WEBVTT 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:04.000 Hello and welcome to the Redemption Church Podcast. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:12.480 We're a church in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada that exists to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission and the spirit of the Great Commandment. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:14.480 Thanks for joining us today. 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:16.399 Biblical soul care. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:19.199 Kind of lacking in the technical stuff. 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:19.920 So here we go. 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:22.160 Alright, let's turn to 1 John chapter 3. 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:24.480 Thank you, Joel, for those kind words. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:26.160 We do miss you. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:27.519 Appreciate you. 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:30.640 First John chapter 3. 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:35.759 See what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called children of God. 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:36.880 And so we are. 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:40.719 The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:51.920 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared, but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:56.960 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:01.439 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:03.359 Sin is lawlessness. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.599 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:11.599 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:15.439 No one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:17.920 Little children, let no one deceive you. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:22.079 Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:28.400 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:32.719 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:41.439 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:47.680 By this it is evident who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:54.319 Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:58.799 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:02.640 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:04.239 And why did he murder him? 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:08.000 Because his own deeds were evil and his brothers righteous. 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:11.199 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:16.159 We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:18.960 Whoever does not love abides in death. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:25.439 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:34.639 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:42.960 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:49.120 Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but indeed and in truth. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:53.439 By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:58.719 For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:09.680 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God, and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:17.759 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:21.680 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God and God in him. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:28.240 And by this we know that he abides in us by the Spirit whom he has given to us. 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:30.800 Well, we're going to look at this passage. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:36.159 We're actually going to focus on the last part of that chapter, verses 11 to 24. 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:38.400 But let's start here this morning. 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:45.120 He says, See what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called the children of God. 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:46.719 And we are. 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:48.319 Isn't that great? 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:51.520 We're here together and we are the children of God. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:54.400 And that love was bestowed on us. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:59.919 We didn't earn it, we didn't do something great so that, hey, you can be my child. 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:04.960 God adopted us and we're called his children. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:11.840 In this little book of 1 John, his John's purpose is to give us the signs of life. 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:15.439 How do we know if we have eternal life? 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:16.879 Now, John wrote the book. 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:25.279 It says in 5.13, I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:31.199 So John wants to give us some confidence today that we actually are God's children. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:33.040 What a great thing that is. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:35.519 We've been singing about it, we rejoice in it. 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:41.439 I'm God's child. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:43.120 I don't have to earn it. 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:44.800 He just loves me. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:46.480 He delights in us. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:48.480 That's a great thing. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:51.519 And so John wants us to be confident of that. 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:59.199 What he's actually kind of pointing out here, though, is who is in and who is out. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:02.480 Like who really is a child of God? 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:05.519 That's kind of a question behind what he's saying. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:09.759 I've written to you so that you may know that you have eternal life. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:13.759 Well, how do I know if you have eternal life? 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:16.240 How do you know if I have eternal life? 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:20.240 And maybe the most important question is, how do I know I have eternal life? 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:25.120 And so that's why John's writing, who's in and who's we know we like to categorize things, don't we? 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:35.680 If you get a, you go into the tool room, into my garage, and on the shelf, and there's a bunch of stuff lying there, and I take a start taking a look at those long pointy things. 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:40.959 And I recognize some of them are nails, and some of them are screws. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:44.399 The screws have that windy thing down, right? 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:45.839 So technical. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:47.920 And the nails are kind of smooth. 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:56.160 And then we look at those screws, we get them separated out, and we go, oh, some of them aren't the same, different lengths, so we separate that out. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:01.040 And then we take a look at them, and we go, some of them are got little squares in the head. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:02.560 That's a Robertson. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:05.279 Some of them have a little cross, that's a Phillips. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.480 Some of them have a little just a line, that's a slot. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:11.839 And we we put make them all, we separate them out. 