Date: Sunday 28 February 2021
Title: Brother’s Keeper
By Deacon Abraham Verghese

Passage

Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” ( for context read Genesis 4 : 3 – 8 )

James 5 : 19 & 20 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Your brother
Abel and Cain were Adam and Eve’s first children . Cain became very angry with Abel after the sacrifice of Abel was accepted. The writer to the Hebrews explained why the offering of Abel was accepted and the offering of Cain was rejected: By faith Abel offered up a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4). We don’t precisely know how Cain and Abel knew their sacrifices were accepted or not accepted. Cain’s anger was undoubtedly rooted in pride. He could not bear it that his brother was accepted before God and he was not. They shared the same paternal and maternal genes.
When God addressed Cain about Abel, He wanted Cain to realise that Abel was not simply another human being, but his very own brother. Each one of us is a child of God. Brothers and sisters by the first Adam and the second Adam (Christ).
Love for God and neighbour summarise the commandments of God. Unless we can see others as our neighbours we shall follow in the path of Cain. Indifference and carelessness will take the place of love.

Where is your brother?
Have we been so focused on self that we lost sight of the need and suffering of our brothers. Have we become so selfish that our brother is not important to us anymore.

Don’t know ?
Cain attempted to use ignorance as an excuse. He blatantly lied to God about his knowledge of his brother’s whereabouts.

The same question directed to us might result in a “do not know” answer . We do not take the time to know about our brothers and neighbours. And should they disappear, like Abel, we sometimes do not know why. Maybe the passing of time has created a disconnect between us and our brothers. Maybe the busyness of life made it difficult for us to remain updated of their whereabouts. Or maybe we simply are comfortable with not knowing.
If we were in the same CG , have we drifted apart due to one us is no longer attending the CG? Is a brother caught in a sin that is moving him away from the rest and more importantly from God?

We are our brother’s keeper
A brother’s keeper is someone who watches over his brother. The brother’s keeper is a guardian, not a ty-rant, not a parent. The brother’s keeper wants the best for the little brother. The brother’s keeper will even go as far as to take responsibility for the brother whom he keeps. The brother’s keeper can relate to the cares, the anxieties, the joy, the achievement of the little brother because a brother is born to help in the time of adversity.
Should we not reach out to the brother who is drifting away or has already drifted away ? Should we not find out what is causing the barrier ? After all, as set out in James 5 : 19 and 20, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

We should watch out for one another. We are to inspire courage and to banish fear. We are to provoke each other to love and good works, to uplift and to support. This calling is extended to each of us. We should be our brother’s keeper as we move forward in this life.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. — Galatians 6 : 1 , 2

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of our-selves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. — Hebrews 10:24, 25

每日灵粮
星期日 ，2021年2月28日
标题：弟兄的守护者
作者：Abraham Verghese执事
翻译：林良億姐妹

创世记4：9后来，耶和华问该隐：“你弟弟亚伯在哪里？”他说：“我不知道！难道我是弟弟的看护人吗？” （有关上下文，请阅读创世记4：3-8）

雅各书5: 19 我的弟兄姊妹，如果有人领一个偏离真道的人归回正路， 20 他该知道：使一个迷途中的罪人归回正路就是救一个灵魂脱离死亡，并且会遮盖许多罪。

你的弟兄
亚伯（Abel）和该隐（Cain）是亚当和夏娃的第一个孩子。当亚伯的祭物被耶和华接受，该隐对亚伯非常生气。希伯来书的作者解释了为何耶和华接受亚伯的奉献而拒绝该隐的奉献：出于信心，亚伯比该隐奉献了更出色的献祭物（希伯来书11：4）。我们不确切知道该隐和亚伯如何知道他们的献祭物是被接受还是未被接受。该隐的愤怒无疑源于骄傲。他不能忍受他的弟兄在耶和华面前被接受，而他的没被接受。他们共享相同的父母的基因。

当上帝向该隐提到亚伯时，他希望该隐认识到亚伯不仅是另一个人，而且是他自己的弟兄。我们每个人都是上帝的孩子。弟兄姐妹由第一个亚当和第二个亚当（基督）组成。
对上帝和邻居的爱总结了上帝的诫命。除非我们能看到别人是我们的邻居，否则我们将沿着该隐的路走。冷漠和粗心将取代爱。

你的弟兄在哪里？
我们是否如此专注于自我，以至于忽视了弟兄们的需要和痛苦。我们是否变得如此自私，以至于我们不再看重我们的弟兄。

不知道吗？
该隐试图以无知为借口。他公然向上帝撒谎关于他哥哥的下落。

对我们问同一个问题也可能会导致“不知道”的答案。我们不花时间去了解我们的弟兄和邻居。如果他们像亚伯一样消失，我们有时也不知道为什么。也许时间的流逝在我们和我们的弟兄之间造成了脱节。也许生活的忙碌使我们很难及时了解他们的下落。或者，也许我们只是对“不知道”感到满意。

如果我们在同一个关怀小组中，是否由于我们不再参加关怀小组而彼此疏远了？弟兄是否陷入了一种罪恶之中，使他远离了，更重要的是，他是否已远离了上帝？

我们是弟兄的守护者
弟兄的守护者是看顾弟兄的人。弟兄的守护人是监护人，不是暴君，也不是父母。弟兄的守护者希望给小弟最好的东西。弟兄的监护人甚至会为自己所守护的弟兄承担责任。弟兄的守护者可以关怀弟兄，分担弟兄焦虑，喜悦和成就，因为一个弟兄生来就是为了在逆境中可以伸出帮助之手。

我们是否应该伸出帮助之手与慢慢漂泊离开或已经漂泊离开的弟兄？我们是否应该找出障碍的原因？毕竟，按照雅各书5：19和20的规定，如果你们中间有人流离真理，有人把他带回来，请让他知道，从流离中带回的罪人将从死亡中拯救他的灵魂，并掩盖众多的罪过。

我们应该谨慎。我们要鼓起勇气，消除恐惧。我们要相互激发对彼此的仁爱和美好的善事，互相促进和支持。这项呼吁扩展到我们每个人。在这一生中，我们应该成为弟兄的守护者。

弟兄们，如果有人陷入任何犯罪之中，那么你们当中灵命比较成熟的应该以谦和宽容的方式使他悔改。守望自己，免得你被诱惑。承担彼此的重担，从而履行基督的律法 (加拉太书6：1-2)

让我们彼此体谅，彼此激发仁爱和善行：不要像某些人的举止那样放弃圣徒的聚集。但又互相劝勉，正如您所看到的，日子越来越近。（希伯来书10:24-25）