Sermon Tone Analysis

Our Venerable Father Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra (m 325)

Title

Intercessory Prayer

Outline

Abraham was a friend of God

While there was always a reverential distance, Abraham was what the ancient world would call a friend

He had obeyed God and traveled far from security

He had accepted all of God’s promises, even without understanding them

Now God has visited him and has even eaten with him

While God has given Abraham yet another more specific promise that seems only part of the visit - there is a familiarity with Abraham and a need to include him in God’s planes

Now, not because he ought or needs to but because of who Abraham is God shares his plans with Abraham

Abraham is well-aware of what God would find in Sodom and also well aware that his nephew Lot lived there

Watch how Abraham prays

He does not pray specifically for Lot, but for the wider common good which includes

God’s character: “Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked” and “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

God’s sense of the collective: Abraham starts with 50 and moves downward to 10, apparently (1) unsure of how many righteous might be in Sodom and (2) unsure of where God would draw the line on the effect of the righteous on the greater collective

God’s holy sovereignty: Abraham never tells God what to do; he appeals to what God might want to do - “Your kingdom come, your will be done”

Abraham avoids naming his own self-interest in Lot’s family, perhaps not assuming the role of judge and assuming Lot was righteous and perhaps realizing that Abraham’s self-interest was not an appropriate issue but that God was dealing with justice and righteousness

In the end, of course, God does destroy Sodom, but rescues Lot and as much of his family as he can - four leave Sodom and three reach safety.

What do we learn from this?

God is God and remains sovereign - we do not have power in ourselves or grounds to tell him what to do.

Prayer is a privilege

Prayer is always seeking the will of God and his kingdom and is submissive to the good of that Kingdom

God chooses to use prayer to reveal our hearts and to reveal his will and to draw us into relationship

Prayer does include loving and seeking the good of one’s enemies, whether a Lot who had “chosen the best” or Sodom, which Abraham had helped but which he realized was unrighteous and unjust

Finally, God will do good, perhaps not in saving the city, but knowing your concern meeting that concern in a way that you have not thought of

Reading

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis 18:20–33

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 which has come to me; and if not, I will know.”

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 destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then destroy 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 slay the righteous 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 right?”

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, “Behold, I have taken upon myself 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 taken upon myself 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.

OLD TESTAMENT

Proverbs 16:17–17:17

17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;

he who guards his way preserves his life.

18 Pride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor

than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20 He who gives heed to the word will prosper,

and happy is he who trusts in the LORD.

21 The wise of heart is called a man of discernment,

and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.

22 Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it,

but folly is the chastisement of fools.

23 The mind of the wise makes his speech judicious,

and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

25 There is a way which seems right to a man,

but its end is the way to death.

26 A worker’s appetite works for him;

his mouth urges him on.

27 A worthless man plots evil,

and his speech is like a scorching fire.

28 A perverse man spreads strife,

and a whisperer separates close friends.

29 A man of violence entices his neighbor

and leads him in a way that is not good.

30 He who winks his eyes plans perverse things,

he who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

31 A hoary head is a crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life.

32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast into the lap,

but the decision is wholly from the LORD.

17 Better is a dry morsel with quiet

than a house full of feasting with strife.

2 A slave who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,

and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

and the LORD tries hearts.

4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips;

and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.

5 He who mocks the poor insults his Maker;

he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

and the glory of sons is their fathers.