Lot's Lingering Legacy-Part A

I want you to see the advantage that lot had been following a champion is Abram will be called the father of those who believe the father say yes this faith was imperfect. The advantage of want to be so close and watch close the decisions and lifestyle of a man of faith. Incredible. He was able to watch a man called by God man obeying God a man fall down falter in his faith recover from that and move on. All of that of inestimable value.

As believers we are all in about one where we fight for faith families and our future.

You should would ready for the fight today on connect with Skip Hunt Skip shares from the story of Lot, you can achieve spiritual victory. Keeping your eyes set on what really matters.

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Today we get into the teaching Skip Heitzig.

Once upon a time there was a duck in this document. Love flying in formation with his duck buddies going north and south their cycles through the year and as it were flying north in formation and there cracking it up and slapping it up the duck decided to go down to a barnyard where there were some domestic ducks and acorn so he acorn and he stayed for an hour and then he stayed for a day and he stayed for a week and he stayed for an entire month the end of the month is buddies were long gone.

He decided that life is pretty good here, and he stayed the entire summer away from his friends enjoying his new environment well when his friends were flying information this time they were heading south for the winter. They flew overhead and he looked up and he saw them, recognize, and heard them clacking it up and a thrill of excitement came to him with a great flapping of wings came managed to take himself into the air and start ascending, but he could get no further than the top of the barn because the food had been so good. Life is been so awesome that he had grown a little bit heavier later on when they were going north again. He saw them in that same trail came to him, but again he could not ascend. They headed south. Months later same thing. He would always look up and that thrill was still there, but eventually as time went on that duck didn't even look up didn't even notice what's the moral of the story it simple fact ducks can't fly, or to put it more application will terms.

If you get too comfortable. You will be able to fly high enough or go far enough and you can miss the adventure. Some of us have grown content with far less than we should.

We think things like this is good enough. Life is nice enough. I'm spiritual enough. We sacrificed enough.

I prayed enough. I've read enough and enough is enough. We grow complacent in today's story in Genesis 11 that duck in the story is a man by the name of Lot he wants flew in the wild in formation with uncle Abraham, but as time went on he didn't even look up didn't even notice that it was time to move on and he stayed back over the years.

I told you about a book and quoted from that famous Eugene Peterson book. It's called a long obedience in the same direction to good book a long obedience in the same direction.

If lot would've been the author of that book, his title would be a long disobedience in the same direction because lot crashes and burns but it's a slow crash. It's a slow burn. He just makes one little choice after another little choice after another little choice and eventually that duck gets fat and cannot rise above the filth of the barnyard to look at lot.

Beginning in Genesis 11 to cover a lot of ground, some to be filling in the gaps in between the texts that we read, but I want to look with you at lots life in three stages in first is that he followed a champion that's uncle Abraham or Abraham, because by two names because the name gets changed. So let's look at Genesis 11.

Would you look with me at verse 27. The story begins. This is the genealogy of terror terror begot Abram's name will be changed later to Abraham one and the same terror begot Abram in a horror and heron heron begot lot and heron died before his father. Tara in his native land in order of the Chaldeans, then Abram in a heart took wives the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, her name will be changed later to Sarah in the name of Mahar's wife milk, the daughter of Haran, the father of milk, the father of East Scott, but Sarah was barren. She had no child, and Tara took his son Abram and his grandson lot, the son of Haran and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife and they went out with them from the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan they came to her, Ron, and dwelt there. Now go to chapter 12 and look at verse four so Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken to him in lot went with him and Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Herat.

Then Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Herat and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.

Here's a story Abram a.k.a. Abraham was called out of a pagan culture polytheistic, that is, they worship many gods culture. The town is called or of the Chaldeans. It was in a Podunk little village somewhere in Iraq. It was the town of the ancient world 300,000 residents known for advanced studies in mathematics and strong astronomy and other capital of that Mesopotamian region called Sue Mayor was more of the Chaldeans, but it was pagan. Nonetheless, it was polytheistic. Nonetheless, God wants to call Abram out of a polytheistic culture get them alone and revealed himself to him and he does this for a very good reason.

That is because if you have noticed anything in your Bible you notice the God doesn't tolerate rivals or God is never satisfied to be one God. Among other gods and you know why that is because there are no other gods there all fake. There's only one true and living God and God is about to reveal himself in a covenant to Abram.

