June 7, 2026 – CountUp

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday June 07TH 2026, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

Volume 9, Number 15, Edition 415
“Cain & Abel – Part 3”

2 weeks ago I began updating one of my old sermons on Cain & Abel that I preached to my church family in Homestead Florida in 2018. Here’s the next portion of that sermon – updated 8 years later:

Soon after – Cain’s younger brother – Abel – also brought forth a sacrifice. It’s not known whether or not Abel knew that Cain had already brought forth his sacrifice. He may have known. They worked very near each other in Eden. I’m thinking that Abel did not know, and that he was merely doing what he thought was the right thing to do. And I’m thinking that neither Cain nor Abel really knew what exactly the other would bring forth to God until they actually saw it for themselves.

As the second-born I think that Abel was more independent than his older brother Cain. I think that Abel thought of himself as an afterthought. I mean “Abel” in Hebrew means vain, empty, nothingness. Adam & Eve thought for a long time what to name their firstborn. He will produce things. He will be a go-getter. He will bring forth great goods. He will be named – Cain. They didn’t really think that much at all about what to name their second born. It was really random. Abel may have seen Cain get all of the attention growing up – since he was the firstborn. But it didn’t seem to phase Abel. Abel just did his own thing. He was the independent thinker. He was the quiet one. He was the shy guy.

Abel didn’t seem to have a relationship with his mom. I think that Cain did. I think that Cain wanted to impress his mom more so than God. I think that Abel had a closer relationship to God. I think he knew what would impress God. So Abel brought forth the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. So Abel – the second-born – brought forth the best portions of the firstborn. Abel got it right. The LORD was impressed with Abel. He had respect unto Abel and to his offering.

Abel was “Humble & Gentle” – just as he was when he presented God with his first blood offering. Cain ? Not so much. Cain was “Kicking & Screaming”.

(“Humble & Gentle” and “Kicking & Screaming” were the titles of two previous sermons that I had preached back then. I sometimes did callbacks – or references – of previous sermons that I preached.)

Cain was shocked – completely stunned – that God appreciated Abel’s sacrifice over his own. How dare his younger brother steal his thunder ! Abel didn’t do it intentionally. Abel didn’t say, “I am going to bring God something so much better than what Cain will bring God.” He didn’t say that. He didn’t think that. Abel merely did what came natural to him – without even thinking about it too much. Cain probably thought a lot about what he was going to bring God, and he wanted to do it first. He wanted to “one-up” his brother. That’s what someone full of pride does. Cain figured that since he’s the first – by default – he’s the best – and everything he brings is the best.

Cain was dejected. He felt rejected. (Now God didn’t necessarily reject Cain’s sacrifice. God just didn’t accept it at the time.) See God never rejects us, but everything must be done in His time. God was essentially giving Cain a “do-over”, but Cain didn’t quite get it. He was too stubborn. He was too full of pride.

BOILERPLATE

#SundayScripture is published online every Sunday at 3 AM U.S. East Coast time. It was created in its current form in February 2018. I share my testimony here each week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord – and get closer to Him with each new day. If you wish to learn more about the God I know – then stay tuned, for the best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and I pray that the LORD will bless you and keep you. May He make His face shine upon you, and may He be gracious to you. May He lift up His countenance upon you, and may He give you peace. I pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN and AMEN.