## Faith of Abraham - Part 9

## Genesis 19:1-38

If Abraham is characterized by the phrase "a friend of God", then Lot would be characterized by the phrase "a friend of the world". In this chapter we have recorded the sad events of Lot's spiritual and moral decline.

There are many contrasts between these two men. Notice:

1. When the Lord and the angels came to visit in the last chapter Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent while Lot sat at the gate of Sodom.
2. Abraham was a pilgrim and stranger only passing through this world, but Lot had left his tent and settled down in Sodom.
3. Abraham was looking for a city built by God while Lot settled for a city that opposed God.
4. God had fellowship with Abraham, but Lot dwelt in the place of judgment.
5. God's message to Abraham was a joyful one, but His message to Lot was frightening.

Tonight, I want us to notice some key verses that reveal to us even greater differences between these two men.

I. Lot took no stand against sin. v1 -11

A. Sitting in the gate indicates that Lot was in a place of importance in city government. (v1-3)

B. Homosexuality was rampant in the city. (v4-5)

C. Lot called the men of Sodom "brethren"' (v6-7)

D. He offered his two young daughters to this wicked crowd to do "to them as is good in your eyes". (v8)

E. These "brethren" then threatened to take Lot and deal worse with him than what they had planned to do with the angels. (v9)

F. The angels would not permit such a thing to take place and struck the mob blind. (v10-11)

II. Lot had no influence with his family.

A. He received the message of the coming judgment. (v12-13)

B. When he went to warn his family he was mocked. (v14)

C. Because of his faithfulness and obedience, Abraham would be a blessing to the entire world, but Lot would only become an example.

III. Lot and his family had no desire to leave the city. v15-26

A. The angels had to literally drag Lot and his family out of the city.

B. Lot begged to be allowed to enter another city.

C. You can take the pig out of the pig pen, but he is still a pig!

D. His wife was turned to a pillar of salt because she couldn't resist one last look.

IV. Lot had no fruit for all his labors. 27-29

A. Abraham observed from a distance as everything went up in smoke.

B. All the wealth and material gain that Lot had accumulated was gone.

C. Most of his family was destroyed.

D. Wasted years ... nothing left!

V. Lot showed no repentance at all. v30-38

A. He left Zoar out of fear, not repentance!

B. The rest of the chapter recounts the story of his drunkenness and incestual relationship with his two young daughters.

C. What a vivid picture of the truth: Sin will take you farther than you meant to go; Keep you longer than you meant to stay; and Will cost you more than you are willing to pay!

What a tragedy! The tragedy of a wasted life. Lot's wasted life serves as a stark contrast to the friend of God. Instead, he was a friend of this world. He had it all…success, family, friends…the problem however, was that he left God out of his life.

The lesson for us tonight isn't hard to understand. We must keep our heart right with God. We cannot allow the lure of this world to blind us to the truth of God's Word. Years after this event, God used the apostle Paul to write, "Whatsoever a man soweth... That shall he also reap!"