THE ROAD TO ANYWHERE

 

Gen. 13:1-18

            As I was studying this portion of scripture I found that there are several messages that can be preached from these verses.  One could preach on the burden of wealth; for wealth caused the need for separation between Lot and Abram.  From verses 7 and 8 one could preach, no bickering between brethren.  One could focus on Abram's solution and preach for the sake of peace.  One could preach a message called "A Paradise or a Promise" and look at one who strives to get all of the best things in life versus one who strives for the promise of God.  One could compare those who strive for temporal things to those who strive for the eternal promises of God.  There are also other messages found in these 18 verses.   The Title of today's message is "The Road to Anywhere is Paved With Choices".

            A road is a pathway that takes us from one place to another.  There is a starting place and a final destination.  As we travel the road, whether walking slowly or racing at top speed, we get closer and closer to our final destination with each movement.  You might have heard the saying, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"  but I'm here to tell you that the road you take to anywhere in live is paved with the choices you make along the way.  If you turn and look back down the road at any time period in your life you will see the choices that you have made along the way.   You will see some choices that have helped you to progress.  You will see some bad choices that have hindered your progress and you will see some bad choices that, by God's grace, He did not allow to immediately hinder your progress. 

            In the portion of scripture that we just read, we have two men who must make choices.  Though the focus seems to be mainly on the choice made by Lot, Abram must also make choices.   As we study these verses we can see the choices that were made.  But there is more than that in these verse.  You can also tell a lot about a person based on the choices they make.  Abram makes three choices first.

1.  Chose to separate from Lot.

            In this choice Abram shows wisdom.  There is bickering between his herdsmen and those of Lot.  The dissension is over the feeding of cattle.  Though they were near a very fertile valley, they did not have free access to all of the land there.  You see the Canaanites and the Perizzites live on the land.  Thus space for Abram and Lot was limited.  Though he had passed this way before, Abram was a stranger in this land.  He knew that bickering within his own camp could open the door for the Canaanites and Perizzites to come in and strip him of his belongings.  He and Lot would be too distracted with their own internal strife to notice and be prepared for the enemy's attack.  This is much like the Church as a whole and church people as individuals.  The church as a whole spends so much of it's time distracted by internal problems, that it can not focus on the world of unsaved people to whom we are sent as ambassadors.  We don't have time to try to reach the unsaved, the fatherless, widows and needy because we are distracted by so many problems within the church.  Bickering over who is going to do what, and how much is spent on this or that.  Bickering over what to wear and what not to wear, what to sing and what not to sing, what can and can not be eaten, whether church should be on Saturday or Sunday.  These issues may appear to have some value to the church, but must they consume so much time.  Are these issues as important as the one soul that may have been lost while you were bickering.  As individuals we become so consumed with our own problems and woes, that we lose sight of the enemies attack on others. 

            Also when Abram first came though the land he did not have all of this wealth.  He obtained the wealth in Egypt (Gen. 12:14-16).  I can imagine the Canaanites and Perizzites saying, "when they were poor they did not fight among themselves, but now that they are wealthy they war within themselves".  We must be careful  that we, with God's blessings in our lives, do not reflect a poor testimony.  Abram was called so that the nations would see God's blessings on his life and turn from idol gods to the living and true God.  So Abram wisely decided that it was time for he and his nephew to part company.

2.  He chose to share the land with Lot. 

            In this Abram showed himself to be generous, loving and a peacemaker.   You see God had already promised this land to Abram (Gen. 12:6-12).  Abram could have simply dismissed Lot, telling him to move on and find his own place to settle.  But in his love for Lot and in an effort to keep the peace, Abram offered land to Lot.  He did not have to do this, but Lot was his kinsman, and Abram wanted to keep peace between the two of them.  Sometimes in an effort to keep the peace, we must go beyond the call of duty.  Sometimes rather than cling to our possession, or yell and scream about our rights we have to sit back and trust God to take care of our needs.  In taking care of our needs God may say speak up, or he may say be quiet.  We must be willing to follow Him and in following him we will be peaceable.  Jesus told the multitude in Matt. 5:9, that the peacemaker will be known as the child of God (Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God).  

