Making Change | Change Your Heart

Change Your Heart | Genesis 4:2b–7 

                                                                               

Regifting Suggestions:
1. Rewrapping is mandatory.
2. Remember who gave you the gift.
3. Don’t regift meaningful gifts.
4. Maybe you should donate it.

Genesis 4:2b-5 “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

3 Key Aspects of First Fruits Offerings:
1. It’s the first of the crop to be harvested.
2. It’s a pledge or hope of a greater harvest to follow.
3. It’s specifically dedicated to God.

Exodus 34:19 “The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock.”

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology “The concept of first fruits derives from God’s creation work. Because God created everything that exists, all of creation belongs to him.”

Psalm 24:1“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;”

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology “Consequently, that which is first and best belongs to him and is to be given to him”

Offering first-fruits means giving to God our very best.

Giving our first fruits means…
Giving our best to God.
Sacrificing that costs us something.
Putting Jesus first.

Proverbs 21:27 “The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable – how much more so when brought with evil intent!”

Genesis 4:6-7 “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Genesis 4:7 “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.”

We need a clean heart.
We need to change our heart.

A gift actually means more when it costs you something.

2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Paul’s emphasis: What’s more important than the amount or the type of gift is how we give the offering.

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