Key Points God both warns and offers hope with stories of brother-to-brother relationships. Both Cain & Abel were committing religious acts. Both “believed” but Cain was still “of the evil one”. You can be religious and not know God.  God sees and comes asking questions, knowing our very heart. We can bring a tight-lipped stubborn resolve or a surrendered admittance: “I need help.” “Mastering it” is too much for me without You.  There are other forms of murder as stated by the apostle John and Jesus: hatred in your heart, anger, name calling with derogatory terms murdering the soul. We need to either be born of God, resulting in loving our brothers, or growing in the love of God, corrected and freed by Him from the influence of another spirit.   If we are truly born of God, we will not continue in habitual anger turning to hatred. Our continued growing hatred, resentment, or unforgiveness may reveal our need to be born again; our own soul is in jeopardy until we are born again.   Being born of God is a supernatural rebirth and empowering of the risen Christ, who by His cross has forgiven us of all our hatred and unloving ways; by His resurrection, He now lives in us, teaching us to love and forgive as He does. Loving your brother does not always mean unified in thought/action. Jesus stuck to His mission despite His brothers’ disbelief, then forgave and utilized them.  Loving your brother appreciates differences of temperaments and celebrates the Lord’s use and successes of the other, such as Andrew and Peter. Discussion Which brother/sister (maybe not by blood) came to mind during this message?  Does knowing that God sees your heart bring you comfort or conviction? Do you want to hide and justify yourself or run to Him for forgiveness and help?  Are you sure by John’s accounting that you indeed have been born of God? If not, what do you think is the next step for you?  After assurance of being born of God, what next steps could you prayerfully take to move toward that person that came to mind earlier?  Our Savior & Lord is known as our brother (Hebrews 2:10-12; John 20:17) and He is not ashamed to call us His brethren. How does that affect you? Ten Suggestions For Parents And Siblings At a very early age, they need to see you bowing your head and talking to God. They can’t see Him but will start wondering and learn that He sees all and cares.  At a very early age, tell them who God is: our loving Creator who made us and everything in the world. He made you very special, with likeness to Him. You are wonderfully made. He made you so He could love you too, like He loves mommy and daddy. He made us to love Him back. He wants us to be part of His family: called Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yes, God has a Son. His name is Jesus.  Know that your child is born with Adam’s fallen nature and will reveal it at a very early age with the word “mine,” and a scream when someone tries to take it.  When they have a sibling born, let your firstborn participate in caring for their brother or sister, telling them everything they have learned above. Their sibling is made by God too, very special. Special to God, special for you. He wanted you to have a brother or sister. Let’s always treat them very special and be kind with good words.  We all need a Savior. God knows we mess up and are not always kind… “Mommy got impatient today, will you forgive me?” God sent His Son, our Savior, to forgive me. If you have ever called your child a derogatory word or phrase, it is time for you as a parent to repent. Don’t excuse it. Humble yourself and ask for forgiveness of your child if they are old enough to remember and give them permission to call you on it if you ever do it again. Tell them you need a Savior too.  Do not display that you have favorites like Sarah did with Jacob and Isaac did with Esau. Jacob did it with Joseph, gifting him a special coat to honor him.  Know that, though