Christian
Sacrifice
May
22, 2005
Genesis
4:1-12
Lesson Theme: In the first days following creation, God commanded
man to offer a portion of the fruit of his labor in sacrifice. Cain offered a sacrifice on his own terms
while Abel offered a sacrifice that was pleasing to God. Christians are called to offer pleasing sacrifices
of a different kind. Like Cain and Abel the Christian’s sacrifice should be
offered on God’s terms not ours. It
must be according to God’s pattern, the first-fruit and the best we have to
offer.
Introduction:
A. Child takes a
fresh picked apple to his teacher but can’t resist taking a bite from it on his
way to school.
B. Will his teacher be pleased with his gift?
TRANSITION: From man’s
earliest days on the earth we have brought gifts to God.
Cain and Abel’s Sacrifices: (Genesis 4)
A. Cain:
a. Offered some of the fruits of the soil
b. Did not bring first fruits
c. Did not bring a proper sacrifice
d. Brought his worship on his own terms
e. He and his sacrifice were rejected by God
B. Abel:
a. Offered fat portions of the firstborn of his flocks
b. Brought the first of the blessings he was given
c. Brought the best parts of his blessing
d. Brought his worship on God’s terms
e. He and his sacrifice was pleasing to God
TRANSITION: After the
law was established, sacrifice was an integral part of worship to God. It defined acceptable sacrifice in great
detail. God also provided man with a
glimpse into his response to their sacrifice.
God’s View of Sacrifice: (Malachi 1, 3)
A. An improper
sacrifice shows contempt for the Lord
B. Less than our best is an unacceptable sacrifice to the
Lord
C. God would prefer no sacrifice be given rather than to
receive an improper sacrifice from his people
D. The person who brings less than the best he has to
offer is cursed and a cheater of the great king, the Lord Almighty
E. When the proper sacrifice is made, God pours out
abundant blessings (3:8-12)
TRANSITION: So far we have
talked about animal sacrifice, but we don’t offer those any longer. What offering does God expect of his people
today?
Forms of Christian Sacrifice
A. Support God’s Work: Gifts to support Paul were a
fragrant offering to God (Philippians
4:14-19)
a. Their gift was credited to their heavenly account
b. Gift was a fragrant offering to God symbolizing peace
and fellowship between the man and God
B. Prayer & Gifts to Poor: Cornelius’
prayers & gifts to the poor were a memorial offering before God (Acts 10:4)
C. Praise: Fruit of lips & sharing with others
(Hebrews 13:15)
D. Living Sacrifice: (Romans 12:1-2)
a. Because of God’s mercy; He offered Jesus, the perfect
sacrifice
b. Ongoing sacrifice
c. Transformed into God’s image
E. God doesn’t need our offering; he accepts them for our
good. (Psalm 51:16-17)
How Does Your Sacrifice Measure Up?
A. Proper form
a. God requires obedience to his pattern; We dare not
think we know a better way to please God than what he has revealed in
scripture.
b. Praise: Do you offer praise through song in the beautiful
simplicity that God seeks, a melody from the heart?
B. First portion
a. God deserves the first part of our offering; We should not give him the leftovers of our
time, talents, money or devotion
b. Support God’s Work Do you think of God first when
you plan your budget?
C. Best we have to offer
a. The creator merits no less than the very best we have
at our disposal
b. Living Sacrifice Where are your priorities when
you choose the activities you will spend your precious time on (children’s
time)
Conclusion
A. As a Christian does your sacrifice more closely
resemble that of Cain or Abel?
B. If you are outside of Christ, you are rejecting the
perfect sacrifice of Jesus and are choosing to stand alone with all your sin
before the holy God
C. “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to
offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God…”
D. If you are not a Christian, I urge you to come down
front:
a. With a change of heart & mind toward God
b. Admitting to this group that you believe Jesus died
for your sins
c. Then you can be baptized where the old person covered
in sin will die away and you can come out of the water a new creation, in
Christ.
Gen 4:1-8
4:1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
NIV
Mal 1:6-14
6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name.
"But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'
7 "You place defiled food on my altar.
"But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?'
"By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty.
9 "Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?"-says the LORD Almighty.
10 "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.
12 "But you profane it by saying of the Lord's table, 'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.' 13 And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty.
"When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD. 14 "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations.
Mal 3:8-12
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
NIV
Phil 4:14-19
14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
NIV
Acts 10:4-5
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.
NIV
Heb 13:15-16
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
NIV
Rom 12:1-2
12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
NIV
Ps 51:16-17
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in bu rnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
NIV