Genesis 4:1-16 | Cain wasn't Abel to please the Lord.

This is City Post Church. We're about three things.

Build equipped and send. All under the.

Lordship of Jesus Christ, a small church.

Plant in Fort Worth, TX. Who decided to do things a

little differently? Adoramos Ajesu Cristo I love

City Post because of the people. It's where I belong.

We truly preach the Word. I love City Post because of the

community we've been able to. Build.

To do ministry like Jesus. For light to push back.

Darkness. This is City Post podcast.

There was a. Term that was coined in around

2010. It's called Moral Therapeutic

Deism, and it's this. Whole idea that if I do, if I

behave, if I do, great. Things then God is going to

bless my life and everything is going to go well.

And there's a generation of Christians who are growing up

thinking that that's what Christianity is.

So what happens when you're like, well, God, I went to

church and I didn't watch rated R movies and I I didn't buy the

Chronic 2001 album And now, like, my kids are sick.

I got. Fired God, you're not real and

that's what happens and that's what we wrestle, and that's

where we. Fight, but if we.

Truly understand the gospel. The gospel is not that God

makes. Good people or bad people?

Good. The gospel.

Is that he makes dead people alive, right?

It's not about. Like what you act?

Like and what you know. It's what he does with the.

Heart and today. We're going to look at a story

of two brothers. Cain and Abel and we are going

to dissect this thing because when I read this I was like,

that is not the story. I grew up with there's.

So much such good stuff in this, and it's so much deeper here.

And this story is not just about two.

Brothers, this story is about the.

Human heart, The human condition.

But it's also a gospel. Centered story.

So we're just going to kick it off so we know Genesis 3.

Adam and Eve are in the garden. Sin enters the world, right?

The serpent deceives Eve and Adam and Eve.

Eat the. Fruit and God's like, where are

you guys? And they're like, we're hiding

because we're naked and God's like, who told you we're naked

and now? They're together, they get.

Kicked out of the garden they're living and this is where we're

going to leave off. So, Genesis.

Genesis 4 · chapter mention

Chapter 4 Look at verse. One, and we're going to walk

through this thing. Adam made love to his wife and

she became pregnant. You guys know how that works,

right? All right, just checking.

All right. So he made love to his wife.

She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.

She said with the help of the Lord I have brought.

Forth a man. Later, she gave birth to his

brother. Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks and Cain worked the soil.

All right, let's go back to verse one.

There's some really important details that I want us to

understand here. The Bible says that she gave

birth to. Cain And whenever you see names

in Scripture, names mean something.

You got to study that like it's not just like coincidental,

right? Like so Eve.

Here she says the phrase. At the end of the.

Verse says, Lord, I have brought forth.

A man that word brought like remember the the the.

Original text of Scripture is Hebrew.

Or Aramaic and that word. Brought was is actually.

Means obtained or acquired and what Eve is telling.

God is like Lord I. Brought you something and

because I did. This work.

Therefore you owe me something now, so I went through the pains

of. Childbirth.

I brought forth this this. Man, this human being and.

Because. I acquired it, now you owe me

something. Therefore, that's why she calls

him. Cain.

The name Cain in Hebrew actually means acquired.

It means I earned this. So what Eve calls her first.

Son Cain is you shall be named. I'm entitled to a blessing.

I acquired something, the Lord brought you to me, but I'm the

one that helped. Him and we work together.

So now God kind of owes me something here.

And entitlement and envy. All of these things destroy our

lives because entitlement and envy lead to anger and pain and

when you walk around entitled to something which is kind of a

generation that we live in now. You get upset.

When you don't get what you want and many believers have this

entitlement aspect. Of our.

Lives thinking that God owes us something when honestly, he

doesn't owe you Jack. So our culture of envy and our

culture of entitlement, it's destroying us.

And what we're going to see here is that Eve, literally.

Calls Cain. He's like, man, I obtained you

like. I acquired you so God.

You owe me. I'm entitled.

To a. Blessing now, but then.

She has Abel. Now Abel's name is interesting.

Abel the The Hebrew word for Abel is Havel.

Which means cloud, which means like a a mist, which means

you're like nothing. So she look at how she named her

two kids Cain. I'm entitled to the.

