WEBVTT 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:20.559 It's good to see you guys. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:23.359 Real warm welcome to you. 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:25.440 If you don't know me, my name's Duncan. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:30.800 I'm one of the leaders here, and today we're looking at Genesis 4, the passage that was read. 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:34.560 But let me pray before we come to it. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:35.520 Let's pray. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:39.280 Loving Father, I thank you that we can come before you. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:44.880 That the very fact that we can pray to the Creator God is an act of grace towards us. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:50.000 I pray now that as we come to your word, would you speak? 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:53.920 Would you uh declare the truth of who you are? 00:00:54.399 --> 00:01:03.280 Not into just our minds, but into our hearts, that we would know you, that we would experience your grace towards us through this passage. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:05.120 Through your name and your glory. 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:06.079 Amen. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:15.760 On the 15th of March 2018 in Florida, there was a tragic moment where a bridge collapsed. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:21.840 It resulted in the death of six people and it injured eight people, and this was a horrible event. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:23.680 Obviously, we can understand that. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:27.599 You guys can understand this is a tragic thing. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:33.359 But what makes this event even more tragic is the fact that there was actually warning signs. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:39.920 That engineers had dismissed the deep structural cracks in the bridge. 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:49.280 And even the crew themselves, who worked on the bridge and the project manager had raised concerns about this bridge. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:59.200 And this report after the bridge had collapsed said that there were so many missteps along the way of this project. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:06.640 You see, we see this reality that actually, if we ignore warning signs, it is tragic. 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:18.400 And here in the opening chapters of Genesis, God is revealing how he has given warning signs to us, and yet people decide to go against it. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:22.960 That these warning signs are being ignored. 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:35.360 And people have chosen to ignore what God has done, that he has been gracious to warn us, and yet Adam and Eve do not hear God's warning but reject it and eat of the tree. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:42.800 Cain doesn't hear God's warning, as we looked at last week, but he rejects it and kills his brother Abel. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:53.840 And the reality is, as we've been thinking, this idea of going east of Eden, the garden, is a place where we continue to wander away from God. 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:57.280 We further wander into our own sin. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:03.840 And as we look at this end of this chapter, what we are gonna see is there's gonna be two types of people. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:11.520 There are those who reject God's grace and those who accept God's grace. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:18.240 See, the people who reject God's grace are people who are just ultimately selfish. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:22.879 They are orientated around themselves. 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:28.080 And there are three ways in which I want us to see through this passage this plays out. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:34.800 These people are seeking self-reliance, self-glorification, and self-satisfaction. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:40.560 Look with me at verse 17 as we see that they seek self-reliance. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:44.319 Cain knew his wife and she conceived and bore Enoch. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:51.120 When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch. 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:59.360 Cain, as we know from last week, has been cursed by God in verse 10 to 12 of this chapter. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:04.240 And last week we considered how in envy Cain kills his brother. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:09.280 Envy consumed Cain and drives him to kill his own brother. 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:16.319 And what is crazy for us as we look at Cain, how he responds, is you would think he would be sorrowful. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:26.480 You think he would be grieved at what has happened, his rebellion against God, the reality of his situation, knowing that he killed his own brother. 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.560 But that's not the case. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:32.079 Cain is not repentant here. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:38.000 Because there is a difference between true, genuine repentance and self-pity. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:45.120 When I was young, uh my brother and I uh used to play rollerblade hockey. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:45.920 I'm very cool. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:48.560 Don't worry, this isn't a story of me killing him. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:52.720 Um but we used to play together across the road from our house. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:05:00.399 And one day we were playing, and you see, my brother is older than me, and that didn't always go in my favor because he won a lot. 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:06.480 But anyway, he was there and we were playing, and he was absolutely thrashing me. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:09.839 He was hammering me and it was going bad. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:14.240 And suddenly he was coming towards my goal again, and he scores another goal. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:30.480 And my brother isn't like skating away, celebrating, he's not like rubbing it in, but I find myself chasing my brother down as he skates away, and I find myself hitting him over the back with my hockey stick. 