A Real Tragedy

INTRO: Remember the sermon last week, "The Tale of Two Families." One family, Obed-Edom, was blessed by God while the other family, Ahab-Jezebel, was cursed by God. Well, today I want us to take a look at a family who was blessed by God but who walked away from that blessing into destruction.

TITLE: A Real Tragedy

TEXT: Genesis 19:15-24

I. Background. Here is a sad story of a man who was truly blessed by God.

A. He was the nephew of Abraham. Abraham took him on his journey to the Promised Land.

1. Along the way they encountered many blessings. In fact, they were so blessed that they had to part ways because the land could not support their flocks (they were so large).

2. So Lot looked up and saw the plains of the Jordan and decided to move over there. Thought: He was walking by sight rather than by faith. As a result he pitched his tent near Sodom.

3. Notice the sequence: He saw, he moved, he camped near Sodom (wicked city), and resulted in

-He finally just moved into the city (14:12). Here is a progression of a man losing the blessing of God.

B. Are you telling us, Pastor, we can’t live in a big city? No, I telling you whatever you do be directed by God.

1. Had Lot gone to Sodom because God directed him, his being there would have fulfilled a divine purpose.

-After all God put Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, Esther in Persia, and their presence turned out to be a blessing.

Point: Worldliness is not a matter of physical geography but of heart attitude. Lot’s heart was in Sodom long before his body arrived.

C. Sodom and Gomorrah were wicked cities who thought about evil all the time. As a result God was going to bring judgment on them.

1. God sends three angels to go investigate but first they go to Abraham’s camp to bless him and in his midst they explain what is going to take place.

-Through Abraham’s intercession, God will not destroy the city if there are 10 righteous people. II. The angels arrive in the city.

A. They find Lot sitting in the gateway of the city.

1. It’s at the gate where official business was conducted. It shows us he had some authority.

-But it had no impact on people’s lives, evil was spreading, there was no advancement of righteousness.

Thought: It’s interesting Abraham had more of an influence on this city, a man who was on the outside, than a backslidden holy man who was on the inside.

B. Lot’s influence dwindled because of his backslidden state.

1. Lot had no spiritual influence either in the city or in his own home.

-When he was trying to warn his family of the coming disaster his married daughters and their husbands laughed at him and refused to leave the city.

-Even his wife was so in love with Sodom that she had to take one last look and paid a price. (Talk about later.)

Thought: Moms and Dads, our spiritual authority in our children’s lives will dwindle when we lose our relationship with God!

Example. Many of you know I was not raised in a Christian home. I can remember on a few occasions Mom taking us to church while Dad slept in or didn’t come. So when Dad tried to give us a lecture about needing to go to church I thought, Yeah right, you’re one to talk. (If church is so important then why are you not going?)

2. Lot’s two unmarried daughters accompanied him out of the city but they ended up in a cave, getting their father drunk and committing incest with him.

-After separating from a godly influence (Abraham) Lot’s character declined and also his spiritual influence.

3. As parents and friends, one of the greatest responsibilities we have as Christians is influencing others’ lives for the kingdom of God.

-God has called us to be ministers of reconciliation to a dying world.

Think of it: I get to bring forth the good news that we no longer have to be slaves. Christ has come to set us free (not only in this life but in the next).

-I am a representative of his, an ambassador (2 Corinthians 5). I represent the ways of God and his culture.

Example. My son Eric plays football for the Owatonna Huskies 9th grade team. A few players did something wrong and the coach jumped on them and made them do some sprints. Why? Because that is not Owatonna Huskies football.

-There is a certain code (standard that is expected).

Point: It is the same. As a Christian, I am a representative of him. Lot was a poor representative of God.