For example:
(1) SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE PROFESSIONAL DECISIONS
Consider the many decisions an umpire has to make calling “balls” or “strikes” in a baseball game. He can almost rest assured that by the time the game is over he does not have a friend in the stadium. These fellows have a hard job.
Illus: In one baseball game, the umpire was being jeered and heckled unmercifully from the crowd. In the middle of the game, he walked over to the bleachers and sat down next to his chief critic.
• "What are you doing?" asked the spectator.
• "Well," said the umpire, “It seems you have a better view than I have, so I thought I would come over and sit with you so I could see as well as you do!”
When umpires make decisions, they do not have many friends.
Illus: At a professional baseball game, the Gate Keeper called the Park Manager’s office and said, “There's an umpire down here with a friend and he wants to know if they can come in free!”
•“No,” replied the park Manager, “The man's obviously lying.”
• The Gate Keeper said, “How do you know he is lying?”
•“It is obvious he is lying because who ever heard of an umpire with friends?”
(2) SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE MEDICAL DECISIONS
Illus: One day, this red-neck that had a slew of kids went to the doctor. After he had his annual physical, the doctor came out and said, "You had a great check-up. Is there anything else that you'd like to talk about or ask me?"
“Yea, doc. I have been thinking about having one of those operations that keep a man from having any more children.”
The doctor said, "That's a pretty big decision. Have you talked it over with your family?"
"Yeah, and they're in favor 19 to 1."
(3) SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE FOOD WE EAT
Those who are concerned about their waistline always have to make decisions about what they are going to eat.
Illus: I still find it hard to understand how you can eat a pound of ice cream and gain five pounds.
Illus: A woman found her husband standing on the scale and holding his stomach in. She laughed and said, “Holding your stomach in won’t make you any lighter.” He replied, “I know that, but it is the only way I can see the numbers on the scale.”
Anyone who has ever had to lose some weight knows how difficult that is to do.
Illus: A blonde was terribly overweight, so she made the decision to see her doctor for some help.
The doctor said, "I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for two weeks. The next time I see you, you'll have lost at least five pounds."
When the blonde returned, she had lost nearly 20 pounds.
"Why, that's amazing!" the doctor said. "Did you follow my instructions?"
The blonde nodded. "I'll tell you, though, I thought I was going to drop dead that third day."
“From hunger?” “No, from all the skipping.”
(4) SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT WE WATCH ON TELEVISION
Illus: We men are known for the many decisions we make with the use of the remote control while we watch television. We can wear a good remote control out in a matter of months.
Our life consists of making all kinds of decisions every day. And today we are where we are because of the decisions we have made.
The Bible records men and women that had to make ALL KINDS OF DECISIONS. Lot was such a man, but he was known to make some bad decisions.
Because we do not want to do the same thing, let’s look at some of the reasons why he made bad decisions. We see that-
I. LOT WAS WEAK IN HIS DEVOTIONS
Even though Lot was a righteous man, he made some bad decisions that affected him and his family drastically.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT LOT WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN? Peter said lot was a righteous man.
2 Pet. 2:8, “(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)”
Now the question is asked by some, “How can a righteous man pack up his family and decide to move them to a place like Sodom and Gomorrah?”
When believers are not DEVOTED TO THE GOD THEY SERVE, they do practically everything the lost world does.
But to understand how he can be considered to be a “righteous” man, we need to consider the word “righteous”.
The Word “righteous” is used two ways in the scriptures.
• It is used when a man lives RIGHT! We say such a person is righteous.
• It is used when a lost man comes to the Lord, and God imputes His righteousness to that lost person.
The word “righteous” here is the word “dikaios” (pronounced as Dik'-ah-yos”) which means INNOCENT or HOLY.
We can say Lot was a righteous man because Lot, like all believers, received the Lord Jesus by faith. Jesus took Lot’s sins and Lot received God’s righteousness.
