Am I my brother's keeper?

Am I my brother's keeper?

Genesis 4:9

(Old sermon - not sure who the author was, but has good points)

Adam 1st man - God asked a question.
"Adam where art thou?"
"Who told thee that thou wast naked?"
"Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou should not eat?"
"What is this that thou hast done?"

Cain 2nd man - God asked questions -
"Where is Abel thy brother?"
He answered, "I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?"

Cain felt closely tracked by avenging justice -
He was....
Liar - I know not
Wicked and profane - in thinking he could hide sin from God.
Unjust - in denying that he was brother's keeper.
Obstinate and desperate - in not confessing his sin.

1st question ever asked of one member of society toward another:
I met a little maid
a rosy burden bearing:
"Is he not heavy? I said
as past me she was hurrying.
She looked at me with grave, sweet eyes,
This fragile little mother,
and answered in swift surprise,
"Oh, no Sir, He's my brother." Anonymous

This question directs attention to 1st earthly home. Story...

God said, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?" Envy seized him and from that hour Cain plotted against Abel to slay him.

What can be said of envy? Bible says "Who shall stand before envy?" It is the weapon of the little man, the petty man. Envy is a consuming evil. Envy wants something that belongs to someone else. Envy is a bad infection in one's bones.

What is there for men to be envious concerning in his relation with other men: 5 talents, 1 talent. Use wisely and worthily.

In the story of Cain and Abel we see how one sin leads to another. Envy led to murder. Perhaps he thought "This man cannot outstrip me now. He is out of the way, He is dead."

BUT, God is not dead. where is Abel thy brother? "The voice of his blood crieth unto me from the ground." Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Never, in a single case "Whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reap." How terrible is sin. My brother, my sister, be sure your sin will find you out.

Now in this story there are vivid and awful lesson.

A. The significance of Cain's answer - An attempt to evade, all responsibility for his brother's whereabouts. Human responsibility everywhere assumed in the Bible. To God and Man. We are bound together in life and must not ignore our relations to our fellow man.

No person can dare say to another person, nor one race say to another, or one country say to another, "I have no relation to you and I go on my way ignoring you." Everywhere in the Bible assumed the inescapable fact of human responsibility.

I AM MY BROTHER'S KEEPER! We are learning that more and more.

1. If you go to a foreign port, you will be asked for a passport - visa to stay in that country. If you cannot present these you will be turned back.
2. Houses in Palestine have flat roofs. Law required that battlements be built around these roofs for protection of unthinking.
3. Law in Old Testament times - reapers in harvest should leave stray heads of wheat in the field for the poor to gather for their own use.
4. Good Samaritan

B. Why we are the practice this neighborliness? Common humanity demands it. Example - precept, word, and deed of Jesus.
Principle of Paul - I am debtor both to the Greeks and Barbarians. Service to mankind.

C. Against whom does his blood cry?

1. Against unfaithful homes
Cain unfaithful to Abel
Parents unfaithful to children
Husbands to wives
Wives unfaithful to husbands
Sanctity of home cannot be tampered with without a judgement day down the road. Some have already arrived. Trifle not with the home. God's fountain head. It must not be mocked and scorned. It cannot be tampered with without results appalling.

What are you profited if you get land, bank accounts, oil wells, bonds, and your children go to spiritual doom? I had rather be in rags with my children following Christ than be in the King's palace with children going pell mell into hell, without Christ. What can I say to quicken your concern about your home? What are you doing about the boys and girls going out from your homes to build homes of their own? What is the wife doing to help lost husband come to Christ? Great price necessary sometimes to win husband, but she can afford to die for him to be saved. I Peter 3:1-7

2. Against unfaithful citizens - Judges 9:7
Example - Parable of trees and bramble in Judges

3. Against unfaithful preacher
Live at ease - world in plight it's in, church members straying, I have made thee a watchman, O My prophet and if thou art not faithful in thy word and testimony among the people, I will require their safety at hand. Ezekiel 3:17-20

4. Unfaithful deacons - Imagining Sunday School not for him at all. Prayer meeting not for him at all. Sunday night worship not for him at all. Witnessing not for him. Visitation not for him.

5. Unsupportive church members.

6. Sunday School teachers
"I have accomplished my whole mission when I get together a little group of 30 minutes on Sunday" = without regard that example will do more to stabilize than all your teaching.

7. "O Christian, What did Jesus say, "Ye are the light of the world" but if the light in you be darkness, how great is that darkness."
"Ye are the salt of the earth"
"Ye are living epistles known and read of all men."

And you're seen of all men. Your example and the fidelity of it, the unselfishness of it, the high principal of it, counts more than mere talk.

The voice of the brother's, sister's blood criest because of bad example. Fellow Christians going down the toboggan slide because of inactivity. Inactive Christians lose fellowship with God They lose contact with the church, lose joy of service. Inactive Christians are our responsibility.