Better Off Or Better

Better Off Or Better?

Gen. 13: 10-13, 19:1-11

Missionary Dan Crawford, who served in Africa during the early 1900's, had complete a mission trip and was preparing to go back to England. He loved his mission work but he was always excited to go home. He was describing London to an elder tribesman and told the old man of the ships that sailed on top of the water, under the water, and even in the air. Crawford told him about electricity, running water, and trolley cars that one could ride all over the city. The old man listened for a while and then held up a hand to politely interrupt the missionary.

“With all of these things you describe is there still sin and strife” the old man asked.

“Of course there is,” Crawford replies. “It is human nature.”

“So, better off is not always better.” The old man said with a wry smile.

Crawford was speechless. What the old man had told was that London, with all its modern conveniences, was no better spiritually than the plains of Africa.

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So when Lot left Abraham, he took what he thought was the road to land of milk and honey. The text says the Jordan was a well-watered, lush green area that would more than support Lot's herds and herdsman and his family.

We are often told if something seems to good to be true it usually is.

Lot knew about Sodom's wickedness before he pitched his tent that direction. He got sucked into the promise of fun, excitement, and a place of importance. Lot was very wealthy, and as the saying goes, a fool and his money are soon parted.

We don't know what happened to all of Lot's riches. He, like Abraham, had gold, silver, herds and herdsman. He had a big family. The next thing we hear about Lot is that is is hanging out at the city gate with the important men of Sodom.

His family seemed to have fit right in. Two of his daughters had married Sodomites and his wife was apparently no too thrilled about leaving when they were told to do so. She looked back to see what she was leaving behind. After all, Sodom had the best shops, good food, and she lived in a house instead of a tent. She had succumbed to lust, greed, envy, and pride. She had become a Sodomite.

Lot and his family enjoyed all the modern conveniences of a city. No longer desert nomads, they were better off but were they better? Do you think maybe Lot struggled with his faith?

The same thing happens to people all the time. We let our desire to be “better off” override our need to be better – better fathers, better mothers, better Christians.

You hear me talk about becoming materialistic often because materialism is all-consuming. Remember, its not money but the love of money that is the root of all evil.

We obtain things and soon those things begin to control us. How many of us could go anywhere without our cell phone? And I don't mean some little cheap flip-phone. We gotta have the big iPhone or Galaxy with a screen so big videos look like our tv at home. These things begin to turn our focus away from God.

Exodus 20:4-5 tells us that we should let nothing come between us and God. Anything that becomes more important than worshiping Him becomes an idol.

Here are some things that can get in the way or worship:

1. The pursuit of money.

a. Some folks also call this the pursuit of happiness.

b. We should know that money can't buy happiness.

c. Money can't buy love. It can buy you a diamond ring, my friend, but money can't but me love. That is the Gospel according to St. John, St. Paul, St. George and St. Ringo.

d. Money can't buy salvation.

e. Wealth tends to cause people to rely on themselves and not on God.

2. TV – the original mind-killer.

a. What you find is junk, junk, and more junk followed by news – usually bad news.

b. TV is a purveyor of low morals. The ABC FAMILY Channel is airing a show about transgender-ed people.

3. The Internet – the current mind killer.

a. This truly is a vast wasteland.

b. Pornography sites outnumbered family sited by a 10 to 1 margin according to some recent statistics.

c. Social media is addictive. Facebook, Twitter.

4. Social Life

a. We can't go to church today, we have friends coming over.

b. My friends laugh at me for going to church. - You can cry for them when they go to hell. You can cry for yourself when they drag you with them.

READ 2nd Corinthians 6:14-15