Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Why Abraham Stopped Praying at 10 People - 10/21/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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Why Abraham Stopped Praying at 10 People - 10/21/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
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today. If you enjoy today's message, be
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sure to subscribe, follow, and share
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with your friends. Now, let's join
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Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
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God.
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All right, take God's word tonight. If
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you will turn with me to the book of
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Genesis again, chapter number 18. And
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we'll continue again here in the life of
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Abraham. And I have enjoyed this study.
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Hope it's been beneficial to you. It has
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been to me. And somebody told me one
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time, if it don't help you, it probably
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ain't going to help nobody else. So my
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hope is that you've got some help out of
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this. I've enjoyed uh this study. And
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tonight I'm going to look at try to look
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at the remainder of this chapter. Um, I
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don't want to labor uh the entire
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chapter, but what I do want to do
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tonight is hit some of the highlights if
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I could uh out of this text. We're we're
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familiar with this text. Many times we
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think of Abraham um most time what our
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mind comes to is his intercessory prayer
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um for Lot in this chapter or we think
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about him and Isaac uh on Mount Mariah.
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And we're going to talk about this text
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tonight concerning his intercession. Uh,
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but I do want to deal with some things
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maybe we're less familiar with out of
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this text. I want to try to answer the
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question tonight if I could. Uh, why
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Abraham stopped praying at 10 people.
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That's been a question down through uh,
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the centuries. But I believe there's a
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scriptural answer for that. The Lord's
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kind of showed me that. And like I said,
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I don't know, I'm not going to say
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dogmatic that this is the only way to
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look at it, but I do believe um, it's
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pointed out pretty clearly uh, in the
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text. So let's read verse number 16 and
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we'll read just a couple of verses and
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then we'll pray again and ask the Lord
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uh to help us. Genesis 18:1 16 uh the
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Bible says, "And the men rose up from
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then looked toward Sodom and Abraham
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went with them to bring them on the way.
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And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from
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Abraham that thing which I do, seeing
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that Abraham shall surely become a great
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and mighty nation, and all the nations
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of the earth shall be blessed in him.
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For I know him, that he will command his
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children, and his household after him,
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and they shall keep the way of the Lord
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to do justice and judgment, that the
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Lord may bring upon Abraham that which
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he hath spoken of him." And the Lord
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said, because the cry of Sodom and
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Gomorrah is great, because their sin is
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very grievious, I will go down now and
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see whether they have done all together
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according to the cry of it which has
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come unto me. And if not, notice this
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statement, I will know. And the men
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turned their faces from then, and went
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toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet
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before the Lord. Father, I ask once more
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tonight, Lord, that you would help us.
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Uh God, I thank you for another
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appointment that you've given us in the
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word of God. Uh Lord, to share with
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these precious people. Help us, God,
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tonight to receive it with meekness and
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gladness tonight. Lord, you told us uh
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Lord in the book of Joshua that the
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people said amen to the blessings and
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the cursings. God, I pray uh Father for
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the delightful truths tonight that we
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would say amen uh to those, but God for
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the truths, Lord, that are most damning
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in all of our lives. I pray that we
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would as well have to say amen tonight
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to the truth. Help us to be obedient uh
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in every part of the text. God, help us
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to do uh what you have called us to do.
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Lord, help us to uh submit ourselves to
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the word of God and be changed for the
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better thereby. And Lord, we ask all
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this in Jesus' name. Amen. Genesis 18:E
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16 begins the new division in this
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chapter. It ends there in verse number
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15 concerning uh Sarah and the son is
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mentioned here in the first part of the
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chapter. But then we deal with the last
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portion of this text uh with the
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sovereign and the servant. The last
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portion of this chapter deals with our
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Lord speaking to Abraham directly in
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this text. And it's mentioned in verse
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number 16. You see the Bible says, "And
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the men rose up from then." Now, uh just
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to remind you where we are in the text,
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those men that are mentioned are the
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three that are pointed out in verse
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number two. When the Bible says that
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Abraham lift up his eyes and looked and
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lo, three men stood by him. And by
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process of elimination and the cross
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references tonight, we realize that two
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of these men are angelic beings. And one
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of these is uh the pre-incarnic
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appearing or a theophony, an image of
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the Lord Jesus Christ here in the text.
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And the Bible says in verse 16 that the
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men rose up from then. And by way of
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introduction tonight, I want you to see
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the appointment that is mentioned here
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in the text. The Bible says that the men
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rose up from then. So their primary goal
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was not a communion with Abraham in this
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text, but they have come to bring
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judgment. We know that's what's going to
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transpire in chapter number 19. They've
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rose up from then. And you say, "How do
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you know that's an appointment?" Well,
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notice their uh look in verse 16. And
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the men rose up from then and did what?
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and they looked toward Sodom. So their
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divine appointment is judgment in this
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text. Now Abraham has received a
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blessing out of this fellowship. And we
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notice that further on in this text, not
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only you see the appointment, but you
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also see the accompaniment that's
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mentioned in verse 16. It says that they
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looked towards Sodom and Abraham went
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with them to bring them on the way. And
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so Abraham journeys with them in the
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text to uh this mountain they're going
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to come to. and look off and behold the
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plain there in Sodom, the plain of
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Jordan where Lot dwelt. And I want to
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give you three things in this chapter
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tonight. We'll look first of all uh at
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the sanctified servant here in the text.
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We'll look second of all at the sin of
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Sodom. And then we will notice the
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servant's supplication here in this
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chapter. Now Abraham here is journeying
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with them to come to this place where
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they're going to stand here in the text
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and view off the side of this mountain.
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Verse number 22, the Bible says that the
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men turned their faces from then and
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went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet
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before the Lord. And so these two men
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here in the text as it implies chapter
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19 that two angels come to Sodom at
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evening time in verse number one, the
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Lord is left here to stand with Abraham.
