“FAMILY WORSHIP”

1. I have been asked to be part of a 4 man team which will leave for Russia 4/6

2. The men who are going have been asked to do two things:

A. In one place, two men are to go and start a new congregation

B. The Lord’s church is to be planted in a place where it has never existed.

C. The other two men will work with an established congregation.

D. Up by the Artic Circle a congregation of God’s people is in trouble.

E. In this church there are questions about marriage and divorce;

F. It appears that there are some problems with worship.

G. There is even some confusion about basic Christian Living.

NO MATTER WHICH PLACE I GO TO, MY APPROACH IS GOING TO BE THE SAME WE

WILL TAKE OUT A BIBLE AND WE WILL SEE WHAT GOD SAYS IN HIS WORD

A. The Bible provides the answers to our problems and questions.

B. Some of the help that we need is found in the Old Testament.

C. The book of Genesis is often practical and insightful.

D. If you have turned to Gen. 4, let’s read verses 1-8- READ.

E. Two brothers went to worship God.

F. This account presents us with some information about worship.

G. Some have the idea that worship is some type of show.

H. It is a time for entertainment.

I. We come to a place and we watch a performance.

(1) Gen. 4 tells us that worship is not entertainment.

(2) Cain and Able both participated in the worship to God.

(3) Each boy took part of what he had.

(4) Both brought what they had to a certain place.

(5) In this place an offering was made. Gen. 4 tells us that…

(6) When we worship, we are approaching God.

(7) We are coming before the king of heaven.

(8) In our time we come to God bearing…

(9) Songs of praise, prayers of thanksgiving and requests;

(10) A willingness to share in remembering the death of JC;

(11) And we bring and offering.

J. If we come to God right spirit,

K. And we do things as God has said, our worship is accepted.

L. Gen. 4 teaches that we can approach God and we can please Him

N. If we know what God’s will about worship is,

O. And we carry out that will when we assemble,

P. We can walk out of doors knowing that God has accepted our worship.

(1) Though we are imperfect and flawed;

(2) We can approach a perfect God in worship…

(3) And we can please Him.

(4) Although is was within our ability to please God with our worship.

Q. It is also within our ability to offer worship which will be rejected.

R. Gen. 4 tells us that God plays attention to the worship we offer.

S. If worship is not as He directs it will be rejected.

\ (1) Cain’s worship was turned down.

(2) Notice verse 5 READ

(3) Our worship can be rejected for a variety of reasons.

(4) Maybe there is a problem with a worshipper’s heart.

(5) Or, perhaps the method of worship is wrong.

(6) In either case, God has a basic for rejecting the worship.

(7) Gen. 4 shows that not only can reject worship, He will reject it.

T. Most of the people I have met who are not New Testament Christians…

U. Have a twisted view of God’s love.

V. A common idea is that God is so living and benevolent…

W. He doesn’t care how He is worshipped.

Y . God welcomes them both. God welcomes All worship if New Testament is called Christianity

Z. Within the church a similar attitude can exist.

(1) Some seem to be under the impression that it hate is in the heart.

(2) We can perform every act correctly and our worship is accepted.

(3) Gen. 4 show that this is not true.

(4) Cain’s worship was not acceptable.

(5) Cain was evil.

(6) He was a man who wallowed in sin.

(7) He lived and ungodly life.

(8) He was so unrighteous he killed his brother.

(9) John added this 1 John: 3:12---READ

Z a Gen. 4 says that Cain had a heart problem when he came to worship.

A. Many also believe that his offering was contrary to what God wanted.

B. We must realize and teach that God does turn down some worship.

C. If we communicate this to people, some are going to get mad.

D. It upsets people to hear that God rejects some (or their) worship.

E. Look at Cain’s reaction after his worship was rejected.

F. V. 6 - READ
(1) Cain was angry.

(2) He was hurt and upset.

(3) He came to worship God and God rejected what he offered.

(4) Isn’t it true that we sill find the attitude of Cain in us.

(5) In our day and time God still rejects faulty worship.

(6) If we dare say anything to those who offer this type offering

(7) Many erupt. Many get angry just like Cain “unchristian judging me””

(8) No matter how badly some react to this neews,

(9) The truth is the truth.

