Cain & Abel & Worship
Genesis 4-11 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Please turn to Genesis 4.
If you want a sermon handout for notes, please raise your hand.
We are starting a new series...Genesis 4-11.
in the Old Testament, and the story I am sharing today is familiar, the story of Cain and Abel.
You may ask, why this series, now:
part of it is, since we have been in the NT recently on the last week of Jesus, I want to get us back in the OT, or vice versa, if we have been in the OT, back into the NT.
I want to try to show how even in the OT, the Bible is one unified story that points to Jesus and God’s work of saving us and all of creation for His glory. how do we know this? great question: the resurrected Jesus said this to his disciples—
44 He (Jesus) said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
so if you read the OT—the Law of Moses, the Prophets and Psalms, and don’t consider how this story or passage points to the one big unified storyline of the Bible that centers on Jesus, then we are missing out. I hope OT series can help you as you do your own Bible reading or listening
3. As we read this story, I want us to consider how our previous 2 sermon series can help us. We have done one on discipleship called discipleshift. that we want to be with Jesus, become like Him—the Spirit producing fruit in us, and start to do like He did. One of my favorite definitions of discipleship-is simply saying “Yes” to Jesus. someone who says “Yes” to Jesus in every area of their life. And the key word in that series was the word “Abide” or “Remain.” Say Abide. how can we keep learning about what it means to abide in Jesus—He said “Abide in me as I abide in you.” apart from me you can do nothing, so how can we keep growing as a disciple of Jesus in every area of our lives?
4. as we read this story, another key word from our last sermon series on the last week of Jesus is the word “Behold.” Behold means to gaze in awe of Jesus. this is one of the biggest things you can do as you read God’s Word—be in awe of God. and as you do—we are transformed more and more into His image.
how can we abide and behold Jesus?
so Genesis 4:1.
This is after:
God made all things, including the first human beings in chapters 1 and 2 in His Image.
This is after, God made the first marriage in Genesis 2—Adam and Eve.
This is after, Adam and Eve did the one thing God told them not to do, eat from the tree, and introduced all the horrible consequences of sin, and they are kicked out of the Garden.
so we are now faced with the reality—what is life like outside the Garden
Let me start reading at Genesis 4:1-16
1 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.”
2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
4 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,
5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
7 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.”
8 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.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear.
14 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.”
15 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.
16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Isn’t the OT crazy!
I want to focus on the vertical relationship with God. it may seem this passage is all about our relationship with each other—but before that—it’s about Cain and Abel’s relationships with God.
One of our values here, one of the values in the Bible, is the theme of Worship. (on screen)
at the center of our lives, of following Jesus is worship...
Let me give you a definition of worship:
—giving worth to God...
—a way I remember worship is simply “worth-ship”
—worth-ship is worship
—when we gather in corporate worship—we are together our voices in unity giving worth to God
—but our lives are also a 24/7 reality of worthship—
and it’s not this check of a list worship—it’s intimate communion and fellowship because of the ascended resurrected Jesus who has poured out the Holy Spirit...
so it’s worth asking —what do you give “worth to” the most? all of us are worshippers whether we say we are religious or not
and what do we learn from Cain and Abel...
Some lessons on Worship from Cain and Abel:
Worship’s foundation is always God’s Word (vs. 1-2)
This one may surprise you but before we talk about Cain or Abel. we need to talk about Adam and Eve.
One of the interesting things about Old Testament stories or narratives are the names of characters give us clues.
for instance, vs. 1—Cain’s name vs. Abel’s name in vs.2.
C Judson David, a Hebrew professor at Bryan College talks about this.
Cain means “acquired” Cain is the acquired one that Eve has first.
And Abel means “breath.”
If you remember back to Genesis 3:15
God made a big promise...to Adam and Eve. the first announcement of the Gospel.
God says to the serpent:
15 And I (God) will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman (Eve), and between your offspring (Satan’s offspring) and hers; he (the woman’s offspring) will crush your head (Satan), and you (Satan) will strike his heel.”
incredible promise...a Gospel promise in the OT—
right before this in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve sin because they choose to trust the word of the serpent, rather than God.
in Genesis 4, it’s very possible that Adam and Eve mishandle God’s Word again.
based on that promise, when Eve has Cain, it’s possible she thought “This is the one!” I have acquired him—he is the one
this is the promised offspring that will crush the head of the snake - “take that Satan!” and she names Cain accordingly...
but then she has another Son—and names him Abel.
Scholar C David says the word “Abel” is the word for breath, and maybe that’s hinting his life will be a breath.
but C David says “Abel” is the same word used in the book of Ecclesiastes—it’s the book’s most prominent word—which means “vanity” or even sadly “worthless/meaningless.” what would that do to you if you had the name “worthless or vanity”.
so is it possible she was assuming something from God’s promise, misunderstanding God’s promise—because it turns out Cain is not the one in line with the woman who would crush the serpent—but Abel is—-but he dies—and would later be replaced by a son God graciously provides named Seth.
so “in Genesis 3, Eve is tricked into distrusting God’s Word. In Genesis 4, she trusts God’s promise but misinterprets and misapplies it....one writer says “Her mistaken beliefs about God’s Word lead them to give their sons horrible names...” which may have led to Cain’s arrogance and fall away from God.
misunderstanding God and His Word, assuming...
these are the kinds of things that not only Adam and Eve do, but we do.
