This question that is. On the screen this morning is
certainly one that is very thought-provoking and one that
is very selfish in the context of where it is written.
This is one that we are confronted with on a daily
basis. I believe, you know, when, and
if I paraphrase this am I responsible for you?
Are you my responsibility? You know, when Kane wasn't
really concerned about the question when it was asked of
him because he didn't really know the punishment that was
really coming at him yet and the fourth chapter and verse verses
12 and 13. The Lord says, when you till the
ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you.
A fugitive and a vagabond. You shall be on the earth.
And Cain said to the Lord, my punishment is greater than I can
bear. Well, Cain killed his brother.
Cain killed, his family member. Now stop and think about this
for a moment. How how would it be for us to
even think or contemplate about killing one of our own flesh?
One of our own blood, one of our our own brothers or sisters and
that's what Kane did. and he did it because God accepted Abel's
sacrifice instead of his And the fourth chapter and verses 3
through 8 and in the process of time, it came to pass that Cain
brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord Abel
also, brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat
and the Lord respected Abel and his offering.
But he did not respect Cain and his offering and Cain was very
angry. And why has your countenance
Fallen? Excuse me.
So the Lord's, let me, let me go back here and his countenance
fell. That's what happens when I look
away sometimes. So the Lord said to Cain, why
are you angry? And why is your countenance
Fallen? If you do well, will you not be
accepted? And if you do not do well, sin
lies at the door and its desire is for you but you shall rule
but you shall rule over it. Now, 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 killed him.
What a selfish Act. What a selfish sack because
because God accepted Abel's sacrifice.
And not Cain's, Cain gets angry with that decision and kills his
own brother. Lord noticed the Cain's demeanor
and attitude had changed. He asked Gable where his brother
was in Cannes response was am I My Brother's Keeper Am I
responsible for him? Well, this is the question that
we need to ask ourselves today. Are we, our Brother's Keeper?
Do we have a responsibility, watch out and care for each
other? Along this journey of life.
And not only our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
But do we have a responsibility to all mankind to watch after
them and care for them? Well, how many of us would say?
Yeah, I have a responsibility and how money, how many others
would prompt maybe, say not my responsibility.
I've got too many other things going on in this life to have to
worry about somebody else. And their well-being, I've got
problems of my own Well, we all probably have different reasons
why we might answer the question.
However, we would answer it. The canes response to God was
one of indifference and callousness and selfishness
self-centeredness and all too common throughout what we live
in today in this society that we live in.
Am I My Brother's Keeper? People say, I've got enough
work. In this life to just take care
of myself and I've got so many problems.
I got so many things going on that.
I don't have time for everyone else.
And some think of it, as more of maybe even those of those that
may say, yeah, it's our responsibility, my
responsibility, but we look at it sometimes maybe as more of a
Duty than it is of something that we want to do and we really
care for our fellow brethren. Matthew Henry, the commentator
says, when a person is unconcerned in the Affairs of
others and takes no care when they have opportunity to prevent
hurt, especially in their souls, that person in effect, speaks
canes language, You know, something that came to my mind
when I was going through this outline and and and putting
together, this lesson is, we look at some of these, large
mega churches. If you want to say and I even
heard a comment by a woman earlier this week that they used
to go to one of these mega churches and they just really
never felt connected. They couldn't really get to know
anyone. and that's why she liked going where they were at was
because it was a smaller group and there was more intimacy
between the congregation We have to become.
Aware of each other's problems. Fears.
Troubles sins, whatever it may be to where we are.
So involved in each other's lives.
Now some of us may not like that, But where we have a pulse
on what's going on in your life to know when you need help, when
you need care, when we all need help and care for each other.
The idea of a keeper is to Garden to watch and to protect
and oversee. We don't enable people to
continue doing what's wrong, or cover the cover up, what they're
doing by lying for them and things like that.
But we want to watch out for them and care for them and
protect him and oversee, what they're doing so that we can be
there to help in times of troubles and problems in their
lives. Now, that doesn't mean we need
to be busy bodies. In other people's matters.
The Bible condemns that But if we pull back and we are so
silent with our lives when other people are trying to help us,
they can't help. But if we never asked either, we
won't be able to help. But when we read the scriptures
it's clear that the answer to that question.
