An Upper-Downer Day, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. God delays judgment when there is a righteous man noticed what you said about Sodom and if there are 10 righteous God delays judgment.

If there's a righteous room so we talk so often about God. Judging you realize that God made the latest judgment. If there's a righteous remnant that would be yes. Joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana going pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word meets our world. Abraham could be called out of the Chaldees. He and Sarah had Isaac when he was 20 God and then do that God is going to do it in a way that there's no mistake that it's God. That's why they're waiting is a consequently he expects them to believe the promise and his reason for it is anything too difficult for the Lord at the appointed time is that I will return to you at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.

Sarah denied it. However, in saying I did not laugh, for she was afraid. He said no you did laugh that wasn't funny to God you doubt me will never do that.

Woodley think of the promises to us. Romans 828 as a believer in Jesus Christ all things work together in your life for good to come straight from God. I can't tell you how many of you told me there is no way this is good.

There's just no way God wrong about this really she really makes promises like that he not only makes promises like that but he makes promises, no matter how lonely and how separated we feel to never leave us or forsake us to always be there but even when we movie won't promises in the sermon on the Mount to meet our daily needs is a lawmaker needs no AWOL is not meeting my needs. This is in any good either. He also promises us that we will never be tempted beyond what we are able to withstand realize that the promise of God when you're facing the temptation you're facing a very familiar pattern of sin in your life. Don't for a moment say this is too great a temptation for me because it's not God's promise that he would not tempt you beyond what you are able to withstand his promise to keep us forever that we have eternal security. Once you are in my father's handy said no power nurse can take you out, and yet so many of us have such trepidation, I don't know from going to go to heaven. I just don't know what's going to happen to me. See, God expects us to believe his promises. No matter how difficult they seem to us. That's what happened was Sarah because nothing is too difficult for God, but think of this one in upper upper day. This is, I mean the promises not only made now but the idea is I just had the privilege of serving the Lord. You see, than I am. Mill were two angels are two beings with them find that the wrinkles in a minute and he's just told Sarah she could have the child. The next year you can get a better day than that. That has to be the best day they had since they left early Chaldees, and then it becomes a different kind of day it becomes a downward day.

Well, well, verse 16 and then the men rose up from there and they look non-toward Sodom.

That whole valley of sun, and the more at this time it's fertile.

He's up on the sense on a bluff looking down over the whole valley, and he says that they look non-toward Sodom and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. He just thinks is what a day. What a day when the day will nab Jesus walking with them and then the Lord begins to speak any speaking disorder. No wonder, probably to the Angels and he says show I hide from Abraham what I'm about to do since Abraham will surely become great and mighty nation and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed, for I have chosen him in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice in order that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what he is spoken about. The Lord reveals his plans to his people and he just says it should I let Abraham know what is going to happen and reveal my plants.

Now these plans are God's plan for judgment. He sits Abraham know this God reveals his plans even judgment. Think of God revealing his plans of judgment to us re-Daniel is EQ all the lesser profits read the sermon on the Mount by Jesus Christ read the Revelation to John at the end of the Bible and what does God reveal to you and me judgments. Judgment is coming. The question is when God reveals his plans to wash what should we do, we should do what a Abraham praise. That's what we should do is either so much talk in the world we live in about end times and I really fear that what I hear from so many Christians is because of the end times. Could this be the end times.

Could this be it.

Could this be it and it's almost like we want to get him God get a mall get on what is wrong with us. These people are going to receive the judgment of God. We should be praying for these people. That's the point.

That's what Abraham does. He knows what's going on. Verse 20 and the Lord said the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great in their sin is exceedingly great. That's not the outcry from the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. That's the outcry against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah from all the people that they victimized them next time will see that they victimized them in all different kinds of ways and he says the outcry is, God said the same thing when he was talking to Cain after he murdered Abel and God said to Cain. He said to them, your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Same idea.

Now Abram knows what's going to happen. God is going to judge Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham knows those people's nephew lives are his wife.

You see, he knows those people.

But he knows a lot more he knows them.

Then the men turned away from there and they went toward Sodom. While Abraham was still standing before the Lord, it looks like they're going to execute the judgment. And now Abraham sustaining with the Lord, and you just wonder what is he thinking what is he going to do what becomes obvious. Abraham came near and he says that God will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked, while that's prayer you see not only the sometimes the Lord take the initiative to commune with his people and that the Lord expects his people to believe his promises because nothing is too difficult for him in the Lord reveals his plans even of judgment to his people, but the Lord response to the intercession of his people.

That's what happens here, will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked.

Now there's a problem here. I think I think Abraham has a different definition of righteous in God's Abraham has a definition we have which you judge those cities with all those good people there. There a lot of good people there but that's not righteous seated God righteous means and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. You see a righteous person is a person who believes in honors God. That's in God's point of view. Abram is thinking about a little bit differently. A lot of good folks diner.

I think interestingly enough, now he begins his request and you got 11 for this is what he says suppose there are 50 righteous within the city, will you indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of 50 righteous who are in it now.

These cities have thousands of people so he's pretty sure the cities aren't that good, but 5050. You can find 50 good people in New Orleans didn't find 50 good people in Las Vegas 50, the response foursome. He then goes on to says is the Lord. Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from you, he said, shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly making a good point. If there righteous.

There why would you judge them after another judge of the whole earth.

Now watch he's probably expecting a rebuke from the Lord even question the Lord the what's with the Lord's head so the Lord says if I find in Sodom 50 righteous within the city.

Then I will spare the Whole Pl. in America. You asked for 50 if there 50 there. It's all spared.

Notice the wicked is better to will spare everybody 50 Abraham's thinking.

