Introduction
Have you ever been jealous of someone? And have you ever done something mean to that person out of jealousy? Or, have you ever selfishly given only your second best to God? Today, we join our famous Christian Crime Scene Investigators as they examine the evidence and try to solve their latest mystery.

Scene 1 (Top of puppet stage with an alter.)

(Abel enters and offers his lamb sacrifice to God.)

JON AS GOD: Well done Abel, your sacrifice is pleasing to me.

(Abel leaves as Cain enters and offers his basket of canned fruits and vegetables.)

JON AS GOD: Cain, your offering is less than respectable, I cannot accept this.

(Fruit and Veggies up Body pulled from string below)

Scene 2

(Bottom puppet stage; body of Abel lying on the ground dead out of view - put up body sign)

(Sister enters the scene and stumbles upon the body.)

FELICIA: (gasp) It's Abel! I think he's dead??! Quick, someone call the CCSI!

(Puppeteers call out for CSI in fashion of traveling news.)

(CSIs come running onto the scene)

SARAH: (magnify glass) Hi we're from CCSI . I'm Barnes and this is Nobles. Where is he?

FELICIA: Look! He's here and he's dead!

KRISTI: Of course he's dead! If he weren't, we wouldn't be here!

SARAH: Do you have any idea as to where we can locate certain individuals who would have prior knowledge as to the occurrence of this crime?

FELICIA: Yeah. I'll go get my family. Mom! Dad! Everybody, come here! (Exits scene)

(CSI's bend over the body pointing and examining as they speak) (Felicia handles rock)

SARAH: It seems that he died from a lethal cranial fracture to the skull delivered by a heavy rigid combination of Calcium, Aluminum, and Silicate entity.

KRISTI: What are you talking about he died from a blow to the head with this rock. (Lifts up a rock)

(put up stand with basket of veg/fruit)

SARAH: That's what I said. Well there are no other signs of struggle it would seem that the victim know his attacker. A stranger would never have been able to get close enough to hit him without the victim knowing his intentions.

SARAH: But if the culprit was a friend of the victim, the victim would have trusted him and not become suspicious until it was too late. I detect a strange presence of produce in a metallic cylinder Hey look at all these fruits and vegetables! Maybe this is a clue?

KRISTI: This is a field? What do you expect?

(Family enter Adam, Eve and Two Sisters and a Brother)

JOSH: What's up? What's happening?

KRISTI: There has been a crime committed here. Can anyone identify this body?

FELICIA: Yeah that was my brother, Abel.

JOSH: Hey, he's my brother too! Wow? You know what that must mean we are related or something! (Sisters exit overjoyed at realizing their relationship) Do you remember the time…

(Every one watches them exit shaking their heads)

SARAH: Well that was helpful. But we still don't know what happened here.

(Jon with Lauren leaning over the body)

LAUREN: Abel! My poor baby! (Looks up at CSI) What happened? He's dead! Oh no! No! (Turning to Adam, put arm around) First we are kicked out of the Garden of Eden and now this. Adam when will all the pain stop. (Breaks down into sobs)

SARAH: Mr. Adam, where was the last time you saw your son?

JON: Time what is time

SARAH: Oh well its ahh oh never mind we don't have a need for that yet.

JON: (looks up thoughtfully) Well, lets see, I do have so very many you know, but I think I remember telling him to go out and tend for my sheep. And then I remember my oldest son Cain went out after him to talk to him.

KRISTI: Hey, Maybe Cain could help us solve this mystery! What can you tell us about Cain?

JON: Well Cain is my eldest son and he is a farmer. His vegetables and fruits are the biggest and juiciest I have ever tasted. He works so hard to take care of his vegetables and …

SARAH: (interrupts and speaks franticly) Aha ha! A connection! Remember those caned fruits and vegetables surrounding the deceased. It seems that they might be a link to the culprit after all. If Cain is the best farmer, and those fruits and vegetables were some of the finest we have ever seen. I think that we need to have a little talk with Cain.

JON: Oh, okay, if you say so. I'll take you to him but he is such a good boy. He will be glad to help you in any way possible. Why did you know that just the other day him and Abel went to give sacrifices to God.

