First things first

Intro: This three-week series examines the significance of being a good steward.

First Fruits 1

Intro: This three-week series examines the significance of being a good steward.

A. Steward = Someone who manages or looks after another’s property.

· God owns everything.

1 Corinthians 10:26 NLT

For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

· Everything we have is a resources God provides to us

· Everything we have is a resources God provides to us

B. We talk abut giving once a year.

· This is not a sermon on why you should give but how.

· Why we give? We are commanded. To pushback against the selfish we are born with. God’s blessings.

· Today we want to talk about how we give. The attitude of giving.

C. Learning to offer God our best

· We follow Christ’s example when we use our money to serve God, rather than serving our money.

· God expects us to be good stewards of all he has given us

· and to show our love for him by offering our first and our best to him.

Today we are going to talk about the first recorded sacrifice to the Lord to draw some insight in how we should give and hopefully understand that how we give might be more important than why.

ILLUS: Molly and Billy making Birthday presents for you.

· Molly detailed colorful, Billy’s stick figures, My, what beautiful pictures you children have made for me!" And you smother them with love and appreciation.

· Tell us which you like better /both of course / They are beautiful each in there own way.

· What do we think of the parent who doesn’t take this approach/

Let me show you a parent who goes the other way.

Genesis 4:1–10 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!

I. Re-gifting to God

A. Have you ever received a gift and thought to yourself, How much effort went into this?

· Sometimes we receive gifts we don’t really like. Some of those gifts we end up re-gifting to others.

· In fact, US News & World Report did an article about dos and don’ts of re-gifting. Don’t “re-gift within the family.” Do “package it prettily.”

· The point is sometimes we receive what we do not want. And we give what we really don’t want

· We do this to God too. Instead of putting our thought and heart into what we offer him, some of us give him half-hearted gifts.

B. God accepted Abel’s gift and rejected Cain’s

· The offerings of Cain and Abel in are the first recorded offerings to God.

· Why? Did God prefer the animal sacrifice over a plant? There are many reasons that have been taught

· Some suggest it is because Abel’s offering was a blood offering.

· Others suggest it is because Cain did not offer a first fruits offering.

· I have always contended that they had instructions. The lord wanted a blood offering and Cain would have had to go through Abel to have one.

· Dr. Mariottini (Old testament professor at northern Baptist seminary} suggests there is not sufficient evidence for either theory. He contends the reason is likely due to Cain’s attitude toward giving.

C. Attitude

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.

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.

· Abel’s offering gave evidence of righteousness…

· Abel’s offering gave evidence of righteousness…

· Cain’s offering did not.

· Did Cain regift God. Aren’t we all just regifting God in a way?

· Maybe it was the way Cain felt about the gift that made the difference.

Could that be why God rejected it his offering? Did Cain decided to give God something he really didn’t want? Could it have been his attitude toward giving that cost him dearly?

>>> Could that be why God rejected it his offering? Did Cain decided to give God something he really didn’t want? Could it have been his attitude toward giving that cost him dearly?

II. How they gave their offerings

Genesis 4:3–4a NLT

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,

When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock.

A. Abel gave the best

A. Abel gave the best

· Cain presented some of his crops

· Abel gave his best, which introduces us to the concept of first-fruit offerings.

B. First fruits refers to the first portion of the harvest which is given to God.

· Most notably the firstfruits are: the first to come in time; a pledge or hope of the greater harvest to follow; and specially dedicated to God. …

· Ever see that first tomato get ripe? Waiting all summer…

· “The concept of firstfruits derives from God's creation work. Because God created everything that exists, all of creation belongs to him

Psalm 24:1 NLT

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

· Consequently, that which is first and best belongs to him and is to be given to him”

· Consequently, that which is first and best belongs to him and is to be given to him”

· Offering firstfruits means offering to God our very best without hesitation or regret.

· This includes our finances, time, gifts, and whatever he asks from us.

· Firstfruits are about choosing God first.

C. What attitude did Cain have? How did he give

· Couple of things that are not obvious but important when you study scripture. Name and chronology.

· Sometimes you must ask why this story is here.

· There is not much here so lets try and dig a little deeper.

· He is called Cain and he chooses to be a farmer. These to facts seemed to be related. Sometimes names are important clues

Genesis 4:1 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!”

:1 Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced (I have Acquired a man)a man!”

· Cain was never actually named Cain. He was Cain.

· Other children in the Bible -- Ishmael, Moses and Samuel, for example -- are given names by parents or by others

· but not Cain. In his case He is not someone merely named Cain, he is Cain; he embodies the word. But what does Cain mean?

· In Hebrew, Cain's name is kayin. The context suggests that the name derives from the word kanah, which means acquire. Which is the direct translation of Eve. We say produced or brought forth but our bible all have a little note by that.

· Cain the "acquirer" Cain the farmer works the earth, seeks to ground himself in possessions.

· While Cain comes from the word kanah, acquire, Abel comes from the very opposite. In Hebrew, Abel is pronounced hevel, which means breath, or more precisely, the steam that escapes one's mouth on a cold winter's day.

· Hevel is a word that appears elsewhere in the Bible. Its most common string of occurrences is in the Book of Ecclesiastes.

· The word hevel is, in fact, the first word in that book, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity," says Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Most translations say Meaningless. Except what he's really saying is "hevel havalim." Everything is hevel, everything is breath.

· Solomon, one of the richest, most successful men to ever live, reveals his anguish -- an anguish that is, ironically, the stepchild of his success.

