Abel: The Worship of Faith, Part 1

God says the quality of worship shows the true level of our devotion to the given writings is a greater God, as you say, celebrating this is the alternative Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban alternative.

Dr. Evans is the kind of worship God gets isn't always the kind he wants and today he explains the difference that made in the lives of two Bible characters and the difference it can make to us. Let's join him there is that I used to go to upstate New York when the kids were small, and I remember when I first went there in the wintertime camp is located at a lake on one side of the lake is the adult camp and will be on the side of the lake is the children's camp is on one occasion, they told me to go speak to the young people to the teenagers across the lake and I could just walk across like one too excited about walking across the lake even though it was in the dinner went up in the lake was supposed to be frozen. I could just see myself now halfway across the lake ice break and is all the information on to excited about walking across the lake on also travel when I saw the drive over group about my ability to walk over and saw something bigger and heavier than me achieve something that I was to pursue my faith group. You should have no problem trusting a God who can create a universe is 11 three says the world were created out of things you do not see the world, the world's universe was created by God's word out of things that you cannot see God wants to know what's the problem with trusting somebody who is in the business of creating universes simply by the word of his mouth. We learn what faith is like it is so even when it's not. So, in order that it might be social because God said so.

Faith is not to be an event to be a lifestyle we are to live by faith, not take faith from the cage faith is supposed to be how we roll. Supposedly no way of operating and involves what you do not see but even though you do not see it because faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. Even though you don't see it. It's not because there is no just the content that you haven't seen visually yet, but it is real thing we learned last time was that without faith Hebrews 11 six. It is impossible to please God. And the reason why you can't please God without faith is that last mask challenges his integrity to not believe in God and in light of what you say you believe is the call God a liar now to know how you feel when somebody calls you a liar when you told the truth but I can be downright insulting to think God must feel when he is called by his children because we refuse to take him at his word. You can feel faith-ish and have no faith, you can feel no faith and be full of faith for faith is measured by your foot that you're feeling. If you're not moving you are faithless, no matter how faith-ish. You may feel at a given moment. That's why the Bible calls walking by faith not talking about the feeling by faith requires if there is no movement. Don't be surprised that you don't see God because you just insulted by telling God you are a boldface lie. You cannot be trusted, and if you have no integrity, of course. Hebrews tells us clearly that by two immutable things, it is impossible for God to lie, God can't lie, and he could live if he wanted the line.

He never even wants to because God has integrity, he cannot live.

This leads us to our journey when going to look at the heroes of faith don't walk personality my personality through Hebrews Chapter 11 and learn the lesson that each hero wants to teach you about why God is to be trusted. The scenarios in which you should trust him and how you express that trust.

In practical terms, the author of the New Testament will Hebrews the thing along the way back to the Old Testament and show those Old Testament heroes should be your New Testament pattern when it comes to living by faith because they had to live by faith. So you and he says let's go on a tour of what I call the Hall of Fame president of the Museum of the heroes and find out the lesson faith we start with Hebrews 11 verse four. The first personality given to us because he was the first man who had to live fully by faith because he was the first man born in sin is Hebrews 11 verse four says these words by faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts and through faith, though he is dead still speaks. We now want to talk about the faith of Abel and I wanted to just the day what it means to worship by faith what it means to worship nothing of these stories comes from the Old Testament so to fully understand what the author of Hebrews is saying in the New Testament.

You need to go back to the Old Testament story.

The Old Testament story of Cain and Abel is found in Genesis chapter 4 the first table is the first man of faith, because unlike his mother and father Adam and Eve didn't get to live in a perfect environment and see God face-to-face. Because initially, sin had not entered the world, saying they were removed from the presence of God when they were removed from the presence of God. God, slow and animal to cover them romantic and symptomatic of the removal of sin by blood God's little animal and covered Adam and Eve. Remember to cover themselves with fig leaves, they went out and use God's creation on cover themselves God fluent animal to provide a covering same with me. God rejected ability to cover themselves, and God created a way for him to cover them. The Bible says in chapter 4 verse one that he and she gave birth to the son, and his name was JJ again verse two to his brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of flocks came with the ground. As verse three. So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground on his part brought the first in their portions and the more regard for Abel and his offering 13 of his offering he had no regard to employees were raised in a God-fearing home that were not raised by parents were not sure that God was real because Adam and Eve were married by God. They were created by God walk with God in the cool of the day so they were not raised in an atheistic environment. They were raised in a theistic God oriented environment and what he taught their boys to talk to got to go to church to talk about worshiping God. It says in the course of time.

Verse 3K offering to God that was a prescribed time for worship in the course of time there was a prescribed worship because they brought the offerings to a location still gotta give them the time God given them the place and that was a prescribed way of worshiping. We know that was a prescribed way because he rejected Cain's offering and accepted Abel's offering so one person did something right. The other person did something wrong. One person the way God wanted it. The other person not bother with the church, went to the place the activity but only one of them was accepted.

So before you leave this morning.

I want you to know whether your team on worshiper so that everyone worshiper you keep worshiping like Abel and if you'll worshiper you switch over quick and you'll see why children learn.

