Don’t Team Up With Unbelievers.   

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Genesis 19:1-14 (NLT)
Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed
1 That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting there, and when he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed with his face to the ground. 2 “My lords,” he said, “come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again.”
“Oh no,” they replied. “We’ll just spend the night out here in the city square.”
3 But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate. 4 But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. 5 They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!”
6 So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him.7 “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing.8 Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection.”
9 “Stand back!” they shouted. “This fellow came to town as an outsider, and now he’s acting like our judge! We’ll treat you far worse than those other men!” And they lunged toward Lot to break down the door.
10 But the two angels reached out, pulled Lot into the house, and bolted the door. 11 Then they blinded all the men, young and old, who were at the door of the house, so they gave up trying to get inside.
12 Meanwhile, the angels questioned Lot. “Do you have any other relatives here in the city?” they asked. “Get them out of this place—your sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. 13 For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the Lord, and he has sent us to destroy it.”
14 So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’ fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city! The Lord is about to destroy it.” But the young men thought he was only joking.

 Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 19:1-14 (NLT)
Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed
1 That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom.

 Lot was sitting there,

City officials and other prominent citizens conducted the community’s affairs at the gate.

 Lot had become involved with the politics of Sodom.

Proverbs 4:10-19 (NLT)
10 My child, listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
11 I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
12 When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
13 Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!
18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NLT)
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?

 Psalm 37:27 (NLT)
Turn from evil and do good,
and you will live in the land forever.

 Lot was teaming up with unbelievers (the wicked).

  • Lot had become a part of the political system of Sodom.
  • Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers.

 and when he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed with his face to the ground. 

Like Abraham

Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 

2 “My lords,” he said, “come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again.”

Good host
(note: It doesn’t say that Lot would wash their feet.)

No indication that Lot knew these men were angels.  (See verse 13)

 “Oh no,” they replied. “We’ll just spend the night out here in the city square.”

 Lot was certainly aware of the perversity of the Sodomites.

Lot wanted to protect these men (angels) from the perversity of the Sodomites.

 3 But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate. 

 4 But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. 

  •  The perversity in Sodom was widespread.

 5 They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!”

 Blatant homosexuality

What is a root cause of homosexuality?

Romans 1:18-27
God’s Anger at Sin
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other.

  • Wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
  • They knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks.
  • God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.

 6 So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him.7 “Please, my brothers,”

My brothers

My friends

Don’t team up with unbelievers. 

he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing.8 Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish.

Don’t try to rationalize this behavior in any way.

 But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection.”

                 Again, being a good host.

 9 “Stand back!” they shouted. “This fellow came to town as an outsider, and now he’s acting like our judge!

 We’ll treat you far worse than those other men!” And they lunged toward Lot to break down the door.

The men of Sodom turned against Lot.

John 15:19 (NLT)
The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

  • The world hates those who God chose to come out of the world.

10 But the two angels reached out, pulled Lot into the house, and bolted the door. 

 The two angels saved Lot.

 11 Then they blinded all the men, young and old, who were at the door of the house, so they gave up trying to get inside.

 Exodus 23:20  (NLT)
A Promise of the Lord’s Presence
“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.

  •  God uses angels to carry out His plans.

  12 Meanwhile, the angels questioned Lot. “Do you have any other relatives here in the city?” they asked. “Get them out of this place—your sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. 

The angels warned Lot to leave Sodom.

 13 For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the Lord, and he has sent us to destroy it.”

 By this time it would have been clear to Lot that these men were angels sent by God.

  •  God sent angels to destroy Sodom because of all the wickedness present in the city.

Divine judgment.

Romans 1:18
God’s Anger at Sin
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

Psalm 34:16 (NLT)
But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;
he will erase their memory from the earth.

 Psalm 94:23 (NLT)
God will turn the sins of evil people back on them.
He will destroy them for their sins.
The Lord our God will destroy them.

 Malachi 4:1 (NLT)
The Coming Day of Judgment
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all.

  •  God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

  14 So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’ fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city! The Lord is about to destroy it.”

 But the young men thought he was only joking.

Lot had lost all of his credibility.

Single and Celibate or Married?

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Single and celibate or married?

