Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Returning this week from the Reformation to Genesis, we move into chapter 4. Read all of chapters 2 and 3 to set the context for entering Genesis 4.  
• What does it mean for Adam to know his wife in verse 1 based on the results of knowing?  Why does Eve claim she has a man with the help of the Lord?  What did Pastor Bret mention before about the understanding based on chapter 3?
• What do the jobs of Cain and Abel matter in this chapter?  What offerings were brought in verses 3-4?  What was the result of Abel’s offering? The result of Cain’s offering?  What does the Lord confront Cain on?  Why does God say sin is crouching at the door for Cain? How does Cain respond to the Lord’s confrontation?  
• In verse 11, Cain is cursed on top of the curse already handed to Adam and Eve. What is this extra curse?  How does Cain respond?  How is that response compared to Adam and Eve’s response?
• God’s graciousness is revealed even in this wickedness.  Look for the specific verses and record the acts of grace that God extends to a rebellious murdering brother and son.  
• From verse 17 through 24 God records Cain’s descendants.   What does this reveal about Cain’s descendants?   For what purpose is this recorded?
• The chapter ends by returning to Adam and Eve having additional children, like bookends to the chapter.  How does verse 26 end?  Why is that?  What do the bookends of Adam and Eve indicate about the information regarding Cain and Abel?

Prayerfully Meditate

• What do the actions of Cain and Abel reveal about siblings in families all living in faith based on their parents' faith and faithfulness? 
• Why were Cain and his offering given no regard but Able and his offering were regarded by the Lord?  What would God regard or not regard in what you bring as an offering?  Why?  
• In what ways do you worship by action but your heart is far from worship?
• How does Cain’s response to his brother compare to responses from our hearts regarding other individuals?  Have you reacted in similar ways that may not have led to killing but hatred and breaking of relationships?  
• Cain’s reaction to God in his punishment also reveals that Cain did not think he deserved what he was given and it was more than he could bear.  How often do we have the same reaction to the trials that God brings and even more to the repercussions of our sin?  
• How does sin perpetuate itself generation to generation?  Does that have any impact on our families and church body today?