Living and Dying in Sodom.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Welcome to Village Church. If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve [0:03] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church and I am I am thankful and always [0:07] Grateful for each and every one of you coming out and it’s a joy and privilege to worship alongside of you [0:14] If you have your Bibles go ahead and open them up to Genesis chapter 19 Genesis chapter 19 [0:19] Is where we’ll be this morning and as James told this morning [0:23] This is gonna be a little bit of a mature audiences sermon

[0:27] I guess you could say we’re gonna cover Sodom and Gomorrah [0:32] So just this story kind of has it all and there’s no way to get through that [0:36] But understand some of the subject matter is gonna be uncomfortable for you [0:41] Imagine how it’s like for me. I’m the one talking about it [0:44] So as uncomfortable as you might be I’m probably gonna be a little bit more uncomfortable than you will [0:50] But I do want to start us off before we get into the text here

[0:54] Here’s where many of us are where our understanding of the scripture is where the way we look at the Bible is and [0:59] That is we have a tough time [1:01] reconciling the things that take place in the Old Testament with the things that take place in the New Testament and [1:06] Sometimes we do that to the detriment of spending time in the Old Testament because we see God do things [1:12] In the New Testament where it’s just he redeems and and Jesus comes and we’ve got the cross and we’ve got the resurrection we have [1:19] Salvation and we have the spirit coming into all people that trust in Jesus Christ

[1:24] And and then we have the church being built and these are just things that we want to focus on because it’s really where we [1:30] Are right now and then we look to the Old Testament and we see things like the law and then we see other things like God [1:37] You know decimating an entire civilization and we’re just like man. He really changed [1:42] What happened and? [1:45] Here’s where I want to go with us this morning because I think this story that we’re in right here in Genesis 19 is [1:51] Going to take us somewhere where it helps us understand the gospel more than we do without it

[1:57] And that’s what God is doing in the Old Testament. He’s helping us understand why the gospel is even necessary [2:04] We cannot treasure we cannot be thankful for we cannot be grateful [2:10] for the gospel of Jesus Christ in the way that we are meant to [2:14] Unless we understand our sin unless we understand how God views our sin and for lack of better terminology [2:22] Unless we understand the outright sinfulness of sin [2:28] There’s not much in the gospel of Jesus to be thankful for

[2:32] Unless we understand how God really views sin [2:37] The devastation that sin brings on people the depravity that each and every one of us carry around [2:43] Apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ. There’s nothing to be thankful in the gospel for [2:48] When we see the judgment of God on sin in the Old Testament what we literally see is the judgment that was laid on [2:55] Jesus on the cross [2:58] And so outside of this we don’t have the gospel. It’s lost

[3:04] And so when we ignore this part of the Old Testament or even when we go to it because we know we need to but then [3:10] We kind of in our lifestyle we’re like that’s not the kind of God I want we’re not really worshiping God because that’s who he still is [3:18] That’s how he views sin [3:20] That’s why redemption so great. That’s why we have so much to be thankful for that’s why the grace of God is unimaginably amazing [3:30] Greater than we could ever imagine [3:32] Because this God who hates sin because it is in direct opposition to who he is

[3:40] This is the God who loved us to the extent where he himself [3:46] Endured his red-hot wrath for sin himself for us [3:51] It’s what he saved us from it’s what he’s brought us out of [3:55] And when we see this story of the complete decimation it really is living and dying in [4:03] Sodom when we see this [4:05] We see how great the gospel of Jesus Christ is for us personally because God is a God who justly

[4:12] At any moment could be right in destroying the entire world [4:18] because of sin [4:20] But he chooses not to through his son Jesus Christ and our trust in him [4:27] So join me in Genesis 19. Let’s just go ahead start reading get to the good stuff and and I wasn’t kidding [4:33] This story has it all I mean really no stone left unturned so be prepared [4:41] I’m not that filtered anyway the two angels

[4:45] Came to Sodom in the evening [4:46] so if you were with us last week you saw that the angels these two angels and God himself three came to Abraham and [4:55] first they reminded Abraham of the promise that God had made to him that he would be a [5:03] God-given man and he gives his promise and then he also tells Abraham [5:06] I’m also coming because the outcry of Sodom’s sin comes to me all day [5:13] And I’m going to see if it’s true. I’m going to bring judgment and so between

[5:20] Abraham and Sodom God chooses not to go to Sodom himself [5:24] So he does not stick around and the two angels that were with him come to the gates of Sodom and [5:31] Abraham’s nephew was sitting in the gate of Sodom when Lot saw them [5:35] He rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said my lords [5:41] Please turn aside to your servants house and spend the night and wash your feet [5:44] Then you may rise up early and go on your way. They said no

[5:49] We will spend the night in the town square [5:52] But he pressed them strongly [5:55] So they turned aside to him and entered his house [5:58] And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread in the eight [6:01] But before they laid down the men of the city the men of Sodom both young and old [6:07] All the people to the last man surrounded the house and they called to Lot

