Genesis 18
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New year new us! Well here we are in 2024 and hopefully with this story of Genesis we can get a new Abraham. Maybe we get a new kid. Let’s move into our story. After we pray.
1 And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth
3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.
4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,
5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”
I am so enthralled with these visitations. The way that God shows up to make sure that this man knows the relationship and the covenant are real. So when we left Abraham had just had the covenant on his end upheld and all the men were circumcised to show that they believed what God said and to show that they are going to uphold themselves to the covenant God made. Remember they were told that within the year Sarah would have a baby. Then we get this visit.
There are a few things we need to pay attention to in this. What have I told you that this book we call the bible is about? Who is it about? It is about Jesus. Every line every word. Every punctuation. Period. It isn’t about us. It isn’t about having a better life. It is about Jesus. Every song we sing in this building is about Jesus. Every prayer we pray is about Jesus. Every move we make, is about Jesus. Please don’t forget that. Please don’t assume to make it about anything else. Oh yes there are substratum of themes and nuances but the overarching truth of this word is He is the word. He is the Son. He is the king.
And here we are again showing that process in Jesus shows up. There is a reason for this visit to which we will not find out until later in this chapter. Unless you have already read ahead lol. So Jesus is headed somewhere and he makes a stop.
So it is hot and Abraham is sitting at his door in the shade probably. Just like us sitting on the porch. In fact that is an awesome picture especially for those of us that grew up in the south to see the old folks sitting on the porch in the chair or swing sipping their ice tea or lemonade. I can remember pulling up to my Papaw’s house in the country and the one in Knoxville and that was the scene. I loved it.
But it was the heat of the day and they were not working. He sees them by the trees. He immediately realizes that one of them is Jesus. we don’t know how he knows but he knows. My assumption would be that when you truly have a visit from Jesus you are changed. You will not go back to same ole same ole and Abraham has had many. He is called the friend of God so it is very possible that he recognized him like we recognize our friends.
Now first reaction is something to pay attention to. He ran to them. Abraham is rich. He is has servants. He has authority. He has clout. He could have said to one of his servants. Go up there and take them some food. That is not my job just make sure they are treated well. I can assure that someone in his position would have never washed someone else’s feet. Yet look at the humility he has as soon as he sees the Lord. He knows his place. Yet he ran to them. He would not allow someone else to do this. He doesn’t do this begrudgingly either. Look at all of this. Look at his attitude. He ran to go serve Him. It was a joy for him. He didn’t say well I guess I’ll give to the church. I guess I will take care of the widows and orphans. I guess I will give of my time and help them to do an Easter play at church. Hint hint. I guess we will go to church on a Wednesday night. I won’t like it but I’ll do it because well that is what he said do. I guess I will love my enemies. I really don’t want to pray for them but I will. He runs to do it.
He knew who he was in this order. He would have never done this for someone that was just of this earth. Yet he does it here. Because it is The Lord. It is far to big of an issue in church that we have Jesus as savior but not Lord. We do not want him to be Lord because he might actually tell us what to do. I want him to keep me from hell but just don’t interfere with my life. I want heaven and I want to do whatever I want here. It does not work that way and Abraham knew it. He approaches as a servant does. Which is exactly how we should approach. And that should also tell us that there is nothing in the kingdom beneath you. We must do, joyfully, whatever is required.
“If we are beset by an unseen foe, we are also befriended by an Unseen Friend. Great is our adversary but greater is our Ally.” Vance Havner
Yeah we have an unseen enemy but we have a powerful unseen friend.
So he runs then he says let me get you something to eat and wash your feet yall get some rest. They agreed.
Then
6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.”
7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly.
8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
So he says let me get you some bread but Abraham realizes that when God shows up, we having a barbecue. Bread just wont cut it. He we have to get a meal together. If a morsel of bread is all I give what is that. That is very inadequate.
Then look at what he does when he brings the food. You can’t just read the bible. You have to read the bible. What does he do? He stands at the trees while they eat. Why would he do that? Because yet again he is serving. Yes they were friends. Yes they had a relationship. But Abraham knew that in the order of things he was still a servant to God. He did not eat while they did. With other earthly men he would have sat down. He could have even sat down as a sign of his importance. Right. Look at me. I am sitting down with them while the rest of yall stand. I mean look, I have a friend called Matthew M. He and I had breakfast together. I don’t like to brag or nothing. Lol
He doesn’t do that. Abraham has lunch with the king of kings and yet stands as one of hire hands. I am going to take the proper countenance when in the presence of the lord. That countenance is that I am a servant, woe is me because I am a sinful man.
