LOT, THE LOSER
Text: II Pet.2: 7, 8
Intro: As I gave the title of this message, you may have thought it a little unkind. However, the point of that title was not unkindness, but to simply encapsulate the overall outcome of Lot’s life. In a very real sense, Lot lost everything of any value in his life. In short, this was the result of Lot having put his wants ahead of God’s will.
Lot is an example of a Christian who tried to live as close to the world as possible with the mistaken idea that it wouldn’t affect him. As a result, Lot lost everything. He lost his family, his possessions, and his integrity. He lost it all.
Many Christians of our day are doing much the same as Lot. They are trying to live as close to the world as possible without being affected by it. They are living a tightrope existence, attempting to live with one foot in the world and one foot in God’s kingdom. But the fact is, it can’t be done. That kind of life will inevitably lead to a fall.
Our Lord said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9: 62). He also said, “No man can serve two masters…” (Matt.6: 24a). The point is you can’t live for self and the world, while at the same time being committed and pleasing to God. It is a spiritual impossibility. Trying to walk with the world and with the Lord at the same time simply can’t be done. Those two ways of life cancel out each other.
Notice with me today how trying to walk with the world made Lot a spiritual loser.
Theme: Lot became a spiritual loser because of:
I. HIS WEAK DEVOTION TOWARD GOD
A. He Had Great Assets And Wealth.
Gen.13: 5 “And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6 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.”
NOTE: [1] The Bible does not condemn anyone for having great riches. The scripture does however, condemn placing our trust in riches (I Tim.6: 17). Lot’s problem was not his riches, but his worldly attitude. Like the world, he had the idea that the value of his life was dependent upon what he possessed. Lot had relegated first place in his life to his riches. This becomes more evident later.
[2] Great assets won’t make up for weak devotion toward God. Riches in and of themselves will not make one happy, as this true story illustrates.
Many people think money is security, but I Timothy 6:9 warns that it can be just the opposite. A few years ago, columnist Jim Bishop reported what happened to people who won the state lottery:
Rosa Grayson of Washington won $400 a week for life. She hides in her apartment. For the first time in her life, she has “nerves.” Everyone tries to put the touch on her. “People are so mean, “ she said. “I hope you win the lottery and see what happens to you.”
When the McGugarts of New York won the Irish Sweepstakes, they were happy. Pop was a steamfitter. Johnny, twenty-six, loaded crates on docks. Tim was going to night school. Pop split the million with his sons. They all said the money wouldn’t change their plans. A year later, the million wasn’t gone; it was bent. The boys weren’t speaking to Pop, or each other. Johnny was chasing expensive racehorses; Tim was catching up with expensive girls. Mom accused Pop of hiding his poke from her. Within two years, all of them were in court for nonpayment of income taxes. “It’s the Devil’s own money,” Mom said. Both boys were studying hard to become alcoholics.
All these people hoped and prayed for sudden wealth. All had their prayers answered. All were wrecked on a dollar sign.
Chuck Rasmussen.
[3] If the child of God is to be successful by God’s standard, the love of their life must be Jesus. That’s true whether you are a pauper or a millionaire. Most of us are richer than we know.
Dear Lord,
I have been re-reading the record of the Rich Young Ruler and his obviously wrong choice. But it has set me thinking. No matter how much wealth he had, he could not—ride in a car, have any surgery, turn on a light, buy penicillin, hear a pipe organ, watch TV, wash dishes in running water, type a letter, mow a lawn, fly in an airplane, sleep on an innerspring mattress, or talk on the phone.
If he was rich, then what am I?
P. Brand, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, p. 61.
B. He Had No Altar Of Worship.
1. Worship was central to Abraham’s life.
Gen.12: 7 “And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.”
2. Even when Abraham strayed, he always came back to the altar.
Gen.13: 1 “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
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3 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;
4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.”
NOTE: [1] Abraham journeyed down into Egypt (a type of the world in scripture) to escape the famine in the land of Canaan. He had disobeyed God in this and had nothing but trouble from the time he arrived there. But the first thing Abraham did after coming out of Egypt was to return to the altar at Bethel (means, “the house of God”). A good trip to the altar is the first step in shedding the influence of the world upon one’s life.
[2] In total contrast to Abraham, Lot’s main concern was his assets, not the altar. We are not given the slightest hint from scripture that Lot was ever really committed to God, although he was a believer. He was extremely weak in his devotion to God. It was this aspect of Lot’s life that resulted in his eventual ruin. The Christian who is weak in their devotion to God is an easy target for Satan.