[6:12] Where are the men who came to you tonight? [6:15] Bring them out to us that we may know them [6:18] Lot went out to the men at the entrance [6:21] Shut the door after him and said I beg you brothers do not act so wickedly [6:26] So here’s the setup that we have going on right now and in the story

[6:34] Lot is sitting at the gate of the city which kind of gives us the idea that lot is sometimes in some way [6:40] In prominence in the city [6:41] He’s in some type of leadership in the city because that’s who sat at the gates and what would normally happen is when? [6:47] Travelers would come to a city [6:48] They would ask in order to be able to come into the city and they would sleep in the center of town and that might sound [6:55] Incredibly difficult for you because when you’re traveling you don’t stop in the middle of the city of Richmond and take a nap in town square

[7:01] You’re not safe don’t do that all right [7:04] But in this day and age at this point of biblical history what we have is a society in which if you slept in the hillside [7:11] So if you took a tent went out to the hillside and took a nap [7:14] It’s not gonna go well for you all of the thieves and the scoundrels and the shepherds [7:19] They’re in the hillside and those are the people that are most likely going to do harm for you [7:24] So cities built walls around themselves for protection from them

[7:28] And if you wanted safety you went into a city and you slept in town square because these are the civilized people [7:34] These are the ones who will protect you these are the ones that are gonna keep you from harm because they’re clearly [7:40] wholesome lot though [7:42] Immediately lets us into the reality that he knows that lot that’s autumn’s not a safe place [7:48] Note that the the travelers and we’re not sure if he knew that they were angels or not [7:53] He immediately this text says he pressed them strongly

[7:56] Do not sleep in the town square you need to come to my house under the protection of my roof [8:02] I’ll take care of you. I’ll make dinner and [8:06] Then we see why? [8:09] So we don’t know if lot had seen this happen before we don’t know if lot had taken part in this before [8:15] We don’t know what lot had known, but we know that he knew something was going to happen [8:20] So then the text tells us that all of the men of the city and it says down to the last man

[8:26] I think it’s that specific to let us know there’s no one left out [8:31] Every man in the entire city of Sodom [8:33] Surrounds the house and it says both young and old in the Hebrew that term young is a term that [8:40] Describes and see only term that they have for this that describes someone from the beginning of adolescence down to maybe elementary age [8:46] All the way up to what we would refer to as a high school senior [8:49] So we don’t know exactly what the cutoff was we don’t know if there was a cutoff

[8:54] But we know that dads are getting up from the dinner table saying you come with me little Johnny [9:00] We got some business to go take care of [9:03] And so we’re seeing right here. This is a culture that is reversing moral norms [9:09] All right, we are in tuned most wicked among us is in tune to teach our children some type of virtue in Sodom [9:17] Virtue was we’re gonna go and we’re gonna take advantage of the travelers [9:22] Okay, so this is a backward society. There’s no safety in the town square

[9:26] There’s not even gonna be safety for the travelers and lot in his own home. This is a society that is greatly wicked [9:34] And so right here in this culture [9:36] I want us to kind of get into what kind of sin we’re talking about because there is a minority [9:41] Position in which it is viewed that the sin that Sodom is judged for is in hospitality [9:47] The fact that they’re not very hospitable. All right, we’re gonna go away passing hospitality here folks [9:52] We’re gonna go from in hospitality to deliverance in hospitality. They’re here in banjos and Sodom that night, man

[10:00] All right [10:01] So they gather around the house and they begin to urge lot lot bring them out here that we may know them [10:09] All right that term for no is not a term of these are some guys that look like they might have some good stories [10:14] Let’s have a cup of coffee and get to know one another. No, this is a biblical term [10:18] That’s understood as they’re going to rape these men [10:22] All right

[10:23] They want to perform homosexual acts on these travelers with or without their consent and a lot is keeping them from that and this [10:31] Is normal in this society? [10:33] This is how they act. This is how depraved they’ve gotten and so when we see God telling Abraham the sins the outcry of [10:40] Sodom has come to me all day long [10:43] This is the kind of thing that we’re talking about and we kind of [10:48] Get this thing about us where we’re kind of even in ourselves in this type of situation

[10:53] We’re like clearly that’s wrong because even in our culture most not all but most of what’s taking place in the story is seen as sinful

[11:01] but [11:02] Sodom didn’t get that way overnight. So started somewhere. Where did it start? Well, it started with [11:08] Where you say well, you know right and wrong when we want to define that we have to look at the culture [11:14] We have to look at the situation [11:16] We have to look at specifically what’s going on in order to even figure out what right and wrong even is [11:22] But here’s the truth of what you’re doing there. You’re basing morality on yourself

[11:27] Even if you say culture at large gets to define morality [11:30] You’re basing it on you and the best that you have when you base it on the cultural norms of human beings is you have [11:36] a bunch of sinners defining right and wrong [11:38] So point number one this morning. I want us to understand that the difference between right and wrong is God [11:45] The difference between right and wrong is not up for interpretation [11:50] They’re missing right and wrong is God. What has he defined? Where did he start? What is his ideal?