· His distress comes from the realization that his achievements will not, cannot, last. Everything, Solomon declares, is like breath. It all dissipates. It all ends with death.

Ecclesiastes 1:4 NLT

Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes.

Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes.

V7 say all rivers flow into the sea but it is never full.

V7 say all rivers flow into the sea but it is never full.

· In Abel we have this idea that we cannot keep this. Its all Gods. In Cain we have the acquirer a search for permanence.

D. Two things I think are important.

· First the obvious. Cain wanted to keep the best for Himself. He gave God what he didn’t want.

· Secondly which is not so obvious and I get it from what Eve says about Cains birth, then the actual consequences that Cain faces after he murders his brother.

“With the Lord’s help, I have produced (I have Acquired a man [Kanah])a man!”

· Her attitude seems to be I’m the principle and God just helped. Look what God and I have done.

· I think Cain may have had this same attitude. I’m the farmer. Look what I and God have done

Isaiah 42:8 NLT

“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.

“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.

ILLUS: Getting on stage with God worship us as we sing.

ILLUS: Getting on stage with God worship us as we sing.

· He will not share his glory even if you idolize yourself.

· Why do I think this could have been Cains attitude? Let’s look further.

Genesis 4:11–16 NLT

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.” Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!” The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12 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.” 13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! 14 You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!” 15 The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16 So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

V11 cursed from the ground

V11 cursed from the ground

· the syntax is awkward, but in Hebrew, that's exactly what the text says: that Cain will be cursed "from" the ground.

· The strange phrase can either mean that the ground is the source of Cain's curse, (the one doing the cursing} or that the effect of the curse is to separate Cain "from" the land. Either way, the sense is that a rupture has occurred between Cain and the ground

· What he loved more than God turned against him. Instead of being grounded in one place like farmers are he settles in the land of Nod which means wanderer. He goes on to build cities not farm.

· He lost his first love because his first love was not his creator.

Whew! I’m exhausted! What can we get from all this? What is our take away besides a good Humph!?

III. What happens when we Give with the wrong attitude.

A. Does God punish Cain for his attitude?

V 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift

· No he just didn’t accept it. It tick Cain off. It embarrassed him.

· Cain didn’t get punished until he killed Abel

· This means you get to offer God what you want to. The question is will he accept it.

B. What is the result of not giving first fruits.

V 6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 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.”

· The result is sin is couching at the door eager to control you

· When we resist the giving of our first fruits to God. When we give what’s left over we open ourselves to sin.

· The more selfish you act the more selfish you become.

· We become at odds with what we love. Solomon, money and wives put him in anguish

C. Cain lost what he loved most.

· God will always ask for what you have put over Him.

Mark 10:17–21 NLT

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’ 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

· If you want to save your life you will lose it.

· We interpret this truth on a parochial level. If I really love it God will take it away from me. No, Love God more and the thing you love will be less important to you and more important to Him.

>>> When we give God our second best in our time talent and treasure we put our lives at risk. It is not the gift or lack of one. 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! God encourages us to Give not just so H can bless you but so you can be protected from your own selfishness. Well Tim, this was a really cool bible study until we ended up here. Now I wish I have never heard it! How do we insure we give our first fruits?

IV. How do we insure giving First Fruits

A. You will never choose first fruits until you choose Him first.

· He has to be your first in your time. How much time do you give Him.

As a church all year we want 20 min a day to read God’s word that he gave to us. During Let we want 40 minutes.

Illus: In retirement there’s nothing then Jeopardy and then nothing

· He has to be your first in your talent. How are you serving God and His church.

We have all kinds of needs around here. More security, Nursery, Children’s teachers, check in’s, check out’s cleaning. We need media people who can work with computers.

· He has to be first in your treasure.

Sign up for recurring giving. If you have to only think about it once you are better off.

Let me share a very scary truth. Should I? God cares more about your Christlikeness more than your health and wealth… Are you truly refusing to cooperate in your own growth?

B. More important than the amount or the type of gift is how the offering is presented.

· God wants us to share from our resources, but he wants us to do so cheerfully

2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

· We give cheerfully when we got off the stage and give in gratitude.

· We give cheerfully when we got off the stage and give in gratitude.

· Each year people line up, waiting hours upon hours to get the new iPhone. Concerts with artists like Beyoncé or the Rolling Stones sell out in minutes.

· It is obvious that we as consumers are willing to cheerfully give our best without hesitation. These products and concerts are good, but they are nothing

· You want to give in gratitude? Let me give you a mantra, a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. Mantra can change you. You want a good one? Ok whatever…

Mantra: It’s not about how bad you are, but how good He is.

· Lets explain it. It means nothing if not explained.

· Two sides to it. First I’m so bad or my past is so filthy I’m just so in debt to God. No, you are not in debt to God. That is heresy. We are saved by Grace alone. God’s redemptive plan is Free! He paid it all and wants you to live and give in gratitude not debt.

· Second side. I’m not as bad as he is… you see it. It’s not about how less bad you are either…

· I give more than he does. Or I’m more committed than she is. I know more bible the he does. I don’t sin in public like she did.

· We live and give gratitude not debt

· Lets practice.

Summary: Giving God our best is a reflection of our relationship with him; if we don’t think much of him and what he has done, we are probably not going to give easily or generously. What happened to Cain because of how he gave not so much what he gave. Let’s bow our heads and Give God our lives in gratitude.