September 2026
Naked Noah, 20 September 2026
13 09 26 Filed in: Sermons | Ideal Family
Naked Noah
Series: Ideal Family
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 20, 2026
Genesis 9:20-25
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Even the best parents—and children—are human and make mistakes.
Scripture: Genesis 9:20-25
Who is your hero? It’s been said, “Never meet your heroes.” It’s tempting to put heroes on a pedestal, and it can be disappointing to encounter their weaknesses and imperfections. Today, we’re going to look at one of the Bible’s most famous characters and uncover a story from his life that often gets overshadowed by the construction project that made him famous.
Good morning! My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Last week we said all families are messed up. Yours, mine, and the perfect-looking one sitting on the other side of the room!
We began our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve and their sons Cain and Abel. Today we’re looking at one of the greatest heroes of the Bible, Noah. If you turn to Genesis chapter 6 we’re told…
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7)
Let that sink in for a minute. God regretted making humans. No wonder He sent a flood.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
The sentiment is repeated in the next verse…
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9b)
So God tells Noah to build an ark (6:14) because, as He said
I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. (Genesis 6:17)
Of course, God had Noah and his family enter the ark along with pairs of animals, and…
Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22)
God gave Noah further instructions…
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)
Then we have the great flood.
The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)
Later…
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. (Genesis 8:15-16)
God loved Noah and his family. He was a righteous man. He obeyed God. His obedience essentially saved living creatures from extinction.
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:17)
The writer of Genesis mentions Noah’s three sons again and then tells us
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (Genesis 9:20)
Great. Who doesn’t love grapes? Grape juice. Raisins! Noah’s dad was a farmer, so planting made complete sense. But…
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (Genesis 9:21)
Wait a minute! What is happening? Noah is drunk and naked?! The two often go together, by the way! The Japanese have a proverb which says: “First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man.” Fortunately, he’s inside his tent where nobody can see him. But this is Noah! Righteous Noah! Naked Noah!
Did we need to include this in the Bible? Can’t we just call Noah a superhero and stop after the rainbow? Actually, no! First, we are all descendants of Noah and his sons. We wouldn’t be here without them.
Second, we get to see how even the most righteous people in the Bible were not perfect. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We’ll see this throughout this series.
We also see how sin affects others…families.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (Genesis 9:22)
Seeing your dad naked is…well, it’s never good! He could’ve covered his dad and left quietly, but he told his brothers. He dishonored his father, leaving Shem and Japheth to intervene.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (Genesis 9:23)
Love is looking out for the best interest of another person. It doesn’t condone sin. It doesn’t cleanse sin (only Jesus’ blood can do that). But love does cover sin (1 Peter 4:8). Did you see what I did there?!
The relationship between a father and son is special. The video earlier showed an “ideal” relationship and then a real one. That’s not to say we should be flippant about things such as borrowing/loaning money from relatives, but relationships can be complicated. Nevertheless, we are to honor our parents. This is one of God’s Top Ten (Exodus 20:12). Honor your father and your mother. Shem and Japheth honored their dad. Ham did not.
So Noah gets drunk and naked, his youngest son, Ham, saw him naked, his brothers covered him, and…
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said,
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (Genesis 9:24-25)
Ham sinned. His son, Canaan, is cursed. It’s not clear why. There are several theories, but we’re not sure. We do know sin has consequences…and can impact others, too.
He also said,
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
May God extend Japheth’s territory;
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (Genesis 9:26-27)
The chapter ends by telling us
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died. (Genesis 9:28-29)
What a life! What an ending!
So What?
I realize this is an odd passage. The point is…don’t plant a vineyard! Actually, that’s not the point, though alcohol can lead to a host of problems.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)
Genesis 19 tells an even more bizarre story where two girls got their dad drunk and slept with him in hopes of getting pregnant! Ewww!
I think one takeaway from today’s text is that even the best parents—and children— are human and make mistakes. After all, Noah made the faith hall of fame.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. (Hebrews 11:7)
Noah was a righteous man, but his story didn’t exactly end on a high note.
How will your story end? Your past righteousness is valuable, but today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it?
I pray you will honor your parents and/or be honored by your children.
If you drink, I hope you are of age and do so responsibly. Consuming alcohol is not forbidden in the Bible, but drunkenness is clearly a sin…and can lead to other sins.
At the end of the day, all our heroes will disappoint us because they are all imperfect…except Jesus. He is my Hero. He died to offer forgiveness for all of my sins…and yours, too, if you surrender to him. He’s the one I am seeking to know and follow. He will never fail us. Hallelujah!
Series: Ideal Family
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 20, 2026
Genesis 9:20-25
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Even the best parents—and children—are human and make mistakes.
Scripture: Genesis 9:20-25
Who is your hero? It’s been said, “Never meet your heroes.” It’s tempting to put heroes on a pedestal, and it can be disappointing to encounter their weaknesses and imperfections. Today, we’re going to look at one of the Bible’s most famous characters and uncover a story from his life that often gets overshadowed by the construction project that made him famous.
Good morning! My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Last week we said all families are messed up. Yours, mine, and the perfect-looking one sitting on the other side of the room!
We began our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve and their sons Cain and Abel. Today we’re looking at one of the greatest heroes of the Bible, Noah. If you turn to Genesis chapter 6 we’re told…
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7)
Let that sink in for a minute. God regretted making humans. No wonder He sent a flood.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
The sentiment is repeated in the next verse…
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9b)
So God tells Noah to build an ark (6:14) because, as He said
I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. (Genesis 6:17)
Of course, God had Noah and his family enter the ark along with pairs of animals, and…
Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22)
God gave Noah further instructions…
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)
Then we have the great flood.
The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)
Later…
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. (Genesis 8:15-16)
God loved Noah and his family. He was a righteous man. He obeyed God. His obedience essentially saved living creatures from extinction.
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:17)
The writer of Genesis mentions Noah’s three sons again and then tells us
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (Genesis 9:20)
Great. Who doesn’t love grapes? Grape juice. Raisins! Noah’s dad was a farmer, so planting made complete sense. But…
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (Genesis 9:21)
Wait a minute! What is happening? Noah is drunk and naked?! The two often go together, by the way! The Japanese have a proverb which says: “First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man.” Fortunately, he’s inside his tent where nobody can see him. But this is Noah! Righteous Noah! Naked Noah!
Did we need to include this in the Bible? Can’t we just call Noah a superhero and stop after the rainbow? Actually, no! First, we are all descendants of Noah and his sons. We wouldn’t be here without them.
Second, we get to see how even the most righteous people in the Bible were not perfect. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We’ll see this throughout this series.
We also see how sin affects others…families.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (Genesis 9:22)
Seeing your dad naked is…well, it’s never good! He could’ve covered his dad and left quietly, but he told his brothers. He dishonored his father, leaving Shem and Japheth to intervene.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (Genesis 9:23)
Love is looking out for the best interest of another person. It doesn’t condone sin. It doesn’t cleanse sin (only Jesus’ blood can do that). But love does cover sin (1 Peter 4:8). Did you see what I did there?!
The relationship between a father and son is special. The video earlier showed an “ideal” relationship and then a real one. That’s not to say we should be flippant about things such as borrowing/loaning money from relatives, but relationships can be complicated. Nevertheless, we are to honor our parents. This is one of God’s Top Ten (Exodus 20:12). Honor your father and your mother. Shem and Japheth honored their dad. Ham did not.
So Noah gets drunk and naked, his youngest son, Ham, saw him naked, his brothers covered him, and…
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said,
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (Genesis 9:24-25)
Ham sinned. His son, Canaan, is cursed. It’s not clear why. There are several theories, but we’re not sure. We do know sin has consequences…and can impact others, too.
He also said,
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
May God extend Japheth’s territory;
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (Genesis 9:26-27)
The chapter ends by telling us
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died. (Genesis 9:28-29)
What a life! What an ending!
So What?
I realize this is an odd passage. The point is…don’t plant a vineyard! Actually, that’s not the point, though alcohol can lead to a host of problems.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)
Genesis 19 tells an even more bizarre story where two girls got their dad drunk and slept with him in hopes of getting pregnant! Ewww!
I think one takeaway from today’s text is that even the best parents—and children— are human and make mistakes. After all, Noah made the faith hall of fame.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. (Hebrews 11:7)
Noah was a righteous man, but his story didn’t exactly end on a high note.
How will your story end? Your past righteousness is valuable, but today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it?
I pray you will honor your parents and/or be honored by your children.
