A Worldly Faith

Abraham's nephew Lot had a habit of making bad choices living in Sodom was one of them. But when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God. Lot was shown extraordinary mercy and his life was spared from Chicago. This is The Moody Church.

Our weekly service of worship and teaching with pastor Erwin Blitzer today. Dr. Luther continues his series on strength for the journey taking your next steps with God. A study in the life of Abraham. Later in our broadcast will turn our attention to lot a man who had, at best, a worldly faith pastor looks or comes now to open our service were so pleased that you have come to worship with us and we want to open our hearts to the Lord to invite his presence and his instruction would you take your hymnals please and turn to 767, 767 for all the saints for all the saints are scripture reading today is by pastor Mark Peary who is our pastor of family and Christian education and were thankful for him that he will be reading God's word to us. Also, be prepared to sing 170 give thanks and 173. I am forever grateful. And as you know once we have stood to single continue to stand until we have sung that last chorus theologians speak of the church triumphant and the church militant, the church triumphant in heaven.

The church militant on earth still fighting, still doing what it needs to do to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. You've often driven through the countryside and you notice those churches that are built with the cemetery around the church. That's very biblical because it shows the unity of the saints.

In fact, what you have to do is you walk past the alumni Association to get to the undergraduates in a church like that. Paul spoke about the family in heaven and on earth in a moment we're going to sing together 767 notice.

It stresses the unity of the Saints. It talks about those who have gone on before us and stands as one and two, and then by the time we get to stanza three is asking the Lord to help us to look at their example and to be as faithful as they so will be standing in a moment to sing 767.

Would you join me now as we pray, and father. We do come before you, the father, from whom all the saints derive their name in heaven and on earth, we thank you today Lord for those who have gone before is for those who were faithful to people to whom we can look and say if they did it, we can do this well invigorate our hearts of godly pray today make this time of worship transforming in our lives, but most of all we ask that it shall bless you. We pray in Jesus name, amen and are scripture reading this morning is taken from Psalm 26. Before I read I want to point out that the word in a Gav. In verse four refers to the southern region in Israel which is mainly desert and in the summertime. All the streams in that region would be dry and as we read we identify with the Israelites who experienced hardship in the form of famine, war, and exile, but who put their trust in Almighty God, even if our daily experiences full of heartaches. We serve the living God who is faithful to provide. We can be certain of a future harvest of his grace. Psalm 126 when the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream that our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations. The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us. We are glad restore our fortunes, oh Lord, like streams in the negative. Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy. He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him, restore our fortunes, oh Lord, like the streams in the negative streams in the desert.

That's even a book. This put out his God can supply all of our need, but give thanks with a grateful heart and the Bible says blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God rejoice the pure in heart, and what difference light makes it enables us to see things differently. At the risk of being far too personal. I'm going to tell you that when I was sitting on the platform this morning. I happen to be wearing a black suit. Maybe you can see it from where you are but my socks are brown.

They look black this morning. The light of my room, but with all the light that's on the platform. I could see their true color and you may come here today thinking that your heart is in a certain state and that you're okay, but in the light of God's word and in the light of this truth and in the light of what has just been sung. You may discover that your heart is out of sorts.

That's what church is all about.

We come to worship. We come to learn, but we also come to repent and to yield and we hope that all those things happen this morning. In a moment were going to pray together and as we do. We encourage you to bow your heart in your head. Of course, as you know were living in a time of great need.

As a nation we think of our president.

The needs are so so great to where do we go this morning I was praying and I said Lord I really don't have anything to say to you, because what I say is of such little consequence. What are you saying tell us what is it that is on your heart to connect with us. Let's wait before the Lord shall way would you bow your head in prayer and in a moment of silence in this very, very, hurried world would you ask the Lord a question, what is it really what is it that you desire to say to me today are father you know how we constantly rush from one thing to another. We get up Sunday morning and we rush to go to church and then we rush to park our car and then we rushed through the service all father we pray in Jesus name. Help us to be quiet in your presence.

Help us to understand that your will, ultimately, is what counts, and not ours.

We pray today for a sense of yielded nests of sense of dedication we pray for those father who worship with us, but don't feel a part of what we are doing. Help them to understand how desperately we need one another in these troubled and difficult times, and we pray father for the great challenge that lies before us. We know that we can do what were called to do. If we are willing to step to the plate by your grace and strength, and do it. We pray father God for all and ask in Jesus name that you might make us a transforming community where anyone can connect with God and others. Father, we thank you today that your presence makes the bed of sickness, a little softer. Your presence takes the furnace of affliction and makes it cooler. We thank you that your presence drives away our fears so we invite your presence today.

