Untitled Sermon (13)

Genesis 14:1 KJV 1900

1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

Honoring God for His Work in Your Life

Genesis 14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 2 That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. 3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar. 8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; 9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. 14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

• Lot is now living in Sodom and Gomorrah

• Abram is still living in the plains outside the cities

• The feudal or city kings have been fighting

• Some have been made to serve others

• Finally they rebel and there is war

• Sodom and Gomorrah lose the battle

• They seem unprepared for the war, they don't even know where the slime pits are

• The main emphasis of this story is that God uses Abram to rescue Lot

• Abram publicly acknowledges that it is God that has given him the victory

Lot gets caught in the middle of a war 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

There have always been wars and they will continue to come until the end

One group taking advantage of another

Sometimes God’s people get caught in the middle of circumstances beyond their control 12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

Lot had gone where he thought he would be safe and successful but it didn't turn out that way

Our security can never be found outside of the Lord Himself

You think that riches will protect you

You think the city will protect you

You think you are smart enough to protect yourself

Lot’s city fell and lost everything 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

Abraham rescues his nephew 13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

Though Lot had walked away and taken advantage of Abram he is still willing to love and rescue him

Abram was prepared to fight and risk it all 14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

Abram, his friends and those trained in Abram’s house win the war against four kings that had been able to defeat five

Some great lessons here about doing the work of God

It wasn’t the number in the army because several kings would obviously have more people

For this battle to have been won Abram had to have trained servants

They had been born in his house, 318 of them

They had been trained

They were loyal

They were able to travel and fight over great distances

What happens if we as a church commit to disciple and train men to do the work of God

What if God allows us to see many saved, born, here in our house

What if we are willing to risk all that we have for others that don't really deserve our help

What if we go without seeking to get anything in return

God gave Abram the victory and he knows it 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

Abram recognized where his victory had come from 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Abram sees Melchizedek and gives him tithes of all

The gift was recognizing that God had really been the one who gave great success and victory not himself or what he had done

It is easy when we win victories and have success to forget who is giving us the victory

Look back over your life and be sure that you do not presumptuously take credit for things that God is doing in your life

One of the reasons you worship is that you are recognizing that it is God that has made you and not you yourself

One of the reasons you honor God with the first parts of your income is that you recognize that He is the One that is doing the work in you

How do you honor God with your money

Do you separate the first part for Him

Is He first in your spending

Do you think that if you give Him 10% that you are free to do with the rest what you want or do you seek to honor Him with it all

Do you participate in mission’s giving

Do you try to use all that you have to further His kingdom, His causes

Have you made sure that money is not your goal, your purpose, your aim, your fulfillment

Do you have money or does it have you

Abram was determined that lost men and the world never say that they had made him a success 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

The world will arrogantly take credit for anything that happens in your life

They will find a way to say that it was them or even you, your education, your contacts, your abilities. Anything to make sure God doesn’t get any glory

This was a tremendous declaration of faith by Abram. It cried in the face of all that Abram believed God

How do you handle your life, your successes?

Do you seek to give God glory for all that He is doing in you and your family

Big take away lessons from this story

You will get caught in the middle of conflicts that aren't of your making

Sometimes your seeking your comfort and security without considering God might just put you in the middle of the conflict

There are great discipleship lessons to be learned here

We want to see people born in our house

We want to train them to be as strong as they possibly can be

We want to teach them to be loyal to their leader, their king, Jesus

We want to train them to be ready to step out of their comfort zone and go fight for the Lord Jesus

We want to teach them to not be judgmental and vindictive but to love even their brothers that make big mistakes

Learn to recognize how the world wants to take all the credit for what God is doing

Learn to stand and say that you love Jesus and that you will not give credit to anyone but Jesus

Worship God. Honor Him for what He is doing in your life

Realize that this tithe was meant as a way to recognize God and to honor Him for working in his life

We give God the first of all so that we say to ourselves, our family, and to God that He is first

We give back to Him knowing that all that we have and all that we are comes from Him

We give to God as a testimony to the world that we know it was God that made us and not we ourselves

Your friends and family know what is important to you

Your checkbook reveals more about you than you realize

You put your money where you heart is

You decide to give your support to something because you believe in it

Do you believe in the things of God and His purposes