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:38.560 You see, the reality is in that moment, you you know what it's like. 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:45.360 You find yourself doing something and you do it, and as soon as you do it, you think, What have I just done? 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:46.720 What did I just do? 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:53.120 And suddenly I was like, please don't hurt me, please don't come at me, please don't. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:56.079 I don't want to get hurt the way I've just hurt you. 00:05:56.240 --> 00:05:59.680 Thankfully, he didn't, and thankfully we still talk today. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:10.560 But the reality is, my gut reaction in this, it wasn't one of true, genuine repentance, it was one of self-preservation. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:13.279 It was about me not getting hurt. 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:16.160 I don't want a hockey stick across my back. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:18.800 And that's exactly like Cain. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.839 Cain was not sorry for what he did. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:28.480 But rather, what he does is he's sorry for the consequence of his sin. 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:35.519 He doesn't repent and seek forgiveness from God, but rather he continues to reject God. 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:41.040 And this pattern is in him, but it's in his family also. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:48.399 Cain walks away from God and he continues to walk away. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:07:01.519 In verse 17, you see Cain builds this city, and this city isn't just insignificant, but it's actually really key for us. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:05.839 Because this city reveals his continued rejection of God. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:11.920 The original word for city here is fortification, a place of protection. 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:18.720 Cain is not just building a city, but he's denying God. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:21.600 Because what had God said to Cain? 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:32.639 Last week we heard in verse 15, the Lord said to him, Not so, if anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:41.839 After Cain kills his brother Abel, God in his mercy and grace says to Cain that he will protect him. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:48.879 Cain is worried that someone will kill him, and God says, No, no one will kill you, I will protect you. 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:52.879 God promises to meet Cain in his need here. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:55.120 No one will touch Cain. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:57.199 And what does Cain do? 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:00.319 He says, I don't need you, God. 00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:02.879 I don't need your protection. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:08.399 I will protect myself, I will build myself a city, I will sort myself out. 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:11.600 The city in itself isn't evil or bad. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:17.360 Cities aren't evil or bad in themselves, but this heart reveals Cain. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:25.759 That Cain in building this city, his heart is being exposed to his utter rejection of God and the promise of God. 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:29.839 That God would show grace towards Cain. 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:33.679 Cain deserved nothing, and God said, No, I'll protect you, Cain. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:35.919 And Cain doesn't care. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:39.200 He runs and he continues to run away from God. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:46.639 And for us, we may feel as if we can stand and sit here and think, oh, what an absolute evil man. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:49.440 What a horrible man Cain is. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.000 But let's be honest, guys. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:57.279 How much do you find your security in yourself? 00:08:57.679 --> 00:08:59.200 In your plans? 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:04.080 How much do you think your life is about you? 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:08.480 In my shame, I am a lot like Cain. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:15.039 My natural bent is towards thinking that I will fix the issue. 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:19.120 Towards seeing an issue and thinking, yeah, I'll sort it out. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.759 That is naturally the way I go. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:29.200 When situations go wrong in my life, when situations go wrong in your life, what do you do? 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:31.200 Do you trust God? 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:34.000 Your Heavenly Father that He has you? 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:37.120 Or do you seek your own solutions? 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:40.639 When work relationships break down? 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:43.440 When it's hard, what do you do? 00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:46.080 When you lose your job, what do you do? 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:52.799 When a health situation comes into your life, what do you do? 00:09:53.600 --> 00:10:01.519 When your children continually just push every single button, buttons that you didn't even know you had, what do you do? 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:13.840 There are countless situations that we are gonna face because of our brokenness, because of the brokenness of others, because of the brokenness of our world. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:16.159 And the question is, how do you respond? 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:18.240 How do you deal with those situations? 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:28.559 Because the God of grace, the God of the Bible, calls us to rest in Him, to rely on Him, to know that He is faithful. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:31.039 Here are the words of Jesus, what does He say? 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:36.080 He says, Consider the lilies, how they grow, they neither toil nor spin. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:48.720 Yet I tell you, even Solomon, Solomon, who was a key king in the Bible, a king of great wealth, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 00:10:49.519 --> 00:11:00.159 But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you? 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.120 O you of little faith. 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:10.240 In the moment of need, you will either trust God or mistrust him. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:17.759 Because what Cain has done here in his situation is mistrusting God. 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:29.440 The Lord warned Cain about his sin, that sin was crouching, that sin was wanting to overcome Cain, and he just ignores God's warning and kills his brother. 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:34.879 The Lord promised to protect Cain, and Cain responds by rejecting God. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:38.480 Your Heavenly Father delights to hear from you. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:47.279 He wants you in moments of need to cry out to him, in moments of joy to come before him, and everything in between. 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:54.000 And he is the one who promises to meet us in our need. 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:57.039 The one who will provide all we need. 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:00.320 Don't think you know better than him. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:04.320 Don't think he doesn't desire good for you. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:06.159 That is such a lie. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:14.240 Our Father cares far more deeply for us, far more deeply than the lilies of the fields. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:16.000 So much more. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:20.000 We get to enjoy his kindness towards us. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.159 We get to enjoy his security, his provision for us. 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:25.919 So rest in him. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:28.240 Know that all you have is from him. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:30.960 Because I know what it's like. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:35.120 I look at the Bible and page after page I will say, God is faithful. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:37.120 I see it through the Bible. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:39.039 I won't deny that to be true. 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:46.639 I'll even look in my own life and I'll look at how God has been so faithful and good and gracious towards me. 00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:52.480 And then something comes along out of the blue, and I'm like, oh, God's not gonna be faithful. 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:53.840 He's gonna blow it. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:56.159 He's gonna drop the ball. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:58.960 I know what it's like. 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:04.159 But that is so tragic to mistrust him. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:10.399 Because he is the one who holds all things, he is the one who has you. 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:25.600 Brother, sister in Christ, watch your heart, take care of your heart in the moment that you begin to think that God has not got you, in the moment that you think it is about what you will do, it is about your work, your energy. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:35.679 That is the moment you need to fall on your knees before him and acknowledge your need of him, your desperate need of him. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:43.440 And we see that Cain is also seeking self-glorification. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:49.679 This city is all about man, it's all about self-glorification. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:52.159 Look what I did. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:55.519 I will name this city after my son. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:00.639 This is declaring my glory, not the glory of the Lord. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:02.159 That is what Cain is doing. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:05.759 He builds this city without any reference to the Lord. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:10.159 He names this city without any reference to the Lord. 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:16.639 How much, though, do we long for our own glory like Cain? 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:22.639 How much do we long for our lives to be about us? 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:27.360 This is the very center of our sinful nature. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:34.879 The very heart of the fall is self-glorification, the longing to be worshipped. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:42.799 Adam and Eve in the garden they took the fruit to be like God, even though they were in his image. 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:46.480 They wanted the glory due his name. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:53.759 Cain builds and names the city to receive glory due to God's name. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:57.519 This self-glorification though hasn't changed. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:01.519 Think about selfies on Instagram and Snapchat. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:05.360 People like, oh, just woke up, mmm, posing. 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:11.200 And and they put a tag on it, like, looking so bad today. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:12.720 And what happens? 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:14.240 Comments come in. 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:16.159 No, babe, you look fab. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:20.080 Hun, you look gorgeous. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:23.200 Like Mark does this all the time. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:28.080 But how self-glorifying do we need to be? 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:34.000 That we think it's all about us, and and maybe Snapchat and Instagram isn't your thing. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:41.360 But maybe it's your tendency toward achievement in your work or or in your studies. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:50.960 You're driving towards achieving these goals, these grades, this promotion. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:57.440 And though working hard is a good thing, along the way your motive has changed. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:08.559 You no longer desire to work hard to honor God, but your motive is for yourself to be honored, to receive glory, to recognize your efforts. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:14.559 And what about holy self-glorification? 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:25.279 Because I know all too well in church how it is so easy for our hearts to desire self-glorification. 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:34.320 The battle is when I come to preach, is prayerfully seeking that it wouldn't be about your response to me. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:36.799 How you would view me. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:42.720 The desire for you to react in a certain way or in a positive way. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:54.240 Because when I say holy self-glorification, I'm thinking about these things that look holy on the outside, but your heart isn't. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:57.200 Why do you put out chairs? 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:00.000 Why do we do hospitality? 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:01.519 Why do we sweep up? 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:03.440 Why do we play in the band? 00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:05.519 These are all good things. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:17.519 But it can be so easy for our motives to go from a desire to serve God and serve others to a desire to be seen, a desire to be spoken of. 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:19.839 Oh, what a servant-hearted person. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:21.359 To be praised. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:26.960 And I want to encourage you, keep serving, don't stop serving. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:28.799 But be careful. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:30.880 Watch your heart. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:38.000 What you and I need to know is our hearts are desperately warped. 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:43.759 We may never build a city and name it after a child. 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:48.240 But don't think we do not seek self-glorification. 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:50.960 It's just happening in a different way. 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:57.440 And our prayer, our longing should be more and more that as a people we would boast in the Lord. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:03.119 1 Corinthians says, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:18.960 Let every word, thought, deed more and more be shaped by a longing for us to live our lives for Him, making our lives more of a boast in all He has done, all He is doing, and all He will do. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:22.559 Don't fall into this snare of self-glorification. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:27.200 This is the character of the people who reject God's grace. 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:32.240 These people are longing after self-reliance, longing after self-glorification. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:36.720 And we see here that they're also longing after self-satisfaction. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.079 Look at verse 18. 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:49.119 To Enoch was born Erad, and Erad fathered Mehujel, and Mehujjal fathered Methushel, and Mehthusjal fathered Lamech, and Lamech took two wives. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:53.200 The name of one was Ada, and the name of the other was Zillah. 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:58.880 This family, this line of Cain continues after Cain. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:05.440 In the same direction, this increase in their sin and their rebellion of God. 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:14.400 Lamech is highlighted as almost as a representative of this people, this people who reject God's grace. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:20.480 It is highlighting how Lamech chooses two wives. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:25.279 And here is this man who seems so far from the Lord. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:31.440 And what he's desiring to do is deconstruct the very purpose of marriage itself. 00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:36.000 The Lord God had given the good gift of marriage. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:41.119 And here Lamech is going toward finding satisfaction in these women. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:47.279 It is a warped view of seeing women as objects of his own satisfaction. 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:51.920 And sadly, that's not a picture we have to go looking for in our world. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:55.920 Women are constantly being seen as objects. 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:57.839 They're being objectified. 00:19:57.920 --> 00:20:05.119 And whenever you hear the lie that the Bible devalues women, you should reject that fully and completely. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:09.279 Marriage was a gift from God to both man and woman. 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:13.920 The idea God ever sees women as lesser is a lie. 00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:18.640 Men and women are in equal image-bearers of the Creator God. 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.480 Men and women are equal in value and worth. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:27.039 The Lord God is clear in the value and worth of women. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:34.799 The Bible is filled with women of faith, women of courage, as shown as examples of faith. 00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:45.279 And here we have this man, Lamech, misusing his manhood, misusing his strength, his power to create this culture of oppression. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:51.839 This is the starting point of polygamy, which is utterly destructive. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:59.920 Lamech is rejecting God's grace toward him in the gift of marriage and distorting it. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:05.680 He desires to find his own satisfaction in the relationship with his wives. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:12.880 He degrades the purpose and plan of marriage, which should be one of selfless love. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:17.279 But for Lamach, marriage is self-love. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:24.640 Marriage is about what he is able to gain rather than what he can give. 