Birth of a Nation—the Forerunner for Church – II
- Sermon By: William Subash
- Categories: Birth of a Nation—the Forerunner for Church
Sermon: Birth of a Nation—the Forerunner for Church – II
Bible Passage: Genesis 13:8-13; 14:16; 18:22-25
I. The narrator puts Lot and Abram side by side and shows how they were different from each other
I. The narrator puts Lot and Abram side by side and shows how they were different from each other
1. Lot’s style of decision making (13:10-11)
a. “Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld” the plains of Jordon (Sodom and Gomorra)
b. What Lot saw was a “well-watered land like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt”
c. Lot failed to see certain things:
b. What Lot saw was a “well-watered land like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt”
c. Lot failed to see certain things:
i. The people of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord (verse 13; cf. 19:4-5)
ii. They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them (Gen 19:5)
iii. They were sinning greatly against the LORD (19:13b “The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it)
iv. The beauty of Sodom and Gomorrah was going to be destroyed by God by fire as a judgement for their sins (19:24-25)
v. Lot saw beauty in Sodom (Gen 13:10); but later Abram would see smoke in Sodom (Gen 19:28)
ii. They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them (Gen 19:5)
iii. They were sinning greatly against the LORD (19:13b “The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it)
iv. The beauty of Sodom and Gomorrah was going to be destroyed by God by fire as a judgement for their sins (19:24-25)
v. Lot saw beauty in Sodom (Gen 13:10); but later Abram would see smoke in Sodom (Gen 19:28)
d. Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan (verse 11) purely based on its externals
e. Lot separated himself from Abram (verse 11)—separated from godly influence
f. Lot dwelt in Sodom (13:12), eventually worked in Sodom (cf. 19:1), and got his daughters betrothed to men of Sodom (19:14)—tolerated Sodom and Gomorra
e. Lot separated himself from Abram (verse 11)—separated from godly influence
f. Lot dwelt in Sodom (13:12), eventually worked in Sodom (cf. 19:1), and got his daughters betrothed to men of Sodom (19:14)—tolerated Sodom and Gomorra
2. Lot’s decision was primarily material, probably spirituality was not his priority (temporal advantages over spiritual welfare)
3. Lot sowed to his flesh, and eventually reaped corruption in abundance
4. Along the way, what he sought for his life he lost
5. The beauty of the land blinded Lot
6. What appealed to Lot was short lived—he had to flee Sodom and had a miserable end
II. Abram’s style of decision making
3. Lot sowed to his flesh, and eventually reaped corruption in abundance
4. Along the way, what he sought for his life he lost
5. The beauty of the land blinded Lot
6. What appealed to Lot was short lived—he had to flee Sodom and had a miserable end
II. Abram’s style of decision making
1. Listened to God before he made his decision (13:14-17)
2. Responded by faith
3. Began his life in Mamre (Hebron) by building an altar (13:18)—Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord
III. Glimpses of the Gospel in Lot and Abram’s story
2. Responded by faith
3. Began his life in Mamre (Hebron) by building an altar (13:18)—Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord
III. Glimpses of the Gospel in Lot and Abram’s story
1. Lot and his family were taken as captives by allies
a. Abram’s timely intervention saved helpless Lot from his captors (Gen 14:16)
b. Jesus is the type of Abram
c. Col 1:13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves
b. Jesus is the type of Abram
c. Col 1:13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves
2. Sadly, even after his release from his enemies, Lot continued to live in Sodom (Gen 19:1) so Abram interceded to God for his survival
a. We are the type of Lot (cf. Eph 2:1-10)
b. Abram prefigures the Mediator who intercedes for the believers who sin (1 John 2:1)
b. Abram prefigures the Mediator who intercedes for the believers who sin (1 John 2:1)
i. Heb 4:14 we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession
ii. Heb 8:1 We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven
iii. 1 John 2:1 if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, 2:2 and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world
IV. Observations
ii. Heb 8:1 We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven
iii. 1 John 2:1 if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, 2:2 and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world
IV. Observations
1. All of us are Lots:
a. We make decisions based on sight, not necessarily on faith
b. World has a strong pull compared to faith and things related to God
b. World has a strong pull compared to faith and things related to God
2. All of us live in Sodom by choice, continue to feel miserable about the life of/in Sodom, but at the same time are unwilling to leave Sodom
a. While Lot was living in Sodom, he was uncomfortable with the unrighteousness of the people (2 Pet 2:7, 8)
b. We tolerate Sodom
b. We tolerate Sodom
3. Decisions have consequences
a. Sin that dwells in us causes us to make decisions based on externals and against God
b. Decisions based on mere externals may not always give us what it promises
c. Decisions based on God need not be attractive and appealing, but they provide what a child of God needs
b. Decisions based on mere externals may not always give us what it promises
c. Decisions based on God need not be attractive and appealing, but they provide what a child of God needs
4. God brings judgement upon wilful sinners (2 Peter 2:6)
5. God has provided us with Mediator, Jesus, to speak on our behalf
6. The nation Israel was born with Abram’s faith response to God—God started the ethnic nation Israel with a global missional focus
7. The Church started with Jesus’ birth, crucifixion, resurrection, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit on those who were elected—the Church is a spiritual nation with a global focus
8. Israel provides a framework for the Church and, on the other hand, the Church throws brighter light on God’s continued plan for nation Israel
9. The Church is not the nation Israel; it has not replaced the nation Israel
Takeaway:
5. God has provided us with Mediator, Jesus, to speak on our behalf
6. The nation Israel was born with Abram’s faith response to God—God started the ethnic nation Israel with a global missional focus
7. The Church started with Jesus’ birth, crucifixion, resurrection, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit on those who were elected—the Church is a spiritual nation with a global focus
8. Israel provides a framework for the Church and, on the other hand, the Church throws brighter light on God’s continued plan for nation Israel
9. The Church is not the nation Israel; it has not replaced the nation Israel
Takeaway:
1. Avoid making decisions based on mere externals (13:10-11)
2. Those who are in Sodom, flee from its influences quickly (19:22)
2. Those who are in Sodom, flee from its influences quickly (19:22)