Intro:
Last week we finished our Series Are You Concerned About The Future Matt
24
A)Where Jesus told His disciples of events that would be happening on the earth Prior to His Return
B) The series was an
indicator to us that we are living in the Latter days
1) The things that Jesus described would be
taking place in those days are happening now w/ a Frequency & Intensity
never seen before mans history
C) Tonight is kind of a Bonus Study You see in the passage that we just read we are told an interesting thing concerning the Last days
1) { Like the days of Noah / Like the days of Lot
Noah
& Lot are both good examples of last days believers both men lived at a
time & in a place that received severe Judgment from God
A)Noah lived in a world that had grown so wicked that God declared that it would be destroyed by a flood
B) And LOT lived in a city that had become so perverse that God decided to destroy it by FIRE !!!
C) These Two men that
were last days believers living in the last days before the judgment of God
came upon their cultures
1)
Both were saved / both
were described as JUST MEN - but that is where the comparisons end
C)
See Noah is listed in the Hall of faith Heb.
11 mentioned w/ that group that had faith
in the Lord & did great exploits for the Lord
1)
Lot was given no such
Honor
D) Tonight I want to do
a contrast between Noah & Lot see what was different about these two men One
in the Hall of faith Much fruit
1)
The other described as
a Saved Soul but a wasted life / no fruit
First lets
look at NOAH Gen. 6
A) Scene described in
v. 5-7 5Then the LORD saw that
the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And the LORD was
sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7So
the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the
earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry
that I have made them.
B) And then we read - 8But Noah found grace in
the eyes of the LORD.
C) Noah was ALSO a sinner
& Wages
of sin is death
1) So Noah deserved to die like the rest of the world
But Noah found grace in
the eyes of the Lord
I love
that phrase when the rest of the world turned their backs on the Lord &
wandered FAR from the Lord
A)Noah turned to the Lord & found GRACE IN HIS EYES
MH. God looks down upon those with an eye of
favour, who sincerely look up to him with an eye of faith.
B)
Grace is Unmerited / Undeserved favor -
God looks favorably upon your life even though you dont deserve it .
1) So the first thing we want to note about Noah is that He was a recipient of the grace of God
C) Next lets see the Result of having received that Grace
3 things Heb. 11:7
1st
is that Noah Walked by faith believing in the word of God
A) God came to Noah & gave him a promise
I am going to flood the earth /
water will come down from the sky & cover the earth .
B) Noah live in a time when
there was a water canopy that covered the earth / it had never rained before
But Noah didn't question God how happened
C) Noah's attitude was one that I believe we should have/ one
of " God said it I believe it & that
settles it!
1)
Although Noah had
never seen rain he believed in the word of God & acted accordingly
D) He was living his
life for an event that was to happen in the future
1)
His life was marked
His faith in the word of God that this event that would NOT take place for
120 yrs was a reality
Application
for us Jesus has given us a Promise JN 14 Going to my fathers house to prepare a place for you return receive
you to myself
A)We need to believe that word & act accordingly Our lives / our priorities /our choices need to be marked by the reality of that event
B)
It was said of the early Church They were not looking for a cleft in the ground, called the
grave, but a clearing in the sky called glory! They were not watching for the undertaker but the upper taker!
J.S. When we are
consumed w/ the reality of Heaven, Christ is free to Consume us on earth. When
we realize that our final gain is there & then, we are free to live for Him
here & now. When heaven is the
transcendent target of our living then we indeed have the best of both
worlds: Christ HERE and Gain there.
CS Lewis Aim at heaven & you will get earth thrown in too, Aim at
earth & you will get neither
2nd
He moved w/ Godly fear
A)The Bible declares that the fear of the Lord is the Beg.
Of wisdom / but it also tells us that THE
FEAR OF MAN IS A SNARE.
B) FEAR OF GOD means Utter dread of doing anything that would displease Him.
C) In
any given situation we are going to be led & motivated by one of 2 things
Fear of MAN / Fear of GOD.
