APPROVED - BY FAITH

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 11

By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts,

BIG IDEA: WE ARE EXPECTED TO GIVE GOD OUR ABSOLUTE BEST!

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4

3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4

4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.

6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

WHAT LEGACY ARE YOU LEAVING FOR THOSE COMING BEHIND YOU?

BASED UPON OUR PASSAGE, I CAN CONCLUDE THAT LEGACY IS OUR REPUTATION THAT REMAINS EVEN AFTER OUR DEPARTURE.

REPUTATION: NOT ONLY WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT US, BUT WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT US!

YOU SEE, CAIN AND ABEL WERE DIFFERENT IN THEIR REVERENCE FOR GOD!

CAIN DESIRED IMMEDIATE/SELFISH GRATIFICATION, WHILE ABEL DESIRED DELAYED/GOD-HONORING GRATIFICATION!

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4

3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the LORD. 4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.

WHEN WE WITHHOLD, WE’RE OPERATING IN SELFISHNESS!

WHEN WE RELEASE, WE’RE OPERATING IN SELFLESSNESS!

SELFISHNESS DESIRES THINGS MY WAY!

SELFLESSNESS DESIRES THINGS GOD’S WAY!

SEE, WE’RE GIVING, BUT WE’RE NOT GIVING OUR BEST! ORRRR, WE’RE GIVING WITH LESS THAN HONORABLE MOTIVES!!!

AND YOU’RE ASKING, “PASTOR, THIS IS MY STRUGGLE - SELFISHNESS! HOW CAN I OVERCOME THIS EVIL? HOW CAN I STOP FOCUSSING ON THE PESSIMISM AND NEGATIVITY OF SELF-CENTERED-NESS, AND BECOME CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT GOD WANTS?”

I’LL TELL YOU HOW - BY FAITH!

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 11

4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did.

WE CAN’T DO ANYTHING FOR GOD WITHOUT FAITH…AND WHEN WE DO THINGS FOR GOD WITHOUT FAITH, WE FALL INTO CAIN’S LANE...

IF WE HAVEN’T LEARNED ANYTHING IN THIS COVID - SHELTER IN PLACE - PANDEMIC WORLD, IT IS LIFE MUST BE LIVED BEYOND OURSELVES AND OUR PETTY PREFERENCES!

LIFE (BY GOD’S DESIGN) IS TO BE ABUNDANTLY FULFILLED (BY FAITH) OFFERING GOD OUR ABSOLUTE BEST!

AND, PARENTHETICALLY, A BI-PRODUCT OF GIVING GOD OUR BEST IS THAT THOSE AROUND US WILL GET THE BEST LEFT-OVERS!

ABEL’S OFFERING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL REVEALED HIS FAITH IN GOD, WHICH APPROVED HIM (AS RIGHTEOUS) BY GOD!

ABEL’S OFFERING AT A LOWER LEVEL REVEALED A MAN’S COMMITMENT TO MONITORING HIS ULTERIOR MOTIVES IN ALL THAT HE DID, TO ENSURE THAT HIS WANTS/NEEDS SUBMITTED TO GOD’S!

APPROVED - BY FAITH!

I WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON ABEL, WHILE CATCHING A GLIMPSE OF CAIN. WE CAN LEARN FROM BOTH!

CAIN ALLOWED EVIL TO RULE (HIM):

PURPOSED TO GIVE A SUB-STANDARD OFFERING

Cain worked the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord.

POUTED WHEN HE WAS CALLED OUT! -

The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.

PLOTTED TO KILL -

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And 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 guardian?”

10 Then he said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11 So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed.

BUT ABEL:

GAVE WITH A SINCERE DESIRE TO PLEASE GOD (THAT’S WHERE OUR APPROVAL LIES)

RECEIVED RECOGNITION FOR DOING WHAT IS RIGHT - SHORT-TERM: (VS. 7: IF YOU DO WHAT IS RIGHT) - IT’S RIGHT TO GIVE GOD OUR BEST!

RECEIVED APPROVAL (AS RIGHTEOUS) - LONG TERM - HE STILL SPEAKS THROUGH HIS FAITH!