(10) God rejects all worship that is contrary to His will.

G. How can we be sure that we and others worship correctly?

(1) Gen. 4 offers us an answer.

(2) Cain and Able has to learn about worship from somewhere.

(3) Unless we want to believe that God personally taught them,

(4) A natural explanations is that their parents taught them.

(5) Adam and Eve were likely the boy’s religious teachers.

(6) The first two parents knew the truth about worship.

(7) Everything indicates that they taught this truth to their children.

(8) We know that one of their son was able to worship correctly.

(9) Here is wonderful but fearful lessons for us.

(10) Parents need to teach their children about worship.

(11) Part of this teaching comes through example.

(a) There was an older brother who led singing.

(b) He worshipped with a small rural congregation

(c )One day this brother went to a large city to visit his brother

(d) While in this city he was asked to lead singing.

(f) At lunch this man’s nephew asked this question:

(g) What was it like to lead 350 people in worship to God?

(h) The older brother said “Son I saw 200 pianos.”

(I) The man then explained.

(j) A piano in worship is unauthorized; wrong, contrary to

(k) About 200 people at this worship service were not singing.

(l) This is just as wrong as playing a piano in a worship service

(m) Are children are looking for an example.

(n) In nearly every congregation our children…

(o) Can find some bad examples in worship. Looking around, bal. Ck book,

Reading bulletin

(p) If they see a bad example it had better not be from their parents

(q) Children need good examples in worship.

® If this is important to you, consider this.

(s) If you sit near the back with children,

(t) They can see more bad examples than if you sit close to the front.

(u) The seat we choose can have some impact on the example.

(v) In addition to the example we offer in worship,

(12) Our children also need to be instructed about worship.

(13) We need to show our children what God expects.

(14) Kids need to know why we do what we do. In the church all my life and I never understood that.

(a) Our children need to know why we meet on Sunday.

(b) They need to know why we only use certain elements at church.

(d) They need to know about singing, giving, and preaching.

(15) Before we teach our children these things,

(16) We need to know in our own minds that we have the truth.

(17) Gen. 4 tells us that we do not want to teach our children.

(18) We do want to impart knowledge to our offspring which will cause God to

(19) We must find out the truth concerning worship.

(20) We must be fully persuaded that we know God’s will.

(21) Then and only then must we diligently teach it.

H. One of the things we will teach our children is….

I. Giving includes more than money.

(1) When we think of giving, w normally think of dollars and cents.

(2) In Gen. 4 the giving was not currency.

(3) Produce from the land and animals were given.

(4) Giving comes in many forms.

(5) In worship we can give.

(6) Outside of worship we can give.

(7) We can give time and energy to being a Bible class teacher.

(8) We can give of ourselves to pray, lead singing, help at L.

(9) We can give of ourselves to read scripture.

(10) Wednesday night a number of people wrote down someone’s address.

(11) There was an opportunity to give encouragement to someone.

(12) Gen. 4 teaches us to be people who are giving, both in and out.

J. We are living in a world which is in a constant state of change.

(1) In turbulent times, people want something reliable.

(2) Watch some commercials this week.

(3) See how many of them appeal to stability.

(4) People want something that is dependable.

(5) There is a strong interest in things that are sure and secure

(6) We can come to our children and say,

(7) “Through the world is quickly changing”

(8) There is something reliable. That’s God.

(10) This same God still exists..

(11) This same God can still be worshipped.

(12) This is reliable. History show He is dependable and stable.

(13) We may lose our health, money, and our sanity.

(14) God is a rock who will always be there.

CONCULSION

1. Gen. 4 tells us about worship.

2. It tells us about good and evil and show us different attitudes towards worship.

3. It also show that God is keeping a record.

4. Thousand of years after it happened, a record says Cain killed Able. A record of how these boys worshipped.

5. Even now a record is being formed.

6. A record of how we worshipped, how we taught our children,

7. How we treated God, and whether we need to be saved or turned over to Satan

8. Do we want a record which pleases God? Some religious groups, attendance charts God knows about attendance. God keeps track of more than attendance, He know what these boys brought, this is still true, He has remembered the condition of their heart. God has also recorded who was righteous and who was not.