No Turning Back (Part 2)
No Looking Back (part 2)
Genesis 19:13-24
On April 6, 2003, in the prime of his life, Weekend Today Show co-host David Bloom died, while covering the war in Iraq.
He didn’t die from injuries sustained in conflict, a suicide bomb, poisoning, or anything the Iraqis did to him.
Instead Bloom died of a pulmonary embolism.
Pulmonary emboli occur among those who sit for long periods of time, and Bloom spent much of his time in the Bloom-mobile, a cramped Army vehicle.
He traveled around in the Bloom-mobile so that he could make his broadcasts on the move.
When Bloom began experiencing pain, he consulted several doctors.
He consulted military doctors and described his symptoms over the phone to overseas physicians.
They advised him to seek proper medical attention.
He ignored their advice, swallowed some aspirins, and kept on working.
On April 6, 2003 he died of a pulmonary embolism.
Bloom died because he ignored the warnings.
It’s dangerous to ignore the warnings – especially when the warnings are from God.
As chapter 19 begins, two angels arrive at the city gate of Sodom.
Their purpose is twofold – to judge the wickedness of the city and rescue the righteous.
Lot, the nephew of the patriarch Abraham, greets them at the gate and subsequently invites them to his house.
After some arm-twisting, the angels agree to accompany Lot to his house.
Once at Lot’s house, the angels enjoy a meal and prepare to retire for the evening.
But before they lay down, the men of Sodom surround Lot’s house and demand Lot turn over his houseguests so they could have sexual relations with them.
After Lot fails to negotiate with these wicked men, the angels intervene and pull Lot back inside the house to safety and strike the men outside the door with blindness.
While they grope and paw their way around trying to locate the door, the angels issue their first warning.
“Have you anyone else here?
Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city— take them out of this place!
For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”
This is not the last time a heavenly messenger would be sent to earth.
1500 years later another heavenly messenger was sent to earth to judge wickedness and rescue the righteous – his name was Jesus.
He told everyone plainly that he was from above.
He warned everyone plainly – repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
And just as wicked men attached the two angels, wicked men attacked Jesus.
The angels warn Lot to lead his family out of the doomed city.
So, Lot warns his sons-in-law to get out of Sodom because the Lord is going to destroy it.
But they, like many today, scoff at the warning.
They don’t believe Lot.
They think he is joking.
So, they refuse to embrace salavation.
2 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT)
First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will be scoffers who will laugh at the truth and do every evil thing they desire.
This will be their argument: "Jesus promised to come back, did he?
Then where is he?
Why, as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly the same since the world was first created."
We are living in an age of scoffers.
But that doesn’t release us from the responsibility we have to warn the perishing that this world is passing away; that God’s judgment is on the way; that it’s time to accept God’s gift of salvation.
If you have family members who aren’t saved, it’s time to warn them.
It’s time to invite them to come to church with you.
It’s time to warn them to escape the coming judgment.
Lot’s sons-in-law thought his message was foolishness.
And unbelievers will think our message is foolishness.
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:21 (NKJV) For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Although Lot continues to plead with his sons-in-law, they refuse to believe his message.
Finally, as the new day dawns, the angels warn Lot again.
“Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.”
But for some reason Lot hesitates.
The angels then forcibly lead Lot, his wife, and his two daughters safely out of the city.
The text says, while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters and brought them outside the city.
And the narrator adds parenthetically, “the Lord being merciful to him.”
We are not saved because of our own merit.
We are not saved because we deserve it.
We are not saved because of anything we ourselves have done.
We are saved by grace, and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God.
God saved us through the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus.
God saved us not because of but in spite of ourselves.
If the truth be told, we all had to be led out of destruction.
We were determined to do ourselves in.
We were determined to go our own way.
We were determined to be the masters of our own fates.
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Having led Lot and his family out of Sodom, the angels warns them yet again.
“Escape for your life!
Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain.
Tell somebody - God said, no turning back.
No turning back to what I’ve brought you out of.
No turning back to old familiar habits.
No turning back to former stomping grounds.
No turning back to the life you used to live.
No turning back to the mess I delivered you from.
No turning back to the language you used to use.
No turning back to the traditions of men.
No turning back to silly superstitions and old wives tales.
Don’t walk away! Run!
Don’t take your time! Get away as fast as you can!
Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”
Head for higher ground.
Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords!
Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.
20 See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.”
21 And he said to him, “See, eI have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, escape there. For fI cannot do anything until you arrive there.”
Therefore gthe name of the city was called 4Zoar.
23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.
A little Sodom can still get you in big trouble.
Lot was too close.
So, she turned back.
When she turned back she was turned into a sodium monument.
When she turned back she became a rock salt statue.
When she turned back she lost her salvation.
When she turned back she was swept away with the wicked.
When she turned back she incurred the wrath of almighty God.
No looking back,