Character Sketches (2)

Today we will examine a specific person in the Bible. (You might remember that we did a character sketch at our ABF back in May of Barnabas)

Specifically, we will examine the character qualities of this individual and attempt to apply them to our lives as a model, or an example of how we are to live.

Today’s Character Sketch is on Abel: A Righteous Man

Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

It is so important to remember that unless we are looking at Jesus, we are looking at an imperfect person.

Abel was righteous, but he was not perfect…we are not putting Abel up above the rest of us…we are bringing him alongside us as our fellow believer to help us see a good example of righteousness.

And by doing so we can still glean some very important truths that, if applied properly, can greatly benefit our lives.

Abel’s Profile:

Abel’s name appears at least 12 times in the Bible, and is referenced in at least one other place.

Abel means “morning mist”

Abel was the second human born on planet earth, but he was the:

First shepherd (Gen. 4:2)

First martyr (Gen. 4:8)

First member of the Hall of Faith (Heb. 11:4)

Called “righteous” in the Bible

Mentioned by name or referenced in the New Testament by Jesus, the Apostle John, and the writer of Hebrews.

Abel’s example:

I. A Man of Faith

II. A Man of Worship

III. A Man of Righteousness

IV. A Man of Legacy

I. A Man of Faith

Hebrews 11:4a (NKJV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain...

Abel was a man of faith…meaning that it was his faith in God that dictated his actions.

Genesis 4:4 (NKJV)

4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected (to gaze or look upon with favor) Abel and his offering,

Why did he offer a lamb as a sacrifice to God?…The Bible does not specifically tell us, but we do know that God approved of it, AND God approved of the heart attitude with which Abel offered his lamb.

Abel’s faithfulness resulted obedience, which resulted in God looking at him with favor.

This is merited favor from God, based on Abel’s actions which stemmed from his heart of faith.

Hebrews 10:38 NKJV

38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

Cain, because of his pride and lack of faith, “drew back”…he replaced God’s requirement with his own…whether his sacrifice was somehow blemished, or not the first fruits, or not the right kind of sacrifice…whatever the reason, God disapproved because Cain had somehow disobeyed God with his sacrifice.

Abel, on the other hand, chose to live by faith…he did NOT “draw back”…so God took pleasure in Abel’s act of faith.

Also, it’s important to see that Abel did not allow his older brother’s influence to deter him from doing what was right.

His relationship with God, based on faith, was his highest priority - which motived his actions.

Application Question: Do you live by faith?

I. A Man of Faith

II. A Man of Worship

Hebrews 11:4b (NKJV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,

Abel’s offering to God was an act of worship, just as all sacrifices to God are acts of worship.

Genesis 4:4 NKJV

4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,

We’ve already seen that God respected, or looked with favor upon Abel’s sacrifice, but we need to see that this was not just a religious activity…it was a man worshipping his God!

Abel offered up to God something of supreme importance so that God would be glorified by it - it wasn’t about Abel…it was about God and what God has done and is doing for His people!

Mark 10:45 NKJV

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Why should we worship?…it’s because of what God has done…He was the one to come to us first, not us to Him.

God initiated this relationship and we should respond in sacrificial worship!

True biblical worship is our response to our gracious God for what He has done for us.

Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Abel brought of the first born (the fruit) of his flock…we should bring the fruit of our lips - our words should be a testimony of praise and adoration for what God has done!

Anytime our lips are moving, they should be pleasing to the Lord!

Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV)

16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Not only should our words have an attitude of worship - so should our actions!

“do good” and “share” are the things we tell our children to do, right?…but this verse is not specifically to only children - we adults and teens need to do good and share as well!

In order to “do good” and to “share”, we are going to have to give something up…these are sacrifices!

To “do good” and to “share” are responses to the good things God has shared with us!

This is exactly what Abel was doing when he sacrificed his lamb.

Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV)

17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Another way we worship is in how we respond to local church leadership.

Our sacrifice of our own agendas, opinions, and pride - this is a sacrifice of praise and worship to God!

1 Peter 2:5 (NKJV)

5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

[READ 1 Pet. 2:1-10]

1 Peter 2:9–10 (NKJV)

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Again, our worship should be in response to what God has already done

We are chosen, therefore we should proclaim praise

We are now the people of God and we have obtained mercy, therefore we should proclaim praise.

Abel’s lamb was acceptable to God because he offered it in response to God’s mercy and love.

Our spiritual sacrifices need to be done as a response to God’s mercy and love so that they are also acceptable to God.