Am I? My Brother's Keeper is a yes.
And it all starts that we are to love one another and we hear
this we hear it over and over and over again that we are to
love one another. Let's notice several scriptures.
Christian love whether exercise towards the Brethren or towards
Mankind. In general is not an Impulse of
our feelings but it does always run.
It doesn't always Run with our natural feelings, sometimes that
we have because sometimes it's hard to act in a way that
benefits someone else. When we have our feelings on
our, you know, right there on top and, and we react to the way
that people treat us sometimes, or we remember past things that
have happened or whatever it may be, but it's not about our
feelings. Let's make that real clear.
It's about what we need to do and we're commanded to do.
For others Vines. Expository dictionary talks
about love it, is it seeks? The welfare of all and works, no
ill to any Love seeks opportunity to do good to all
men especially toward them that are of the household of faith.
Jesus commanded this in John, 13 and verses 34 and 35 a new
commandment. I give to you that you love one.
Another as I have loved you that you also love one another by
this all by this, all will know that you are my disciples.
If you have love one for one another, in John 15, verses 12
and 17. This is my commandment that I
that you love one. Another.
As I have loved you, these things.
I command you that you love. One another Paul taught it in
Romans 13 verse 8. Oh no man.
Oh no one. Anything except to love one
another. For he who loves another has
fulfilled, the law 1st Thessalonians 4 and verse 9, but
concerning Brotherly Love have have, you know, need that?
I should write to you for you yourselves are taught by God to
love one another Peter talks about this in First Peter, 1:22
since you have purified, your souls in obeying the truth
through the spirit. Spirit in sincere, love of the
Brethren. Love one, another fervently with
a pure heart first, Peter 3 and 8.
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one
another love. As Brother's be, tender-hearted
be courteous. John talks about in First John 3
and verses 11 through 12 17 and 23 for.
This is the message that you heard from the beginning that we
should love one another not as Cain, who was the Wicked one and
murdered his brother. And why did he murder him?
Because his Works were evil. And his brothers righteous but
whosoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and
shuts up his heart from him. How does that love of God abide
in him? And this is his Commandment that
we should believe on the name of the his son?
Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us
commandment first. John four verses 7 and 11
through 12 beloved, let us love one another.
For the love of God for the Love For Love is of God.
And every Everyone who loves is born of God and knows, God
beloved, if God. So loved us, we also ought to
love one. Another no one has seen God at
any time, if we love one, another, God abides in us and
his love has been perfected in US, 2nd, John 5.
And now I plead with you lady. Not as though I wrote a new
commandment to you, but that which we have had from the
beginning that we love one another.
Pretty clear. This is not something that we
find one little bit of something somewhere tucked away in a
scripture. But it is a theme that is
throughout scripture that we are to love one another.
Well, how do we do that? How do we accomplish that?
How do we express this kind of love for each other?
How do we show our love? For one another.
Well, one of the, first things we do is we try to edify each
other. You know, if if we see someone
struggling, you know, at work or wherever it is and we know how
to get that job done. We may want me, we may go up to
them and say you know, if you just do this and be a lot
easier, if you try it this way, it would make your life a whole
lot easier to get that accomplished a lot quicker.
And we edify them, we teach them.
And that's what we do to those. That we love Romans Fort 14
verse 19. Therefore, let us pursue the
things which make for peace and the things by which one may
edify another I hope that if I need edification, you will do.
So I'm hoping that this edification that we're offering
this morning helps you, because of my love for this Congregation
of my love for you. The brother in that stand in
this Pulpit do that because of their love for the church and
their love for their Brethren and Sisters in Christ.
We also find that we are to serve one.
Another Galatians 5 and 13 for you Brethren have been called to
Liberty. Only do not use Liberty as an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another
Matthew, 25 and 31 through 46. When the son of man comes in his
glory and all the Holy Angels with him, then he will sit on
the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered
before him and he will separate them.
One from another as a Shepherd divides, his sheep from the
goats. And he will set the sheep on his
right hand, but the goats on his left, then the king will say to
those on his right hand. Come you blessed of my father,
inherit the Kingdom, prepared for you from the foundation.
