The Lamb Narrative

If you've ever watched a cooking show, you have seen how often judges criticize contestants for showing restraint with salt. This is because salt enhances any dish. It draws out the rich flavors and seasonings that make food so delightful. Just like a chef who neglects to season with salt, we as believers often show too much restraint in our worship--not from an emotional perspective, but from a focus perspective.

I want to look at the first Biblical test case for proper worship, and also the first case of murder found in Scripture (let it not be a surprise that we see worship and murder connected. Criticism of worship has caused many a conflict in the church.)

Christocentric Worship

We read these words in Genesis 4:1-5:

"Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, 'I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.' And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell."

In this passage, we see that there are two differences between Cain and Abel’s worship:

1. Abel brought that what the Lord produced and he (Abel) tended, while Cain brought the fruit of his own labors.Gardneing certainly requires a lot more physical effort than shepherding does. Cain had toiled to produce this offering, had tended the soil, watered it, and reaped from it. Abel, on the other hand, offered to God that which he was powerless to create and only God could truly provide.

2. Abel brought the firstborn of his flock, a picture of Christ, while Cain brought produce from the ground, a picture of what is physical and not spiritual. Abel's offering hearkens back to that first sacrfice made by God Himself in Genesis 3 to cover the shame of Adam and Eve's nakedness. This sacrfice ultimately points forward to the sacrifice Jesus made as our Lamb, slain for our sins.

God established through Abel the concept of worshiping God with excellence that comes from God Himself, or giving back to God what belongs to God already. Christocentric or surrendered worship is worship that first sees Christ’s work, and then responds in gratefulness.

The lamb narrative has been a part of worship starting in Genesis 3 with the covering of Adam and Eve’s shame, right up to Revelation 5:3. The Lamb narrative is a fundamentally Christocentric theme of worship. The firstborn concept in the Law is explained in Exodus 13:11-16. This idea of giving God what is "first" led to the institution of the Feast of Firstfruits, which was a giving of the first sheaf of grain collected at the harvest back to God. 1 Corinthains 15:20-23 explains that the first fruits of all creation is Christ, which is incredible considering that Jesus rose from the grave early on the day of the Feast of Firstfruits

We are called to present ourselves as a “kind of firstfruit” as well, as James 1:18 says. We are to give the best of our worship to God--not the "seconds".

Christocentric or surrendered worship is worship that first sees Christ’s work, and then responds in gratefulness.

The covenant of salt is explained in Leviticus 2:11-16, Numbers 18:19 and 2 Chronicles 13:5. A covenant of salt (or "with" salt) was a covenant that was to be preserved. It meant that it was a binding covenant that should stand the test of time (Lev. 2:13).

In Numbers 18, God made a salt covenant with the Priests and Levites. They were to receive no inheritance of earth, because God would be their true Provider. God would give back what was necessary to be sustained. These priests were to be a holy portion of people set apart to God.

God made a salt covenant with David in 2 Chronicles 13:5. This was referenced by King Abijah to the king of Israel as they sought to conquer the southern kingdom of Judah. Abijah was saying that no matter who attacked Jerusalem, God’s everlasting king through David would still reign. The covenant of salt reminds us of the everlasting covenant keeper: Jesus Christ. Jesus is our portion. You will recall that He Himself had no portion (no place to lay his head)--we are his portion. We are the salt of the earth, bringing the knowledge of Jesus to the nations. We are a spiritual kingdom with no need for an earthly place. Jesus should be enthroned in our hearts as king, One Whom we worship, praise and adore.

Self-Rightous Worship

The opposite of Christrocentric worship is self-centered or self-focused worship. Self-righteous worship first sees what we can produce, and then asks God to receive it, validate it and bless it.

How do we know we are struggling to be a surrendered believer? Cain shows us the model of a self-righteous reality. Genesis 4:5-16 continues:

"So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.' Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' He said, 'I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?' And the LORD said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.' Cain said to the LORD, 'My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.' Then the LORD said to him, 'Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.' And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden."

The first way Cain is the model of self-righteous worship is in anger or angst against God. When you believe you bring God value, you also believe God owes you more. This can lead to feelings of frustration and contempt towards God for how He is "holding out on us". The word "accepted" used in verse 7 means “a lifting up of your face". It is the idea of acknowledgement in the sense that God lifts our face in invitation to see Him and know Him. When our eyes are on the battle against our sin instead of our own righteous work, we realize how unworthy we really are to have our heads lifted by God, and it helps us remain humble and grateful for whatever God gives.

The second way Cain is the model of self-righteous worship is in being dismissive or disregarding of his brother, the same way we so often treat our brothers and sisters in Christ. John talked about how an unloving attitude toward others is a sign that we love ourselves more than God, which is in essence a hate towards God.

Finally, Cain models self-righteous worship in an attitude that life is unfair and that his suffering is unjust. Self-righteous people constantly remind the world that they deserve more and that the world is against them. However, I would argue that the word "fair" shouln't be in our vocabulary, because the only truly "fair" reality is us paying for our sins in hell for all of eternity.

When our eyes are on the battle against our sin instead of our own righteous work, we realize how unworthy we really are to have our heads lifted by God.

The Sacrifice Of Obedience

One of David’s most profound songs of worship was written after he was condemned by Nathan for his sin with Bathsheba. As a “man after God’s heart”, David was reminded about the heart of worship. He wrote in Psalm 51:14-17:

"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

The sacrifice of obedience is the most difficult sacrifice to bring to the Lord, but obedience is the basis for all worship. This means obedience in resisting temptation. Obedience in loving people who are difficult to love with grace and kindness. Obedience in giving money or time you can’t afford to give. Obedience in letting your children go to serve the Lord. Obedience in dragging your self and family to church when you need a rest day. Obedience in refusing to be a part of the gossip. These and so many more places of obedience are where worship happens first.