God Himself expressed His approval of Abel’s sacrifice:

Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts...

Genesis 4:4 (NKJV)

4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,

This word “respected” means to look upon with favor, to pay attention to

God saw Abel’s sacrifice of worship and leaned in to enjoy it.

Genesis 4:6–7 (NKJV)

6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Here is where God testified of Abel’s gifts!

God was telling Cain - there is a standard and you did not meet it.

Cain was filled with jealous rage - and God was pointing out that his brother had done the right thing. Cain should have humbled himself and followed suit, but instead he cancelled Abel.

Cancel Culture’s ultimate end is always murder - it’s the only way to truly cancel someone.

When we refuse to worship God’s way, our flesh wants to cancel anyone that is doing so.

Application Question: Do you worship in response to what God has done?

I. A Man of Faith

II. A Man of Worship

III. A Man of Righteousness

Hebrews 11:4c (NKJV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous...

Abel is referred to as “righteous” at least three times in Scripture

The first time is by Jesus Himself:

Matthew 23:35 (NKJV)

35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

The second time is here in our main text:

Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts...

The third time is by the Apostle John:

1 John 3:12 (NKJV)

12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

So the Bible is clear: Abel was a righteous man!

However, the Bible also says that NO ONE IS RIGHTEOUS

Romans 3:10 NKJV

10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;

Psalm 14:1–3 (NKJV)

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. (cf. Psalm 53:1-3)

So how do we correlate this conundrum?

Is Abel righteous? - YES!

Is every person that has ever lived UN-righteous? - YES!

I would like to go to a parable of Jesus to help us understand this apparent contradiction in the Bible.

Luke 18:9 NKJV

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

[READ vv.9-13]

Luke 18:14 NKJV

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Abel was righteous because he humbled himself under the authority of God.

Abel was righteous because he made his sacrifice with a humble heart.

Abel was righteous because he approached God with the same attitude that this tax collector did - with a cry for mercy!

Abel was righteous because he did all of this by faith.

The only way God would respect Abel’s offering is if Abel chose to come by faith crying out to God - “Be merciful to me a sinner!”

Genesis 4:4 (NKJV)

4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,

We know that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble:

James 4:6 NKJV

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Genesis 4:4 (NKJV)

4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,

Application Question: Are you exalting yourself or humbling yourself?

I. A Man of Faith

II. A Man of Worship

III. A Man of Righteousness

IV. A Man of Legacy

Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

Legacy is what our lives say after we are gone.

It’s what we leave behind for the next generations to look at

We all leave a legacy of some kind - both good and bad

Here we sit in 2022, some 6,000 years after Abel’s death, and we have spent the last hour learning the lessons of his life.

We talked about Cain’s attempt to cancel Abel - it didn’t work because here we are still talking about him! Cain could not have imagined that his deed done in secret would be written down in Scripture for generations to read and for us to still be talking about today!

God told Cain that Abel’s legacy started the moment he died and his blood flowed out on the ground:

Genesis 4:8–10 (NKJV)

8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

First of all, let’s answer Cain’s question: Was he his brother’s keeper? (keeper means to guard, watch over and keep secure)

Answer: YES!

Secondly, consider the voice of Abel’s blood:

Abel was walking with the Lord by faith

Jesus Himself calls him righteous, along with the NT writers

And it was because of that that he became the first martyr

So what is Abel’s blood saying to God? - the same thing that every martyr’s blood has cried out to God:

Revelation 6:9–11 (NKJV)

9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Abel was the first in a long line of martyrs for Christ.

Abel’s legacy is still calling out to us

Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

Abel is crying out to us today and asking us:

Application Question: What will your legacy be?

Concluding Question 1: Are you like Abel?

I. Faith

II. Worship

III. Righteousness

IV. Legacy

Concluding Question 2: What have you done with Jesus?

One final verse for tonight:

Hebrews 12:24 (NKJV)

24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Even though Abel lived by faith, worshipped God, lived righteously, and left a legacy that cost him his life, Jesus Christ has done all of those things but better!

Abel’s sacrifice was respected by God as a true form of worship.

Jesus’ sacrifice was accepted by God as the payment for the sins of all people

Abel’s sacrifice was the first…Jesus’ sacrifice was the last!

Abel’s blood cried out to God for vengeance on his enemy.

Jesus’ blood cries out to God because of God’s vengeance on Him!- Jesus experienced the wrath of God as if He were God’s enemy!

We are glad for the testimony of Abel, but what about the testimony of Jesus?

Have you accepted His sacrifice as the payment for your sins?