We seem to have got to the state now where the question is no longer do you want the good news or the bad news, it’s more of a case now of ‘do you want the bad news or the very bad news.’ Our newspapers and news programmes seem to have very little good news these days. In fact they have very much in common with the early chapters of Genesis. This early part of the bible is in many ways a catalogue of disasters.

It tells us how, following the fall things deteriorated. From the idyllic innocence that Adam and Eve enjoyed in the Garden of Eden, when they disobeyed God and lost their innocence, things just went from bad to worse. Chapter 3 of Genesis tells us of the spoilt relationship between humans and God, and the spoilt relationship between man and woman. It also tells us that at that point death became part of human experience.

God had warned Adam and Eve that if they ate of the forbidden fruit they would die. As a result of their disobedience they were barred from the tree of life; that’s the tree whose fruit gave eternal life to those who ate from it. Adam was told ‘to dust you will return.’ In a sense that was when the prospect of old age opened up, and it’s a prospect that is there for us all. In a sense, old age is a tragedy that we have to act out.

So death came into the world through sin. But the first death we read of in the bible is not a death that results as a consequence of old age. The first death is the death of a young person. The first death is a murder. Adam and Eve had two sons. Although the relationship between the human race and God had been spoilt, yet there still was a relationship there. God still cared for wayward mankind. He provided garments for Adam and Eve when they left Eden.

Adam and Eve still acknowledge their creator, even though their intimate fellowship with God is broken, you find Eve acknowledging when she gives birth that it is with the help of the Lord. Their relationship with God now is one of faith. They teach their sons Cain and Abel of the creator God. Most probably also they teach them to bring offerings to God, for here in chapter 4 we find that this is what Cain and Abel do.

Abel is a shepherd and offers fat portions from the first born of his flocks. Cain, who works the soil, brings some of the fruits of the soil. We are not initially told the reason, but God accepts Abel’s offering, yet he is displeased with Cain’s offering. It could be that Abel brought of his best, he brought offerings of his firstborn, while Cain maybe was not bothered about the quality of his offering. We know from later customs that people offered the first fruits of their crops to God in worship; perhaps Cain’s offering was second best.

What is clear is that Cain’s attitude was wrong. Cain is angry, very angry. God speaks to Cain; he tells Cain that he has to face up to his failings. God points out that in life we face the temptations of sin, but that we have to overcome them, if we do not then sin becomes our master. Yet Cain takes no notice. Just as with Adam and Eve at in the fall, Cain thinks he knows better than God.
Adam and Eve tried to grasp for illegitimate knowledge when they ate the forbidden fruit. Cain is grasping for power and authority. He wants to become the judge instead of God, he rejects God’s judgement of himself and his brother. He is angry with God. His anger turns to calculating hatred, and he gets his brother on his own and murders him. We see in that act something of the hatred and violence that are evident in our world today.

When the police investigate a murder, do you know whom they are most likely to find to be the murderer? It is most likely to be a member of the victim’s own family. Human sin poisons the most intimate of relationships. And sin has its consequences. Cain finds out that it is ultimately God who is the judge, and Cain has to answer to him. Abel’s blood is calling out for justice. Sometimes people get the wrong idea of God. They think of him as angry and vengeful. God is love; but when there is injustice and sin, the innocent victim legitimately cries out to God for justice.

Cain’s act in killing his brother has put him under a curse. He will be alienated from God’s presence. But God does not pass sentence of death on Cain. In fact in response to Cain’s fears God puts a mark on Cain, we don’t know what that mark was, but it was to protect him. Cain feared that he would suffer the same fate as he had inflicted on his brother Abel, but God says no. The mark, whatever it was, was something that God provided to protect Cain. In that, God was stating that ultimately he is the judge of mankind. He decrees that murder is wrong. And Cain goes out from the Lord’s presence.

