Sermon Tone Analysis

2 Role Plays: (Props: Overalls, Cowboy Hat, stick horse, SunHat, hoe, weed sprayer, Small grill, Hidden cooler with steak and several veggies, large platter)

Rancher Able:

Enters singing to himself (I’m so Happy..) when he notices the congregation:

Oh, Hi! Let me introduce myself.

My name is Abel and I’m the Manager over at the “More than Able” Ranch.

Our brand is the >A.

We chose that brand because God has blessed me more than I deserve!

I bet you’re wondering why I’m so happy.

My heart is full because I have been observing all the great cattle in this area in search of the Best that I can find.

Rusty (pat’s head of stick horse) and I started South Past Bazaar along Sharps Creek (prettiest Black Angus).

Mrs. Able sure though the young calves were cute.

We think we were able to identify the first calf of the Spring.

Then I rode West toward the Wildcat pens before heading North past Peterson Ranch which both had some lovely commercial Cows.

I rode up along Fox Creek to inspect the herd grazing there.

I guess the lowlands along the Creek sure make the greenest pastures I noticed in the area.

Then I concluded my ride up Diamond Creek at the Feed Lots on Crawford Cattle Co.

(Ties reins of stick horse, and brings grill from offstage)

I bought the best I could find from all these great Flint Hills ranchers.

Then I selected the Best of the Best to take over to Allen Processing.

So I think I found the best cut, from the best steer, from the best herd, from the best breed because God deserves the very best I have from the very best I can find.

God has blessed me so greatly with good stock and protein rich pastures, How could I offer Him anything less than the best?

But I don't want to be selfish.

I heard some of you have offerings that you love dearly that you want to give to God also.

Bring those stuffies up, if you are willing, and put them next to the grill.

After your preacher is done, if God doesn't take them up to Heaven, you can take them back home with you.

This reminds me of an old song that is not in those things you call songbooks, but if we could get Miss Jeanne to play it on the Pianer, I best you could learn it easy enough.

(Give of Your Best to the Master)

During Final chorus Able exits, changes hats.

After song re-enters as

Farmer Cain:

Man is it hot!

The Sun is so bright I sweat all day long trying to raise these vegetables!

The only way I can survive this awful heat is to wear this hat to keep the sun off my neck.

But do you know what is worse than the heat?

I have come to despise weeds!

I hoe them, I spray them, I pull them, and they keep coming back to use up all the ground moisture and choke out all my plants!

I hate the heat and being all sweaty!

I hate the weeds!

I sure wish Dad had not eaten that Pomegranate Mom offered Him!

If it isn't bad enough that I have to deal with this misery, now I hear my little brother Able has gone and given a fancy offering to God.

So I guess I ought to also.

But I don't have any livestock, except my ox that pulls my plow.

Since I can't convince Mrs. Cain to pull the plow, I probably ought to make sure nothing happens to Owen the Ox.

Let's see what I can find leftover from last year's harvest that hasn't been eaten.

It looks like this Kale and broccoli are just taking up room in the freezer.

If none of you want it, I might as well offer God a veggie plate.

Since Ranch Dressing and melted cheese sauce have not been invented in my time, the veggies often go uneaten.

Do any of you have any veggies you want to add to my veggie tray so that you don't have to eat them?

I’ve been told that Elder Crawford is going to be coming by and dedicate these offerings to God.

Walking off: Gloom, despair and Agony on me.

Hot heat and steam, excessive misery!

If it weren't for weeds, I'd have no crop at all! Gloom, despair, and Agony on me.

Video Bumper & Scripture Reading

We’ve been studying the last 2 weeks and seen that Mankind made a sharp Detour from God’s good Design.

This week we see that the Detour continues into the next generation as Adam and Eve’s sons demonstrate contrary behaviors and attitudes.

For us to let this passage say what it intends, we must first view it historically – We’re only talking a few years after the Creation.

God has not sent prophets, God has not given His law, God has not required priests, offerings or sacrifices.

Something in the conscience of man is prompting the events of this chapter.

Disclaimer: It is essential to note that Cain’s punishment beginning in v.11 is NOT due to the nature of Cain’s offering.

The disregarded offering surfaced an anger in Cain.

It was Cain’s angry actions that earned him banishment.

Historically we can figure out what Cain and Abel could have, would have and should have.

For us in this room to make sense of this account for our obedience, we must secondly view it Biblically.

What else has God said about these events?

Since God never contradicts Himself, We must look at God’s interaction with these offerings, and God’s interaction and comments on other offerings, so that we can accurately determine what our practice should be in giving God offerings or sacrifices.

If Jesus refers to these brothers in Mt 23 and Lk 11, maybe we ought to pay attention to them also!

Considering the whole counsel of God we can figure out what we could, would, and should do.

We are about to try to drink out of a firehose.

I am about to give you so many Scripture references, it will be impossible to fully grasp all of them.

By giving you detailed notes, you can go back throughout the week and verify that the points I make come from the verses I provide.

At the end I will give you 2 big takeaways that flow from my big idea that God has been so good to us that He deserves our best

Qualities of Acceptable Offerings (Gen 4:4b)

Voluntary (before the Law)

(Genesis 4, 9, 12, 22, 31, 35: Ex 3, 5, 8, 10, 18) – Cain, Able, Job, Abraham, Jacob, Hebrews before Exodus, Moses, Jethro

First (Dt 18:4)

Best (Ps 66:15)

Proportional (1 Cor 16:2)

Costly (1 Chr 21:24)

Attitudes Accompanying Acceptability (Ps 66:18)

Grateful (Heb 12:28)

Generous (Ex 35:5)

Genuine (1 Tim 1:5)

Contrite (Ps 51:17)

Cheerful (2 Cor 9:7)

Attitudes & Behaviors that Ruin Offerings (Gen 4:5a)

Envy (Gen 4:8)

Cain’s response moved him from disregarded to displaced.

From ignored to penalized.

Wrong D eity (Ex 32:8; 1 Kings 18)

Disobedience (1 Sam 15:22)

Deceit (Acts 5:1-5)

Consequences of Ruined Offerings

Rejected (1 Sam 15-17)

Ignored (Zech 7:11-13)

Death (Josh 7:24-26)

Conclusion:

Last week we noticed that as soon as God pronounced the penalty for sin, He immediately provided mercy in the form of provision and protection.

This week we find that even following a cold-blooded anger-driven murder, God also punishes Cain (imagine separating a farmer from his land), then Promises protection if anybody attempted to inflict a penalty greater than God imposed.

Sin is serious, but never beyond God’s mercy!

I hope you know me well enough after living among you for nearly 4 years, that I am not bringing a sermon about giving out of some attempt to manipulate or guilt you to give to the Lord’s work.