“WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH AN EXTRA HOUR?” (Gen. 4:1-10)
Message delivered on Nov. 5, 2017 at 10:30 AM
First Baptist Church, Earlville, NY
J B Stopford, Pastor
TODAY’S SPECIAL: “An Accident Funny”
A lady had just totaled her car in a horrific accident. Miraculously, she managed to pry herself from the wreckage without a scratch and was applying fresh lipstick when the state trooper arrived.
“My goodness!” the trooper gasped. “Your car looks like an accordion that was stomped on by an elephant. Are you okay, ma’am?”
“Why, yes, officer, I’m just fine,” the lady chirped.
“Well, how in the world did this happen?” the officer asked, as he surveyed the wrecked car.
“Officer, it was the strangest thing!” the lady began. “I was driving along this road when I started to doze off. When I woke up this tree from out of nowhere pops up in front of me. So I swerved to the right, and there was another tree! I swerved to the left and there was ANOTHER tree! I swerved to the right and there was another tree! I swerved to the left and there was….”
“Uh, ma’am,” the officer said, cutting her off, “There isn’t a tree on this road for 30 miles. That was your air freshener swinging back and forth on your rear view mirror.”
INTRODUCTION
I trust you all successfully remembered to change your clocks by one hour. If not, either you would have been way early for church – and on time for Sunday school, or you would have been way late for the morning service. So I’m glad you’re here!
I, too, helped in the changing of the many church clocks. I changed one clock, the one in my office. I knew the weekend was going to be busy, so I busied myself Friday to get the bulletin done and get a good head start on the services for Sunday. While taking a break, I looked up at the clock. Instantly I knew – I knew! – that those who usually change the clocks always mention about how they are really hesitant – I presume with “tongue in cheek” – to change the clock in my office. Something about a Miami Dolphin on the front of the clock. So early Friday afternoon, I changed the clock time.
About 6:10 pm, I was thankful that all my tasks were done, and that the cats would be glad that I would be well on time for their 7 pm feeding. When I remembered – I already changed the clock and it really was 7:10 pm. And THAT’S how I spent my extra hour.
Today’s passage talks about the use of time. In fact, it is the first mention of “time” in the NIV. Let’s pray that God will show us what He wants us to know about this first time. PRAYER
A. ONCE UPON A TIME (Gen. 4:1-10)
These verses tell the beginning of the first generation of children. Their names are “Cain” and “Abel”. We know them well. We know their “rest of the story” even without looking it up in the Bible. Cain will slew Abel, and the rest is history.
But let’s look at several interesting details about this account:
1. Vs. 1-2 are a fulfillment of 1:27-28, where God’s intent for man was to “be fruitful and increase” (multiply!). `
2. V. 2b. The boys’ occupations are described. The intent here is to show that they are being obedient to God’s command to “be fruitful”. No where does it condemn or praise one job over another. It was ok to be a keeper of flocks; it was equally ok to work the soil. These were honorable jobs. Point: all of us should be able to look back at the jobs we’ve had in life and say, “these were honorable jobs. I have given this job/these jobs my best.” God commends the hard worker; he condemns the lazy.
ILLUSTRATION
Look at Prov. 24:30ff. Be sure to examine the phrase “a little” which describes the lazy person who does everything half-hearted – yet is condemned for such work.
3. The time! Verse 3 introduces us to a random moment in time. Yet that random moment would become a life changer for each of these boys. This random moment no doubt was affected by their interaction with Adam and his lessons learned in the garden. Look up at 3:21 – the Lord replaced their fig leaves with garments caused by the shedding of blood. This was a life changing lesson, pointing to the cross.
4. The offerings (vs. 4-7) – the offering created by blood shed was what was honored by God. These offerings were NOT entries at a county fair. They were displays of the heart’s devotion for God, and Cain failed to show a godly heart. Heb. 9:22: “without the shedding of blood there is no remission (forgiveness of sins). Is your sin offering shed blood – the shed blood of the Lamb of God on Calvary?
5. A famous line (v. 9) which is often used today “am I my brother’s keeper?” – and the answer to the question is, “YES!”. Isn’t it interesting that the world has no use for the Bible, yet it would be astounded to know that it uses God’s word all the time!
6. A sobering statement (v. 10) Can it be that the Lord sees every drop of blood which man sheds in vain? Can it be that He has seen every one? This is pre-CSI [crime scene investigation], but the blood of Abel pointed directly to Cain’s vindictive act. God has tremendous value on every life.
Thus, “once upon a time”, seemingly in the course of random moments of eternity, two brothers were created to do the jobs that they were designed to do. Yet when it came to spiritual things, only one followed the God-given lessons passed down to him. How about you: what lessons are you passing down to your children and grandchildren? What lessons are you learning?
#2 ONCE UPON AN HOUR (Gospel of John)
In a few moments we will celebrate our monthly communion. And today’s message also points to another use of time in Scriptures. Howbeit these mentions of time are not random. They didn’t occur at seemingly unrelated moments in history. They were purposeful. They had direction. And the end result changed eternity forever.
Listen to these choice verses from the Gospel of John:
John 2:4: ““Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.””
John 7:30: At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
John 8:20: He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
And note His sudden change in focus, as if following a pre-determined purpose in mission:
John 12:23,27: Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
John 13:1: It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
And finally, in His prayer just before the cross:
John 17:1: After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.”
Unlike the references to time in Genesis, Jesus’ knew His time. He knew His purpose. He knew His ultimate destiny was to glorify His Father through the giving of His life on Calvary as an offering for sin – like Abel’s, the ultimate sacrifice that was eternally pleasing to His Father.
Jesus moment in time was most purposeful. It was for you and for me. Aren’t you glad He invites all to trust Him and His sacrifice for our sins?
CONCLUSION
In preparing for this message, I found a most interesting passage in John 4. You remember the account. Jesus was interacting with the woman at the well. In the process, she was coming to some most fascinating conclusions about The One who was asking her to draw up some water. And in that interaction, the Savior makes this startling statement on true worship: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
Notice He didn’t mention church nor religion. He mentioned true worship which is based upon an operation of the Holy Spirit coupled with a yielding to the truth, the written word of God.
What will you do with an extra hour? Jesus invites us to take the time to acknowledge Him and His Lordship in your life!
Close in prayer