| Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church Genesis 19 is the story of God’s judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah. It’s probably not what you think. It really is not an indictment on one particular sin, though it can’t be totally separated from it either, and if you think it in no way applies to you, think again. Does Jesus approve of the lifestyle of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah? No, but in Matt. 9, Jesus was taking some heat for consorting with “publicans and sinners”. His reply? “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Three things to ponder as we consider the Lord’s love for the wicked people of the plains; “us”. 1st, He was Long-Suffering, or Patient Even as He beheld their sin - Gen. 18:20, or as Abel’s blood cried out from the ground in 4:10. Nugget: There are little or no references to God responding to our cries for vengeance, but often, God hears the sins of the people crying out to Him. (How loud are you?) Often, when we are wronged, we want God to Tune Up our enemies. “Why doesn’t He do something!?” See 2nd Peter 3:1-9. 2nd, He is willing to listen to intercession. “But for ten righteous?” Did Lot deserve deliverance? Do We? “But where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound.” - Romans 5:20. And 3rd, He was willing to sacrifice. Do you not feel deserving? There is good news. “For Christ also has suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” - 1st Peter 3:18. Nugget: Christ did not die for the good people, cause There Are None. He died for the ungodly - Romans 5:6, and for sinners vs 8. We may not have committed the same sins, but rest assured, we are sinners just the same; and apart from Christ, we cannot be saved from the judgement to come. Now. Let’s make some noise — Right? |
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