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But it's interesting to me in the text
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the conjecture that is given in verse
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number 17 when the Lord says, "Shall I
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hide from Abraham that thing which I
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do?" And he's going to describe here in
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this text as John Butler put it. He's
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going to describe here how that Abraham
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is publicly qualified or cleared to hear
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um this uh illustration or actually not
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the illustration but the impending
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judgment that is going to transpire on
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the nation of Sodom. Not only is he
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publicly cleared in verse 18, but he is
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privately cleared in verse number 19.
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And I want to say this about that
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tonight. This is perspective. When you
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notice in the text, he says in verse 19,
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"For I know him." And then notice the
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next three words that he will. What does
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that describe? Well, that describes the
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fornowledge of God. God in this text, he
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begins this verse with this conjecture.
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He says, "Shall I hide from Abraham that
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thing which I do?" Well, God knows
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everything, doesn't he? Why is he having
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this conjecture? Well, this conjecture
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in this verse is not so much for God as
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it is for you and I. You say, "What do
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you mean?" Well, the illustration is
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here that Abraham has been noted for his
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obedience and righteousness in this
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chapter. And I wrote this down in the
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fly leaf of my Bible. You see, the
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righteous are made keenly aware of the
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events of God's judgment. You say, "What
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do you mean?" Well, the truth is the
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righteous people, Christian people, know
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more about what's going on in the world
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than anybody else does. Say, "How is
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that?" Well, if if you're studying your
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Bible and you know your Bible, you know
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more than what tomorrow's news headline
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does.
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>> And I want to say this, not just in the
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grand scheme of things. We know what the
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end is going to be. We know how it's
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going to come, all of that. But we also
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have this thing called discernment,
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which we say is a spiritual gift, but
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sometimes it feels like a spiritual
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curse. Amen. And we're able to see the
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judgment of God upon people's lives. We
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are aware of that. God allows us to look
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into that. And God says in verse 17,
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"Shall I hide from Abraham that thing
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which I do." Notice there the colon.
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Verse number 18, seeing that Abraham
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will shall surely become a great and
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mighty nation and all the nations of the
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earth shall be blessed in him. So he is
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giving this conjecture not for us to
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question God and saying, "Does God have
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to decide?" No, he's already decided
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what he's going to do. He is bringing it
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over into our arena to show us to prove
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to us who Abraham is in the text. He
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proves Abraham's future in verse number
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18 when he says he shall surely become a
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great and mighty nation. God says it's
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surely going to come to pass. And he is
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referring to his future status. Not only
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there in the text the status but the
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future savior is mentioned a he shall
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become a great and mighty nation and all
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the nations of the earth shall be
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blessed in him. And he's saying because
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Abraham is the progenitor of Israel, of
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God's people, he has a right to know
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what I'm going to do to the city where
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his nephew's dwelling. I want to say
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this, God gave Abraham a look at
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judgment in this text. What's
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interesting to me in these verses is is
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that God is telling us how Abraham is
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going to live his life. what's going to
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happen in his life, not only in his
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life, but in his children's life all the
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way through the Bible in this one verse.
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Say, "What do you mean?" Well, he says,
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"He shall surely become a great mighty
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nation." And he and all the nations of
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the earth shall be blessed in him. So
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God is prophesying and the assurance of
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that prophecy is that Abraham truly is
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the servant of God. Verse number 19,
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notice this. You say, "Preacher, I just
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don't I don't know that God is is
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pointing that out for that reason."
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Well, what's the first four words of
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verse 19? Somebody say them to me.
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>> For I know him. Now, I didn't take time
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to look this up, but there's no other
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statement in the word of God that I find
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that fits anybody else than it does
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Abraham in this text. You say, "What do
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you mean?" Well, God is expressing to us
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here in this text and this is written
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down divinely inspired that God says
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number one he he has spoken of Abraham's
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future in verse number 18. But here he
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speaks of his faith. Look what he says.
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For I know him that he will command his
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children and his household after him. So
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Abraham is going to be obedient to the
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command of God. Notice how it's spoken
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of in verse 19. This is his service. He
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will command his children. There will be
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proper authority in his home and his
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household after him. And not only his
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only him would be righteous and be
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obedient, but the Bible says, "And they
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shall keep the way of the Lord." He will
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command and they shall keep. Don't miss
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that. That's the operation of our
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families in this day and time. It is the
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father, the dad, the husband that is the
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one who is to command. It's not a
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suggestion. He is the one that is to
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make the commands that are in the home.
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And those commands are meant to be kept
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by the wife and the children in that
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home. And the Bible says in verse 19
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that they shall keep the way of the Lord
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to do justice and judgment. And what
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does that determine? Verse, notice it
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again, verse number 19, to do justice
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and judgment that the Lord may bring
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upon Abraham that which he hath spoken
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of him. So, not only here in the text is
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there his faith in his service to the
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Lord that's expressed in the future
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tense there. He is showing that Abraham
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is going to be obedient in the future.
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But he's also saying that Abraham's
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obedience is going to be fruitful in his
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life. There's the fulfillment in verse
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19 that the Lord may bring upon Abraham
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that which he has spoken of him. Now, I
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want to say this tonight. There are
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parts of his the Abrahamic covenant we
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agree tonight that are unconditional. We
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know that God made that promise and that
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promise cannot be changed regardless of
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what Abraham did. But wouldn't you agree
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tonight that Abraham received and
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experienced extra blessings because of
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his obedience? It's kind of like this
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tonight. Our salvation when you got
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saved, you're on your way to heaven. But
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the truth is, you'll never enjoy the
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fullness of the Christian life on this
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side until you are completely obedient.