Action of the world for. I was hungry and you gave me
food. I was thirsty and you gave me
drink. I was a stranger and you took me
in. I was naked and you clothed me.
I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to
me then the righteous will answer him saying.
Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give
you drink? When did we see you a stranger
and took you in or naked? And clothe you or when did we
see you sick or in prison or and come to you and the King will
answer and say to them assuredly I say to you in.
As much as you did it. To one of the least of these my
brethren, you did it to me. and then he will say to those, on
the left hand depart from me, You cursed into Everlasting fire
prepared for the devil and his angels for I was hungry and you
gave me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me.
No drink. I was a stranger and you took me
not in took Not Me In. You did not take me in, I'm
sorry. Naked.
And you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not
visit me, they will also answer him saying.
Lord. When did we see you hungry?
And thirsty, or a stranger, or naked or sick or in prison and
did not minister to you? Then he will answer them saying
assuredly, I say to you as much as you did it, you did not do
it. To one of the least of these,
you did not do it to me and these will go away into
Everlasting punishment, but the righteous into Eternal life.
It's really, really a sobering. Group of scriptures. because, We
are to serve each other. When we see problems, when we
see someone in need, when we see someone that needs help, it is
our responsibility to help them to do something for them.
To guide them to protect them to serve them.
Now this is not This lesson is not.
Meant to say that we here at plans Road don't do this because
we do. And there are several people in
this congregation that do it more and more, and more, and
more than some of us maybe have the ability to do.
But that doesn't mean that we see others taking care of the
need and therefore, we don't have to do anything and we don't
have a responsibility because we do as Brothers and Sisters in
Christ. I'm so thankful that we have
those here that take up those Bilities and see to them
sometimes before we even know what's going on, there are
people on it already. And I'm thankful for that.
But we are to serve each other. And we should never ever ever
have the attitude. Well I don't have the time I
don't have the means I don't have I don't have I don't have
income with all kinds of excuses because we have a
responsibility. We are also to Bear one
another's, burdens Galatians 6 and verses one through two
brothers. If someone is caught in a sin,
You who are spiritual, should restore him gently but watch
yourself, or you also may be tempted, carry each other's
burdens. And in this way, you will
fulfill the law of Christ. I'm thankful that that there
have been times in our life and I think you could probably say
the same thing is that that when you have had problems, there
were brothers or sisters that stepped in and filled the gap.
The Baird the burdens along with.
Those are sick, those made me having emotional problems.
Those that maybe have lost loved ones.
And others come and help bear those burdens.
Other step in. And help.
That's what we're supposed to do.
We are our Brother's Keeper. Barnes says, when we talk about
fulfilling the law of Christ love Christ requires us to love
one another. This was the distinguishing law
of the Redeemer and they could in no way better fulfill it than
by aiding each other in the Divine Life.
The law of Christ would not allow us to reproach the
offender or to taunt him or to rejoice in his fall.
We should help him to take up his load and infirmities and
sustain him by our councils and exhortations and prayers
Christians conscious of their infirmities.
Have To the sympathy and the prayers of the Brethren.
They should not be cast off to a cold and heartless world.
A world rejoicing over there fall and ready to Brand them as
Hypocrites. They should be pressed to the
warm bosom, a brotherly. Kindness and prayer should be
made to ascend without ceasing around an airing and Fallen
brother, it didn't end. Is this the case in regard to
all who bear the Christian name? there's a little story, I ran
across and I hope I can remember.
I'm the worst at telling stories because I forget half of it.
about this young boy that comes into his daddy and and And he
says, he comes in his daddy sitting there reading the paper,
and he comes up to him. And he says, daddy.
I've got a, I've got a question for you.
And the dad says, well son can't you wait till I'm through
reading the prayer. I mean reading the paper And he
says, well Daddy, it's a really important question of really got
an important question for you, and so he pulls down his paper
and he says, what is it son? He says, what is a Christian?
Well, I guess this is an important question.
I better explain it to him. He says a Christian is a person
that, that is a good person, that's a moral person that
believes in God, that believes that Jesus Christ died for our
sins, and that was buried and rose again.
So that we get to have a hope of everlasting life.
A Christian is a person that does good to other people.
