Yesterday at Ebenezer, we celebrated Palm Sunday, the confirmation of eight of our young people, and it was my last Sunday.  In the message, we looked at the crowd that assembled on Palm Sunday, and compared it with another crowd that gathered later that week to condemn Jesus.  And we asked: What Will You Do With Jesus? To stream or download the audio file, just click on the link.  This week, I'll begin serving Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Beulah, ND.

Last night, on our last Wednesday evening worship service of Lent, I shared about The Signs Accompanying Jesus' Death.  We saw that, as Jesus died, several things happened which revealed to the people who he truly is.  However, some recognized it and some didn't.  The same thing is true in our own time.  Some recognize the signs given by God and what they indicate to us about Jesus.  We receive him for who he truly is.  But other refuse him.  They deny the signs and what they mean, along with the salvation Jesus has provided.  The question for us is this: What is our response to Jesus?  What is our response to the signs that accompanied both his life and death? To stream or download this message, click on the link.

Thy Will Be Done

            On the night that Jesus was betrayed, we see how he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He prayed (Luke 22:42 ESV): "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."

            A couple of things stand out as we read this prayer.  We see that, first of all, Jesus didn’t look forward to the suffering he was to endure.  He knew what was to happen.  But, if he could somehow satisfy God’s will without enduring this pain, he asked that he might not have to withstand it.

            I think that most of us can understand his feelings.  None of us like to suffer.  None of us enjoy pain.  If it’s possible, we would much rather avoid it.  And so it’s understandable to us that, even though he is God, Jesus felt that same way.  Because he was fully man, like you and me, he didn’t want to endure unnecessary suffering.

            However, he was willing to endure suffering that he might satisfy the will of God.  And we know that it was the will of God for Jesus to suffer.  It’s was God’s will that Jesus should die upon the cross that he might pay the penalty of our sin.

            The will of God for our life in no way compares to that of Jesus.  We have been given a great calling by God.  We’ve been called to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  But our suffering can never accomplish the end that his death produced. However, there are times when the will of God for our life involves pain of some sort.

            For this reason, like Jesus, we submit ourselves to the pain.  We submit ourselves to the Lord, that his will might be accomplished.  And we excitedly anticipate what God will do as he works in our life.

            This partially explains how I feel right now, as I leave the people of Ebenezer and Northwood.  In the few years that I’ve lived among you, I’ve grown to love the people of this church and this community.  And, for this reason, it pains me to leave.

            I am also not a person who enjoys moving around a great deal.  I like stability.  I prefer to build long-term relationships.  I feel that the best ministry can take place once the pastor and the congregation get past the “honeymoon” phase into the comfortable routine of life together.  And for this reason, in my mind, it’s much too soon for me to move on.

            However, that being said, I’m also excited to see what the Lord has in store.  I know that his will for me, and for all of us, is good and gracious.  And, for this reason, I believe that the greatest blessing will be experienced when we submit ourselves to his will, no matter how painful it may be.

            For this reason, I want to thank the people of Ebenezer and Northwood for allowing me to serve you the past few years.  Please know that you will be in my prayers.  And I hope that you’ll share my confidence that the Lord will work everything out for our mutual blessing.

            I ask for your continued prayers as my family and I move to Beulah, and I begin serving as pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.  Pray that God will smooth our transition and that he will use us to bless the people of that church and community.

This past week, I was on vacation as I began moving our household to our new home.  However, here is the message from a week ago, as I continued our series on major Bible stories.  We looked at the story of Joseph Sold into Egypt.  And we asked ourselves how we respond to feelings of jealousy and hatred.  To stream or download this message, click on the link.

Content in God's Blessing

In Genesis 29-30, we read about the children who were born to Jacob. And we see that his wives, who were sisters, had a competitive attitude when it came to children. It began when God opened the womb of Leah, because she was not loved like Rachel, and gave her four sons. She envied her sister because of the love Jacob had for her.  And she felt that, because she had given him children, Jacob would finally love her.

     Rachel, however, was barren and was jealous of her sister because of the children God had given her. So she gave her servant to Jacob as a wife that she might build a family through her. With this serpent, Bilhah, Jacob had two sons. When the second was born, she declared that she'd prevailed over her sister.