1)
Going
to ask what do you think Lord -or what are they going
to think
D)
If you are worrying about what People think it will snare you / it will trip
you up it will knock you down./ God thinks = strength
Noah moved w/ godly fear so he wasnt worried about what
People thought of Him
A)Noah went against the
grain / He swam against the tide he lived in the mist of a wicked &
perverse Generation but he loved God
B)
In a time when it was not popular to believe in God / walk w/ God / to stand
for the Lord NOAH WAS FAITHFUL
C)
It is easy to be a Christian when Christianity
is in fashion; but it is an evidence of
strong faith and resolution to swim against the stream
Story of Danny neat
Christian boy in the 7th grade at a public middle school. Great kid
Bible to school- desk -
A)1st day Science teacher who was an
ATHIEST made a statement by the end of semester
Prove Evolution right
B)All semester long went
for it pressure make these little stabs & Danny for being a Christian carrying his bible
1)
Danny
hung in there didnt budge or give into the pressure - finally last day the semester - ULTIMATE TEST THE EGG
A)
Ok Sir PRAY OUT LOUD Break into 1000
pieces & pray that my teacher drops dead!!!!!
1) TEACHER Looked at Danny
EGG
AGAIN / Class dismissed
B) Danny like Noah moved w/ Godly fear Fear of the Lord strength instead of the fear of man being a snare
3rd Turn 2Pet.2:5 Noah was a preacher of Righteousness! We are to be preachers
too!
1Pet.3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,
and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you,
with meekness and fear;
A)The world is falling apart
around us but we have Hope ! Why?
we
Know the Lord / Future holds
...... know who holds the future !
B) Noah preached for 120 yrs / crazy
Noah / Kept on working
kept
on preaching ! How many converts in 120
yrs? Seven!
1) May we be as faithful to share the Lord in
this day!
C) So Noah is listed in the hall of faith He has
a glorious entrance
Now lets
consider Lot who is not listed in the
Hall of faith/ In fact Lots
epitaph could read : Saved Soul but a Wasted life
A)Now Lot ALSO found grace in the eyes of
the Lord In Gen. 12:5 Abe leaves Ur that wicked city told take his wife /
but also took Lot
1) And Lot was blessed because of Abe that was grace
C) Like Abe Lot Believed in Jehovah God for that
reason he is referred to in 2 Peter as Just Lot / Righteous man read v.7,8
again
1) He had faith in the Lord but
that was about as far as it went
D) Abe was called the friend of God but Lot had
no such title
1) Abe like Noah walked w/ God but Lot radically
back slid Lets consider the steps to Lots Backsliding
1st He was
attracted to the world Gen.13:10
A)Conflict w/ Abe & Lots servants
time to separate Abe I will go one way you can go the other Abe lets LOT choose !!!
10And Lot lifted his
eyes and 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
Zoar.
B) Notice that phrase
it was like
.of EGYPT Egypt = the
world
1)
Egypt at the time was
THEE PLACE - Capital of all Wealth
Luxury Power & Perversion { great Place raising Cattle / not Kids
C) Listen close: Lots Problem began when he went w/
Abe down to Egypt /Gen 12 Famine Abe says lets go to Egypt { Realized a
Mistake Soon left
1)
Although Lot left
Egypt Egypt never left Lot{Didnt Crave Ur
D) In Lots heart a Seed was planted for the things
of the world a Craving was birthed that would only grow over time & would
lead to his Demise
Many believers today are following
in Lots Sandals There in their hearts a seed has been planted for the World
A)They begin to water that seed / they allow it to take root thru Secret Fantasies & little compromises / Secret Fantasies turn into secret sins
B) A little glance at some Porn on the Internet / a drink / start listening to Secular music again/ they Rationalize not a big deal
1)
Suddenly the Life that
they once left behind is starring at them in
the rear view Mirror looking more Appealing than ever !!!!
