TITLE: A TALE OF TWO FATHERS
SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 13:1-18
Lot was the son of Haran. Haran was Abraham’s brother. Abraham and Lot were both saved men, but Lot was like many of the fathers today. The way Lot lived his life, it is difficult to believe he was saved. Abram had been accompanied by Lot in all his wanderings.
• Abraham acted as a mentor to Lot
• When God called Abraham to leave Ur for an unknown land, Lot accompanied him without hesitation
• This decision highlights their close relationship
But like many families today - a separation took place between them. Abram and his seed were to be kept distinct from all other races, as from him the Promised Messiah was to spring. This also was brought about by what seemed a series of natural circumstances, and probably Abram himself was ignorant of the Divine plan of God that was working in his life at that time.
The increase of Abraham and Lot’s wealth, led to a dispute between the herdsmen of their flocks. Their herds were getting so large there was not enough grass for both herds. Both Abraham and Lot had become so prosperous that they could not live side by side in the land of Canaan. We are told “THE LAND WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM, THAT THEY MIGHT DWELL TOGETHER.”
• This was because the livestock and servants of Abraham and Lot were coming into conflict
• It became necessary for them to operate separately
• This still separates families today
• When one family member, cousin starts to do better in life, we get jealous and fall out with each other
• Families fall out too often over money
The dispute here in our text proved to be an embarrassing situation, since the Bible states, "THE CANAANITE AND THE PERIZZITE DWELLED THEN IN THE LAND.” They were probably witnesses to this "Strife" between the two groups of herdsmen. Let me help explain what this is telling us.
• The unsaved watching Christians fight each other
• Those on the outside of the Church listening to us criticize those sitting beside us in Church
• Those on the outside watching our bad behavior, and we are supposed to be the ones that are Saved
To avoid strife, Abram now proposed a voluntary separation, allowing Lot to make the decision as to where he would want to move his family. As far as Lot was concerned it was a simple decision. As he looked eastward, at a distance he could see the Mountains of Moab. At the foot of these mountains, he could see the Jordan Valley, which was rich with the most luxuriant tropical vegetation.
As Lot saw this “Paradise” like the part of Egypt watered by the Nile, his heart went out after it. He could think of nothing else but its beauty. The scene might well have won the heart of anyone whose affections were set on earthy matters. Lot chose to live on the outskirts of Sodom -
• It caused some to question if he was a saved man
• In fact, some who examine his life say they believe that he was not saved
But the Word of God states clearly that he was. Look at II PETER 2:7 “AND DELIVERED JUST LOT, VEXED WITH THE FILTHY CONVERSATION OF THE WICKED.”
• Look at the word “JUST”
• The word “Just” here is ‘DIKAIOS,’ (pronounced as dik'-ah-yos)
• It means INNOCENT - HOLY - RIGHT
Lot was not only a believer in the true and living God, the Holy Spirit records he was distressed daily by the evil that surrounded him in this ungodly place where he chose to raise his family. we do not have to wonder if he was saved or not, the Word of God says he was A RIGHTEOUS MAN.
• We need to be careful trying to assume who is Saved and who isn’t
• I just read on Social Medial a few days ago, someone I follow told his sister she was ‘Going to Hell’
• He went to say, that he does not play, he stands on the Word
• You better be careful my brothers and sisters when we attempt to step in for things that belong to God
• That’s God business and His alone
But here is something we can question WHY LOT WOULD CHOOSE TO LIVE IN SUCH A PLACE.
• He is like so many professing Christians, he did not live as a saved man should live
• He did not make good godly choices
But on the other hand, Abraham lived his life in such a manner that no one would doubt his salvation. Lot and Abraham were very different in many ways.
• The way they conducted their lives
• The way they raised their families
• The way they conducted their business
We don’t read that Lot ever had any conviction about the right path. He was a mere follower of his Uncle Abram, the man of faith. He was just drifting along in the path that Abram was walking in.
• How is it with you?
• Are you known as being a young person who is serious about the Lord’s things?