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:29.519 And yet, how much do we desire for self-satisfaction? 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:37.440 Our relationships consistently, constantly suffer when our hearts are ruled by self-satisfaction. 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:46.720 Because in every marriage, and because in my marriage, I will not be a lovingly loving husband. 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:54.160 I will not lovingly lay down my life for my wife if my heart is captured by self satisfaction. 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:59.599 Our marriage will never display what God intended it to display if either of us is captured. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.599 By self-satisfaction. 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:09.599 I will not seek to come in and come home and see how I can serve if my heart is captured by me. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:17.039 When I believe the lie that our relationship should be about meeting my needs, I am just like Lamak. 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:19.359 And you are too. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:32.079 When you view relationships in this way, when a relationship is oriented about what you can gain, what you can get, that is such a shallow view of relationships. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:38.640 And all our relationships have never been about meeting our needs in this way. 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:44.319 Because as soon as we do that, we misplace the source of our satisfaction. 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:54.559 When you are not having your heart met by the satisfying order of Christ, you will constantly be in danger of seeking satisfaction elsewhere. 00:22:55.920 --> 00:23:00.720 This is exactly what Jesus himself says to the woman at the well. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:13.680 He goes to this woman, this outcast in the community, this woman who has been in multiple relationships with multiple men, and this woman who has been longing for satisfaction and yet not finding it. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:20.160 And Jesus says to her in John 4 everyone who drinks of the water will be thirsty again. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:22.240 Talking about the well. 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:28.559 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:36.480 The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:39.279 Do you hear the call of Jesus? 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:47.759 The water, whether that is relationships for you, whether that's work, money, recognition, will never quench your thirst. 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:56.079 We are just like Lamach, okay, seeking to find the quench of our souls longing in the broken ways of this world. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:59.200 It is Jesus we need. 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:04.240 It is Jesus who gives this water that satisfies our deepest need. 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:06.400 It is him himself we need. 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:10.400 We need him daily, constantly, moment by moment. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:18.079 Praying to our Father, satisfy our souls by his Spirit through Jesus Christ. 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:23.519 It is the relationship with Christ Jesus that we so desperately long for. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:35.279 The rebellion of Lamech warns of our tendency to seek self-satisfaction, the utter failure in our efforts to be satisfied. 00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:39.680 Lamech is this man who reveals our brokenness in so many ways. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:46.799 And in verse 23 to 24, there's this song of Lamech showing how far people have fallen. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:53.119 He abandoned God's desire for marriage, and here he delights over his sin. 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:54.559 Look at verse 23. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:25:01.839 Lamech said to his wives, Ada and Zillah, hear my voice, you wives of Lamech. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:03.759 Listen to what I say. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:08.799 I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:15.279 If Cain's revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold. 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:23.599 The characteristics here of self-reliance, self-glorification, self-satisfaction are all played out in Lamach. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:27.359 As he boasts over this sin. 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:30.079 He proclaims what he has done. 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:36.880 And we don't get full details of the situation, but we see that he's been harmed in some way by this young man. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:42.000 But actually, the original word for young man, his adolescent, is boy. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:45.759 And the word for wound here is like a scratch. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:49.759 And the response of Lamech is murder. 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:52.960 Like his forefather Cain. 00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:56.640 Lamech murders this boy, but there's an escalation. 00:25:57.440 --> 00:26:00.960 It's not even a man who he kills, but a boy. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:04.079 And there is no shame for Lamech. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:07.119 Cain at least didn't want to admit what he had done. 00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:11.680 Lamech boasts over his sin, his wickedness. 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:15.279 And do you see what he is doing in verse 24? 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:22.559 You see, God in his grace, in his mercy, decides to show mercy towards Cain. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:28.799 That no one will touch Cain, that he would avenge if anyone touched Cain. 00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:34.720 And here, Cain's vengeance is compared to Lamech. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:38.720 But Lamech says that he will be the one to take vengeance. 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:42.640 The number seven being a number of completeness in the Bible. 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:46.640 And Lamech is emphasizing his ruthless desire for revenge. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:50.240 He no longer thinks it is God who is judged, but he is judged. 