Sin will grow if we let it

Week 6 Small Groups

No one is perfect is a truism that should be obvious to anyone with the least bit of self-awareness. And yet it does not explain the human condition that turns some into Nazis and others into nurses. Is it just simple social/cultural economics or is there a deeper supernatural element?

Read Genesis 4:1-16

1. What does this passage teach us about

• The grace of God

• The nature of sin

• The demands of justice

2. What is the significance of Abel offering the firstborn of his flock? Hint: how does a farmer calculate his income?

3. God’s questioning of Cain (4:6) echoes His questioning of Adam and Eve immediately after the fall (3:9). What does that teach us about the way God confronts sin in us?

4. Why did God accept Abel’s offering and not Cain’s? Hint: what does Cain’s anger reveal about his heart/motivation?

5. Thinking only about yourself, is this passage more of a challenge or a comfort? Where is the good news?

End by praying for each other!