• Don’t have the idea of “As I get older, I’ll get more into these things”
• You know, the habits that we get into in our early lives will very often form our character for our whole life
• So, the time to get serious about the things of God is right now!
Now I don’t want to look at Lot’s life to denigrate or belittle him for the mistakes he made, but that we might learn some practical lessons for our own lives. The way these two dads lived their lives, we cannot help but ask ourselves four questions about their lives and our lives as dads. The FIRST QUESTION we should ask ourselves is -- WHERE AM I LOOKING? As dads we have to look for a place to raise our children. That includes --
• Where are we going to take them to church
• What school are we going to enroll them in
• What are we going to allow them to watch on television
• What kind of music are they going to be allowed to listen to
These are all important decisions in raising children, and we dads can’t take our responsibility lightly.
• Where we choose to raise them
• The way we choose to raise them
These decisions make a big difference in the way they develop and grow.
• Children are like flowers
• If you put them in good soil they grow and develop to their full potential
• But you can take a good seed and plant it in bad soil, and the flower will have a hard time surviving, not to mention reaching its full potential
But we have some dads today, like Lot, who seem to think it does not matter what kind of environment they place their children in. This strife between Abraham’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen reveals a lot about these two men. Lot looked in the wrong place. He looked to SODOM for a place to raise his children. The Bible says when Lot had a choice of where to raise his family, VS. 12 says, “…AND LOT DWELLED IN THE CITIES OF THE PLAIN, AND PITCHED HIS TENT TOWARD SODOM.” What was he thinking!!!! Only God knows the harm and the misery that has been brought to children because dads made bad decisions concerning where to pitch their tents.
Lot chose to pitch his tent in Sodom, but what a price he paid. Abraham looked where God told him to look. In other words, Abraham believed that where he raised his family would make a difference. GENESIS 13:14-15 “AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ABRAM, AFTER THAT LOT WAS SEPARATED FROM HIM, LIFT UP NOW THINE EYES, AND LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE THOU ART NORTHWARD, AND SOUTHWARD, AND EASTWARD, AND WESTWARD: FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH THOU SEEST, TO THEE WILL I GIVE IT, AND TO THY SEED FOREVER.”
There is much controversy about the land of Israel, but there should be no controversy. Because God settled that dispute thousands of years ago.
• Israel is the only nation that has ever lived on the face of the earth, that the Lord gave the title and deed to a piece of land to live on
• “FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH THOU SEEST, TO THEE WILL I GIVE IT, AND TO THY SEED FOREVER”
Lot lived in the outskirts of Sodom, one of the most wicked places he could have chosen to live. GENESIS 19:1 “AND THERE CAME TWO ANGELS TO SODOM AT EVEN; AND LOT SAT IN THE GATE OF SODOM…”
• When the two angels came to Sodom, look where Lot was
• The Bible says, “…LOT SAT IN THE GATE OF SODOM…”
What is he doing there? Sometimes you find people who profess to believe in God in some strange places. You find some on the Lord’s Day –
• Out Washing the Car
• Sitting in front of television watching movies
• At the Sports Event
• Sleeping In
• Golf Course
• Playing Dominos
Lot was like some of the dads today that we see in our society. They think it does not make a difference what we are exposed to. Abraham was a dad that understood that where we pitch our tent makes a difference. But as we look at these two men, we need to ask ourselves –
• Where am I looking
• Where am I living
Sodom deeply influenced lot over time. “THE MEN OF SODOM WERE EXCEEDINGLY WICKED AND SINFUL AGAINST THE LORD.” Even though knowing this environment was spiritually harmful, he settled there fully with his family.
We next question we need to also ask ourselves – WHERE AM I LEADING?
• everyone has someone following them
• Even my youngest grandchild at 15 months old – he is watching me and he is following me around
• I must be cognizant of the fact that even at his tender age I am leading him somewhere
Lot had his family following him.
