Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee would
like to invite you to listen to a message of Sovereign Grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. Our message this morning is going
to come from Genesis chapter 4. Genesis chapter 4. In the book of Genesis, It says
that our God made Adam, and then he made Eve, and they both sinned
against him. Both of them. They laid hold on the law. Our God put a law on the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. He said, don't touch it. And they laid hold on the law. They laid hold of their own works. That's what they did. When they
ate of that tree, they laid hold of their own works. And at that moment, they both
fell under the curse of sin. And in Genesis 3, verse 17, it
says, He said, God said, because thou
hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of
the tree of which I commanded thee, saying thou shalt not eat
of it, cursed is the ground for thy sake. In sorrow shalt thou
eat of it all the days of thy life. That's what he said to
Adam. And he said to Eve in verse 16,
unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and
thy conception. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth
children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall
rule over thee. But in verse 15, he promised
her a seed, a seed of redemption. He told Satan in verse 15, I
will put enmity between thee and the woman. And between thy
seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise
his heel. God said a man is coming. A man is coming of the seed of
woman. Unto us a child is born, a son
is given, and he is going to restore everything that Adam
lost. Everything that Adam lost. So Genesis chapter 4 verse 1,
it says, And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived, and
bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. She probably
thought this is the promised seed. This child is the way of
redemption. I'm sure that's what she thought. Most people believe that their
own works will produce the way of redemption. Most people believe
that. They believe their own works
will produce the way of redemption, but they won't. They will not. Verse 2 in Genesis 4 says, And
she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep,
but Cain was a teller of the ground. You know, you think about this
world before Adam and Eve sinned. Those sheep, they never had to
be kept before. Not before Adam and Eve sinned.
They were fine before. The lion ate with the lamb before. But sin ruined everything. It ruined everything. It became
a vicious, bloodthirsty world. Verse 3 says, and in process
of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of
the ground an offering unto the Lord. Is that not what our Lord
said to do in His law? He said, you bring me a tenth
of all that you have. Didn't He say that? The seed
of the lamb, He said that in Leviticus 27. The seed of the
land, the fruit of the tree, it's the Lord's. Verse 3 right here says, 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. God was not pleased with Cain's
work. The word respect means to consider. It means to be compassionate
towards. God didn't even consider it.
He had no compassion toward it. Well, then are we not supposed
to give the fruit of our labor unto the Lord? Yes, we are. We must give our first fruits
unto him, but not at the altar of sacrifice as a payment for
our sin. Never at the altar of sacrifice
as a payment for sin. Only a lamb can do that. Only a lamb. can make an offering for sin,
only a lamb. Men and women are in churches
everywhere plowing their ground and planting their seed and watering
their seed and growing their fruit so that when it's all done
they can gather up the fruit of their labor and present it
to God for acceptance with Him. They think they're going to gather
all the harvest, all the fruits of all their work and all of
their life and they're going to bring that before God and
He's going to be pleased. And they're going to be accepted
with Him. And the truth of the matter is
they're going to be shocked when they get the same response Cain
got. A lamb can give a man or a woman
acceptance with God. Only a lamb can do that. And
God tells us that at the very beginning of His book. The very
beginning of His book. Only a lamb can do that. But
men and women everywhere are still trying to do this and not
do that. to find favor with God when he
has plainly said, only the Lamb can do that. Cain was trying
as hard as he could. He really was. He was trying
as hard as he could to obey God's law. And so are men and women
in the churches today. They really are. They are trying
as hard as they can to obey God's law. But I want to show you something. If you've never seen this, this
will be shocking. Turn with me over to Galatians
chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3 and look
at verse 10. It says, for as many as are of
the works of the law. As many as are of the works of
the law, trying to obey the law in order to please God, in order
for God to be satisfied with them. As many as are of the works
of the law are under the curse. For it is written, Cursed is
every one that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them." If a man is going to obey the
law in order to please God, then he must obey all of the law. If the law is broken in one small
point, then all of the law is broken. And once a man breaks
the law, he has sinned against God and he must be punished for
his sin. If a man is ever told a lie,
you could never stack up enough good deeds to cancel that out,
never. But how many greater sins than
that do we commit every day? even down to the pride over thinking
we're not sinning. That's the number one thing our
God hates, is pride, and men are punished for it every day. Verse 11 right here in Galatians
3 says, but that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God,
it's evident. No man is justified by the law
in the sight of God, that's evident. For the just shall live by faith. That phrase is in this word over
and over. The just shall live by faith. By faith. Faith in what? A lamb. A lamb. Verse 12 right here says, and
the law is not of faith. But the man that doeth them shall
live in them." What he's saying is, you make that bed, you're
going to have to lay in it. But verse 13 says, Christ, our
Lamb. We're not just talking about
any lamb. It's not possible that the blood of bulls and goats
should take away sins. Our lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law. Redeemed means pay the price.