     The competitive attitude didn't stop there. Because she'd stopped bearing children, Leah also gave her servant to Jacob as a wife. And with this servant, Zilpah, Jacob had two sons.

     At this point, Leah conceived again. She bore two more sons to Jacob. And, again, she was convinced that her husband would honor her because she'd born to him so many sons.

     Then, finally, God opened Rachel's womb and she bore a son. She would later have one more son before dying in childbirth.

     We see in this that Rachel and Leah were jealous of each other. They envied the blessings that God had given the other. Leah envied Rachel and the love that Jacob had for her. And Rachel envied Leah for the children God had given her.

As we read this account, it seems almost ridiculous.  We realize that Rachel should have thanked God for the blessing of a loving husband.  And we realize that Leah should have thanked God for the children he’d given her.  But, instead, they focused not on the blessing God had given to them, but on the blessing given to the other.

     Even knowing that all we have is a gift of God, we often struggle in the same way. Even though God has richly blessed us, we envy the blessings God has given to others. We completely overlook the blessing God has given us.  We aren't satisfied with the grace God has given us. We want even more.

     Some women, who struggle to get pregnant, envy those who have several children. Mothers with many children sometimes envy the freedom of those who have no children. Mothers who work outside of the home envy mothers who are able to stay home with their children. And mothers who stay home with their children envy those who have an outside career..

     Even though they have a great job, men will often envy others who have a job with more responsibility, or a job that pays more. Even though God has given them a nice home, they envy those who have a bigger or nicer home.

     We even see this in ministry. Even though God has called them to serve him in ministry, which is a great honor in itself, some pastors become envious of others who serve in a larger congregation or who have more exposure.

     Instead of being envious of one another, we should rejoice in the ways that God has blessed others. And we should be thankful for the many ways in which God has blessed us.  Why God chooses to bless us in one way and someone else in another, we can't be sure. But, regardless of the reason, our own blessing is absolutely sure.

Longing for His Blessing

            In Biblical times, parents didn’t simply choose a random name for their child.  They didn’t go through the list of most popular names in their effort to choose the right one for their baby.  Names typically reflected the character of the child or, at times, the promise of God given to a child.

            We can see an example of this when we look at the story of Esau and Jacob in Genesis 25.  They were twins.  However, Esau was born first.

            When Esau was born, he was red.  His body is described as a hairy cloak.  And this is why he was given the name Esau.  It means “red.”

            Jacob came out of the womb with his hand holding Esau’s heel.  It seemed to his parents that he was trying to prevent Esau from being born first.  So they gave him his name, which means “he takes by the heel” or “he cheats.”

            When we consider their reasoning, we can understand why they chose this name for their second son.  He did emerge from the womb grasping the heel of his brother.  However, in another sense, this name hardly seems endearing.  After all, who would want to name their son “cheater?”

            Yet, even though his name may seem far from appealing to us, it reflects a quality in Jacob that’s essential for us to possess.  As an infant, it seemed that he desired to be born first.  And this was not simply a random occurrence.  We see that, as he grew, he desired the benefits of the firstborn.

            In their culture, the firstborn child was entitled to the birthright.  This meant that he would receive a double portion of the inheritance, and that he would be the leader of the family when their father passed.  In the case of Esau and Jacob, it also included the blessing of God which had been given to their grandfather, Abraham, and then passed to their father, Isaac.

            We see his desire as he took advantage of Esau.  After coming back exhausted from a day of hunting, and finding his brother cooking stew, Esau asked Jacob to share it with him.  Jacob, however, demanded Esau’s birthright in exchange for the stew.  It seems ridiculous that Esau gave in to Jacob’s demands.  But it seems equally absurd that Jacob was unwilling to share the stew with his brother and demanded something so valuable for so little a price.

            We see his desire again as Isaac intended to give his blessing to Esau.  Jacob, with the help of his mother, deceived Isaac.  And, in this way, he received the blessing instead of his brother.

            In no way am I suggesting that Jacob’s actions were right.  After all, God had told his mother before he was born that he would be greater than his brother.  And, for this reason, he should have trusted that God would be faithful to his Word.  He should have simply trusted that God would give to him the blessing.