Wait a minute that was too fast. He just responded immediately to what I said so Abram replied now, behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord. Though I am but dust and ashes. I know you are and I know I am. But suppose the 50 righteous are lacking five will you destroy the whole city because of five.

I mean now notices using a backdoor approach because if you think about if you want to destroy for 50 but there's not there's only five in the end, you end up destroying it.over 50 just over five people. God says look Abram I can do the math. I will not destroy it if I find 45 there was awful quick he spoke to me again and says suppose 40 are found there and he said I will not do it and got a 41 then he said oh, may the Lord not be angry.

I think wow a person here. May the Lord not be angry. He said, and I shall speak.

Suppose thirdly are found there and he said I will not destroy it if I find 30.

Notice how he acts interacts directly and honestly with the intercession of Abraham. God reacts that way.

He said now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord. Suppose 20 are found there and he said I will not destroying the count of 21 then he said all may the Lord not being angry, and I shall speak only this once you see his point of view is like this.

He's responding way too quickly for this. He said suppose 10 are found there. He said I will not destroying on account of 10 and as soon as he had finished speaking to Abraham, the Lord departed neighbor and returned to his tent while 1010 people has a get to that. We gotta think that he's thinking.

I know for sure what's there and his wife and their two daughters and their fiancés that 6 W has a lot of servants and I've met a lot of nice people. Donna runs on 10.

Gotta cover. This is going to be 10. So Abraham thinks he's done something Abraham believes like I think I and able to save the cities but of course he didn't see that happen so often. By the way, we pray. So often we pray we don't change God we change in the prayer.

See Abraham is admirable.

He understands the judgment of God. He understand how devastating that would be so notice is down a day. His upper day drove the praise is down a day drives in the prayer same day. He's in prayer and he is trying to intercede the best that he possibly can. We know that the judgment ends up coming his day start of the visit from the Lord and ends up when he realizes that his neighbors are going to be judged by God is amazing. This chapter though loses truth I don't know if you just see it all there, but it's all in the skin. This whole store there so much more than just the story. The first thing is that with talked about already. We should rest in the promises of God. Nothing is too difficult for he's promised it rest in it have trusted sent me though God's purpose is to bless all the nations through Abraham's seed, but not save all from judgment judgment will come. Thirdly, we should pray on behalf of the world under judgment to the only difference between them and us is the shed blood of Jesus Christ. That's it. There's no other.

I pray for them to have the same opportunity for their faith and trust in Christ that I why when we do that, there's something else here though. You see God delays judgment when there is a righteous remnant present. Notice what you said about Sodom and Gomorrah. If there are 10 righteous.

There I will judge God delays judgment. If there's a righteous remnant so we talk so often about God judging America, you realize that God made the latest judgment. If there's a righteous remnant here and that would be us. You see, are we a righteous remnant you see God's is all delay I'll delay the judgment. If there is a righteous remnant. He also delayed the judgment on the basis of the intercessory prayer of the believing Abraham, so we should not only be righteous but we should be praying for our country praying for the lost become the Jesus Christ. That's what we should do instead of saying or thinking our fingers at people and saying the judgments coming to get yours. Maybe we should just pray for those folks, there's one more thing you Abraham is growing in his faith. He's changing Abraham is growing our sticking time, but he is maturing right before our eyes and remember something Abram had made no Scripture. None.

He only had a few occasional visits from God, and he had still growing his faith and he did notice he is generous and spontaneous when it comes to worshiping the Lord as soon as is in the Lord's presence. He's worshiping. Secondly, he has real concern for others.

That's why he interact with the Lord, and he seems bold. The water splashed to us, but he's willing to interact. For others, because he knows he's safe from the judgment. Thirdly, he's moved from a self-serving sort of passivity.

Remember when Sarai came up with the idea of Hagar the slave and then Ishmael the son he went along with it. He never even never even engage the Lord. Notice now judgment is coming. You got that from the Lord and immediately gets active and goes to the Lord in praise and intercessory prayer.

There's something else about, he's getting a clearer and clearer picture Lord is not only seeing God is great, but you seeing God as good and that's a real big part of your maturation process is a believer, Bob Deffenbaugh said this, our first child was and our only son died when he was 3 1/2 months old.

Several years later while I was in seminary. The question of what happens to infants who die came up in class and several passages were suggested, but some did not find them sufficient.

Finally, I share the assurance that we found we lost our son while it was comforting to have the Scriptures to comfort us.

We did not need a text to answer every question. You see, God is far greater than all that is revealed about him in Scripture. What a great statement. God is far greater than all that is revealed about him in Scripture. The judge of all the earth will build justly. That was our confidence, have you lost a loved one about who salvation your doubtful on the problems and circumstances you can understand then rest in this, our God is all-powerful, nothing is impossible with him. And furthermore, this power is always employed in justice, truth, mercy and love. What a comfort. What an encouragement to pray because our God is not just great, God is good important to remember Abraham had one of those upper downer days, he was better for the experience that spring father, may we learn these two simple truths that when we are having what I called an upper day a great day a day of joy and pleasure day of satisfaction that we are moved to thank you we are moved to worship you. We are moved on or you just as Abraham was father when we find ourselves in the downer day. The day where the news we hear is not good for us when the circumstances we face seem overwhelming when sorrow and suffering. Visit us. May we be driven to prayer to your presence, and when we get there. May we make intercession for others by taking our eyes off of our self father, I thank you for the upper days of my life in the downer days in that very rare upper downer day. I pray that how I react both to the good that you give us and the difficulties we face when you withhold your hand. I react disclosing thinking Jesus Christ strengthens me to do just that. His name Pastor Brueggemann on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you dislike of the sum of the method one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online event website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio program at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible with all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly with just the 100th support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible church visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series are looking for.

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