October 23, 2022                                        Text:  Genesis 4:1-15

Dear Friends in Christ,

    “Raising Cain.”  Do you know where this statement and its variations come from?  Well, you are fortunate to be here this morning, because you are about to get the answer.  In the May 2, 1840 edition of the St. Louis Daily Pennant they had this quote, “Why have we every reason to believe that Adam and Eve were both rowdies?  Because…they both raised Cain.”  In modern day lingo we may say, “He said he would raise Cain if they didn’t give him a refund.”

    We still have a saying that ties us to the beginning of the world.  “Raising Cain” can be defined as causing trouble or behaving disruptively.  Cain does that in our text, doesn’t he?  What led to his action?  What motivated his behavior?  

“WHAT DOES GOD CONSIDER AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE?”

    Both these sons of Adam and Eve were workers.  Cain tended the soil given to Adam and Abel tended their flocks.  At the end of the growing season, they were bringing an offering to the Lord.  But what makes the difference here and then leads to murder?

    Cain’s heart was not right with God. His offering was given without a love for the Lord God.  Abel’s heart was right with God.  He wanted the Lord to have the firstfruits.  What kind of heart is not right with God, making a sacrifice unacceptable?  Someone just going through the motions because it is expected.  Cain simply brought some of his fruit.  The text does not say he brought the best or did it gladly.  Abel gave the firstborn of his flock and the fat portions.  He gave the Lord his best.

    Because of this the Lord “had no regard” for Cain’s offering and Cain became angry and “his face fell.”  We could say Cain’s heart wasn’t in it.  But then he is not bothered by the fact his sacrifice was unacceptable to God.  Rather, Cain was concerned that he was “shown up” by his brother.  Cain’s pride took a hit, he hated Abel so much he killed him.  It was all about Cain, not about God.

    Today we are all about the show.  “Don’t show me up.”  We can’t have our pride dented.  This week in the baseball playoffs a home run was hit, nothing unusual about that.  But as the baserunner rounded the bases, he rocked his arms back and forth to tell the pitcher “he was his baby.”  The video was everywhere.  Do you know what is going to transpire next?  This guy is going to get plunked, which means a pitcher on the opposing team is going to hit him with a baseball.  In the unwritten rules (does anyone know what that means?) you don’t “show up” another player.  Anger ensues.  Somebody is going to “raise Cain.”  

    Do you and I ever “raise Cain” because someone showed us up?  I have numerous times playing sports.  My anger came out.  What about you?  Maybe not in sports, but in a sibling rivalry?  Maybe a friend did something that you took the wrong way and the “I am going to get them” came out.  Do we ever take a joke from a family member the wrong way?  

    God warned Cain and gave him a chance to repent but it never happened.  Even after the murder Cain was only about his own safety.  We pray to the Lord to keep us from having such a heart.

    So, what kind of heart is right with God, making a sacrifice acceptable?  The heart of faith.  We are enemies of God who are headed to hell.  We are unable to earn salvation.  Faith is created and preserved by God, in His grace, mercy, and love.  This heart believes in the triune God, and in Jesus Christ as Savior.  This heart confesses wrongdoing and receives from Christ forgiveness and everlasting life.  The believer is covered with the righteousness Christ acquired for all people by His holy life and His innocent suffering and death.  Because of Jesus, the sacrifices of believers are acceptable to God.

    Abel had, and we have, this kind of heart.  Abel believed the Gospel promise of Genesis 3:15.  His parents, Adam and Eve, believed this Gospel, looking forward to the future Savior.  Hebrews 11:4 says, “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.  And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

    Abel does still speak to us.  Our heart of faith leads us to bring our best to the Lord.  Everything we have is from His hand, His blessing.  We bring our best sacrifices to the Lord willingly, with sincerity, because we love the Lord and because we are grateful for the salvation He freely grants to us.

    What are the sacrifices we bring to the Lord today?  Our monetary offerings.  Our sacrifice of praise.  Our lives are given to the Lord as a sacrifice.  We dedicate ourselves to God and to serving Him.  Empowered by His Word and Sacrament, we live according to His will, doing good, and showing love to others.