[11:56] What is his vision for how people are to live because as the creator he reserves that right? [12:03] And even when we look in God that way we kind of tell ourselves a little lie [12:08] Well, he doesn’t understand what I’m going through. He doesn’t understand the way that I feel he doesn’t understand my experience [12:15] But last week we saw that God even in the Old Testament even in stories is this [12:19] He does things in order for us to understand that that’s not true. He doesn’t just judge from on high [12:25] He comes down in the form of a human even in Genesis in order to show us that he is here

[12:33] He understands he sees all he knows what you’re going through even down to the [12:39] Motivation for why you’re doing what you’re doing and why you feel the way you feel about things that even people places and things [12:47] Have caused to you [12:49] God is here. God is with us. God is now

[12:57] And so we oftentimes will take morality and say well we have evolved as a culture [13:03] And we understand things more and we move past God as if we can evolve past him in our sin [13:10] It’s only sin that would deceive you to think that the rules are different for you

[13:17] Morality [13:18] Ultimately is unchanging [13:21] It’s defined by God. It’s undefined by you. We don’t have the authority to do that God alone [13:28] judges rightly [13:30] So what was the intention of these men? [13:34] All right

[13:36] Well, we got to understand a few things and that is that these men intended to do very terrible things as we’ve already said [13:43] But the reason that they wanted to do that is because they had redefined [13:47] What was right and what was wrong and they did not have the right only God can define sin and judgment [13:52] And the people of Sodom had perverted the vision of God for how humanity is to live [13:57] Set of safety there’s danger. They reversed everything down to sexual roles [14:03] All right now

[14:05] They went past the sin of homosexuality [14:10] They went past that they went to the sin of even if you’re not a homosexual you’re gonna be tonight [14:16] All right to the ethics of rape [14:19] All right [14:20] And so in this situation the men are gathered around and they’re intending to homosexually rape these two angels [14:27] Are they’re gonna get greatly disappointed, but that was their intention

[14:30] All right [14:31] So we have to understand we have to ask ourselves a question of is homosexuality a sin [14:36] Is that where it started to go wrong for them sexually? [14:39] I don’t know how it started for them, but that’s where it got and yes, we have to be honest with ourselves biblically [14:44] Homosexuality is a sin. All right when we look at the book of Leviticus [14:49] All right, and immediately I said Leviticus and some of you in your minds

[14:52] But Leviticus says things about the way you grow your beard and are you wearing Steve? [14:56] Are you wearing two different fabrics in your shirt? I literally have no clue what this shirt is made out of it was on sale [15:03] All right, that’s all I cared about that day. All right [15:07] But here’s what we don’t do and when I was preparing for the sermon, I knew this was coming [15:12] I mean, that’s why we go through the Bible so I can look ahead and say oh this is coming prepare [15:15] So I’ve been going through the book of Leviticus and and I’ve understand one thing about our society that when we talk about

[15:20] Homosexuality it is the only sexual thing in the book of Leviticus that we argue about [15:26] We don’t look in the book of Leviticus and say man adultery was outlawed in Leviticus. Well, that must mean it’s okay now

[15:34] Incest outlawed in Leviticus must be okay now

[15:39] Bestiality outlawed in Leviticus. Thank God that must be okay now

[15:45] No, we go to that one we don’t know why we go to that one because culturally we’ve changed [15:50] The rules to where that one’s okay as long as we’re okay. We’re not okay with the other ones [15:57] It’s fine that God starts out outlawing it but even then we may progress as a society in [16:04] Redefining what authority is for us [16:07] Proclaiming ourselves as the authority of what is right and wrong that we may even redefine that there’s not a single person [16:14] That’s been through a relationship in which adultery has happened that does not walk out completely scarred

[16:22] Hurt [16:23] Years of devastation years of healing coming out of that type of relationship [16:29] pain that I cannot even [16:31] imagine [16:34] And that’s because [16:36] God has defined sex in a certain way from the beginning I

[16:44] Say this lovingly to any and all people no matter what you’re dealing with this morning

[16:51] Homosexuality is similar in how abusive it is to our sexual roles

[16:57] That’s where it started with the men of Sodom [17:01] And I know you catch flak for saying that sin is progressive especially sexual sin is progressive, but it is

[17:08] Can’t take the sting of that away [17:10] When you begin to redefine the terms of sexuality you’re going to begin to excuse more and more and more [17:17] And I think God is informing us as this is where it can get but I want to go through some texts first [17:23] I do want to start in Leviticus and then I want to progress to the New Testament [17:27] Leviticus 1822 you shall not lie with a male as with a woman it is [17:30] Abomination if a man lies with males with a woman both of them have committed an abomination

