Real Problems; Bad Medicine

I. Introduction

Would you please get your copy of God’s Word…and go ahead and turn to Genesis Chapter 19 and we are going to read verses 30-38, and then we’ll continue on into Chapter 20 and verses 1-18.

Now, I realized in the past couple of weeks that the content we have been discussing is very disturbing. Now, I take great pains to be delecate from the pulpit when it comes to sensitive topics that are of a sexual nature....I think I’ve done an OK job at that....but the last couple of weeks included some topics like that…and the first part of this week’s message....the Scripture deals with the same sort of topics. So, know this: I don’t skip Scripture....even when it’s a little uncomfortable....because if it wasn’t important, God wouldn’t have put it there....so if you have kids in here that you don’t want to hear this…this would be the appropriate time to move them somewhere else perhaps....no judgment here....I’m just giving the disclaimer.

That also being said....you need to hear this: kids as early as elementary school are learning about these things…and no matter what you call it....be it, homosexuality or ANY sex outside of the biblical, monogomous, married, male and female relationship is wrong....the point I have strived to drive home from this pulpit is that it, outside of those parameters…it is sinful. Within those parameters, it is God-ordained gift to married couples. In THAT context, it’s not dirty....it’s not gross or wrong…it’s from God.

The government cannot redefine it....the schools can’t redefine…culture cannot redefine it....God created it…and HE gets to define it.

So, I give that little introduction....because nobody is going to look down on anybody in here for doing what they think is best for their kids to hear so you feel free to do what you need to do....but please also understand this: 1. I make you this promise: I’m being as delecate as I can be while still be faithful to God’s Word, because that is my mandate from God....and 2. You can think whatever you want to....but your kids....your grandkids…are hearing about all of this from the world’s perspective out there....we cannot be afraid to broach the difficult topics…especially when it comes to our kids. So whether you have them in here or not today....please broach it at some point…ok?

So, I begin that way…so that you know what we’re dealing with to begin with this morning.

a. Scripture: Genesis 19:30-38…and then 20:1-18

I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

This morning’s title is “Real Problems; Bad Medicine”....I love the show House, MD. Anybody remember HOUSE? It’s about a doctor, who is great at solving medical cases that other doctors can’t. He’s meant to be sort of like a medical Sherlock Holmes. He and his team spend hours trying to figure out what’s wrong with these very difficult cases of patients that are specially sent to their hospital.

Now Dr. House is really mean and sarcastic…but he’s almost always right.

Watch this quick video....In this clip, he has a very unpleasant neighbor and figures out why he is so angry all the time and, in his own very “Dr. House” way....he cures him…check this out.

<clip of phantom limb>

Isn’t that somethin? The man had taken a medicine cabinet for all the pain killers, but none of them could cure him....it just took the right remedy to get rid of the problem.

It’s so important to treat our problems in life with the right solutions.

The people in these two stories today had real problems....but most of the chose the wrong solutions....real problems; bad medicine.

II. Major Points

Lot’s Daughters’ Bad Medicine

Abraham’s Bad Medicine

Abimelech’s Good Medicine

III. Point #1: Lot’s Daughters' Bad Medicine

Explanation So the first thing I want to do is this morning is focus on those last 9 verses in Chapter 19 that we just read.

So…elephant in the room. Unbiblical things happened. Terrible....In our society, probably one of the worst scenarios you can imagine....incestuous relations happening here between Lot and his own daughters.

It’s bad....it’s ungodly and gross....so we can sit here and harp on the fact that it was bad....when we all know it was bad, OR, we can examine the events that led up to that bad occurence and try to learn something from it....which I happen to think is a more productive use of our time here.

I’d like to first draw your attention back to what we read a couple of weeks ago back in Chapter 19 and verses 14-15:

Genesis 19:14–15 NASB95

Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”

So what I want you to see here, first of all, is that not only did Lot lose his wife when she became a pillar of salt, but Lot’s daughters lost their husbands too didn’t they....

That puts them in a very different predicament.

Verse 31 says they realize their singleness....and that the only person capable of getting them pregnant, as far as they knew, was their father. Now again…a gross thought....why would they even CONSIDER such a thing?