Help us to be honest before you. We pray for our country. We pray father for our troops. We pray father for an end of the hostilities we pray for those who've experienced devastation and is very very hurtful planet.

We ask that your grace shall accompany us and help us to remember today that as we make our commitments and as we think about our own lives. Help us father to understand that to which you've called us for those who are here today who never trusted Christ as Savior. Help them to understand that salvation is a free gift that comes not through giving by getting the goodness of God which we don't deserve leaders to that, we pray and enable us to enjoy you this week because you've taken away our fear of you and you've enabled us to love you with our whole hearts receive. Now the gifts that we have brought with us. We ask they are given in faith, in the name of Jesus. Amen. And this is a series of messages on the life of Abraham.

But today, we turn to law. I do that because after all lot was Abraham's nephew and the Bible gives him an entire chapter is experience. In addition to other references to him. It would be wrong for us to look at this story as if lot were some kind of a strange man divorced from the rest of humanity know lot represents you and me lot is the quintessential businessman who believes that profit is more important than principal lots heart is our heart if we don't take advantage of the undeserved mercy of God, I'm going to tell you the story today and then what were going to do is to look at some very important applications and transforming lessons that I've been praying will change us forever remember how lot chose the best pasture land that which was very best that he was given the opportunity to do that and so he availed himself of it. But clearly he was covetous and selfish. He pitches his tent toward Sodom. He lives in Sodom and by the time the 19th chapter of Genesis opens, which is the passage I want you to turn to buy the time. Genesis 19 opens why indeed a lot is a judge in Sodom. He's been honored. He achieved all of his goals and there he is, and later on he is referred to as a judge sitting at the gate to angels come to him. These were the angels that Abraham had encountered earlier, your member and Abraham prayed to the Lord. And Jesus is not among those two angels, Jesus the Lord God Jehovah passes off the scene at this point, at least from the standpoint of the theophany and now the two angels, and they come to the gate and lot invites them in and then you had that terrible story of how the men of Sodom common pound against the door because they want lots of visitors. Lot wants to show hospitality to the visitors. Maybe he understands that they are unique and so he says to the man.

You can even have my daughters my virgin daughters, but don't touch these men but the men of Sodom in a range of sexual desires, said, bring them out, that we might know them and clearly it is sexual that they are in their mind.

That's why the NIV correctly translates it, bring them out, that we might have sex with them. So how can lot offered them his daughters. I don't know. But how can it be that their countries in the world today, where young girls stand 12 years old are sold into prostitution in the law enforcement agencies turn the other way. How can they do that how can wickedness exist in callousness in the human heart.

Remember that lot is a picture of us all.

Martin Luther read this story and he said that it caused revulsion in his spirit as well. It might D says S gate your mind guns/addicts.

It goes through my whole heart. What a pitiful story.

The Angels say to lot, hurry out, but he lingers he doesn't want to go.

He invested heavily in Sodom.

He and Mrs. lot had a house they had their wealth.

There their friends were there, now Sodom was good to lot and he didn't want to let go of it no mind you, the Angels continue to put pressure on him, and finally he says to his sons-in-law, hurry up and let's get out of here up get out of this place. I'm in verse 14. Notice it there in the text for the Lord is about to destroy the city, but he seemed to his sons-in-law to be just staying they said you can't be serious. We never heard any God talk from you before. What a tragedy. At the most serious moment of lots life. When he finally wants to have some moral authority in his family. It comes across as a joke.

Lot tries to bargain with these angels. First of all the lingers and then he says to them. He says I don't want to go to to far to the hills.

He says I want to go to this little town of Zora and the angel say okay okay already. You can go to the little town of and they were told it the four people who left lot. His two daughters and his wife. They were told run from the city and don't look back but lots wife looked back because after all, after all, this was her heart. Her heart was in the city and the Bible says that she turned into a pillar of salt. Verse 26 she became a part of the judgment was thinking this week. I'd love to preach on the words of Jesus just three words that he gives to us in the gospel of Luke when he's talking about those who begin in the Christian life and then fall away. He said remember lots wife autobiography shortest biography I know of in the Bible. Remember lots wife. What a wealth of knowledge and instruction in those three words. She can't let go of Sodom and she becomes a part of the judgment. How does lot and well. He has two daughters. He goes into a cave and they get him drunk and he ends in disgrace. He has relations with them and they each bear a child. The child of incest the Moabites. One was called Moab and the other the ammonites and all that you have to do is to remember your Bible to know that these two groups, these two tribes terrorized and became a stumbling block to the descendents of Abraham ever after. That's the story of Lot. What a story one answer question. How much did covetousness cost lot.

