Where is Your Life Going? | Genesis 19:1-38
Series: God's Promises, Our Journey
Title: "Where is your life going?"
Subtitle: "2 Righteous Men, 2 Very Different Lives"
Scripture: Genesis 19:1-38 NIV
Ezekiel 16:49
Matthew 7:24-27
Luke 17:31-38
1 Cor 3:10-15
Hebrews 13:2
2 Peter 2:6-10
Jude 1:7
Bottom Line: Your walk with God determines the trajectory of your life.
INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT
OUTLINE
CONCLUSION
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
NOTES
YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION
MAIN REFERENCES USED
My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.
Opening Illustration (
What do you want said about you at your retirement party?
I know I'd like people to say nice things about me, my family and how I lived. I'd love to hear stories of good memories from family and friends.
But most of all, I'd love to hear stories about how God did something beautiful in and through my life.
Not bad desires.
Because my walk with God determines the trajectory of my life.
My grandson has started T-ball. He's learning how to aim and throw a ball so that it ends up where he intends for it to. Because he's learning that how he aims and throws it determines the trajectory of that ball. He'll need to improve his strength, aim, and skill to get the ball where he wants it to be.
The same is true for our walk with God.
The question becomes: Is the trajectory of my life headed to where I want it be? Am I living my life wisely or foolishly? Or does it just look like anyone else's in the world?
Context (Opening Paragraph)
Today we're looking at 2 righteous men with very different lives. By contrasting them, we will not see a Believer and a non-Believer. No, we'll see 2 Believers who live very differently and their lives end up having very different outcomes in the short-term and in the long-term.
My prayer for you today is that you'll evaluate your life soberly and humbly. That you will make the changes needed to change the trajectory of your life. Why? Because your walk with God determines the direction of your life.
Bottom Line: Your walk with God determines the trajectory of your life.
OUTLINE (Genesis 19:1-38) Influenced by Warren Wiersbe
Contrasting Abraham, Lot and Jesus
I. Abraham, friend of God. (Genesis 18)
A. Abraham served the Lord. (1-8)
B. Abraham served his wife. (9-15)
C. Abraham served a lost world. (16-33)...as an intercessor
For Lot
For the residents of Sodom
II. Lot, friend of the world. (Genesis 19) Contrasting these two's...
A. Souls (position before God)
"Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." Genesis 15:6
Lot was righteous too. 2 Peter 2:6-7
Neither was seen as righteous by God because of their righteous ways. Based on these verses, we see this. Otherwise, we'd assume Abraham righteous but not Lot, because Lot's actions did not show much righteous fruit (in our limited view).
They were seen as righteous because of their faith in God's promises.
The same is true for us.
B. Locations
Abraham continues to live in a tent as a pilgrim, just passing through, on his way to his heavenly home.
Lot, by contrast, leaves the tents of Abraham, in the Promised Land, and the favor of his God, and...
Moves towards Sodom into the Jordan valley (looks like Egypt and Eden to him),
Then into the city into a house, surrounded by the wicked,
He stays even after they were captured by Babylonian Kings and rescued by Abram,
Then is found sitting at the city gates with authority and position (judge, city administrator of some kind),
While you could argue he was being a missionary, it appears he was more influenced by Sodom than Sodom was influenced by him.
C. Visitors
Only 2 angels visited Lot, for the Lord could not fellowship with Lot and his family as he did with A & S. Even though Lot was a believer, the Lord was not at home with him. This is the difference between
Relationship, and
Fellowship
Not unlike a marriage where two people are in a covenant relationship but not always feeling the fellowship.
D. Hospitality
Both showed hospitality, but
Abraham's example was exemplary on multiple levels and Lot's showed skewed values re daughters.
E. Messages
Joyful message to A & S--promised son in 1 year.
Judgment and destruction for the people of Sodom (and Lot and his family, if they don't leave).
God's message to a lost world is judgment as well. This event in history becomes the example people point to reminding them there's a holy God who will judge. (Jude 1:7) But he's also a merciful God saving all who repent, trust and follow him.
F. Influence
Because of his faith and obedience, Abraham was a blessing to his family and the world. God blessed his family then and the world until he returns.
Lot had little spiritual influence on his family nor the world. He had faith, which saved him, but he was more influenced by residents of Sodom than by the Lord.
G. Attitude
Lot was rescued first by Abraham, along with the people of Sodom. Yet, he went right back to them. Later he had to be pulled out of the city by the angels the second time. He loved the things which are seen more than the things which are unseen. (2 Cor 4:17-18)
Abraham yielded even his one and only son as he obeyed by grace through faith. (Genesis 22)
How You Respond to God?
Abraham → Runs to obey (18:2 “hurried… ran…”)
Lot → Hesitates to obey (19:16 “he lingered…”)
H. Consequences
The Lord's visit to Abraham led to new hope and a future.
The Lord's visit was judgment and destruction for Sodom and 2 evil nations who would oppose the very God who saved Lot and his daughters.
That said, one day, a young Moabitess named Ruth would marry Boaz and become the grandmother of the Lord Jesus Christ. This would be part of the mercy of God for the world.
Principle:
Walking with God → blessing flows out; Righteousness leads to life and legacy
Walking with compromise → damage flows out; Compromise leads to survival but loss
How Your Story Ends (Trajectory)
Abraham → Future, promise, legacy
Lot → Escape, loss, regret
III. Jesus, friend of sinners.
A. While Jude 1:7 tells us Sodom and Gomorrah will stand as the example of God's judgment on a wicked world,...
B. It will also stand as a mark of his mercy for his covenant people. We see this through the Moabitess, Ruth, grandmother of Jesus.
C. Jesus calls those saved, like Abraham, to:
Abide in the Lord,
Serve our faith family,
Serve a lost world through intercession.
D. When judgment day comes, will you be like
Abraham--no worries?
How--saved by the skin of your teeth but a horrible legacy?
Sodom--lost forever apart from your Creator?
CONCLUSION
Bottom Line: Your walk with God determines the trajectory of your life.
Matthew 7:24-27 feels like it's written to the lost. And it certainly can be applied that way.
But I now think it's written to the believer. As Jesus wraps up his Sermon on the Mount, he ends with how a follower of his should apply all that he has heard--not for salvation but for fruitful living.
John 15:16 says...
God chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last.
That means he chose you to live a fruitful, influential, peaceful, transformative life. One that leaves people praising God at your funeral instead of searching for kind things to say about you.
Questions (Write this down) - grab an index card and pen
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
Write this down on the index card in the seat pockets.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/
Read the passage together.
Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story
What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really true, what should I do?
What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)
What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)
Who am I going to tell about this?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
NOTES
The Legacy of Abraham
This quote by John Lennox speaks to my part:
“God first informs Abraham why he chose him. This is the only place in the Bible where he does so. The late Chief Rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks, comments:
This tells us three things about what it is to be an heir of Abraham.
First, it means that we are to be guardians of our children's future. We must ensure that they have a world to inherit...
Second, education - directing our children and our household after us - is a sacred task ...
Third, how do you keep the way of the Lord? By doing what is right and just.
It would be impossible to overstate the importance of these principles in a world where children so often bear the brunt of neglect, abuse and suffering.” Friend of God, p. 186
YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION
MAIN REFERENCES USED
“Genesis,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes
Exalting Jesus in Genesis, by Bethancourt
The Genesis Record, by Henry Morris
The Genesis Factor, by David Helms & Jon Dennis
“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
"Genesis" by Briscoe (TCC)
Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)
Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/
Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)
ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org
The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com
“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)