If you drink, I hope you are of age and do so responsibly. Consuming alcohol is not forbidden in the Bible, but drunkenness is clearly a sin…and can lead to other sins.
At the end of the day, all our heroes will disappoint us because they are all imperfect…except Jesus. He is my Hero. He died to offer forgiveness for all of my sins…and yours, too, if you surrender to him. He’s the one I am seeking to know and follow. He will never fail us. Hallelujah!
First Family: Cain, 13 September 2026
13 09 26 Filed in: Sermons | Ideal Family
First Family
Series: Ideal Family
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 13, 2026
Genesis 4:2-8
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Sibling rivalry is nothing new…and can be fatal!
My name is Kirk and today we’re beginning a new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
But here’s the inconvenient truth: all families are messed up! Mine. Yours. That family with the perfect hair, clothes, kids, and car! As we’ll see through this series, biblical families are messed up…including Jesus’ family!
We begin our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve. The story of creation in Genesis is well known, as is the disobedient eating of the one tree in the Garden that was forbidden. Everything changed at that moment. Adam and Eve’s relationship changed. Their relationship with God changed. Thousands of years later we still bear the consequences of their sin.
Cain & Abel
Parenting brings its own share of joy…and heartache. Rarely do siblings rush to serve their parents together as we saw in the “ideal” video! Parenting one child is a tremendous challenge. A second child introduces an entirely new dynamic: sibling rivalry.
How many of you have a sibling? How many parents have more than one child?
Sibling rivalry dates back to…the very first siblings. The first kids joined in on the conflict and dysfunction started by Adam and Eve. Genesis chapter four begins
Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. (Genesis 4:1)
Cain is the leading character in this story. He’s mentioned sixteen times. He’s the older brother. His birth is celebrated by his mom.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. (Genesis 4:2-5)
On its own, this passage isn’t clear. Is God a carnivore? Is He allergic to fruit? Hardly! The simple answer is we don’t know. Some have suggested the necessity of a blood sacrifice, but the text doesn’t say, nor do we know Abel’s sacrifice contained blood. Abel brought the firstborn of his flock—his very best—but we don’t know if Cain brought his best or not. We just know Cain was very angry because his brother’s offering was acceptable and his was rejected.
Warren Wiersbe writes, “Cain wasn’t rejected because of his offering, but his offering was rejected because of Cain: His heart wasn’t right with God.” Thousands of years later, we’re told…
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. (Hebrews 11:4)
I wish this was the end of sibling rivalry, but it’s not. Ishmael persecuted Isaac. Jacob fled his brother Esau, fearing his life. Joseph’s brothers nearly killed him, instead opting to sell him as a slave. The very person/persons we are closest to often cause the greatest hostility. If anyone should have your back, it should be your brother or sister.
Let me add this is true spiritually, too. Often our greatest critics are not distant strangers, but rather the people who sit beside us on Sunday mornings or those in our small group. May it never be! We are called to love and serve one another. Back to our story…
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7)
Cain obviously disobeyed God. God encourages Cain to do what is right. He is warned that sin is near, personified as a crouching demon waiting to strike. We talked about this last week. Spiritual warfare is real. We must put on the armor. We must be on guard.
Unfortunately Cain opened the door. He succumbed to temptation. What sin is lurking at your door? Do you carry grudges? Are you bitter? What about lust? Gossip? Worry? Gluttony? Paul instructs
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
If only Cain had been so wise. His sacrifice was rejected, but the story gets worse. Much worse.
Have you ever been jealous of a sister or brother? Maybe they got straight A’s while you struggled to pass the class. Perhaps they were Olympic-bound while you were the last one to cross the finish line on Field Day. Envy is ugly. Sibling rivalry is real. Comparing ourselves to others is dangerous…even deadly!
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4:8)
This may have been the first human death. Here’s the summary:
- Abel obeys God
- Cain disobeys God
- Cain is envious and adds to his disobedience and sins by killing his brother
Our relationship with God and our relationship with our brothers and sisters cannot be separated. We love God by loving our neighbor, and we love our neighbor by loving God.
Most of us will not be murdered by a sibling! At least I hope not! Yet many are emotionally destroyed by the actions of a jealous sibling.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)
God does everything He can to prompt repentance. He’s always seeking to save the lost, the broken, the criminal, the sinner.
