Being Involved With The World Series

As I was preparing this message, I checked the Internet for World News and the top headlines were:

US in financial crisis!

Pakistani troops kill militants

Jobless claims pushed to 7-year high

Former Trade unionist elected as South African President

Governor Palin once blessed to be free from “witchcraft”

China launches mission for spacewalk

European union bans baby food with Chinese milk

Finland bewildered by deadly school shootings

North Korea bans UN Nuclear inspectors from plant

Beatlemania hits Israel

How are Christians suppose to deal with what’s going on in the world? Should we be involved in any of the world’s affairs? Should Christians just have holy huddles and ignore the rest of the world?

The answers of course are in God’s Word! Open your Bibles to Genesis 14.

Let us learn from a man named Abram who found himself involved with the world. The first 11 verses of Genesis 14 talks about a situation in the world outside of Abram’s life. V12 connects Abram to the world. V13-16 tells us how Abram responded. The end of the chapter tells us how the world and God wanted a relationship with Abram.

God gives us a history lesson in the beginning of Genesis 14 with many names and countries. For better understanding, let me summarize that history before reading it.

There was actually one king, Kedorlaomer, who dominated many other kings. 5 kings decided a rule over 12 years was enough and so they went against Kedorlaomer and his allies. But the dominant king still won and seized everything.

Read along with me Genesis 14…………….

In v1-11, the world went to war. Why was there a war?

War erupted because of power and greed.

V12: Abram’s nephew Lot was taken captive.

Abram was connected to the affairs of the world because of the suffering of his relative.

V13-16: Abram went to war to rescue his relative.

V15-16 tells us that Abram defeated the great king Kedorlaomer and Abram recovered everything!

V18-21: We note 2 different offers to Abram’s victory.

Based on v21, what did the King of Sodom wanted from victorious Abram??

The king of Sodom tempted Abram to be involved with his world.

What did God desired for victorious Abram?

God desired to bless and remind Abram who really is in control.

How did Abram respond to the 2 offers?

1. Abram rejected affiliation with the wicked.

The king of Sodom offered an alliance with Abram.

Abram knew that the king of Sodom was ungodly. Sodom was a well known wicked city. Lot, Abram’s nephew, lived there and knew the wickedness. The offer to Abram was for selfish gains, not for godly reasons.

2. Abram made a commitment to God by:

• accepting God’s offering of bread & wine and blessings

• affirming that God is in control

• giving to the work of God in the world

• worshiping God alone (raised his hands to the Lord)

What biblical principles can we apply to our lives today?

Abram had to be involved in world affairs because one of his relatives was taken captive. As Christians, who are our relatives??

Other Christians are relatives of Christians. Are there Christians in the world suffering? According to the organization called “The Voice of the Martyrs”, current persecution of Christians include:

North Korea - Christian Persecution Expected to Continue

Saudi Arabia – Muslim Cleric Kills His Sister for being a Christian

INDIA – Violence against Christians Escalating in Orissa State

China Confiscates Bibles

An Eritrean Christian woman died of malaria after being imprisoned and tortured for months.

Persecution of Christians is also happening here in America isn’t it?

Are we giving in to the world or are we fighting for Christ?

Are we doing anything about our Christian brothers and sisters who are suffering? Abram got involved and saved Lot and he was commended by God.

A. We should also be involved in rescuing our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.

What can we do?

Here are some suggestions:

- be informed of the persecutions (check the Internet)

- pray for the persecuted Christians

- support organizations helping persecuted Christians

- ask government officials for help

Let us be involved in rescuing persecuted Christians.

And like Abram who was confronted with 2 opposing offers, Christians today will be constantly confronted with either affiliating with the world or affiliating with God.

B. Christians must be alert and aware of the lure of the world. Christians are to be in the world but not to be of the world! Christians are to focus on things above, not on earthly things.

1. Like Abram, Christians must reject affiliation with the wicked.

Let us all memorize Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.”