Blessing Abel. Your name shall be called

meaningless. You're here just in case the

first one doesn't. Work.

You're the spare tire. Pretty much.

It's interesting, the dynamic here when you look at this and

then it says that. Abel kept the flocks.

And Cain and verse. Two work the soil, so we have

two brothers. Here 2 interesting 2 very

directed names we also see. Their jobs like.

Cain worked the field. He worked the ground.

Abel took He was the keeper of the sheep based.

Off Genesis 3, they're both. Cursed.

So they're both pretty difficult work, but you see what?

What I want us to notice that God here is not focusing on

their vocation, but He's he's looking at.

The respective. Offerings that they bring God,

which we're going to see in in. In verse three, look what?

It says when we read verse three and four, in the course of time

Cain brought some fruits. Of the soil.

As an offering to the Lord, and Abel also brought an offering

fat portions from some of the first born of his flock.

The Lord looked. With favor on Abel and his

offering in verse. 5 but. On Cain and his offering, he did

not. Look with favor.

So Cain. Was very angry and his.

Face was. Downcast both of them.

Had jobs to do both. Of them were important both of

them had something going on they.

Both did religious. Acts here don't miss it, but the

thing with Cain is that Cain brought God just something that

he collected from the ground. Cain saw this.

As a task he saw. This as something that he.

Had to do but Abel. Saw this as something he got to

do. Abel brought God his best.

Look what it look what he says. I bring the fat portions of some

of my first born man. His offering is special.

It's unique. It's it's the best that he has.

It's very precious because Abel saw.

That God was deserving of his best.

Cain saw that God just, He's just going to give it to him

because Cain. Thought he deserved the best.

See the difference here? So I asked myself we we see this

in the verse 4. It says that God turned his his

favor. On Abel, what does that mean?

When we see that in the text, it means that God turned his.

Face to look at Abel. Faith.

When God looks at something, that means that his favors on

something. So that's the question, why does

God turn his face to Abel and not Cain?

Like is God playing favorites? Here, Like what?

What's God? Doing and we see this answer in

Hebrews Chapter 11, verse four and I'll just.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

Read it for us Hebrews. 11 verse 4 it says by.

Hebrews 11:4

Faith. Abel offered to God a more

acceptable sacrifice. To Cain, you see what?

What God is after? It's the condition.

Of the heart that Abel had what? Abel was doing.

Abel was honoring the Lord with what he brings had nothing to do

with his. Stuff, even though Abel did.

Bring like the best stuff. God didn't go after Cain saying

man your. Produce is wack.

I was. Expecting Central Market and you

gave me town tuck. Nothing wrong with town Tuck.

But the produce is our heart. And I'm afraid, like a large

percentage of people think that this is what Christianity looks.

Like right devotion we have. Abel And then you have.

Deeds. We have Cain.

We have. Worship over works.

We have purpose over performance.

It just keeps going. And I'll, I'll just throw this

out point #1 if your heart's not with it, God don't want it.

That's a hard. Truth.

Because many of us are like Bo Enrique.

I'm trying my best. I don't have the best stuff.

Listen, God doesn't want or need anything that you.

Have it's your heart that he's after.

It's the condition of your. Heart, we see this with Jesus.

Man when the. Lady puts 2 little copper.

Coins and Jesus says she gave more than everybody in this.

Place because she gave. Everything she had, it's the.

Heart that God is after. It's not at anything else.

And we think in our in our, in our Western culture like it's.

It's all about like who works harder like.

Who's done the most? And listen our obedience to God.

Is out of our love. For him, we don't do things to

try to earn love from him. He's loved us already.

But when you obey him, it's because man, I know him.

I love him because I understand what he did in our my life.

Man, let's go to Romans. Chapter 12 because.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

When we have that mentality, we tend to think in the space of

entitlement. Where it's like, well, Lord,

like I gave you this, I did this, I did.

That now you need to give me and the question is if God looks at

Abel and. He looks at his with favor and

we saw. Why?

Then the question becomes then what is?

The sacrifice that God requires is it.

Fat. So I got plenty.

Is it money? What is the sacrifice?

