Cain vs. Abel

Genesis 4:8
Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

The tragedy that took place in the very first family illustrates powerfully the awfulness of our sin. This story showed several things - including how important it is to come to God on His terms with a heart of faith in Him.

For extra insight into the Cain and Abel connection look at the verses below and write down their connection to our lesson in Genesis 4.

1. From Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks."

How should we be like Abel if we are to be "acceptable" to God? (hint: look for a word that starts with an "f")


2. from I John 3 "For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."

Part A Why does John talk about love and then bring up "Cain?"
Part B Is verse 15 really true? Are you aware of how God looks at "hate?"
Does this verse remind you of something Jesus said? (hint:Matt. 5:21)

3. Jude 10-11 "But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion."

How is Cain like an "animal?"

4. What things can I do to please God from this weeks lesson? Make a list of
six things.....

Reminder: We need to have faith in God and be increasing in our faith and love of
God. How do you do that? The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God! When we saturate ourselves in the Word of God by reading it, studying it, memorizing it, praying over it and listening to it being taught at church we will have our minds renewed (made new) by it and as it changes our heart we will become more like Jesus and act like and talk like Him! Now that sounds a whole lot better than taking the way of Cain - right?

God bless you and God's grace be poured out on you as you commit yourselves to obey His Word this week,

Mr. Page

Intelligent Design Video - Unlocking the Mystery of Life

Beginnings....

Here is the first installment in the Summer Challenge '09!

Here are some questions to work on this week to review last weeks lesson
in Genesis 1.

Fact Questions....
1. What existed “in the beginning”?
2. If God existed before the creation, where did He come from? When was
God created?
3. How long did God take to complete the creation?
4. What did God make on each day of the week?

Thinking Questions...
1. Why is it important to know that the God we worship is the creator?
2. Is it important to know that Genesis is a literal account? Why or why not?
3. How does a literal view of Genesis differ than the worldly one?

Bonus Question:
1. According to Colossians 1:14-17 Who created everything?

Note to parents: The first four questions are fairly easy for all grades. The
last four will require some more help especially in grades one through three.

Either email the answers you and your child come up with or print them out
and answer them and bring them on Sunday for a special prize.

The Summer Challenge 2009!

I am re-activating this blog for Calvary Chapel Redding's Children's Ministry for 1st through 6th grades. It is also now for boys and girls and our new articles for the summer will have to do with the Summer Challenge 2009!

What is the summer challenge all about? Let me count the ways....

1. A little extra motivation to use the summer months wisely as parents and students.

2. Bring in interesting articles that will spur us on to deeper study and investigation!

3. To work together to bring our children first to saving faith in Christ and then, to equip them together towards maturity!

Very basic I know - but you might find it interesting over the course of these next couple of months to be made aware just how many churches (who are well intentioned) are not assisting in this endeavor but actually are part of the problem.