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”
10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
Please make a note of the culture. Sarah did not go out there with her husband and bust up in the middle of the men talking. Sarah stays out of sight and waits to be invited before she goes out there. It is inappropriate. She is also supposed to do something else and she fails at it which is be quiet.
Hold up women I don’t have anything to do with this culture back then. But also look at Sarah, she is not offended by it and so we can’t be offended for her. She saw it as being obedient. She knew where she should be and it wasn’t in the middle of the business unless she was invited and there would have been no man in this time to come to Abraham’s home and say where is your wife. That too would have been inappropriate because the man was in authority.
But look at this he calls Sarah by name. Not her old name. Yet again showing their relationship. Then he gives the next date we are getting closer. He reminds them again and says in about 9 months I am coming back and you will have a baby. But he makes sure that Sarah hears this. The first time she does. All the other times have been told by Abraham what God said now she hears it for herself.
No notice that she is listening. lol She ain’t too far gone she can’t hear what is going on.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.
12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”
Moses here even gives more detail. She was barren but now she is not even cycling. She isn’t even producing eggs to be fertilized. It is over. Yet here God is telling her, in 9 months.
So because of all that Sarah laughs. Seem like a familiar response? She scoffs. Not only have you waited so long for me that I can’t because of my age. My husband is 10 years older than me. God is now going to give me a child.
But God is not phased because he has dealt with this before. Notice that he does not address Sarah. He addresses Abraham.
13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
To yet again prove who he is, he hears her thoughts and she isnt even there. I love his response. Is anything too hard for the Lord? I want you to underline that and write on a sheet of paper and write it on your mirror, put it in your phone. Is anything too hard for the Lord. Is your marriage too far gone. Is your career out of your hands. Is your finances too much debt. Are your kids too far from the Lord? Is your family too lost? Stop making God so small that he cannot help. I read this in a book. There are two types of people. Big Godders and Small Godders. Small Godders think that their problems or situation is too big. Big Godders believe that their God is bigger than it all. What are you?
Do you serve a big God or a little God? It does not change Him what you think but it does change what you have access to. You cannot dare to imagine what God is capable of. there is nothing that you can imagine or think what He can do. He does not fit in the box of your natural laws or common sense or scientific functions. He created all of that therefore, he cannot be controlled by it. I wanna be a part of a church or a body that their only response to problems and situations in this life is won’t he do it. I pray we have a faith that says there is nothing that is too hard. God loves those kinds of challenges. He loves that kind of faith. We get so caught up in the ordinary mundane challenges of our faith and I just believe that God is sitting on his throne looking at us and screaming, go for something bigger. Reach for me. Strive for the goal. Stretch your faith. It is not to me whether God can but rather will we trust Him to the end. Will we continue to believe? Is anything impossible with God? Does this sound familiar?
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Sarah tries to deny it. I know that would be me. It would be yall too. But of course what good is it to deny anything to the Lord. He already knows it all. He calls her out on it right then. He doesn't allow her to get away with it for a moment. He made a covenant and despite your doubt it will happen.
Then she is out of the conversation. Fear led to a lie and broken etiquette. And God doesn’t get mad at her for any of that just addresses the promise and then he again drops the mic for her and that is the last I am going to say about that.
Ok let’s keep going.
16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.
17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”
20 Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,
21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”
Can i just say that Abraham had to be southern. Because when he says goodbye he walks with them to make sure they get out alright. Anyone do this. When folks leave the house, you go to the front porch and watch make sure they drive off. You said goodbye in the house, you said good bye at the door and now you are waving as they drive off. I do this. My dad did this. My grandma did this. I don’t know why we do it. My wife is the opposite. She is the long goodbyer when she is leaving. She will say, well good bye and then talk 15-20 more min. When I am leaving, if i say good bye I am headed to the car. So I don’t even say goodbye until she is at least at the door and then I can get up behind her and not allow her to come back in.
So the scene changes, Abraham is walking them away from his home.
I want you to see what Jesus does right here. Anyone ever have the friend that will say something out loud for you to hear that will allude to some secret because he wants to tell you but doesn’t want to tell you. So they make you have to guess. Jesus says to the angels shall I hide this from Abraham. If I am Abraham. I am asking hide what? I gotta know now. You shouldn’t have even brought it up if you don’t want to tell me. But Jesus already knows what He is going to do. He is says the promise in verse 19. I have chosen him. He includes Abraham in His plan. He let’s him know what is about to happen. He moves Abraham from servant, to friend, to partner. This is the relationship that Jesus promises us. And lets make sure we hit this part. Look at what else he says.
He will command his children and his household to keep the way of the righteous.