That God wants from us. We see it right here in in

Romans chapter 12. I'm just going to read the verse

Romans 12 · chapter mention

2 verses and then we'll look at. Verse 3.

This is crazy. Therefore, I urge you.

Brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy to offer your.

Bodies as what living y'all can say louder living sacrifices,

yes, holy. And pleasing to God, this is

your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of

this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to. Test and approve what God's will

is his. Good, pleasing and perfect will.

Now let's come with me to verse. Three, a lot of people.

Don't talk about verse three. Look at verse 3, then you.

Ought to. But rather, think of yourself

with sober judgement in accordance with the faith God.

Has distributed to each of you. What he says like man, you are

to give. Yourself.

What's the sacrifice? God.

Wants you, he wants all. Of us, and because we're that

sacrifice. You don't go around thinking

you're all that in a bag of chips or Hot Cheetos for me.

Listen you. Are to think of yourself.

More humbly and God talks about this.

He's like man I humble. Those who are proud.

I will bring you down if you are proud.

You don't walk around thinking that you're everything.

Cain was doing that, Cain thought.

That he had it. My name is.

You owe me so Cain thought that his.

All of his stuff. Everything he had.

His sacrifice was great, so. Here.

Here's the crazy thing about the gospel.

Because we're so lost that it required.

God to send his Son. To die for us, but yet we're so.

Valuable that God knew what he was purchasing on the cross for

you. I love somebody, once said.

He said Ricky. God factored in your stupidity

when he called you. There's nothing that caught him

off guard about you. He knew exactly who.

You are. He knew exactly what you did.

He knew. He knows exactly what you're

going to do. And he still.

Looks at us and says I'm going to die for that person I want to

I want to take their sin from them.

I want to forgive them. I want to love them.

Cain had this attitude of like, no God, it's not all about you,

your. Sacrifice is actually what I.

Bring to you and I should. Be above able.

You should like me, which leads me to point #2 because when we

get entitled, we kind of tend to say things.

But the truth is. You don't want God.

To give you what you deserve because.

You won't like it. If you got it.

If you went to God, say. Lord, I deserve this.

Now, if God truly. Gave you what you deserve.

You. Would not like it, just be

honest. You would hate it the.

One thing that you contribute to your own salvation is the sin

that made it necessary. That's all that you.

Bring to the table. There's nothing that you could.

Show up to. God and God say thank you, this

makes sense now. No, we are sinful.

We have broken our. Relationship with God.

We deserve separation from him, but God, in his mercy and

kindness and grace, loves us so much that he's like, man,

listen, I'm going to, I'm going to make.

A way I'm. Going to send Jesus and I'm

going to make a way so we could have a relationship and Christ

is going to pay for it. Christ is going to take care of

it. All you have to do is say yes, I

accept the gift. There's nothing that.

You have to do. For God, in order for him to

love. You.

He loves us. Cain is I deserve, I'm entitled,

serve me. And also as I read this, Cain is

actually foreshadowing the Pharisees in the New Testament.

The Pharisees had the same attitude.

They were self-serving self. Righteous.

Arrogant. They had no concern for the

heart of God. They used religion as a means to

make themselves look more superior.

That's exactly what Cain is doing and Jesus pushes against

that. Look at verse. 6 So look what

happens. Look what God says.

This is crazy. Then the Lord said to Cain, why

are you mad bro? That's what my version says.

Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?

Look what? Look what?

God's telling Cain, he's telling Cain.

He's like, listen, I don't only see your heart, but I also see

your motives. It's not just your heart that's

wrong. Your motives are wrong as.

Well that's why y'all sad and sappy about it.

Because you know, and God looks at Cain and listen, this is

where we see God's grace coming in now.

Because God asks. Cain, why are you angry?

Why are you damn cast? I see this in you.

And then in verse 7, God shows his his wonderful.

Grace because what? God.

'S going to tell Cain is like listen.

If you just put your. Anger away.

I will lift your head. That's all you have to do.

God gives Cain a solution to what's.

Happening. This is the grace.

And mercy of God. Verse 7 if you do what is right.

Will you not be accepted? Listen, if you do what?

Is right if you turn away, if you ask for forgiveness, if you

lay. Your anger down.

