CELL NOTES 6/9/10

 

ICE BREAKER    

 

Do you have a memorable fall-out with a sibling, when a child, or a memorable occasion when a sibling did something really nice for you? If you are an only child, can you remember such an occasion relating to a friend?

 

THEME    

 

Cain and Abel

Reading; Gen 4 : 1 - 16

 

SERMON OUTLINE 

 

1) Names have meanings and matter.

2) Abel means “spirit” or “breath”. Represents all that we have and are derives from God.

     Cain means “acquired”. Represents human activity to try and get the most out of things.

3) v3 Cain brought his offering “in the course of time” – reluctant, 2nd rate and half hearted?

4) Modern cities glorify human achievement (bank buildings dwarf churches), and can illustrate self-obsessed man. Like Cain self-important, concerned to acquire.

5) Cain put self first, saw Abel (who honoured God 1st) as worthless, and thus got rid of him.

6) Self-obsessed man will try to destroy faith in others.

7) The result for Cain was to wind up in the land of Nod (v16) – which means a place of constant wandering, far from God.

8) Modern electronic communication, games etc tend to isolate us from each other, and thus from encouraging faith in each other.

9) Our culture in GB is increasingly hostile to real Christian faith.

10) We all have Cain and Abel within – love of God battling against love of self. Cain is apt to try and kill Abel – and then hear the question as in v9.

11) Unless we repent, and turn from self-obsessed behaviour, we will end up aimlessly wandering. Keeping on the way with Jesus is a tough battle.

12) We are called to keep our focus on Christ in all circumstances. Cain finds it easier to kill Abel when life is hard!

13) Abel’s blood cries out (v10) but so does the atoning blood of Jesus (Heb 12 : 24)

 

QUESTIONS OF APPLICATION 

 

1) How do you react to the account of Cain and Abel? Why do you feel Cain’s offering was rejected?

2) Who are you jealous of or angry with? How do you handle these feelings?

3) Look at vv 5 – 7. What does this say about anger, its source, and how we may deal with it?

4) What brothers or sisters do you “keep”? How do you do it?