3.  Abram chose to offer Lot first choice.

            In this Abram showed humility and faith.   As Lot's uncle and elder, Abram had all the decision making power.  It was his right to have first choice and to make whatever decisions he chose.  He had authority over Lot and could have easily said to him "Lot, take your belongs and move to the mountains north of here.  He did not have to offer Lot residence among the land that would be his possession.  Rather than exercise his rights as elder Abram humbled himself and offered the choice of land to Lot.  In doing this Abram showed faith in God.  It is hard to give up your rights when you lack faith.  We know that we can not put our faith in man and expect man to do what is right.  For without God the heart of man is selfish and wicked.  It takes faith in God to be quiet when one is being mistreated.  Our natural response is to try to defend ourselves and not have someone take advantage of us.  However, when God says be quiet he relieves us of the freedom to fight on our own behalf  and forces us to trust in him to deliver and take care of us.  So Abram in his choices showed himself to be loving, generous, wise, humble, peaceable and faith filled.

            Just as Abram made three choices, so did Lot.

1.  He chose all the valley of the Jordan River for himself.

            In making this choice Lot showed himself to be prideful.  Although Abram offered him the choice, he made no attempt to follow their customs and defer to his elder.  He asked for no advice.  He stepped out on his own.  Since the original problem had been over where the cattle should be fed and watered, the selection of Lot might give the impression to the Canaanites and Perizzites that Lot's herdsmen had won the argument.  Imagine how the two groups of herdsmen must have felt; one group feeling prideful and arrogant having all the valley in which to feed their cattle.  The other group feeling hurt and dejected, having to search for good grazing for their cattle.  Lot acted in pride but a familiar scripture to us (Prov. 16:18) says "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall". 

            Lot's choice also showed an act of unbelief  or a lack of God consciousness.  They were at a place between Bethel and Hai where Abram had built and alter (Gen. 12:8-9, 13:3-4).  Although Lot was right there at the alter, he made no attempt to call on God for direction.  But Prov. 3:5-6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths".  Many times we do not seek God's direction because we fear that he will tell us what we do not want to hear.  He might say no or he might say wait.  We do not want to hear these answers because they mean that we are not going to get what we want; at least not right away.  So we make decisions without His input and often those decisions result in disaster.  Lot did not seek God, rather verse 10 says "he lifted up his eyes".  Lot walked by sight and not by faith.  The problem with walking by sight and circumstances is that both of these change (2 Cor. 4:18).  But as children of God we are implored to "walk by faith and not by sight".  Lot lifted up his eyes to see rather than lifting up his heart to hear the direction and will of God.

            Lot's choice showed him to be worldly and greedy.  He looked up and saw land well water, green and fruitful.  But you have heard the saying, all that glitters is not gold; well all that looks green is not grass.  From his view on the hill, Lot saw lots of green grass.  But when he got in the valley he probably found lots of weeds.  You see even in land which is fertile, rich and well watered, grass will only grow if cultivated.  If the land is left on its own, it will grow  green, healthy and strong weeds.  So what you see is not always what you get.  More often what you see is a deception.  Sometimes to us life looks better in someone else's camp.  The grass they say looks greener on the other side.  But do not be deceived you may be looking at weeds and not grass.  We cannot afford to take the worlds view in looking at situations and making decisions.  If we do, we are subject to being deceived.  Lot selected based on what his eyes could see.  However, he could not see the wickedness present in Sodom.