What are the lessons for us today? In many ways the world is still in the grip of the emotions that led to the first murder. Sin is still crouching at the door of people’s hearts, wanting to control people’s lives by hatred and jealousy. Murder and genocide are the results that we see today in the world around us. But we also see it to some degree in the attitude of those who would never lift a finger in physical violence. Jesus taught that to have hatred in our hearts makes us every bit as guilty in God’s eyes as a murderer.

The first lesson is beware of jealousy. Fallen human beings have an inclination to jealousy. The nature of human sin is to elevate self above all else, to try to put self at the centre; It’s the same as wanting to take the place of God. Jealousy is an emotion that has a legitimate place in our lives, it helps us to defend and take responsibility for that which is rightly ours. But when sin distorts it, jealousy can lash out in hatred at anyone or anything that gets in its way.

Jealousy finds fault with and criticises others. Jealousy can’t bear it when others receive approval. It is irrational and destructive. It can spoil family relationships, it can poison working environments and cause havoc with industrial relations. Abel had done nothing whatsoever to Cain. But jealousy drove Cain to murder him.

How can we guard against jealousy controlling our lives? I think our passage gives us an answer. Lets look at Abel’s example. We can keep our attitudes to others right, if first of all we have a right attitude to God. Abel approaches God in a right attitude. Abel had faith. It tells us in Hebrews 11; by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice. Abel gave God of his best. He came in worship and acknowledged God as worthy of his best. He came in humility and submission to God.

If we have those attitudes, if we are in a right relationship with God, then we won’t have the need to feel threatened by the fame or success of other. Everyone can come to God on the same terms. The faith is not a competition where only the first one gets the prize.

Cain had the same opportunity to be accepted by God as Abel, he simply needed to overcome his pride and self-importance, but instead of listening to God and learning, he let jealousy control his actions. When we come in a right attitude in worship to God, then we go away with a right attitude to our fellow men and women; Christ frees us from pride and jealousy. We are called to walk in love with our fellow men and women; we are our brother and sister’s keeper. Their well-being should not be the subject of our jealousy, rather we should have a love and concern for them.

The second lesson that this passage teaches is to let God be the judge in human affairs. He has the legitimate right to be. He is the one to whom our worship must be acceptable. We are sometimes tempted make our judgements about worship, we must be very careful about that. God has revealed in the Old Testament principles as to how we should worship, we have looked at some of them here in Genesis 3. Of course for us in the New Testament era, God has fully revealed himself in Jesus. By his example and his teaching he has shown how we should worship; we should worship in spirit and in truth.

God is also the judge in human affairs. Cain stepped tragically out of line when he acted as judge and executioner. There is a lesson there for all terrorists. Vengeance is mine, I will repay God says. He put a mark on Cain to warn others of that. But there is also a lesson for us who in our hearts judge people. Jesus said do not judge or you too will be judged. All of us need grace and forgiveness, if we want to receive that, we must show it to others.

The final lesson is to remember that Jesus has made a difference. Like Abel, Jesus was a victim of jealousy. Jesus was delivered up to be crucified out of jealousy. Yet there is more to it than that. In reality Jesus was not just a victim. He was God’s son, come to our world to deal with the consequences of human sin. God’s justice demanded that sin could not just be overlooked. Abel’s blood does cry out for justice, as does the blood of every victim of human sin.

In some wonderful, unfathomable way, when in his love, Christ died on the cross he satisfied that need for justice that this world still desperately cries out for. When we come to face our judge, we will be able to stand before him in humility, but also in confidence, because Christ has shed his blood for your sin and for mine.

And there is good news for our world. Yes, human pride and jealousy and violent struggles for power create plenty of bad news. But the good news is that across this world today, wherever people worship in faith and humility and thankfulness, there is hope for our world.

Across this world through God’s people the message of the gospel is bringing forgiveness, reconciliation and hope to men and women. It can bring blessing to you and me, and give us hope to share with others because of Jesus.
 

Amen.

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