"You Choose Where You Stay" (MP3 Audio)

“You Choose Where You Stay” (Genesis 19:12-13)

Where are you right now? Are you happy? Are you sad? Are you content with your present living situation? Lot, who was a man of influence in the city of Sodom (Genesis 19:1), had been content up until this point.

He had everything he could have ever wanted – material prosperity (Genesis 13:5-6), family (Genesis 19:15-26, 30-38), and the respect of his peers in the community. But something was not right.

Lot didn’t know this until the angels brought a message of destruction to him. He was in the wrong place. Now before we condemn Sodom and believe that we know the story of Lot’s life.

Let’s consider a few things. Lot is a lot like many of us. We too have backgrounds of sin, though we now believe ourselves to be righteous.

We also end up in bad places, towns or communities in which we live, friends and family members who bring chaos to us, places we are not supposed to be. But we hold on to them, like Lot, because we are doing the best we can with what we have. Consider the following four points.

1. What looks like Heaven and a promotion can really be Hell.

• a. Lot traveled from Haran with his uncle, Abraham (Genesis 12:4).
• b. Lot and Abraham shared land in Canaan until God blessed them so that their flocks and herdsmen competed for resources on the land (Genesis 13:6-9).
• c. When Lot saw Sodom, he saw a land that he compared to the Garden of Eden (Genesis 13:10).
• d. Lot chose to stay in Sodom in Genesis 13:11.
• e. Lot didn’t move into Sodom, he moved toward Sodom, on the outskirts of Sodom (Genesis 13:12).
• f. We know that the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord (Genesis 13:13), but evidently Lot didn’t. He is called righteous Lot in 2nd Peter 2:7-8.

1. Chaos and disorder should make it plain that some decisions are bad and ought to be repented of.

• a. The first indication that we get that Sodom may not have been a good move for Lot is given to us in Genesis chapter 14.
• b. Sodom and Gomorrah were raided in war that took place. Lot and his material possessions were taken captive (Genesis 14:12).
• c. Abraham and his private army of servants had to rescue Lot and his possessions (Genesis 14:13-17).

1. Some of us are anchored in bad places.

• a. Lot was not at peace being there according to 2nd Peter 2:7-8.
• i. That is why he didn’t want the men (who were really angels) to stay outside at night as they wished (Genesis 19:3).
• ii. Lot was perhaps the one who prayed to God about the wickedness of Sodom (Genesis 18:21).
• b. The person who looked back, longingly, lovingly at Sodom when it was time to leave (Genesis 19:26) was his wife.

1. The angels are not coming for you.

• a. Angels appeared to Lot and lodged with him overnight. They explained the situation in great detail in Genesis 19:12-13.
• b. Genesis 19:16 indicates that God had mercy on Lot and his family.

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