Martin Luther’s definition of sin was “man curved in upon himself.” Sin is always focusing on yourself, always choosing yourself over God or others, placing yourself at the center. Sin means even when we do good things (help the poor, attend church gatherings, etc.), it’s always about us, about furthering our agenda, about giving us the self-image we want to have, about engaging so long as it makes us feel good. Sin is so insidious that when we look like we’re serving others, we’re really serving ourselves. We need to repent.
Repentance means to turn. That was God’s desire for Cain and us. Turn away from sin and run toward God and godliness.
The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (Genesis 4:10-12)
A passage that began with a blessing ends with a curse.
Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” (Genesis 4:13-14)
But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the LORD’S presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Genesis 4:15-16)
Cain’s not sorry for his sin, but only for his punishment. Like so many sins, one led to another and then another. Perhaps the most tragic statement of all is that “Cain went out from the LORD’s presence.” I never want to be there. And it began with jealousy and sibling rivalry.
So What?
There are two types of people in this world: those who honor God and those who dishonor God. We don’t know the details, but the contrast between Cain and Abel is obvious.
There are so many applications to this passage.
- Obey God
- Love your siblings—biological and spiritual
- If you’re jealous, let it go. Give it up. Life’s too short.
- Know your weaknesses and areas of vulnerability to temptation
- Repent when you sin. Don’t cover it up. God knows. He sees it all.
If you are in the midst of a broken relationship of any kind, seek reconciliation.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
If it’s not possible, stay on your knees. Cry out to God. Your story’s not over yet. Change is possible. God is faithful.
All families are messed up. Sibling rivalry is nothing new…and can be fatal! But followers of Christ have a big half-brother, Jesus. He’s the perfect example of what it means to be human. He showed us how to love…even our enemies. We need him in order to love our brother and sister…for his glory.
Credits: Some ideas from Be Basic by Warren Wiersbe.
Series: Ideal Family
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 13, 2026
Genesis 4:2-8
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Sibling rivalry is nothing new…and can be fatal!
My name is Kirk and today we’re beginning a new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
But here’s the inconvenient truth: all families are messed up! Mine. Yours. That family with the perfect hair, clothes, kids, and car! As we’ll see through this series, biblical families are messed up…including Jesus’ family!
We begin our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve. The story of creation in Genesis is well known, as is the disobedient eating of the one tree in the Garden that was forbidden. Everything changed at that moment. Adam and Eve’s relationship changed. Their relationship with God changed. Thousands of years later we still bear the consequences of their sin.
Cain & Abel
Parenting brings its own share of joy…and heartache. Rarely do siblings rush to serve their parents together as we saw in the “ideal” video! Parenting one child is a tremendous challenge. A second child introduces an entirely new dynamic: sibling rivalry.
How many of you have a sibling? How many parents have more than one child?
Sibling rivalry dates back to…the very first siblings. The first kids joined in on the conflict and dysfunction started by Adam and Eve. Genesis chapter four begins
Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. (Genesis 4:1)
Cain is the leading character in this story. He’s mentioned sixteen times. He’s the older brother. His birth is celebrated by his mom.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. (Genesis 4:2-5)
On its own, this passage isn’t clear. Is God a carnivore? Is He allergic to fruit? Hardly! The simple answer is we don’t know. Some have suggested the necessity of a blood sacrifice, but the text doesn’t say, nor do we know Abel’s sacrifice contained blood. Abel brought the firstborn of his flock—his very best—but we don’t know if Cain brought his best or not. We just know Cain was very angry because his brother’s offering was acceptable and his was rejected.
Warren Wiersbe writes, “Cain wasn’t rejected because of his offering, but his offering was rejected because of Cain: His heart wasn’t right with God.” Thousands of years later, we’re told…
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. (Hebrews 11:4)
I wish this was the end of sibling rivalry, but it’s not. Ishmael persecuted Isaac. Jacob fled his brother Esau, fearing his life. Joseph’s brothers nearly killed him, instead opting to sell him as a slave. The very person/persons we are closest to often cause the greatest hostility. If anyone should have your back, it should be your brother or sister.
Let me add this is true spiritually, too. Often our greatest critics are not distant strangers, but rather the people who sit beside us on Sunday mornings or those in our small group. May it never be! We are called to love and serve one another. Back to our story…
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7)
Cain obviously disobeyed God. God encourages Cain to do what is right. He is warned that sin is near, personified as a crouching demon waiting to strike. We talked about this last week. Spiritual warfare is real. We must put on the armor. We must be on guard.