            However, that being said, Jacob’s desire is one we should all share.  There’s, of course, no way we can scheme to gain possession of God's blessing.  There’s no way we can attain it by our own efforts.  However, knowing what God has done for us in Jesus, and knowing his promise that’s found in Jesus, we should desire his blessing above all else.  We should long for it more than anything this world has to offer.

            

Yesterday, we heard the next message in our series on major Bible stories.  We looked this week at Esau & Jacob and their contrasting attitudes.  We saw that, even though he obtained them wrongly, Jacob greatly desired the blessing of God.  Esau, however, despised his birthright.  We then asked the question, are we more like Jacob or Esau?  The audio file of this message can be streamed or downloaded by clicking on the link.

Abraham's Faith Tested

            In Genesis 22 we see how, after receiving the child of promise, God made a difficult request of Abraham.  God told him to take his son, his only son whom he loved, to a mountain and to sacrifice him as a burnt offering to the Lord.

            We see in this chapter that Abraham did just that.  In fact, we see that he did so without hesitating.  We see that he got up early the next morning, and saddled his donkey.  He took two of his servants, and his son Isaac.  He cut the wood for the burnt offering.  And then he left for the place about which God had told him. 

            As we read this account, it forces us to ask how Abraham could do such a thing.  This question arises for a couple of reasons.  First of all, after waiting 25 years for the fulfillment of God’s promise, after waiting this long for a son to be born to them, how could he kill this son?  How could he take the life of the son he loved?

            Second, as I mentioned, Isaac was the child of promise.  He’s the one through whom God was going to establish his covenant.  It was through Isaac that Abraham would become a great nation.  It was through Isaac that Abraham’s descendants would inherit the land of Canaan.  So how could God’s promise be fulfilled if this very child was put to death?

            We find the answer to this question in Hebrews 11.  Starting in verse 17, we read: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.”

            Even though the promise of God and this command of God seemed contradictory, Abraham believed that the Lord is faithful to his Word.  He believed that, even if he sacrificed his son as God had commanded, the promise of God would be fulfilled through Isaac.  Even if God had to raise Isaac from the dead, his promise would be fulfilled.

            What an example of faith this is for us.  If I were there, in Abraham’s shoes, I doubt that I would display the faith that we see in his actions.  I think I would begin to doubt and to question the Lord.  I think I’d get so rattled that I would fail to act on his command.

            In all reality, I’ve failed to trust in God’s faithfulness in lesser circumstances.  At times, I’ve allowed my emotions to hinder my faithfulness.  I’ve allowed by reason to sabotage my trust in the Lord.  I’ve allowed my own wants and my own desires to entice me away from the great blessing God has for me.

            We’ve all failed in this regard.  However, like Abraham, we can be absolutely confident in God’s promise.  As God asked when Sarah laughed at the notion of bearing a child: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” No matter how things seem outwardly, and no matter how unreasonable they may seem in our mind, God is certainly able to keep his Word.

            The question we must ask ourselves is this: Are we willing to trust the Lord no matter how unreasonable it seems?  Will we cling to the Lord’s promise even when it doesn’t seem rational?  If we truly know that the Lord is faithful, and if we truly know his power, there is no reason we should fail to do so.  Like Abraham, we can heed his Word leaving the outcome in his hands.

Yesterday, as we continued our look at major Bible stories, we talked again about Abraham.  And we looked specifically at: Abraham's Faith Tested.  We saw how God commanded him to sacrifice his son, the son of the promise, and how Abraham was able to do so.  From this, we saw that our actions are a direct response to our faith.  We saw that, if we have faith within our heart, it will be expressed in our life.  To stream or download the audio file, click on the link.

This past Wednesday, Pastor Nate continued our series on the Passion history by looking at Judas' Betrayal.  Again, for the audio, click on the link.

We held our annual men's conference on Saturday, with Pastor Jonathan Unverzagt.  Our focus was on passing the faith to the next generation.  Session 1 can be downloaded at this link.  Session 2 is found here.  And Session 3 is here.

Counted Faithful?

            I’m always amazed when I read the words of Hebrews 11:11, which say: “By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.” I’m amazed, because when we read the account of Sarah and the birth of Isaac in Genesis, it seems less than trusting.

