Godly Sacrifice

ILLUST - CAIN’s WIFE- the most talked about wife in history - So where’d she come from?

Clarence Darrow questions William Jennings Bryan - Scopes Trial (1925)

Tennessee had law, no teaching evolution in schools, Scopes was accused of doing so

Jennings vowed to “prove” the Bible

Q—Did you ever discover where Cain got his wife?

A—No, sir; I leave the agnostics to hunt for her.

Q—You have never found out?

A—I have never tried to find.

Q—You have never tried to find?

A—No.

Q—The Bible says he got one doesn’t it? Were there other people on the earth at that time?

A—I cannot say.

Q—You cannot say. Did that ever enter your consideration?

A—Never bothered me.

Q—There were no others recorded, but Cain got a wife.

A—That is what the Bible says.

Q—Where she came from you do not know.

And still today, Christians cannot defend the Bible

First - some “Teachy”

Jesus refers to this account - Matthew 23 - an actual account

Cain’s Wife

One of his sisters, or possibly a niece - NOT incest, gene pool amazingly good

Lev. 18-20 forbids close relations marrying - genetic mutations too great by then, 2500 years later (1446 B.C.) - same reason we have similar laws today

Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters (Gen. 5) (Rabbinical sources estimate 23-50)

Taking Bible at its Word, no evolution or lots of other people around

Land of Nod

Took his wife with him, he did NOT go somewhere and find other people

REM- no evolution, no death before sin, no slowly evolving people

Focus on civilization-building, technology, arts

Now - some “Preachy”

1 - Trust in the Lord is shown by our actions - Attitude and Action

Abel vs. Cain

Abel - herdsman

Cain - farmer

Abel - “firstlings” of his flock, plus fat portions

Cain - an offering of the fruit of ground

Why the issue with Cain’s offering?

Not blood/animal? -Maybe - but...Adam, too, was a farmer

Quality of the sacrifice - maybe, but not told specifically

Attitude behind the sacrifice - also possible

True sacrifice - giving, of our best, not seeking what’s in it for us

Options:

Give/sacrifice- begrudgingly - skip it, God doesn’t want it

Think about giving, wanting to, but not doing it - insincerity

Sacrifice when easy or convenient, not really costing anything - NOPE

Giving sacrificially, generously, cheerfully - PLEASES GOD

Yes, God can be pleased! He can be pleased by the actions that follow our attitude

One who trusts in the Lord? It shows - a life of sacrifice for the LORD

2 - Worldy Sorrow vs Biblical Repentance

SUMMARY - much seen by attitude after the offering

Cain has opportunity to repent

Worldly sorrow vs Biblical repentance

2 Corinthians 7:10 NASB95

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Cain has concerns for himself, didn’t think about his brother

God warns Cain - some time passes, and Cain diabolically plots and kills Abel

This is not spur-of-the-moment

Cain had a choice

3 - Marked by God

Cain’s mark

Scientific American, 2021 article- denial of evolution is white supremacy, since this mark made Cain “black”

Visible, literal, showed people they’d have to deal with God if they harmed him

Who are these people Cain fears? Relatives of Abel who loved him.

An act of mercy from God

Mercy not appreciated, not truly accepted

The result? Look at the offspring - by Lamech, a polygamist, he feels invincible, due to advancement in technology, weaponry, power, strength- he’s killed a man, and feels Cain’s act was minimal compared to his

Believer’s mark

Indwelling of the Holy Spirit- that’s how you know you are saved

Faith- it’s what saves you

Faith - it’s what drives you

Doing the right thing, gets really, really tiresome

It wore Jesus out to the point of death on the cross

Seth is born

Offspring - Enosh

Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord - WORSHIP

Cain’s offspring - made good lives for themselves

progressively more and more immoral, bent to evil

Seth’s offspring- focused on lives lived for the Lord

CHALLENGE

Satan wants to ruin your life, the family, the church

Sin crouches at the door today, too

If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, God has marked you, for HIM

You are marked for protection, forever, spiritually

All God wants in return?

Demonstrate that trust in Him

Step 1- trust Him

Step 2- show Him, live your life, sacrificially

Romans 12:1–2 NASB95

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.