering into the Promised Land). What is God trying to tell Israel? What is God trying to tell us today?

God will redeem a people for Himself, God will build His Church, God will take care of His people and do only what is for their good and for His glory solely because He said He would (Covenant).

Notice the self-sufficiency in his boasting.

Read Genesis 4:25

5)      If our redemption from sin and relationship with God was dependent on us, we would most certainly fail.

God bypasses the older Cain for the younger Abel.

• Isaac over Ishmael
• Jacob over Esau
• Joseph
• Ephraim over Manasseh
• David
• The older is rejected and the younger accepted in the parable in Luke 15
• Jesus over Adam

This Passage Speaks of Jesus

Abel’s blood spoke out to condemn Cain; Jesus’ blood speaks out to redeem us.

“and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24).

Cain did not master the devil “crouching at the door desiring to have Cain” (Genesis 4:7); Jesus mastered the devil (Luke 4; Matthew 4); Cain took the life of his brother; Jesus gave His life for His brothers and sisters; Lamech boasted that he would be avenged “seventy-sevenfold”; Jesus taught His disciples that they should forgive seventy-sevenfold in Matthew 18:22 (Sidney Greidanus).

Cain’s name means “appointed.” The contrast between Cain and Seth: Cain built a city (self-reliance) and the people called on the name of the LORD (absolute dependence).

Please Lord, teach me to cast my cares. I need daily grace.

HUMILITY is a most precious grace--it is filled with beauty, loveliness, and glory. This is the garment which the Savior always wore. This is the grace which gave such a charm to all that He did and said. It is one of our best garments, and without it the soul is generally naked. "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another." 1 Peter 5:5.

For lack of humility--the Church is rent and torn with divisions. For lack of humility--believers bring many trials and crosses on themselves, and sow the bitter seeds of trouble and remorse.

If I were truly humble, I must be happy, for it is with such Jehovah dwells: "For this is what the high and lofty One says--He who lives forever, whose name is holy: I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and humble in spirit." Isaiah 57:15. To such He looks with esteem, love, and delight: "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My Word." Isaiah 66:2.

"I hate pride and arrogance!" Proverbs 8:13. Pride is . . .

  most loathsome to God,

  injurious to men, and

  a stronghold of Satan within us.

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble!" James 4:6. He keeps the proud at a distance, and will not allow them to approach him: "Though the Lord is great, He cares for the humble--but He keeps His distance from the proud!" Psalm 138:6. He threatens them with everlasting destruction. "The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished!" Proverbs 16:5

Lord, give me true humility, and let me be clothed with it from day to day!

Joel Beeke....Whoa

Cultivating Private Prayer as a Pastor

Notes taken during the session.

It is always convicting to receive the assignment to speak on prayer to other pastors. And as I was writing the book that Dr. Piper referenced on prayer, I became increasingly convicted by the Puritans about how little I pray. So tonight, I am preaching first of all to myself. This topic is at the heart of revival of the church of Jesus Christ. My father told me when I was a teenager that the greatest problem of the church today is prayerless praying.

The sermons of the Reformers and Puritans are not that different than ours. We’re saying essentially the same thing. What was so different was their prayer lives. My aim is that we would truly pray in our prayers. So turn with me to Isaiah 64:6-9 and James 5:13-18.

True prayer is putting ourselves into our petitions, crying out to God Almighty and praying in our prayers. The problem is not that we don’t pray, but rather that seldom we truly prayerfully pray in our prayers. What is this praying? The primary exercise of faith. Private prayerful praying is the work of the triune God. It has more to do with God than with us. It is Heaven’s greatest weapon that we have at our disposal as a minister of the gospel. This kind of praying is supposed to be half of our vocation—giving ourselves to the Word and to prayer.

The giants of church history dwarf us because of the time and energy that they devoted to private prayer. They were Daniels in private and in public. Luther spent the first two hours of every day in prayer. He once said to Melanchton that he had so much to do that he needed to spend an extra hour in prayer. On the contrary, we too often see prayer as an interruption to our ambition.