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And what is God saying? God is saying,
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"I know that he's going to be obedient."
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Let me ask you something. Could God say
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in your life by what you have made up
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your mind to do right now that you're
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going to be obedient in the future? You
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know what determines tomorrow? Today.
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>> Can God look at your life where you are
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right now and say from this point on
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Abraham's going to do exactly what I
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tell him to do. What is God? Are you
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going to do what God tells you to do?
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Now, we know Abraham fails after this,
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but he is saying the structure in his
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home. He says, "I know that he will
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command his children and I know not only
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that he's going to command his children,
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but his children are going to keep the
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sayings of of their father and that the
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Lord is going to bring a blessing upon
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them." And so God here is re is is
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revealing to us that Abraham is cleared
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for this revelation. Now, I want to say
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this, God doesn't just reveal anything
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to anybody.
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>> And uh I've I've had some people
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question me about things. I you know
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they ask me things you know I've had
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people ask me you know what do you if
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and and they'll get personal they'll say
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something like this you know in my life
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right now you know you see where I'm
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living at you see what I'm doing what do
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you what do you see in my future as far
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as the Lord is concerned and a lot of
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times they don't like what I have to say
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and this is what they'll say well the
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Lord ain't told me that well here's the
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thing about that okay I'm their pastor
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>> all right and the Lord's going to let me
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see things
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>> that maybe they don't
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>> maybe they don't see.
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>> That's right.
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>> Now, that's hard to swallow. And the
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truth is, I realize my age. I realize
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every bit of that. And there's been
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that's been a stumbling block to people.
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But the truth is tonight, the position's
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the same.
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>> Amen.
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>> When God gives his servant that that
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authority, and it's from God, there are
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pastors that don't have God-given
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authority. And there and you see their
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their their churches, they're sheepfold
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that's scattered abroad. Amen. But the
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truth is, when that illustration is
15:03
given, you got to understand something.
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That insight is given to somebody who's
15:06
put the time into.
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>> Amen.
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>> Because here's the thing about it. It
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ain't just for the pastor. You can have
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it as well. Cuz let me say this. God
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wants you to know everything that I can
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see about your life.
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>> He just doesn't want you to know it
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about everybody else.
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>> And and this is what you know people
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say, "Well, preacher, you see what
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they're doing. No, I see what you're
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doing."
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>> Amen. And here's the thing about it.
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Where that comes back to is is Abraham
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was responsible in this text for his
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family. And God deemed him, listen to
15:35
this now, God deemed him worthy of this
15:37
information. All right? Now, let me give
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you this.
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If God had not told Abraham in this text
15:43
that he was going to destroy Sodom, who
15:45
would have known why God destroyed him?
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You think about the fact that scripture
15:52
here reveals to us that this moment of
15:54
communion with Abraham, it reveals the
15:57
purpose to us of why God destroyed
15:59
Sodom. Now, we know that they were
16:01
exceedingly exceedingly wicked. But who
16:03
would have known that if God hadn't told
16:05
Abraham?
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>> Lot goes out of there and and basically
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dies in his sin. Lot wouldn't have
16:10
recorded it. So, Abraham is the only
16:13
record. You know how this was passed
16:15
down? It was passed down from Abraham to
16:17
Isaac and then from Isaac to Jacob. And
16:20
you know what? From Jacob, it went
16:21
through that family all the way through
16:23
Pharaoh's period with Joseph and it made
16:25
it to Moses who wrote it down in this
16:27
text.
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>> We wouldn't know why Sodom was burned up
16:30
if God hadn't told Abraham this.
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>> You say, "What is the point?" I'm saying
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God may be letting you in on some
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things.
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And it may be years down the road. It
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may be hundreds of years down the road
16:42
before it comes out. Why? And here's the
16:44
truth about it. Abraham couldn't go home
16:47
and tell Sarah everything that was going
16:49
to happen and you know h happen and then
16:51
watch it come to pass you know and then
16:53
they all be scratching her head you see
16:55
the truth comes out how many years later
16:57
is that generation after generation
16:59
after generation we see things now when
17:02
we look back and there's a lot of
17:04
difference we we could talk about the
17:05
Holocaust that's one of the most I
17:07
premier examples I guess there are
17:09
things that we see in that now purposes
17:12
behind the scene in that now that they
17:14
didn't know about when it was happening.
17:18
It's like the time reveals the truth
17:21
behind the situation. But I want to say
17:24
this, we have the scripture to prove
17:25
that verse 18 and verse 19 came to pass
17:28
in Abraham's life. Matter of fact, we
17:31
have the New Testament where the Apostle
17:33
Paul wrote about Abraham in Romans
17:35
chapter 4 about his faith, how it was
17:36
fulfilled in his life. He was truly the
17:41
sanctified servant. Moving on quickly
17:43
tonight. Notice second of all the sin of
17:46
Sodom that's mentioned. So the Lord
17:48
tells us, he said in verse 17, "Shall I
17:50
hide from Abraham that thing which I
17:52
do?" Verse 20, out of this statement
17:54
here, he has proved that Abraham is a
17:57
worthy recipient of this information.
17:59
And I ask you the question again, can
18:02
you be trusted with information like
18:04
this? You say, "What do you mean?" Well,
18:06
and and I don't know why I'm coming back
18:07
to this, but I'm going to come back to
18:09
this anyway. You can't use information
18:11
like this for your own personal gain.
18:15
>> We're guilty of that sometimes in the
18:17
flesh. We like to be able to say, "This
18:20
is what's going to happen." And then 10,
18:21
15 years down the road, it happens. And
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then we like to say, "Well, I told you
18:25
so."
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>> But you know what? That's not of God.
18:29
>> God's the only one that gets to say that
18:31
kind of stuff.