1 Corinthians 7:1-9 (NLT)
Instruction on Marriage
7 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations. 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
3 The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. 4 The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.
5 Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.
8 So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 9 But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.

Examine the scriptures:

Single and celibate or married?

Context – Paul is addressing sexual immorality.

  • Sexual immorality has no place in the life of a Christian.
  • No other sin so clearly affects the body as sexual immorality does.
  • Sex in marriage was designed by God to create a very special and unique relationship between a man and a woman. (Genesis and Ephesians )

1 Corinthians 7:1-9 (NLT)
Instruction on Marriage
1 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations. 

 This may not saying what it appears to be saying.

Look at the same verse in the AMP version.  (The Amplified Bible is an English translation of the Bible produced jointly by Zondervan (subsidiary of News Corp) and The Lockman Foundation.)

1 Now as to the matters of which you wrote: It is good (beneficial, advantageous) for a man not to touch a woman [outside marriage]. 

  •  It is helpful to look at several different translations (or commentaries) when studying a passage of scripture.
  • Sometimes we really do not know exactly what scripture is saying.

Paul may have been saying that it is good to be single and celibate.

Single and celibate may be good,

but we can also say marriage is good.

  • Scripture clearly endorses marriage.

Sex in marriage was designed by God to create a very special and unique relationship between a man and a woman. (Genesis and Ephesians)

Psalm 127:3-5 (NLT)
3 Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
4 Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
    He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

The Song of Solomon describes numerous romantic settings.

In the scripture, Christ and the Church is a model for marriage.

Matthew 19:12  (NLT) (more later)
12 …. some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

  •  It’s also o.k. not to be married.

 BUT

 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality,

 each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

 2 But because of [the temptation to participate in] sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. (AMP)

 Here Paul is endorsing marriage.

  • Marriage is God’s only provision for sexual fulfillment.

 3 The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. 4 The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.
5 Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 

 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 

 Single and celibate worked for Paul.  Marriage works for others.

 7 But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.

 God makes some able to live one way, others to live a different way.

 Matthew 19:8-12 (NLT)
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”
10 Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!”
11 “Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. 12 Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

 Jesus does not advocate celibacy for everyone and Jesus does not suggest that celibacy is superior to marriage.

 1 Corinthians 7:17 (NLT)
Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches.

  •  Singleness or marriage can be God’s plan for individuals.

8 So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 

 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 (NLT)
32 I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. 33 But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. 34 His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.

  •  A married man has divided interests (I Corinthians 7:33-34).

 9 But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.

  • It’s o.k. for a single person to stay single or it’s o.k. for a single person to marry.

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

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Genesis 18:16-33 (NLT)
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
16 Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.
17 “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. 18 “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19 I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”
20 So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. 21 I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”
22 The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. 23 Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? 24 Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? 25 Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
26 And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”
27 Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”
And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”
29 Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”
And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”
30 “Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”
And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”
31 Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”
And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
32 Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”
And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
33 When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 18:16-33 (NLT)
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

16 Then the men

The Lord and two angels. (last lesson)

got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

17 “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. 18 “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 

My plan

Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. (God’s plan repeated.) Genesis 12:3, 18:18, 22:18, 26:4 Acts 3:25

Galatians 3:8 (NLT)
What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.”

19 I have singled him out

  • God had a plan for Abraham.

1 Corinthians 12 (NLT)
One Body with Many Parts
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

  • God has a plan for us.

so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just.

  • Abraham’s role:

Be a good father and grandfather.

He will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just.

Do what is right and just.

What scriptures pop into your minds?

Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)
Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Deuteronomy 6  (NLT)
A Call for Wholehearted Commitment
1 “These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, 2 and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 3 Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

Psalm 78:4-7 (NLT)
4 We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.
5 For he issued his laws to Jacob;  he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children,
6 so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.

Summarize the above.

Redeemer Day School. (One of the school’s core values)

Redeemer Day School partners with parents and comes alongside them as they rear their children. We believe that a child’s home, church, and school should work together to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Teachers and parents must rely on the Holy Spirit to develop Christ-like character in these precious children. We are looking down the road at what each child will become as they grow into the person that the Lord has created them to be. Our prayer is that they will never know a time that they do not love, serve, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

Deuteronomy 30:15-18 (NLT)
15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 16 For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
17 “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, 18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

  • God carries out His promises.

