"And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly."
God called Abram from Ur of the Chaldees. God told Abram that He would make a great nation from him and that all the nations of the world would be blessed by him. God made what is known as the Abrahamic covenant with Abraham. Ever since the fall of man in the garden of Eden, God was working to restore man into a right relationship with Him. God will use Abraham and his seed to eventually bring the redeemer Christ into the world which would be a blessing to all nations of the world. Abraham left his home and went to this new land of Canaan. He took Sarah his wife and Lot his brother's son with him.
Abraham had just been given the land of Canaan for a possession. Due to a famine, Abraham went to Egypt for food and water. While in Egypt Abraham told Sarah his wife to lie and say that she was his sister. Sarah was very beautiful and Abraham was afraid that the Egyptians would kill him and take Sarah for wife. When God sent a plague on the Egyptians and the Pharaoh found out that Sarah was Abraham's wife, he sent him away.
And now here is Abraham and his nephew Lot back in the land of Canaan. They are about to separate and Abraham tells Lot to choose the land that he wants to settle in and he would go the other way. Lot made a choice and it turned out to be for the wrong reason. I want to contrast these two father's and the decisions that they both made and try to learn from Lot's poor decision's and Abraham's decision to trust God. Abraham learned to trust God because of the poor decision that he made in going to Egypt and lying about his wife. Now he was ready to trust God and Lot still had a lot to learn.
Lot was Abraham's brother's son or his nephew. Abraham and Lot were both saved men, but the ways they conducted their lives, raised families and received results were in stark contrast. They lead us to ask ourselves four questions.
Lot looked to Sodom. Look again at Genesis 13:10,
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar."
Abraham looked where God told him to look. Look at Genesis 13:14-15,
"And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever."
Abraham allowed God to choose the location for him. God said that He gave it to him and his seed forever.
Lot looked at the well-watered plains and what appeared to be the best land in which to live. He never checked with the Lord and made sure that it was what God wanted. It was what he wanted. Lot was choosing strictly on the lust of his eyes and what looked better for him.
I want to way this especially to the men in this room. We had better be careful men, as the spiritual leaders in the home, that we make decisions based on the will of God and not on what on the surface appears to be good for us.
1 John 2:15-16 says,
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
Lot was worldly. Worldliness is the lust of the flesh (a passion for sensual satisfaction), the lust of the eyes (an inordinate desire for the finer things of life), and the pride of life (self-satisfaction in who we are, what we have, and what we have done). Worldliness is a preoccupation with ease and affluence. It elevates creature comfort to the point of idolatry; large salaries and comfortable life-styles become necessities of life. While there is nothing wrong with trying to improve our station in life, we had better make sure that we include God in all of our plans. Lot left God out of his decision and chose the well-watered plains to his own destruction. In Genesis chapter 19 God sends two angels to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah and Lot and his family had to leave there just in time to escape destruction. Lot was not looking in the right place.
2. WHERE AM I LIVING?
Lot lived in the city of Sodom, in the middle of wickedness.Genesis 13:13,
"But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly."
Ezekiel 16:49 says,
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." Sounds familiar?
Lot like the Laodicean Church in Revelation thought he was rich but was in reality poor.
Revelation 3:17,
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"
We live in an area of much goods and untold wealth and affluence and yet it is one of the most spiritually needy places in the world. Lot couldn't see that his real need was a closer relationship to God. He was blinded by the wealth of the physical and couldn't see his real need. He went to Sodom and grew accustomed to the sin of the people and lost his effectiveness for God. Two angels that God sent to destroy Sodom had to practically take Lot with his arm behind him to get him and his wife and two daughters to leave before God destroyed that wicked city.
Look at Genesis 19:12-
"And the men (the two angels) said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened (they rushed him) Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered (he was in no hurry to leave), the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. (they had to carry them out)
And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord (he was still in denial) Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:"
God spared Lot for Abraham's sake. Look at Genesis 19:29,
"And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt."
The only reason that Lot made it out of Sodom alive was because of the mercy of God and His longsuffering. The only reason that you and I are going to heaven today is not because we deserve to go to heaven but because of God's Grace and Mercy and longsuffering to us as well.
Lot chose Sodom but let's look at Abraham:
Abraham was living in the land God had promised him.
Genesis 12:7,
"And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
Abraham occupied the land that God had promised him. Look at Genesis 13:14-17,
"And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee."
God told Abraham, "It's all yours Abraham, for you and your family to live in forever". What a promise.