18:32
>> And in this text here, Abraham's not
18:34
going to be that way. You say, "What
18:36
happens?" Well, I I give you this. All
18:38
right. I made the statement, "The
18:40
righteous are made keenly aware of the
18:42
events of God's judgment." And I didn't
18:44
read the rest of the statement. The
18:46
second part of that statement is that
18:48
they may intercede.
18:50
It's not that you might intervene. You
18:52
see, Abraham's done intervened in Lot's
18:54
life one time. What did he do? Well,
18:56
when Lot got took away, you know what he
18:58
did? He went and fought because that's
18:59
what God instructed him to do. But God
19:02
has told him in this text that judgment
19:03
is coming. You say, "What's the
19:05
difference?" Well, it was a fleshly war
19:07
the first time that Lot got involved in.
19:09
God says,"Abraham, you need to go
19:11
deliver him from that." But this time,
19:13
God's going to judge a people. And so,
19:15
you know what? Abraham can't do anything
19:17
about that. All he can do is not
19:19
intervene, but he has to intercede.
19:21
Some, some of you tonight are in a place
19:23
where you can't intervene anymore.
19:28
>> You have to intercede and allow him to
19:32
intervene. Notice this. All right. Verse
19:34
20. And the Lord said, because the cry
19:36
of Sodom and Gomorra is great, because
19:38
their sin is very grievious, I will go
19:40
down now and see whether they have done
19:42
altogether according to the cry of it
19:44
which is come unto me, and if not, I
19:46
will know. All right. Now, when we think
19:48
about Sodom, what is the sin that
19:50
everybody says Sodom is known for? It's
19:53
homosexuality.
19:55
And I would agree with you tonight if
19:57
you were to say that that is the most
19:59
grievous thing about Sodom's sin. But
20:02
you see, scripture tells us that's not
20:04
the only problem with Solomon.
20:06
>> So, what do you mean? Well, notice with
20:07
me the book of Ezekiel, chapter number
20:10
16. The Lord is speaking through the
20:13
prophet in Ezekiel 16 and verse number
20:16
49. He is speaking to the nation of
20:18
Israel in the text and he is rebuking
20:20
them for their fornication, for their
20:23
spiritual adultery against the Lord. He
20:26
compares Sodom and Samaria as the
20:29
sisters of Jerusalem. Verse 47 of
20:32
Ezekiel 16. Yet hast thou not walked
20:35
after their ways, nor done after their
20:37
abominations, but as if thou werest
20:40
corrupted more than they in all thy
20:42
ways. Verse 48. As I live, sayaith the
20:44
Lord God, Sodom, thy sister hath not
20:47
done, she nor her daughters, as thou
20:49
hast done. It's a pretty strong
20:51
statement, isn't it? Thou and thy
20:53
daughters. Verse 49. Here's the
20:55
description of Sodom's sin. Behold, this
20:59
was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom.
21:01
What's that first one?
21:03
>> Pride. Fullness of bread. An abundance
21:06
of idleness was in her and her
21:09
daughters. Neither did she strengthen
21:11
the hand of the poor and needy. Notice
21:13
verse 50. This is listed last. And they
21:16
were haughty and committed abomination
21:18
before me. Therefore, I took them away
21:21
as I saw good. That is a scriptural
21:24
account of the sin of Sodomy. It's a lot
21:28
like the description of the children of
21:29
Israel in Exodus 32 when the Bible says
21:32
Moses was in the mouth says they they
21:34
they rose they they sat down to eat and
21:36
they did what? They rose up to play. All
21:38
that Sodom did was live in the lentuous
21:41
lust that they were engulfed in. And so
21:44
the fullness of their life was involved
21:46
in self-indulgence in every way.
21:49
Whatever pleasure could be presented to
21:51
them, they were a part of. And God says
21:54
this about their sin. Three things
21:55
quickly in verse number 20 of chapter
21:58
number 18. The Lord said, "Because the
22:00
cry of Sodom and Gomorra is great."
22:02
Number one, tonight I want you to notice
22:04
the sound of the sin that was in Sodom.
22:06
You say, "What do you mean?" Notice that
22:08
word cry.
22:10
Notice that in the text, the cry of
22:12
Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Now that
22:15
word cry, it translates to the word uh
22:18
in the Hebrew, it translates to a
22:20
shriek. And it and that shriek, that
22:22
Hebrew word is in the feminine. So the
22:25
illustration is of a female woman that
22:27
is screaming. You say, "What does that
22:30
mean?" Well, you think about what
22:31
literally is going on in Sodom and
22:34
Gomorrah. I'm not trying to be crude
22:35
tonight, but it probably sounded like
22:38
that, didn't say. So, what do you mean?
22:40
Well, it was homosexuality
22:43
and and you you can I can promise you
22:45
where there's homosexuality, there's
22:47
plenty of sexual assault. There's
22:49
battery. There's all other types of
22:52
sexual sin. Anything that you can
22:54
imagine was going on there. And I want
22:56
to tell you who was the loudest about
22:58
it. It was the women.
23:01
They were the ones that were suffering.
23:03
Because you notice chapter 19, preacher,
23:05
I don't believe that. Well, notice
23:06
chapter 19. Chapter number 19. Verse
23:11
number four.
23:12
The angels have come to Lot's house
23:15
before the men laid down. What does that
23:17
verse four say? But but before they lay
23:19
down the what? The men of the city. You
23:23
see the wickedness was on the men's
23:26
part. The description of the last days
23:28
that last days perilous time shall come
23:31
and men shall be lovers of their own
23:33
selves. It's a description of the
23:36
manhood.
23:37
The women were destroyed for a lack of a
23:41
better way to put it. They had been
23:42
left. They had been ravaged.
23:46
Destroyed. There's also another way that
23:49
you can look at this. That word cry.