(Felicia moves Sun over top of stage)

(Jon, S & K leave)

(Josh as Cain enters and is looking around and has a sticker on his forehead after a few seconds the CSI) (put sticker on Josh's Cain)

KRISTI: (talking as he walks up then Cain turns to him and (holding fruit/stand) the stares at the mark and looses train of thought) Hey Cain do you recognize these… Sorry but I got to ask what is that thing on your forehead. (Reaches forward to touch it but Cain knocks his hand away)

JOSH: Oh it is just a marr… I mean bruise…..yeah that's it, its a bruise, I got it from working in the fields.

KRISTI: That is an interesting mark because I don't think I have ever…

JOSH: (interrupts and annoyed) What were you going to ask me about the fruit you are holding.

KRISTI: What fruit. (Looks down at fruit in his hand). O yeah this fruit. Well I was going to ask if you have ever seen it before.

JOSH: Of course I have! I grew them myself! They are the very best of my produce.

SARAH: Could you tell us when you last saw your brother Abel?

JOSH: (very defensively) Am I my brother's keeper? What do I care about him?

(All puppets freeze) (Sun goes down just as 2nd Cain comes up)

Scene 3 (flashback)

(Lauren as Cain enters on top)

JON AS GOD: Where is your brother Abel?

JOSH: I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper? What do I care about him?

JON AS GOD: What have you done, Cain? The voice of your brother's blood is calling to me from the ground. Now you are cursed from the ground that has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground it shall no longer yield it's strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.

(Cain drops head and body to almost under stage) (put sticker on Lauren's Cain)

LAUREN/JOSH: Lord, my punishment is too much for me to handle? People will hate me for what I have done and they will kill me if they see me! (Cain looks up to heaven, and sticker is on his forehead, look back down at audience)

(Lauren/Cain look up again - then exit)

JON AS GOD: Even though you have done wrong, I will protect you from those who want to harm you, See. I have put My Mark on you, so that everyone will know not to kill you.

Scene 4

(Puppets unfreeze)

SARAH: Whoa hold your equestrians Cain. We just wanted to know when you last saw him. Since you were in the same field that day as he was when he died.

JOSH: I confess! I did it! I killed my brother! I was jealous because God liked his sacrifice better than mine. I did not give my best to God, but Abel did, so God accepted him. I was jealous and angry, so I took my anger out on him. I am so sorry I did it. God has already punished me and that is why I have this (touch head) mark on my head. I am going to leave this place forever. (look at audience) Goodbye…I am so sorry.

(Cain leaves)

SARAH: It appears that our work is done here. Another crime has been solved…

KRISTI: (joyfully) …by the great world famous Christian Crime Scene Investigators.

Invitation for Cain and Abel

God said to Cain in Genesis 4:7, "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And it's desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Cain didn't give his best to God, so God didn't accept it. But He accepted Abel's because he humbly gave with his whole heart. Because Cain didn't give his best to God, that opened the door for sin to enter his life. Cain was jealous of Abel's sacrifice and let his jealousy control his actions. He murdered his brother and deserved to die as punishment for his sin. But God gave him mercy.

God gives us mercy, too. He says in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." We are all born sinners and the penalty for sin is death as stated in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." God sent His only son to pay the penalty that we deserve, but Jesus dieing on the cross took our punishment, he rose again the third day. This presented an opportunity for us to have an everlasting life with him and God after our physical death here on earth.

I would like to pray, please close your eyes and bow your heads….

Do you have a relationship with God?

If you do not have a relationship with God and would like to today please pray this simple prayer with me. Dear Heavenly Father, I am a sinner. I believe that you sent your son, Jesus to die for me and take my punishment for sin. I want to learn more about your word and how my life can honor you in all that I do. Dear Father, please forgive me of my sins and be in my heart and in my life from now until eternity.

If you do please continue to grow in Christ's teaching and to tell other about the miracles of Jesus and also about the relationship you have with Him.

If you prayed this prayer with us today, please come to one of the puppeteers and let us share in your joy.

AMEN

Thank you for letting us present this puppet show to you today.

Introduction, to be read by the announcer

Have you ever been jealous of someone?

And have you ever done something mean to that person out of jealousy?

Or, have you ever selfishly given only your second best to God?

Today, we join our famous Christian Crime Scene Investigators as they examine the evidence and try to solve their latest mystery.