Welcome back for the second "story" aka account we are covering in this series! Cain and Abel is such a wide known story and so many have a vast view on how it relates law and Gospel. My prayer is that as you listen to this message you find yourself being challenged to seek the balance that God Himself wants us to have as we approach His word and truth especially on the Law and Gospel!
Reach out at: mitchel_vandenbroeck@indianrocks.org
Key Doctrines:
Doctrine of God’s Sovereignty – This is the doctrine and reality that God being creator and ruler of all things is fully in control of all the inner and outer workings of His creation! The hard balance comes to us when we try to fully comprehend or take control of this reality, we will fail horribly. We are His creation and we call Him Father, that means as earthly parents are way wiser and smarter than us children, we heed their instruction and involvement since they are greater than we are in sense of life and lesson. God’s sovereignty means that what He wills and wants will ultimately take place and come to pass around us, in us, and through us!
- The premise of God’s sovereignty is directly related to the doctrine of God’s Providence.
Doctrine of God’s Providence – “Clear thinking about God’s involvement in the world process and in the acts of rational creatures requires complimentary sets of statements, thus: a person takes action, or an event is triggered by natural causes, or Satan shows his hand – Yet, God overrules!” (Book of Esther) – J.I. Packer
Points:
1. The heart behind your actions will always speak louder than your actions.
2. The sinner saved by grace will have impact and peace even in death, but the sinner dead in sin will have no peace even in life!
3. Rest in God’s sovereignty and providential hands! When we simply are faith to God and His word, the rest will fall in place!
Questions:
1. Which is better: A lot of works with a self-centered heart, or fewer works but with a heart giving God full glory for them?
2. Seeing how gracious God is when Cain ran, how does this impact how we treat those who reject us or treat us bad?
3. Does God being sovereign bring us rest or restlessness in life?