23:51
It's not translated the same way, but
23:53
it's it's it's given in chapter number
23:57
four of Genesis
24:00
verse number
24:02
10. Cain kills Abel. God says or he
24:07
verse 9 where the Lord said unto Cain
24:08
where is Abel thy brother he said I know
24:11
not am I brother's keeper verse 10 and
24:13
he said what has thou done the voice of
24:15
thy brother's blood crith unto me from
24:18
the ground it's speaking of the the the
24:20
wickedness of this sin it's it's a
24:23
vehement sin James called it he Paul the
24:26
writer James described it as a
24:28
superfluity that's a excess you notice
24:31
how it's mentioned in the text the sound
24:33
of this sin It says the cry of Sodom and
24:36
Gomorra is great and because their sin,
24:38
notice this descriptive terminology
24:40
here, very grievous. Not only the sound
24:43
of their sin, but the size of their sin.
24:46
So, what do you mean? Well, that word
24:48
very means exceeding
24:50
or in super abundant, super fluidity.
24:53
And then grievious means heavy or
24:56
burdensome. It speaks of something
24:58
that's large in size. God's looking at
25:01
their sin and he says it's very
25:03
grievous. It's large. You ever seen sin
25:06
get big in somebody's life?
25:09
>> We describe I've described it that way.
25:11
Boy, they you know we say they're deep
25:13
in sin. You know how you get deep in
25:15
sin? Sin gets big.
25:17
>> That's right.
25:18
>> Sin's big in Sodom. Matter of fact, it's
25:22
all they did. The description of Noah's
25:24
day was the thoughts and intents of
25:26
man's heart was what? only evil
25:28
continually. And God destroyed Sodom and
25:31
Gomorra by fire. He destroyed the world
25:33
by a flood, but he destroyed them by
25:34
fire. God was so greed with them that he
25:38
couldn't even tolerate the stench. The
25:41
size of the sin was so great. I was
25:43
thinking about this in my mind. You
25:45
realize Jesus died for their sin, too.
25:47
>> That's right.
25:48
>> Amen.
25:49
>> Said, "Preacher, didn't none of them get
25:51
saved?" You're right. They didn't. But
25:52
you know who paid for that sin?
25:54
>> Amen.
25:55
>> Jesus did.
25:57
because he has to bear all sin. That's a
26:00
side note, okay? But he has to bear all
26:02
sin to satisfy the father. The father
26:04
would not be satisfied with a partial
26:06
offering.
26:07
>> That's right.
26:10
>> Their sins be very grievious. The sound
26:13
of their sin, the size of their sin.
26:15
Notice the sight of their sin. Verse 21.
26:18
I will go down now, notice this, and see
26:21
whether they have done all together
26:22
according to the crowd of let me ask you
26:24
a real deep question. Could God see
26:26
their sin?
26:27
>> Of course he could. But notice what he
26:29
says in verse 21. He says, "I will go
26:32
down now and see whether they have done
26:33
alltogether according to the cry of it
26:35
which is come unto me." Notice this
26:37
statement. "And if not, I will know."
26:43
>> You say, "Preacher, what does that
26:44
mean?" Well, you know that word know in
26:46
the word of God is is not just a a
26:49
mental knowledge. That is an
26:52
experiential thing.
26:54
What happens in the next chapter? Well,
26:56
in these verses, what we read about
26:58
tonight is verse 22. The men turned
27:00
their faces from then. What does the
27:02
Bible say? And went toward Sodom. So,
27:06
they have been deputed to go down to
27:08
this city. He's heard the cry.
27:11
He hears the sound of the women. He sees
27:14
the size of their sin. But what does God
27:17
do in his grace and mercy? He gives them
27:19
one more chance.
27:21
>> And you know what he does? He sends two
27:22
angels. Notice chapter 19. And there
27:26
came two angels to Sodom and even. And
27:28
Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot seeing
27:31
them rose up to meet them. You see, Lot
27:33
recognizes them for who they are.
27:36
They're angels. And the Bible says in
27:38
verse number two, he tells them, you
27:41
know, um, come into our, come into my
27:44
house. Um, stay here tonight. They say,
27:46
well, no, we're going to stay out in the
27:48
street tonight. Have you ever wondered
27:50
why they said that?
27:53
We're we're going to abide in the street
27:55
tonight. Why' they say that? Do you
27:57
remember that statement that God made in
27:59
verse number 21? He said, I will go down
28:02
now and see whether they have done allto
28:03
together according to the cry that which
28:05
has come unto me. And if not, what's the
28:06
next three words again? I will know. He
28:11
sent those servants, those angels to see
28:14
how the people would treat him. Say,
28:17
what do you mean? And we'll notice it in
28:18
the text again. Verse three, he pressed
28:21
upon them greatly. Lot did. Verse four,
28:23
before they laid down, the men of the
28:25
city, even the men of Sodom, compass the
28:27
house round, both old and young, all the
28:29
people from every quarter. And they
28:31
called unto Lot, and said unto him,
28:32
Where are the men which came into thee
28:34
this night? Bring them out unto us that
28:37
we may know them. Now, we don't have to
28:39
read between the lines to know what
28:40
they're talking about.
28:43
You say, "What is that?" God give them
28:44
another chance. said, ' Preach, I don't
28:47
understand that.' Well, 2,000 years ago,
28:49
God gave the Jews another chance.
28:52
>> When Jesus came to the earth, and you
28:53
know what they did? They crucified him.
28:56
>> Yeah.
28:57
>> God was giving Sodom another chance. You
29:00
say, "What does that represent?" Well,
29:02
God says, "Look, I know what they've
29:04
done.
29:05
He already knew how they were going to
29:07
respond." But you know what he did? He
29:09
sent these men to say, "I have given
29:12
them chance and chance, and I have given
29:14
them a chance that they didn't even
29:15
deserve."
