WEBVTT 00:00:00.920 --> 00:00:04.400 Genesis chapter 4, thank you for that song and all that music, what a blessing. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:15.780 A week ago, a young athlete that just finished his first breakout season with an NFL team 00:00:15.780 --> 00:00:24.100 caused an automobile accident involving several people in downtown Dallas. 00:00:24.100 --> 00:00:32.380 He had a new Corvette, in addition to that he had leased a $240,000 Lamborghini SUV, 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:39.539 and he and his friends were racing the two vehicles through downtown Dallas when they caused a huge crash. 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:46.900 Several people were injured, several cars were hit, and he was seen walking away from the scene, 00:00:47.140 --> 00:00:53.079 and the police looked for him for several days until he made his presence known through his attorney. 00:00:54.100 --> 00:01:06.659 There's a great chance that this rookie stellar athlete has just ruined his career and possibly his freedom. 00:01:07.939 --> 00:01:12.719 How in the world does that happen? 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:14.099 Well, it wasn't the first time. 00:01:15.460 --> 00:01:18.079 It wasn't the first time because Adam and Eve had it all. 00:01:19.379 --> 00:01:20.319 They had it all. 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:21.079 It was truly paradise. 00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:23.280 There was no sin there. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:24.900 There was perfect tranquility there. 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:29.560 They had an unequaled relationship, walking in the cool of the day with the Father. 00:01:30.739 --> 00:01:32.460 They had a wonderful relationship with each other. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:33.799 There was no shame there. 00:01:34.599 --> 00:01:36.120 But that was not enough. 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:44.359 They still had to go a step beyond, and little did they know when they did that what it would cause, 00:01:44.980 --> 00:01:46.840 for the ramifications were huge. 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:53.260 They faced the consequences of the curses, and they threw their family into a pattern of sinfulness. 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:57.500 And today we begin to see that ripple effect. 00:01:57.600 --> 00:02:03.280 Now, I'll tell you as we continue through Genesis 1 through 11, we'll continue to see that ripple effect, 00:02:03.420 --> 00:02:07.800 but we're going to look at two of their sons and how the mess got bigger. 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:14.800 There are some things we can learn from, and we ought to learn from. 00:02:15.500 --> 00:02:20.780 Genesis chapter 4, beginning in verse 1, says this, 00:02:20.780 --> 00:02:28.539 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, 00:02:28.740 --> 00:02:30.800 I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord. 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:35.080 And again, she bore his brother Abel. 00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:41.060 Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:46.300 In the course of time, Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:51.439 And Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. 00:02:52.640 --> 00:02:58.580 And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. 00:02:58.580 --> 00:03:03.740 So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 00:03:05.060 --> 00:03:08.560 The Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:13.220 If you do well, will you not be accepted? 00:03:14.360 --> 00:03:19.460 And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:25.720 Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it. 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:35.500 Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:41.240 Then the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? 00:03:42.139 --> 00:03:43.139 And he said, I don't know. 00:03:43.819 --> 00:03:45.000 Am I my brother's keeper? 00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:48.139 And the Lord said, What have you done? 00:03:48.139 --> 00:03:56.959 Son, the voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:04.979 When Eve had Cain, she knew it was a gift from God. 00:04:05.219 --> 00:04:07.479 His name means acquired. 00:04:08.659 --> 00:04:13.239 She knew God had given her him, and she credited the Lord. 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:18.960 She felt as if it was a partnership between her and God of sorts. 00:04:19.660 --> 00:04:25.460 And it's a great possibility that she even thought she may have bore the Savior. 00:04:26.579 --> 00:04:30.220 And the reason why I say that is because of the way she named him, 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:35.540 and because of that Hebrew structure of that sentence. 00:04:35.960 --> 00:04:41.740 That he may in fact be the one that in the curse mentions the crushing of the head of the serpent. 00:04:41.740 --> 00:04:45.220 But if she thought that, she was wrong. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:51.800 And she soon knew that because when she had her second son, she named him Abel. 00:04:52.699 --> 00:04:54.639 Which in Hebrew meant vanity. 