Crying out from the Ground (Audio)

Crying Out from the Ground (Genesis 4:10-12) Yearly Theme: “Love Is…” Series Title:  Don’t Be Jealous June 23rd, 2019   Something to think about:   Before we get into today’s message, I want to bring some clarity and distinction to what may seem like a contradiction:  God’s jealousy of us.   The difference between human jealousy and divine jealousy is insecurity.  Human jealousy is rooted in insecurity.  God’s jealousy is rooted in His love for humanity.  Human jealousy drives a person inward, whereas divine jealousy drives God outward.  With this in mind, the inward spiral of jealousy, anger and dejection that Cain experienced led him to do the most horrible thing imaginable: murder.  But murder has consequences.  What are those consequences?  Let’s take a look:   Genesis 4:10-12 (NLT)   10  But the LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11  Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12  No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”   As we focus on verses 10-12 today, what’s the takeaway?   Key Point: “Jealousy’s punishment is the bitter curse of isolation.”   Jealousy isolates and separates.  Rooted in sin, jealousy takes us away from our created purpose and places us in the territory of the Enemy in order to do his bidding.  Isolation is the consequence and the punishment for allowing jealousy (and sin of any kind) to control your life.  Let’s take a look at Cain’s punishment…   Cursed and banished from the ground.   Genesis  4:11-12a (NLT), 11  Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12a  No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work!   Jealousy takes, but love gives.  Jealousy destroys, but love builds up.  Jealousy isolates and banishes, but love secures and receives.  Like Cain, we all have a choice:  We can control and subdue sin that crouches at our door, or we can open the door do it and allow it to control us and isolate us from God and others.   Homeless wanderer.   Genesis 4:12b (NLT), From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”   Cain was cursed to be a homeless wanderer, not because of what God had done to him, but because of what Cain had done to himself.  However, those who surrender their lives to Christ and follow after Him know the way home because He is the Way home!   Something to take home:   It’s interesting that jealousy does the exact opposite of what a person really desires.  Jealousy draws a wedge between us and the object of the one we are jealous of.  Instead of drawing us closer together, jealousy banishes us from the person or groups that we desire to be closer to.   In Cain’s case, jealousy separated him from God and the rest of his family.  Jealousy drove Cain to kill what separated him from what he desired from God.  And, instead of doing what was right and being accepted by God, Cain chose to give in to his baser instincts, and the sinful nature that he allowed to control him, and he suffered the consequence of banishment and homelessness.   Today, some of us are in the same boat that Cain was in; we’ve allowed sin to control us, we’ve allowed the bitter root of jealousy to isolate and separate us from the ones we love the most.  However, it’s not too late.  Jealousy and sin can be subdued and put back outside our lives.  Because of what Jesus did on the cross, by taking our sin upon Himself, we now have the great privilege of having the punishment of our sin absolved.  When we surrender our lives to Christ, sin and jealousy are broken in our lives and subdued by the One who gave His life for us.  It’s time.  Let Jesus have His way in your life.  Surrender to Him today.