29:17
You think about Jesus. Why did he send
29:19
him? He's given us chance after chance
29:22
after chance. We didn't deserve another
29:24
chance.
29:25
>> But even Sodom and Gomorrah, as wicked
29:28
as they were, God says, "I'm going to
29:30
make sure about it before I wipe them
29:33
out." Do you realize that no sinner ever
29:35
goes to hell without God looking them
29:38
over very thoroughly?
29:40
>> That's right.
29:43
>> God's loving eyes reaches the heart of
29:45
every individual.
29:47
>> And the truth is that there's not a one
29:49
that passes into hell and gets there
29:52
without his care reaching them. Somehow
29:56
God looks at Sodom and says, "I'm going
29:58
to make sure before I do what I'm
30:00
deciding to do."
30:02
And then we notice this. I need to say
30:04
this and I'll be done. We know the
30:05
story. We see the sin of Sodom. The
30:09
sound, the size, the sight. Man, what
30:11
grievious a sight it must have been to
30:13
the Lord. I will go down now and see.
30:17
You know, I think about this in the
30:18
text. You know, the Lord didn't go
30:20
himself. So, what do you mean? Well, the
30:23
difference between this text and Christ
30:25
is the angel come. The angels go, but
30:27
Christ stays. You think about in the New
30:30
Testament, God comes. Jesus comes to the
30:33
earth. You can look and I I ain't I
30:36
ain't going to run that rabbit tonight,
30:38
but but here here we here we are. All
30:40
right. Verse 22. The men turned their
30:42
faces from thence, went towards Sodom,
30:44
but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
30:47
Abraham is still present. Now, I want to
30:49
say this. All right. If Abraham hadn't
30:51
decided to go with them, he would have
30:53
never had this opportunity.
30:55
You think about that. When they decided
30:57
they were going to leave in verse
30:58
number, what is it? Verse number 16, the
31:00
men rose up from thence, looked toward
31:02
Sodom, and Abraham went with them. He
31:04
could have stayed at home, but he goes
31:07
with them. And notice what opportunity
31:09
comes to him in this text. Sometimes you
31:11
just need to stay a little longer.
31:14
Somebody say amen right there.
31:16
>> In verse 23, and Abraham drew near and
31:20
said, Wilt thou also destroy the
31:21
righteous with the wicked? Three things
31:23
quickly in this text. What is Abraham
31:25
doing? Number one, he's pleading for
31:26
Lot.
31:28
He knows his nephew's there. He knows
31:30
he's in danger. He knows his life is is
31:33
fixing to be ended. If God does what he
31:36
says he's going to do, he is pleading
31:39
for Lot. Verse 23, he drew near and
31:41
said, "Wilt thou also destroy the
31:44
righteous with the wicked." But we also
31:46
see in this text his great He's pleading
31:49
for Lot with the Lord. He pleads for 50,
31:51
for 45, for 40, 30, 20, all the way down
31:55
to 10. And what does that express to us?
31:57
It expresses to us the great patience of
31:59
the Lord.
32:00
>> Amen.
32:01
>> Because God already knows what he's
32:04
going to do.
32:05
>> Abraham's trying to intercede. And the
32:08
truth is in our life, this is the re the
32:10
reason we come to the Lord and you
32:12
intercede, you ought to make sure before
32:14
you pray that intercessory prayer, you
32:16
need to say, "Lord, make sure don't let
32:19
me go beyond your will.
32:21
You you ought to put that in there
32:23
first. Lord, I'm not trying to overstep
32:25
you, but Lord, I I see this situation. I
32:28
know you know all things, but Lord, I I
32:30
want to intercede on their behalf, but
32:32
Lord, don't let me go further than I
32:35
than I need to go. And the Lord's
32:37
patient with him in this text. I want to
32:40
say this, Abraham's very passionate
32:42
about his plea for Lot in this text, but
32:44
I also see in this text, I see the
32:47
perception of this of this land by
32:50
Abraham in this text. You say, "What do
32:53
you mean?" Well, you you think about it
32:55
with me. He says in verse 23, "Wilt thou
32:57
also destroy the righteous with the
32:58
wicked?" God has already described to
33:01
him the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah in
33:03
this text in verse number 20 and 21. But
33:07
Abraham is is agreeing with that
33:09
perception. You say, "How is that?"
33:11
Well, he goes all the way down to 10 in
33:14
the text, verse number 32, and he said,
33:18
"Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I
33:20
will speak yet, but this ones, per
33:23
adventure, 10 shall be found there." And
33:25
he said, "I will not destroy it for 10's
33:29
sake." He said, "Preacher, what does
33:30
that reveal about his perception?"
33:32
Abraham knew they were totally depraved.
33:34
He knew there was nobody godly there. He
33:36
knew that there was no reason for God to
33:39
bring deliverance other than Lot. I want
33:42
to give you this. We've asked the
33:44
question for years, centuries that
33:46
people have asked the question, why did
33:47
Abraham stop at 10? You know, some have
33:50
said, well, God has a ratio of judgment,
33:53
how many people who are saved and
33:55
righteous versus how many are wicked?
33:57
And they've even said it in America.
33:58
I've probably said before preaching that
34:00
somewhere there's a line that gets
34:03
stepped across where God says, "All
34:04
right, I'm done."
34:07
Here's the thing about that.
34:10
I believe according to what chapter 19
34:13
says that the Lord would not destroy it
34:15
for just one.
34:16
>> That's right.
