Remembering Lot's Wife...Again

This morning we want to remember Lot's wife again. We remembered her a little bit last week, but we want to remember her again this week because Jesus said Remember Lot's wife. Let me ask you a question.

Did anybody remember Lot's wife this past week? Yeah, yeah, you didn't none of you did you left here and yeah, you forgot all about her till today, right? So anyway, we want to remember Lot's wife Jesus said it is so significant to remember her that your eternal destiny depends upon it In fact in Luke 17, he records these words but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and Destroyed them all it will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed on that day Let not the one who was on the housetop and whose goods are in the house go down to take them away And likewise, let not the one who was in the field turn back remember Lot's wife Whoever seeks to keep his life shall lose it and whoever loses his life shall preserve it Jesus was concerned that This episode in Genesis chapter 19 be Remembered throughout the history of man so that We don't make the same mistake that Lot's wife made We began last week by talking about her character Let me review that for you just a little bit this morning.

She wanted to do what she Wanted to do no strings attached And if the angel hadn't grabbed her by the hand and her daughters by the hand they probably would have perished in Sodom anyways But because of the grace and mercy of Almighty God she was spared that episode only to look back and be turned into a pillar of Salt a short time later but she desired the world The Bible says in 1st John chapter 2 verse number 15 Love not the world Neither the things that are in the world if any man loves the world What's the rest of the verse?

The love of the Father is not in him There are many people who find themselves in the category of Lot's wife That is they are the kind of people who have a semblance of Christianity, but down deep they love the world They want the world. I will let you know something a believer Does not want the world does not desire the world they detest the world because in heaven God is King. He rules supreme in heaven God's will is always accomplished just exactly as he wants it to be accomplished because he rules in heaven and everybody does exactly what he says Instantaneously, his name was always hollowed in heaven and the true believer wants that name to be hollowed in his life and on earth He wants God's rule in his life and on earth.

He wants God's will in his life and on earth on earth as it is in heaven So therefore you can Effectually say that a true believer Does not set his roots down on earth a true believer is a citizen of another country of another kingdom Therefore if you are here today and you desire the world This kingdom more than you desire God's kingdom. You are in the category of Lot's wife You are in the category of an unbeliever Because a true child of God longs for God's kingdom Detest this world Why because it realizes its sin and its influence and the domain of Satan in his rule And he doesn't want that he wants what God has to offer that's why I Don't worry about the election process.

I Vote because that's my civil duty. That's my responsibility as a citizen of our country and I vote But do I care who's the president of our country? Not in your life. Why because Jesus Christ is the king. I Am a citizen of another kingdom. I am NOT a citizen of this worldly system But if you're involved in politics I mean these guys are fighting tooth and nail do it all they can to a jockey for position to see who's gonna become our next president I Don't really care who the next president is God has already designed the next president's gonna be and He's the king What I desire is for God's kingdom to come to earth God's kingdom to rule on earth for my Savior to sit on The throne of David in the city of Jerusalem and to rule and reign as he has promised in his word That's what I want.

That's what I care about. I Hope that's what you care about, too we can get so caught up in this political system that we forget about the reality of life and the Kingdom of God and his rule. I Don't desire this world. I don't desire what the world has to give me But I surely do desire what God has to give me and what God is all about in my life lots wife desired the world number two she defied the Word of God She defied the word it says back in verse number 17 of Genesis chapter 19 that the angel said escape for your life Do not look behind you and do not stay anywhere in the valley escape to the mountains lest you be swept away The command was given This is what you need to do and she defied the Word of God She said you know what that doesn't make any difference to me.

I don't care That command was too burdensome and first John 5 3 says that God's Commands are not burdensome to the child of God How do you know you're a true child of God listen very carefully when God says this is what you need to do And you say you're right God.

I need to do that. I was wrong Forgive me Lord help me to obey your Word That's a child of God the Bible says In first Peter 2 as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby Do you desire?

The Word of God as a baby desires milk from its mother's breast That would tell you whether or not you are a child of God or not You need to go back and examine your life in light of what the Word of God says about genuine Christianity Watts wife She desired the world.

She defied the Word and number three. She disbelieved the warning Leave the valley leave the city or you will be swept away You will perish and she said you know what? I don't really believe that she disbelieved what God said She forfeited her soul For the world That's her character number two God's Condemnation God's Condemnation four things.

I want you to see about God's condemnation upon our life verse number 23 The Sun had risen over the earth when lot came to Zoar Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah Brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven and he overthrew those cities and all the valley and all the inhabitants of the cities And what grew on the ground, but his wife from behind him Looked back and she became a pillar Of salt First thing I want you to notice about God's condemnation is that it is sudden Sudden Second thing I want you to notice is that knowing it was a sudden but it was shameful Because this woman is remembered as being turned into a pillar of salt.

She was frozen in time as a monument for all to look at in a very shameful act Listen my friends when you sin and God's destruction comes upon you in the midst of your sin.

You live in the midst of that shame forever in Revelation chapter 14 When it talks about the wrath of God coming upon man It says in Revelation chapter 14 that man will suffer. Listen very carefully in eternity with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels and Of the Lord Jesus Christ himself they will suffer fire in brimstone Not only painfully but shamefully because it will be in the presence of the Holy Angels and the Lord Himself They will be able to see the Lord Himself. They will be able to see the Holy Angels themselves and Suffer shame because they did not believe When they were here That's a shame of the condemnation Number three it was very specific.

It was very specific. It says In the verse number 22 the angel said hurry escape there for I cannot do anything until you arrive there until you get to Zoar I can't do anything So when they came to Zoar verse number 24 says then the Lord reigned on Sodom and Gomorrah Brimstone and fire. This was a very specific time Lot his two daughters would enter the city of Zoar and Lot's wife from behind them was not at the city gate yet and she would turn and Glimpse one last time at that city that she loved that city that God was Destroying with fire and brimstone and in that very sudden moment in that very shameful moment in that very specific moment She was condemned just like that bang can you imagine that and Therefore we understand that not only was this condemnation very sudden And not only was it very shameful and very specific.

It was very severe Why? the wages of sin is death This was not some Punishment that would hopefully turn her around and get her on track with God This was forever. This was final. This was it There was no longer a chance to repent. There was no longer a chance to turn from her ways Now She would perish Say wow How do I make sure I don't fall into that category? That leads to point number three and that is Our cleansing three things need to happen.

Listen very carefully It's personal. It's Positional and It's practical There needs to be a cleansing. First of all, it is personal Let me tell you you cannot be cleansed from your sin because your parents are It's a personal commitment that you make between you and the God of the universe We reiterate this with our children Constantly because children need to know for certain whether or not they are truly born again and mom and dad I gotta tell you something Don't just take it for granted because your kids go to church because they're involved in youth group because they're memorizing scripture Because they go on youth retreats because they're doing things Devotionally in their Bible with youth ministry or whatever it is they're doing don't take it for granted that they know the Lord Jesus Christ Don't do that Lots wife is a classic example She saw the miracle of the angels.

She entertained strangers in her house angels in her house She was warned by the angels who came and took her by the hand and told her she was married to a man who was A righteous man yet that did not spare her condemnation Why because she did not appropriate in her own life personally our relationship with the living God There needs to be a personal cleansing Truly truly I say to you unless one is born of water and the spirit He cannot enter the kingdom of God the Bible says That there was an Old Testament promise of regeneration that would come through the Messiah and that regenerating process would be listen very carefully for the washing of water and through the renewing of the Spirit of God Paul said it very succinctly in Titus chapter 3 these words beginning with verse number 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared he saved us not on the basis of deeds, which we have done in righteousness, but according to his mercy by the washing of Regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior a man is born again not by the works of righteousness, which he does But by the washing of regeneration and by the renewing of the Spirit of God What is the washing of regeneration over in Ephesians chapter 5?

Paul tells us it says Husbands love your wives Verse over 25 just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her that he might sanctify her having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word Folks here's the personal cleansing it comes through the Word of God It's the washing of water through the Word of God it's called the washing of regeneration Man must be born again by water and by the Spirit's man Personally must be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord When you read James 1 18 when you read first Peter 1 22 and 23 It talks about being born again by the living Word of God that by the way is where we get the name for a radio ministry living word from first Peter 1 23 man is born again through the Word of God Faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God.

It's the Word of God that cleans you up That is the washing of water That's why we preach the Word of God That's why we give people the Word of God because when they come face to face with what God says God's Spirit uses his word to wash them clean There must be a personal cleansing lots wife didn't have that lot did but she didn't and Therefore she would be condemned And she would perish not only is it a personal cleansing it is a Positional cleansing That is you remain cleansed remember on the night before the crucifixion when Christ took the Wash basin and girded himself with a towel and began to wash the disciples feet and Peter said hey, wait a minute You're not gonna wash my feet I don't want that to happen in my life and listen to the words of Christ to Peter in John 13 When he said this if I do not wash you you have no part with me And Simon Peter said to him Lord not my feet only but also my hands and my head well Then if I have no part with you Throw the whole kit and caboodle on me and clean me up because I want to be with you Jesus said to him he who has bathed Needs only to wash his feet But it's completely clean and you are clean But not all of you For he knew the one who was betraying him for this reason.

He said not all of you are clean Who wasn't the clean one in their midst? Judas The other 11 have been cleansed they were clean How were they clean John 15 verse number 3 says you are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you How are we cleaned up through the Word of God that is given personally that needs to be appropriated when that's appropriated Positionally, I am clean in Christ. I have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ my Lord so therefore when I sin I confess my sin for he is faithful and just to forgive me my sin and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness, I believe that But I am positionally clean Christ is Peter Peter you already been clean man, you are so clean you are squeaky clean But I will let you know you got it.

What you got to do this little cleansing thing on a daily basis You got to make sure you keep your relationship with me where it needs to be That the way you are Are you the one who is confessing your sin? First on one mind is a proof of salvation passage if we are the ones confessing our sins, then we are the ones Showing ourselves as true believers because a true believer recognizes the sin Confesses the sin because he knows that he has hindered his relationship with the Living God and wants to have that Ongoing on working relationship with the king of the universe.

It's a personal cleansing It is a positional cleansing Lastly, it's a very practical cleansing How do you keep yourself clean? two ways Hide God's Word in your heart Psalm 119 11 thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee That verse is learned at the very early stages of Sunday school We probably all have it memorized I won't ask you to stand up and cite it for me because I don't want to embarrass anybody But that's what Psalm 119 11 says thy word. I have hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee So practical.

Why do we memorize the Word of God so that I don't sin against God? Oh The believer reads Psalm 119 the psalmist. Oh how I love thy law. It is my meditation all the day long That's the cry of the believer. He doesn't say oh, man. I gotta go to church again Oh, no, I gotta read my Bible again. Oh dad. We gotta had devotions again That's not what a believer says. Oh how I love thy law. It is my meditation day and night. I Hide God's Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee That's what I want to do And so we are to hide God's Word of our life so that when temptation comes we can combat Satan his fiery darts We know exactly what the Word of God says because we have hidden it in our lives So practical yet.

We don't even do it When was the last time you memorized the Bible verse that'll tell you how often we don't do it Did you memorize the Bible verse this week? last week Last year that will show you how important it is for you to stay cleansed Stay clean before God In this next one is really convicting so hold with me now Not only do you hide God's Word in your heart, but you hope for his return You hope for his return number first John chapter 3 What's it say?

See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God and such we are For this reason the world does not know us Because it did not know him That is so good the world doesn't know you because the world didn't know God They rejected God They didn't want God and the world doesn't want you either because if you're standing on truth And that says this beloved now We are children of God and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be We know that when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him just as he is and everyone who has this hope Fixed on him Purifies himself just as he is pure.

Amen Amen, that wasn't a very good. Amen. Are you hoping for the return of Christ? Are you anticipating the return of Christ? Is that what you really long for? Listen to what Paul said in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 in the future There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness Which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me But also to all who have loved his appearing That's the point How many people do you know that are longing for his appearing for if you're not longing for his appearing read on Verse number 9 make every effort to come to me soon for Demas having loved this present world has deserted me Demas is the classic apostate He didn't long for the appearing of God.

He loved the world. He wasn't anticipating the return of Christ He was anticipating the next pay raise. He was anticipating the next child. He was anticipating the next opportunity To gain higher status in life. He was not anticipating the return of Christ He was not longing for that because that's not where his heart was And you got to ask yourself the question. Is that where my heart is? When Jesus Christ returns his reward is with him. That is so significant Listen when I went to Israel last year, the only people longing for my return were my wife and children They were the only ones for my children knew that when my dad appeared the reward for them was with him They were anticipating the reward that I would bring with them with me and even beyond that they were Anticipating being with me.

Let me ask you a question. Were your children anticipating my return from Israel answer? No Was I gonna give your children a reward? No, why because your children weren't anticipating my return Listen very carefully If you anticipate the Lord's return if you are longing for his return If you are looking for the day that the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ Our Lord that is a true mark a true character of saving faith and if you're not You got to ask yourself the question.

Why is my heart so cold? Toward the return of the one who is my king and who brings his reward with him, right? Certainly now folks. We've got to stop fooling ourselves. We've got to stop fooling modern evangelicalism today We've got to put it out. So people say this is the way it is. This is what the Word of the Lord says Call people into account to what God's Holy Word says. I don't want to give anybody a false hope. I Don't want to give anybody a false hope. I want to give everybody a false hope I want to show people the way that I got to be a man that is following God Let's go three steps Let's go three steps from the Lord to the King because in the leadership of the Lord You're supposed to have faith in the Lord and the Lord's will You are supposed to have faith in Jesus Christ and the Lord's will ends, realizing that you want to maintain a clean, clear relationship with the God of the universe.

And practically, you're hiding God's Word in your heart and hoping for the return of your great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let's pray.