Appreciate Christian is one that takes care of other people
oppression at Christian is one that That is responsible and
honest, and trustworthy and all these things.
And the boy asked the question. He said, well, Daddy have I seen
a Christian. Have we seen Christians yet?
You seeing? It's a sad statement.
On society sometimes and maybe I hope not in our lives.
That people see Christ Living in US.
And we don't blend in with the rest of the world and become
part of the world. And creep people never see
Christ in us as this little boy, never saw somebody apparently
that fit the description that his father had given well, Let's
move on. We show our love to each other
by forgiving one. Another Ephesians 4:23 be kind
and compassionate to one another forgiving each other just as in
Christ God forgave you We submit to each other, Ephesians, 5 and
21, submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of God.
Matthew Henry, commentary says that there is a mutual
submission that Christians 0 to one another condescending to
Bear one another's burdens not advancing themselves above
others, nor domineering over one another and giving laws to the
other. We must be of a yielding and of
a submissive Spirit we submit to each other.
That means sometimes we give into each other and we don't
insist upon our own ways, but we bear each other's burdens, and
we don't try to take over other people's lives and all those
kinds of things we submit to each other.
We also find that we are to exhort one another, Hebrews 3 in
verses 12 and 13, C to had brothers.
That none of you has a sinful unbelieving heart that turns
away from the Living God, but encourage one another daily as
long as It is called today, so that none of you may be hardened
by sins deceitfulness. You know, there's times.
In our lives that we need to be told you need to straighten up.
You can't be doing that. We exhort each other, we try to
correct each other. We try to help each other and
let each other know that we do care for each other.
We are to consider. One another Hebrews Tenon and 24
and let us consider how we may spur one.
Another on toward love and Good Deeds.
We are to be hospitable to one another first.
Peter foreign verses 8 through, 10 above all love each other
deeply because love covers a multitude of sins.
Offer Hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Each one should use whatever gift.
He has Andres and receive, and received to serve others
Faithfully, administering God's grace, and its various forms.
Christians ought to love one another, which implies an
affection for that person. A desire for their welfare.
And a hearty Endeavor to promote it.
And this Mutual affection that is shown between t, tween each
other, it must be sincere and must be honest and strong and
Lasting. In verse 9, the hospital
Hospitality here required is a free and kind entertainment of
strangers and travelers. The proper object of Christian
Hospitality are one another. The Nearness of the relation and
the necessity of their condition in those times of persecution
and distress obliged. Christians to be hospitable to
one another. The manner of Performing this
duty is this, it must be done in an easy, kind manner without
grudging or gambling, grumbling at the expense or trouble.
I don't know. You know, I there's there's
certain things I miss as time goes on.
There's a lot of things I miss. But one of the things I miss is
how the Brethren used to get together, more on Sundays or
just at any time. When I was young and at home, we
never went home without another family on a Sunday.
We just didn't we spent the day together?
And it's sad that I see sometimes in the church that we
want to see how quickly we can get away from each other.
And that's not right. Want to see how quick we can get
past the service, want to see how quick we can get over with
the lunch. Have we take out the singing and
get on with the service, so we can get it over with.
So we can get on to our own lives and get away from the
brother. I'm not for that.
Never have been. I'm not going to make a big deal
out of but I'm not for it. I think we need to be together.
We ought to prefer each other. And that is being hospitable to
each other, bringing them into our homes, asking them over for
dinners or for lunches or whatever it may be doing things
and activities together and doesn't have to be us all doing
everything all at once. But we can be families coming
together, whatever it may be, or those that are traveling, is
your home open to those that are traveling to those that are in
need. Maybe someone has had problems
in their home. Have you offered your home as a
place for them to spend? And time and feel comfortable
while they take care of the problems at home.
Whether it's a water leak, or a fire or whatever it may be, And
then not complain about it. That's what he says.
How are well, are we doing these things?
Let's see how we're fulfilling our obligations to one another.
so, when we evaluate, Our role as our Brother's Keeper when
someone maybe becomes a child of God or maybe comes back to, to
the the church during we do we receive them into the family God
or do we just ignore them? Romans 15 and seven.
Accept one another then just as Christ accepted you in order to
bring. Praise to God.
Are they included in the family activities of the congregation?
