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
5. Lazy – RC Sproul said that when it comes to bible study, we are lazy. I say that when it come to worship in general we are lazy. One hour of church each week does not make you a follower of Christ. It makes you a person who attends church one hour per week.
6. “I can stay home and worship as well as I can at church.” The question is “Do you?”
We are told that we need to fellowship with others.
READ 1st John 1:7
What I am saying here is that anything that gets in the way of worshiping God is an IDOL!
Illustration: All he ever really wanted in life was more. He wanted more money, so he parlayed inherited wealth into a billion-dollar pile of assets. He wanted more fame, so he broke into the Hollywood scene and soon became a filmmaker and star. He wanted more sensual pleasures, so he paid handsome sums to indulge his every sexual urge. He wanted more thrills, so he designed, built, and piloted the fastest aircraft in the world. He wanted more power, so he secretly dealt political favors so skillfully that two U.S. presidents became his pawns. All he ever wanted was more. He was absolutely convinced that more would bring him true satisfaction. Unfortunately, history shows otherwise. This man concluded his life emaciated and colorless; with a sunken chest; fingernails in grotesque, inches-long corkscrews; rotting, black teeth; tumors; and innumerable needle marks from his drug addiction.
Howard Hughes had it all – money, power, influence. He was better off than most but was he better?
Humorous Story about wealth:
A very wealthy man bought a huge ranch in Arizona and invited some of his closer associates to see it. After touring part of the 8,500 acres of mountains, rivers, and grasslands, he took everybody to the house. The house was as spectacular as the scenery. In the back of the house was the largest swimming pool they had ever seen. However, it was filled with alligators. The owner explained:
"I value courage more than anything. It is what made me a billionaire. I value courage so much that if anyone has the courage to jump in that pool and swim to the other side, I will give them whatever they want, my land, my house, my money, anything."
Of course, everybody laughed at the challenge and turned to follow the owner into the house for lunch. Suddenly they heard a splash. Turning around they saw a guy splashing and thrashing into he water, swimming for his life as the alligators swarmed after him. After several death defying seconds, the man made it unharmed to the other side. The rich billionaire was amazed but he stuck to his promise.
He said, "You are a man of courage, you can have any thing you want, house, money, land, etc., whatever you want is yours."
The swimmer, breathing heavily, looked up and said, "I just want to know who pushed me in the pool."
The rich man though his guest was after wealth when all he really wanted was knowledge.
Illustration: A young American reporter had been assigned to go to Europe to meet with interesting people and write their story for a feature in the paper's monthly magazine. He would travel the continent and send his stories by the newly completed trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. One of the people the reporter met was the famous and respected rabbi, Hofetz Chaim.
The reporter was amazed that the well known theologian lived such an austere life. His apartment was a one room affair, heaped with books. The only furniture was a table and a single bench.
“Rabbi,” the reporter asked, “where is your furniture?”
“Where is yours,” the rabbi replied.
“My furniture? I am just traveler, passing through.”
“As am I,” Rabbi Chaim replied.
We are all just passing through. All the “stuff” we accumulate is just that – STUFF. It will rot, crumble, break, or fade away and eventually become dust. Only our souls are permanent.
Aaron lead a very troubled life as youth but excelled in football. He grew up in Bristol, Connecticut with a father who was a well known sports figure in Bristol. His father had hopes that sports would help settle Aaron down and keep him out of trouble but Aaron's father died not long after Aaron turned 16. He had several run-ins with the law but he was a stand-out athlete. He set a high school record in his state for receiving yards in one game and was considered a top recruit. He eventually accepted a scholarship to the University of Florida where he excelled as a tight end. But his off the field problems continued. Aaron was arrested for beating up a restaurant employee who threw the young man for refusing to pay his bar bill. At Florida, he was a big part of the Gators winning a national championship in 2009 when they beat the Oklahoma Sooners.
In 2010 he decided to skip his senior year and declared himself eligible for the NFL draft. He was drafted by the New England Patriots and given a big contract. His football skills were top notch but his life skills were terrible. In 2013, Aaron was arrested as the shooter in a double homicide and is a suspect in other murders, as well. Just a few days ago this promising NFL star was convicted on 2 counts of murder and sentenced to life without parole.
Aaron Hernandez had it all going his way. He was rich, famous, played ball in the NFL, and had huge fan following. None of that changed him as a person. He was better off but he was not better.
Proverbs 1:10-15 says
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
Mess with the bull, you get the horns.
Lot and his family joined with the people of Sodom.
Where is your tented pointed? Are you setting your tent toward the enemy? Are you setting up in the enemy's camp?
Joshua 24:14-15: Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
This house will serve the Lord. Will yours?
Maybe you had a relationship with God and like lot, you have pitched your tent towards Sodom. Maybe you have been trying to be better off instead of better. You see, sin is like a sickness. If left untreated it can eventually kill you. How about visiting the Great Physician for the Soul. He can take your ugly sin-look and give you a “faith-lift”. You will be beautiful again!
Invitation.