            Lot's greed also shows up in his choice.  He selected all of the valley, leaving none of the fertile land for Abram.  He could have taken the land east of the Jordan and left the land west for Abram.  Or he could have selected the land north of Bethel and left that south of Bethel for Abram.  Either of these choices would have given him the larger portion of  land and still left Abram part of the fertile valley.  But Lot selected the entire valley, showing no concern or care for his uncle and friend.  But Prov. 15:27 says he that is greedy for gain, brings trouble to his own house.  Lot's greed brought him to a place of wickedness and caused him to stay there among the sin.  In Lot's greed he also showed himself to be selfish.  Lot's gain had come as a result of his travels with Abram.  Yet when it was time to part, he gave no consideration to his uncle.  Selfishness will not allow one to think of others, but makes provision and considers only for oneself.  The needs and desires of others become a distant thought and the focal point for the selfish person is me, myself and I.  (I Cor. 10:24).

2.  Lot's second choice was to move towards Sodom (vs. 12)

            The valley of the Jordan was huge.  In such a large, rich and fruitful area, Lot chose to settle near the wicked and sinful city of Sodom.  While Abram continued to draw near to God,  Lot  moved further away from God.  In our efforts to be successful and fruitful we must be careful not to be drawn away from God.  The world has a way of  doing things, that though they may be wicked, seems to bring them prosperity.  But we are not to be concerned about obtaining the worlds riches.  We are to trust God to supply all of our needs.  For the end of the wicked will one day be destruction.  (Prov. 13:22)  We do not have to be concerned about the wealth obtained by the wicked, because in the end they will find that they have only worked for us.  Their wealth is being stored up for us.  While we work to build the Kingdom of God, God works for us in this world’s arena.  Lot as he reached for prosperity lost his grip on God. 

3.  Lot's third choice is to move from a tent near Sodom to a house in Sodom (Gen. 19:1-3).

            This shows the foolishness of  Lot.  Surely as he lived near Sodom, he knew of the wickedness of the city.  Yet he settled his family there.  Now lest we think Lot to be wicked himself, look at (2 Pet. 2:7-8).  Though he moved among the wicked, he managed to maintain his righteous living.  But his soul was troubled as he lived there.  One can live a righteous life surrounded by the wicked but it is a much harder task than living righteous among the righteous.  Lot acted foolishly in moving to Sodom (Prov. 19:3).   We all know the end of Lot.  How God delivered him out of Sodom just before the destruction of the city.  Though Lot himself was saved, he lost all of his possessions, including his servant and his wife.  Lot came into Sodom with great wealth and left with only two daughters.  His choices had paved a road ending in destruction.

 I Cor. 3:11-15 -

            Lot's life was saved but his possessions were lost.  As believers our works, the choices that we make in life will also be judged.  This judgment, though it will not result in a loss of salvation, may result in ones works being burned up, leaving him with nothing to present to God for the life he has given.  Though we sometimes say, just let me into heaven and that will be enough.  It is an embarrassment to think of standing before God with no present to offer him, to have no crown to cast at the feet of Jesus.  Even in our earthly  system, who comes before a king or dignitary without a gift.  Is it that the king needs the gift? No.  It is simply act of respect and reverence.  Like Lot the choices that pave our roads may determine not only our end but also what rewards will be waiting for us at the end of the road.

Gen. 13:14-15

            In comparing Lot and Abram at this point

Lot looked of his own free will, but Abram submitted to God's command to look.  Lot chose the Jordan valley, Abram accepted the gift of not only the valley, but all of the surrounding land from God.  When we make the choice to seek to know and to follow after the will of God, we are promised a blessed and abundant life.  However, when a person chooses to follow his own way and his own will Prov. 14:12 tells us that though that man may think his way is right, it will lead to death. 

            We are all traveling a road going somewhere and with each step we pave the road.  The step are the choices we make in life.  God has given man a free will.  He will make every attempt to influence us to make right choices and follow a road that leads back to Him.  God's will is not only that we get back to Him, but also that we bring glory to Him as we travel along the way.  Pave your road well, by making good choices.