I will accept your sacrifice. I will lift your head.

I will. Honor you.

God is is helping Cain out. But then God gives Cain a

warning. And I think that this is very

true for every single one of us in this room.

Look at the warning, he says in verse 7.

But if you do not. Do what is right.

Sin is crouching at your. Door it desires to have you.

But you must rule over it, man. God is giving Cain an

opportunity here because his grace and mercy is so good.

And he's let, he's telling Cain. Here is a way out, and if you

don't get your way out, this is where.

You're going to end up. What does he tell Cain?

How's this going to work for him if you don't?

Sin is crouching at your door. Sin is waiting for you.

God gives him two options, right?

Crucify your anger, get rid of your entitlement, and I'll do

the same thing I did for Abe. I will turn my face to you.

I will lift your head. Everything will be great.

I will exalt you. But if you don't sin is.

Ready to take you out? It is waiting for you it.

Shows up I. Love what Tim Keller says.

Tim Keller says when you Crouch, you're not only ready to spring

up, but you make yourself look small.

That's exactly what sin does. Sin makes itself look small and

manageable, but once it gets ahold of you, boom, it explodes

and next thing you know you find yourself.

Right, like we do this. All the time when it comes to

sin, we're like, man, it's not that big of a deal.

I could manage it. I could.

That's not a. Big issue.

I don't need help I. Got this.

And next thing you know, sin has a hold.

Of you is. Sprung up in your life and has

taken. Hold of your life.

And it's ruling over you. And we cannot treat sin like

it's some small little thing. Sin is nothing to play with.

And then what I see with Cain, I started looking at Cain is

angry. There's an anger with Cain here.

This is my point #3 anger reveals that one of your idols

is getting messed with. Anger is a check engine light

for your life. And for many of us, when our

idols are being pulled away, anger rises, We get upset.

Listen, what's Cain's idol here? For Cain, he wanted to be.

Exalted. It was all about self.

Image his reputation, it was all about him.

He thought himself higher than able, and as God starts digging

at his heart. He's he's pulling that idol.

And Cain's anger is coming up. And maybe some of us in this

room. The reason why you're so.

Angry is because you're holding on to something that you think

is more important than God, and God is trying to remove that

from your life. So that way you could.

Move. Forward, and he could exalt.

You and turn his head and and and that way you could.

Thrive in life, but these idols that we hold, we talked about

this last week, these idols. That we hold on to.

Are so powerful. And so strong and are.

Fighting for our position with. God that we are not going to let

go and soon as somebody starts digging at that idol anger and

you get mad and you get frustrated and you start looking

at everybody else, you start blaming everybody else when God

is like I'm I love. You.

I have mercy and grace. I want to I want to help you.

So sin has sprung up to Cain. Look what happens in verse 8.

Now, Cain said to his. Brother Abel, let's go out.

To the field. While they were in the field,

Cain attacked his brother and Abel.

His. Brother Abel Ann killed him,

since sprung up in Cain's. Life.

What was the result? He kills his.

Brother, it's the first murder in the Bible.

You know, I found interesting. Here it was.

It was almost like a little bit of a punk move because it

doesn't say. That they fought.

Abel so trusting Abel so. Like Abel's like.

That's my brother. He goes out there.

And Cain for I don't know what Cain does.

Maybe did the whole like don't look at me puppet?

Right. I mean like.

You guys don't talk about. If you grew up.

You know what I'm saying? Like he kills his brother.

Like probably got some. He's like, don't.

Look at me. I don't know what that.

Looks like but he kills his brother.

Sin has sprung up. Sin has taken a.

Hold. Of cain's life and look what

happens he. Kills his brother for it.

It's interesting that Sin devours him up.

Sin devours Cain and now Cain becomes the predator and Cain

goes. After Abel because jealous of

Abel so. Cain is angry at God, but he

can't kill God. But he's jealous of his brother,

so he kills his. Brother, that's what sin does.

Guys, the people. That we end up going.

After are those. Who are trying to help and sin

takes over man James chapter 4 verse one we.

James 4 · chapter mention

We see this. In in James it.

Says you desire. And do not have.