[17:35] They shall surely be put to death their blood is upon them [17:38] You may say that’s the Old Testament let’s go to the New Testament [17:41] Romans 1 26 to 27 shows us that homosexuality is sin that shows our rebellion in it and the idolatry [17:47] For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions for the women exchanged natural relations for those [17:53] That are contrary to nature and the men likewise gave up natural relations with men and were consumed with passion for one another [17:59] men committing shameless acts with men and

[18:02] Receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error first Corinthians chapter 6 verses 9 through 11 [18:08] Speaks about the gospel ethic in the kingdom or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God do [18:14] Not be deceived neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who practice homosexuality nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards [18:22] nor revilers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God and [18:26] such [18:27] Were some of you but you were washed you were sanctified you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

[18:35] And by the Spirit of God so what he’s saying is is when Jesus Christ is trusted [18:39] When the work that he’s done on the cross is looked at and you trust him and you say I am one who’s in sin and we [18:45] Need to be specific about what our sins are I’m one who’s in sin and I trust in the cross what happens in reconciliation is [18:52] That you begin to reform what you have reversed in your sin and you will and can be made whole through the gospel [19:00] No matter what your sin is [19:02] Note that the story of Sodom uses homosexuality and the aggression in it as an example of sin

[19:08] But note in this text he doesn’t stop there [19:10] He goes past it to all sorts of sense so that we know that none of us are good guys [19:15] All of us are bad guys only Jesus is the good guy [19:20] But in first Timothy 1 10 and speaking of who will inherit the kingdom of God [19:23] He says it won’t be the sexually immoral men who practice homosexuality [19:28] enslavers liars purgers and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine note what he’s saying there about sound doctrine

[19:34] He’s saying ultimately when you try to excuse sin in your life. It is because you are believing lies about God

[19:43] You have a belief problem [19:47] When you excuse sin when you tolerate it when you accept it into your life and say because of my [19:53] Situation or the era that I live in or the place that I come from [19:58] Clearly the sin is not the same the scripture says you’re not believing sound doctrine [20:03] You’re believing whatever you’re making up [20:07] And ultimately that could lead to the reality you don’t believe the gospel

[20:12] Because only God has this authority

[20:18] As I said, it’s not about picking on homosexuality [20:23] This is just one example used to show that people are sinful [20:26] But it is used by God in scripture as this example, so we cannot overlook that [20:33] I’m gonna how uncomfortable it may make us [20:37] Secondly this morning [20:39] The problem is not living in Sodom the problem is Sodom living in you

[20:46] All right, so lots geography [20:49] Is not gonna be problematic [20:52] The fact that he’s in a society that is sinful [20:56] He’s in a culture that is reversing everything that God has said is gonna be this way and they’ve said no [21:01] We’re gonna make it the exact opposite of that [21:04] That’s not ultimately the problem with lot

[21:07] And I know some of you are thinking man lots the good guy of this story, right? He’s trying to protect the angels [21:13] No [21:14] All right. Let’s get down into the text again. Look in verse [21:19] I’m gonna start at a [21:22] Verse 7 again and a lot said I beg you my brothers do not act so wickedly [21:27] Right, so he’s like guys don’t do this wickedness, but then look what he says the next verse

[21:32] Behold I have two daughters who’ve not known any man [21:35] Let me bring them out to you and do to them as you please only do nothing to these men for they have [21:39] Come under the shelter of my roof

[21:43] But they said stand back [21:45] And they said this fellow came to sojourn and he has become the judge now [21:51] We will deal worse with you than with them [21:53] Then they pressed hard against the man lot and drew near to break down the door [21:57] But the men reached out their hands and brought lot into the house [22:01] With them and shut the door and they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house

[22:07] Both small and great so that they wore themselves out groping for the door

[22:15] Lots not a good guy [22:18] All right, let me fill you in if I got a traveler in my house [22:21] I’m gonna exchange them for my kids. All right [22:23] So even a lot is all of his ethics are totally reversed now [22:27] This kind of gives us a clue maybe he knew the identity of these men [22:31] But remember the text isn’t clear so we don’t know that but what we do know is rather than standing for virtue

[22:37] Rather than standing for morality rather than standing for what is right lot compromises [22:43] Lot says I don’t want to allow you to be inhospitable to these guys. I don’t want to allow you to rape them [22:48] I don’t want you to allow you to hurt them [22:49] So I’m going to allow my two young daughters to be hurt by you instead [22:55] So a lot is overcome with the ethics and morality of the culture [23:01] That’s very dark that he is living in he has been changed by that culture

[23:06] So much so that look down in verse 12 and the men said to lot the angels said to lot have you anyone else here? [23:13] Sons-in-law [23:14] Dawns sons daughters or anyone you have in the city bring them out of the place for we’re about to destroy this place because [23:19] The outcry against its people has become great before the Lord and the Lord has sent us to destroy it [23:25] So lot went out and said to his sons-in-law who were to marry his daughters up [23:30] Get out of this place for the Lord is about to destroy the city

[23:33] But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting [23:38] say even when he goes to the guys that are engaged to his daughters and [23:43] Told them guys we got to get out of here the Lord’s gonna judge [23:46] They look at him and say say lot quit joking around [23:51] There’s three things that happen in this portion first lots compromise

[23:57] Second the way that the men look at lot and say man don’t judge us and third the way that his sons-in-law’s [24:05] Respond to him allows me to see that these people basically thought lot. You’re just like us. Who do you think you are?