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:21.120 Because there's nothing worse than when you're trying to fix something, and you've got four screws that have a Robertson head, and then the next one has a Phillips. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:24.639 You go like, uh I need to change the head in my screw gun. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:25.920 Like, it's just no good. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:30.399 So we like to categorize things and get them organized. 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:35.839 And let's be honest, we like to do that with people, don't we? 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:40.160 Yeah, we got the big and the small and all kinds of different categories. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:50.480 And here's the most important one who's in and who's out, who has eternal life and who doesn't? 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:56.959 Because if they have eternal life, and I have eternal life, we're brothers and sisters. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:58.560 We have the father. 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:01.600 We belong together, and that's good. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:05.360 But there's some and we're just not so sure about. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:06.879 Are they in? 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:08.160 Are they out? 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:10.720 Can I just be really honest? 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:16.720 Most of the time, how we categorize them is um if if I like them, they're probably in. 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:23.120 But there's some claim to be believers, and they're just uphill. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:25.279 And I don't like them. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:27.839 And I'm just not so sure they're in. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:30.000 Or here's another way. 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:31.920 If they agree with me. 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:34.160 I read a book once, and the guy agreed with me. 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:35.839 I said, that's a great author. 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:36.800 Man, that guy. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.839 I wish I'd written that book because he agrees with me. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:41.519 He's a smart man. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:44.240 We tend to categorize that way. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:46.319 If you agree with me, you're probably in. 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:51.519 But if you don't, I'm just not so sure about you. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:53.439 So who's in and who's out? 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:57.360 And John says he wrote this book so that we could know whether we're in or not. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:00.720 We try all kinds of things to see who's in. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:02.720 If you dress a certain way. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:08.879 Now, when I was growing up, just let me tell you, anybody wearing a ball cap in church was out. 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:11.199 Just saying. 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:12.879 Worship leader, yeah. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:14.399 I'm just kidding. 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:17.040 Like, okay, I'm wearing jeans. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:18.959 Like that was never done when I was growing up. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:20.399 You don't wear jeans to church. 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:21.759 So how you dress? 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:22.720 Um, how about this? 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:27.839 If you paint your bumpers black, because you know, like chrome is that's of the devil. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:28.399 Right? 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:32.399 I were there actually people that kind of categorize, well, probably. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:40.879 Um how if you use certain words, or you don't use certain words, actually, you would never if if you say that, you're probably out. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:43.200 How about this one? 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:48.879 Um, well, just if you attend a specific church, probably ours, right? 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:51.440 Like we're all in here because we come here. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:55.759 If they go round the corner, maybe. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:02.559 If you don't do bad stuff, as defined by us, right? 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:04.240 So who's in and who's out? 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:10.240 We got all these ways of trying to decide, and and the most important question is, uh, what about myself? 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:12.480 How do I know if I'm in? 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:14.159 Because that's what I really want to know. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:16.240 So John gives us some guidance in this. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:25.440 Now, if you read through this book, he tends to repeat himself, and he doesn't really define everything really, really tight like the way we wish he would, but it's still helpful. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:36.240 And one of the most basic things is that if we're God's child, even though we haven't fully realized it yet, we want to be like him. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:42.159 I want to be like my big brother Jesus, my savior. 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:45.360 Does that sound like a little bit off? 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:47.279 He is. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:51.360 He's our brother, he's our savior, and we want to be like him. 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:57.759 Because John says, if you have this hope, you pure purify yourself just like he is pure. 00:09:58.240 --> 00:09:59.440 I want to be like Jesus. 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:02.639 There's something driving me to be like him. 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:05.200 And so I think, well, like what was he like? 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:06.639 I'm kind of interested in that. 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:09.360 So we watch the chosen and see, do they get that right? 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:10.000 I don't know. 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:12.559 And we just want to I want to be like him. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:14.960 And there's something driving us. 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:19.919 And every once in a while I do something and I go, what would Jesus do? 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:22.080 Yeah, probably not that. 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:27.440 I don't think Jesus would have said that. 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:30.159 I don't think he would have acted that way. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:35.120 I don't think he would have like let down the standard there. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:37.679 Other times I go, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:40.080 Yeah, I just like him. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:42.159 Like Jesus would have done that. 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:43.600 Jesus would have said that. 