It is possible to go to worship. Worship project that God said you wasted your time this morning that worship this show. Both boys believe that God became worship was an atheist, both desire for their presence to be accepted by God for a momentary just kicked off with his visit because came into the problem that many about to run into what's this and that is wanting to worship God our own way wanting to worship God like worship you not like he expects me to Dr. Evans will help us understand how dramatic that difference is when he continues our message in just a moment but first, as you've heard the urban alternative is celebrating 40 years of ministry this year. In a recent conversation. Dr. Evans recalled how God opened doors leading to a path that would ultimately better prepare him for the work that lay ahead. Well, I was so excited about learning the Scripture setting the Scripture that I decided to go to seminary and I plan to go to Grace theological seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana. We went up there found a place to live. I had been accepted, and so that was when we were going to go until a professor named Doug McIntosh asked me one day and I ever considered Dallas theological seminary, and I hadn't I thought it was good be too difficult to get into their data. Even though I studied from many of the professors of DTS and some of my courses in college so he said if I pay your application fee. Would you at least apply to know about their pride and expect to receive anything because it was late in my year of graduation. So would been too late to be accepted, but when he paid and I applied they provisionally accepted me and made in consultation with my wife. It was decided that it would be better for me healthwise as well as communitywide because Winona Lake is a little small community is posted Dallas a big city urban city where I could interact more with the reality of issues of the day because I was acquainted with so many of the professors they approved my study in the reading of the books we decided to go to Dallas so in 1972. We got in our green. No one drove from Atlanta to Dallas theological seminary to continue our biblical training. Dr. Tony Evans reflecting on 40 years of God's faithfulness to the ministry of the urban alternative and right now I wanted to let you know about Tony's brand-new book that goes hand-in-hand with the message we been hearing today. It's called kingdom heroes. It's a look at the Bible space Hall of Fame full of ordinary people who did extraordinary things by taking God at his word. This new book from Dr. Evans teaches us that spiritual reality is about much more than we can see your touch and shows how much we can endure, overcome and accomplish when we act as though God is telling the truth to help you dig deeper into this important subject. We are offering the book its companion workbook and Bible study and the complete two volume 13 message audio series on CD and digital download as our gift to anyone who will come alongside Tony's ministry and make a contribution to help continue this important work we totally depend on your support to keep this program on the air and this is one way we can show our appreciation for your faithfulness. Get all the details and make your request online@tonyevans.org or give us a call at one 800 832, 22 before this special offer runs out. I'll repeat that information for you later in the program. Dr. Evans will be back with part two of today's lesson right after this coming to theaters this November were at the church of the activity where it is that the birth of Jesus Christ traveling with Dr. Tony Evans as he retraces the life and human journey greatest being who ever walked this or we here in Capernaum place where Jesus did most of his miracles is in this place.

He demonstrated he truly is the son of God traveled the streets fields and synagogues where Jesus will visit the location of the most powerful events recorded in the Bible claims is highly likely that much of what we read about in Galilee have the right journey with Jesus theaters November 15, 16th and 17th with Dr. Tony. Tony showtimes and church so to speak, to use New Testament language worship we see their offerings what they brought God. It says K offering to the Lord from the ground. The streets first for Abel on is part brought the first of the flock and their fat portions.

And the Lord regarded as offering regard Cain's offering something was wrong with what they brought God me told Eve and therefore through them. Cain and Abel not to come in my presence, you must deal with sin and deal with sin is through sacrifice your mom and your dad all sacrifice to deal with sin you bring to me from you worship me when I would soon live in Jesus, was because of our sin and our need for atonement without atonement and your worship is not regarded.

That is why we sent our worship on Jesus Christ because he is not why don't you accept my offer God.

And when I asked for you making up your own definition of bunch up and demanding that I receive God's integrity of been challenged in worship. The second thing they did it says Abel brought the firstlings of the flock and their bond offering positive on offering says about Abel. He brought the firstlings of his flock and their fat.

He didn't give God junk and leftovers, firstlings method that had one chief. One of the flock.

The fact that he found some juicy one of the reason the God project so much about worship of covered leftover on something together leftover belief. I just brought look to see what was right and what was good stuff to talk about his first best worship is best when it comes to using the God you shout to the Lord.

Psalm 100 with a loud voice give glory to his name. Are you mumbling about not singing like right now.

Please give them worship concerned about doing this God, but to be happy to show you what to restaurant. The waitress way to sit you down and they say here's the menu everything going on with you on left over from last week last week's leftovers with we have some stuff left over so that's what we offer you today.

I don't know about you, actually I do shall be like me, you don't get up and who you going to get up you going to go because you think better of yourself and get dressed yet and you will be met. No no no no no no no.

I'm coming for you last week junk not deserved better than you deserve to be treated by a waiter or waitress, not just flop and stuff down. Throwing stuff in your face leftover service leftover service means no. Why is that the president of the United States over to your house, left me unacceptable would be an acceptable is justified that position demands the best that you have off when you read the book of Malachi, a book about worship because the church just closed the door shut the door and all that junk you bring up in the church bringing me all the lambs and bonuses, we brought you some will accept that junk in the great King who I am and I know what I desire and will's will give the God that we wouldn't get all balls get up early enough to make sure it doesn't matter which we get there before the benediction were kind of planning that kind of priority. Just so you know, just as the worship of the game show was rejected because it was not a worship that was based on faith and faith is your feet not fulfill what God commanded not know what God expected.

If he has a great name you ought to be your lungs to give him praise and not be ashamed to give him recognition you want to prior ties in your life is a greater God is and Dr. Evans will give us more advice about how to do that when he continues this lesson tomorrow. In the meantime, though today's lesson is part of Tony's current series heroes of the faith. Don't forget, for a limited time were offering the full-length version of all 13 lessons in this two-volume series on CD and digital download along with Tony's brand-new book and Bible study guide kingdom heroes there yours as our thank you gift when you make a donation to help us continue this ministry to a world desperately in need of the good news of Jesus Christ.

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More about the link between faith and worship as Dr. Evans continues the story of Cain and Abel and I hope you be with us. The alternative is to find alternative celebrating 40 years thanks to generous confirmation of listeners