Lot and his stuff...

Who is Lot?

Gen 11:27 - Abraham’s Nephew - adopted it seems - seems to be finding himself in trouble pretty often.

Lots adoption into Abraham’s household brings the covenantal blessings onto Lot that Abraham received.

in fact we even see at the end of Gen 19 that Lot is spared from Sodom because of Abraham.

there’s some conflict between Lot and Abraham’s men. They decide to divide ways

Lot goes off to the better looking property.

eventually finds himself slipping into the city of Sodom, out of the plains, out of the countryside.

why? - we aren’t really sure.

but he’s slipping. he’s slowly pulled off into a bad situation, a bad circumstance.

Gen 19:1-3 “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.”

What’s going on here? HOSPITALITY

Abraham practiced it with these folks just a bit earlier, before they came to Sodom.

Providing lodging, food, a place to wash.

and hospitality was a big deal in this time. A roof over your head, meals, a place to recover from your journey - this was very important for sojourning people.

very often meant the difference between life and death.

without some type of shelter eventually your get worn out - and you die of exposure.

this is a common theme taught throughout the Bible - the significance of hospitality.

Abraham and Lot did it. The widow took in Elijah. David welcomes Mephibosheth to eat at the kings table. Rahab welcomes the Hebrew spies.

again and again and again, this pops up.

and not only the examples, but the instruction:

Lev 19:33-34 ““When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

Titus 1:8 “but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.”

1 Peter 4:8-9 “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

Matt 25:44-46 “Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””

So there is the reoccurring theme - “show hospitality”

and not just hospitality to those like you… but to those… not like you.

the stranger. wait - the STRANGER?

Heb 13:2 “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Rom 12:13 “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

Greek word φιλοξενία.

literally renders “friend-stranger”

kindness - hospitality - meals, lodging, provision - to STRANGERS

the parable of the Good Samaritan - was about HOSPITALITY

God has given us, as his people this specific task of kindness - to one another, of course - but also - to strangers.

in fact, in ancient days at one point this was practiced so intensely that men would wait at the entrances of their homes with the HOPE to see a stranger walk by that they could entertain.

man. that ain’t us.

APP: so you mean strangers… in my house?

I’m not saying literally invite random folks you don’t know at all to sleep in your house unmonitored...where your kids sleep.

Hebrew architecture was very different than ours. The family all slept together, everybody could keep an eye on their kids.

Guests wouldn’t sleep with the family, they probably stayed in the courtyard of the home, or potentially on the roof or in the common area.

Mary and Joseph stayed in the stable area of a home - English translations throw us sometimes with the rendering “the inn” - it’s better understood as “Guest room”

meaning it was likely that all the rooms available for guests in peoples homes were taken, so they stayed in the stable area… of someone’s home.

but have a place for guests. be hospitable.

guest rooms can be strategically placed. maybe they’ve got their own entrance. maybe the family has one end of the house and the guest the other? maybe it’s an apartment over the garage.. I don’t know.

but have a space ready to practice this. and then pray for opportunities.

ILL: My wife and I are taking a trip this week… “In your house?”

“yeah, that’s what the guest room is for.”

APP: but what if I don’t have a spare room?

then practice everything else. meals together, inviting others in, (some of y’all are getting tired just listening to me say this)

SODOM JUDGED - why?

Jude 1:7 “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.”

sexual immoratliy, sodomy.

but then Ezekiel tells us somethign very interesting....

Ezek 16:49 “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.”

a lack of hospitality

but here’s what’s interesting....

2 Peter 2:6-8 “if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);”

RIGHTEOUS LOT???

As you continue to read Gen 19 and 20 lot did a lot of terrible things.

he placed his family in a terrible wicked living environment.

he was likely about to marry off his daughters to wicked men.

he offered his daughters to be raped by the men of the city

he didn’t listen to the angels instruction and was slow to heed their words

and then in Gen 20 he gets so drunk multiple nights in a row that he commits incest - an ABOMINATION

LOT regarded as righteous?????

the only good thing we see - IS HIS HOSPITALITY

which must mean, that HOSPITALITY is one amazing fruit of saving faith.

which makes sense right? It’s what the Lord does for us.

We are the stranger.

the sojourner. the wanderer.

and we are invited in, to receive nourishment and rest at the table of Christ.

Well, we’re more than a stranger.

Rom 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

sinners - enemies of God.

and we’ve been made far more than guests.

Rom 8:15-17 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

This - is the hospitality of God.

that you, though an enemy, have been atoned for by the blood of Jesus.

he died the death that you deserve because of your sin.

and if you will believe him, and turn from your sin, you will be not just a guest… but a king of heaven and earth.