Real worship - giving God His due—begins with knowing and understanding who He is.
so...
first of all do you and I know God’s Word? starts there. this is a key part of abiding and beholding... how did your life go at being in God’s Word—b/c all of us are listening to the voice of something—is it God’s voice in his Word or something else?
Couple tips—do you have a plan to be in God’s Word? If you have no plan at all, your plan is not.
2nd tip from YSM - take a look at this Bible—that Sheryl Welch talked about — the Clear Focus Bible (see photo)
3rd tip - are we correctly handling it, not assuming or misunderstanding...but checking it with good resources. your brothers and sisters in Christ in a Sunday School class or group or small group.
with your pastors. don’t always trust YouTube preachers
and then not just knowing it...interpreting it...
but the next lesson is #2
Worship involves faith or trust in God from the heart (Gen 4:2-5) (Hebrews 11:1-6)
Look at vs. 2-5
in vs. 2, we read that Abel kept flocks and Cain worked the soil.
not sure why they went their respective careers. maybe it’s even possible that if Cain was the favorite—he would do exactly what God said in chapter 3—to work the ground. and they gave Abel the worse job of managing the animals. who knows (that’s speculation)
Cain brings an offering from his line of work, and Abel from his respective line of work.
and the Lord looked with favor on Abel’s and not Cain’s. why?
I don’t think it’s because Abel offered an animal sacrifice and Cain a ground one.
That’s not the issue here. many years later in the book of Leviticus—the Law of Moses allowed for grain offerings and animal offerings.
what is the issue?
maybe it’s because Abel somehow earned God’s favor....but that’s not the issue why?
we get a clue...
let me start in the NT in Hebrews 11—Hebrews 11 is called the hall of faith—
one principle of Bible reading is that the Bible should interpret itself where possible. and we have that in the NT
Hebrews 11:1-6 (minus vs. 5)
1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4 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.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
faith—true worship involves this kind of faith—a hope for and assurance about what we do not see. vs. 1
a belief in vs. 6 that anyone can come to God—believing He exists and that He rewards earnest seekers.
this faith of trusting God—worked itself out in what Abel gave vs. what Cain gave.
first from Genesis 4 and then Hebrews 11.
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
4 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,
the language gives us a clue...
Abel gave the best, Cain merely some.
and God didn’t reward Abel simply because He gave the best as if he somehow earned it...
his offering showed something deeper going on his heart...what Baer often calls the thing beneath the thing—driving that offering.
you see here is what is tricky about faith.
Pastor Mark Bates says when looking at Cain and Abel.....
that he thinks both men believed in God. Cain believes in God probably more than many people.
he actually talked to God and God talked back....
but just because you believe in God does not equal the faith we are talking about here.
James 1:19 - even the demons believe in God and shudder.
what is the faith that Abel shows and Cain does not?
It’s Hebrews 11 type faith.
It is believing in the promise of God...that’s what Abel had.
Abel believed in God’s promise from Genesis 3:15 of a future deliverer to crush the serpent’s head, and out of that Gospel announcement, he offered his sacrifice in faith.
based on Hebrews 11, he is not bringing a sacrifice to be accepted by God, but out of the promised acceptance coming to Him.
in other words—we get the sense Cain, on the other hand, is doing this to somehow get something or earn something from God, Abel out of hope in the promised future.
and so this is reflected in the nature of their sacrifice—Abel amazed at this—gives abundantly, generously, from the best part of his flocks—the firstborn, the fat. and Cain simply brings some stuff.
we know that Cain has the wrong motivations, the wrong kind of faith—because in vs. 5—Cain is angry; his face downcast. he is brooding...he is angry, jealous. Cain’s reaction and his emotions reveals his heart.
so let’s summarize for your sheet: what is true faith for worship of God?:
—not works or earning our right status with God
—not going through the motions with God
—not using God to get his stuff (or blessing)
—trust in God and His future promises, which leads to giving God your best...
—so true worship is not about me, but ultimately about — God.
I find that definition of faith and worship—challenging.
because if worship is worthship—how much do I really value God? How much do I really think He is the #1 thing in life—worthy of all! does my life and most importantly my heart really believe it deep down like Abel did?
Am I trusting God at least like Abel did—I have a lot more revelation of God than Abel did at the time—I know Jesus has come died, and resurrected—the promised seed has come—Abel was just looking to the future that God would provide.
and so does that impact how I give to God?
—my time? or do I give leftovers just squeeze in time? am I intentional at being with—abiding—beholding God—the most important things I can do everyday—be with Jesus?
—my money? how many of us are actually giving our money generously to God and His kingdom—to the local church based out of the promise of God like Abel, to missionaries and missions, to God’s kingdom overall? Do I even think about it?