            In Genesis 16 we see how, after waiting ten years, Sarah decided that God was preventing her from bearing children.  And for this reason, she encouraged Abraham to marry her servant, that they might build a family through her.  Hagar did conceive and bear a son by Abraham.  However, God made it clear that this was not the child of promise.

            Then, in Genesis 18, we see how God came to Abraham.  And God promised him that, by the next year, he and Sarah would have a son.  Sarah overheard this conversation, and her response was laughter.  She said to herself: “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”

            Yet, even though this is true of her, even though she did struggle with her doubts, we find in Hebrews that God counted her faithful.  We find that, by faith, Sarah received the power to conceive.  And this wasn’t merely the power to conceive as most women.  It was miraculous because she was past the age of childbearing.

            I find this comforting because, as I consider Sarah, I find that my faith resembles hers more than I care to admit.  Even though I too have received a great promise of God, it’s sometimes difficult to believe.  It’s difficult to believe because it seems beyond reason.  It’s difficult to believe because of the circumstances in which I find myself.

            At times, I find it hard to comprehend the fact that God would want to save someone like me.  I find it hard to comprehend that he’d want me to spend eternity in his presence.  Because of my failures, it seems unreasonable.

            I also find it hard to believe because of the circumstances in which I find myself.  I’m a sinner, with no power to escape my condition.  I live in a world of sin, with evil all around me.  I’m tempted and lured by the evil one, who seeks my destruction.  And considering these circumstances, my situation seems hopeless.  I can only be saved by the miraculous power of God.

            Even though I generally believe, there are times when faith is a struggle.  There are times when it seems easier to pursue a blessing by my own means rather than trusting in God.  There have been times when his promise has brought me to laughter. 

            Yet, in spite of my human response, and in spite of my doubts, God also counts me as faithful.  In spite of my sin, my faith is counted to me as righteousness.  And, for this reason, I am enabled to receive the blessings of God.

            

This past Wednesday, I started a series that Pastor Nate and I will share.  We're looking again at the Passion history.  This message was titled Jesus Anointed.

On Sunday, I continued our look at major Bible stories.  We again looked at the circumstances surrounding the birth of Isaac.  We looked specifically at Hagar & Ishmael.

To stream or download the audio files, click on the links.

Children of Abraham

          

            I remember, as a child, singing the song “Father Abraham” at Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and church camps.  We always loved it because it was goofy and enabled us to get up and wiggle around.  However, this song contains a truth that we find in Scripture.  It tells us that we are the children of Abraham.

            When the name of Abram was changed to Abraham, God said that he would be the father of many nations.  Now, this is true in a physical sense.  Through Isaac came the people of Israel, who eventually split into two nations.  Abraham’s son through Hagar, Ishmael, also became a great people.  Isaac’s son, Esau, eventually became the nation of Edom.  However, when we read Romans 4, we see that God’s promise referred to more than only the physical nations that descended from him.

            In Romans 4, starting in verse 13, Paul says: “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.  For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring-- not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.”

            If it were through the law, if it were through our obedience and good deeds, that we were counted righteous in the eyes of God, his promise would be empty.  It would be void because the law brings wrath.  Because we’re sinful, the law brings to us the condemnation that we deserve.  It does nothing to guarantee the promise God has given.

            In order for God’s promise to be guaranteed, it had to rest on faith.  Because it’s a free gift, given to us by God, we can be assured of the hope it gives us.  We can be assured because it doesn’t rest upon our ability to measure up to God’s standards, which is impossible for us to attain.  It rests instead upon the faithfulness of God.

            Because it’s given by faith, God’s promise can be guaranteed to all of Abraham’s offspring.  It can be given not only to the physical descendants of Abraham, to those who live under the law.  It can be given also to us, to those who share the faith of Abraham.

            Paul says that, in this way, Abraham is the father of us all.  He then points us back to the promise God gave to Abraham, that he would be the father of many nations.  So he’s the father not only of those who’ve physically descended from him, but of those who share his faith.

            As believers, then, we are all the children of Abraham.  We’re not less than those who were born of him in the physical sense.  We are inheritors of the promise that God gave to him so long ago. 

