My Brother's Keeper

My Brother’s Keeper

(Genesis 4:9)

Yearly Theme:  “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Don’t Be Jealous

June 16^th, 2019

Something to think about:

Have you ever gotten caught?  You know what I’m talking about; you tell a lie to cover your tracks so that others don’t know details of something you you’ve done, only to have the truth revealed because you can’t tell enough lies to cover up the truth?

Cain’s jealousy of Abel in the face of God’s response to both of their offerings led Cain to do the most unimaginable thing; he murdered his brother Abel.  In order to cover-up what he did he lied about it when confronted by God about Abel’s whereabouts.  Let’s take a look:

Genesis 4:8-9 (NLT)

⁸  One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

⁹  Afterward the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

Commentator, Matthew Henry, writes, “Observe the pride, unbelief, and impenitence of Cain.  He denies the crime, as if he could conceal it from God.  He tries to cover a deliberate murder with a deliberate lie.”[1]

This is what sin leads a person to.  This is what the sin of jealousy led Cain to do.  And here’s the point this morning…

Key Point:  “Jealousy avoids admission of wrongs.”

There are three elements to this one verse of Scripture that illustrate this today:

• There’s a question.

Genesis 4:9a (NLT), Afterward the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

• There’s a lie.

Genesis 4:9b (NLT), “I don’t know,” Cain responded.

• There’s avoidance of responsibility.

Genesis 4:9c (NLT), Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

Something to take home:

Victor Hugo wrote, “Men hate those to whom they have to lie.”

How much must Cain have hated his brother to kill him, and what’s more, how much must Cain have hated God in order to lie to Him about it?

The question of truth’s veracity always looms when evidence is lacking.  In the case of Cain, the truth of Abel’s absence looms heavy on the scene when God calls into question Abel’s whereabouts.  Cain knew, and God knew, but the truth remained hidden, but only for a time.  Truth always brings light to darkness; and, the darkness that penetrated and emanated from the hardened heart of Cain pointed directly to his misdeed toward his brother Abel.  The sin that crouched at Cain’s door was allowed into his heart.  That sin became an action toward his brother Abel in the form of murder.  And, that murder cried out from the ground in condemnation toward Cain and the pitiful lie of the offence he not only committed against Abel, but also against God.

Jealousy avoids admission of wrongs, and sin leads us down paths of deceit and destruction. 

Is there something you’ve hidden from others (and are trying to hide from God) that you need to come clean with?  Are you harboring a dark secret that has poisoned your soul, your relationship, and your faith in God?  Have you allowed lies to perpetuate ongoing denial of the truth? 

You can be set free, but it takes confession!

Psalm 51:17 (NLT), The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.