THE SACRFICE THAT GOD CHOOSES
COMMENT: TOO OFTEN WE SERVE GOD IN AN INDIFFERENT WAY. WE GIVE HIM WHAT WE WANT AND NOT WHAT HE DEMANDS. WE SUBSTITUTE OUR OWN WAY FOR HIS WAY AND REPLACE HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES WITH OUR OWN WILL. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN WE END UP LOST OR NOT BLESSED IN LIFE, WE OFTEN BLAME GOD AND SAY THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE DOES NOT WORK. YET, IT DOES WORK AND IT WORKS QUITE WELL WHEN WE LIVE LIFE AND DO THINGS GOD’S WAY AND NOT OUR OWN. WE ARE BLESSED AND APPROVED OF WHEN WE DO NOT SEEK JUST TO SERVE IN THE WAY WE WANT TO SERVE AND CHOOSE BUT IN THE WAY THAT GOD WANTS US TO SERVE INSTEAD. THERE OFTEN IS THE SACRIFICE THAT WE TRY AND GIVE THAT CONTRASTS WITH THE SACRIFICE THAT GIOD CHOOSES.
TEXT: GEN: 4:1-8 (READ)
WE READ ABOUT THE STORY OF CAIN AND ABEL. IN THIS STORY IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR US.
WHY IS IT THAT GOD ACCEPTED THE SACRIFICE OF ABEL AND NOT THE SACRIFICE OF CAIN? MANY HAVE ASKED THAT QUESTION AND AS A CHILD GROWING UP, I ALWAYS WONDERED MYSELF. ON THE SURFACE WHEN YOU READ THE STORY, IT SEEMS THAT BOTH YOUNG MEN WERE SEEKING GOD’S APPROVAL AND DOING THEIR VERY BEST. BUT WERE THEY REALLY?
BESIDES THE ORIGINAL ACCOUNT IN GENESIS, THREE (3) CHAPTERS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ALSO REFER TO THE MATTER OF CAIN AND ABEL AND WE WILL LOOK AT THEM TO SHED SOME LIGHT IN THIS QUESTION
Hebrews 11: 4 – CaIn’s offering rejected because it was brought with a lack of faith. He did not give God his best. What he did, he appears to have done in a half-hearted way.
1 John 3: 12 – Cain had an evil disposition. His heart was not right in the things he did. He had a bad attitude or wrong spirit.
Jude 1:11 refers to “the way of Cain” and seems to link his sin with one of greed and rebellion when related to the sins of Korah and Baalam. The sin of Korah, referred to in this scripture was one of rebellion and the sin of Balaam was one of greed. However, it seems rather clear that the specific sin of Cain was one of “indifference” and “independence”…just doing what he wanted to do. This in itself is both a form of rebellion and also a form of greed. But this also touches on a major problem in the Christian Church today and that is that many professed Christians often have the same issues in their Christian walk and their walk is marred by the characteristics listed above; greed, rebellion, indifference and independence (an independent spirit wanting to do its own thing).
In further reading, there were other problems besides the ones we just referred to. The first fruit principle of sacrifice was already in effect. You gave from the first or the best of your sacrifice. But what was the sacrifice to be? What was the will of God? Do we often just give God what we want instead of the sacrifice he chooses when we set out to do His will?
GEN 3: 7 – Tells us that when Adam and Eve sinned they tried to “cover” their sin with their own means….by making fig leaves. They tried to handle it their own way.
GEN 3:21 – Yet God takes away their man-made covering of fig leaves, which were a product of the fruit of the ground, and would have faded, become worn out, wrinkled and torn in a matter of days and instead He replaced it with garments of animal skin and fur, which was more permanent (better in quality) and most likely came from the flocks of the field. In any case, it represented that man’s way was not good enough to cover one’s sins, and therefore the fruit of the ground would not be sufficient. What was sufficient? It was the blood of an animal….there had to be a blood sacrifice. This spoke also of a type of Jesus Christ to come; the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, as the scriptures speak of.
GEN 4: 1-8 – We see the dispute over sacrifices between Cain and Abel. This led to the murder of Abel by Cain. But why did it occur? We gave several clues and reasons already. (Review them).
But there is more.
Notice carefully two things. One, we see in VS 3 that Cain “brought AN OFFERING to the Lord of the fruit of the ground.” In contrast, we see in VS 4 that “Abel, on his part also brought THE FIRSTLINGS OF HIS FLOCK and of their fat portions. Note the difference. Cain just appeared to have bundled up the leftovers and gave to God what he wanted to give. Abel, on the other hand brought the sacrifice that God chose….the firstlings or first fruits of the flock.
Summary: THERE IS OUR WAY….AND THEN THERE IS GOD’S WAY. WE NEED TO SEEK HIS WILL IN WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE SERVE HIM. THEN WE MUST DO IT HIS WAY AND WITH A RIGHT SPIRIT. THIS IS THE SACRIFICE THAT GOD CHOOSES.
May the Lord bless this Word to your hearts.
By Evangelist Mischa Safdie’
Mischa Safdie’ Ministries
136 N. Grand Ave., Ste. 278
W. Covina, CA 91791
(951) 796-3936
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