As Christians Jesus has promised to go and prepare a place for us. In John 14:2, the Bible says,
"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
The most important thing to know is that we can have a home in heaven when we die. What are you trusting in in this life? Don't be like Lot and trust in the seen and forget the unseen.
In 2 Corinthians 4:18 Paul says,
"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
Don't trust in the uncertain riches of this life. They will fade and rot and can't go with us when we die.
Jesus said in Matthew 16:19-21,
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
What you love the most is what you spend the most money on and the most time doing. What does your checkbook look like? You show me your checkbook and I can tell what you love the most. That is exactly what Jesus is saying! What do you spend the most time doing? That is what you love the most. We need like Lot to learn to love the things of God. Lot got too comfortable with the sin in Sodom and didn't want to leave there.
What have we allowed into our lives that we never thought we would allow? It's like the story of the man who tried to boil the frogs in the hot water. They would always jump out because of the sudden change in temperature. So the man put the frogs in cooler water and added the warm water a little at a time until the frogs couldn't detect the change and were eventually boiled slowly and weren't able to jump out.
Where am I looking? Where am I living? And Third,
3. WHERE AM I LEADING?
Lot could not lead his family. When it was time to leave Sodom at God's command, Lot could not lead his family the way he should have been able to.Genesis 19:14,
"And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law." (they did not believe what he said)
Lot was obviously not being the husband and father that he should have been.
In 1 Timothy 3:4-5 Paul is giving the qualifications of a Bishop (Elder/pastor) and he says,
"One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)"
Lot didn't have the respect of his own family and as a result his family did not take him seriously when it came time to leave town. His own wife disobeyed a direct command in
Genesis 19:17,
"And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed".
Down in verse 26 it says,
"But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."
His own family didn't trust his decision to leave. They lost all respect for him and his decisions and his leadership. If the angels hadn't literally taken them out of the city they would have been content to stay there and would have been destroyed.
Lot was not the leader that God called him to be.
Men, God calls us to be the spiritual leaders of our homes! We need to be men of God and assume this role as a call from God Himself. I believe that our families today are being destroyed and attacked by Satan because the men of America are not being the leaders that He called us to be and the Devil is having a time breaking up homes and causing major damage to our families. And we are doing nothing to change it.
We don't read God's word, we don't pray, we miss church faithfully, we even keep our wives and children from the things of God because we are so selfish. May God help us to be the men and the spiritual leaders at home that our wives and children need us to be!!!!!!!!!!!
When Abraham had to lead his son Isaac, he was compliant, even to the point of becoming the sacrifice.
Genesis 22:6-12,
"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? (dad didn't you forget something?) And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. (the Bible never mentions any resistance from Isaac) And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me."
Abraham wasn't perfect by any means, but he must've had a great relationship with his son for Isaac to trust his dad by placing him on the altar of sacrifice and just about to be slain. Just as Abraham was about to deliver the death blow, God comes through and tells Abraham that this was just a test of his faith. If we could've been there, I bet that Isaac had a great look of relief on his face. They trusted in what God said and put their faith in Him and of course God is faithful and can be trusted. Isaac knew that his dad had a God that would take care of everything and he was not afraid to trust in the leading of his father because of who his father was trusting in.
Likewise, we can trust the leading of our heavenly Father when He tells us that if we come by faith and trust in the sacrifice of His Son He will save us and give us eternal life. Paul says in Titus 1:1-2,
"Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;"
Where am I looking?
Where am I living?
Where am I leading? And lastly,
4. WHAT IS MY LEGACY? (What will we leave behind that people will remember us by)?
Lot's legacy was two nations as a result of immorality.
Genesis 19:30-38,
" And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day."
Lot's legacy was of incest with his own daughters and two nations that were wicked and idolatrous. The next time Lot is mentioned in the Bible, Jesus uses him as an object lesson in Luke chapter 17 and so does Peter in II Peter chapter 2. Do we want our failures in life to become an object lesson for some preacher's sermon illustration?
Then we had better become the father's we need to be and decide that we are going to be the men that our families can look back on with honor and the memory that we walked with God and we can give them something to aspire to spiritually.
Abraham's legacy was a son who respected and loved his father, and followed God.
Isaac followed in the footsteps of his father and God blessed and used him to continue in the things which He promised to Abraham.
As believers in Christ, what spiritual legacy are we leaving the next generation? Like Abraham let's leave our children with the spiritual legacy. A legacy of a home where Christ was pre-eminent and the Bible was a book that was read, respected and lived, where Church was a normal part of life and the fellowship of the saints was a daily occurrence. If we don't do it folks, it won’t be done and like Lot, we won't have a legacy to hand down. May God help us to be the men we need to be for such a time as this.