Cain and Abel

July 13^th, 2014        “Cain and Abel”     Rev. Heather Jepsen

Sermon Series: Genesis: A Summer Sojourn

Genesis 4:1-26

          Today we continue our summer sermon series Genesis: A Summer Sojourn, which is made up of sermons that you and I create together here in worship.  This morning’s reading about Cain and Abel is a familiar story for many of us.  It is a scripture passage that I have not preached on before, because it never appears in the lectionary cycle of readings that I usually follow for my sermons.  I have a feeling that the early church fathers felt that murder was not an appropriate topic for Sunday morning conversations and so they purposely left this story out.

          Our story begins with the first birth.  Eve gives birth to her first born, Cain, and declares “I have produced a man with the help of the Lord” (produced being a word play on the name Cain).  Eve clearly acknowledges the blessing of the Lord, which played a major role in her ability to conceive and carry the child.  After Cain a second son, Abel is born.

          Cain works the earth like his father Adam, Abel is a tender of sheep.  Together they each bring an offering to the Lord and for some reason God chooses to accept Abel’s offering and not Cain’s.  Throughout history many reasons have been given for why this might be the case, but the text itself does not make it clear.  In fact, the text seems to emphasizes that there is no good reason for God’s behavior.

          We all know how the story goes.  Cain is upset with God, kills Abel, and then tries to hide from his problems; “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  God pronounces punishment, and Cain asks for mercy.  In a reflection of the God who sews garments for Adam and Eve, God relents and lessens the punishment for Cain.  While this is the first clear mention of sin in the Bible, the story of God’s grace continues.

          The story of Cain and Abel is a strange and troubling narrative.  We have discussed the influence of various writers in the book of Genesis, and the narrative here is a continuation of the “Yahwistic” or “J” tradition that we read from last week.  You can see the connection here as the story continues to hinge on relationships.  More specifically, the broken relationships that began in Eden, are now continuing and multiplying through the history of early peoples.

          At this early setting in the Biblical history we can see that life with each other and life with God will not be easy.  As the great theologian Walter Brueggemann puts it, “Life is not a garden party, but a harsh fellowship among watchful siblings, made harsher by the heavy ways of God.”

          So what do you think?

What do you see in this story?

What questions does this text raise for you?

What does the text say to you about the nature of God?

What does it say about the nature of humanity?

What is the sermon for us today?

(Clink the Link to our website to hear the conversation!)