Outline // Sunday School #2: Cain & Abel

Genesis 4:1-16

Kent Hovind quote: “There’s only 2 religions in the whole world, that’s Cain & Abel.  Cain brought his fruit & vegetables.  God, look what I did for you, God wouldn’t take it.  Abel brought a sacrifice.”  

Cain thought the more you do, the more God is pleased.  
Abel knew he could never please God, I’m unworthy.

John 4:23-24, “...true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

God wasn’t rejecting CAIN forever.  It says, “God rejected Cain and His gift” but God is a GOOD FATHER…And He comes back around to Cain to have a conversation…”You WILL be accepted if you do what is right”...I’m not rejecting YOU…just this heart that you seem to have adopted that isn’t right!  Do what is right! Repent and do what is asked of you.  This rebelliousness within us…

CAPTURE rebellious thoughts and teach them to OBEY Christ!  DESTROY proud obstacles!
2 Cor 10

Kim’s text: 
I realized the real problem wasn't that Cain offered an unacceptable sacrifice.  God told him he'd be ACCEPTED TOO if he'd do what was right.  "Come back and do it again."   

God didn't reject Cain.  He was giving Cain a do-over.  He even warned Cain that NOT choosing to do the do-over (ie. Repent and try it God's way) would lead to even worse consequences than these bad feelings.  And God ENCOURAGED Cain that he could overcome that potential sin and conquer it by refusing that  path. 

The SIN was that Cain didn't choose the do-over. He chose to refuse to try again. He didn't repent and make an offering that  he knew was "right". He didn't believe that God would (or ever could) accept HIM, nor that he'd ever be able to make a better offering.  He chose to sit in those feelings and fester and be jealous and hate his brother instead ... because Able chose to do what is right. 

And this story isn't an example that God rejects some and accepts others.  It's a WARNING to US that we all are faced with the choice of accepting God's offer of the "do-over" ... or not.  

It's telling us that WE ALL CAN BE ACCEPTED BY GOD if we choose to have faith in and believe in God's mercy and goodness and forgiveness... by just choosing "the do-over option."  To just repent of our error (less than best choice) and instead choose to do what God is telling us now. 

There's plenty of room at God's table for us all. And God's true heart desire is that we ALL are there.

Gen 4:1-7;  1 John 3:12;  1 John 2:1-2; Heb. 11:4"


1. Heart attitude matters.
2. His grace is sufficient!
3. We need Jesus.