I. Introduction (Genesis 4:16)
“And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” - Genesis 4:16
A. What I’m about to teach is so important to understand how we got where we are today
- Genesis is a record of not only what happened at the Creation of this universe
- But it shows us the God-given pattern for how to live
- Unfortunately, it shows us how we as a human race have “gone astray” and done what is right in our own eyes, and every generation is paying for it!
B. God set the “pattern” for us to follow in the Garden of Eden – showed us how to live
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We humans should WORK for a living (Genesis 2:15)
- Adam wasn’t just “lounging around” and eating ice cream all day
- Even though in the perfect Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve work to do!
- If a Christian man doesn’t work, he is worse than an unbeliever
- The Bible says every able man should take care of his family
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We should work for six days and then make sure we learn to REST for an entire day
- That is why God established the Sabbath rest (Genesis 2:2,3; Exodus 20:9-11)
- Every culture knows this – no one can work 7 days a week without collapsing, physically, emotionally, and especially spiritually!
- God rested as an example for us to follow – a pattern to follow
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We should walk with GOD and enjoy God and love God every day, because he loves us
- The Garden of Eden was heaven-on-earth for ONE reason only – because God was there WITH Adam and Eve
- They got to fellowship and walk with and enjoy the presence of God every moment of every day!
- The Garden of Eden was our example of what we were created for!
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We should look forward to marriage (Genesis 2:21-25)
- THAT is the pattern for 99% of people
- We should understand that we are not what we should be alone, and that we were designed to need a wife, a husband, a family
- The pattern is one woman and one man for life. That’s God’s pattern
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We need a proper substitute for our sin (Genesis 3:21)
- Every culture tries to worship God, but they are like Cain – they do it their own way
- In the garden because of sin, Adam and Eve learned that the pattern to follow was that you must have a substitute for your sin before you try to worship God, and that is by the blood of a lamb
“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” - Genesis 3:21
- When Cain brings his best fruits and vegetables, that was a good thing, but he had ignored the stench of his own sins that needed to be atoned for
- He needed a lamb to die in his place so he could approach an all holy God
“And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” - Hebrews 12:24
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The pattern was to now wear clothes (Genesis 3:21)
- Coats meaning coverings, not loin cloths, or bikini’s but covering from the neck to the knee
- God’s pattern shows us that public nakedness is a shame
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And that we must trust and obey God (Genesis 2:17)
- That God means what He says
- And that no matter what anybody else does, you have to do right
- Adam and Eve broke the pattern. They believed a lie. They followed their own eyes and heart and understanding
- And they lost paradise
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That the devil is a LIAR – he will appear to be so right, but still be so wrong!
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Even when you lose and when you fail, you MUST go on, press on
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Those are just SOME of the right patterns to follow, found in just the first 3 chapters!
II. Review
A. Cain Rejected God’s Pattern First (Genesis 4:1-5)
“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” - Genesis 4:1-5
- Worshipped God his own way
- God had presented the pattern to Adam and Eve to follow, and Cain ignored it
III. Conclusion
A. God’s patterns are not suggestions – they are the design for life
B. When we ignore God’s patterns, we suffer the consequences
C. Cain’s line shows us what happens when people reject God’s ways
D. The choice is ours: follow God’s pattern or go our own way
E. Will you return to God’s design for your life today?
For more information, contact Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig at www.biblebc.com