Luther was not shy in is prayers. He would often pray loudly and boldly. He said praying was hard work. And he’s right. There is so much working against us in our prayers. Distraction arises in our cold heart and disturbance comes up in those around us.

In all of his busyness, Calvin spent hours in prayer every day. Unless we fix certain hours of every day in prayer, he said, it would slip from our memory. We must taste the sweetness of the fellowship of God in our prayer. We need to strive to grow in prayer.

The Puritans were the same way. They often would rise early, hours before sunrise, to fellowship with God in prayer. John Knox said that the prayers of the great cloud of witnesses rebuked us in our prayerlessness. In 1651, a group of Scottish ministers gathered together in fear of losing their spiritual vitality and wrote up a joint confession. Number twelve on their list was their prayerlessness. Tragically, our prayer life is often like a building closed for repairs.

We intend to do it better, to get more serious about it. We get down about it. Eventually we begin to call our prayerless praying real prayer. Prayerful praying pierces Heaven and warms the soul. We so often struggle in public prayer because we so rarely draw near to God in private. The problem with many of us is that our prayer lives have grown dull. We know that backsliding begins in the inner closet of prayer. Yet, we carry on with the commendation of people while not carrying on with God in prayer.

What we need to do tonight is not just confront this problem of prayerless praying, but search for conclusions. All of our excuses are obnoxious in the eyes of God. It is tragic when a minister of the gospel, who is called to be a man of prayer, can rest comfortably in this wicked prayerless condition. It is easier perhaps to riddle ourselves with guilt than to do something about it.

I do not aim to beat you with guilt but to awake you and me up to the need to lay hold of eternal life through the pursuit of a more faithful, more fervent prayer life with your Savior and your God. This will require us to take hold of ourselves and to take hold of God. How?

Take Hold of Yourself in Prayer - Seven Principles

1. Remember the Value of Prayer. As ministers, we must remember that prayer is essential for our ministry and every duty we do as a minister of the gospel. Make it a rule to never engage in any activity in ministry without first seeking God in prayer. I have got to go to God in prayer. It is the most Christ-like thing we can engage in, brothers.

What a blessing that we have been called to be men of prayer. Many other men have to work ten hours a day in their secular vocation and we get to spend hours praying. Again my father told me just to have a place to go with your every need is worth more than anything money can buy.

William Bridge said that a praying man can never be miserable because he has the ear of God.

Nothing is so valuable as prayer. The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel. This is Heaven’s greatest weapon.

2. Maintain the Priority of Prayer. Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing.” Prayer has got to be first. It has to be our priority in every need. Spurgeon wrote, “Your prayers will be your greatest aid in your preparations. And after the sermon, how can a preacher give vent to his soul if the mercy seat were denied him.” How hard do you pray after your sermon is over? They would pray after the sermon, “Please, Lord. Don’t let the birds take away the seeds of that sermon.”

I fear that the pressures of the ministry today to be a jack-of-all-trades, pressures at home, pressures in the media crowd out our time for the priority of this ministry of prayer. We lose our power and authority. You have to have windows of prayer between your visits and appointments. That is the way to do it. Keep prayer your priority, not just during your times when you feel like a sailboat gliding effortlessly but also when you feel like an ice breaker.

3. Prayer With Sincerity. Psalm 62:8. The way to pray is to tell the Lord everything about you like he didn’t know anything about you all the while knowing he knows everything about you. Sometimes praying with sincerity means praying briefly, “Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!” God does not look at the logic of your prayers or the style of your prayers but the sincerity of your prayers.

Sincerity in prayer requires integrity in our marriages. Let your prayers be not hindered. Taking hold of our prayers may mean to take hold of our bad attitudes or our treatment of our wives. You have to do something about that. Perhaps praying first a prayer of repentance. We need to avoid professionalism in our prayers because it is not about our prayers but about our hearts. Spurgeon was asked how to get better at praying in public. He responded, “Pray more in private.”