34:17
>> So, what do you mean? Well, the Bible
34:19
says in verse 32, he ends with 10. Per
34:22
adventure, 10 shall be found there. And
34:25
the Bible says in chapter 19 and verse
34:27
number 21, when Lot leaves, all right,
34:30
Lot has left Sodom, Lot has journeyed
34:32
out, his wife turns into a pillar of
34:34
salt because she looked back. She did
34:36
what God told her not to do. She looked
34:38
back, turns into a pillar of salt. So
34:40
Lot is left with two daughters in the
34:43
text. Notice verse 21.
34:46
The Bible says in verse number verse
34:49
number, let's let's look verse 17. You
34:51
need to see all of this. All right. The
34:53
Bible says, "And it came to pass when
34:54
they had brought them forth abroad, Lot
34:56
and his two daughters, that he said,
34:57
escape for thy life. Look not behind
35:00
thee, neither stay thou in all the
35:01
plain, escape to the mountain, lest thou
35:04
be consumed." And Lot said unto them,
35:06
"Oh, not so, my lord. Behold now, thy
35:09
servant hath found grace in thy sight,
35:11
and thou has magnified thy mercy which
35:13
thou showed unto me in saving my life,
35:15
and I cannot escape to the mountain,
35:17
lest some evil take me, and I die." Now,
35:20
how foolish is that? Notice verse 20.
35:23
Behold now, this city is near to flee
35:25
unto, and it is a little one. Oh, let me
35:28
escape thither. Is is it not a little
35:30
one? And my soul shall live. Notice
35:32
verse 21. And he said unto him, See, I
35:35
have accepted thee concerning this thing
35:37
also. Listen to this statement. That I
35:41
will not overthrow this city for the
35:44
which thou hast spoken.
35:47
You say, preacher, what does that mean?
35:49
Well, notice verse number 28. Abraham
35:52
got up early the next morning. God is
35:55
destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. He looked
35:58
towards Sodom Gomorra and toward all the
36:00
land of the plain. And behold, lo, the
36:01
smoke of the country went up as the
36:03
smoke of a furnace. Verse 29. And it
36:06
came to pass when God destroyed the
36:08
what? The cities of the plain that God
36:11
remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of
36:13
the midst of the overthrow when he
36:16
overthrew the cities in the which Lot
36:17
dwelt.
36:19
God didn't destroy Sodom and Gomorrah
36:22
until Lot was out.
36:25
God wouldn't have destroyed it if Lot
36:27
had been there
36:29
because he says chapter 19, there's a
36:31
city that Lot's going to that now he's
36:33
not going to destroy. Lot goes to the
36:36
border. Picture this with me. The cities
36:39
of the plain. He goes to the farthest
36:41
border of those cities, far as the way
36:43
he can get and still be in the flat
36:44
land. And he says, "I I'm one here. I'm
36:47
not going up the mountain. Not going up
36:50
there. Abraham lives in them mountains.
36:52
I'm not going up there lest something
36:54
take me and I die. There's some reasons
36:56
behind that, but I'm not going to deal
36:57
with all that tonight. He says, "This
36:59
city is a little city. There's just a
37:01
few people here." You know what? All the
37:03
cities of the plane were involved in
37:04
this. Zor is the only one that stayed,
37:07
and it stayed because Lot was still
37:09
there.
37:11
God would have wouldn't have destroyed
37:13
it for just him. But now that begs the
37:15
question, why did Abraham stop at 10?
37:18
Well, according to the chapter, all
37:21
right? And you need to stay with me on
37:24
this, okay? Why did Abraham stop praying
37:26
at 10? Some have said, "Well, Abraham
37:28
knew God's limit." Now, God Abraham's
37:31
not God.
37:32
>> All right? Now, I'm not God either. We
37:34
understand there's times when we pray,
37:36
we get to a point where the Lord says
37:38
and there's a there's a pull from the
37:40
spirit inside that says, "All right, you
37:42
you don't have to go any further in that
37:44
prayer." I've prayed for people that
37:46
were lost before time and time again.
37:48
Then all of a sudden, you start to pray
37:49
for him. It's like the Lord says, "Do
37:51
it."
37:53
But I don't believe that's what this is.
37:56
I believe that Abraham in this text
37:59
thought that there was 10 people that
38:00
were righteous. Say, "What do you mean?"
38:03
Well, notice chapter 19 verse 12.
38:08
Chapter number 19 of Genesis verse 12.
38:11
And the men said unto Lot, the two
38:12
angels, hast thou hear any besides,
38:16
son-in-law, and thy sons and thy
38:19
daughters. And whatsoever thou hast in
38:22
the city, bring them out of this place?
38:23
Now, if you've been here any amount of
38:24
time, you know I've said this before.
38:26
Lot has at least six children.
38:30
Notice it in the text. Verse number 14,
38:33
Lot went out and spake unto his
38:35
sons-in-law, plural. So he has two
38:37
daughters that are married, at least two
38:39
daughters that are married. Verse 14,
38:41
which married his daughters and said up,
38:42
get you out of this place. The Lord will
38:44
destroy it, but he seemed as one that
38:46
mocked unto his sons-in-law. Verse 15,
38:48
when the morning arose, then the angels
38:50
hastened lot, saying, Arise, take thy
38:52
wife and thy two daughters which are
38:54
here, lest they'll be consumed in the
38:56
iniquity of the city. So due to the
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statement in the scriptures, the
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plurality reveals that Lot probably had
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10 people in his family. You say, "What
39:07
are you what what's the point you're
39:08
trying to make with that preacher? What
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is Abraham known for?
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How he led his family? What did God say
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about his family?" Verse 19, for I know
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him that he will command his children
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and his household after him, and they
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shall keep the way of the Lord. You know
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what Abraham thought? He ain't seen Lot
39:28
since he brought him back. You know what
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Abraham thought? He thought, "Surely Lot
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has got his family in the right place."