            Knowing this, that Abraham is our father, may we then continue in the faith he displayed.  May we trust in God’s promise knowing that, in this way, we too will be counted righteous in his sight.  And may we seek to share this promise with others, that the Lord might draw them to faith, and that they too might become the children of Abraham, inheritors of the promise of God.

As we're continuing our look at major Bible stories, we came this week to the Birth of Isaac.  We saw how, when Abraham was once again promised a child, he laughed.  He found it unbelievable that a child would be born to Sarah and himself in their old age.  In the same way, as we receive the promise of God, we're called to believe the unbelievable.  To stream or download the audio file, click on the link.

            Abraham is a key figure in the Old Testament.  He is counted as the father of Israel because of the great promise God made to him, and because their nation descended from him. And his example of faith is meaningful for us, even today.

            As we read through the Biblical account, it seems to us that Abraham had a faith that far surpasses our own.  When called, he left his home and family and journeyed to a land he knew nothing about.  He trusted God’s promise, that he would become a great nation, even though his wife was barren.  And after God miraculously gave them a child, he obeyed God’s command to offer him as a sacrifice to the Lord (although God stopped him before he actually killed his son). 

            However, even though these acts were a great demonstration of his faith, it’s equally clear that Abraham was a sinner.  We see how he lied about his wife, allowing her to be taken by another man, to protect himself.  We see how, before the birth of Isaac, he struggled with God’s promise.  We see how he went along with Sarah, trying to fulfill God’s promise in their way, when she remained childless. 

            Yet, in spite of his shortcomings, the Lord counted Abraham as righteous.  And why?  It wasn’t because of anything he did.  It was because of his faith.

            In Genesis 15, we see that God came to him, and once again reassured him of his blessing.  But he answered the Lord, in verse 2, saying: “O LORD GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And, in verse 3, he went on to say: “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”

            Abraham had left his home and family trusting God’s promise.  And here he was, a long time after, without any children.  God had yet to bless them with a son. 

            At this point, God spoke to him again.  He assured Abraham that his very own son would be his heir.  He then took him outside and had him look at the stars.  He told Abram to number the stars, if he was able.  God then said: “So shall your offspring be.”

            It’s here that we see the statement I want to consider.  We’re told that Abraham believed the Lord.  And we’re told that the Lord counted it to him as righteousness.

            He was counted righteous not because of anything he’d done.  He was counted righteous because of his faith.  He was saved, not by his obedience, but by the grace of God that he received through faith.

            Paul talks about this in Romans 4.  Starting in verse 1, he says: “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.  And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness…”

            This is a great encouragement to us.  When we look at ourselves in light of God’s Word, we see our sin.  When we compare ourselves to the great men of faith in Scripture, or even those around us today, our shortcomings glare right back at us.  And we tend to think that we don’t measure up in the eyes of God. 

            It’s true that we don’t measure up to God’s standards.  Scripture tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But this isn’t what determines our standing before God.  We aren’t declared righteous based on our good works.

            Like Abraham, it’s by faith that God counts us righteous.  Righteousness is not something we earn.  It’s a gift, given to us by God, and received by faith.

            So, even as we see our guilt, we can be comforted by the fact that, by faith, we are counted righteous in the eyes of God.  As we trust in his promise, given to us in his Word, we’re reckoned as upright and blameless before him.

This week, in our series looking at major Bible stories, we come to The Call of Abram in Genesis 12. We see how he was called to leave behind his home and family to go to an unknown land that that Lord would show him.  In the same way, as believers, we've been called to leave behind all that we value most in this life that we might follow the Lord.  But, like Abram, will we make the sacrifice? You can stream or download the audio file by clicking on the link.

Noah

            As I come to the story of Noah, I’m always amazed by the description of man that’s given to us.  And we find that this is the reason for the judgment of God that fell upon the world of that day.  We see this description in the fifth verse of Genesis 6, which says: “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

            Think about this description for a minute, especially the last part.  It tells us that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  Each phrase in this statement is exhaustive.  It rules out any other possibility.  And what we find is that there was nothing at all good in man.

            Every intention of the heart of man was evil.  Not only were some of them evil.  All of them were evil.

            His intentions were only evil.  Again, there were no good intentions present at all.  His sole intent was to commit acts of wickedness.