So he calls about and what goes with them not to add to the story. There's a tragedy that pushes its way into the family. Abram's brother dies or from lots perspective.

His father dies, it says that he died before his father.

Haran died before his father, Tara, that could mean one of two things either. He died in front of his dad while his dad was watching him die which would have been a shock but that's a possibility, or it could mean that he died chronologically before his father died good to simply mean that either way there's a death in the family. Either way lot has just lost his father a terrible shock to him and that just gives us insight into the family life because nothing affects the family like a death. One night I got a phone call from my father to tell me my brother had died in a motorcycle accident.

After the shock of that moment comes the cloud that settles over the family from months that something of what it was like to be lot in the story plus something else. Did you notice that Sarah I Abram's wife is infertile. She can't have children.

So here you have a childless couple you have a fatherless child and because of the ancient culture and customs of that day, Abram and Sarai took lot under their wing, so wherever Abram goes he will go as well and God is calling Abram out and I bet when he said lot you're coming with us. I bet lot.yes he was up for the adventure he wanted to get out of town and again I can only speak from my own experience after my brother died up. We went to the funeral.

After we work through all of his things I member say to my mom and dad. I got a get out of town.

I took a three month trip across United States and Canada in my pickup truck just to get away and to clear my head so I I bet lot just thought yeah I want to get out of town. I'm up for the adventure so they go they pull up stakes they migrate along the Euphrates River to the West into the South from modern-day Iraq. They come to the area of her.

Ron they work their way south into the land of Canaan. That's the promise land of Israel. They then leave Israel and go down to Egypt because there's a famine in the land of Abraham lacks faith.

They come back from Egypt back to the promised land. The land of Canaan and the story picks up in chapter 13. Please look at verse one of chapter 13 then Abram went up from Egypt. He and his wife and all that he had an lot with him to the south.

Verse five lot. Also, who went with Abram had flocks and herds intense. You could sum up lot lot whole life into words. He was with Abram is alive at this point when Abram stops, he stops when Abram goes he goes if you were to have met lot on the road to say what's your name he say my name's lot really what you do, he would say I'm with him. I follow this guy wherever he goes. I go why do I bring this up and why is it important because I want you to see the advantage that lot had in following a champion of faith.

That's Abram.

Abram will be called the father of those who believe the father of faith.

Yes, his faith was imperfect, but the advantage of lot to be so close and watch up close the decisions and lifestyle of a man of faith is incredible.

He was able to watch a man called by God. A man obeying God a man fall down falter in his faith recover from that and move on. All of that in estimable value.

I just want to impress upon you the incredible value of the godly relationship of a mentor. If you are a young believer and you can attach yourself to an older believer in the faith was locked obediently before the Lord. It will pay dividends. The rest of your life they will hold you up when you're weak, it will speak into your life with affirmation they will hold you accountable. They will be available in a crisis of the disciples they had Jesus. 3 1/2 years they got to hear him and see him close up as he healed people. As he prayed to watch all that here it in their own ears. I think of Paul watching Barnabas who encouraged Paul to get into the ministry. Are we glad for Barnabas and then think of Timothy and Silas send Carla and Priscilla, and a host of others who were up close with Paul watching him.

In fact, Paul will write in first Corinthians 11 follow my example as I follow the example of Christ to love that hate. I want you to watch what I do is I am trusting Jesus Christ I'm following him. You follow me, and watch what it is to be a person of faith. That's a mental that's Abram to lot lot followed a champion watching a life is better than reading a book, watching a life is better than hearing a sermon in here I am preaching a sermon, but I'll tell you, to see faith lived in a life it's it's close up, it's better than concepts far off Abram was for lot like a buoy kept him tethered go to the second stage of lots life from following a champion defacing challenges verse six of chapter 13 gives us the challenge were told this now. The land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together for or because 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 lots, livestock the Canaanites and the parasites then dwelt in the land so Abram said to lot. Please let there be no strife between you and me between my herdsmen in your herdsmen for were brothers to love how he elevates his nephew to same status were brothers is not the whole land before you play separate for me. If you take the left I'll go to the right. If you go to the right then I will go to the left, how much your note here that there is no conflict between Abram and the Canaanites dwell in that land. There is no conflict between lot and the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the conflict is between relatives same family. That's where the conflict lies.