00:04:55.720 --> 00:04:56.759 Or vapor. 00:04:58.100 --> 00:04:59.620 Or in other words, not much hope. 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:04.400 To me that sounds like a tired mom of a terrible two. 00:05:05.019 --> 00:05:08.220 That has now had another child. 00:05:08.220 --> 00:05:12.640 Those two boys grew up on a farm, and they followed suit. 00:05:13.640 --> 00:05:14.700 Cain was a farmer. 00:05:15.420 --> 00:05:16.480 Abel a shepherd. 00:05:17.440 --> 00:05:22.000 They were taught the right way, and they both brought an offering to the Lord. 00:05:23.100 --> 00:05:28.640 Cain brought from the produce that he raised, and Abel from his flock. 00:05:29.700 --> 00:05:33.060 And Abel's was accepted, and Cain's was not. 00:05:33.060 --> 00:05:42.480 And so Cain killed Abel in a premeditated, first degree, ugly as it can be, murder. 00:05:43.420 --> 00:05:46.060 He killed his own brother. 00:05:47.959 --> 00:05:50.759 What in the world went wrong? 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:54.459 Well, I believe it is worth exploring this morning. 00:05:54.459 --> 00:06:00.159 And I think we can learn how to give the right kind of offering from this passage. 00:06:01.579 --> 00:06:06.879 Because the right kind of offering to give is to give your best. 00:06:08.579 --> 00:06:09.719 It's to give your best. 00:06:11.019 --> 00:06:12.740 I'm just going to put this out there. 00:06:13.599 --> 00:06:17.219 Because it's commonly what's dealt with when this passage is dealt with. 00:06:17.220 --> 00:06:21.940 Because we really don't know why his offering was not accepted. 00:06:23.280 --> 00:06:25.200 I've got my thoughts, and I'll share them. 00:06:26.060 --> 00:06:33.280 But some would argue, but it does not state plainly, that the problem was the offering itself. 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:37.420 But if you'll look closer, you'll see a few possibilities. 00:06:37.420 --> 00:06:39.240 Because in verse 3 and 4, it says, 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:43.319 Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 00:06:43.980 --> 00:06:47.300 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock, 00:06:47.900 --> 00:06:50.300 and of their fat portions. 00:06:51.400 --> 00:06:55.840 In other words, Abel brought the first and the fattest and the best. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:00.460 And Cain brought some of his produce. 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:02.220 That's it. 00:07:02.280 --> 00:07:03.500 He just brought some of it. 00:07:03.980 --> 00:07:06.519 Now, I kind of know what that feels like, 00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:09.779 because I'm not a gardener, but many of you are. 00:07:10.779 --> 00:07:13.039 And it's always interesting to me, 00:07:13.859 --> 00:07:16.759 seldom does the pasture get the first fruits of the garden. 00:07:17.579 --> 00:07:19.659 When those first tomatoes come in, you know, 00:07:20.180 --> 00:07:21.819 and they are so very precious. 00:07:22.479 --> 00:07:25.180 But I'm telling you, when you've eaten enough mater sandwiches, 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:27.560 fried all the okra you can fry, 00:07:28.060 --> 00:07:30.639 got tired of the many things you can do with cucumbers, 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:34.579 there'll always be a sack of half-rotten vegetables 00:07:34.579 --> 00:07:36.500 laying on the preacher's porch, you know. 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:39.939 When they're running out your ears and you don't want any more. 00:07:41.019 --> 00:07:43.560 Now, Scripture does not require that I get the first fruits, 00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:46.560 but I'm telling you, man, it's good, and I'll show you favor. 00:07:46.659 --> 00:07:47.240 I can tell you that. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:52.319 But listen, God, listen, forget me. 00:07:53.339 --> 00:07:54.959 God's not to get our leftovers. 00:07:57.779 --> 00:08:01.299 God's not to get what may be left afterwards. 00:08:01.300 --> 00:08:05.480 You're not giving to God with faithfulness if you give 00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:07.680 when you happen to have something left over. 00:08:08.520 --> 00:08:09.840 God's part is first. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:12.480 And what I mean by that is first priority. 00:08:13.520 --> 00:08:16.500 If all that I have is the Lord's, and it is, 00:08:17.220 --> 00:08:21.519 and if all that I have has been entrusted to me to take care of, 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:27.339 the first thing that I'm to do with it is acknowledge him with my faithfulness. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:30.859 And he calls for at least the tithe. 00:08:31.019 --> 00:08:35.720 And the word tithe is a Hebrew word that literally means tenth. 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:38.160 That is the first. 00:08:39.100 --> 00:08:40.779 That is the fattest. 00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:42.800 That's the best. 00:08:43.460 --> 00:08:45.740 And God deserves our best. 00:08:46.560 --> 00:08:48.340 And I believe it's further than that. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:53.160 I believe what we do as a church, we ought to do our best at it. 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:57.460 I believe what we do in his name, we ought to do our best at it. 00:08:57.580 --> 00:09:01.240 How we carry out things, how we conduct ourselves, 00:09:01.560 --> 00:09:04.980 how we care about what we're doing as a body of believers, 00:09:04.980 --> 00:09:06.120 I believe it matters. 00:09:06.379 --> 00:09:08.100 I believe God deserves our best. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:10.659 And Abel gave his best. 00:09:11.560 --> 00:09:12.779 And God blessed it. 00:09:13.259 --> 00:09:15.060 And Cain gave some. 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:18.899 And God didn't bless it. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:22.340 It was not a right kind of offering. 00:09:23.800 --> 00:09:28.460 But another way to give a right kind of offering is to give God's way. 00:09:29.779 --> 00:09:31.259 Just give the way God tells you to. 00:09:31.259 --> 00:09:39.379 It is naturally assumed often that the problem with Cain's offering was that it was not a blood sacrifice. 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:45.759 And sin can only be forgiven based upon a death. 00:09:45.939 --> 00:09:50.580 And God had already shown them in a foreshadowing of the cross itself. 00:09:50.939 --> 00:09:56.720 God had already shown them when he covered Adam and Eve with the skins of animals. 00:09:56.720 --> 00:10:05.160 So if God required a sacrifice here, then Cain did not provide the right thing. 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:08.460 And there's a great chance that that at least is part of his problem. 00:10:09.460 --> 00:10:14.920 If so, instead of following the instruction of the Lord, he decided to provide something from his own hand. 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:27.299 And the only problem that I have with that often referred to matter in this passage is that nowhere do we get a clue that this is supposed to be a sin offering. 00:10:27.819 --> 00:10:28.579 They don't say that. 00:10:29.659 --> 00:10:31.919 What it says is that they gave an offering. 00:10:32.979 --> 00:10:36.219 And there are multiple offerings in Scripture. 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:38.799 I'm reading through Leviticus now. 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:42.419 Some of you have already read through Leviticus in your Bible reading. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:45.059 And if you have, congratulations, you made it out. 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:52.019 But if you've read through that and paid attention to it, you can name off offerings. 00:10:52.740 --> 00:10:54.879 All kinds of offerings that they were to give. 00:10:55.079 --> 00:10:56.719 There were all kinds of offerings to give. 00:10:59.339 --> 00:11:00.879 This is what we do know. 00:11:02.439 --> 00:11:06.479 We know that he did not give God's way. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:10.920 2 Corinthians 9, verse 7 says, 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:14.200 God loves a cheerful giver. 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:18.379 And I will tell you, this was not cheerful for Cain. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:21.279 He wasn't happy about it. 00:11:22.460 --> 00:11:23.960 It was selfish giving. 00:11:25.060 --> 00:11:27.300 It was meeting an obligation. 00:11:28.060 --> 00:11:29.379 Now, I know something about that. 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:29.840 I do. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:35.720 I went to pick up my tax return the other day. 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:40.420 And I found out that Uncle Sam is greedier than he needs to be. 00:11:41.300 --> 00:11:42.759 And he's taking me to the cleaners. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:57.360 And while I was paying the fee for them to process my taxes, I heard a secretary on the phone overheard her tell somebody they were getting back twice the amount that I was paying. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:00.779 I was not cheerful about it. 00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:02.460 Now, I'm going to tell you something. 00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:03.940 I'm going to pay it. 00:12:04.919 --> 00:12:06.620 But I'm not cheerful about it. 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:08.659 And it ain't going to be the first fruits either. 00:12:09.180 --> 00:12:10.480 It's going to be the leftovers. 00:12:10.560 --> 00:12:11.320 I can promise you that. 00:12:11.940 --> 00:12:17.740 I'm just not giving them what I, I'm just giving it to them because I have to. 00:12:17.740 --> 00:12:20.539 I'm not giving it cheerfully. 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:23.659 I'm not giving the first fruits. 00:12:26.560 --> 00:12:28.000 They're not getting the Lord's money. 00:12:29.659 --> 00:12:30.360 That's his. 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:34.639 Render to Caesar what's Caesar's and the Lord's what's the Lord's. 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:42.799 But Cain gave to God like I'm going to give to the government without a whole lot of happiness. 