3. TWO WAYS TO WORSHIP Genesis 4:1-16
The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour.

5. 1. The Sacrifice Abel Offered
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did.
The first man, Adam (Genesis 3)
not an example of faith
but of unbelief
he doubted God’s word
he disobeyed God’s word
The result
barred from Eden
driven from God’s presence

6. 1. The Sacrifice Abel Offered
Cain and Abel –
no personal experience of
living in Eden
walking with God
Yet they were still worshippers

7. 1. The Sacrifice Abel Offered

8. 1. The Sacrifice Abel Offered

10. 1. The Sacrifice Abel Offered
Two offerings to God
Cain
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. (Genesis 4:3)
Abel
But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. (Genesis 4:4)

11. 1. The Sacrifice Abel Offered
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did.
God’s verdict
Abel
The LORD looked with favour on Abel and his offering,
Cain
…but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. (Genesis 4:4-5)

12. 2. The Commendation Abel Received
By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings.
Two related reasons for God’s commendation
the gift he brought –
“God spoke well of his offerings”
the faith he showed –
“By faith he was commended as a righteous man”

13. 2. The Commendation Abel Received
Two related reasons for Cain’s condemnation
the gift he brought
“The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, while he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain had not done what was right (4:7) revealing that he himself was not right spiritually.”

14. Two related reasons for Cain’s condemnation the gift he brought
2. The Commendation Abel Received
Two related reasons for Cain’s condemnation
the gift he brought
the response he made
So Cain was very angry and his face was downcast. (Genesis 4:5)

15. Two related reasons for Cain’s condemnation the gift he brought
2. The Commendation Abel Received
Two related reasons for Cain’s condemnation
the gift he brought
the response he made
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:6-7)

16. 2. The Commendation Abel Received
Two related reasons for Cain’s condemnation
the gift he brought
the response he made
Many details emphasise the depth of Cain’s crime, and therefore of the Fall: the context is worship and the victim a brother; and while Eve had to be talked into her sin, Cain will not even have God talk him out of it; nor while he confess to it, nor yet accept his punishment.

17. 2. The Commendation Abel Received
The result
the murdered man – Abel
the marked man – Cain
Estranged from God’s presence

18. 3. The Message He Still Speaks
And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
How to worship God acceptably –
a blood sacrifice is necessary
the sacrifice Abel offered
But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favour on Abel and his offering. (Genesis 4:4)

19. 3. The Message He Still Speaks
And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
How to worship God acceptably –
a blood sacrifice is necessary
the sacrifice Abel offered
the sacrifice God’s law required
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22)

20. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
3. The Message He Still Speaks
And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
How to worship God acceptably –
a blood sacrifice is necessary
the sacrifice Abel offered
the sacrifice the law required
the sacrifice Jesus made

21. 3. The Message He Still Speaks
And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
the sacrifice Jesus made
You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:23-24)

22. 3. The Message He Still Speaks
the blood of Abel - retribution
The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10)
the blood of Jesus – redemption
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding (Ephesians 1:7-8)

23. THE ONE WAY TO WORSHIP
You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
WARNING!
See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks.
(Hebrews 12:23-25)
See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. (Hebrews 12:23-25)

24. THE ONE WAY TO WORSHIP
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’ (Hebrews 12:28-29)