[3] Many Christians of our day have great assets, and even many spiritual activities, but no altar. Everything else in life is rather meaningless without fellowship with God.
II. HIS WORLDLY DEPARTURE FROM GOD
A. It Began With Division.
Gen.13: 7 “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.”
B. It Revealed Abram’s Dignity.
Gen.13: 8 “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.
9 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.”
NOTE: [1] Notice the submissive spirit demonstrated by Abraham. One characteristic of one who is walking with God is a cooperative attitude. I do not mean cooperation at all costs; but in general, a desire to help and minister to others, rather than clamoring for one’s own way.
[2] According to the custom of that day, Abraham had the right of first choice, since he was the eldest of the two men. But it is precisely here that the maturity and dignity of Abraham shines. He permitted Lot to have the right of first choice.
C. It Revealed Lot’s Worldly Desires.
Gen.13: 10 “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.”
NOTE: I imagine Lot thinking to himself, “Abram is a fool to give me the right of first choice. But that’s his mistake. I’m going to get the best I can, while I can.” However, this brings out the trusts of the two men: Abraham trusted the God of the altar, while Lot trusted the greatness of his assets.
D. It Resulted In Lot’s Wrong Decision.
Gen.13: 11 “Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.”
NOTE: [1] Sin and worldliness are always a choice on the part of the Christian. The Bible bears this out in Paul’s writings, when he says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. For sin shall not have dominion over you…” (Rom.6: 12 & 14a).
[2] Notice the progression of Lots worldliness:
2a. He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.13: 10).
2b. He chose the plain of Jordan, where Sodom and Gomorrah were located (Gen.13: 11a).
2c. He journeyed toward Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.13: 11b).
2d. He then pitched his tent toward Sodom (Gen.13: 12). This is equivalent to flirting with sin. The Spirit made a point of mentioning the fact that Abraham “…dwelled in the land of Canaan…” (v. 12a), the land of promise, while Lot chose to pitch his tent “…toward Sodom” (v. 12b), a city renown in that day for it’s lustful pleasures.
2e. He finally dwelt in Sodom (Gen.19: 1). It is unlikely that Lot was unaware of the nature of Sodom when he chose the plain of Jordan, for its reputation was widely known. Lot’s body wound up where his heart had been all along.
III. HIS WICKED DWELLING AMONG THE GODLESS
A. He Lived Among The Licentious.
1. Notice God’s description of the men of Sodom.
Gen.13: 13 “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.”
NOTE: These were not merely your so-called “good ole boys” having a fun time on Saturday night. These men were sexually depraved, bad to the bone, criminal types.
2. Lot feared to let the angels stay on the streets.
Gen.19: 2 “And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
3a And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house…”
3. The city was wholly given over to deviate sex.
Gen.19: 4 “But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.”
NOTE: [1] Later, Lot offered his two virgin daughters to this depraved mob, who ignored his offer altogether (Gen.19: 8, 9).
[2] Folks, doesn’t it just blow you away to think that Lot would have stooped so low as to make such an offer as this? But this reveals how badly Sodom had influenced Lot’s heart and mind. Rubbing elbows with sin produces a calloused heart.
[3] Can you imagine a believer living in a place like this and being comfortable with it? Don’t forget—it happened gradually.
B. He Lingered Though Judgment Loomed.
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.
15 And 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.
16 And 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.”
NOTE: Folks, there is a sad truth here: Whether or not people will listen to your message depends on how you have lived before men. Just because you’re telling the truth doesn’t earn you the right to be heard. Lot’s own family thought he was crazy when he started trying to talk to them about God and judgment, because he had lived without regard for God for so long, everything he said seemed like a joke. His walk did not back up his words.
C. He Lost All That Was Dear To Life.
1. Lot lost his wife.
Gen.19: 26 “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
2. Lot lost his relatives in the destruction of Sodom.
Gen.19: 14 (His sons in law wouldn’t listen to him.)
3. Lot lost his integrity as a child of God.
Gen.19: 30-38 (Lot’s two remaining daughters got him drunk and committed incest.)
Theme: Lot became a spiritual loser because of:
I. HIS WEAK DEVOTION TOWARD GOD
II. HIS WORLDLY DEPARTURE FROM GOD
III. HIS WICKED DWELLING AMONG THE GODLESS
Check out the author’s book, "Meditations of the Heart: Thoughts on the Christian Life" at:
http://www.amazon.com/Meditations-Heart-Thoughts-Christian-Life/dp/1453739238