00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:47.740 And another matter is he got mad at his brother for an accepted gift. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:52.080 Scripture says he had sinful rage crouching at his door. 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:53.919 This man wasn't just upset about it. 00:12:54.100 --> 00:12:55.039 He was fuming. 00:12:57.100 --> 00:12:59.899 He wasn't cheerful at all. 00:13:00.620 --> 00:13:02.720 I don't believe he wanted to do it to start with. 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:04.800 And I believe that's part of his problem. 00:13:05.580 --> 00:13:06.379 And he was envious. 00:13:07.040 --> 00:13:08.620 Envious enough to kill. 00:13:09.139 --> 00:13:17.840 1 John chapter 3 verse 12 says that he murdered his brother because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 00:13:19.740 --> 00:13:25.680 Jude accuses people of walking in the way of Cain when they abandoned themselves for the sake of gain. 00:13:26.540 --> 00:13:30.779 He gave but he did not give it God's way. 00:13:30.779 --> 00:13:36.779 And sacrifices or offerings to the Lord ought to be from a heart of faith. 00:13:38.419 --> 00:13:40.699 And it ought to be done obediently toward the Lord. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:44.100 God does not want a half-hearted gift. 00:13:44.439 --> 00:13:48.779 He wants us to give what we give with all of our hearts. 00:13:48.779 --> 00:13:53.339 There's a passage in Acts chapter 4. 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:57.019 It talks about a great revival was taking place in the church. 00:13:57.419 --> 00:14:02.579 And people were giving to the Lord and they were excited about what God was doing and they wanted to give more. 00:14:02.759 --> 00:14:10.039 And they were selling property and they would sell that property and they would bring the proceeds and they would give it to the church. 00:14:10.039 --> 00:14:17.639 And there was a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira who sold a piece of property and gave a portion of it. 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:20.360 Of what they sold. 00:14:20.459 --> 00:14:21.679 But they lied about it. 00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:26.360 And they said they gave all that they made off the property. 00:14:27.500 --> 00:14:28.439 And it wasn't the truth. 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:32.319 She knew he had held some back for himself. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:36.700 And Peter confronted him about it. 00:14:38.560 --> 00:14:39.879 I don't believe because of the gift. 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:41.920 I believe it's because he misrepresented his gift. 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:47.800 And when Ananias heard what he said, Scripture says he dropped dead. 00:14:49.640 --> 00:14:51.680 And that got the attention of the congregation. 00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:54.340 It scared everybody to death. 00:14:54.420 --> 00:14:54.800 That's what it says. 00:14:56.420 --> 00:14:57.260 It scared them. 00:14:57.340 --> 00:14:58.740 Three hours later his wife came in. 00:14:58.740 --> 00:15:02.840 And Peter confronts her. 00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:06.320 Is this what the land sold for? 00:15:07.379 --> 00:15:08.740 And she lied too. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:11.460 Not knowing that her husband had just died. 00:15:11.539 --> 00:15:12.860 They had carried him out. 00:15:14.560 --> 00:15:16.940 And when she lied, she died too. 00:15:17.259 --> 00:15:17.820 Right there. 00:15:19.980 --> 00:15:21.080 Both fell down. 00:15:21.539 --> 00:15:22.399 They breathed their last. 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:23.779 It don't say God killed them. 00:15:23.820 --> 00:15:26.019 It don't say God knocked them down. 00:15:26.019 --> 00:15:31.819 It's interesting how people add stuff that when Saul was on the road to Damascus, God knocked him down. 00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:32.899 That's not what Scripture said. 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:39.419 I don't know exactly what happened there, but I know they died. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:43.759 Now look, we have already taken our offering, but we're going to take another one now. 00:15:44.460 --> 00:15:44.899 No. 00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:51.019 No, if you feel bad, there's offering boxes at every door. 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:52.000 So you feel free. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:56.100 We're going to give God's way. 00:15:57.019 --> 00:15:58.039 We're going to give God's way. 00:15:59.700 --> 00:16:01.100 What is God's way? 00:16:02.299 --> 00:16:04.700 Well, Malachi chapter 3 verse 10 says, 00:16:05.179 --> 00:16:10.840 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:11.620 What's the storehouse? 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:12.840 Where you get fed, folks. 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:13.460 That's what it did. 00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:28.259 Give cheerfully. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.160 Give generously. 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:33.700 Give God's way. 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:35.480 Just give God's way. 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:36.480 Give God's way. 00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:37.480 Give God's way. 00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:45.340 The right kind of offering is when we acknowledge our Savior with our gift. 00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:54.379 I don't know what kind of offering was attempted to be given here, but I do know that by Abel bringing a blood sacrifice, 00:16:55.320 --> 00:16:58.460 he had acknowledged his sins and need for God. 00:16:58.460 --> 00:17:14.180 And since God replaced Adam and Eve's self-made fig leaf drawls with a loincloth made from the sacrifice of an animal, 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:20.120 there had to be an awareness within them of the need of redemption. 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:29.099 We see no sign that Cain ever really acknowledged his need of a Savior. 00:17:30.359 --> 00:17:36.039 He put something in the plate, but not the best, and it was not with a sacrifice. 00:17:36.419 --> 00:17:37.759 It was just some of what he had. 00:17:37.899 --> 00:17:44.139 And what he gave was of his own hand as if his works were enough. 00:17:44.140 --> 00:17:52.720 And the key part of giving a sacrifice or an offering to the Lord is to acknowledge that our ways are not good enough. 00:17:53.500 --> 00:18:01.380 That we need to do things God's way, and God's way is that we acknowledge him and we live in the right relationship with him. 00:18:02.580 --> 00:18:05.440 Throwing money at God does not do that. 00:18:06.840 --> 00:18:08.660 Psalm 50, verse 10, 11 says, 00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:11.300 For every beast of the forest is mine. 00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:12.160 This is the Lord talking. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.100 The cattle on a thousand hill. 00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:18.140 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. 00:18:18.840 --> 00:18:21.279 In other words, he owns all that we have. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:25.900 And our giving is when we acknowledge and surrender. 00:18:26.040 --> 00:18:27.180 Not bargain with him. 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:28.920 Not try to pay him off. 00:18:29.300 --> 00:18:33.480 Not simply satisfy, but acknowledge and surrender to him. 00:18:33.840 --> 00:18:36.660 As a matter of fact, 1 Samuel 15, verse 22 says, 00:18:36.660 --> 00:18:43.620 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 00:18:44.560 --> 00:18:48.340 Which means God wants our life, not just our gift. 00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:55.779 We give to be obedient, recognizing him as Lord, and to acknowledge that all that we have is his, and we lay that at his feet. 00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:57.779 And that's not giving God our leftovers. 00:18:57.980 --> 00:18:59.440 It's giving him what's first. 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:01.720 God don't need to eat off our plate. 00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:02.480 He's not hungry. 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:08.279 We give a right kind of offering. 00:19:09.500 --> 00:19:11.019 We acknowledge him for who he is. 00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:12.000 We acknowledge our Savior. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:21.140 And really, the way to do it, to give the right kind of offering, is we offer our lives. 00:19:23.620 --> 00:19:24.579 We offer our lives. 00:19:24.579 --> 00:19:26.960 I want you to listen to what God really wants. 00:19:29.679 --> 00:19:34.659 Romans chapter 12, beginning in verse 1 says, 00:19:34.859 --> 00:19:42.619 I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as living sacrifices, 00:19:43.659 --> 00:19:50.599 holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:57.819 Real worship is about being a living sacrifice for God. 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:01.179 It's not about dying for him. 00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:03.619 It's about living for him. 00:20:04.879 --> 00:20:09.139 And those who live for him are willing to die for him if that day comes. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:13.019 But our priority, my friend, ought to be to live for him. 00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:21.920 The sacrifice of a lamb as prescribed later in the law, but appears to somewhat be acknowledged by Abel here, 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:27.559 was ultimately fulfilled by the death of Christ, thank God, once and for all our sacrificial lamb. 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:32.039 And he gave the ultimate sacrifice in his death. 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:36.220 And now we give the ultimate sacrifice in our lives. 