It may seem somewhat odd that we are delving into the story of Cain and Abel this week, only to turn back next week for the story of the fall. We are doing this, of course, because of the way the Heidelberg Catechism and Q&A are structured. The second Q&A asks, "What must you know to have this comfort?" The answer: "First, how I sin every day against God and my neighbor. . . ." As always, very direct and personal, the catechism follows up with "How do you know you are a sinner?" It's in answering that question that we dig into the story of Cain and Abel.

The story of Cain and Abel is about a particular sin, a heinous sin---murder. But in the story we also discover Cain's deep inability and unwillingness to know himself as a sinner. He rejects God's warning that "sin is crouching at your door." He refuses to struggle against the temptation to kill. Even after murdering his brother, he takes no responsibility for it: "Am I my brother's keeper?" Rather than feeling remorse and sorrow for his terrible sin, Cain feels sorry for himself (Gen. 4:13-14).

Be careful not to trivialize the story into a moral lesson that murder is wrong. While that's certainly true, the story digs much deeper into the sinful human soul, probing its jealousy, ruthlessness, hatred, and self-deception.

It all began when Cain grew angry and jealous because his sacrifice was rejected and Abel's was accepted. Was it the objects that were sacrificed, the attitude with which they were sacrificed, or something else, hidden in the mystery of God's choice? No one really knows why God did this. We only know that God favored the one and not the other.

Cain could not stand it that Abel's sacrifice was favored while his own was rejected. Focused entirely on himself Cain had no feelings for his brother, no concern for hurting his parents; he thought only of himself, his feelings, his future. Cain's single-minded self-love reveals the tragic essence of human sin.

Notice, however, that even though God rejected Cain's sacrifice he did not reject Cain. The story reveals God's continuing concern for him with warnings, probing questions, and mysterious protection even in judgment. At the same time that we see the wickedness of Cain's heart, we also see the steadfastness of God's grace.

How do we know our sinfulness? God's law demands that I love God above all and my neighbor as myself. The trajectory of the sinful human heart moves in the opposite direction. It enthrones the self, turning away from God and from neighbor. This seems terribly harsh, but if we look deep in our heart we recognize this truth every day.

In a sense, the story of Cain and Abel gets repeated and amplified in the central story of the Bible. God sent his Son to demonstrate his love for the world. In jealousy, hatred, and self-centered pride we rejected him. And just as God's grace continued to cover Cain, the murderous sacrifice of the Son opened the way for our forgiveness and acceptance. Like the mark God put on Cain, the mark of our baptism assures us of God's continuing grace.