• They followed him to live in sinful Sodom
• But he had a more difficult time trying to get them to follow him when he was leaving Sodom
The angel of the Lord appeared unto Lot and told him to flee the city with his family. But Lot had lost his testimony and when he witnessed to his family, he had no influence with them. GENESIS 19:14, we read, “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.”
• Lot's lack of real witness and credibility in Sodom is evidenced by the fact that he and his wife and daughters had to be forcibly removed from the city by the two angels
Because of the poor decisions this man had made, he had completely destroyed his testimony.
• Only God knows the damage that has been done through worldly behaving Christian dads
• His sons-in-law had no confidence in following
• You can’t witness to those you are partying with
• You can’t witness to those you are drinking with
• You can’t witness to those you are shaking up with or sneaking out with
• But look what happened to Lot’s wife
• The angel of the Lord specifically instructed them when they left, to NOT EVEN LOOK BEHIND THEM
VS. 24-26 and see what happened, “THEN THE LORD RAINED UPON SODOM AND UPON GOMORRAH BRIMSTONE AND FIRE FROM THE LORD OUT OF HEAVEN; AND HE OVERTHREW THOSE CITIES, AND ALL THE PLAIN, AND ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITIES, AND THAT WHICH GREW UPON THE GROUND. BUT HIS WIFE LOOKED BACK FROM BEHIND HIM, AND SHE BECAME A PILLAR OF SALT.”
• What a tremendous price this family paid by following a husband and a dad that Pitched his tent in the wrong place
The next thing we dads need to ask ourselves is - WHAT AM I LEAVING? Look at the legacy that Lot left behind. Because they had lived in the midst of evil, Lot became drunk and you Bible readers know what happened between he and his two daughters. If you don’t know, I invite you to attend Sunday School and Bible Study.
• The first-born bore a son, and called his name MOAB; he is the father of the Moabites to this day
• The younger also bore a son, and called his name BENAMMI; he is the father of the Ammonites to this day
As Christians, we always face a tension.
• If we pull out of the world too far, we lose our witness because there is no contact
• But if we blend in with the world, we lose both our fellowship with God and our witness to the world
• Jesus was the friend of sinners, but He was never tainted by their sin because He put a premium on fellowship with the Father and He never sought the approval of the world
• He was in the world with a clear sense of His mission, to glorify the Father and to seek and to save the lost
There is no need to dwell on this tragic story any longer. Much of the human tragedy that we read about in the Old Testament and hear about today on the evening news, can be traced back to the children of Lot.
• Abraham's legacy is well known
• Some of the greatest men of the Old Testament can be traced back to this dad, that made wise decisions
• The Lord Jesus’ birth can be traced back to this wonderful dad who followed the Lord
It’s clear that Lot was thinking only of material gain.
• He was thinking of improving his station in life
• He wanted to get to a place in his life that we call “financial independence”
He thought that if he went down to the Jordan Valley that he could surely reach his goal. But in doing so --
• He would have to compromise in the path
• He would have to give up walking by faith on the mountains of Canaan
• He would also have to give up fellowship with Abram
• But those were things that didn’t seem to concern him
• He has this one burning object — to take advantage of the opportunities that the plains of Jordan offered
Make your choices based on God’s principles --
• Relationships over Rights
• Godliness over Greed
• Fellowship with God over the World’s Approval
• Faith in God’s promises over Immediate Pleasure from the World
• Because if you have God and His promises, you have everything
• Seek Him first, and all else is yours
--It is not what we know that controls our lives spiritually, but what we enjoy
--If we are enjoying spiritual things, it will give us the energy to live the separated life of a stranger and pilgrim
--DAVID said in PSALM 119:18-19 “OPEN THOU MINE EYES, THAT I MAY BEHOLD WONDEROUS THINGS OUT OF THY LAW. I AM A STRANGER ON EARTH”
--The wonderful things that he saw in the Word captured his soul, and in doing so, it made him a stranger on earth
--This is what gave Abram energy to carry on in the path
--A Tale of Two Fathers
--Dads’ be careful where you Pitch Your Tent