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:45.679 I feel really good about myself today. 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:47.840 Because we're just we just something driving us. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:49.120 I want to be like him. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:57.120 And so John talks about doing right and not practicing sinning. 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:00.480 Like he qualifies it, first chapter, right? 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:05.600 He says, anybody that says they don't sin, like the no, that's wrong. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:10.799 And if we do sin, we confess our sins and he's faithful and just to forgive our sins. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:12.559 You do that regularly. 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:20.960 And then he says, Um, if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous one. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:27.279 And it's a good thing he's there because it's actually his righteousness that I stand before the Father with. 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:32.799 And this is what it means to belong to him, to have eternal life. 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:37.360 It isn't, it isn't my stuff that gets me there. 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.279 It's Jesus' stuff. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:41.679 And so this is so important. 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:43.120 Who's in and who's out? 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:44.559 And I want to make sure that I'm in. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:46.480 And so John's given us some things. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:53.039 And and he says this in verse 10 uh this is how God's children and the devil's children become obvious. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:56.320 Whoa, this is actually quite scary. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:59.039 I'm here to encourage you today. 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:01.440 But we got to get through some stuff. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:05.360 He says, This is how God's children and the devil's children become obvious. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:08.399 Whoever does not do what is right is not of God. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:19.120 That's a scary enough statement to meditate on, but then he qualifies it with this statement especially the one who does not love his brother. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:22.000 And when he says brother there, it means brother or sister. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:23.840 But the brothers and the sisters. 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:28.559 Now, if you're not doing right, you're out. 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:37.440 And especially if you don't love your brothers and sisters, you're out. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:47.759 That's kind of scary, quite honestly, because some of the brothers and sisters that I've known ain't that lovable. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:55.279 And I've probably been one of them at some time or another, and perhaps so with you. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:56.799 And so that's kind of scary. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:13:00.879 So the context that we're talking about here is the signs of life. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:02.320 How do you know you're in? 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:09.200 The signs of life they include this practicing righteousness and not sinning, and loving your brothers and sisters. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:12.799 David Guzick says this. 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:14.080 Both of these are essential. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:18.639 Righteousness without love makes one a religious Pharisee, been there. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:24.159 Love without righteousness makes one a partner in evil, probably been there. 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:26.960 How do righteousness and love balance? 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:28.639 Well, they don't. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:37.840 We are never to love at the expense of righteousness, and we are never to be righteous at the expense of love, and we're pretty good at doing both those things. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:41.679 We aren't looking for a balance between the two because they are not opposites. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:46.559 Real love is the greatest righteousness, and real righteousness is the greatest love. 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:51.200 Love and righteousness are each most perfectly displayed in the nature of Jesus. 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:54.559 He was both righteous, we read that. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:14:00.240 In him there is no sin, and completely loving. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:06.559 How amazing is it that he calls us the children of God when we're in him. 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:11.200 He who has the Son has life, and he who does not have the Son has not life. 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:12.960 That's fantastic. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:20.879 Um, however, that sounds impossible to be perfectly righteous and perfectly loving. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:22.960 Jesus did it, uh, me not so much. 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:24.000 I don't know about you. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:28.720 This morning we're gonna look a little more closely at the second part, loving one another. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:31.919 And the reason we're doing that is because the first one's too convict. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:33.120 Living righteously. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:35.440 Yeah, let's just set that one aside. 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:42.559 Um I think we have a better chance, maybe a better shot at uh loving one another. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:47.200 So hopefully we can feel better by the time we're done here. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:49.039 You ready to go for that? 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:49.919 Dry? 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:51.600 I'll try and encourage you. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:54.159 Trust me, this is this is a better route to go. 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:55.279 Okay, loving believers. 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:56.879 First of all, is contrasted. 00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:58.799 Verses 11 to 15. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:03.919 We read, for this is the message that you've heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:07.519 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:08.960 And why did he murder him? 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:12.480 Because his own deeds were evil and his brothers righteous. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:17.519 So uh love is loving believers is is contrasted. 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:30.960 The question that we want to answer, because I'm kind of into soul care and counseling, and what we do is we ask questions and you answer them, and then we evaluate you on the base of your no, no, that's not. 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:32.559 We try and encourage you. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:34.480 Uh, what does God's word say about that? 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:37.759 So the question we want to ask is how competent am I? 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:40.000 Am I a good lover? 