20 So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. 21 I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard.

Jeremiah 23:24 (NLT)
Can anyone hide from me in a secret place?
Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?”
says the Lord.

Job 34:21 (NLT)
“For God watches how people live;
he sees everything they do.

Psalm 139
1 O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.

  • God knows everything we do.

If not, I want to know.”

Genesis 13:13 (NLT)
But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.

Contrast

Blessings and curses

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (NLT)
26 “Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! 27 You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. 28 But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.

  • You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord. You will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord.

22 The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. 23 Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? 

  • The Lord remained with Abraham.

Abraham approached God

Hebrews 4:14-16  (NLT)
Christ Is Our High Priest
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

  • Because of all that Jesus has done for us we can come boldly to God’s throne of grace.

24 Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? 

Proverbs 14:34 (NIV)
Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin condemns any people.

25 Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same!

  • Abraham was genuinely concerned for the righteous. (Lot)

Genesis 14:16 (NLT)
Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.

Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

Psalm 11:7 (NLT)
For the righteous Lord loves justice.
The virtuous will see his face.

Psalm 89:14 (NLT)
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.

Psalm 7:11 (NLT)
God is an honest judge.
He is angry with the wicked every day.

Psalm 7:11 (NIV)
God is a righteous judge,
a God who displays his wrath every day.

  • God is a righteous judge. He does what is right.

26 And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”

27 Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord,
 even though I am but dust and ashes. 

            Insignificant compared to God.

28 Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”

And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”

29 Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”

30 “Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”

31 Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

32 Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”

It was turning out that Sodom was truly an intensely wicked city.

Genesis 13:13 (NLT)
But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.

Genesis 19:16 (NLT)
When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful.

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

33 When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.

 

 

Entertaining Angels

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Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 

Commentaries cross-reference this verse with Genesis 18:1-15

Genesis 18:1-15 (NLT)
A Son Is Promised to Sarah
1 The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.
3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 4 Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 5 And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.”
“All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 7 Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.
9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked.
“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.
10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”
Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 12 So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”
But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 18:1-15 (NLT)
A Son Is Promised to Sarah
1 The Lord appeared again to Abraham

 The Lord and two angels.  (This will be clear shortly.)

  • The Lord and two angles appeared to Abraham and Sarah in human form.

God came to Abraham.

 Various roles of angels in the Scriptures:

Communicate information

Luke 2:8-14 (NLT)
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

John 20:11-12 (NLT)
11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.

Matthew 28:6  (NLT)
6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

Accompany Jesus

Matthew 16:27 (NLT)
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.

 2 Thessalonians 1:7 (NLT)
And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels,

 Protection/Care

Matthew 4:11 (NLT)
Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

Luke 4:10 (NLT)
For the Scriptures say,
‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.

Hebrews 1:14 (NLT)
Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

 Psalm 91:11 (NLT)
For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.

 Matthew 18:10 (NLT)
“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

 Matthew 26:53 (NLT)
Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?

Worship/Praise God

Luke 2:13-14 (NLT)
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Revelation 5:11 (NLT)
Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders.

Luke 15:10 (NLT)
In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

Gather the chosen

Matthew 24:31 (NLT)
And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

  • Angels are real and play many different roles throughout the scriptures.

 near the oak grove belonging to Mamre.

This is where Abraham moved to after he and Lot split up.

Genesis 13:18 (NLT)
So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the Lord.

 One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby.

 In previous encounters, the Lord simply “appeared”.

 When he saw them, he ran to meet them

 1 Peter 4:9 (NLT)
Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

 He ran – In the Middle East an elderly socially prominent man normally would not run

  •  Abraham did not hesitate to show hospitality to his three visitors.

and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.

 3 “My lord,” he said,

             A common way of speaking to special guests.

  •  Abraham treated his guests with respect.

 Refer to the use of “Lord” later in the chapter.

Initially, Abraham may or may not have known this was Yahweh but he certainly knew before too long.

Genesis 18:22 (NLT)
The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham.

Genesis 18:30-31 (NLT)
30 “Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”
And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”
31 Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”

  “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 4 Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 

 Typical greeting.

