What problems come about from assuming too much when we share the message of the Bible?

Horse bolting

“I gotta get going!”

Anthony* tossed the phrase into the discussion with a shrug and a backwards step. Then he bolted out of sight around the corner without so much as a wave.

He did not return.

A familiar sense of frustration crept in as I watched Anthony disappear… I recalled my teenage years when riding horses in some very rugged terrain. Once while cantering along a mountain trail, my horse suddenly froze, then bolted off course leaving me in a dazed, bruised heap on the ground. I lifted my head just in time to catch a glimpse of the steed galloping over a distant hill, its saddle empty and the stirrups flapping. I had assumed the trail was clear of obstacles, but apparently my mount thought otherwise.

A similar scenario happened with Anthony.

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Where in the Scriptures does it say that God told Cain and Abel to bring a blood sacrifice?

Cain and Abel at the altar
Question:

Where in the Scriptures does it say that God told Cain and Abel to bring a blood sacrifice? My Bible footnotes say that the problem was with Cain’s attitude, not the sacrifice—that a bloodless offering was quite acceptable.

Brief Answer:

We know from Hebrews 11:4 that God considered Cain’s sacrifice the wrong sacrifice. The only thing we can assume strictly from the text is that the right sacrifice would have been the same as Abel’s.

By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.  (Hebrews 11:4)

Notice it says “a better sacrifice,” not “a better attitude.” God spoke “well of his offering,” not “well of his attitude.” No doubt Cain’s attitude was wrong as well, but Scripture does not say so in this passage.

We know that Abel’s sacrifice had all the attributes of a burnt offering type of sacrifice, which would have been a blood sacrifice offered as a covering for sin. Bloodless sacrifices[1] are not recorded in the Bible until the time of Moses. A careful analysis of the passage yields no other solid interpretation except that God told them exactly what to do. Abel obeyed and God was pleased. Cain did his own thing and God was displeased.

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“A very good Christmas gift for Malawians”

Nativity line drawing from "What are Christmas & Easter" book

Beginning today, 160 believers from villages around the African country of Malawi will be taught how to share the Good News using the recently completed translation of the book What are Christmas and Easter all About?

The translator who did the work to translate this resource from English into Chichewa, the national language of Malawi, sent this note just yesterday.

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Idaho office renovation

Before picture... look for the after picture in a future post.
Before picture… look for the after picture in a future post.

This week our USA staff are working together to remodel the GoodSeed office in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A little paint, new carpet, and improved display areas will go a long way to freshening up the main entrance. When completed, it will be better suited for when people from the community stop by to visit or to replenish their “Be Ready Boxes.” We are having fun working on something different from our usual jobs!

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In NYC and cold toward God

cold-in-NYC

(Editor’s note: It’s Christmas! Here’s how one grandma is planning to make the most of her trip to New York City to reconnect with her family.)

Beatrice* was excited when she called the other day to tell about her upcoming trip to visit her son and grandchildren in New York for Christmas. Her son had been raised in Canada and he had gone on to become a successful business consultant to global Fortune 500 companies. He had packed up his wife and young family and swapped their rural life for a start in New York City.

Beatrice was troubled that when they left they also left behind their Christian heritage and their connection with the local church. “They seem remote and distant when topics like God and the Bible are brought up.” she went on to say, “When I go visit for Christmas I’m wondering, would it be appropriate to give a copy of the book, By This Name, to my son as a gift? I have read it myself and I think that it might be helpful. What do you think?”

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You guys sure have a lot of God stuff!

Ark of the covenant

One day, my wife and I were caring for a six-year-old boy in our home as a way of helping out the boy’s dad, a single parent. The boy emerged wide-eyed from our storage room where we kept our visual aids for teaching and in an excited, matter-of-fact voice declared, “You guys sure have a lot of God stuff!”

I admit, we do have quite a collection of “God stuff.” And we use our “God stuff” whenever we can to help teach the Bible’s message to friends.

I’ve become a firm believer in the teaching power of visual aids. They not only help our students grasp biblical concepts, the visual aids also help in recall as well.

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Big plans for small towns in Alberta’s North

Giving the Gospel in northern communitiesOur curiosity got the better of us this week when an order came into our Canada office. The man wanted 2500 copies of the book, What are Christmas and Easter All About? We discovered that big plans are in motion to share the gospel with families of First Nation communities in Northern Alberta this Christmas.

“It actually started this past summer when we used The Lamb curriculum at camp,” said Peter Fehr on the phone yesterday. Peter works with Eagle’s Nest Ministry Center, an organization that hosts 500-600 children every year from over 20 First Nation communities in Northern Alberta and Northwest Territories. Peter went on to tell how the campers were enthralled with the colourful illustrations and how each lesson’s questions helped the staff make sure each child clearly understood the gospel message.

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Are you going to survive your day?

Photo credit: Jeff Kramer on flickr

Snowflakes in the air reminded me I needed winter tires for our car. After checking prices and availability I settled on a local vendor and arranged a time to have the new tires installed.

Arriving at the tire shop on the day of my appointment, I handed the keys to a service representative and then proceeded to the customer-waiting lounge. The room was surprisingly vacant; only one other customer was there, a well-dressed, middle-aged gentleman who seemed deep in his own thoughts. He paid me no mind as I settled into a chair a few seats away. But as I reached into my business satchel for my reading glasses, he suddenly looked in my direction. Our eyes met.

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