[24:15] Note that I said at the very beginning that lot sitting at the gate [24:18] Exemplified that he had risen to a place of prominence in the culture of Sodom because only leaders were allowed to sit at the gate [24:24] of a city I [24:27] Believe that lot tries to compromise with these men and lot is looked at by these men who say you’re just a sojourner [24:34] And you’re trying to judge us. You’re you we’ve kind of allowed you into our city [24:40] He doesn’t want to lose everything that Sodom has afforded him in his lifestyle to stand up for what is right

[24:48] He’s willing to compromise everything if he’s able to keep his position in the city and everything that the city’s given him [24:54] And I am assuming it’s some type of financial gain

[24:58] It’s a lot compromises [25:01] So I want to look at two things here I want to look at first [25:05] How does the society get to the point that Sodom was at? [25:09] Doesn’t happen overnight and then I want to look at how did lot get into the condition that he’s in where he goes from [25:16] Being in Abraham’s house who’s in a covenant relationship with God and lot knows it don’t excuse lot [25:21] He knows as much of the gospel as exists at that time

[25:27] Himself, it was just as much as Abraham does because he was there

[25:32] Sodom got to the way that it was [25:35] Not by everybody just all of a sudden deciding hey no rules [25:40] Let’s have some gang rape orgies. All right. That’s not the way it starts [25:44] All right, everybody’s gonna probably originally be walking out the door when that happens [25:49] All right. What happens in Sodom is the same thing. It’s gonna happen in any society. It begins with one man or woman one person [25:57] Deciding I have the authority to redefine my role in this world. I have the authority to define sin

[26:04] And I don’t want this to be sinful [26:06] So I’m just gonna do it I’m gonna act as if it’s not and then it begins with somebody that sees that someone that knows [26:11] That person not correcting them and then a third and then a fourth and then a fifth and then slowly that culture [26:18] Begins to drift towards complete wickedness

[26:24] So much so that they’re beginning to teach their children wickedness as virtue and [26:32] It’s completely acceptable the text said down to the last man [26:38] So in Sodom there’s not one person that even understands one shred of why what they’re doing [26:46] Is wrong not even their children. They think they’re bringing their kids to learn a valuable lesson by watching rape [26:53] And taking part in it

[26:59] Our culture

[27:02] Is oftentimes the same way

[27:08] Our culture slowly begins to [27:12] Fall apart where morality is concerned and then trust me morality will not save you because you need the righteousness of God as much [27:19] As anyone else and it’s only through Jesus [27:21] But here’s the truth that you’ve got to understand about yourself today [27:24] God is the author of morality and those who know God are [27:28] Given the privilege of knowing what right and wrong is under God’s view and we are to give that to the culture around us

[27:36] And when we do not we cannot look at culture and say what is happening around us. It’s so horrible [27:42] Don’t they know no because you’ve not spoken up

[27:46] It is your responsibility [27:48] It is your privilege to stand in the gap against wickedness and proclaim the truth of God and when you do not [27:56] Do not hold yourself up as some bastion of virtue [28:01] Who’s doing good because you love people you’re not loving them through your silence you hate them

[28:09] And you don’t speak up for the same reason a lot did

[28:14] You’re silent because you don’t want to lose your place in culture [28:17] You don’t want to be one of those Bible thumpers. You don’t want to be one of those religious people

[28:24] You do not have the authority to define your place in society God does

[28:39] So what happened with a lot

[28:44] Lot’s not a good guy we know that [28:48] Lot’s motivation for everything that he did in life led him to this point [28:54] Here’s what I want us to understand [28:58] The motivation for your life [29:03] Everything [29:05] Every part of your life

[29:07] If your motivation for everything in your life is not the gospel Jesus is not God [29:15] You will be like lot because whenever other motivations come into your life [29:23] You will begin to corrupt around the gospel [29:29] You’ll compromise on what God has made clear in order to fit in with the culture [29:34] Do not be in the wrong places for the wrong reasons [29:39] Be you got a track with me be in the wrong places for the right reasons

[29:46] Here’s what I mean lots of problem wasn’t where he was the answer to our [29:51] Cultural sin is not to buy land in Montana and all of us move there and make Jesus land [29:57] All right first off. I don’t think there’s any Starbucks in Montana. That’s a problem guys [30:01] That’s a problem [30:04] Secondly that’s not what God has called us to be he’s called us to be light in dark places [30:10] But there comes a point when your focus and motivation goes off of the gospel to where you’re not a light in a dark place

[30:17] You’re just becoming dark along with everyone else [30:21] And that point the question is what do you believe?