I will tell you what—my parents taught me early on to give regularly to church—the tithe 10%, and even challenged me to do it even when months are difficult to give, to always give something out of joy not out of obligation but worship—acknowledge—God has given the cattle and grain, I give it back. He has given me the opportunity, it’s already His. I actually think—this is another sermon that the practice of the tithe no longer applies 10%—that’s OT. NT the principle is even greater—it’s generosity!
so what does my giving look like?
You may say I can’t afford the cost—of giving this time or this money. but let me say it like this—what will it cost you if you don’t give it? because if you don’t give your time and your money and resources to the Lord—it will cost you something. because I believe what you give to time and resources—where your treasure is there is your heart—and so what you give your time and money — your heart will follow and if it’s not Jesus, it will consume and enslave and destroy.
Yes Abel’s offering cost him something, but Cain’s it cost a lot more.
Abel shows us a life of faith, worship—trusting God and His Word and His promises that overflows in his generosity to God.
3. worship involves confession and repentance… (vs. 6-8)
this part of the scene is so sad....and yet so hopeful—could have been hopeful.
look at verse 6 and 7
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
7 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.”
God gives Cain an incredible opportunity.
He is intervening even before Cain sins.
We didn’t see this in chapter 3—when the snake is tempting Adam and Eve, they eat and then God comes.
Here God recognizes exactly what is going on in Cain’s heart and gives him an opportunity to change.
“Cain it’s not too late.”
“Cain, there is still hope.”
“Cain, your sacrifice wasn’t accepted because of your heart...you weren’t really doing it for me.”
“Cain, you don’t have to take the route you are about to take....
have you ever heard God do that in your life—try to intervene before you are about to make a disastrous decision?
sin is pictured here not just as breaking God’s law—but sin is an animal, a beast, ready to pounce!!
but Cain does not heed God’s Word to change.
one preacher says “Cain would rather be right than forgiven....Instead of examining his heart and seeing why he has offended God, he would rather cling to his own sense of righteousness.”
all it took was for Cain:
to admit “I was wrong...”
to confess - which simply means agree with God on this situation
repent - change—change of mind/heart first, change of direction
Mark Bates says: “The main point of the story is not what type of sacrifice Cain offered and what type of sacrifice Abel offered. The main point is we see here in Cain’s response, he refuses to repent.
The deadliest thing for you, the deadliest thing for me, is not that you will sin or that I will sin. You will sin. I will sin. That is not fatal. What is fatal? The deadliest thing is that you will not repent, that you will not believe the gospel enough to repent.”
this is why many theologians believe Cain was doing his sacrifice out of duty, obligation, works. works based people are very slow to repent if they repent at all. because if you get your value from your work, when your work is threatened, it is your life and identity and you find it had to change. but if your worth or value is in God and what He has provided like Abel...when you are confronted by sin...
you own it
confess it
repent...
Bates: See, if you really believe, if you really believe that what gives you good standing before God is not your works, but Christ’s righteousness, then what do you lose when you admit your sin? Absolutely nothing. Because your behavior did nothing to commend yourself to God to begin with. And so a grace based person can repent because they’re not losing anything by admitting their sin and letting go of their sin. In fact, you find delight in confessing and repenting your sin.
and we know that we are covered by a blood that is better than Abel’s (more on that next week). Jesus’ blood cries out from the ground for justice—and it is finished and satisfied.
Hebrews 12:24 says we have come to:
24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
because Jesus’ blood has been shed, God’s justice is satisfied. We can come knowing we are covered under Jesus’ precious blood.
and imagine how the story would have been different if Cain took those steps.
imagine how the story would be different for us every day—if we choose willingly and quickly to repent when God confront us—rather than holding on to our pride. Genesis 4 is the intensification of sin—when we hold on to our pride.
one of the marks of a true worshipper is eagerness to repent.
where a mark of a true idolater, pride, never admitting when something is their fault.
2 Corinthians 7 gives one more nuance to repenting
9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.
10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
I think Cain after he murdered Abel was sad—but not godly sorrow but worldly sorrow.
He cared only that he was being punished, got caught, there were consequences; he still didn’t change then.
if he would have understood God’s gracious invitation—come to me, find life, yes it is painful to admit you are wrong and messed up—but it will be more painful if you don’t. abide in me. behold me.
those who regularly confess and repent—have a healthy relationship with God—they take sin seriously yet take God’s grace seriously. they have healthier marriages—able to repair damaged relationships, healthier friendships, healthier churches and community. this dynamic of repenting.
a life of unrepentance is the only thing that will lead to a life of eternity in hell away from God.
a life of unrepentance is the only thing that will lead to missing out on a thriving relationship with God now.
so worship = worthship...
God’s Word
Faith
Repentance
It is pretty basic...
If you are not sure where to begin—it is as simple as telling God that you have messed up, and want His forgiveness.
if you are the kind of person who struggles regularly to repent—maybe you are full of pride—-a deadly sin—
4. There is a 4th one—that we will leave blank intentionally—to mess with you....worship is not just vertical but ________________...
Prayer of repentance and confession: (part of the Lord’s prayer) “forgive us out debts as we have forgiven our debtors”