Unfortunately Cain opened the door. He succumbed to temptation. What sin is lurking at your door? Do you carry grudges? Are you bitter? What about lust? Gossip? Worry? Gluttony? Paul instructs
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
If only Cain had been so wise. His sacrifice was rejected, but the story gets worse. Much worse.
Have you ever been jealous of a sister or brother? Maybe they got straight A’s while you struggled to pass the class. Perhaps they were Olympic-bound while you were the last one to cross the finish line on Field Day. Envy is ugly. Sibling rivalry is real. Comparing ourselves to others is dangerous…even deadly!
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4:8)
This may have been the first human death. Here’s the summary:
- Abel obeys God
- Cain disobeys God
- Cain is envious and adds to his disobedience and sins by killing his brother
Our relationship with God and our relationship with our brothers and sisters cannot be separated. We love God by loving our neighbor, and we love our neighbor by loving God.
Most of us will not be murdered by a sibling! At least I hope not! Yet many are emotionally destroyed by the actions of a jealous sibling.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)
God does everything He can to prompt repentance. He’s always seeking to save the lost, the broken, the criminal, the sinner.
Martin Luther’s definition of sin was “man curved in upon himself.” Sin is always focusing on yourself, always choosing yourself over God or others, placing yourself at the center. Sin means even when we do good things (help the poor, attend church gatherings, etc.), it’s always about us, about furthering our agenda, about giving us the self-image we want to have, about engaging so long as it makes us feel good. Sin is so insidious that when we look like we’re serving others, we’re really serving ourselves. We need to repent.
Repentance means to turn. That was God’s desire for Cain and us. Turn away from sin and run toward God and godliness.
The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (Genesis 4:10-12)
A passage that began with a blessing ends with a curse.
Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” (Genesis 4:13-14)
But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the LORD’S presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Genesis 4:15-16)
Cain’s not sorry for his sin, but only for his punishment. Like so many sins, one led to another and then another. Perhaps the most tragic statement of all is that “Cain went out from the LORD’s presence.” I never want to be there. And it began with jealousy and sibling rivalry.
So What?
There are two types of people in this world: those who honor God and those who dishonor God. We don’t know the details, but the contrast between Cain and Abel is obvious.
There are so many applications to this passage.
- Obey God
- Love your siblings—biological and spiritual
- If you’re jealous, let it go. Give it up. Life’s too short.
- Know your weaknesses and areas of vulnerability to temptation
- Repent when you sin. Don’t cover it up. God knows. He sees it all.
If you are in the midst of a broken relationship of any kind, seek reconciliation.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
If it’s not possible, stay on your knees. Cry out to God. Your story’s not over yet. Change is possible. God is faithful.
All families are messed up. Sibling rivalry is nothing new…and can be fatal! But followers of Christ have a big half-brother, Jesus. He’s the perfect example of what it means to be human. He showed us how to love…even our enemies. We need him in order to love our brother and sister…for his glory.
Credits: Some ideas from Be Basic by Warren Wiersbe.
Armor, 6 September 2026
08 09 26 Filed in: Sermons | Ephesians: Our True Identity
Armor and Greetings
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 6, 2026
Ephesians 6:10-24
Series Big Idea: For followers of Jesus, we find our true identity in Christ.
Big Idea: Spiritual warfare is real…and we have the necessary armor to be victorious.
Today we finish our summer-long series on the book of Ephesians, a short letter written to early Christians about 2000 years ago. Our scripture reading is not the most riveting passage, the closing greetings of the letter.
Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. (Ephesians 6:21-22)
If nothing else, this lends itself to the authenticity of the writing. Paul is writing to real people about real people.
Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (Ephesians 6:23-24)
He ends with a blessing of peace, faith, grace, and most of all love, the hallmark of every Christian, the beginning of our church’s mission (love, equip, send), and the greatest gift we could ever receive…or give.
Now that we’ve finished the book, I want to back up and look at last week’s scripture reading on the armor of God. Youth Sunday was great, but we didn’t have time to dig into those verses, so here we go…
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
It’s tempting to want power and strength. This might be especially true for men, though there are plenty of women working out at the gym, too. Even if fitness is not a priority, you probably like to be strong, right? How many of you want to be weak? Paul is not saying be strong in yourself, your intellect, your body, or even your character. He says be strong in the Lord…and in his mighty power. How do we do that?