When God sees us from then on, He sees us through the righteousness of Christ and we appear as if we had never sinned.
Lot was a righteous man in the sight of God, but in the sight of man he certainly did not look that righteous when he took his family and moved them to Sodom.
But notice, no one can make such a decision as he made, and move their family to an ungodly place like Sodom and Gomorrah, and not suffer the consequences.
Peter, who told us he was righteous, also tells us that he “Vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.”
The word “vexed” here is the word “basanizo” (pronounced as Bas-an-id'-zo) which means TO TORTURE.
The same thing that happened to Lot has happened to many believers. The decisions they made have brought much torture and suffering to their lives.
WHAT CAUSED HIM TO MAKE SUCH A BAD DECISION? The way some folks make decisions makes you wonder if they have a brain in their heads.
Illus: This makes me think of the a young blonde who was on vacation in the depths of Louisiana. She wanted a pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst way, but was very reluctant to pay the high prices the local vendors were asking.
• After becoming very frustrated with the salesman, the blonde shouted, "Maybe I'll just go out and catch my own alligator so I can get a pair of shoes at a reasonable price!"
• The shopkeeper said, "By all means, be my guest. Maybe you'll luck out and catch yourself a big one!"
• Determined, the blonde turned and headed for the swamps, set on catching herself an alligator to get a pair of alligator shoes.
Later in the day, the salesman is driving home, when he spots the young woman standing waist deep in the water, shotgun in hand. Just then, he sees a huge 9 foot alligator swimming quickly toward her. She takes aim, kills the creature and with a great deal of effort hauls it on to the swamp bank. Laying nearby were several more of the dead creatures flipped on their backs.
The shopkeeper watches in amazement. Just then the blonde flips the alligator on it's back, and in frustration, shouts, "This one isn't wearing any shoes either!"
It seems that some Christians are just as ridiculous in making some of their decisions.
Lot acted as if he did not have a brain in his head when he packed up his family and moved them to Sodom and Gomorrah.
WHY DID HE MAKE SUCH A FOOLISH DECISION?
The scriptures make it clear. Look at Genesis 13:1-13, we read, “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.”
Lot was a blessed man, no doubt taught by his Uncle Abraham in the ways of the Lord. But the godliness of Abraham did not rub off on Lot.
• Lot had heard Abraham as he prayed
• Lot heard Abraham talk about the Lord
He had one of the best examples of a believer and it did not make that much difference in his life.
Look at the difference between Abraham and Lot. First consider Abraham:
• ABRAHAM HAD AN ALTAR AND CALLED ON THE LORD
Gen. 13:3 4, “And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of THE ALTAR, WHICH HE HAD MADE there at the first: and there ABRAM CALLED ON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”
Nowhere in the scriptures do we read of Lot having an altar where he called upon God.
• ABRAHAM WAS DEPENDENT ON THE LORD
God had promised to bless him and he rested in that promise, not on his own choices. Abraham depended on God to...
• Guide him
• Provide for him
• Protect him
But nowhere in the Scriptures do we see where Lot was dependent upon God for guidance.
Lot made his decisions the same way the lost world makes theirs. That is, if it looks good, GO FOR IT!
Gen. 13:10 11, “And LOT LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND BEHELD all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. THEN LOT CHOSE HIM all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.”
We see that LOT WAS WEAK IN HIS DEVOTIONS and ...
II. LOT WAS WRONG IN HIS DESIRES
His choice of direction in life was guided by his senses, when it should have been directed by the LORD!
God gave us five senses: touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight. We use these five senses in making many good decisions.
For example, sometimes before we drink a cup of hot coffee, we will touch it to see how hot it is. And if it is really hot to the touch, we make the wise decision not to drink it.
Illus: One day, a blonde and a brunette are sitting together for lunch.
• The brunette sets a thermos on the table, and the blonde asks what it is. "It's a thermos," says the brunette, "It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold." The blonde stares in awe as the brunette pours steaming hot coffee out to show her.