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:43.120 Uh do I love the brothers and sisters? 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:44.399 How good am I? 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:46.080 How do I do with that? 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:51.519 So uh I like another transition that just kind of gets right to it. 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:53.679 Love one another, but not like cane. 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:55.759 We like that kind of thing, right? 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:57.600 Love one another, but not like claim. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:15:58.559 Not like cane. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:15:59.519 It's just so clear. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.399 Not like cane. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:07.440 Okay, um go go go to the store and buy some syrup, but not the cheap stuff. 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:08.000 Right? 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:09.200 We qualify it. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:12.399 So um listen, um, what else do we say? 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:17.360 We uh we say, hey, go to Barry, but don't take the highway. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.519 Because I never take the highway. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:22.480 That's just always a bad choice. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:23.120 Right? 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:26.399 Uh make a campfire if you're camping this weekend. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:31.200 Make a campfire, but not like Uncle Joe, who used gasoline and burned the camp down. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:34.240 Like, don't do this, but not like that. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:35.600 That's what John is saying. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:36.399 He's very clear. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.080 Love one another, but not like Cain. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:39.600 And we go, oh good. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:43.039 Because um, duh, that isn't love. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:45.200 You go, okay, you got the point. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:47.519 Are we feel like we're winning here? 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.759 All right, love, but not like Cain, okay. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:50.879 Yeah, that's not love. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:53.279 Murdering your brother, not a good thing. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:57.840 Um, I have to be pretty bad at loving before I can hit the Cain standard, right? 00:16:58.159 --> 00:16:58.720 Right? 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:02.320 So I'm already feeling good about myself. 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:05.599 But listen, why would John even say that? 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:11.119 Why would he use like the worst example you possibly could? 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:19.039 Well, consider the points of contact between John's example of Cain and his exhortation. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:21.279 We're to love our brothers and sisters. 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:22.799 Yeah. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:25.440 There's a pretty obvious parallel here. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:26.720 Relationship. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:32.240 Cain and Abel were brothers, like the very first siblings. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.640 And it went so wrong. 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:36.960 I have five brothers. 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:42.319 I tell people there were three and a half dozen kids in my family, all naturally born one at a time. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:43.119 People go, What? 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.680 So, yeah, we had foster kids on top of that. 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:47.359 But we had three and a half dozen kids. 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:48.960 And I go, What are you talking about? 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:50.559 Three girls and a half dozen boys. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:52.160 So three and a half dozen. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:52.880 Okay. 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:55.039 Dad jokes, right? 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:55.759 Poor. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:57.599 So I have five brothers. 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:05.440 And let me tell you, every once in a while, like we'd get into it, and mom would say, just go downstairs and kill each other quietly. 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:09.680 That sounds kind of chilling in this context, doesn't it? 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:13.279 Well, let me let me assure you, no, we nobody died. 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:17.119 We we're still all alive today, and we actually get along really good. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.400 We love each other. 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:26.240 Um, but we are all related by faith, and we're spiritual brothers and sisters. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:36.000 And and I would suggest that scripture would indicate that our bonds are stronger, deeper, and more critical than blood. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:41.839 I know there's a saying, nothing's thicker than blood, blood is thicker than water. 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:44.960 But we share the Holy Spirit. 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:48.880 There's something tying us together. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:56.640 And so when it comes to loving the brothers and sisters, we would never murder our brother or our sister. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:00.319 Look at what John says in verse 15. 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:04.799 Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer. 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:08.960 And you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:15.279 Hate is the same as murder. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:18.079 Cain murdered Abel. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:23.839 If I hate a brother or sister, I'm as guilty as Cain. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:30.319 That good feeling about being better than Cain may need to be looked at. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:32.799 So what's another parallel? 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:34.880 Um, how about religion? 00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:38.720 It's a pretty subtle parallel, but think about this. 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:44.400 Cain probably knew more about God on a personal level than you or I. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:47.200 You go, no, no, we have the Holy Spirit. 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:50.480 Okay, well, but Cain actually talked to God. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:52.880 Oh, we talked to God, I know. 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:55.200 I don't know. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:59.440 Cain's dad walked with God in the garden. 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:04.160 Saw flaming angels with, or angels with flaming swords. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:06.880 Like, how much of that did Cain see? 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:07.920 I don't know. 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:08.880 I don't know. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:15.200 When he talked to God, did God come like walk with him like he did with his dad? 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:28.640 It was after the fall, so I don't know, but we have lots of questions and some speculation about what was going on, both about Cain and Abel and hopefully about ourselves. 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:33.359 Why didn't God have regard for Cain's sacrifice? 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:38.000 It seems to me like he just brought the best of what he did. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.000 How's that bad? 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:40.799 I don't know. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:41.680 What did he know? 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:43.440 Maybe he knew something more. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:48.880 God clothed Adam and Eve with skins of animals, so there was a sacrifice already done. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.640 That's what Abel brought. 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:55.200 Hebrews tells us Abel brought a better sacrifice than Cain. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:58.880 Did Cain know the basis on which it was a better one? 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:04.319 Well, I don't know, but I'll tell you this: Cain got immediate feedback from God. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:07.440 I don't always get immediate feedback. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:13.039 I do something bad, sometimes it's weeks before the consequences come and smack me. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:15.440 Or somebody says something to me. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:17.920 But Cain got immediate feedback. 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:23.119 Hey, if you do what is right, won't your countenance be lifted up? 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:29.599 If you just do what is right, but if you don't, hey, be careful here. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:33.039 Sin lies at the door and it wants to overpower you. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:41.759 Man, I wish God would whisper in my ear once in a while, hey Roger, if you do what's right, that's gonna go really good for you. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:46.640 But if you keep going this way, it isn't gonna be good. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:50.559 Sin wants to overpower you, and you better be careful. 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:52.480 You have to control it. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:22:01.440 And so many times I'm just going on being Who I am. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:07.119 And I wish God would just give a little more warning. 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:07.920 You know what? 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:09.200 Most of the time? 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.240 He has. 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:14.559 And I willfully go my own way anyway. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:18.400 So back to the first part of this chapter about doing righteousness. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.599 Oh man. 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:21.519 Wait a minute. 00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:23.279 I'm supposed to be encouraging us here. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.880 We are the children of God. 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:27.279 Okay, let's get back out of here. 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:37.119 God warned Cain that if he did not do what was right, he was in danger. 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:40.880 And it says Cain was furious and despondent. 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:47.279 His countenance fell, and he was angry and sad. 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:54.000 Anger, this is a biblical soul care part of this, anger can be an expression of self-righteousness. 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:56.160 What makes me angry? 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.279 When do I get angry? 00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:04.480 Is it because I'm actually, somebody's actually pressing me about whether I am righteous? 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:08.480 Despondency can be an expression of self-pity. 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:09.599 Oh, poor me. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:17.359 I'm doing my best here, and um people are saying it's not good enough, or God's not saying it's not good enough. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:25.440 And so these these expressions of Cain, it's apparent that Cain knew what he had to do, and here's the key, and we're gonna come back to this. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:38.240 Instead of humbling himself and coming the way Abel had come, because that's really at the bottom line of it, Abel brought a better sacrifice, Cain's sacrifice was rejected, Abel's was accepted. 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:47.039 If Cain brought a sacrifice like his brother Abel, no, what would I worked, I grew these crops, I brought them. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:49.119 That's not good enough for you, God. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:50.880 That's how I would react. 00:23:51.279 --> 00:24:06.400 But if he had just humbled himself, said, okay, God, hey, Abel, I'll trade you a bunch of corn for one of your lambs, so I can bring a sacrifice that's acceptable to God, would you please let that happen? 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:08.079 That's humbling. 00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:16.160 And if Cain had humbled himself and come the way God wanted him to, that's he knew what was right. 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:18.240 And he refused to do it. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:20.160 It was an attitude thing. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:21.279 He refused. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.200 I'm I'm coming my way. 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:30.640 And so he killed Abel because Abel's deeds were righteous while his were evil. 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:39.519 The love we share with each other sets us apart from the world and makes hatred between believers a sign of death and not life. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:41.839 So we need to think deeply about this. 00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:45.279 When I get angry or despondent, what is behind that? 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:48.559 And what does it have to do with how I'm coming to God? 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:52.319 Is it because God is shining a light on my deeds? 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:56.960 How do I really feel about other believers, especially the ones who are not like me? 00:24:57.599 --> 00:25:07.279 Listen, I know this is a complicated subject because we feel really strongly about truth. 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.240 Don't we? 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:10.160 Like that's part of the reason we come here. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:12.960 Because we preach the word of God without apology. 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:13.920 We do. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:24.640 We feel pretty strongly about truth, and sometimes that sets us at odds with other believers who don't just see it the same way we do. 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:33.200 And my question is: okay, I'm right less of the time than I think I am, probably. 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:36.400 That's actually scientifically proven. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:41.839