You want something that someone else has, and you'll hate that

person you covet and cannot attain therefore.

You. Kill if you read James.

Ford talks about that. The things that we covet, the

things that we want. When when it?

When it? Grabs a hold of our.

Heart it becomes. Hate and we hate the.

Person because we can't have what they have and we end up

killing our brother over it. And honestly, if you look at

scripture, the one who feels entitled in scripture is usually

the one that is destined to fall.

Apart, I was doing a little research if you look.

Cain no first born. God's blessing actually goes to

Abel and then Seth. The blessing went to Isaac, not

Ishmael. It was Jacob, not Esau.

Esau was careless with it. Esau was entitled.

Esau thought he had it and and Jacob took the blessing.

The blessing went to Judah and he passed over.

Ruben went to David and not Ilad.

It went to Solomon and not Amon. Even in the story that Jesus

talks about in The Prodigal Son. The Prodigal Son.

Jacks it up, but he. Comes with a repent of heart.

Back to the. Father and the Father blesses

him, and then it is the older son that's like man.

What you just did is jacked up the religious brother.

The one that knows everything. Gets passed over because his

heart of hatred. For his younger brother reveals.

Itself. Guys, when you have a life of

entitlement, when you have a life of anger, when you have a

life of envy, it passes. Over.

And God is trying to help you. And I love this quote says God

sends no one away empty except those who come to him full of

themselves. God can't.

Feel you if you are full of yourself.

God wants to pour into you. God wants to give you a new.

Life. He wants to refresh your soul

and your spirit. He wants to give you a new

heart. But if you are so tight.

Fisting and tight knuckling. I'm right.

Listen, your pride is going to be your destruction.

I'm just being honest with you. Pride and entitlement are the

devil's playground. Humbleness and humility are

God's playground when you have those things in your.

Life, it's so easy. For the enemy to.

Use you. And God wants to bless.

You even if you keep. Reading James 4, God gives a

solution. Draw near to me and you can

resist the devil. What God is offering Cain,

right? Here is for.

Him to draw near to him. God's like come closer to me.

I want. To take care of you.

I want to help you. And I had to realize it's like,

man, listen, the world doesn't need any more Ricky.

Ricky needs to. Go away, so Christ.

Can live through him. I feel we were talking.

To third person. But it's true.

It is Christ who lives. In me and through me, that's how

we're able to do these things. And then look at the next verse.

Then the Lord said the Cain. Where's your brother Abel?

I don't know, he replied. Am I my brother's keeper now?

Nino Brown did not come up with that.

Any new Jack City people? Am I my brother's keeper?

Yes, I am. Anyway, Nino Brown did not come

up with. This this is scriptural and we

read this text. And I was like.

Why is that phrase so? Powerful because it's actually

not an answer. To God, it's actually sarcasm.

Cain and all his pride. So God asked Cain.

Like like like God needs to. Remember in Genesis 3 he tells

Adam and Eve where? Y'all at Like God?

Doesn't know. So he asked Cain.

He's like, where's your brother at?

I don't know, am I my brother's keeper?

Guys, this is so sarcastic. That God's that Cain's attitude

to. God is so indifferent to his

commandments. What we see here is.

Sin now is ruling over. His life he has given.

Into his sin. What is Cain saying?

Remember in verse 2? Abel is a keeper of sheep.

So what is Cain doing? Hey God, remember my brother?

Abel, the keeper that you like? He's throwing it back at God in

arrogance. What's interesting is like, man,

Abel slaughtered the lamb to exalt you.

I slaughtered my brother to exalt myself.

So Cain, when he's like, are you my brother's keeper?

I don't know. Where's your?

Keeper at you like that, your boy?

What happened to your boy? I took him hopefully.

Your sacrifice. Sacrifice is good.

For you, now it comes off. Cain is immersed.

There's no remorse in Cain. First, John.

Three chapter chapter 3 verse 12 says Cain is a child of the

devil. He is like the evil.

One, but then that's followed with don't be.

Surprised if the world hates you.

Hey evil, all these. Things in scripture are pulled

directed to Cain. So Cain was not remorseful.

He wasn't repentant and then God.

Says the Lord said. In verse 10, what have you done?