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:56.720 He no longer thinks it is God to impede his judgments, but he will have his revenge. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:27:03.680 Lamech is the one who will reject God and seek to be judge and ruler over people. 00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:06.160 Nothing will stop him. 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:16.400 The picture of man consumed by self-reliance, self-glorification, and self-satisfaction and rejecting the grace of God toward him. 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:26.319 And what I want us to see, what my heart has been for myself and for you, is that we grasp the emphasis of this passage. 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:35.119 That actually it's not on Cain, it's not on Lamech, it's not even on human sin. 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:40.720 These are all working towards, pointing towards the main focus of God's grace. 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:47.680 These people themselves receive grace even as they reject God. 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:52.720 Because it is the Lord who gives the gift of marriage. 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:55.920 It is the Lord who gives the gift of family and children. 00:27:56.079 --> 00:28:01.759 It is the Lord who gives the gift of creativity to build cities and to play instruments. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:09.440 It is the Lord who gives the gift of work to care for livestock and to forge instruments of bronze and iron. 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:14.000 It is the Lord who gives the gift of community, food, places to live. 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:21.359 It is the Lord and only the Lord who is able to show such grace in the face of such rejection. 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:29.519 Because it is only gonna be because of the Lord that there ever will be a people of grace. 00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:35.599 In the face of rejection, God remains faithful. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:37.119 Look at verse 25. 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:42.000 Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth. 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:48.559 For she said, God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel. 00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:50.720 For Cain killed him. 00:28:50.960 --> 00:28:55.599 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. 00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:01.200 And at that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord. 00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:12.640 After all this sin, after all this evil, we see grace through the people who reject him, but in the people who accept him. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:19.759 It is that the Lord who promised to crush the serpent's head is faithful. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:27.279 This glimpse at the end of this chapter is one of hope because of the gracious hand and working of our Father. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:36.400 It shows his incredible grace that Seth is not just another child, but displays the hope of a different people. 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:43.279 A people who accept God's grace, a people who acknowledge Him. 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:47.440 You see, Eve sees with eyes of faith the plan of the Lord. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:52.880 God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him. 00:29:53.119 --> 00:30:04.160 It is through the line of Seth, Jesus Christ will be born into the brokenness of our world to reveal the beauty of God's grace. 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:09.200 Often it is so easy for us to think that the devil has the upper hand. 00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:13.599 It seems as though the brokenness of this world is too broken. 00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:17.519 It seems as though evil people are too great. 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:22.799 But the Lord is faithful, the Lord is gracious, the Lord is working. 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:28.640 God meets human self-reliance with Jesus Christ. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:32.720 God meets human self-glorification with Jesus Christ. 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:36.799 God meets human self-satisfaction with Jesus Christ. 00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:41.279 Jesus does not say, My will be done. 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:48.480 But in the Garden of Gethsemane with the cross in view, he says to his father, your will be done. 00:30:48.799 --> 00:31:03.759 Jesus is the one who deserves all glory, all praise, and he seeks, does not seek earthly self-glorification, but he humbles himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:21.839 Jesus is the one who completely is satisfied in himself and in his earthly life lays down his own comfort and says, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:31.839 It is only because of Jesus we become the people of grace as people who have received grace because he is gracious. 00:31:32.160 --> 00:31:37.920 Lamech declares the unrelenting desire to seek revenge. 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:40.880 And yet, what does Jesus Christ do? 00:31:41.519 --> 00:31:48.480 The one who rightly holds judgment over all shows grace. 00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:55.599 Because consider what Jesus says to Peter when he's asking about forgiveness in Matthew 18. 00:31:55.759 --> 00:32:02.880 Then Peter came up to him and said, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? 00:32:03.119 --> 00:32:05.039 As many as seven times. 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:17.200 Jesus, with the words, with the rejection of Lamech in his ears, responds, I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. 00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:33.680 The rightful judge, the one who deserves and rightly deserves to pour out his righteous judgment, his rightful anger upon us, shows the greatness of his forgiveness, the greatness of his grace toward us. 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:41.200 In the face of our selfishness, the Lord lavishes grace upon us. 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:45.839 Allow this grace to shape everything for you. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:49.440 Allow this grace to motivate and drive you. 00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:59.519 And as people who know such grace, let our lives be more and more marked by grace, His grace.