Also I want you to see the Judge in Jesus. He has come to earth to Judge Sodom and Gomorrah. To punish them. Not to show mercy. Not to be lenient. But to see if what everyone says against them is true and if it is, he will take the necessary actions.
Abraham hears this. I would imagine that a little bit of fear rises up in Abraham because he has never heard this before. Or maybe it harkens back to the story of Noah and he is afraid that the end of the world is coming again. Any one watch guardian of the galaxies, I believe it is the first one and they are talking about one of the stones and its power and Quill says after hearing the story of the stone,”There’s a little pee coming out of me right now.” And if I had been Abraham, I would imagine the same quote could have been said because to hear that God is about to go down and destroy an entire nation would be nothing but fearful. Why does Jesus feel the need to tell him. To let him know Abraham that if you do not keep my commandments, if you do not uphold your family to righteousness and keeping the way of the Lord this could happen to you. Anyone wonder why Jesus speaks on hell. And for the record even if we county the verses he spoke more about heaven than hell but he does not shy away from hell like a lot of the modern church does. Because he wants you to count the cost and know the full picture. He doesn’t want you to make it to heaven from fear but he also doesn’t want you to think that everything is hunky dory. Abraham has to hear this and internally deal with it. But he is also going to address it outwardly with Jesus. Let’s look at it.
Before we do, I want to for the sake of those that have been absent to make sure we understand and reiterate what the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were. Because the tradition of the church is inaccurate and I am sick of it.
Ok soap box for a moment.
STOP ACCEPTING EVERYTHING THAT COMES FROM THIS PULPIT OR ANY PULPIT FOR THAT MATTER AS 100. You mean Chris you and Pastor would mislead us. Not intentionally I can assure you. But if pastor were to stand here beside me, we are just two men. We don’t know everything. In fact between the two of us we barely cover 1 percent of it. We will never understand the bible in totality because we can’t. The best case is a dirty looking glass in part. So there are so many traditions taught in the church and we just accept them instead of going and reading the bible for ourselves. I don’t believe any true believer wants to mislead people, we are just trying to do the best we can to understand it as well. But things like 365 times the bible says fear not. Sounds good. Not true. The woman at the well was a woman who liked to sleep around. We have no biblical currency to say that and in fact the bible would depict something totally different. Now back to story. Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed because of homosexuality.
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.
50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.
We have destroyed lives and relationships because of this idea right here and to be quite honest it is a horrible thing the church has done. Is homosexuality a part of the list. Yes. At the bottom. Is homosexuality a sin. Yes. So is gluttony men of leadership in the church. Just because the early church got together every day and broke bread doesn’t mean that the only time we can get together is when food is involved. They ate every day together because that is what people do on a daily basis. Eat food. They lived life together. And let me just say there is nothing wrong with people getting together and building a place together where they can do life together. It doesn’t automatically make it a cult or something nefarious going on. I think there are relationship and bonds that people can make that living like that is ok and healthy.
Ok so now Abraham has processed what God has said and now he is again thinking like a human. He wants to make sure that the judge is just.
22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.
23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it?
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.”
30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”
31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.”
32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”
33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
For the first time in scripture a man is going to initiate a conversation with God and look at what he is talking about. He wants to see if he is fair. Wait a minute God. There are some righteous people down there. If you wipe it out, they are gone. Who is he referring to? Lot!!
Then he says far be it from you. God you can’t do this. It will look bad for you. Shouldn’t you do what is right.
God says if there are 50 i won’t do it. You think that God knows whether there are 50 or not? He agrees because he knows the number is too high.
So Abraham gets himself in the right manor and retracts a little bit because i guess he realizes that he is talking to God so I better tone it down.
God keeps agreeing to his number and Abraham has to realize that maybe my number is too high.
They go all the way to 10 and God agrees. Why does Abraham stop. Besides the fact that Jesus walks away. Because Abraham comes to the realization that he is a just judge and I have made a fool of myself. He won’t do anything that is unjust.
The number 10 relates to an integrated system. Meaning there are parts that make up the whole and they are complete. Nothing lacking. No more needs to be added or divine perfection. How does that relate. We are seeing the complete system of God in this. He is searching for the righteous among the wicked. He will prolong the wrath as long as there are righteous people. What is God waiting for right now before Jesus will return, everyone to hear. He is waiting on the appropriate time which will be when the Father says that’s enough. That’s all. See the judgment and mercy yet again.
This is the completeness of God. He is merciful. But he is also judge. He is loving but he is also truth. He is holiness but also grace. You cannot have God if you eliminate any of these characteristics and too long the church will focus on one and forget the other. I love the tandem we have here. Scott tends to lean in really on the love and I tend to lean in really heavy on truth. Not that either of us negate the other but of the two of us if someone is going to give you a hug and say its ok it'll be him and if someone is ready to call down fire from heaven because I've already told you, its me.