 5 And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.”

 In reality, what happened here was that the Lord came to Abraham.

 Revelation 3:20 (NLT)
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

 Share a meal as friends – more intimate

  • Jesus makes it possible for us to have an intimate relationship with Him.

 Jesus comes to us.

How do we respond?

Do we even recognize Jesus?

 “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”

6 So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 7 Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 

  •  Abraham was generous with his guests.

A period of time to “visit”.

 8 When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.

 A significant amount of food.

 Abraham had servants, but here he did the serving.

  • Abraham displayed a servant’s heart.

 The reason for the visit.

 9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked.
“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.

10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”

 A repetition, with more details, of the promise made in 17:16.

God was making his message crystal clear.

 Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 

 Long past the age of having children.

 12 So she laughed silently to herself and said,

 Genesis 17:17 (NLT)
Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”

 “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” 

Sarah was still not receptive to God’s plan for her life.

There is a lesson here for us.

 13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 

 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

 Repetition of the promise.

  • Nothing is too hard for the Lord.

 15 Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”

 Repentance vs. denial

 But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”

  •  It doesn’t make sense to lie to God. He knows our hearts.

The High Cost of Violating Biblical Principles.

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1 Corinthians 6:15-20  (Part two of 1 Corinthians 6:12-20)

Review:

Who said, “I am allowed to do anything”?

Paul is addressing sexual immorality. The Corinthians wanted to argue that sexual immorality was o.k.

Sexual immorality.

  • Sexual immorality was taking place in the Corinthian church.
  • Sexual immorality has no place in the life of a Christian.
  • No other sin so clearly affects the body as sexual immorality does.
  • Sexual immorality is very much a part of the world we live in.

 “TV shows are going way too far to attract viewers.”

“Parents are failing in their duty towards their children. Children have the opportunity of watching “porn movies” for instance, because there is little or no parental mediation. Some parents are so busy nowadays that they hardly have time to find out the type of films their children watch.”

 The internet is easy access to inappropriate content.

  • As parents or teachers, we need to be teaching values that are counter to or in opposition to many of the values taught by the world.

1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (NLT)
15 Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! 16 And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” 17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.
18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

 Examine the scriptures:

1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (NLT)
15 Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ?

1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

  • Christians, and their bodies, are part of Christ. (verse 15)
  • Christians were bought by God and belong to God. (verse 20)
  • The body of a Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (verse 19)

Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute?

Last lesson:
Paul argues that the argument supporting sexual immorality cannot be compared to the hunger experienced by the stomach.

The body in this context meant more than the physical frame.  It referred to the whole person, composed of flesh and spirit.  The body was not perishable, but eternal and was not meant for sexual immorality, but for union with the Lord.

 Never! 

 This behavior may be o.k. in the eyes of the world, but it is never o.k. in the eyes of God.

 Here is the argument from a Biblical (Paul’s) point of view.

 16 And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her?
For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” 

  •  Sex in marriage was designed by God to create a very special and unique relationship between a man and a woman. (Genesis and Ephesians )

Ephesians 5:31-32 (NLT)
31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.

 This is a great mystery, therefore we won’t understand everything there is to understand about this union.

Genesis 2:24 (NLT)
24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

A very unique relationship is formed between a man and his wife.

A similar unique relationship is formed between a man and a prostitute. (Verse 16)

  • Sex with a prostitute makes the prostitute a part of a unique relationship between a man and a woman.

 17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

 Ephesians 5:31-32
31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.

  • Christ and the church are one.

Add a prostitute to this mix.  Never  (verse 15)  It just doesn’t work.  This is no longer an illustration of Christ and the church.

  • Sexual immorality destroys the relationship between Christ and the Church.

 18 Run from sexual sin!

 Ephesians 5:3-9 (NLT)
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 

 Venereal disease and HIV

 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Who said, “I am allowed to do anything”?

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1 Corinthians 6:12-14

Part One – Part Two next lesson

Who said, “I am allowed to do anything”?

Paul is addressing sexual immorality. The Corinthians wanted to argue that sexual immorality was o.k.

Are you surprised?

(Next lesson will deal more with the sexual immorality.)

