Legends - ABEL

INTRO

Last year I spoke about different people that the Lord would highlight to me in study or prayer. This year, at least for now, We are going to go through the FAITH HALL OF FAME.

Faith Hall of Fame - Hebrews 11

We had our series when we broke down Faith, now we are going to look at who in the Bible actually walked out their faith so well that they are in Hebrews 11. We will see look into people we know like Abraham and Moses…but then we will tackle some lesser talked about names like Enoch and Rahab. AND the one we are talking about tonight…..

Hebrews 11:4 NLT

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

PRAY

MESSAGE

What do we know about Abel???

Genesis 4:1–12 NLT

Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!” Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him. Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

Abels family : Mother - Eve, Father - Adam, Brother - Cain

Occupation : Shepard

Where did he live : Outside of EDEN

TALKING POINTS / Lessons to be learned:

What was the difference between the sacrifices?

QUALITY > QUANTITY ; HEART > HOW MUCH

The offerings were the same in the sense it was what they both did for a living. Cain raised up crop and grain…..Abel raised up Sheep. They both offered something valuable to them, but only Abels was accepted. WHY? What did he have faith in? He had faith in the God that his parents told him about. He had faith in the God that in just the chapter before told the same serpent that caused Eve to sin that he would be destroyed. So I can imagine the type of attitude Cain approached the offering with…..just doing it because he was told to…..maybe only doing it because he saw his brother doing it.

“If you do the right thing for the wrong reasons, you will not sustain it.” - Manny Arango

Proverbs 21:27 NLT

The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives.

iii. What are you focused on when you offer something to the Lord? Yourself? or the Lord?

the similarity between Abel and Jesus and the blood sacrifice.

Abel - shepherd for occupation …. Jesus - Shepherd for man

Blood was shed in both

Tie in Offering

Direction for Discussion groups

Announcements:

YFN registration is OPEN!! more info come ask me or Andrea