How costly is sin. Anyway, how much you have to pay for it very interesting. First of all it cost to laud his testimony. See when you've compromised with Sodom, you don't talk to them about Jehovah because they don't want to hear anything about Jehovah didn't want to hear anything about righteousness and lot made enough concessions and Sodom promoted him enough that he had nothing to say to them about the Lord God Jehovah. That's why when he speaks to his sons-in-law. They think joking. He lost his testimony. He's the person who does not witness at work people to whom I'm speaking now.

Do not share Christ with coworkers because they've been enough compromises in their lives, and enough silence in their lives that they have nothing to say to the people with whom they work. Little word of advice if you're in that position change that position go to a coworker and say you know I'm really sorry I never told you about the most important thing that I've ever discovered.

Would it be okay if I were to share with you something that somebody one shared with me that changed my life and if there are things that you have done at work that make you unable to do that make them right be a witness for God has planted you lot lost his witness. He lost his family. What a tragedy. I don't even expect to see his wife in heaven. He probably got hurt in Sodom and she turns back and she becomes a part of God's judgment.

Two daughters, look at how they turned out well. Look at how dad turned out he lost. Also, his character standing there that day and I assume that the sun was shining when Abraham said to lot.

You can choose whatever you like of the land and all take the opposite and he saw the deep lush pasture land of the valley and shows it. He had no idea how much his covetous heart would cost him. You've heard me say it before but lot is the excellent example that sin always takes us further than we intended to go keeps us longer than we in tended to stay and costs us more than we ever intended to pay. Imagine three life-changing messages. Well, not messages. They are messages, but lessons that I hope that you will have burned in your mind and your consciousness for the rest of your life. First, when we go against conscience, the consequences are out of our hands when we go against conscience, the consequences are out of our hands. There's a very interesting commentary on lot in the New Testament, in a sense, it's a shocking commentary. It can be an encouraging commentary three times Peter in second Peter chapter 2 refers to laud as a righteous man amazing lot will be in heaven because, thanks to his uncle Abraham. He believed in Jehovah but this is what it says yeah and that the author is in a series of if if if if if so, I'm going to jump right in the middle of it.

Second Peter chapter 2 verse six. If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes God condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly and if he rescued righteous Lot greatly distressed by this sensual conduct of the wicked part as that righteous man lived among them day after day he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard his soul was tormented in Sodom, why didn't he leave. Well, it's just that Sodom was providing so much for him it was his opportunity. It was his in investment. It was easier to live there than to earn a living on the plane so he lived with a tormented conscience when you and I begin to violate our conscience. We are honored to inject terrain whose end is out of our hands, to go against conscience, as Luther is neither right nor safe.

If you remain in a situation where your soul is been vexed, vexed by the television program you are watching that you know is sensual and it vexes your righteous soul and sullies your relationship with God but you watched it anyway because there's so much that is so much appealing and appeasing. And so we violated our conscience you think of the mercy of God toward lot angels come to him to rescue them you thinking say angels.

I'm so glad you're here. I'm out here. No Sodom had such a great place in lots heart that even after he left Sodom did not get the Sodom out of his heart. Sometimes people say will you know the city is full of sin in the city is full of sin.

So lot goes to the suburbs and he takes his sin with because the synods in the human heart and lot was rescued by Abraham graciously rescued and he would not leave Sodom he would not become a pilgrim even when the brimstone was falling on Sodom and tomorrow violating his conscience. Second, God is faithful to his airing people. God is faithful to his airing people sometimes it's pronounced airing.

Sometimes it's pronounced erring. I guess depending on where you put the emphasis but it's his airing people. God is faithful, you know, God could have destroyed lot.

After all, there were 10 righteous in the city because you just said you know I got this deal with Abraham, but there are 10 righteous you get the judgment to know God sends angels to rescue men, the plaintiff second Peter is this that if God is willing to do that for lot. Why, then, indeed, God is willing to do that for us to God knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. The Bible says and God is faithful, even to those who are violating his commands and sinning because as we learned in a previous message, he cannot deny himself. When God wants to send his judgment lot has to be taken out. It says in verse 23 that the Angel site were destroying this place but we can't do anything until you're outta here when God displays his wrath as opposed to just the vicissitudes of life God's people are rescued you say so lot is going to be in heaven. I I take that to be a based on second Peter. Now when he gets there. He's going to be like the people described in first Corinthians chapter 3 where the apostle Paul says that there is some people who are going to be saved, but so as by fire. The imagery is there running out of the house. That's burning and it collapses behind them and they leave without anything except themselves.

