In the Beginning, Part 6: Cain and Abel
God did not reject Cain’s offering, but He rejected Cain’s empty worship. The value of worship is measured by the worshipper’s value of God.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful, or difficult to understand from this Sunday?
- What is worship? What do you think of when you think of worship?
- Read and discuss Genesis 4:1-16. What does it say? What does it mean? What should we do? How does it point us to Jesus? In what ways is this text about worship?
- Compare and contrast Cain and Abel. What do each of them represent? How do they represent two different ways of worship?
- Why didn’t God accept Cain’s offering? Why did He accept Abel’s?
- What role does faith play in our worship?
- Have you ever been angry at God? What happened? How did it affect your worship?
- What does it mean that sin is “crouching at your door” and that it “desires to have you” (Genesis 4:7)? What are the implications of this portrayal of sin? How have you experienced this?
- “The value of worship is measured by the worshiper’s value of God.” How do you respond to this statement? What are the practical implications for us as worshipers?
- How does the gospel enable and compel us to true worship, instead of “worship in the way of Cain”?
- Spend some time in prayer for the things you’ve discussed. Ask the Lord to reveal if you are worshiping things other than Him, and ask Him to turn your heart in Jesus back to Him.
For more on worship, check out our ongoing panel discussion in the Doxologies video series.