Listen, your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.

This is just. A figure's speech.

What God is telling Cain? Is that I am very.

Aware, I know that Abel. Has.

Died. I know his death.

There's nothing that you're trying to hide out here, so

what's the consequence? Verse 11.

Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground which

opened its mouth to receive. Your brother's blood.

From my hand, when you work the ground, it will no longer yield

its. Crops up for you.

You will be. A restless wanderer on the

Earth. So this is like a second curse.

So the first curse in Genesis 3, God curses the ground.

Hey, you're going to have to put some work in.

Now he's cursing Cain again. Being a worker or keeper of the

ground. So you're not just going to

struggle bringing up crops, but the ground that you bring up

crops on is going to time out and you're going to spend the

rest of your life looking for ground.

To be able to take care of yourself.

You're going to be a wanderer. There's no way that you're going

to be established in this life. You're going to.

Be a a Vagabond, A fugitive. It's kind of the the better term

for it. So this is not a good life for

Cain. And then I love how Cain

responds because his response is so non repentive because look

what? It says.

In verse 13, Cain said to the Lord, Punishment is more than I

can bear today. You are driving me from the land

and I. Will.

Be hidden from your presence. I will be a restless.

Wanderer on this earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.

It's all about. Him even his punishment he he

brings himself up 8 times. In the last two verses.

It's all about Cain, even his punishment.

It's. Always been about me.

Me, me me and then 15. But the Lord said to him, not so

anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance 7 times.

Over if you guys are. Taking notes or how you might

want to highlight seven times over.

Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him

would kill him. So.

Cain puts God puts a mark on Cain, showing God's grace and

mercy. God could have easily wiped.

Cain out, but he doesn't. And at the same time that Mark

was giving Cain mercy. But it's also a lifelong curse.

That Cain will. Always be full of shame.

He will always remember the day that he murdered.

His brother so. Cain went out from the presence

of the Lord and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Cain made love to his wife and she became pregnant, gave birth

to Enoch. Cain was then building a city

and he named it after his son Enoch.

Wait a second, building a city? Didn't God say you're going to

be nomadic? A bag of bond you're going to

live. The rest of your life.

Even in in the punishment, Cain disregards God.

God is giving Cain mercy and grace, mercy and grace,

opportunity after opportunity. And Cain cannot get out of

himself. And just for time's sake, I'm

going to just. Wrap us up this way the rest of

Chapter 4. It gives the lineage of Cain

right there. There's a, There's a.

Root of bitterness that comes out of cain's life and if you.

Read it. It just keeps.

Going but what I want to look. At if you have your.

Word. Look at verse 19.

I thought this was just. So interesting, you have to

remember. Guys our.

For the next 5 generations, that Cain, that that's coming out of

Cain, those five generations are going to go from bad to worse.

And then in 19, it says Lamech married two women, one name Ada

and the other name Zilla. Ada gave birth to Jabel.

And was the father of those who lived in tents and raised

livestock. His brother's name was Jubal.

He was the father of all who played.

String instruments and pipes. Zilla also had a son, Tubal

Kane, who? Forged.

All kinds of tools out of bronze and armor.

AKA he made weapons and if you. Read The Keep.

Reading the Old Testament, these are like genocidal armies came

out of this Tubal Cain's sister was Nama Lamech.

Said to his wives. Look at verse 23.

This is so important, Lamech said to his.

Wives, Ada. And Zilla, listen to me, wives

of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding

me, a young man for injuring me. He popped off.

He had an anger issue. If Cain is avenged 7 times then

Lamac 70 times. Sound familiar?

What's wild is that this is the last.

Generation before Noah shows up and God.

Floods the earth it got so bad. And what I want you and I to

understand. Is that the root of Cain?

Is entitlement evil anger and it doesn't stop with you.

And if you don't get your anger? Fixed.

If you don't get your. Heart fixed your children.

Are going to take from it and your children's children and

it's going to for some of us going to go bad to worse and if.

You could just get. Out of your own way and stop

thinking so much. About yourself and start

thinking. So much of A.

The bigger scope and the bigger picture, our kids, the.

Generations that are coming after.

