TEXT:  Gen. 4:1-8

INTRODUCTION:

A.  MANY SETS OF BROTHERS, PERHAPS CAIN AND ABEL ARE THE BEST KNOWN.

B.  LIKE MANY BROTHERS, THEY WERE VERY DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.

          1.  Different occupations.

          2.  Different in character.

          3.  Different in their approach to worship.

C.  BROTHERS TODAY WHO ARE REARED UNDER THE SAME INFLUENCE AND

          RECEIVE THE SAME TEACHING TURN OUT DIFFERENT.

D.  THERE ARE LESSONS TO LEARN FROM BOTH OF THESE MEN.

I.      ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE WORSHIP.

A.  GOD RESPECTED ABEL’S OFFERING, BUT NOT CAIN’S (Gen. 4:4-5).

          1.  Why, what was the difference? (Heb. 11:4).

                   a.  Abel offered by faith a more excellent sacrifice.

                   b.  Obvious Cain’s sacrifice was not of faith.

                   c.  God bore witness to Abel’s faith in regard to what he gave, “his gifts.”

                     -  The substance given was the difference

          2.  Where does faith come from?( Rom. 10:17 )  Abel’s faith?

          3.  What does Cain’s sacrifice tell us about his faith?

B.  ALL WORSHIP MUST BE BY FAITH, MUST FIT THE PATTERN, FOR GOD TO

          ACCEPT IT (Mark 7:6-9).

          1.  In spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

          2.  What is truth? (John 17:17).

                   a.  Stick to the pattern (Heb. 8:5;  2 Tim. 1:13).

                   b.  Presumptuous sin = Great sin! (Psa. 19:13;  2 John 9).

                   c.  Authority for what we do in worship?  (Lev. 10:1-2;  Col. 3:17;  Mark 7:9).

                   d.  Who are we trying to please in our worship? (Gal. 1:10).

          3.  What does God really want? (1 Sam. 15:22;  2 Cor. 8:5).

II.     CAIN WAS VERY WROTH.

A.  ANGER IS SOMETIMES JUSTIFIED (Eph. 4:26-27).

          1.  Sometimes it is not (Matt. 5:22).

          2.  When angry, we must never lose control (Titus 2:2;  2 Pet. 1:6).

B.  UNCONTROLLED ANGER HURTS THE CAUSE (James 1:19-20).

C.  ARE WE NOT BROTHERS AND SISTER? (Gen. 13:8;  1 Cor. 12:25;  Col. 3:13).

III.    MURDER RESULTED FROM RELIGIOUS ENVY.

A.  STRIFE IN THE CHURCH OFTEN THE RESULT OF ENVY (1 John 3:11-12).

B.  EFFORTS ARE MADE TO MURDER THE GOOD NAME OF “THE ENEMY.”

          1.  We are to do all things without murmuring (Phil. 2:14).

          2.  Men and women with nothing better to do (1 Tim. 5:11-13;  Gal. 5:13-15).

          3.  Where does such come from? (1 Cor. 3:1-3).

          4.  1 John 3:15.

IV.  GOD’S QUESTION AND CAIN’S REPLY (Gen. 4:9).

A.  HOW ARE WE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION TODAY?

          1.  Material things (Phil. 2:1-5).

          2.  Spiritual things (Heb. 3:12-13;  Gal. 6:1-2;  Jude 22-23).

B.  WHAT DOES LOVE DEMAND? (1 John 3:16-18).

V.    CAIN WAS PUNISHED.

A.  Gen. 4:10.  “Thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.”

B.  Num. 32:23.  “And be sure your sin will find you out.”

C.  A CURSE WAS PLACED ON CAIN (Gen. 4:11-12).

D.  WHAT ABOUT UNFAITHFUL CHRISTIANS (Heb. 4:12-13;  Rom. 2:16).

E.  Heb. 9:27.

CONCLUSION:

A.  GOD’S SOLUTION TO CAIN’S PROBLEM (Gal. 4:6-7).

B.  “IF THOU DOEST WELL…”  IF YOU FOLLOW GOD’S PATTERN IN THE BIBLE…”

C.  THAT IS THE SOLUTION FOR US TODAY (Matt. 7:21).