Am I My Sister's Keeper? - Biblicalcounselingonline.org

Am I My Sister’s Keeper?Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?"He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen 4:9)Elyse Fitzpatrick• What was Cain asking?♦ The Hebrew word “keeper” is very rich. It means “to hedge about (aswith thorns), to guard, generally to protect and attend to.”♦ What Abel does is his own business. Am I responsible to keep track ofhim? Besides, isn’t that your responsibility?♦ The Good Shepherd – John 10:9-11• God does “keep” us♦ 1 Samuel 2:9♦ Job 10:12♦ Psalm 25:20♦ Psalm 145:20♦ Psalm 146:9♦ “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD isyour keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shallnot strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep youfrom all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going outand your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (Ps 121:3-8).♦ John 17:11-12, 15 Jesus is our “Keeper”• Yes, but He uses means. We are to keep one another. “A charitable concernfor our brethren, as their keepers, is a great duty, which is strictly requiredof us, but is generally neglected by us. Those who are unconcerned in theaffairs of their brothers, and take no care, when they have opportunity, toprevent their hurt in their bodies, goods or good name, especially in theirsouls, do, in effect, speak Cain’s language.” (Matthew Henry)But How Can We Keep One Another?• We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak,and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good,to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written,"Thereproaches of those who reproached you fell on me" (Rom 15:1-4).♦ Our care for one another flows out of Christ’s care for us.‣ He was strong but became weak for us (Phil 2:5f)‣ He bore with the failings of the weak.‣ He did not “please himself”.‣ He took our reproach upon himself. He identified with us.‣ He is not merely our example. He is also our righteousness.

♦ Because we have His righteous record, because we’ve been completelyforgiven and welcomed we are now free to care for others and let themcare for us.‣ We are free to admit our sin and weaknesses to one another.Transparency in relationship flows out of the gospel.‣ We are free to associate with “sinners”. Compassion for others andtheir failings flows out of the gospel.‣ We are free to live selflessly because we’ve been loved and giveneverything we need. Selflessness flows out of the gospel because wehave everything in Him.‣ We are now able to be free from comparison, alienation, jealousy,selfish ambition, man-pleasing, fear and self-condemnation.♦ Every facet of the gospel illumines and empowers us to love one another.‣ Incarnation‣ Sinless life‣ Substitutionary Death‣ Bodily Resurrection‣ High priestly intercession‣ Kingly Reign and Return• A Time for Reflection♦ How would really believing the gospel free you to love and keep yoursisters?♦ Do you struggle with‣ Sinful comparing‣ Feelings of alienation‣ Jealousy‣ Selfish ambition‣ Man-pleasing‣ Fear‣ Self-condemnation♦ Caring for others begins with your own transparency. Confess yourweaknesses and sins to one another and ask for prayer andaccountability.