WEBVTT 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:04.879 Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 13. 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:09.519 You'll find the text printed in your bulletin if you'd like to follow along there. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:16.559 Also in the Bible under your chair, it's on page nine. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:23.120 We are in a summer series, Living by Faith, Lessons from the Book of Genesis. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:31.039 And we are tracking the life of Abram that most of us know by the name Abraham. 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:36.880 His name is going to be changed later in this as we read in the book of Genesis. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:42.159 And so where did we leave Abram two weeks ago? 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:45.200 We left him in in Egypt. 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:48.479 And how did he get to Egypt? 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:56.240 There was a famine in the land of Canaan, the promised land that God had promised to give to him and to his descendants. 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:03.920 But there was a famine, and so he went to Egypt with his family, with Sarah, his wife, and his family. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:09.920 And we pick up Genesis chapter 13, verse 1. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:18.879 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him into the Negeb. 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:34.400 Now Abram was very rich in livestock in silver and in gold, and he journeyed from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:58.640 And there Abraham, Abram called upon the name of the Lord, and Lot, who would with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:03.359 At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:12.400 Then Abram said to Lot, Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:15.039 Is not the whole land before you? 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:17.280 Separate yourself from me. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:24.400 If you take the left hand, I will go to the right, or if I take the right hand, then I will go to the left. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:35.759 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was very well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:39.759 This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:45.360 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:47.599 Thus they separated from each other. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:57.199 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:02.319 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:19.439 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:28.319 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if no one that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also could be counted. 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:34.639 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you. 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:44.960 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord. 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:51.120 This is the reading of God's holy, infallible, inerrant word. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:55.439 Let's pray for the Spirit's work among us and in us this morning. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:02.560 Lord, we thank you for the lessons that you have for us from the life of your servant Abraham. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.319 They are lessons that we also need to learn. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:07.840 And we will not. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:13.280 We can hear, but not necessarily learn, unless your spirit works in us. 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:16.639 So, Spirit of God, awaken us. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:19.279 Awaken us. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:21.839 Make us hungry for treasure. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:25.680 Make us hungry for the treasure that is in Christ alone. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:27.680 We pray in his name, amen. 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:35.360 So just a little bit review going back again from two weeks ago. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:38.720 Pastor Josh preached on his time in Egypt. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:47.519 Remember that he got Abram realized he was going to have a problem when he arrived in Egypt. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:50.560 He was going to have a problem, why? 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:53.920 Because he had a beautiful wife. 00:04:54.639 --> 00:05:01.120 His wife Sarah was so gorgeous that he he thought that other men might be interested in her. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:08.959 And then he started thinking, well, what if those in power in Egypt want to take her for a wife? 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:10.720 They'll kill me. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:13.279 That's what he thought. 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:17.040 So he deceived the people in the land. 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:18.160 He deceived Pharaoh. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:20.639 He said, Oh, by the way, this is my sister. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:24.639 Well, she was a half-sister, but it was deception. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:28.079 He was trying to save his own skin. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:36.160 For fear that Pharaoh would take care of him to get to Sarah. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:40.000 And yet, as we saw, God protected Abram. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:42.079 Why did God protect Abram? 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:44.800 Because God had made a promise to Abram. 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:48.480 He said, I am going to make you into a great nation. 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:51.040 More people than you can count. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:54.000 Try to count the sand at the seashore. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:57.040 That's how many children I'm going to give you. 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:06.480 And Abram heard that promise, and no doubt to some extent he believed it, but here he was trying to take control of his own life to preserve his life. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.120 No, he wasn't going to die. 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:12.560 He wasn't in danger because God made a promise to him. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:17.360 Leave your country, he had told Abram years ago. 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:21.199 Leave your country and go to a land I will show you. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.560 I will make you into a great nation. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:27.600 You see, friends, God makes the difference. 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:34.160 Not our deceptions, not our cleverness, not our schemes, not our strategies. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:39.279 God makes the difference ultimately in every part of our lives. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:45.040 It was the providence of God who protected Abram, even through his disobedience. 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:49.120 It was the providence of God that God blessed Abram. 00:06:49.759 --> 00:07:00.480 Chapter 12 of Genesis verse 16 said, Pharaoh treated Abram well for Sarah's sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, servants and camels. 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:06.079 In other words, Abram left Egypt much richer than he came. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:15.040 Not because of his cleverness, not because of his resourcefulness, but because of God's providence. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:20.720 God alone is able to give you what you most need. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:23.839 I need to remind myself of that. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:24.959 How about you? 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:39.839 How much time, how much energy can we exert trying to plan our lives step by step to put ourselves in the right position to get what we think we need. 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:42.079 This is a good reminder. 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:44.800 But there was a problem that came with this. 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:53.519 There was a problem of famine that drove them to Egypt, but now it's the problem of prosperity they're going to face. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:56.480 And that's what we see before us this morning. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:03.600 Verses 2 to 7 that we read, Abraham was very rich in livestock, and silver and gold. 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:09.920 And it wasn't just Abram, Lot had acquired much as well because he was part of Abram's family. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:17.439 You see, Pharaoh, who was deceived, Pharaoh liked Sarah very much. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:23.519 And so Pharaoh's thinking, well, how can I pay this dowry, so to speak? 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.560 So Pharaoh just opened up the bank. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.480 And that was part of God's providence, too. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:36.000 You know, nothing's by chance in your life. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:45.840 Part of God's providence in Abram's life is to send him back to Canaan, far richer than he was when he came to Canaan. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:51.039 So what do you do when God blesses you like that? 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:56.240 The text we just read said Abram returned to the place where he had made an altar. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:57.679 Remember that a couple weeks ago? 00:08:57.840 --> 00:08:58.960 He made an altar. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:00.399 He worshipped God. 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:10.159 He returned to that place, to that altar, and it says again, Abram called again upon the name of the Lord. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:13.440 Now we don't want to just skip by that phrase. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:15.519 It's in the Bible for a reason. 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:19.279 We're going to explore it more this morning. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:22.799 Abram knew that God had blessed him richly. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:29.120 So what do you do when you know that God is providing for your every need? 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:31.759 And God is blessing you. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:33.840 You build altars. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:39.919 You go back to altars and you call upon the name of the Lord and you say, Lord, I know this is not because of me. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.399 This is all you're doing. 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:44.639 I just want to say thank you. 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:46.559 I want to praise you. 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:48.559 I want to worship you. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:50.960 That's what you do. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:53.039 That's what we do. 00:09:53.679 --> 00:09:56.080 So what do you suppose he had to say? 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:58.879 As he worshiped God with a full heart. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:00.480 Thank you. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:03.759 You know, that's a part of every worship service. 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:13.120 If you come into the sanctuary any week, any week, or me, and you don't thank the Lord from the bottom of your heart, you miss worship. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:15.840 Did you know that? 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:22.000 You can't really worship God with an unthankful heart. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:27.519 You can sing the songs, you can listen to the sermon. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:34.159 But if thanksgiving doesn't rise up from our hearts, we're not really worshiping. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:36.320 That's what he did. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:39.279 So, but there's a problem. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:49.440 When they get back to Canaan with all these cattle and camels and all the servants that they had accumulated, there wasn't enough land. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:51.039 Not in the best land. 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:58.320 And so now the herdsmen for Lot and the herdsmen for Abram are starting to bicker. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:01.440 They're starting to fight over the best water holes. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:08.399 They're starting to fight over the best green grass land for their animals. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:11.840 Abram's response? 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:14.159 Verses 8 and 9. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:24.879 Abram says, Let there be no strife between us, between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:28.240 You could translate, for we are brothers. 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:31.039 And that's a good, that's a good reminder too. 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:32.720 We are brothers. 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:40.960 Let there not be strife between us, among us, because we're brothers of the Lord. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:52.080 And so Abram very generously, because he was the patriarch, okay, Abram was the man. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:54.720 He was the patriarch, not Lot. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:58.000 And he does something very surprising, doesn't he? 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:02.320 He says, Lot, you choose. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:06.080 You choose the land that you want. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:10.559 There's three points from the story I draw. 00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:13.039 The first one, both men looked. 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:15.039 Secondly, both men chose. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:19.440 And thirdly, both men believed something or someone. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:22.720 First of all, both they both looked. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:24.000 Verse 10. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:30.559 Lot lifted up his eyes and saw well-watered land everywhere. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:34.480 Like the Garden of the Lord, that means the Garden of Eden. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:36.879 Like the land of Egypt. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:40.480 Egypt is very fertile soil. 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:45.919 People grow great agriculture in Egypt. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:51.919 And this is what Lot saw in the Jordan plain, the Jordan Valley. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:55.279 He looked at this and he said, who wouldn't want this? 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.679 Abram, if you don't mind, I'll take that. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:02.879 I'll take the prime property. 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:05.600 You're like, okay, wow. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.240 It says a lot about Lot, doesn't it? 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:09.679 Really? 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:12.799 You're going to just grab it because you can. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:16.080 What did Lot see? 