[30:25] We’re to shine the light of God regardless of consequence you say well, what if [30:31] People begin to look at me differently they will

[30:35] Jesus says in the book of John and even through other Gospels [30:38] He says look the gospel that I’m bringing will divide families [30:43] There will be brother against brother father against child [30:47] It will ruin you you will suffer. You’ll be persecuted [30:51] Do you think you’re greater than the master Jesus says if they persecute me will they not persecute you Jesus says and [30:59] You think that your lack of persecution is a sign that everything’s going great

[31:05] When G when God ultimately Jesus looks at Israel in Jeremiah 29 11 [31:10] And he says I know your future and I know that it is bright. I know that it is good [31:14] I know that it’s great for you [31:15] He’s not saying that in this warm tingly fashion that you’re gonna have a big house and a big car [31:22] He’s telling that to Israel right before he sends them into captivity [31:26] Right before another nation defeats them and makes them all slaves

[31:31] What God is saying is you’re going to go through some tough times, and it’s because of me and [31:38] As you go through them trust me [31:41] The gospel never promises you a paycheck [31:45] The gospel never promises you ease [31:49] God promises in the gospel that you will have him you will have his kingdom [31:54] And what he’s saying is that he and his kingdom are greater than any of those other things and that you are to live

[32:00] With everything in this world in an open hand as if you can lose it all because you know you might [32:06] And as our culture continues in sinfulness and towards wickedness and towards redefining gender roles [32:12] redefining sexual roles [32:14] Understand that your place in society will become [32:18] compromised [32:19] Either you will compromise for it or it will see you as an enemy and it will shun you

[32:26] But you must endure you must be the light in the dark place even when you are threatened

[32:34] In between services I was speaking to a public school leader who said this is happening right now

[32:45] Last week on the series finale of good luck Charlie on the Disney Channel a [32:50] Show geared towards elementary school students the final episode they introduced the lesbian neighbor moms [32:59] Why would you do that if you do not have an agenda of forcing mom and dad to have conversations with kids

[33:11] If you aren’t seeking to engage the city with the gospel you are engaged by the city with a false gospel [33:19] Say that again if you aren’t seeking [33:23] To engage the city around you with the gospel [33:27] You are engaged by the city with a false gospel your motivations for why you live matter [33:35] Is your motivation the fame of God lot knew who God was lot knew the covenant that God had with Abraham [33:42] He knew as much of the gospel as anyone could know at that point in that time

[33:47] He knew the virtue that God had called Abraham to he saw the judgment of Abraham when he disobeyed God sexually and [33:54] He has the opportunity to be a light in a dark city, and he doesn’t take it because he depends on the city [34:01] He depends on the sinful he depends on the wicked for his lifestyle so the gospel gets compromised and it’ll happen to you

[34:13] Stop trusting your own discernment above God’s discernment trust the gospel above all [34:18] Lots failures seen even more by his communication with the guys. He’s about to let his daughters marry they think he’s a joke

[34:29] Now I want to fast-forward a little bit because there’s this thing about us that we may believe this lie [34:34] And it’s because we’re sinners that we believe all lies [34:36] We may believe this lie that my sins not affecting people around me my [34:41] Compromises so that I can live in my big house my big car have the job even though I have to compromise the gospel for it [34:47] I’m never never gonna talk to anybody about the gospel because I’m coming up with a plan [34:51] And that’s gonna take me ten years

[34:52] And then when I kind of put that plan in action is gonna take me ten more years to have that conversation [34:57] And then once I have one conversation can take me ten years to finish that conversation, and then I’ll be dead [35:02] So what you’ve done is you’ve lived your whole life and done nothing for the gospel because you didn’t get around to planning it

[35:12] And the show lost which was a great show terrible ending

[35:19] I’m still bitter [35:22] Preaching the gospel to myself about it still better I [35:26] Mean really come on [35:28] I’m not gonna take you there though [35:30] But in the show loss they would have flash forwards where you see the person’s life once they get off the island and then at [35:36] The end you’re like what the heck was that because they never got off the island

[35:39] But but so they would fast forward to the future some of you are so confused [35:42] But they would fast forward to the future and and we would have the noise that they’re going to the future so I want [35:48] To see if the lie that your sin and your [35:54] Compromise compromises and the bad motivations for your living if they don’t affect others [36:00] All right, so lot is now out of Sodom and Gomorrah. He’s been saved out of it his daughters are with him [36:06] They’re living in the hillside and his daughters rape him