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You don't have to believe this tonight,
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but I just I'm just painting you a
39:39
picture from the scripture. Abraham
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probably believed said, "Surely in Lot's
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family, the whole I don't know about any
39:46
of the rest of the city, but surely my
39:48
nephew Lot is smart enough to know to
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tell his children to get out,
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to teach them the ways of
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righteousness." But what happens really
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from what we get from the pages of
40:00
scripture, the only one is righteous in
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the whole bunch was Lot. Lot lost his
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whole family. He lost his at least two
40:07
sons, at least two daughters. He loses
40:10
his wife on the way out. And when he
40:12
gets out with the two daughters that are
40:14
virgins and ain't no man that he tried
40:16
to give over to the men at the door of
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his house, what happens to them? They
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make him drunk. They sleep with him and
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have children from him. So, he's lost
40:24
his entire family.
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I honestly believe I honestly believe
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that God said, "If I pray for 10, surely
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God will spare the city." But you know
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what happens in chapter 19? The Bible
40:40
says that Abraham got up to the place
40:41
where he stood before the Lord. You know
40:43
what I believe it did? I believe it
40:44
answered the question for Abraham.
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Lot failed.
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Abraham's greatest victory was with
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Isaac. Lot's greatest failure was with
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his children.
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>> And that is the difference between
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dwelling in those tents,
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not driving you pegs down this world
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because he believed he was a pilgrim and
41:08
a stranger.
41:10
But if you drive your tent pegs down in
41:12
this world too far, you know what
41:13
happens? You'll lose your family.
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>> Amen.
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>> Lose your family. You say, "What is
41:19
that?" Well, that's the supplication of
41:20
the servant. Abraham said, "I'm going to
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pray as long as God let me pray." And I
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believe it tonight. I believe honestly
41:26
from my heart that if Lot had stayed
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there, I think God would have delivered
41:30
him. You say, "Preacher, how is that?"
41:32
Well, you remember there's another woman
41:33
over in the book of Joshua that was
41:35
wicked as a devil. Matter of fact, the
41:38
Bible says she was a harlot. And the
41:41
Bible says that when Israel came and
41:43
they marched seven time seven days and
41:46
on the seventh day, they marched seven
41:48
times around the walls of Jericho. What
41:50
happened? The walls fell down. But
41:54
somehow in the midst of that, Rahab gets
41:57
out alive.
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>> Now explain that to me. She lived in the
42:01
wall.
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If the walls fell down and and I'm told,
42:05
I don't know this for a fact, but I'm
42:07
told that there is a portion of the wall
42:08
they believe is still standing.
42:13
And it could it have been where she
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lived. What I'm saying is God would have
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got him out of there. God did get him
42:18
out of there.
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It don't matter how deep into sin we
42:23
get, we can't go to hell.
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>> You know what that judgment images in
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that text? It images the depiction of
42:30
hell says fire literally came down from
42:33
the sky and came up from the earth and
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devoured them.
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>> It images hell. Lot couldn't go there.
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But you know what his family did?
42:42
What a tragedy.
42:44
You say, "What does that story tell?"
42:46
Well, don't quit praying.
42:48
Amen.
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>> You say, "Preacher, Abraham's prayer was
42:51
in vain." I don't think it was. Lot got
42:54
out.
42:54
>> Amen.
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>> Say, "But he got out anyway." But
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Abraham didn't know that.
42:59
>> See, truth is, I don't know about your
43:01
heart and you don't know about mine.
43:02
>> That's right. Amen.
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>> Say, "Preacher, if they're saved,
43:06
they'll go to heaven when they die." But
43:08
wouldn't you want them to live a better
43:09
life than what they're living?
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>> Amen.
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>> Absolutely.
43:12
>> You better keep praying for them.
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>> Amen.
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>> I know that's a lot to process, but I
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hope it makes sense to you. Father,
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thank you for the word of God. Thank you
43:21
for the truth of the text. And Lord, I
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really do believe tonight, God, that you
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loved Lot so much, even in spite of all
43:29
of his wickedness, being vexing himself.
43:32
Lord, as Peter said, he vexed his
43:33
righteous soul with her un he vexed his
43:36
righteous soul with her unrighteous
43:38
deeds.
43:39
Lord, I know that you wouldn't have let
43:40
him die in the middle of that. God,
43:43
would you help us, Father, to be men and
43:46
women of intercession just like Abraham
43:48
was? God, for our brothers and sisters
43:51
that are caught up in this world, Lord,
43:53
I know they're not all lost. God, I know
43:55
that many are just carried away. Lord,
43:57
Paul himself feared. He said, I said,
43:58
"When I preach to others, lest I myself
44:00
should become a cast away." God, any of
44:03
us are prone to wonder. Lord, would you
44:06
help us to stay close to you? And Lord,
44:08
when we're close to you, help us to pray
44:09
for those that are not. Lord, you know
44:12
what they need. Lord, help us to, Lord,
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more than anything, to keep our family
44:17
close to Calvary, our children, our
44:20
wives, our husbands. Lord, let us draw
44:22
near to the cross and to the church. So
44:25
Lord, that when judgment does come,
44:27
we'll be on the right mountain above the
44:30
plane. Lord, I love you. Thank you for
44:32
loving us. Bless our church, Lord. I
44:33
pray bless our visitation on Saturday.
44:36
Have your way. And we ask it all in
44:37
Jesus name. Amen.
44:40
Thank you for joining our service today.
44:42
We'd love it if you'd join us in person
44:44
the next time you are able at Meadows
44:47
Baptist Church. Our physical address is
44:50
2988
44:51
Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
44:54
Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
44:57
school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
44:59
worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
45:01
worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
45:04
evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
45:07
information, visit us at
45:08
meadowsbaptisturch.com.
45:11
Thanks again for tuning in.