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:21.519 He saw prosperity, security, and comfort. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:25.519 He had no problem taking the best land for himself. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:29.919 How gracious Abram was to let him choose. 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:34.320 How secure Abram must have been to allow him to choose. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:42.480 Jim Boyce in his commentary on this talks about what that must have been like. 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:46.320 He talks about a story one time of a Christian couple. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:53.039 A Christian man and a woman were talking about a family in the church who had put the world above Christ, at least in their estimation. 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:59.120 The family came to church, but it was seemed to be rather perfunctory. 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:01.200 Their hearts seemed to not be in it. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:07.600 Their interest in money and sophisticated friends seemed to lead them to associate with unbelievers more than with believers. 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:10.799 Much of their income went to maintain their lifestyle. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:17.919 Additional funds went to support their daughters, who they placed in an academically demanding but worldly private school. 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:24.320 Understandably, the daughters rejected Christianity, and this is what the Christian man and woman were talking about. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:28.879 The man said, Isn't it sad what's happened to those girls? 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:33.840 The wife replied, What do you expect when you pitch your tent near Sodom? 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.840 Now that's not just a moralism. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:38.559 That's not a moral. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:40.159 That's okay. 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:42.000 It makes a point. 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:47.519 That's what happens when you pitch your tent near Sodom. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.279 That's what Lot did. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:54.480 And it had consequences on him. 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:58.320 It had consequences on his family, as we're going to see. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:04.559 And we just know that that's not what God has for us. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:06.799 It's just not. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:10.159 Boyce goes on to say about this. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:38.960 You may think that you're different from Lot, but if you put your job ahead of your family's spiritual life, if you've put your social advancement ahead of a proper association with God's people, if you let your home, if you excuse me, if you let your choice of a home keep you from church nearby enough to go to, if you can grow in faith and worship, if you've moved from the highlands to the plain of Jordan, I know you'll say that you can serve God as well at Bethel. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:43.519 Lot would have said, I'm as eager as my my uncle to serve the Lord. 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:47.120 After all, these people need witnesses too. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:49.200 That was true, they did. 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:52.399 But Lot's heart was not in witnessing. 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:55.919 He wasn't really doing anything good for God. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:59.840 His heart was set on the things that he wanted more than that. 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:04.159 You know, this is the first place in the Bible where wealth is mentioned. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:13.440 And if you just step back and look at what drove Lot's heart and what drove Abram's heart, they were both rich. 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:16.320 They both had all this wealth. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:21.200 But it's pretty clear that the wealth had Lot. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:24.080 Lot was under the grip of the wealth. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:25.759 Abram wasn't. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:27.440 You know, you can be rich. 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:30.960 You could have a lot of wealth and it not control you. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:34.000 But what does the Bible say about that? 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:37.279 There aren't many who can handle that. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:44.480 There aren't many who can have a lot of wealth and it not steal the fire from their heart, their soul. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:47.279 It did for a lot. 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:49.200 Not Abram. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:52.320 So they both looked. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:57.120 Abram looked, and the Lord said to Abram, verse 14, lift up your eyes and look. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:59.440 Abram didn't see prime property. 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:01.679 What he saw were the promises of God. 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:04.319 Doesn't that just say it all? 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:07.839 What you see, prime property. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.359 And how many times have we all done that? 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:15.200 You know, your blood pressure starts to rise. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:17.599 Your adrenaline kicks in. 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:21.119 We just get really excited about something. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:22.960 Oh, I want this. 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:24.799 I want that. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:27.200 What do I have to do to get it? 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:30.799 Abram didn't see that. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:34.000 No, he saw the promises of God. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:38.079 A land that God had promised to give to him and to his offspring. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:41.039 What's the lesson? 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:45.039 Our eyes cannot see without our hearts. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:48.000 That's a lesson. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:51.119 We never see with only our eyes. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:56.240 Our hearts are always informing our eyes to some degree. 00:17:56.880 --> 00:18:03.759 John says in 1 John chapter 2, verse 15, do not love the world or the things of the world. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:10.400 For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.880 Isn't that an interesting phrase? 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:20.480 The lust of his eyes, which is really the lust of his heart that is revealed through his eyes. 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:24.799 The lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does. 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:30.480 An eye exam will show you what's in your eyes, but it won't show you what's in your heart. 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:33.839 So get an eye exam. 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:37.200 It'll show you what's going on in the eye. 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:40.400 But we also need cardiac exams. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:41.920 We need cardio exams. 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:46.559 We need someone to see what's really going on in the heart. 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:49.279 They're so related. 