The Biblical principle applies to sin in general.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (NLT)
I Am Allowed To Do Anything.
12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. 13 You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 14 And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

 Examine the scriptures:

Who said, “I am allowed to do anything”?

1 Corinthians 6:12-14 (NLT)
12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”

 You say

 A quote used by the Corinthians.

We can use scripture to support this quote.

Ephesians 1:7 (NLT)
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

Romans 8:1 (NLT)
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

 John 8:36 (NLT)
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

  •  If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

Consider the truth in the following statements:

Our freedom in Christ means that we do not have to keep the law in order to be saved nor are we obligated to be morally perfect before people.

“Jesus died for you—He has done everything.”

“You have forgiveness, no matter how much you sin.”

“Once saved, always saved.”

God forgives but …

Our freedom can be used properly or it can be abused.

Is grace a license to sin?

Romans 6:1-2 (NLT)
Sin’s Power Is Broken
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

Galatians 5:13 (NLT)
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

You have a choice.

Use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature or use your freedom to serve one another in love.

  • Don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

 —but not everything is good for you.

 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NLT)
You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.

 Sin has consequences

Rubber band illustration.

  •  Sin has consequences.

 And even though (you say) “I am allowed to do anything,”

 I must not become a slave to anything. 

Romans 6:16-22 (NLT)
16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death (separation from God), or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

  •  You become the slave of whatever you choose to obey.

My paraphrase: You become a slave of the lifestyle you choose to live.

Romans 6:12 (NLT)
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.

Romans 7:6 (NLT)
But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.

  •  Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.

Corinthian argument:

 13 You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.)

 Biological examples used by the Corinthians:

Food was both pleasurable and necessary.  When the stomach signaled hunger, food was eaten to satisfy that hunger.

 Sex is both pleasurable and necessary.
When their bodies signaled sexual desires, they needed to be satisfied.

But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality.

 The specific sin that Paul is addressing is sexual immorality.

 They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 

 Paul argues that the argument supporting sexual immorality cannot be compared to the hunger experienced by the stomach.

The body in this context meant more than the physical frame.  It referred to the whole person, composed of flesh and spirit.  The body was not perishable, but eternal and was not meant for sexual immorality, but for union with the Lord.

 1 Corinthians 15:35-54 (NLT)
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” 36 What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. 37 And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. 38 Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. 39 Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.
40 There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. 41 The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.
42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.46 What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.
50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.
51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.

Philippians 3:20-21 (NLT)
20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

  •  Our bodies were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.

14 And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

 

God tells of His plans for Sarah, Isaac, and Ishmael.

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Previous lesson:

the Lord appeared to him (Abraham) and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’

“I (God Almighty) will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants ….”

  • God is omnipotent.
    •  God is “The Overpowerer,” meaning He will do what He purposes to do, overpowering   all opposition.
    •  God is “The All Sufficient One…” He doesn’t need our help!
    • God is the Almighty One who supplies and satisfies our every need.
    • God nourishes and supplies the needs of His people.
    • God is more than sufficient to meet any need. He is power and provision.
    • God would be sufficient for Abram’s every need.

Today’s lesson

God tells of His plans for Sarah, Isaac, and Ishmael.

The sovereignty of God: all things are under His control.

Genesis 17:15-27 (NLT)
15 Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. 16 And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”
17 Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” 18 So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”
19 But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant. 20 As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” 22 When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.
23 On that very day Abraham took his son, Ishmael, and every male in his household, including those born there and those he had bought. Then he circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, just as God had told him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and Ishmael, his son, was thirteen. 26 Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day, 27 along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 17:15-27 (NLT)
Sarai Is Named Sarah
15 Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. 

“my princess” changed to “princess”

Princess – one whose seed would produce kings.

 16 And I will bless her and give you a son from her!

Genesis 21:2-3 (NLT)
2 She (Sarah) became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. 3 And Abraham named their son Isaac.

 Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”

Sarah is blessed with a son.

Sarah is richly blessed by becoming the mother of many nations.  Kings will be among her descendants.

Much like the promise made to Abraham.

Genesis 17:5 (NLT)
What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.

 17 Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief.

Abraham laughed in disbelief.

Review: the Lord appeared to him (Abraham) and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’

 Abraham did not fully grasp what God was telling him.  Isn’t this also true for us?