Well let’s remember something here....children, in many early civilizations and in many civilizations today, were not just an expansion to your family....they served several purposes.

A. Now for men, who tend to worry more about such things than women do, the idea of preserving your legacy is an important. Many men want to see their bloodline continue. So that’s one thing many care about…but to be honest with you, that’s way more a person pride thing than a practicality isn’t? Especially for a believer....frankly, the only thing I want my legacy to be is one of Jesus Christ....that’s it. If my name is forgotten within two years of when I die, I couldn’t possibly care less…as long as I told some folks about Jesus. HIS legacy is all that matters to me.

B. Another very practical aspect of children though was that they expanded your workforce. If you were a farmer, you had an automatic workforce with however many children you had....and many people had many, many children. My boss has 18 brothers and sisters....they were farmers in Emanuel County....makes sense.

C. Last thing is this: While men tend to worry about legacy and things like that, women tend to worry more about stability…and in THOSE days, it was SUPER important. If you had enough children, hopefully they would love and take care of you in your old age....Kids, for all practical purposes, functioned as your retirement plan. Hopefully at least one or two of them will like you and look after you when you can no longer work.

So look at it like this: These girls didn’t do what they did with their dad just out of some evil lust....they did it, because they had a REAL problem. They lost their husbands…now what? No one to look after them....Lot is old....They have no children....no men around....they were scared…can’t you imagine.

But what they did to fix a REAL problem was take the wrong medicine....an evil medicine. The remedy, they thought, was to procreate with the only one there to procreate with....their dad.....big mistake. And you know it was a big mistake, because even THEY knew it was wrong.....you know how I KNOW they KNEW it was wrong? Because they had to get Lot drunk in order to make it happen.

If you have to get drunk or get somebody else drunk before you do something....you probably shouldn’t do it, can I get an amen on that?

But the point is here....the way Satan decieved those girls....got into their fears....and made them afraid that they wouldn’t be taken care of....that they needed to do something DRASTIC…and even though they KNEW it was sinful, they saw it as the only way out.

They had a real problem…a sickness if you will....but the medicine…the remedy was all wrong.

Illustration Several years ago I got as sick as I have gotten in many, many years. It was bad. It went from a sinus infection, to a bad cold....to Bronchitis and finally, I’m not sure it wasn’t pneumonia. I couldn’t stop coughing....I couldn’t breath out of my nose....there was wheezing....I couldn’t sleep....I felt cold on the inside but was sweating bullets on the outside....and I HAT missing work.

I’ll just tell you....I hate it. It’s more work to plan to be out than it is to just go to work. I can’t stand it. So, I had been like this about a week and was taking the over the counter stuff and it wasn’t doing anything for me…so I called my boss and said look, I’m going to the doctor in the morning I can’t be there. he said OK, give me an update and let me know when you’re coming back.

I went to th doctor, and they prescribed me some pills and I think I was out Wednesday through Friday....which meant I had 5 days to stay home and take care of myself. I was feeling a little better on Monday, but not much....I went work....I walked in and when I came into the office I was covered in sweat....and this was cold weather…like February....my boss took one look at me and asked if I had just gotten out of the shower…I said no sir. He said “you’re sweating”, I said yes sir....he said “go back to the doctor…now.”

I must’ve REALLY looked bad....so I left....went back....and I told them look, I don’t know what you gave me....but I want the adult dose this time. And they prescribed a very strong steriod and some other things....I took the rest of the week off and by Friday I was 100% again.

I don’t what the difference was between what they gave me to start with and what they ended up giving me....but there’s NOTHING like getting the RIGHT medicine and feeling better.

Yall rememeber a couple of weeks ago I was so sick I could hardly talk or breath…and still preached....I finally went to the doctor last week…and I told that story I just told you....and I told him to go ahead and start with the right stuff....and he said what do you mean? I said MEAN if I have to come back here because you gave me Flintstone vitamins instead of the good stuff we gone fight....”Preacher! You didn’t say that!”....I did too....and he said “You mean that?” I said buddy I aint time to mess around I gotta get better....He said alright....strongest thing I can give you is a shot in the backside…whatdoya say? I said “oooooooo....do it.” So I did.....and now I’m better....

