Sacred Sunday posts highlight the churches, reverends, historical movements, holy days, and religious documents that have helped shape my family.
Read Part 1 here.
July 1977 - Preached at Stokes and Brush Valley (Robinson)
Genesis 19:1-29
God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out. Lot was spared from the destructive force that fell on Sodom and destroyed it.
Spared not because of any good merits of his own, but because of the good life that another lived, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out.
Abraham lived a life of fellowship, constant communion with God.
The heavens were never closed to him. A life of intercessory prayer, he had chosen that better part, to walk with God, as was spoken of Mary by Jesus.
Abraham came to Lot one day and said to him, “We will have to separate. There’s contention between our herdsmen, this must not be.” He said, “You make your choice. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right and if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” Lot made his choice. He lifted his eyes and looked out over that fertile plain of Jordan, well-watered, that stretched down toward Sodom. He saw great possibilities for material gain, of the large herds of cattle and sheep he could here build up; of all the gold and silver he would be able to accumulate, but Abraham dwelt up there on the mountains, breathed the pure air and drank in the sunlight of God’s love and his soul grew fat toward God.
Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom. How did Lot get into Sodom? By self-pleasing, self-seeking. He finally went in to dwell there.
And sitting in the gates of the city one evening two strangers came to him, angels unawares. Lot invited them to his house, little-knowing that it meant his salvation.
What of Lot’s influence in the city of Sodom, was he influential? No, for we find that nearly all of Sodom came to Lot’s door that night and wanted to know who the two strangers he entertained were, and demanded that they be brought out. Lot himself went out to quiet them and the two strangers had to pull him inside. But the men of Sodom did not know that the judge of all the earth was with him. He was sheltered from their fury and they were rendered powerless.
Then the messengers of God revealed their mission. The Lord has sent us to destroy. Lot not only had no influence in the city, but no influence in his home.
He had given his daughters in marriage to disbelieving men of the city, and found out that they were lost to him and God. There was salvation offered to his sons-in-law as well as his own children. But he had lost all influence with them by compromising with sin. So that when he went out to them to warn them in the hour of danger of the coming doom of Sodom, he only seemed to them as one that mocked. Could anything be more awful than to see the danger of others, to know they are at the brink of doom—and to have no power to make them heed, because of past compromise of your own life. Danger at hand, impending judgment offered salvation, yet to be as one who mocked. Lot’s opportunity was over, one chance to speak and only one, and that in vain.
The word of God tells us that Abraham stood yet before the Lord, he was pleading for the righteous of Sodom. God had revealed to him that Sodom was going to be destroyed. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do. God told Abraham of the sinfulness of Sodom.
Abraham pleads if there be 50 righteous, will you destroy it? God answers “no”. If there be 5 less, etc.
He came down to 10 righteous and God said if there be 10 righteous I will not destroy it. Then Abraham left off speaking with God. Surely there are 10 righteous there, why there’s Lot’s family.
Abraham was not one like many we find today. He could not go back into his tent and rest under the coming doom. He could not simply thank God he was of it and leave Sodom to its fate, but he interceded in its behalf and not till he had got the number down to 10 did he leave of speaking, but that number was not there, and when Lot was warned to flee he felt reluctant to go and leave all behind. Like many who say,there’s too much to give up to become a Christian.
The heavenly messenger laid hold upon him—upon his wife, his unmarried daughters and brought them out with the words, “escape for thy life, look not behind thee, escape”.
And yet Lot took less than God offered him, instead of fleeing to the mountains, he went to Zoar, later fled.
How many times we take less than God offers us. Content just to get by getting into the kingdom, going empty-handed, barely saved. Saved, yet as through fire. God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out.
Let us live in close fellowship with God that we may have power and influence with God. May he help us to live a separated life, not compromising with sin.
Side Note: Great-Granddad was 74 years old when he preached this message.