• The next day, the blonde is showing off her 'new' thermos to another blonde. "See this?" she asks. "What is it?" the other blonde asks. "It's a thermos, and it keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold!" "Oh, what do you have in it?" the new blonde asks. "Two cups of coffee, and a popsicle!"
We use the sense of touch to make wise decisions some times. Some times we use the sense of smell to make wise decisions.
Illus: Did you hear that a fellow traveling through the prairies of the USA stopped at a small town and went to a local restaurant. He sat at his table eating, and when he got finished with his meal he pulled out a long cigar and began to smoke it. Soon everyone in the restaurant could smell that cigar he was smoking.
He sat there quietly blowing smoke rings.
After he blew nine or ten smoke rings into the air, an angry American Indian stomped up to him and said, "One more remark like that and I'll smash your face in!"
The five senses God gave: touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing, are very helpful in making the right decisions. But we can’t depend on them to always help us make right decisions.
For example, we can use the sense of SIGHT, but it may not always help us make the right decision.
Illus: Many young men have used the sense of SIGHT to select a wife for themselves. But later on, what looked so good no longer looks good.
Lot based his decisions on what he saw. Gen. 13:10a, “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan,...”
Based on what he saw, the Bible says he PITCHED HIS TENT TOWARD SODOM (Vs 12 13)
Look at Genesis 13:10-13, we read, “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.”
Lot’s problem was that he didn’t hate evil as he should have.
The Word of God says, in Rom. 12:9b, “. . .Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”
I believe that Lot knew about this city and of it’s reputation. He may even have thought that he could live there and not be affected by their wickedness. But this is never possible!
We see that LOT WAS WEAK IN HIS DEVOTIONS, LOT WAS WRONG IN HIS DESIRES, and -
III. LOT WAS WRONG IN HIS DECISIONS
Lot was wrong to pitch his tent toward Sodom. He made wrong decisions and his wrong decisions caused him to wrong others.
A. HE WRONGED GOD
When we sin, it is primarily against God!
When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph to lie with her, he said this in Genesis 39:9, “…how then can I do this great wickedness, AND SIN AGAINST GOD?”
He knew that he would be doing her husband wrong, but he recognized that ALL SIN IS AGAINST GOD. This is why we have to ask God to forgive our sin.
LOT WAS WRONG IN HIS DECISION because it was against God that he did this awful thing.
B. HE WRONGED OTHERS BY HIS TESTIMONY
He made the decision to pitch his tent toward Sodom, and when he made this decision, he ruined his testimony.
Illus: A Christian girl made the decision to attend a wild party one night. Her parents and Christian friends advised her not to go. She made the decision to go anyway, but she justified her going by saying she would witness to the unbelievers. While she was dancing with a young man, she said, “Are you a Christian?” He said, “Of course not, if I was what would I be doing here?” She was lost for words and did not know what to say.
Her decision had destroyed her testimony.
And listen, Lot’s decision had destroyed his testimony. Look at Gen. 19:14, “And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.”
C. HE WRONGED HIS FAMILY
He brought his family to this wicked city. He eventually took his family out of Sodom, but HE COULDN’T TAKE SODOM OUT OF HIS FAMILY. The influence lived on.
• Look at Gen 19:17, “And 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.”
• Gen. 19:26, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
The attraction to Sodom must have been great, considering the warning of death given. Still his wife looked back. The idea is that she looked back longingly, she was going to miss that place, she was going to miss family members left behind.
WHERE IS YOUR TENT PITCHED MOM AND DAD? Remember, WRONG DECISIONS are based on WRONG DESIRES, which are based upon WRONG DEVOTION.
I. LOT WAS WEAK IN HIS DEVOTIONS
II. LOT WAS WRONG IN HIS DESIRES
III. LOT WAS WRONG IN HIS DECISIONS