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:11)
There is a real devil, diabolos in the original Greek. He is a liar, a thief, a destroyer, and an accuser. We see his work every day in the news. How else can you explain the rampant sin in our world? If you believe in angels, you must believe in demons. C.S. Lewis said,
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”
We don’t need to look for a demon in every Coke can, yet we can’t ignore the reality of spiritual warfare.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
Spiritual warfare is raging all around us, whether we realize it or not. However,
People are not the enemy.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood. People can be used by the enemy, but they are not the enemy. Every human you meet is a masterpiece created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. We are all broken masterpieces in need of healing and restoration—some more than others—but masterpieces, nonetheless. This is one reason we are commanded to pray for our enemies. They need Jesus! Imagine how different “fill-in-the-blank” would be if they surrendered their life to Christ. That’s what happened to Saul in the New Testament, and it literally changed the world. His photo went from the post office wall to book covers everywhere across the Roman Empire (so to speak)!
When Paul talks about our struggle, it is a battle. It is a war, and war is not a hobby or part-time endeavor. It’s a lifestyle.
We must be ready at all times. We’re not spectators! Fortunately, we have been given weapons that we must use or risk becoming needless casualties of war.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
We have been given nothing for our back, so don’t even think of running away, turning back, or retreating. Stand your ground. How? He offers echoes of Isaiah chapter 59:
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:14-15)
Truth refers to the gospel, the good news, Jesus is Lord. We need to proclaim it in word and deed, waging war against the lies of our enemy, his primary tool.
Righteousness—and justice—concern God’s perfect standard and our practices, behaving rightly. Author Michael F. Bird said last week, “America’s religious revival is belief without behavior.” Ouch!
The gospel of peace brings light into the darkness and defeats evil. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let it begin with us. Let it begin in us!
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)
This is about trust in God. I used to think of a shield as an individual weapon, but in ancient times they would be used as a group. We need one another in the battle.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)
Salvation is about the deliverance of all types of evil in our world, for ourselves, and liberating others. We need to protect our head, our mind. God’s Word is also vital in the battle. We need to know the scriptures. Our enemy does! The Greek word here rhema includes proclaiming the gospel. Warren Wiersbe notes,
A physical sword wounds to hurt and kill, while the sword of the Spirit wounds to heal and give life. But when we use the sword against Satan, we are out to deal him a blow that will cripple him and keep him from hindering God’s work.
There’s one more important tool.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)
We have the sword of the Spirit, and we are to pray in the Spirit. Always keep on praying…for us, for one another, for all the Lord’s people. We pray “our Father,” not “my Father.”
Jesus is the perfect example of all of these tools. When we put on the armor, we put on Christ!
Next, Paul gets personal.
Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Remember, Paul is writing from prison or house arrest. He doesn’t ask to be released, though. He says, “Pray that I may declare the gospel well.” Amazing.
So What?
Paul has covered many things in this short book. If you missed any of the sermons, I encourage you to go to our website and watch them, not because of the messenger but the message! If you are a follower of Jesus, you are “in Christ” and that’s an incredible reality filled with both benefits and responsibilities.
Specifically to today’s text,
We need to fight the good fight of faith with armor…on our knees.
We don’t need to be afraid, but we must be aware of the battle.
When you feel afraid, get on your knees and do something about it!
At the end of the book of Matthew, Jesus said he has all authority…in heaven and on earth. We have weapons and must use them, not to fight people but to battle evil.
“In the midst of spiritual battles, find strength in the knowledge that God fights on your behalf.” – Beth Moore
We have been commissioned as soldiers to bring faith, hope, and love to our broken world.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
When we pray, we are
…strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
Amen!
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 6, 2026
Ephesians 6:10-24
Series Big Idea: For followers of Jesus, we find our true identity in Christ.
Big Idea: Spiritual warfare is real…and we have the necessary armor to be victorious.
Today we finish our summer-long series on the book of Ephesians, a short letter written to early Christians about 2000 years ago. Our scripture reading is not the most riveting passage, the closing greetings of the letter.
Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. (Ephesians 6:21-22)
If nothing else, this lends itself to the authenticity of the writing. Paul is writing to real people about real people.
Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (Ephesians 6:23-24)
He ends with a blessing of peace, faith, grace, and most of all love, the hallmark of every Christian, the beginning of our church’s mission (love, equip, send), and the greatest gift we could ever receive…or give.
Now that we’ve finished the book, I want to back up and look at last week’s scripture reading on the armor of God. Youth Sunday was great, but we didn’t have time to dig into those verses, so here we go…
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
It’s tempting to want power and strength. This might be especially true for men, though there are plenty of women working out at the gym, too. Even if fitness is not a priority, you probably like to be strong, right? How many of you want to be weak? Paul is not saying be strong in yourself, your intellect, your body, or even your character. He says be strong in the Lord…and in his mighty power. How do we do that?
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:11)
There is a real devil, diabolos in the original Greek. He is a liar, a thief, a destroyer, and an accuser. We see his work every day in the news. How else can you explain the rampant sin in our world? If you believe in angels, you must believe in demons. C.S. Lewis said,
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”
We don’t need to look for a demon in every Coke can, yet we can’t ignore the reality of spiritual warfare.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
Spiritual warfare is raging all around us, whether we realize it or not. However,
People are not the enemy.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood. People can be used by the enemy, but they are not the enemy. Every human you meet is a masterpiece created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. We are all broken masterpieces in need of healing and restoration—some more than others—but masterpieces, nonetheless. This is one reason we are commanded to pray for our enemies. They need Jesus! Imagine how different “fill-in-the-blank” would be if they surrendered their life to Christ. That’s what happened to Saul in the New Testament, and it literally changed the world. His photo went from the post office wall to book covers everywhere across the Roman Empire (so to speak)!
When Paul talks about our struggle, it is a battle. It is a war, and war is not a hobby or part-time endeavor. It’s a lifestyle.
We must be ready at all times. We’re not spectators! Fortunately, we have been given weapons that we must use or risk becoming needless casualties of war.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
We have been given nothing for our back, so don’t even think of running away, turning back, or retreating. Stand your ground. How? He offers echoes of Isaiah chapter 59:
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:14-15)
Truth refers to the gospel, the good news, Jesus is Lord. We need to proclaim it in word and deed, waging war against the lies of our enemy, his primary tool.
Righteousness—and justice—concern God’s perfect standard and our practices, behaving rightly. Author Michael F. Bird said last week, “America’s religious revival is belief without behavior.” Ouch!
The gospel of peace brings light into the darkness and defeats evil. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let it begin with us. Let it begin in us!
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)
This is about trust in God. I used to think of a shield as an individual weapon, but in ancient times they would be used as a group. We need one another in the battle.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)
Salvation is about the deliverance of all types of evil in our world, for ourselves, and liberating others. We need to protect our head, our mind. God’s Word is also vital in the battle. We need to know the scriptures. Our enemy does! The Greek word here rhema includes proclaiming the gospel. Warren Wiersbe notes,
A physical sword wounds to hurt and kill, while the sword of the Spirit wounds to heal and give life. But when we use the sword against Satan, we are out to deal him a blow that will cripple him and keep him from hindering God’s work.
There’s one more important tool.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)
We have the sword of the Spirit, and we are to pray in the Spirit. Always keep on praying…for us, for one another, for all the Lord’s people. We pray “our Father,” not “my Father.”
Jesus is the perfect example of all of these tools. When we put on the armor, we put on Christ!
Next, Paul gets personal.
Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Remember, Paul is writing from prison or house arrest. He doesn’t ask to be released, though. He says, “Pray that I may declare the gospel well.” Amazing.
So What?
Paul has covered many things in this short book. If you missed any of the sermons, I encourage you to go to our website and watch them, not because of the messenger but the message! If you are a follower of Jesus, you are “in Christ” and that’s an incredible reality filled with both benefits and responsibilities.
Specifically to today’s text,
We need to fight the good fight of faith with armor…on our knees.
We don’t need to be afraid, but we must be aware of the battle.
When you feel afraid, get on your knees and do something about it!
At the end of the book of Matthew, Jesus said he has all authority…in heaven and on earth. We have weapons and must use them, not to fight people but to battle evil.
“In the midst of spiritual battles, find strength in the knowledge that God fights on your behalf.” – Beth Moore
We have been commissioned as soldiers to bring faith, hope, and love to our broken world.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
When we pray, we are
…strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
Amen!