4. Cultivate a Continual Spirit of Prayer. Isn’t it true that when you are really close to God that you have those “occasional prayers”? You pray your way through the day. You pray without ceasing. It is not just during your set times of prayer. We should be like a bird returning to its nest when we return to God in prayer. That is praying in your prayer—having the sense of relationship and knowing that your prayers reach the courts of Heaven.

It struck me how much Calvin used the example of a child crawling up into his father’s lap in relation to prayer. Pray continually. Ask God to help you do that. Whenever you have the least impulse to pray, pray! We have so few impulses to pray that we ought to take advantage of every one of them.

5. Work Toward Organization in Intercessory Prayer. We are ministers. We owe it to our people to pray for every single one of them. We know them and we should pray for them one by one. How? Be strategic. Have set lists that you have organized and categorized to pray for other people. Newton said his best friends were those who prayed for him. It will be encouraging to your people for them to know you are praying for them. I take the church directory and pray for the people on one page each day. You love your people and you know their needs.

6. Read the Bible for Prayer. Prayer is a two-way conversation. God comes to us in prayer and we return to him in prayer. Read verse-by-verse, and pray verse-by-verse. Pray your way through the Scriptures. Turn the psalms into prayer.

Fill your mind with Scripture and your prayers will gain life. In the house churches in China, they had no Scriptures in print but had so much memorized that their prayers were filled with it. When I get discouraged in my prayers, I often look to volumes of saints’ prayers from the past. I have found that they are filled with Scripture.

7. Keep Biblical Balance in Your Prayers. There are many different kinds of prayers in Scripture, aren’t there? We need to examine our prayer life from time to time and check to see if our prayers are repetitive. Are we covering the same bases when we pray? Listen to others pray. We can learn from others in how we pray.

Take Hold of God in Prayer - Three Principles

1. Plead God’s Promises in Prayer. David says, “My soul clings to you.” God is tender to his own handwriting. That is especially true of his own promises. It is no arrogance or presumption to pray to God his own promises. Prayer is nothing less than the promise reversed and retorted back to God. Beseech God with his own promises. Cast your burdens on the Lord and then trust him. Don’t take them right back.

2. Cling to This Glorious Trinity in Prayer. Like Elijah and Isaiah, cling to it. True prayer is not self-congratulatory but self-condemning and Christ-congratulatory. We should dwell on the Trinity and how the three persons draw us to God. We should meditate on who our God is. We need all three persons. We come in a Trinitarian fashion. We know our Father’s hands are full of grace because the Son’s hands were pierced for us. We can come boldly to throne of grace. As ministers, we can always say our time is a time of need. We are full of needs. Bring them to God.

God loves a returning minister who grieves over not turning to him in prayer. When he takes hold of you, you can take hold of him. Let us arise from our prayerlessness and cling to God Almighty, trusting in him, believing in him. We have access by one Spirit unto the Father. John Owen said we ought to labor in prayer to know each person of the Trinity one by one. In our prayer lives, we need an experiential knowledge of the Triune God.

We do not just pray for God’s benefits but God himself. We need God intimacy and God dependency. When we come to our people when we have come out of our closets, they can sense the presence of God. Then our people will begin to understand what prayerful praying is all about.

3. Believe that God Answers Prayer. Too often I will cry out to God and am surprised when he answers. Faithless prayer is fruitless prayer. When we don’t trust God, we make a mess of everything.

Let me end by giving you cautionary conclusion. If you want to know something about a man, ask him about his prayer life. Beseech him for mercies upon the church. In prayer, you know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.

My aim is not to discourage you. Don’t despair no matter how bad your prayer life is right now. Don’t compare yourself to the saints of past. Let them encourage you that there is more for you in prayer. Let them stir you up! That is the way to use Isaiah 64 and the prayer life Knox, Luther and Calvin. Battle unbelief and despair with prayer. We need not be crushed by demands to pray for hours but to pray with earnestness. Take hope in the almighty, Triune God who loves to be prayed to.