It's Time To Get Out And Stay Out!

15And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16And while he lingered, 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. 17And 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. 18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD: 19 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;

The text tonight shows us how easy it is to get caught up in the iniquity of sin - and lose your salvation.

A close investigation of the city of Sodom reveals that it was a bustling place: a city filled with energy and excitement. It was a place which came alive when the sun went down. In Sodom, ‘diversity’ was the watchword of the day for they loved their ‘diverse lifestyles’ which encouraged all kinds of lewd and lasciviousness behavior, especially homosexuality. Men were sleeping men, women were sleeping with women. They had even gotten the animals of the city in on their nasty behavior. Jerry Springer could have taped a lifetime worth of shows in Sodom. But little did the Sodomites know that God was about to punish them for their ways.

God has a system that will let you go so far, and then God punishes you for actions. The Bible says that “The wages of sin is death!” That means that the only thing that sin pays is dying.

God, here, is getting ready to punish them for their pride, their indifference and their disobedience to His will, but the part of this story that really bothers me is the fact that this was a place captivated “Lot’s” attention. The Bible says that Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom.

I don’t think that Lot was an evil person... Lot just got caught up in the lure of Sodom. The word says that: “Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, towards Zoar. So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out towards the east.”

Understand that Lot and Abraham (you remember Abraham don’t ya?) The one whom God said “His seed would be blessed?” Lot and Abraham had been hanging together, but they kind of got into an argument about cattle watering rights and such, and they decided to separate rather than fight and when Lot looked towards the east and saw Sodom... his eyes lit up because Sodom looked good!

I know I’m saved tonight, but can I tell ya? “Sometimes the devil makes sin look good!” (Look like I’m have to preach to myself tonight!)

Well since I can’t speak for you, I’ll speak for myself... “I know that unless I stay in God’s will and consult Him for all things... I’m subject to fall into Satan’s trap!!”

God didn’t tell him, Lot choose the land of Sodom himself! That was his main fault. He made choices without consulting God! (If you pray with me, I’ll take you someplace tonight)

Now Lot didn’t live there initially… he lived upon a hill overlooking the city. But eventually, (everybody say “eventually”) Eventually... the allure of the city…

– The lights of the city…

– The sounds of the city…

– The crowds of the city...

Captivated Lot’s attention… and drew Lot TO the city!

Watch him... Lot moved from his tent outside of the city, to a house on one of the main streets of the city!

– He raised his family there…

– His daughters went to Sodom High...

– His wife joined the Sodom Women’s circle...

– He became a man of influence there… and was one of those who sat in the gates! His family fell in love with the city!

. . . And the saddest part about was that he was fully aware of the things going on around him! He was fully aware of the reputation of the city! But what he failed to see was that judgment was on its way! (Tell somebody: “There is way which seems right, but the end is way of death!” Now turn on the other side and tell them: “Make sure you know before you go!”)

Well... you know the story, if you’ve studied your Bible: God sent angels to destroy that place! Abraham tried to save it, for the record says that he pleaded with the angels: “If you find a hundred righteous, will you spare the city?”