00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:38.299 Thanking him for what he's done. 00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:40.539 Acknowledging him for what he's done. 00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:44.659 When we surrender our lives to the Lord and commit ourselves to Christ, 00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:51.920 we, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are set aside to live for his purpose. 00:20:52.500 --> 00:20:56.339 And may we never let our purposes come in the way. 00:20:57.639 --> 00:21:03.000 Let me tell you what I know to be Cain's problem. 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:09.899 And the reason why his offering was not accepted. 00:21:10.539 --> 00:21:14.019 His heart wasn't right. 00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:18.799 His heart wasn't right. 00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:23.460 John tells us his deeds were evil. 00:21:24.259 --> 00:21:28.460 And I want you to listen to how Hebrews chapter 11 verse 4 explains this circumstance. 00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:30.019 It says, 00:21:30.180 --> 00:21:33.819 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, 00:21:34.360 --> 00:21:36.880 through which he was commended as righteous. 00:21:37.600 --> 00:21:40.279 God commended him by accepting his gifts. 00:21:40.420 --> 00:21:40.799 And listen, 00:21:40.980 --> 00:21:43.480 And through his faith, 00:21:44.140 --> 00:21:45.600 though he died, 00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:46.980 he still speaks. 00:21:47.860 --> 00:21:50.279 What made Abel's offering right 00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:52.079 was that he was a godly, 00:21:52.360 --> 00:21:53.299 righteous man. 00:21:53.360 --> 00:21:54.720 That's what made the difference. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:58.220 What made Cain's wrong 00:21:58.220 --> 00:21:59.740 is that he was not. 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:02.779 He was not godly. 00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:07.220 It's not about the gift. 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:08.240 It's about the person. 00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:11.000 But if the person is not right, 00:22:11.100 --> 00:22:12.259 the gift won't be right. 00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:14.220 I'm not saying he gave the way he should have gave. 00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:16.140 I'm saying he didn't give the way he should have gave. 00:22:16.140 --> 00:22:18.500 Because he was not who he needed to be. 00:22:19.580 --> 00:22:21.420 You got to get the person right. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:24.340 But if we're not right, 00:22:25.140 --> 00:22:28.759 God wants us 00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:31.140 to be right. 00:22:34.300 --> 00:22:35.800 Because when we're not right, 00:22:35.860 --> 00:22:36.960 our giving's not right. 00:22:37.860 --> 00:22:39.660 Our living's not right. 00:22:40.320 --> 00:22:42.140 Our thinking's not right. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:43.980 Our speaking's not right. 00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:45.840 Our action's not right. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:47.299 We're not right. 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:48.179 Period. 00:22:49.859 --> 00:22:52.419 And the right kind of offering 00:22:52.419 --> 00:22:55.480 is to give ourselves. 00:22:58.740 --> 00:23:02.799 And to give all that we are 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:06.480 without letting up. 00:23:08.419 --> 00:23:09.759 I don't know about you, 00:23:11.059 --> 00:23:12.699 but I want to strive 00:23:12.699 --> 00:23:15.379 to give the right kind of offering. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:16.639 To the Lord. 00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:18.339 Me. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:20.899 All of me. 00:23:21.899 --> 00:23:22.519 To him. 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:25.079 With every head bowed 00:23:25.079 --> 00:23:25.720 and every eye closed, 00:23:25.779 --> 00:23:26.579 I ask you this morning. 00:23:28.899 --> 00:23:30.319 Has there ever been a time 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:31.139 in your life 00:23:31.139 --> 00:23:33.959 when you've asked the Lord Jesus 00:23:33.959 --> 00:23:36.419 to forgive you of your sins, 00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:37.299 to come into your life 00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:38.099 and save you? 00:23:38.099 --> 00:23:41.459 That is the top priority. 00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:43.959 That is the surrender. 00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:46.339 That is the greatest gift. 00:23:47.339 --> 00:23:48.519 It's to give your life 00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:49.240 to the Lord Jesus. 00:23:50.539 --> 00:23:52.099 And if you've never done that, 00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:53.799 that's the starting point. 00:23:54.159 --> 00:23:55.519 That's where it all starts. 00:23:56.899 --> 00:23:57.500 Dear Lord, 00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:59.119 I know that I've sinned. 