    “Raising Cain” can lead to unacceptable sacrifice.  But the Lord, through Abel, has shown again today what He expects from us.  Thank God that because of His saving work in our lives, we offer sacrifices that are acceptable to Him.  By His grace and power – let us continue!

                                                Amen.         

October 16, 2022                                Text:  Luke 18:1-8

Dear Friends in Christ,

    Phillips Brooks was an American clergyman of the Episcopal church who died in 1893.  You know him as the man who wrote the words to “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  The story goes that at times he suffered moments of great frustration and irritability.  One day, a friend saw him pacing the floor.  He asked, “What’s the trouble, Dr. Brooks?”  And Brooks replied, “The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God is not.”

    Hit home for some of us?  Remember this, (God says) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” (Is. 55:8). There are many things that test our faith and the “things” have intensified.  So the question is . . .

“WHEN JESUS COMES BACK WILL HE FIND FAITH ON EARTH?”

    If God is real and full of love than why doesn’t He stop all the wars and hatred and molestations and shootings and starvation and…you name it.  Have you ever slandered someone?  Why didn’t God stop that?  Have you ripped someone’s heart with your words?  Why didn’t God stop that?  Ever told a lie or used God’s name in vain or lusted or flirted with someone other than your spouse?  Why didn’t God stop that?  Ever wished someone were dead?  Why didn’t God stop that?  Ever got caught up the peripherals of church instead of focusing on whether God’s Word is being preached here?  Why didn’t God stop that?

    Here is a better question.  Why doesn’t the human race stop doing all the terrible things they shouldn’t be doing but they do them anyway?  Why do the atheists and cynics ask all the pathetic questions that make no sense?

    Our text ends, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”  The implication is that there is something wrong with all of us.  Something that drives us into all sorts of horrible thinking and verbalizing and deeds.  Something…called sin.  Why doesn’t man stop it?

    You have heard the parable, so what does it all mean.  First, the parable is not a comparison between the unjust judge and God.  The parable is a contrast between the two.  When the widow keeps persisting what is the motive of the judge?  “Because the widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.” (v. 5).  God is not an unrighteous judge.  But even if an unrighteous man will give justice to the persistent, how much more will our righteous God do so?

    God has a deep and abiding love for His people.  It is expressed in these words of Jesus:  “I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (Jn. 10:14-15). Time and again, the Gospel impresses upon us that Christ died for sinners.

    Ok, I know what some of you are thinking.  It is in the text, “Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?  Will he delay long over them?  I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.” (vs. 7-8a)  How many of us are like Phillips Brooks?  We are in a hurry for a resolution, but God doesn’t seem to be?  “Why doesn’t God do…?”  And you fill in the blanks.  

    When Jesus said these words in Luke 18, what was near?  The most decisive act of God in vindicating His elect, namely the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Why doesn’t God stop our bad acts?  Because He can’t.  We are men and women who have free will.  But He will do something so we don’t carry around the guilty baggage.  He sent his Son, our Lord, to be the atoning sacrifice for our bad choices.  He forgives our slander, and bad words, and lust, and hatred and when we lose focus on the Gospel.  He sees them all and He forgives them all.  In our daily prayers, don’t many of us ask for that forgiveness?  The need never goes away.  The Good News is that God’s gift of salvation through Jesus never goes away.  The last verse of our text says, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”  This is a rhetorical question, urging faithfulness.  This is the key ingredient in our prayers – faithfulness.

    Now let’s get to question:  why doesn’t God act quicker?  Scripture answers that.  “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9)  Are you and I thankful that the Lord did not return the day before we were brought to faith?  Right?  It might seem a crazy question since we were brought to faith, but think about it.  Not wishing that any would perish.

    Matthew tells us, “lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Mt. 24:12)  The admonition is clear, “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mt. 24:13)

We as God’s people will not escape bearing the cross or suffering for Christ.  The focal point is not this world.  It is this, “your redemption is drawing near.”  “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

    God help us to answer in the affirmative.  “Always pray and never lose heart.”  The persistent widow is our example.  God’s answer is our strength:  “And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?”

                        Amen.