[36:12] You want to know why they do it [36:14] Because dad showed him it was okay, you know [36:17] Never said anything [36:19] They’re out of Sodom and Gomorrah. They’re out of the city everybody’s dead [36:24] They’re fiance’s are dead and they look at each other and they say how in the world are we gonna further our family name? [36:30] There’s no dudes around well. There’s dad. Let’s get him drunk tonight

[36:33] I’ll have sex with him then we’ll get him drunk tomorrow night [36:37] You’ll have sex with him and we can have some kids and then you get the Moabites and the Ammonites [36:43] years later [36:44] Moses runs into all types of trouble with the Moabites and the Ammonites [36:49] Your sin affects everyone around you [36:54] Your bad motivations your bad attitude

[36:58] Your lack of urgency to live for the gospel of Jesus Christ is going to be passed on to the next generation [37:06] What you accept in compromise your kids will hold up in virtue [37:13] What is assumed in one generation will be lost in the next [37:18] Dad didn’t engage the culture for the gospel. He just used it for his financial gain. So sin must be good [37:26] You say they’re not getting that from me. I just you know, I this the gray areas

[37:32] Friends don’t believe that lie [37:35] You’ve been entrusted by God a great privilege to pass the gospel onto the next generation to see people [37:41] Rising up with strength to live for the gospel to proclaim the truth [37:45] To risk it all for what we know is sure and that is the kingdom of God and you’re so busy wasting your life [37:52] on nothing

[37:57] Nothing and you’re acting as if it is the treasure promised to you by the gospel. Do you believe it?

[38:10] I’m a sinner too, by the way

[38:14] All of us struggle with this [38:17] Don’t think you’re alone. I think that’s why rabbit trail. I think that’s why [38:23] Ultimately, it’s a struggle to preach

[38:28] Because you’re proclaiming truth that you’re not a hundred percent living up to

[38:35] But God tells you to proclaim it anyway

[38:39] At least me to my final point [38:43] Focus on where God is moving not where you’ve been

[38:51] Focus on where God’s going not where you’ve been [38:55] See some of you God’s calling you out of Sodom. He’s calling you to follow Him [39:00] He’s calling you out of sin. He’s saying I want to pour grace on you [39:02] That you can’t even imagine I want to have mercy on you like you would not believe but you’ve got to come with me [39:07] You’ve got to move with God. You’ve got to live for God. You’ve got to go for his mission [39:11] You’ve got to love the gospel. You’ve got to let him reform

[39:13] You’ve got to let him restore you and you say but you don’t know how great my sin is [39:17] I can’t be used by God so guilt keeps you where you are [39:22] Jesus died for your sins

[39:26] Look at what happens in verse 16

[39:32] Verse 15 as morning dawned the angels urged Lot saying up [39:37] Take your wife and your two daughters who are here lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city, but he lingered [39:45] So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand the Lord being merciful to him and they brought [39:51] Him out and set him outside the city

[39:55] And as they brought him out one said escape for your life [39:59] Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley escape to the hills lest you be swept away and Lot said to them [40:07] Oh, no, Lord’s behold your servant has found favor in your sight and you have shown me great kindness and saving my life [40:12] But I cannot escape to the hills lest the disaster overtake me and I die behold this city is near enough to flee to [40:18] And it is the little one. Let me escape there. Is it not a little one and my life will be saved [40:24] He said to them behold I grant you this favor that I will not overthrow the city of which you have saved me

[40:29] And they spoke and escaped there quickly for I can do nothing till you arrive there therefore the name of the city is called [40:35] Zohar the Sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zohar [40:39] Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah [40:42] Sulphur and fire from the Lord out of heaven and he overthrew those cities and all the valley and all the [40:47] Inhabitants of the cities and what grew on the ground but lots wife behind him looked back and she became a pillar of salt

[41:00] When you see God [41:02] Pour sulfur and fire down a city and that’s a hard thing to imagine it burned up everything down to the [41:10] Produce on the ground down down to the grass. It just burned everything everything’s gone [41:14] Everything’s fallen both young and old men are gone both young and old women gone [41:20] God destroys everyone except Lot and except his family [41:26] Here’s the picture I want you to understand in your mind

[41:29] I want you to understand that this is the judgment of God for sin. This is how great it is [41:34] This is how wrathful it is. This is how terrorizing it is [41:37] This is God’s wrath and then I want you to understand that this is the same wrath that was poured onto Jesus Christ on the cross

[41:49] That when Jesus died on the cross this is what he took

[41:54] This is how great the pain was this is how horrible the cross was [42:01] It’s what this city endured. That’s what Jesus endured on the cross and he did it for you [42:06] So when you say things like but my guilt is too great. I cannot be used by God [42:12] I cannot move because I’m unsavable [42:14] Understand that this is what Jesus went through for you. This is the pain. This is the agony [42:20] This is the redemption of the gospel of Jesus Christ