            And this was the case continually.  It wasn’t true only some of the time.  It was true all of the time. 

            After this statement is made, we’re told that God regretted that he’d made man on earth and his heart was filled with pain.  This too is an intense statement.  When we consider the greatness of God’s love for man, it’s hard to reconcile the fact that he regretted making us.

            Just as a point of comparison, I can’t imagine having these feelings about my children.  Yes, kids can make bad decisions.  In fact, they can do things that cause their parents to grieve.  But it’s hard to fathom getting to the point where you regret having them.

            So, again, this says something to us about the greatness of man’s sin.  It was so great that God regretted making man.  It was something that caused him great pain.

            There are many other statements about the sinful nature of man that we find throughout Scripture.  For example, in Jeremiah 17:9, we read this: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

            The heart is deceitful above all things.  In other words, it’s more deceitful than everything else in creation.  It’s desperately sick.  It’s in a dreadful condition and in need of immediate help.  It’s in such a condition that we can’t understand it.

            In Romans 3, starting in verse 10, we find the following description of man.  And this isn’t a new statement Paul is making.  Each phrase is a direct quotation from the Old Testament.  He says: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

            Once again, this is not a pretty statement.  And it’s also exhaustive.  There are no exceptions to the statements that are made.

            When we consider the truth regarding man and his sinfulness, it becomes clear that God’s judgment is just.  It was just in the days of Noah, when God sent the flood on the earth.  And it will be just at the return of Christ, when the present age comes to an end.

            However, it also highlights the greatness of the grace of God.  It does so because, in spite of our condition, God loves us.  In spite of our sin, he desires our salvation.  And he’s done everything necessary, to the point of sacrificing his only Son, that we might have mercy.

Yesterday, we continued our series, looking at major Bible stories.  And the focus of our time was the story of Noah.  We looked specifically into God's reason for the flood.  Many people struggle with God's judgment.  They struggle with the thought of him destroying all of mankind.  However, as we look at the text, we see that he was right in doing so.  To stream or download the audio file, click on the link.

Cain & Abel

            As we continue our look at the story of Cain and Abel, something else stands out to me.  What strikes me is the response of Cain to his punishment.  After murdering his brother, God confronts Cain.  And God tells him that, because of what he’s done, he’s cursed from the ground.  He tells Cain that, when he works the ground, it will no longer yield to him its strength.  He will now be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.

            If we’re to understand this punishment, we must remember what Cain did for work.  He was a worker of the ground.  He was a farmer.  And now, because of his sin, the ground would no longer produce for him.  He would have to wander the earth to find sustenance.

            In one sense, this punishment seems very gracious.  After murdering his brother in cold blood, after killing Abel due to jealousy, my initial reaction is that God should have taken his life as well.  And, in his justice, God could have done just that.  However, God allowed him to live and took only Cain’s work.  He took only Cain’s ability to produce food from the ground.

            Yet, Cain didn’t view it in this way.  He didn’t see it as gracious in the least.  In his mind, this was an unbearable consequence.  He was driven from the ground.  And, in his mind, this was the same as being denied God’s blessing. 

            In addition to this, there was another aspect of his guilt that frightened him.  He feared that, as he wandered the earth, he might be put to death by anyone who found him.  However, God again showed his grace to Cain by giving him a mark, and by promising that anyone who killed Cain would have vengeance visited on him sevenfold.

            Yet, considering his sin and the grace that God had given him, Cain’s response is less than satisfying.  It’s less than satisfying because he doesn’t show any remorse for the murder he’d committed.  He regrets only the punishment that he must now bear.  He complains that his punishment is too great.

            As we notice this flaw in Cain’s character, it’s easy for us to look down on him.  However, we typically approach God with the very same attitude.  Even as we recognize our sin, we act as though the punishment of that sin is too great.  We approach God with the attitude that he’s unjust in his judgment.

            We saw in the account of the fall the consequences that fell on Adam and Eve.  Because they’d sinned, they would now suffer until the day of their death.  They were also removed from the garden, that they might not eat from the tree of life and live forever.  As we’re clearly told in Scripture, the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Revelation 21:8).