He (we) had a partial understanding of what God was saying.

 

  • Abraham did not fully grasp all that God was telling him.

This all sounded incredible to Abraham.  He had assumed that his descendants would come through Ishmael.

Abraham knew (believed) that he would be the father of many nations.  This was the first mention that his barren, old wife was to be the mother.

 “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” 

 Isaiah 46:9-11 (NLT)
9 Remember the things I have done in the past.
For I alone am God!
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 Only I can tell you the future
before it even happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass,
for I do whatever I wish.
11 I will call a swift bird of prey from the east—
a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding.
I have said what I would do,
and I will do it.

  •  God does what He says He will do.

 18 So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”

Abraham still saw Ishmael as special.

Abraham asked that Ishmael would receive the special blessing from God.

Still willing to help God with an alternate solution “to the problem”.

 19 But God replied, “No—

  •  God often says “No” to His people.

Luke 22:42 (NLT)
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant. 

God’s plan

Isaac means “he laughs”

Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

  • God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Mark 10:27 (NLT)
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

 20 As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 

God partially honors Abraham’s request in verse 18.

21 But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” 

 God’s covenant will continue through Isaac.

 22 When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

23 On that very day

 Obedience

 Abraham took his son, Ishmael, and every male in his household, including those born there and those he had bought. Then he circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, just as God had told him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and Ishmael, his son, was thirteen. 26 Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day, 27 along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him.

 Trust and obey

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 16:20 (NLT)
20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper;
those who trust the Lord will be joyful.

  • Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Don’t Fool Yourselves.

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1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – Don’t Fool Yourselves

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NLT)
9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Examine the scriptures:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NLT)
9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God?

Not everyone will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT)
13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

 John 3:16-21 (NLT)
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

  •  Not everyone will spend eternity in heaven.

 Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

These verses describe the true nature of the lost.

These behaviors certainly do not display the true nature of the saved.

Believers can and do commit these sins, but these verses do not describe the character of someone who has been born into God’s family.

1 John 3:7-10 (NLT)
7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

Key phrase:  Don’t fool yourselves.

  •  Don’t fool yourselves.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you (is in you,); if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

 Galatians 5:19-23 (NLT)
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

  True believers who do sin, resent that sin and seek to gain victory over it.

 11 Some of you were once like that.

 Romans 3:23
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

  •  Everyone has sinned.

 But you were cleansed; you were made holy;

 Titus 3:5 (NLT)
he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 1:13 (NLT)
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

1 Corinthians 1:30 (NLT)
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

  •   Christians have been rescued by God from the kingdom of darkness and have been transferred into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

 you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 John 3:16 (NLT)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 3:22-25
22  We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. 

  Romans 10:9-13 (NLT)
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 Acts 2:21 (NLT)
21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’

Romans 8:33 (NLT)
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.

  • We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.
  • Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

I (God Almighty) Will Confirm My Covenant – Genesis 17:1-14

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“I (God Almighty) will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants …. ‘

Genesis 17:1-14 (NLT)
Abram Is Named Abraham
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

The Mark of the Covenant

9 Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. 10 This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised. 11 You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. 13 All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.14 Any male who fails to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for breaking the covenant.”

Examine the Scriptures
Genesis 17:1-14 (NLT)
Abram Is Named Abraham
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,

 13 years after the birth of Ishmael.

Sarai had not yet given birth to a son.

the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’

One of the most well-known names for the Lord, El Shaddai,

English as “God Almighty,” and it is found in Job more than any other book in Scripture.

This title would be used to describe His power.

  • God is omnipotent.
    • God is the Almighty One who supplies and satisfies our every need.
    • God nourishes and supplies the needs of His people.
    • God is “The All Sufficient One…” He doesn’t need our help!
    • God is more than sufficient to meet any need. He is power and provision.
    • God is “The Overpowerer,” meaning He will do what He purposes to do, overpowering all opposition.
    • God would be sufficient for Abram’s every need.

Exodus 15:6 (NLT)
“Your right hand, O Lord,
is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lord,
smashes the enemy.

Matthew 19:26 (NLT)
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Luke 1:37 (NLT)
For the word of God will never fail.”