Somethin’ about the right medicine for the right right problem, right?

Application You know....Lot’s daughters made some very wrong assumptions. There were other men in the world....They weren’t patient enough to figure that.

Very often in our lives we are presented with difficult situations....and sometimes, we have legitimate problems, and we see what we believe to be a solution, even though we know it’s wrong. We confince ourselves or allow Satan to convince us that even though this solution is “wrong,” surely God will understand.

A businessman is having a hard time…so he starts cheating on his taxes to save money....or a wife isn’t getting enough attention from her husband, so she starts flirting with sopme other man at work....surely God will understand right? He knows lonely you are....he’d be ok with it....lies, lies, lies.

When we apply the wrong medicine, we won’t get better. Nothing will heal....in fact, it CAN go the other direction can’t it?

When you have real problems....apply the right medicine.

IV. Point #2: Abraham’s Bad Medicine

Explanation In this next story we see Abraham and Sarah end up in a region called Gerar (Gay-Rar). This is the southern border of Canaan, what is now Israel…very near Gaza in Egypt. It’s known for being a very fertile land...

When he gets there, he passes Sarah off as his sister....now you’ll remember, this is the SECOND time Abraham has done this. Waaay back in Chapter 12, Abraham did the exact same thing to Pharoah. The question is…why?

Well, this chapter doesn’t explain a whole lot about that, but if we look back at Chapter 12 and remind ourselves why he did it the first time, we might have a better understanding.

Listen to Genesis 12:15-16

Genesis 12:15–16 (NASB95)

Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

Therefore he treated Abram well for her sake; and gave him sheep and oxen and donkeys and male and female servants and female donkeys and camels.

So check that out....Abraham was respected and treated well because Pharoah wanted HIS favor to marry his “sister” Sarah. It was for protection…and his financial benefit.

In verse 19 we see how it ultimately protected him:

Genesis 12:19 NASB95

“Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her and go.”

So he did this for very selfish reasons back in Chapter 12....there was no difference here in Chapter 20.

Real problems here.....He was INDEED in a bad situation....he was in a foreign land where his name meant nothing....He had very little to his name there....and it could have meant his life....real problem....real sickness....wrong remedy....wrong medicine....

Abraham was afraid of what they’d do to him if somebody important fell in love with his wife…and he also selfishly wanted the benefits that came with being seen as her brother....wrong medicine brother....

Real problem though.

Illustration

You know, I have a guilty pleasure....I enjoy those creepy Unsolved Mystery shows…missing persons....mistaken identity…things like that....am I the only one? I love that stuff! Well see the thing about what Abraham did with Sarah here, is that it wasn’t a case of mistaken identity…it was a case of identity fraud! It was a fraud perpetuated on many people....

It sort of reminds me of this news story I came across a while back about an incident in Detroit, Michigan, yall check this out, this is really bazaar!

<show video of sheriff pulling over fake cop in Detroit from YouTube>

Application That’s scary isn’t it! The lengths this imposter went through to impersonate a police officer....there’s no telling what kind of no good that crook was up to.

I mean, if I see blue lights behind me…I pull over and cooperate…it never occurs to me “hey, this might not be a real cop....”

We can condemn Abraham all we want to for this....and to be sure what he did was bad....it was wrong....and he KNEW it....he had done it before......but all he was really doing, is what so many of US do every day.....we compromise and modify our identity to get along with the world.

Isn’t that true? So many Christians go to church on Sunday, and act an absolute fool the rest of the week. Hannah and I were out for supper the other night and I recognized a grouip of people that were in there drinking, being loud, making a scene. They were so loud, I about couldn’t hear myself think. This one guy was saying cuss words and everytime he said one he said it as loud as he possibly could. Just, I’m tellin’ redneckin it up....but I know what church they go to.....and it’s funny isn’t, it? They don’t act like that THERE....What in the world? Aren’t they the same person on Sunday they are the rest of the week?

The truth is....no. They change their identity. Just like Abraham and Sarah did here. Everytime you capitulate and give in and act like the world so you can have a good time and fit in....there’s no difference. You’re just playing games....pretending.