Christ hath paid the price. Redeemed us from the curse of
the law. How? How did he redeem us? He did it on that altar. He suffered
God's fire on that altar. Verse 13 says, being made a curse
for us. For it is written, cursed is
everyone that hangeth on a tree. He was made a curse for us. And
he paid that price for us. And that's what Abel brought
before God, a representative of Christ the Lamb slain. But Cain brought his own works. One was accepted and one was
not. I pray God would teach me that and teach us that, teach
you that. Only a lamb can make a man accepted
in the beloved, acceptable to God. Back over in Genesis chapter
4, verse 1 says, Adam knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived and
bare Cain. The name Cain means gotten. It
means acquired. That's man's works. People say
things like, I got saved. You hear a lot of people make
that statement. I got saved. Not me. Not me. I didn't do anything in salvation. There's a song that says, not
have I gotten, it's what I received. God sent Adam and Eve out of
the garden and the very first thing they produced was works.
Eve said, I have gotten. Adam knew Eve, his wife, and
she conceived and bare Cain and said, I have gotten a man from
the Lord." That's religion. That is arrogant religion. Religion
does not give Jesus Christ the glory in salvation. It just doesn't give all the
glory to Christ in salvation. Verse 2 says, after that, she
bare Abel. And the name able means emptiness. It means vanity. It means unsatisfactory. It means
led astray. All they could do was produce
works and those works were worthless. Before their sin, everything
was fruitful. Everything they touched. Everything
they did, it was fruitful. But now because of sin, everything
was empty. Just vanity. You know, I have always, my mind
has always glorified Abel in a way. As though he did some
good thing. You know, everything Cain did
was wrong, but Abel had it right. Well, the truth of the matter
is, according to the Word of God, Abel was nothing but emptiness,
unsatisfactory, unworthy. Do you know what that worthless
sinner's only hope was? The answer is the same thing
this worthless sinner's only hope is, that lamb. That lamb. Verse 3 says, 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. The Lord considered. The Lord
was compassionate towards Abel and his offering. His offering. What can wash away my sins? Nothing
but the blood of that Lamb. Only the Lamb can do that. What makes us accepted in the
Beloved? Only the Lamb can do that. Only the Lamb. Turn with me to
John chapter 1. John chapter 1 verse 29 says,
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. If
salvation is what you need, then stop looking to your own works
and look to the Lamb of God. For He alone is able to save
you. Look to the Lamb of God. That's
the gospel message that saves. That's the message. But very
sadly, that is the gospel message that men and women do not want
to hear. Their flesh hates it. Look over
at Luke chapter 4. Our Lord Himself stood up and
told the people in Luke 4, verse 18, He said, The Spirit of the
Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel
to the poor. He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight
to the blind. to set at liberty them that are
bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Everything
that our God said right there was good news. It was a gospel
message of good news. He said, I've been anointed to
preach the gospel to the poor. But do you know the part of that
they didn't like? They didn't want to be called poor, poor
in spirit. He told them, I've been sent
to heal the brokenhearted. But do you know the part of that
they didn't like? They didn't want to be called brokenhearted.
He said, I've been sent to preach deliverance to the captives.
But you know the part they hated? They did not want to be called
captives. Do not call me a captive. I'm no man's captive. No man
rules over me. He told them, I've been sent
to bring a recovering of sight to the blind. Oh, they said,
don't you call me blind. He said, I'm here to set at liberty
them that are bruised. They said, we don't want to hear
it. We don't want to hear it. In verse 28, All they in the
synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath."