US. God has a massive plan, 77 times

vengeance and hatred, anger and envy.

This is the the root of. Cain, but God.

Let's go to Matthew 18. Matthew 18 The Messiah Jesus

shows up on the scene. Matthew 18 Peter asks Christ in

verse 21/18/21. This is so awesome.

Remember, Lamech said. My vengeance my I'm going to

avenge 77 times fold. Then Matthew 18, 21 Then Peter

came to Jesus and asked Lord, how many times should I forgive

my brother or sister who sins against me?

What does? Jesus say.

Peter says up to seven times and Jesus says, now I tell you not 7

times, but 77 times. Listen.

When Christ shows up on the scene, listen.

As believers, our call is not the root of Cain.

Our call is not anger and envy and entitlement.

Our call is love, peace, justice.

And forgiveness and the reason why we could do that.

Is because Christ forgave us you?

Can't be forgiven unless you accept his forgiveness first.

And many of us are living a life of anger and pride.

Like like we messed. It up bad and what we see here.

Jesus, like no, no, no, like I've forgiven you.

I've forgiven the worst of the. Worst so that way you.

Can know true forgiveness, true repentance and that your

generations. Your kids.

That are coming behind you will not know anger, but they will

know love. They will not know

unforgiveness, but they will know forgiveness.

They will not know idols, they will know the one true.

God and their lives are going to.

Thrive and they're going to change the world, not destroy

it. Jesus changes this, and I'm

going to end this right here. This is so cool as.

Believers, my last point who are we to hold on to grudges and

have anger? If we're forgiven.

Why are you mad about something that happened?

Years ago, Christ forgave you Christ.

Forgave that person as well. I could forgive.

I don't have to. Forget I could reconcile.

I don't have to go and have lunch with you.

That might take a little bit of time, but forgiveness is not for

the other person. Forgiveness is for you.

So that way you could live a life.

Of freedom and peace. Hebrews. 12 Hebrews. 12 I'll end

with here. Hebrews 12/24 Jesus, the

mediator of the New Covenant to the sprinkled.

Blood that speaks a better. Word than the blood of.

Who? Abel.

The blood of Abel screams. Justice, the blood of Abel.

Screams my brother murdered me. There needs to be payments.

The blood of Christ screams mercy and grace and forgiveness.

The fight was not Abel versus Cain.

This is something that the Holy Spirit showed me because Cain

did a punk move. He blindsided.

Abel Abel never fought with. Cain Cain's fight was with his

entitlement and his anger and his sinful nature, and for many

of. Us your.

Fight is not against. Your brother, sister, wife,

husband. Fill in the blank your.

Fight is with you, it's with. Your anger, it's with your

brokenness, it's with your heart, it's with your sin.

And I'm going to tell you that. Jesus is here to forgive you.

He's here to restore you. He's here to make all things

new. And he's here to help because

his. Blood is what sprinkles.

The sprinkled on the ground is what we listen to.

This is the hope for us, and This is why we do what we do

here, the blood of Christ. Man, we're going to close.

We're going to just have a time of worship.

We're going to have some. Brothers and sisters at the.

Corners. If you want somebody to pray

with, if you just need somebody to pray for you, man, don't be

scared. Just come up here.

I'll be up here as. Well man, I'd love to pray with

you if you need some. But don't let today go.

By and continue to let anger and envy and entitlement rule your

hearts and your lives. It's not going to end.

Well, for you we pray for us. So, Lord.

Thank you. Thank you.

Father for your word. Thank you for your truth.

Or thank you. Because you forgave us.

Even though we didn't want it. And Lord, even as we fight our

hearts. You still reach out to.

Us and you pursue us. So, Lord, I pray that you

restore our. Lives you restore our hearts,

You forgive us of our sins, and Lord, if there's anybody.

In this place God. Who is wrestling?

Who is struggling right now? Lord, let your.

Spirit, convict them. God, there's newness in you,

there's forgiveness in you, there's purpose in you, and

there's a future in you. But Lord help.

Us to get over ourselves. And come to your feet and

surrender. And Lord, there's anybody.

Here, father that. That wants to.

Walk into the waters of. Baptism Father, and make a

commitment or let. Today be that day.