You say “But brother Vic, I have a real problem…I’m around the worldly people all the time at work.” I agree that IS a problem....but acting like them is the wrong remedy....it’s the wrong medicine.

You see, Christians are called to be salt and light in a tasteless and dark world....we’re not called to walk into a dark room and blow our candle out....we’re called to let it shine....

This little light of mine....I’m gonna let it shine.....This little light of mine....I’m gonna let it shine.....This little light of mine....I’m gonna let it shine....let it shine, let it shine....let it shine....

I like this verse: “hide it under a buschel…NO....I’m gonna let it shine....”<finish>

Jesus said “I AM the light of the world”.....that’s the real medicine isn’t it?

V. Point #3: Abimelech’s Good Medicine

Explanation Isn’t it interesting that between Lot and his daughters and Abraham and Sarah.....the only person who figured what the right medicine was was a pagan, godless king named Abimelech?

Even somebody of the world recognized God’s voice.

You see God saw that Abimelech was going to wind up being CAUSED to sin by somebody else. And God, being a just God, rescued Abimelech from that. He gave him a dream.

No, I suspect that by this time new of what had happened to Sodom and Gomorrah had made it all the way to (Gay-rar). So Abimelech was fearful of God, probably because of that. And he didn’t want any harm to come to his people or himself. So he begged God for mercy…and showed God reverence and respect.

Instead of punishing Abraham, he let him go....

See…Abimelech used the right medicine....He could’ve been petty…and gotten angry....and killed Abraham if he wanted.....but instead, he appealed to God....and did what was right in his eyes.

Isn’t sad....though....that this pagan king showed God more reverance than his own servant Abraham?

What did Abraham offer? Excuses....look verse 12 again: Abraham said

Genesis 20:12 NASB95

“Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife;

What a pathetic excuse, right? As if that made any difference…He was trying to justify this to make himself look better, that’s all.

Illustration You know, a lot has been shared around and debated about vaccines in the last two years....many of you have chosen not to get it and many of us have…I got mine and Hannah got her’s....I know many of you have gotten it. It’s really a matter of choice after all....

But still....even if that vaccine is 98% effective, as I’m told the one I took is....isn’t it interesting that we don’t have a medicine that just…*snap* cure COVID?

We don’t have a medicine that just.....*snap* cures Cancer....

We don’t have a medicine that just....*snap* cures depression...

Oh sure....we treat the symptoms and hope the body can eventually over come....some times it does....sometimes it doesn’t.

What it really reminds me of is that…there really is no cure for death. One sickness or the other could take any of us out....

I was reflecting just Friday afternoon about how a “supposedly” routine procedure took my grandma out....we don’t know.

It could be COVID....it could be cancer....it could be the next virus. That’s not to say we aren’t careful…I’m awfully thankful for the Polio vaccine, aren’t you?

That’s not say we don’t do our best if we even have a chance....I know many who have come through successful chemotherapy and are still with us today....

But NOTHING can cure death when it ends up being our time.

Application

There is no cure for death....what there is, is a cure for eternal death. ONE right medicine…and I don’t care what the world tells you…what Oprah tells you....what any of them tell you.....the cure for eternal death is Jesus Christ....and the reward, is eternal life. The cure is not being a good person....doing enough good stuff....being generous enough…those things are great.....but it’s no accident that God is called the Great Physician....and He offers the only good medicine there is and that’s Jesus....he’s only cure, can I get an amen somebody?

VI. Conclusion

a. Let me ask you this morning: I’m not interested in your COVID vaccine this morning....have you had your Jesus vaccine? It goes right into the blood....and it cleanses from all sin.

All you have to is believe.....admit your sin....believe in Him with all your heart....and confess it to the world....the Bible says if you ask for it, He’ll save you.....don’t leave here today not knowing. Leave here today SURE....forget all these people standing here....they’re just like you. If you need to be saved you come up here duringthe invitation....I’ll pray with you, I’ll be right by your side.....if you need to re-commit yourself to the Lord, I’ll pray with you....you can go to the altar.....but don’t leave here broken and unsure. Come to Jesus....and live.

b. Let’s Pray