But look how 10 is used in scripture. Any one think of a famous 10 in the bible?
10 commandments
10 plagues for Egypt
On the 10th of the first month the Passover lamb was to be selected
How about 10 generations from Adam to Noah and 10 from Noah to Abraham
We must give the 10th
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
So finally Abraham gets it. Here is one other thing that I want to point out about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
It wasn’t their wickedness that got them destroyed. It was the lack of righteousness.
If 10 people had been there and they actually followed God and his plans, Sodom and Gomorrah would have been saved.
But because the ones supposed to serve did not, the cities were destroyed.
So the answer of the destruction of our country is not politicians. It isn’t laws. It isn’t social media post. It is whether the church is going to live a righteous life or not. You look at the world and I have heard it said, I am just ready to get out of here. I am ready for the lord to return. We can’t do anything with this world. When in fact you are the very thing sent to be the killer of evil. to be the destroyer of gates. To be the snatcher of kingdoms. You are the offensive instrument God chose to use to enforce the movement of his kingdom. the reason we see our country destroyed is because the church looks and acts too much like them. There is no righteousness. Or there isn’t enough. Coincidentally that is why the american church doesn’t see any persecution. because we are too much like the rest of the world. And I am talking about us right here. Let’s get real and personal for a moment as the may be when yall shut me off but I am gonna say it about my own life and about us. So that maybe someone will hold me accountable for what I say as I do others.
We should be so offensive to the world and to its systems. Jesus said I come to offend. He was killed because he was offensive. We are too passive in the church. Going along with every whim and law and suggestion. You realize when the disciples were actually killed, when they were filled with the Holy Spirit and decided to actually live the life and jump in. Peter takes a sword after a guy and totally misses and chops his ear off. Not one of the other soldiers came after him. but he starts preaching and they stone him. He actually backs up what he says with power. You wanna know why the church isn’t persecuted here because there isn’t any power in the church and the devil aint’ afraid of it. i love our services every sunday and I love preaching on Wednesday but you know what I would love more is to be out on te street seeing people healed and delivered. If God did it in the bible why he don’t do it here. It aint’ cuz he changed he doesn’t. We changed. We don’t see it because we don't’ want it because it would then require that our lives be different and we don’t want god we just want a savior. Until we actually decide we need and want a lord we can keep on coming and having our little services and i don’t mean that in a numerical sense because there are mega churches having little services. this thing right here don’t work till this thing in here works in every single one of us. If we could just get off our blessed assurances and get to work actually doing the father’s business instead of our own I promise you that persecution would come.
We just saw that God’s judgment came down on a place that would not live justly. Look at this nation. My goodness. This nation seems to be dead set at thumbing our nose at God. We are inventing ways to sin and seeing how far we can go. We completely reject where life begins, for intimacy, for marriage, for raising kids, for teaching the word we are going to do what we want to do and you can have a coke and smile God.
The only hope is the church. But the church has to quit doing what it wants. Quit worrying about what stupid songs we sing and which ones we don’t. Quit worrying about denominational man made up garbage. This divisional crap we call denominations is all of the devil. look here. I don’t care if you speak in tongues or not. Do you worship God believe Jesus is the only way to god and that he died and rose again to save you. Yes. Then let us worship together. I don’t care if you like drums, wear a bun, make up or no make up. I don’t give a rip about if you sing hymns, bethel, maverick city, or you only sing amazing grace. You can sing all or non of them and still go to hell. Whether you believe in predestination or God tosses a coin. I don’t want you to end up in hell no matter how you got there so live righteous. The church is one body with many parts but one head that serves one God through one Spirit. Stop all the foolishness. If you are causing the divisions you better watch yourself lest you fall. You wanna save this country the greatest one in my opinion to ever exist, the church has to get back to righteousness. You know what the first sermon was after the resurrection and the day of Pentecost? Peter said
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
And that means in all parts in all roles in all titles of the church. You can’t be a leader if you are not living in righteousness. You can’t be lazy, in the church. You can’t be greedy in the church. You can’t be lustful in the church. You can’t be homosexual in the church. You can’t be thief in the church. My goodness I could go on and on if we would just get back to the standard. But we don’t want to hurt peoples feelings. We must get right with God and stop worrying about opposing the government or its people. The wrath of God and the wrath of men is not on the same level. We are going to talk about lot next week Lord willing but I want to hang on this for a moment
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Who is the wrath meant for? The unrighteous. Wo