I grew up with three brothers okay three older brothers. I was picked on a lot which explains a lot when I was growing up I also had neighbors like we all did. I don't remember any conflict with any of my neighbors remember plenty of conflicts with my brothers and us because we live close together and were experiencing the same things and work in a tight little house in fights break out to tell yet. Sometimes I will. I will talk to Christians who get so discouraged that there's disagreements in the church in the body of Christ work will believer should we get along. Yes we should. But where family were a family and this is normal stuff that happens in the family were siblings. It's called sibling rivalry was a Scottish and Irish wagon who said to dwell above with those we love will certainly be glory but to dwell below with those we know that's another story and it is. There's no conflict between Abram and the Canaanites lot in the Canaanites, but there is between the herdsmen and hence Abram and lot is for the conflict lies. You'll also notice why they are fighting because they got stuff in their travels they have done business. It is been profitable business there stuff is grown to more stuff. There's some more employees on the payroll.

There's more animals that their traveling with and so stuff is grown. There's nothing wrong with stuff but understand stuff always complicates relationships, it does they need more room for their stuff know most of us can relate to this and that. Whenever you move from one house to another house when you realize how much stuff you have in you.

You will say I didn't know we have this much stuff and some is not all that important to me and some of its in boxes and you open the box and yet that's my stuff and you close the box and you will never see it again until you move again, but stuff complicates relationships I can prove it. Try to get rid of her stuff.

Try to get rid of his box of stuff and he'll say excuse me.

That's my stuff, but we don't need a well, it's mine. So they have stuff in the stuff now complicates the relationship there's another problem. Did you notice what it says in verse seven it's written as a footnote but it says the Canaanites and the parasites dwelt in the land. Get the picture. They're having a fight with each other as brothers and outsiders are watching it happen.

If an audience live in unbelieving audience. The world is watching us is a great story. A sad story, but true story about Michelangelo and Raphael and I mean the art is not the ninja turtles are the real ones. Both were accomplished artists both were hired by the Vatican to beautify the inside of the Vatican. Both were very different kind of artist. One was a painter. One was a sculptor, but rivalry broke out between Michelangelo and Raphael a bitter rivalry broke out. Even though they work in separate places in the Vatican. It is said that when they passed each other in the hall. They refuse to give each other eye contact, or even speak to one another was ironic about this is they were working for the glory of God while having a fight well. People noticed it and talked about it. In fact, all of Rome found out they were being watched. Well, in this situation. How does lot respond yes to make some choices goes from following a champion defacing a challenge to forming choices to make some decisions I want you to follow with me the decisions that he makes and how he makes in chapter 13 verse 10 we immediately noticed that Locke forms his choice based upon looks based on what he sees. Chapter 13 verse 10 Lot lifted up his eyes and he saw all the plain of Jordan that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. As you go toward. So are lot was driven by his senses. It looked good.

He saw the that's nice to be for me since I can have what what I want.

That's the best and I want the best.

It look good and that should remind you of something.

We just looked at two weeks ago. I think it was two weeks ago when he was in the garden and the tree was hanging there and it says she saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes. The New Testament causes the loss of the eye's see the eyes long for what the heart loves peace and it looks so good that the message for you from a serious crash and burn right now to Skip to tell you how your support helps keep these messages coming your way in connection more people to God's truth. The world highly value self-satisfaction and instant gratification, but God calls us to different way of life, one that focuses on loving and serving others. That's why we freely share these biblical messages to encourage and strengthen you to live the life God has called you to. But we need your help to keep these messages coming to you and others right now you can give a gift to connect others to God's word.

Here's how you can do that we should connectwithskip.com/donate to give your gift today that's connectwithskip.com/donate or call 800-922-1888, 800-922-1888 coming up tomorrow Skip Heitzigs. It looks at blocks life choices and encourages you to learn from them so you can live your life to the fullest. There's a lot.

Here's a guy who stood side-by-side with Abram. There's a guy assuming formation with men and women of faith, there's a man who marched from his homeland to the promised land. Now is a fat duck.

I know second Peter says he was a righteous man, and he was righteous because he made some point. At some point he had a faith experience. He believed God. Abram believed God and was counted to him for righteousness.

So you must follow that Saddam is believed to have saved so that a loss Skip presentation of connection communication through ever-changing time