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:57.200 So that raises the question what are our eyes focused on today? 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:06.400 That bears a moment of reflection. 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:10.640 What are my eyes really focused on? 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:12.720 Is it something? 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.799 Is it some problem? 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:21.519 Is it some something that I desperately want to have in my life? 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.720 Lot saw Egypt. 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:27.119 Abram saw God's promises. 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.839 They both looked. 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:31.920 Secondly, they both chose. 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:34.799 They both made choices. 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:37.519 And you might say, well, wait a minute, Abram kind of gave up. 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:39.920 Didn't Abram forfeit his choice? 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:40.960 Not really. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:46.160 Abram made a choice to give Lot a choice. 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:49.039 Abram was so generous. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:54.079 Abram knew that he wasn't living for this kind of security. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:56.960 He wasn't living for this kind of prestige. 00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:03.599 Abram didn't need to say, I've got the biggest garden, I've got the biggest herds. 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:05.359 He didn't need that. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:08.640 Let's look first at Lot's choice. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:15.119 And so Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley. 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:20.960 Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:27.200 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:31.440 This is rather chilling, isn't it? 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:33.759 Knowing that. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:40.640 At first Lot looked towards Sodom, and then later it says he pitched his tent near Sodom. 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:44.000 Later we find that he's actually dwelling in Sodom. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.920 There's a progression there. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:53.519 John Calvin said, even as he thought he was living in heaven, he had already sunk almost into hell. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:01.119 Lot wanted to live near enough Sodom to enjoy all that it had to offer, but not get caught up and trapped by it. 00:21:02.880 --> 00:21:06.880 There's a verse in the New Testament in 2 Peter chapter 2. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:07.839 Listen to this. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:10.480 Listen to this commentary about Lot. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:18.480 Lot was distressed by the filthy lives of the lawless men living among them day after day. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:26.079 He was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:29.599 That's a mystery, isn't it? 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:37.359 We were talking last week about the fight between the old nature and the new nature, between the flesh and the Holy Spirit. 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:39.839 Lot knew that very well. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:41.839 That war within. 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:45.920 I want God in my life. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:46.720 I do. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:48.640 I really want God in my life. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:52.720 But we all make choices every day. 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:56.720 No, I want God in my life. 00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:58.160 What? 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.359 There are some things also that I want in my life. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:21.920 And so, as Beth read earlier from Psalm 1, listen again, blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:24.559 Do you see what's going on there in that Hebrew poetry? 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:26.880 Progression of movement. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:32.160 Blessed is the man who doesn't walk, but then he slows down. 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:36.880 He slows down, and now he's standing. 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:41.519 He's no longer walking, he's standing, and then where does the progression go? 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:42.799 He sits. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.640 He settles in. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:50.400 Do you know that we are all settling into some kind of a lifestyle? 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:51.839 All of us. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:53.759 No exceptions here. 00:22:54.079 --> 00:23:11.920 We are all at some time, in some way, as we walk and we look and we see what our heart goes after, and then we stop walking, and then we kind of stand, and then we actually sit down. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:15.200 We're all doing that. 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:25.200 We're either doing that in the path of life in righteousness, we're doing it in the path of sin and destruction, things that are going to harm us. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:29.920 Abram made choices. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:36.880 Again, as we said, first of all, the generosity allowing Lot to choose, because it didn't mean that much to Abram. 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:40.319 I want to be that guy. 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:45.039 I want to be that guy. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:50.720 Where this stuff doesn't matter so much that I have to have it. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:24:00.319 I want to be that guy because of the soul satisfaction that I find in Christ, my treasure, that I can say, you take it. 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:03.200 You choose. 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:05.519 As much as possible. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:26.559 And so we wonder, am I, are you like Abram, standing on that little mountain above, questioning your future, thinking about what's in front of you, scared maybe, not knowing what comes, uncertain, unsettled? 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:31.599 And God says, look up, look up. 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:34.720 Make choices based on what you see. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:38.799 And we all make choices based on what we see. 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:42.480 So the question is, what are we actually seeing? 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:45.519 What is our heart fixated on? 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:53.839 No, we all make choices, choices that matter, choices that have consequences, every one of us. 00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:55.920 Which brings us to the last point. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:58.160 They both believed something. 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:01.599 They both believed something, someone. 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:04.720 Lot believed that he had to take control. 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:06.720 That's how you go through this world. 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:08.480 That's how you make it in life. 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:12.400 Seize your opportunities. 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:15.039 Don't let them pass by. 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:20.400 And do whatever you have to to make it happen. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:26.799 Lot believed that he had to take control, although he had every reason to trust God. 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:31.839 Because Lot had been right by Abram, step by step by step. 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:40.880 He had been in the land of Ur, in the land of Haran, in the land of Egypt, in the land of Canaan. 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:49.759 He had a front row seat to all these things, all these ways that God was blessing his uncle. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:52.480 He saw it. 00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:58.960 But he didn't believe it in the same way that Abram did. 00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:08.319 We don't see Lot building altars to the Lord, perhaps to himself. 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:11.200 Lot lived like an orphan. 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:13.039 It's all up to me. 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:19.759 I don't have, I don't have a good, benevolent, heavenly Father who has promised to take care of me. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:21.839 I don't have the promises of God. 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:23.279 It's up to me. 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:28.000 And we can choose to live like orphans too, can't we? 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:36.240 How is it that different people see the same things and yet see them so differently? 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:39.039 Some will make different choices. 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:44.880 Some will wonder, what does this have to do with me? 00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:55.200 Some of, even today in this service, perhaps some of us will say, right now, because the Holy Spirit is at work in your heart, and you say, Oh, I'm starting to make connections. 00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:57.599 I'm starting to make connections. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:00.559 My life, that's the work of the Spirit. 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:04.079 Yield to what the Spirit is showing you. 00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:12.880 And yet there's it's very possible that some of us will leave this worship today and say, I didn't get any of that. 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:16.160 I don't think that's relevant to me. 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:21.440 It was nice, it was interesting, but you're not going to be any different. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:31.039 You know, you know what we pray almost every Sunday before the worship service in that room, that room that's now filled with people praying for the worship service. 00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:39.039 The prayer once again this morning, Lord, don't let anyone leave the same as they came. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:42.799 I don't know if you know that, but that's what we're praying for you. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:45.119 We're praying for ourselves. 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:47.920 We're praying that for the preacher. 00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:53.839 Lord, don't let anybody leave the same way they came. 00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:55.920 That's a bold prayer. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:28:06.960 Because there are many things that work in that direction that we don't experience the transforming work of the Spirit, as we saw last week. 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:10.960 Abram believed God. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:14.400 He believed God's promises. 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:17.279 Chapter 13, verse 17. 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:18.480 Just look at that. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:22.079 If your Bible's open, your pages open. 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:28.720 Arise, God told Abram. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:29.839 Arise. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:32.640 There's a lot in that little verb. 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:34.160 Arise. 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:39.279 Walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you. 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:41.279 I will give it to your descendants. 00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:45.039 There's something there for you. 00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:46.720 Arise. 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:50.240 In your soul. 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:56.000 Arise, preacher, in your soul. 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:01.759 Experience the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:05.119 Grow in your faith. 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:09.279 Believe and take the promises of God this morning with you. 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:13.200 That will affect the way that you live this week. 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:23.200 We are reminded by these words as he says, look north, God says to Abram, look north, look south, look east, look west. 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:26.000 God's great promises. 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:35.759 And boy, I mean, studying this passage all week, I mean, come on. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:38.079 I gotta say this, right? 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:41.200 And if you've been here for a while, you won't be surprised. 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:44.400 Ephesians chapter 3, verse 14. 00:29:45.519 --> 00:30:11.680 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what? 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:19.680 What is the breadth and the length and the height and the depth of the love of Christ? 00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:23.440 Let me tell you this, friend, that's what you need most. 00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:25.759 That's what you need most this week. 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:33.359 I don't know, whatever you're facing, whatever you're facing, that's what you, that's what I need most this week. 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:36.960 Why did I think of Ephesians chapter 3, 14 to 17? 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:42.640 God told Abram, look north, look south, look east, look west. 00:30:45.759 --> 00:31:09.599 Take in this prayer today, that Jesus Christ would dwell in your hearts through faith, that you may have strength, spiritual strength, to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and the length and the height and the depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. 00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:11.519 You know what that means? 00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:37.920 Whatever you're going through, even though it's so confusing, disorienting, and it leaves you anxious, whatever you're going through right now in your life that just is a struggle like that, you sink your faith into the promises of Christ's love for you, how much he loves you for all eternity, and you will find a peace that surpasses understanding. 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:41.039 It's true. 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:48.240 It's been tested countless times by God's people over the centuries, over millennia. 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:50.079 And it's true for you. 00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:53.920 The question is not, is the promise true? 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:58.079 The question is not, does Jesus really come through on his promises? 00:31:58.559 --> 00:31:59.839 Here's the question. 00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:01.839 Where's your eyes? 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:04.079 Where are your eyes looking? 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:08.799 What choices are we making? 00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:10.960