TEXT: By faith Abel — Heb. 11:4.
INTRODUCTION: In the physical realm, higher life (man) is sustained by the death of lower life — animal and vegetable. In the spiritual realm, lower life (man) is sustained by the death of higher life - God.
We see, one lamb for ONE MAN — Abel. He worshipped God with an offering — a lamb sacrifice. We see, one lamb for ONE FAMILY — the Passover Night. This lamb was to be — “without spot or blemish, a male…a lamb for a house” (Exo. 12:3). We see, one lamb for ONE NATION — the Great Day of Atonement. This was the day the high priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year. A scarlet rope was tied to his ankle. If he should die while in there, he could be extracted. When he had concluded with the sprinkling of the blood, and came out, he shouted — “it is finished!”
We see, one Lamb for ONE WORLD — John the Baptist first saw Jesus. When He shed His blood a sacrifice for sins on the Cross, He shouted — “it is finished!” Abel knew that day that faith was the instrument by which he would receive salvation even as faith is an important aspect of the gospel for us today. Faith trusts God’s will in spite of circumstances; for it is not based on feelings, logic, or reason. Abel knew this. Faith looks into the future and does not tremble at present difficulties; Faith draws the hurt from every grief, and takes the sting from every loss. God often has to knock all our props out before we will fall down upon His promises of faith.
He is rich in fact who is rich in faith; for it is impossible to get faith into a disobedient heart. A man may be at his wit’s end, but he need not be at his faith’s end.
For the promises of faith are more certain than the conclusions of logic;
Faith knows that it is impossible to overdraw its account in God’s bank.
Faith is letting down our nets into the depths at divine command, not knowing what we shall bring up.
Faith is a higher attribute than reason. If we want God to honor us, then, we must get into the habit of taking Him at His word.
Faith never comes to a wall too high for it to surmount; for faith either removes mountains or tunnels through. It is faith that binds our nothingness to Almightiness.
Faith lights our way through the dark to Deity; for faith is the subtle chain that binds us to the Infinite.
Faith is a higher faculty than guessing; it is the hero of the intellect. If we desire an increase of faith, we must consent to its testings; for our greatest strength is often shown in our ability to stand still and trust God. Sometimes the faith that bears and suffers is greater than the faith that triumphs. We should rest upon God’s promises though He seem to forsake us; for faith triumphs when it brings us into union with His power. By faith, Abel’s worship recognized his –
I. SIN Abel offered unto God — Heb. 11:4. The heroes of faith are Abel, Enoch, and Noah. One was murdered, one never died, and one preserved life. They show the faith of one worshipping God, of one walking with God, and of one working for God. The heroes of faith begin with a martyr. He is a picture of the true worshipper. Rightly understood, the worship of Abel describes the beginning of the life of faith. He acted by faith, and not by fancy or by feeling. Abel is the first recorded act of worship.
A. IT SHOWED IN HIS RECOGNITION Abel’s faith recognized his sin. He came as a guilty sinner, needing salvation, and bringing a sacrifice. Cain came as a gentleman to exchange compliments with God and present some fruits and flowers as a visitor on equal terms. God would not have this. Faith always takes the sinner’s place and then claims the sinner’s Saviour.
B. IT SHOWED IN HIS REMORSE Abel began at the beginning. This is more than a great many are willing to do today. Most are willing to begin at the top. Many are trying to climb up some other way and get into the life of Christ a little beyond the Cross. BATH OF BLOOD: Not long ago, a certain minister flung aside a hymnbook with a gesture of impatience because the hymn, “There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood,” was included. He said it was coarse and unfit for refined ears. The idea of a bath of blood was an outrage on good taste. Another minister was present at the meeting. He was brave enough to get up and read a passage in Zachariah speaking of a — “fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1).
Abel’s faith testifies that one who is to worship God acceptably must come in faith, presenting the offering which God requires, and expecting the pardon and peace which God provides.