            Yet, even though these penalties are the result of our sin, even though we deserve them because of our guilt, we also act as if our punishment is too great.  Instead of acknowledging our guilt, instead of acknowledging that we deserve God’s wrath, we accuse him of being too harsh in his judgment.

            For example, as we face hardships in this life, we accuse God of being unfair.  As we face the loss of a loved one, or as we’re confronted with the inevitability of our own death, we insist that God is unloving.  And as we consider the eternal consequence of our sin, as we consider an eternity in hell for those who haven’t received God’s grace, we complain that it’s a cruel sentence.

            As we consider Cain’s punishment, it’s fair to say that he deserved everything he got.  In fact, God could have dealt with him in a way that was even more severe and been perfectly just in doing so.  And the same is true of us.

            God could have destroyed Adam and Eve at the moment of their sin, and would have been right in his judgment.  God could send us all to hell at this very moment and it would be a proper judgment.  God could have issued his sentence, withholding the grace that’s found in Jesus, and it would be perfectly fair.

            Yet, just as we see in the case of Cain, in spite of our sin, in spite of the punishment we deserve, God has given us his grace.  He sent Jesus into the world to bear the penalty of our sin.  And he offers his forgiveness and mercy to all who receive Jesus in faith.  He has offered us something that we do not deserve because of his great love for us, and because he desires our salvation.

Yesterday, we heard the third part of our series on major Bible stories.  We looked specifically at the story of Cain and Abel, and we focused our attention on the gifts that they brought to the Lord.  We asked why God accepted Abel's offering but not Cain's.  And we discussed what this means to us as we bring our offerings to the Lord as a part of our worship.  To stream or download the audio file, click on the link.

The Fall into Sin

           Our focus this week, as we continue our trek through Scripture, is on the fall of man in Genesis 3.  And what we find here is interesting.  We find that, in his effort to lead us into sin, Satan continues to use the same tactics as he did in the Garden.

            We see at the beginning of this passage that the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord had made.  But it also becomes clear to us that this was no ordinary serpent.  It was the devil, who had either possessed a serpent or appeared to Eve in the form of a serpent.

            He began his effort to corrupt these people, made in God’s image, by asking this question of Eve: “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”  So he began by calling the Word of God into question.  He tried to cause Eve to wonder if this is what God had truly said.

            This is the same tactic he uses against us, which we encounter regularly in the world today.  Did God really say that divorce is wrong?  Did God really say that sex is for a man and a woman in the context of marriage?  Did God really say that Jesus is the only way of salvation?  We’re asked if God really gave the commands, or if he actually made the statements that we read in Scripture.  His aim is to cause us to question God’s Word.  And it’s easy for us to feed into this temptation and do just that.

            In this case, we see that Eve understood God’s command.  She understood what he’d said, as well as the consequence he’d issued if they violated his will.  She answered him, starting in verse 2, saying: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

            Satan then tried another tactic.  He denied the Word of God.  He claimed that the Word of God was false.  Starting in verse 4, he said to her: “You will not surely die.  For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

            He essentially calls God a liar.  He tells Eve that, regardless of what God had declared, she would not die if she disobeyed his Word.  He goes on to suggest that God is withholding a great blessing, which could only be received by violating his will.

            If she disobeyed God, she would be like God.  If she violated his will, she would know both good and evil.  She would possess a knowledge which was being kept from her by the Lord himself.

            Again, Satan works in the same way today.  He tells us that what God has declared is false.  Regardless of what we read in Scripture, we’re told that homosexuality is not sin.  We’re told that God wouldn’t condemn good people to hell simply because they fail to trust in Christ.  And he tells us that we’re missing out on something great by trusting in God’s Word.  We’re missing out on a truth.  We’re missing out on love.  We’re missing out on unity with the rest of humanity.  And we’re told that a blessing will be gained if we violate God’s message.

            We see in Genesis 3 that Eve gave into this temptation, as did Adam.  And we’re also prone to do the same thing.  The tactic of the enemy often proves to be successful in our life as well as in that of others.

            As those who confess faith in the Lord, we must hold faithfully to the Word of God.  We must not cave in to the lies of the enemy.  We must recognize that his desire is only to kill and destroy.  It’s his desire to pull us away from the God who created us and loves us.