[42:27] But then no lot lingered I [42:33] Worry about your guilt, but I also worry about those of you that linger

[42:42] Because this is who we all are by nature and our only hope is that God would intervene as he [42:49] intervened in lots life grabbed him by the hand and [42:53] Pulled him out of the city. This is the mercy of God. This is the salvation of God [42:58] You cannot save yourself your hope is that God would intervene in your life and redeem you

[43:07] He does it and they’re running and God says run from your sin [43:11] Do not stay in your sin run from it when God makes a way out you take it [43:18] That’s what he’s done in the gospel [43:21] That’s what Jesus affords each and every one of us [43:24] But then note what happened in verse 17 the scripture says do not look back on the city then in verse [43:33] 26

[43:35] The text says lots wife looked back and here’s what I want to do briefly [43:40] I want you to understand that when it says she looked back [43:43] I think we have this picture that she’s running and she just gets this like [43:48] Look back you ever run and look for the people behind you and she’s not like looking back [43:51] And she just accidentally catches a glimpse of the city and it’s like Medusa and she’s like, oh well peripheral vision. Sorry zap

[43:59] No [44:00] God does not act like that anywhere in scripture. Here’s what I truly believe happened [44:06] I believe she’s leaving the city and she doesn’t want to

[44:12] Sulfur and fire are raining down on the city and sins grip on you is so deep that in light of [44:21] The judgment not without knowing about it. Even when you know the judgment that’s impending [44:27] You will turn around to go back into the city. I believe her intention was to go back and [44:35] burn with Sodom

[44:41] And so she gets what she wants she turns to a pillar of salt and dies with the rest of Sodom

[44:54] Lots wife didn’t desire where God was going

[45:00] Sin always takes us further than we plan to go and keeps us there in hell forever

[45:08] If God were not merciful we would burn and we would gladly choose hell [45:12] But in his rich grace and mercy God saves do not linger in your sin [45:18] Run from your sin you do not have to pay for your sin [45:23] You do not have to be as those in Sodom they chose that but you can follow Jesus Christ [45:30] He’s taken the punishment. He’s taken the sulfur. He’s taken the fire so that you do not have to

[45:37] In John chapter 9 Jesus says I have come for judgment

[45:43] And he does he comes to judge every sin in John 5. He says the father doesn’t judge sin I do [45:51] And he does [45:53] And he takes that judgment on to himself

[46:02] Oftentimes when we look at the judgment of God

[46:08] We don’t like it [46:11] We don’t care for it [46:16] But God is good [46:19] And he should be trusted in his judgment. He should be worshiped [46:25] For his judgment because this is the God who loves in such a way that he shows how deep and how terrible [46:33] Sin is and then when he showcased it for us he comes down and takes it for us

[46:43] That is a good God [46:48] Who’s worthy of trust who’s worthy of praise who’s worthy of admiration [46:54] Who is worthy of me to look before him and say God where you are going is where I want to be

[47:04] Because his love goes further than our sin

[47:12] As the band comes up I want you to understand that as God [47:17] grabbed Lot by the hand

[47:21] Forcefully pulled him out of the city

[47:26] So I believe he uses the message of his gospel to grab you by the hand to pull you towards himself

[47:33] Every week here at Village Church we reflect on the Lord’s Supper [47:40] God’s body in Jesus Christ was broken for you and because of your sin [47:46] His blood was shed for you because of your sin make it personal [47:54] What are you struggling with? [47:56] Where is there rebellion in your life? [47:58] Where are you attempting to redefine what God has already defined?

[48:05] That’s what Jesus went to the cross for [48:08] That’s what he shed his blood for [48:10] And then in the gospel, in this great gospel that we proclaim when we eat of the bread [48:16] When we drink of the cup [48:17] In this gospel he says I will save you [48:20] I will redeem you

[48:22] There’s no sin too far away [48:24] There’s no sin so deep [48:25] There’s no rebellion so great [48:27] That he won’t save fully, wholly, forever

[48:32] And he wants to give that forgiveness to you [48:35] No matter where you’ve been [48:36] No matter what you’ve done [48:37] God loves you [48:38] God wants to forgive you [48:39] God wants to redeem you

[48:41] And he wants to restore your life [48:43] And he’s God so he can do it [48:47] He went to the cross to show us the depths of our sin [48:50] Then he rose from the grave [48:53] Showing us that he has power over [48:57] Your sin

[49:00] If you’re in here [49:02] And you know Jesus [49:05] When you’re ready I want to invite you to one of the six stations around the room [49:09] And when you come today to reflect and proclaim the gospel [49:13] Worship him for being the God of great judgment [49:19] If you don’t know him

[49:21] I’ll be right over here [49:23] I’d love to pray with you [49:25] I’d love to talk to you about the gospel [49:28] Trust Jesus [49:30] When you’re ready, come