C) That Craving for the things of the World begins to
overtake any longing and desire that they have for the Lord & the things of
the Lord
Seen Young people brought up in
Christian homes do the same thing/ it starts w/ this Curiosity sense I am
missing out on something
A)That seed is planted in a movie / Mag / Music / a friend /
B) They start craving to
experience a little bit more of the world failing to realize that their Flesh
is drawn toward those things
1) Seen Christian Young men & women fall big time & it all started w/ a giving over to the fleshly appetites
C)
We are in a battle we World
/ Flesh / Devil Devices appeals to the Lust of the flesh / Lust eyes /
pride of life to entice us /
1)
Plant that seed
Hoping to get that Craving Started but we
need to dig it up & cast it out Pursuing the things of the Lord
D) Flee youthful lust By Pursuing righteousness
pure heart
1)
Make yourself
Accountable
E) Question: Are nursing in your heart a Craving a
curiosity for the things of the World Watch
what happens to LOT
2nd v.12 Lot Pitched his tent
toward Sodom
A)It was bad enough that Lot wanted to live on the plains near the city but he faced his tent so he could see the city lights
B) He would look w/ longing eyes upon
that wicked city
1) Everyday that Lot looked at that wicked city his desire for heaven
got smaller & smaller { Craving for the World Grew Bigger & bigger
C) Which direction is
your tent facing today What has your view { Here or Heaven { If raised Seek
those things which are above
.not here on earth
1)
Many believers are so
earthly minded they are no heavenly good
D)Caught up in a
mentality that is Primarily Temporal
Satisfaction oriented
They want to be happy / Healthy / wealthy here
1)
That was the mistake
Lot made when he pitched his tent toward Sodom
That move led to a progression deeper sin
3rd Lot moves into the city Ch. 14:12
A)Ch. 14 Describes when these foreign kings raided the cities of the plain and took their people captive
B) Note v.12 They also took Lot, Abrams brothers son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
C) Lot goes from being on the outskirts to living inside this wicked city
1)
More Convenient
closer to the grocery store / restaurants / Theaters
D)We will save on travel
cost if we are not going in there all the time
1)
it is always that way
w/ sin Progression / gets deeper / darker/ more Perverse over time Because
the Flesh cannot be Satisfied
E) People find
themselves in bondage doing things that they never thought that they would do {
Like an Addiction they cant get over
At
this point Lot is on the verge of being totally sucked in / God gives Him a
Wake up call but Lot ignores it
A)The kings come in & besiege the city Lot & his family are taken plus all of their goods
B)4th
thing At
that point Lot should have realized that he was in the wrong place / but it
didnt even enter his mind
1)
Listen the Bible
teaches that whom the Lord loves he chastens
E) The Lord loves you enough that when you are fooling
around in sin / He will allow you to suffer for it WAKE YOU UP
1) Sermon / confrontation/ Tragedy
Lot is
rescued does - he leaves does he wake up No goes deeper
A)Ch.19 Sitting in the gate LEADER
NOW that is where the Judges
were Lot is now in a place of Judging SITTING
IN THE GATES
Now lets consider the Dreadful Result of Lots
Backsliding 2 Pet 2
1st He was miserable : 2 Peter 2 :7,8
Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct
of the wicked 8(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his
righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)
A) OPPRESSED = TO WEAR DOWN W/ TOIL
1) Lot goes to Sodom hoping to be refreshed
to be blessed w/ abundance the riches & pleasures of the World leaves
him Worn down
B) Tormented his soul- from day to day He was
tormented
C) Here is the thing
that I want you to Note Lot lived oppressed & tormented by the sin of
Sodom / but it was his own
fault
1)
He didnt have to live
in that place He was Miserable
D) That is the case w/ those who try to live for this world
Never be satisfied / always empty
E) Also the Plight of those who try to live w/ one
foot in world
..Lord
1) MISERABLE WAY TO LIVE !/ They have Too much of the Lord to really enjoy the
world / but too much of the world to really enjoy the Lord
2nd Lot had no impact on that city
Gen. 18
A)Abe intercedes 50 righteous / 45 / 40/ 30/ 20/ 10/
B) Stops at 10 lets see there is Lot Mrs. Lot / there is Lots two married daughters / their two husbands - / Lots 2 virgin daughters
1)So there
are 8 people / Surely Lot has lead 2 people to the Lord in that city
C) But the fact of the
Matter is that Lot hadnt even led his son in laws to the Lord
1)
All of the yrs there
Lot hadnt had an impact on Sodom / but Sodom
had made an impact on his family
D) So
that when the city was finally destroyed Lot goes to get his 2 daughters and
their husbands they laugh at Him
1) Lot's wife looks back - Only Lot & His two younger daughters survive Tragic Story
What
is true of Lot can be true of us if we try to live w/ one foot in the world
& one foot in the Lord/ Never deal
w/ that Craving
A)First need to Repent Change your mind see that sin for what it is Against God
B) 2nd Get
Accountability Another Brother or sister who can say How is it going
1) 3rd Instead of flirting w/ the World
Start Pursuing after the Lord w/ all of your heart
Lots
story is a tragic story - Yes called righteous Lot He believed in the Lord
A) But He didnt walk w/ the Lord as he should have & as he could have
B) RESULT : Saved Soul but a wasted life
C)
Now some people might say SO WHAT at least He made it to heaven / seem like he got the best
of both worlds not really
1)
Remember Miserable
oppressed & tormented Life Instead of the Abundant life the Lord had for
him-
D) Plus NO FRUIT = NO
REWARD
1)
Might not care now /
but you will care then
E) NOAH OR LOT which
do you prefer? !!!!!!