Worship

I think we'll all agree that the book of Genesis is a book of worship. Just go throughout Genesis and notice the thought of worship. For example, Abel was a worshiper, Noah was a worshiper, Abraham was a worshiper, and Jacob was a worshiper.

So remember, the book of Genesis commences with the thought of worship. When you and I come to the book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, we notice that God is being robbed. Remember the question was asked, will a man rob God? And I discover in the book of Genesis that God was robbed at least in three different ways.

If I be a father, where is my honor? If I be a master, where is my fear? And if I be a great king, where is my worship? So God was being robbed of honor, he was being robbed of fear, and he was being robbed of worship. How does Matthew's gospel begin? Matthew's gospel begins with the thought of worship. Remember those wise men when they saw the star? They rejoiced with exceeding great joy, but when they saw him, they fell down and worshiped.

So remember, Matthew begins with worship. How does Matthew's gospel end? You remember those women? It says that they held him by the feet and they worshipped him. And remember what's said about the eleven? It says that they worshipped him, but some doubted.

So remember, Matthew begins with worship, and Matthew ends with worship. How does the book of the Revelation begin? He has made us a kingdom of priests unto his God and Father. So remember, the book of the Revelation begins with the thought of worship.

How does the book of Revelation end? I come to Revelation chapter 22, and I read a verse like this, Worship God. One of the most gifted men I ever listened to, and certainly one of the most godless men I ever listened to, was a man by the name of William True. And William True wouldn't come to America, and he wouldn't come to Canada, and he had a reason.

But he was one of the most gifted men and one of the most godless men I ever listened to. Listen to the words of William True, Worship our greatest privilege. We have failed in the greatest thing.

Eight years ago, I had three operations, so I didn't do much traveling. I lay on my back, and I listened. Sidney Maxwell was a man I never heard much in my life, but every time I heard him, I enjoyed him.

So I suggested I'll get an MP3 of Sidney Maxwell, and I'll listen to his ministry. You know what impressed me with Sidney Maxwell's ministry? One thing. If you're a worshiper, you're everything.

If you're not a worshiper, you're nothing. The Father seeketh preachers, the Father seeketh teachers, the Father seeketh missionaries, the Father seeketh worshipers, and they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit and in truth. So I've read a verse tonight.

The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering. So we're going to consider tonight Abel, and we're going to consider tonight Abel's offering. In five minutes.

Kind of a man was Abel. If you want a true picture of Abel, contrast him with Cain. Now remember three things mark Cain.

A wrong approach to God, that's the first thing. A wrong answer to God, that's the second thing. A wrong attitude towards his brother, that's the third thing.

But what kind of a man was Abel? What I'm going to do very quickly tonight is this. We'll go through the Bible, and we're going to contrast Cain and Abel. You go to the to Jude, and you read a verse like this.

Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain. And I want to suggest tonight very quickly, the way of Cain and the way of Abel could be contrasted. When I think of the way of Cain, I think of his own way.

When I think of the way of Abel, I think of God's way. When I think of the way of Cain, it would take me further and further away from God. When I think of the way of Abel, it would bring me nearer, closer in communion, fellowship with God.

They were different in their ways. But then I come to 1 John chapter 3, and I discover this. They were different in their works.

Listen to what John says. Cain, he was of the wicked one. His works were evil, but his brothers were righteous.

So I come to Jude's epistle, different in their ways. I come to John's epistle, different in their work. But then I come to the Hebrew epistle, chapter 11, and I read a verse like this.

By faith, Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. They were different in their worship. There's a verse in Proverbs 15, it goes like this, and I want you to notice Cain, I want you to notice Abel.

The sacrifice of the wicked. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord. There we see Cain, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

There we see Abel. And I come to Genesis chapter 4, and I notice two things. They were different in their occupation.

Cain was a tiller of the ground. Abel was a keeper of the sheep. And we've noticed tonight, they were different in their testimony.

The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering, but unto Cain and to his offering, he had not respect. What kind of a man was Abel? Listen to what the Bible says. The blood of righteous Abel.

But then very quickly, Abel offered a sacrifice, and it's called the more excellent sacrifice. Keep in mind three things. Three times in the Hebrew epistle, you read that phrase more excellent.

Chapter 1, the Lord has a more excellent name than angels. Chapter 8, the Lord has a more excellent ministry than Moses and Aaron. And in chapter 11, Abel has a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.

But you mark my words. The more excellent sacrifice of the Hebrew epistle is not Abel. The more excellent sacrifice of the Hebrew epistle is the sacrifice of Christ.

Hebrews chapter 11, the contrast is between Cain and Abel. But Hebrews chapter 12, the contrast is between Christ and Abel. The blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than that of Abel.

And the greatest need amongst us as assemblies of God's people is this, that there might be raised up amongst us men and women who worship God through the Spirit, who rejoice in Christ Jesus, and they have no confidence in the flesh.