5th lesson

Romans 15:4 (NKJV) 4  For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV) 11  Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

James 5:17... 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

Abel, The man who pleased God!

Abel… One word? What comes to your mind? Faith. Offering. Pleasing. Shepheard. Blood. Killed. Righteous.

Abel… What do we know about Abel? Second son of Adam and Eve according to Genesis. The second man to be born in a natural way (by birth) The first man to be killed in the history of mankind!

Why is Abel in the Bible? Romans 15:4 "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope?”

Genesis 4:1-10 1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:1-10 6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry Genesis 4:1-10 6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” 8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

Abel was an obedient man! Obedience! One of Abel’s Characteristics… Have you thought about that? Abel was an obedient man! And, this is why he is in the Bible record... Because of his obedience....

"Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, 'I have acquired a man from the LORD.' Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering" Genesis 4:1-4

What was wrong with Cain's offering? Why did God respected Abel and his offering? This is one of the problems that we encounter when we read this passage. What was wrong with Cain's offering?

The Bible says that it was because Abel acted by faith. Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks"

Romans 10:17 There is only one way to act by faith. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" Can Abel teach us about obedience this morning?

From Abel's example we can see the importance of obeying God's will. We must obey God to meet His conditions for our salvation. "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness" ROMANS 6:17,18. "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" PHILIPIANS 2:12.

Suffering… Why did he suffered? "But He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.' Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him“ GENESIS 4:5-8. Why did this event occured?

It is an example of the righteous being persecuted by the unrighteous. "Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous" 1 John 3:12.

Do we want to be rejected like Cain? Cain was an evil and insolent man, who was persecuting his brother because he was righteous! Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. The way of Cain brothers was a perverted way, sinful way, rebellious way, a faithless way… To the point that the Lord Rejected his offering! Do we want to be rejected like Cain?

Can this happen to us? "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake" Matthew 5:10,11.

“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” 1 Peter 4:14-16

And even though we may not be put to death, as were Abel and many in the first century, we are told, 2 Timothy 3:12 "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution"

The whole world is against us! But, Why? Can we suffer the same persecutions? Maybe not the same but... in other areas. Your fellow workers. Your Mom and Dad. Your brothers. Even you’re Boss. The whole world is against us! But, Why?

John 3:19,20 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” Matt.5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on hill cannot be hidden”

Speaking… Abel Speak? How? Finally, we see that Abel still speaks. "Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' He said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?' And He said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground" Genesis 4:9,10.

"By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks" Hebrews 11:4. “Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35“that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar” Matthew 23:34-35.

However, our lives are not recorded in the scriptures. So when we die, can we yet speak, and if so, how? One way is by the influence that we have on our families. Ephesians 6:4 "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord"

1 Timothy 3:7 “Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men”

Another way that we can speak is by our example on our friends. “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” 1 Timothy 4:12

ABEL WAS A TYPE OF JESUS CHRIST was shepherd Jesus is the “Good Shepherd As a shepherd presents his offering Jesus presented himself as the sacrifice Though giving no cause was hated by brother Jesus brethren the Jews killed him Out of envy Abel was slain Matthew 17:18 Abel did not die a natural death Jesus was crucified, died about the age of 33; Acts 2:36

ABEL WAS A TYPE OF JESUS CHRIST Met with a violent end by his brother Acts 2:23 Abel’s blood cried out to God Hebrews 12:24 He offered an excellent offering Ephesians 5:2 Obtained a witness that He was righteous Luke 23:47 Cain was punished by God Jesus’ murderers were punished in Mark 12:9

We can decide how we want to be remember! Do you want to leave a memory like Abel or Cain? We have the answer!