Genesis 4:3-7 – Worship in Spirit and Truth
The worship of God has been around from the beginning. Cain and Abel have probably been trained by their parents in how to worship God and what it means. Now they both come to worship the Lord with an offering. However, God accepts Abel’s offering but not Cain’s. Why? Cain does not want to honour God in his heart; he is not offering a sacrifice out of faith. Abel’s sacrifice is offered from a heart full of faith. God also wants a blood sacrifice in His worship. He has said that there must be blood for there to be forgiveness. Cain, even though he must have been raised by Adam and Eve to know what kind of sacrifice to offer, wants to decide for himself what he will sacrifice to God. Abel sacrifices the firstborn and best of his sheep just as God wants. Our desire should be for our worship to please God as Abel’s did? How will it? Only if it is done with a right heart and done the way God tells us.
Cain is angry at God’s treatment of his sacrifice and envious of Abel. God, who notices every bad attitude, shows patience and mercy to Cain in warning him of his sin. He asks Cain if he has a just cause to be angry. The answer is, of course, no. Obedience will bring the acceptance Cain wants. If he repents of his anger and believes, God will forgive and love him, but if not, God warns him, more sin will come. The way of sin is always downhill.
Questions
- What was wrong with Cain’s sacrifice?
- How can our worship please God?
- What will happen if Cain holds onto his anger?
Prayer Points
- Pray that we would worship God with a right heart, His way.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters