Genesis: Under The Radar – Part 9 Not your usual Angelic visitation Genesis 19:1-29 November 5th, 2017
I. A STORY that UNSETTLES us. (19:1-29)
A. A LITTLE too SUPERNATURAL. (18:16-19:29)
B. Far REMOVED from our CULTURE. (v.6-8)
C. The difficulty of GOOD and EVIL. (19:1-29)
Genesis 19 is one of those texts that we like to avoid, for a whole lot of reasons. But every Bible we pick up…it’s still in there. God seems to want us to read it, and to reflect on it. He never was one to avoid a difficult conversation…
1. What is your initial reaction as you read Get. 19:1-29?
2. What questions does this passage raise for you?
II. So much WRONG to see HERE. (v.4-9)
A. The EVIL of the MOB. (v.5-7)
B. Lot’s IDEA is no BETTER. (v.8)
C. SODOM is a MESS. (v.5-14)
D. The Issue: My inner RESISTANCE to RESCUE. (v.15-26)
One of the first things we notice is that things are sooo bad. It’s hard to find a good guy in this story. We kind of want to like Lot, especially cause Uncle Abraham is so concerned for his well-being. But even Lot seems to be making very poor decisions. We can sometimes get lost in all that is happening in the story that we forget to take a look at what is happening in us.
3. Sodom is such a mess. Why do you think Lot moved into the city?
4. Those who sat “in the gateway of the city” were usually seen as the leaders, the town council. What does this tell you about Lot?
5. What does verse 9 teach you about the dynamics between Lot and the others?
6. When have you found yourself more willing to assess others than to evaluate your own heart? Why do you think we do that?
III. WHO are WE?
A. We PREFER to focus OUTWARD. (Jn 8:1-7, 21:21; Rom. 2:1)
1. a.k.a. – The spiritual GIFT of DEFLECTION (Matt 7:3; Gen 3:12-13)
B. We RESIST the call to CHANGE. (v. 16; Acts 7:51)
1. Settling for INFORMATION over TRANSFORMATION.(Jn 5:39-40)
If we can resist the urge to just look at the characters of the story we begin to see something about ourselves. We really wish the Bible was about everyone else. We’d like to use it to make declarations about what is right and wrong, and to support our own idea of how nice we are. But the text won’t let us keep deflecting…it pushes us to look inside and see all that lies beneath our veneer of Christian proclamations.
7. When have you seen or used the “Spiritual Gift of Deflection” to avoid a hard truth in your own life? How can we avoid that? What role does community play?
8. As you look at your own faith is it more about information or transformation? How can you grow more toward transformation?
IV. WHO is GOD? (Gen. 18:25; 2 Pet. 2:4-9)
A. One who WILL destroy EVIL. (v.24-25; Rev. 21:4-5)
B. One who HEARS our PRAYERS. (v.29; Ps 34:15)
C. One whose RESCUE can overcome our RESISTANCE. (v.16; Rom. 2:4)
The text also reminds us of who God is. He is one that is beyond us, the actual King over all that is. He doesn’t need to consult us or to ask permission for His actions. That would be a horrible thing if we didn’t know that He is also the embodiment of love.
9. What does this text teach you about God? How can that move from information to playing a transformative role in your own life?
10.Does the role Abraham plays encourage you as you pray for others?
11.What are the areas that God is seeking to overcome your resistance?