Abel’s Faith

BIG IDEA: True faith expresses itself in wholehearted worship that God receives and remembers. Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

Genesis 4:2–8 “And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.” Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

The first murder of Human history. Cain striking and killing his brother Abel. Terrible terrible.

But we see in Hebrews 11, that though Abel died, he is a hero of the faith. He’s a man for all of us to look to.

So here’s 3 things we learn about Faith.

Without Faith it is impossible to please Him.

God’s approval over men’s approval

Abel still speaks

Faith - Bringing all we have

Now again faith is outlined in verse 1: Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

The assurance, of things hoped for.

The trust the belief in things not seen

Right of the bat in verse 4, We don’t know why Abels offering to God was more acceptable. We know that Abel had an animal sacrifice and Cain had a vegetabale offering.

But what we know is that Abel brought his best. Abel brought a good healthy fat calf here. He trusted in God. He brought his best to God.

Hebrews 11 is saying about Abel’s offering

But for the author of Hebrews, he knows and understands that Abels offering is good. He says the thing that makes his offering of his sacrifice bettern than Cain’s is faith.

Faith is the thing that made Abel’s actions justified. It wasn’t the action or the exact thing that was offered that validated Abel’s offering it was the Faith that he had. The application for us this morning is to do our very best and do it in faith Verse 6 says Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” So in order for us to please God we must have faith, verse 6 that gives us two things. We must believve that he exists and he rewards those who seek Him.

Abel here was acting in belief in God existed.

We definitely know that Cain didn’t have as proper view as God as he should’ve. NOt only did he not give his offering in Faith, he got jealous, angry, then struck his brother down dead.

Thats not living in faith, as if God existed.

The believer that lives as if God exists, lives doing everything to trying to please God. Working for Him. Working in belief of Him.

Abel, we don’t know exactly how he had Faith, or exactly how he did that. But simply Hebrews tell us that as he was giving his offering it was in belief of God, he know God existed, and that he knew God would reward those who seek Him.

2. Faith leads to righteousness

Hebrews 11:4 “through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.

Another version says that By faith he was approved as a righteouss man, because God approved his gifts.

It was God’s approval of His gifts and of his offering that he was approved of righteouss man. God approved of his gifts.

Abel was seeking God’s approval first and foremost and not mans.

What’s most important to you? Are you living for God’s approval or for mans?

Abel is clearly marked by a man, that seeked for God’s approval. For God to accept his gifts.

With our time, money, and resources, are we stewarding those things by looking to honor and glorify God, or are we looking for the approval of others.

Story of a time someone looked for the approval

3. Faith leads to the right legacy Hebrews 11:4 And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

What kind’ve legacy do you want to live in this life? One excercise we’ve done on staff here is waht kind’ve eulogy what I like to have one day? What kind’ve legacy do you want to leave? Right now this morning, we’re talking about Abel. That is some kind’ve legacy.

From being one of the first human beings in history, and being the first murdered man in history to now being a person that us here in Cloverdale BC are talking about years and years later.

That we’re desrining to be like this morning.

What kind’ve legacy do you want to leave? There are moments that you remember where you were when they happened. My wife and I reflected on this recently, and all the big moments of history. I remember one Sunday afternoon walking in the door after church and my phone buzzed and on it reading the headline that former basketball star Kobe Bryant had died. It was a tragic death with him and his young daughter who died in a helicopter crash.

This week I was reading his Eulogies that his family and friends. wrote. Many of them talking about his mentality, his work ethic, his basketball skills. His rudeness even at times for his goal to win the championship.

Though maybe there’s some things we can learn from Kobe. Especially something like about how fragile life is. We can also learn that what a waste of life he had. Being known for working hard in basketball. 41 years on this planet and your biggest acomplishment is a NBA championship.

I’m sorry but what a waste in life. What sadness there is.

Every single one of us need to be asking oursself. IF we realize, and see that only what’s done for Christ will matter in the end. The reason that we’re talking about Abel is because he Had faith in Christ coming. It’s because he lived out his faith. Now he’s in front of His King praising God.

His life wasn’t fancy, his life may not have been long, but his life is one marked by faith. Would that be known of us.