All that good news, he told them. And when they heard it, they
were filled with wrath. "...and rose up and thrust him
out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill, whereon
their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong."
Why? Why? It's because this sinful flesh
wants all the glory. That's why. My sinful flesh, the pride of
this flesh, my flesh says, I will not have that man reign over
me. I'm so glad that my God conquered
my flesh. I am so glad He has conquered
me. Back over in Genesis chapter
4, verse 4 says, 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. He got angry. He got angry. The Scripture says, Who art thou
that replyest against God? That's the problem for the world
today. They're angry at God. Angry at
His Word. I do not want to hear that. I
don't like that. Verse 6, the Lord said unto Cain,
Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou
doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Well means right. If you do right, will you not
be accepted? What is right? The answer is,
plead Christ alone. and don't lift one finger for
redemption. Verse 7 says, If thou doest well,
shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin
lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire,
and thou shalt rule over him. He's saying sin is going to desire
you, that it may sift you as wheat, and you will want it. and you will lay hold on it,
and you will use it against your brother. Verse 8, And Cain talked
with Abel his brother, and it came to pass, when they were
in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother,
and slew him." Killed him. Killed his own brother because
he was angry with God. He hated God. Verse 9, and the
Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said,
I know not, am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast
thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood
crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from
the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's
blood from thy hand. When thou tellest the ground,
it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive
and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. A fugitive and
a vagabond. And Cain said unto the Lord,
my punishment is greater than I can bear. My punishment is
greater than I can bear. That is not repentance. That
is not sorrow for sin. He didn't say my sin is greater
than I can bear. You know what he said? He said
my punishment. That's sorrow that he got caught. That's what that is. Cain said
unto the Lord, my punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold,
thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth,
and from thy face shall I be hid. And I shall be a fugitive
and a vagabond in the earth. And it shall come to pass that
every one that findeth me shall slay me.' And the Lord said unto
him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken
on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon
Cain, lest any finding him should kill him." The Lord said, Vengeance
is mine. I will not have any more murder.
Vengeance is mine." Verse 16, And Cain went out from the presence
of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she
conceived and bare Enoch. And he built a city, and called
the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch. And unto
Enoch was born Irad, and Irad begat Mehujael, and Mehujael
begat Methusael, and Methusael begat Lamech. And Lamech took
unto him two wives." Two wives. This lineage is showing us that
every man born in Adam has been infected with sin. Every man
in Adam is a vile, rebellious sinner against God. But look
down at verse 25. If you're reading along with
me, look at verse 25. It says, And Adam knew his wife
again, and she bare a son, and called his name Seth. Seth. Ephesians 2 says, But God,
who is rich in mercy, all of that sin, all of the wickedness,
It says, but God. And that's what this verse right
here is saying. Seth means appointed. Man was ruined, but God. But God sent the appointed one. Verse 25, Adam knew his wife
again and she bare a son and called his name Seth for God,
said she. Now the first time when she had
Cain, she said, I have gotten. I have gotten, but God. This time she said, for God hath
appointed me. Grace came. God sent grace. Where sin did abound, grace did
much more abound. And this time she said, for God
hath appointed me another seed. That seed is Christ, the woman's
seed, Abraham's seed, the seed of David. Verse 25 says, Adam
knew his wife again, and she bare a son and called his name
Seth. For God, said she, hath appointed
me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth,
to him also there was born a son, and he called his name Enos."
His name means mortal man. The appointed one became a mortal
man. Verse 26 says, "...then began
men to call upon the name of the Lord." This whole world was
absolutely ruined by the fall, but God, but God. Then began man to call upon the
name of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners,
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Salvation is not
by works. Not one work can get a sinner
into glory. Only the Lamb can do that. Until next Sunday morning, may
the Lord bless His Word. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, you can write
to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin Street, Kingsport,
Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website at kingsportsovereigngracechurch.com. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m. and 6 o'clock p.m.,
Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next Sunday morning
at 8.30 for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.