Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

"AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?"

1. The first murder scene: "Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."
2. Where this murder took place: "when they were in the field."
3. The first murderer was brought before the highest tribunal:
   1. He had been warned against this crime - Gen. 4:6, 7
   2. But he ignored God's warning.
4. God's heart-searching question:
   1. Reveals the nature of a murderer.
   2. He seeks to hide his crime behind a brazen lie.

1. This question of Convict Number One proves to me:
   1. That going through a form of worship is no evidence of godliness -
      1. Judas and his master - Luke 22:21
      2. Saul - 1 Sam. 15:13
      3. Simon - Acts 8:18-25
      4. The Pharisees - Matt. 23:27-29
2. That religion often serves evil-minded persons as a cloak to hide their evil intent:
   1. It is said that during the dark ages priests would kiss the cross before they burned their victim.
   2. How often have religious reasons been given for the zeal to destroy Christian people, who may have differed with the persecutors.
3. The question of Cain before the highest tribunal makes it plain to me:
   1. That we are responsible for our attitude toward our fellow men.
   2. That was made clear to the prophet Ezekiel - Ezek. 3:17, 18
   3. Paul, too, states our responsibility to others very clearly - Rom. 14:7; 2 Cor. 2:15, 16
   4. A child of God will soon recognize a mutual responsibility.

1. There can be no neutrality on our part:
   1. I am my brother's keeper - Ezek. 3:17-21
   2. Or, in one way or another, I become his murderer - 2 Cor. 2:15, 16
2. To be my brother's keeper means:
   1. That I love my brother to the extent that I will, by the grace of God, make his safety my first concern - EXAMPLES -
      1. Jonathan did that for David - 1 Sam. 18:1-4
      2. Benjamin was treated in the same manner by Judah - Gen. 43:9; 44:32
      3. David is still another example in his attitude toward Saul - 1 Sam. 24:5-7; 26:11
   2. It means that we love our brother as our own selves - John 13:34; Matt. 22:34-38
   3. We will do nothing in thought, word, and action to bring grief to our brother.
3. Christianity causes us to look at our brothers in a new light:
   1. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."
   2. "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." - Eph. 4:31, 32
   3. "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." - Col. 3:12, 13
4. My brother's keeper! How can I do it?
   1. I can include him in my daily prayer - Jas. 5:16
   2. I can give him encouragement in the hour of need.
   3. I can share his burdens as a brother - Gal. 6:1-3