TERRIBLE SINNER: The incident is told of a young lady who came forward following the invitation service, and said to the evangelist, “you said that I am a terrible sinner. I resent that. I have never done anything wrong in my entire life. I don’t need a Saviour. “Young lady,” the evangelist replied, “do you love your mother?”"Yes, of course.”"Well,” said the evangelist, “if you refused to recognize her, and spurned her love and goodness to you, would you consider yourself a good person?” “No, of course not.” “Well, that is exactly what you have done with God. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you on the Cross that you might be saved. NeverThe less, you are not only ungrateful, you have spurned God’s love and thrown it back into His face. I insist that you are a sinner. Your sin is worse than all other sins — the sin of rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The first step to salvation is to call sin — SIN. For the trouble with a little sin is that it will not stay little. And to love a small sin is a great sin. It is the little sins who are the pioneers of hell. History begins in the sin of man and will come to an end in the “man of sin.” Sin’s worst, when taken to God, is no match for His grace. The devil’s chloroform is the denial of sin. Forsin deceives, then defiles, then deadens. by faith, abel’s worship recognized his –
I. SIN By faith, worship offered a –
II. SACRIFICE More excellent sacrifice — Heb. 11:4. Abel brought an offering. He was a shepherd, but he did not spare his flock. His sacrifice must have been a lamb — for it consisted of the “firstlings of his flock” (Gen. 4:4). No doubt Abel loved his flock of sheep and their lambs. However, nothing was too good for his Lord. God did not spare the Lamb of God, His only begotten Son — but gave Him a ransom for ruined sinners.
FACING TRAGEDY: The pastor of a church visited a family whose son had been killed in an auto accident. The boy’s mother, bitter in heart, railed on him: “where was your God when my son was died?” The pastor kindly answered, “the same place He was when His Son was died.”
RAZOR-EDGE RELIGION: A certain evangelist, burdened for the souls of men, was sitting in a barber’s chair waiting for a shave. While the barber was sharpening his razor, the evangelist asked, “Sir, are you saved?” The barber shot back the stock answer, “I am doing my best, and that’s enough isn’t it?” The evangelist was silent until he was shaven and the next customer was in the chair for a shave. Then the evangelist arose, grabbed a razor, and said, “let me shave this one.” “Oh, no,” said the barber, “not you. You are not good enough to do that.” “But I will do my best,” replied the evangelist. “Isn’t that good enough?” The evangelist made his point. The sacrifice for salvation is not to make bad men good, or good men better, but to make dead men alive. By faith, Abel’s worship recognized his
I. SIN By faith, Able’s worship offered a –
II. SACRIFICE By Faith Able’s worship obtainbed–
III. SALVATION That he was righteous — Heb. 11:4. Faith, such as was exercised by Abel enables man to approach God for salvation. By faith, he is made righteous before God.
A. Abel was justified. He was declared righteous. He received all this by faith. He did not guess about it. He simply claimed it because it was God’s prescribed way. He counted upon it. He took his stand upon it by faith. God gave it to him. He was saved in exactly the same way as every poor sinner is today. We come in simple faith as a sinner, claiming the promises, placing ourselves upon the mercy of God and going out to act as if it were true.
B. God is satisfied. It is faith that links the seeker with God who gives salvation. Faith has to do with Christ’s eternally enduring sacrifice for salvation. For if we could merit our own salvation, Faith places the death of Christ between the sinner and God’s judgment. For man cannot be saved by perfect obedience because he cannot produce it. He cannot be saved by imperfect obedience because God cannot accept it. Calvary is the only solution.
WHO HOLDS THE ROPE: it is told of a party of scientists and botanists who were exploring almost inaccessible regions of a mountain searching for new species of flowers. One day, they discovered, through field glasses, a flower of such rarity and beauty that its value to science was almost incalculable. However, it lay deep in a ravine which had cliffs straight up and down on both sides. In order to reach this rare plant, someone would have to be lowered over the sheer drop-off by means of a rope a very dangerous undertaking. A small boy, watching nearby, was approached by the men. They offered him some money if he would consent to be lowered over the cliff and get the flower for them. The little boy took a long look at the dizzy depths, and then replied, “just a minute I’ll be right back.” Sometime later, the boy returned, followed by an older man. Approaching one of the botanists, he said, “I’ll go over that cliff and get that flower for you if THIS MAN HOLDS THE ROPE. He’s my father.”
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