Opening Prayer
Lord, give us grace to believe these words. Amen.
Text: Genesis 4:3-11
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.”
Devotion
If we had seen Cain and Abel presenting their offering, we probably would have found the one just as good as the other. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1Sa 16:7). Works get their value from the person who does them. Therefore it says: “the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.” If you did not do your works out of love, you could do as much good as you wanted, but it would not be good in God’s eyes. He does not regard your person, and so He would not regard your deeds either.
After his offering Cain became worse than he was before. He was cold, dead, and loveless; he became more angry, and his countenance fell. Here is something to learn, especially for parents and educators. Let the young freely and gladly take part in the Divine Service, in the Lord’s Supper, in missions; willingly, with a joyful heart; for if they do it unwillingly, they will become worse and will close themselves off completely to God’s Spirit.
The merciful God certainly spoke warning and promise to Cain and wanted to defend him against the devil, but Cain was not willing. O how God goes after the straying sinner! Even Cain’s soul was precious to the Lord. That’s why He frightened him and humbled him and raised him up: “Cain, beware, sin is lying in wait for you when you go outside. How unhappy you will be if it should rule over you. But sin which has such great desire for you should not rule over you; you should rule over it.” It was both warning and promise. “You must not let it rule over you. That shall not be either.” If Cain had received this word of God and taken it to heart, then he would have put Satan to shame; but Cain did not believe God’s Word, that’s why his offering was not accepted, that’s why he became his brother’s murderer, that’s why he bore the mark of condemnation on his soul. Cain did not believe God’s Word. Let all the world read this chapter and see that Cain rejects God’s Word – does not believe God’s Word! It is Cain who did not believe God’s Word! Since he hated his brother, he killed him and answered the Lord with an evil conscience and scowling face: “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And he went away condemned by the Lord!
Closing Prayer
God, help us to believe Your Word, so that we may love You and bring ourselves and our goods to You as an acceptable sacrifice. And grant that we love one another, serve one another, and stand defended by Your Word, united as one man against the devil and the tempting power of unbelief.
Hymn
Your sin that makes you blind and lame
Proclaims God’s wrath and this world’s shame,
And hell’s most bitter pain;
Within the mouth it tastes so sweet
But makes you ready hell to meet;
Our folly, Lord, restrain!
For sin did Jesus give His blood;
Believe, and God becomes your good!
Be happy in your labor,
Assured in faith for all your days
And show true love in many ways
To God and to your neighbor!
Mikkel (Nilssøn): Din Synd den gjør dig blind og lam L 500:1.5 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Kommt her zu mir (ELH 189); alternate hymn: Rise, my soul, to watch and pray ELH 253:4-5