BY FAITH ABEL
(Transcribed Message)

Sunday Morning:  December 30, 2001

Text: Hebrews 11:1  "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

WITHOUT FAITH

Hebrews 11:6  "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

LOVE OF GOD AND BRETHREN

Galatians 5:6  ". . . faith which worketh by love."

BROTHERS CAIN AND ABEL

Hebrews 11:4  "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous [just], God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh."

THESE THINGS

1 Corinthians 10:6  "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted."

ADMONITION

1 Corinthians 10:11  "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

BROTHERS ISHMAEL AND ISAAC

Genesis 21:10-12  "Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. 12. And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called."

ALLEGORY

Galatians 4:22, 24  "For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

OLD AND NEW COVENANTS

24. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar."

BROTHERS PHAREZ AND ZARAH

Genesis 38:29-30  "And it came to pass, as he (Zarah) drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez (second born). 30. And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah (firstborn)."

FIRST AND LAST

Matthew 20:16  "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."

Mark 9:35  "And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all."

BROTHERS ESAU AND JACOB

Genesis 25:23-26  "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. 24. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them."

 

 

TO TEACH ELECTION

Romans 9:10-13  "And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."

BIRTHRIGHT

Genesis 25:34  "Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright."

ISAAC'S BLESSING

Hebrews 11:20  "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come."

BIRTHRIGHT SOUGHT

Hebrews 12:16-17  "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."

BROTHERS EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH

Genesis 48:13-14  "And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him. 14. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn."

FIRST AND LAST

Matthew 20:16  "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."

 

CAIN SLEW ABEL

Genesis 4:1-5, 8  "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

CAIN MURDERED ABEL

8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."

ABEL IS A WITNESS

Hebrews 12:1  "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"

ADMONITION OF CAIN AND ABEL

1 John 3:10-17  "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we (brethren) should love one another. 12. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 13. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?"

ABEL A PROPHET

Luke 11:50-52  "That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51. From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

KEY OF KNOWLEDGE

52. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered."

JOSEPH WAS HATED BY HIS BROTHERS

Genesis 37:5-8  "And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7. For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words."

BRETHREN INHERIT THE KINGDOM

Matthew 25:34-35  "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:"

LOVE OF THE BRETHREN

Matthew 25:40  "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."