The Beginnings Cain & Abel Revealed Genesis 4 “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it.” 6b,7

of Man Centered Religion

Theme Dealing with personal sins is key to awesome intimacy with God & abundant everyday blessing.

Part 1 The Two Kinds of Religion Explained

God In MY Life? Evangelist Billy Graham: "I know that God exists because of my personal experience. I know that I know him. I've talked with him and walked with him. He cares about me and acts in my everyday life." Playwright William Alfred: "People who tell me there is no God are like a six-year-old boy saying that there is no such thing as passionate love — they just haven't experienced it." THEOLOGY: Toward a Hidden God, Time, Apr. 8, 1966

The Difference It Makes An immature person centers their faith on themselves; A Faithful Follower of Jesus centers their faith on God and others.

A. Man Centered, Bottom Up Religion 1.I will decide what is right and good. I will impress this on God 2.I will decide what I am to do. And ask God for His blessing on it. 3.I will honor my impulses. And ask God to overlook them. 4.I will decide the outcome, the destiny of my life. I need no help doing this. 5.I will not pray to God. I don’t want Him controlling my life. I can take care of things myself.

B. God Centered, Top Down Religion 1.God decides what is right and good. I trust Him. I don’t trust my rebellious heart. 2.God will lead me into the purpose, the mission and the deeds of my life. He designed me and knows me best. My maker will always know the most about me. 3.God will give me the grace to control my impulses. Only God can adequately help me control my desires so they serve His and my best interests. 4.God knows my comings and goings and the outcome of my life. If I want to know any of it I ask Him. 5.God desires for me to pray to Him about anything I care about, because He cares about me.

C. God’s Amazing Tool-Kit for Rebels 1.As many as are lead by the Spirit, these are the children of God. 2.Your Word I have hidden in my heart so I wont be a rebel, a sinner. 3.Man lives by the Word of God and not by bread alone. 4.For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Heb. 4:12 5.The church is God’s family plan for preventing sin and rescue from it.

Theme Dealing with personal sins is key to awesome intimacy with God & abundant everyday blessing.

Part 2 The 2 Kinds Of Religion Demonstrated To show us how sin works its ways in us, God gives us the Cain and Abel example.

1. A Real Heritage: Parents, Family, Occupation, And Interdependency 4:1 Adam lay with 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.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.

2. A Real Choice: Top Down Or Bottom Up Relationship 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.

3. A Real Rebellion: A Soul In Conflict 5b So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

4. A Real Defeat: A Soul Gives In To Sin 8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

5. A Real Compounding: Sin Leads To More Sin 9 ¶ Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.

6. A Real Consequence: A Removal Of Blessing 11 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.”

7. A Real Mercy: God Cares About Sinners 13 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.” 15 But the LORD said to him, “Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he 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, east of Eden. God does not throw sinners under the bus!

Theme Dealing with personal sins is key to awesome intimacy with God & abundant everyday blessing.

Our Challenge… By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. Heb. 11:4