If you say the family life, or do they remain On The Fringe?
Because they're not in the circle of trust.
If you say, do we edify them as individuals?
Are we encouraging the members of the body?
Or we like a cancer? Weakening the members of the
body of Christ by our own example, maybe or by our words,
our attitudes, do we submit to them?
Or, or do we just want to rule over them?
Do we serve them in love or expect them to serve us?
Do we demonstrate Hospitality to them?
By visiting them in their time of need or inviting them into
our home or accepting invitations, into their home.
Maybe one of Brothers, overtaken in a fault.
Do we even offer our help? Our counsel.
Are we even aware of the problems they are experiencing
if so, why are we not aware? Is it because we aren't around
them enough to even know what's going on in their life?
We are a family. In a family, should gather a
family should be together. A family should love to be
together because we are a family.
And if I am not with you, I don't know what your needs are.
Maybe it's because we don't assemble enough with our
brethren. We may wonder about them but
that's not sufficient. And then before we know it, some
drift away and sometimes we may not even realize they have
drifted away. Do we exhort them?
So they won't be caught up in sin.
Are we afraid to confront them because we're afraid maybe that
they will run away? Are we willing to Bear their
burdens? To help them overcome and become
stronger, or would we rather maybe not get involved and not
be bothered with it? Are we quick to forgive them
when they repent? it's a story of a, Peasant who
applied to join the Communist party.
I just ran across this story. I didn't write it so And he
appears before the local party secretary to answer questions
about his worth worthiness. If you have to count, excuse me,
two cats, will you give one of them away and he says yes I
will. They asked him.
If you have two tractors, will you give one away?
Certainly he says If you have two houses will you give one
away? Absolutely.
No problems. If you have two cows.
Will you give one away? Oh no.
I couldn't do that. He says well why not?
He says, because I have two cows.
You see, we don't mind. Doing it until it impacts.
Our life are selfish lives. when it impacts us, when it comes
home, when it, when it hits us, when it becomes some work, then
we've got a problem. Just like this person.
He didn't have two cats. He didn't have two houses.
Didn't have two tractors, but he had two cows, and he wasn't
willing to do it. Excuses, have become so common
these days often when we have the opportunity to be
hospitable. We hear these excuses.
Well, I don't have the room. We're not able.
I I don't know about that. I did and I didn't know that
someone else was in need no one told me and I can't do that.
You know, there's barriers. That we put up sometimes when we
talk about this subject that we put barriers in our own lives
and in, you know, Jesus called us to do a work and called us to
do something here. That is not comfortable.
And it's, it's, it's difficult work for us to be our Brother's
Keeper. We want it to be easy.
You know, when when and Stacy had little, Zoe she keeps
telling me. She's so very thankful that
she's got a good baby. That is easy to take care of,
but shouldn't we all know that sometimes we've had really good,
easy babies, to take care of. And then we've had some that
were just a chore. We love them.
We absolutely love them, but they're a chore.
And some of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ are a chore.
It's not easy. But we have a responsibility.
We group people into certain categories and we put them into
these categories about okay, you know, if if and we kind of
create our own circles in our own people that we feel
comfortable with and we don't like stepping out of that into
other areas because we feel uncomfortable and it can be for
all kinds of reasons. But we put these barriers up
that we don't want to go outside of that barrier.
That we have created because that's our comfort.
You see? And we don't like, stepping out
of that comfort zone and we may not help.
Someone who knows what the reason is.
Maybe it's the way they dress. Maybe it's their political
views. Maybe it's because of the rage,
maybe it sometimes might even be because of their skin color.
Well, we better step out of that one.
Are you your brother's keeper? Or are you one who both cares
for all those in the family and be cared for by them?
And lastly, I just thought of this at the end.
Are we our children's keeper? Yeah, we are.
Proverbs 22 and 6, train up a child in the way he should go
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
You see, we are more than just a keeper of our brother.
I keep of our brother. We are a keeper of everyone.
When it comes to their soul. When it comes to their welfare,
when it comes to their well-being, whatever it is.
When it comes to their needs in times of sickness, whatever
tragedy problems in their life, emotional.
Whatever it is. We are our Brother's Keeper.
We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the
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