I think that that's the way there's some people are going to be in heaven saved but sin just build make it but have nothing to show for their line unrecognized self absorption unrecognized self absorption stood between them and doing something significant for the glory and the honor of God. But God is faithful to even his children were finally we should be willing to rescue those who have sold out to Sodom. That was an act of grace. The fact that God sent these angels and that was amazing Grace, this is what the Bible says in the book of Jude and have mercy on those who doubt to save others by snatching them out of the fire to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Did you know that it is an act of mercy when one of our elders or members of the pastoral staff or a fellow Christian comes to you and says you know there's something in your life that I believe is a stumbling block that's hindering you something that you're doing wrong. Don't be offended. That's mercy. Angels came and they snatched lot. He didn't want to go. They had to force him to go.

They almost dragged him out of the city, but I was mercy. So is there a sin that is greater than the sin of Sodom, Sodom and Gomorrah don't exist today. You know, probably in the southern end of the Dead Sea God just wipe them right off the map.

So is there a sin greater than the sin of Sodom. Yes, Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10 verse 15 as he's giving instructions to his disciples to go house to house. He says if somebody doesn't receive you. He says that take your shoes let the dust fall from them, shake the dust off your shoes and then he says those startling words, the church sober us all week for it is going to be more bearable. He says for Sodom and Gomorrah than it will be for that city in the day of judgment.

Jesus is saying is that responsibility and judgment is based on knowledge, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. They didn't know too much. They knew that what they were doing was contrary to natural law and decency. They knew that intuitively, because they were created by God, so they should have known better but how much more judgment to those who have light to those who have the full revelation of Jesus to those who can buy a Bible in virtually any bookstore in America and who can read it for themselves and for those who are listening to this message here in this sanctuary, or by the Internet, or radio or other means. I mean wow. Jesus said it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for people who don't respond to what they know.

In this age light sin is the most expensive thing in the universe. Jesus bore the penalty for those who believe the eternal penalty we still have consequences of sin in our own lives, but he paid it all when it comes to the penalty and he paid so much because sin is so expensive, it costs so much. So he took an eternal suffering for those who believe in compressed it into three hours actually. But he paid a tremendous price. If you do not take advantage of what he did you pay it on your own and it takes forever and it's not pretty. Sin is very very expensive today. If the voice of the Spirit is speaking to you listen to that voice. Listen to the boys, even of conscience and say that nothing to be a lot I'm going to be in Abraham because Abraham fellowship with God despite his own sins he fellowship with God and what a tremendous difference.

Tremendous history lot dies in an unknown grave is gone. The effects are there Abraham lives on is a friend of God. That's it for today folks from my lips to yours from my lips to your heart. Let us bow in prayer our father we ask in Jesus name.

As we see lot.

We see ourselves prone to sin, prone to self absorption prone to be attached to the things of this world until were told that we have terminal cancer and then we begin to think you know there's a world coming out there teach us while we are healthy to live for the other world. What is God talk to you about whatever it is, would you talk to God a few moments you've never received Christ as your Savior. You can do that today.

Something in your life that is wrong. You're going the direction of lot delayed at the feet of Jesus receive our prayers today. Oh Lord, we ask for those who come with doubts help them yet to come. For those who come with unanswered questions may they come anyway.

For those father who come with fear, they come they all come to Christ was the author and the finisher of our faith. Thank you in his name. Amen. Let's sing together him number 305, Jesus paid it all. What a marvelous, marvelous him. Sin is expensive but Jesus paid it all and will sing the first the third and the fourth stanza's will omit the second first third and fourth but let's stand to sing this marvelous him and on today's Moody Church. Our pastor looks or spoke about a worldly faith nine and a 10 part series on strength for the journey.

A study in the life of Abraham, and for today.

His nephew Lot next week.

We relive one of the most dramatic moments in all the Bible as Abraham is prepared to obey God by sacrificing his son Isaac. Don't miss tested faith. It's because of the investment of many people that The Moody Church over is heard around the country. We'd like to ask you to consider becoming an endurance partner, someone who stands with us on a regular basis with your prayers and gifts for full information, go to our website@moodyoffer.com and click on the endurance partner button that's moody off her.com or call us at 1-800-215-5001.

That's 1-800-215-5001 or you can write to us at Moody Church media 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614. Join us next time for another Moody Church. Our with pastor Erwin lutes are in the congregation of historic Moody Church in Chicago. This broadcast is a ministry of The Moody Church in a