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:01.819 I know that I've done wrong. 00:24:03.339 --> 00:24:04.879 And I need you to forgive me. 00:24:04.979 --> 00:24:05.899 I need you to cleanse me. 00:24:05.979 --> 00:24:07.000 I need you to save me. 00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:09.500 I come as I am 00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:10.459 and I ask you to make me 00:24:10.459 --> 00:24:11.199 who I need to be. 00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:14.219 Maybe you're here 00:24:14.219 --> 00:24:15.099 and you have done that, 00:24:15.179 --> 00:24:16.379 but you've never acknowledged 00:24:16.379 --> 00:24:17.199 that publicly. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:19.139 It's a private decision 00:24:19.139 --> 00:24:20.000 you made within your life, 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:21.559 but you've never made it public. 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:24.940 I encourage you today 00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:26.619 to follow the Lord 00:24:26.619 --> 00:24:29.200 by His example 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.359 and by His commission 00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:34.579 and acknowledge that publicly. 00:24:34.819 --> 00:24:36.079 Follow that up with baptism. 00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:40.259 Maybe you're here 00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:41.299 and God's drawing you 00:24:41.299 --> 00:24:41.940 to this church. 00:24:42.399 --> 00:24:43.480 You know this is where 00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:44.679 you are to be 00:24:44.679 --> 00:24:46.299 and you know this is where 00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:47.440 God would have you to serve. 00:24:49.619 --> 00:24:50.519 I encourage you 00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:51.279 to just be obedient 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:52.000 to follow Him. 00:24:54.299 --> 00:24:55.139 And maybe you're here 00:24:55.139 --> 00:24:55.599 this morning 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:56.259 and there's just 00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:57.339 something not right 00:24:57.339 --> 00:25:00.660 and it needs to be right. 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:03.960 Let's give the right 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.740 kind of offering. 00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:08.200 Let's be living sacrifices 00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:08.839 for the Lord. 00:25:10.660 --> 00:25:11.259 Acknowledging Him 00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:12.259 in every way. 00:25:13.460 --> 00:25:14.259 There's a hindrance 00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:15.119 in your life today. 00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:15.779 I encourage you 00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.480 to lay that down. 00:25:17.819 --> 00:25:18.799 Get that out of the way 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:20.240 so you can live 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.980 for the Lord Jesus. 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:22.319 from this day forward. 00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:23.379 Heavenly Father, 00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:24.000 I love you 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:24.720 and I thank you 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:27.019 for the lessons 00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:28.359 you give us in Scripture. 00:25:28.599 --> 00:25:29.680 You allow us to learn 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:30.879 from other people's experiences 00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:32.160 so we don't have to deal 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:32.899 with the same thing 00:25:32.899 --> 00:25:33.859 and so that we can learn 00:25:33.859 --> 00:25:34.319 from it 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:36.079 and we can be better for it. 00:25:36.879 --> 00:25:37.899 God, I ask that 00:25:37.899 --> 00:25:39.079 we won't just hear it 00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:40.160 but God will heed it 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:41.420 and we'll respond to it 00:25:41.420 --> 00:25:42.000 in obedience 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:42.639 as you speak 00:25:42.639 --> 00:25:43.559 to our hearts and lives. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.639 Help us, Lord, 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:46.579 to do nothing less 00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:47.220 and nothing more 00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:48.039 than exactly what 00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:48.879 you'd have us to do. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:50.360 Just simply to be obedient 00:25:50.360 --> 00:25:50.840 right now, 00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:51.600 Father, I pray 00:25:51.600 --> 00:25:53.260 in Jesus' name. 00:25:53.620 --> 00:25:53.900 Amen.