Psalm 115:3 (NLT)
Our God is in the heavens,
and he does as he wishes.

Job 42:2(NLT)
“I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.”

Jeremiah 32:27 (NLT)
“I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?”

  •  God’s power is a resource for Christians.

Ephesians 1:19-23 (NLT)
19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

 Philippians 4:13 (NLT)
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

 Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 

 Expectations for Abram.

Called to a higher standard of living.

Expectations for Christians.

Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

 Philippians 1:9-10 (NLT)
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

Holy, without fault, pure, and blameless.
(What God has begun in the past will be completed in the future.)

Holy- set apart

Pure – Not weakened or diluted (metal – wine)

Blameless –Free from accusation. Used to describe sacrificial lambs.
Above reproach
Right relationship with God and others.
Not causing others to stumble.

2 Peter 3:14 (NLT)
And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

Desire to live the life God called you to live. (Remember God’s power.)

  • God chose us (Christians) to be holy and without fault in His eyes.

2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

 3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him,

 Postures give expression to the attitudes of our hearts.

 4 “This is my covenant with you:

 I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 

 Previously
Genesis 15:5 (NLT)
Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

 5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. 

Abram –      High father or “exalted father.”

Abraham – Father of many, father of a multitude

Romans 4:17 (NLT)
That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

 Belief vs. keeping the law

6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!

 7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation.

 God confirms His covenant.

God repeats His covenant.

God’s covenant is everlasting.

 This is the everlasting covenant:

 I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 

 8 And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

 The Mark of the Covenant

9 Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant.

 Acts 7:5 (NLT)
“But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants—even though he had no children yet.

 You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. 

 Zephaniah 3:12-13 (NLT)
12 Those who are left will be the lowly and humble,
for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel will do no wrong;
they will never tell lies or deceive one another.
They will eat and sleep in safety,
and no one will make them afraid.”

 10 This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised. 11 You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you. 

Not a Hebrew invention – used in Egypt as an act of ritual purity

A new meaning here.

  • Physical circumcision was a reminder of God’s everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants.

Separation

Purity (cut away sin)

Loyalty

  • True circumcision is a change of heart produced by the Spirit.

Deuteronomy 30:6 (NLT)
“The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!

Romans 2:28-29 (NLT)
28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

Romans 4:11 (NLT)
 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.

12 From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. 

  •  Circumcision has nothing to do with racial purity.

13 All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.14 Any male who fails to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for breaking the covenant.”

The Council of Jerusalem did not include religious male circumcision as a requirement for new Gentile converts. Acts 15.

 

How Dare You!

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How Dare You!

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 (NLT)

Avoiding Lawsuits with Christians
1 When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! 2 Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? 3 Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 5 I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? 6 But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers!
7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.

Examine the scriptures:

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 (NLT)
Avoiding Lawsuits with Christians
1 When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! 

  • Disputes between believers should be resolved in the church.

2 Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world?

 Revelation 2:26-27 (NLT)
26 To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end,
To them I will give authority over all the nations.
27 They will rule the nations with an iron rod
and smash them like clay pots.

 And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? 3 Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 

  • Christians are qualified to resolve conflicts.

4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 5 I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? 

 Resources available to Christians for conflict resolution that are not available to the unbeliever.

Wisdom

James 1:5 (NLT)
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

The Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:13 (NLT)
 And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.

John 14:26 (NLT)
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The Scriptures

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Example:

Matthew 18:15-17 (NLT)
15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

  •  Resources are available to Christians for conflict resolution that are not available to the unbeliever.
  • The Church is better equipped to resolve conflicts, within the church, than a secular court.

6 But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers!

 Who should we go to for help in resolving conflict?

Do we seek help from those in the kingdom of darkness
or do we seek help from those who are living in the kingdom of  God’s son?

Colossians 1:13 (NLT)
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

 John 15:19 (NLT)
The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

How many Biblical principles are being violated when we sue another Christian in a court of law?

 7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?

How should we deal with conflict?

Love

Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT)
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

 Philippians 2:3-5 (NLT)
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Forgive

 Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

 Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT)
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

 8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.

  •  Disputes in the Christian community should be resolved using Biblical principles.

Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT)
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.