[0:00] The first text for this morning is taken from Luke's Gospel, Chapter 17, and verse 52.
[0:11] Luke's Gospel, Chapter 17, verse 52. We have these words, Remember, Lord, why? Lord, why?
[0:51] And what happened to her because of her disobedience. The Lord Jesus Christ, he holds her up as a beacon to his church, and he says, Remember, Lord's why.
[1:11] Some may say that happened thousands of years ago, and that it's not relevant in her own day.
[1:23] And they will say that things have changed. And yes, things do change. Sometimes not for the better.
[1:36] But one thing, my friends, does not change, and that is God's word. We human beings change, and society all around us change.
[1:50] All around us there is change and decay. But the living word of God is from everlasting to everlasting.
[2:02] And this warning is as relevant to each one of us this morning as it was thousands of years ago.
[2:17] And this morning, if you are still on the outside of the family circle of God, then this word is especially relevant for you.
[2:32] And if you bear with me for a short time, I would like to bring you back on a journey.
[2:43] And fill in some background detail before we look a little closer at why it is so important for us to remember Lord's why.
[3:01] If we were to read the preceding chapters of this book, we would notice that Lord was a righteous man.
[3:13] 2 Peter 2.7-8 tells us, And delivered just lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.
[3:29] For that righteous man dwelling among them in saying and hearing, He vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.
[3:50] Lot came from a godly family. He was the nephew of Abraham. Lot came from a godly family. And when God called his uncle Abraham away from the earth of the Chaldees, Abraham was obedient to the call of God.
[4:15] God promised to bless him if he was obedient to him. God promised to save him. And to make the fruit of his royals a nation that no man could number.
[4:35] And as Abraham went out in obedience, Lot, his nephew, went with him. And Lot could have been greatly influenced by his godly uncle Abraham.
[4:53] But yet, they had their differences. While Abraham was happy to sojourn and live in tents, and purgulish towers, God's promised land.
[5:10] The land that he had never seen. The land that he didn't know where it was, but God was his guide. Hebrews chapter 11, verse 10.
[5:25] For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. On the other hand, Lot was getting a bit tired of living in tents and moving on.
[5:46] He craved for the more subtle approach to life. And this is where we see the beginning of Lot's weaknesses coming through.
[6:00] And it is manifested in the account we have of the two families. Abraham's family and Lot's family.
[6:12] Their substance and their herds and their plots. They are now so large that their herdsmen are fighting and bickering amongst each other because of the shortage of grazing.
[6:31] We can picture, we can picture wise old Abraham taking his nephew aside and saying to him, No, Lot, this cannot go on.
[6:44] You herdsmen and my herdsmen, wait, you and my nephew and your uncle, those herdsmen cannot be fighting and striving with one another.
[6:55] If you want to take the right hand, Lot, then you go that way and I'll take the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes and he beheld before him the plains of the Jordan Valley so lush with grazing and well watered.
[7:23] and that is all that Lot saw. And he headed east and he pitched his tent toward Sodom.
[7:39] Now some would say that Lot should never have gone anywhere near the wicked cities of the plain. But this is God's providence.
[7:53] This was God's way. And God puts us, you and me, where he wants us to be.
[8:06] For to everything there is a purpose. And this was God's purpose that Lot would be in this place.
[8:21] And if we would be honest with ourselves, if we were in Lot's shoes, and we had the same flocks and herds that Lot had, and little grazing, and we saw the plains so lush with grazing and plenty of water, would we be any different?
[8:42] Well, I very much doubt if we would. And I'm speaking for myself. I can't speak for you, but I'm speaking for myself. I think I would have been the same as Lot did.
[8:53] But many people say that Lot should never have been anywhere near those places. God's people, God's people are in the world, but not of the world.
[9:13] At least, God's people should not be of the world. That means partaking of worldly things. If I can be passionate, I remember years ago, I used to love parties and dance halls.
[9:35] The parties in those days were not like the parties nowadays. When I'm talking about parts, I'm in going to my next-door neighbour, the last house in the village, and we were probably playing darts, have a few cans of beer, rapping, singing songs, joking, I loved it.
[9:57] I loved the dance hall. But when the Lord came into my heart, those things that I loved, I pushed them as far away as I could.
[10:09] That was the world. I was finished with it. Don't take me wrong, I'm going to sin. I have followed many times like many Christians I'm sure have, and will, burnt by the grace of God.
[10:27] And Lot, Lot was getting more and more comfortable with the ways of the world. And the commentators tell us that in chapter 17, 24 years, 24 years have passed since Abraham left Haran.
[10:46] Plenty of time for Lot and his family to establish their roots in Sodom. And by the time two angels come to Sodom in chapter 19, where did we find Lot?
[11:01] Chapter 19, verse 2. And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house.
[11:14] He is now living in a house in the city of Sodom. That is where Lot is. Oh, so unlike his godly uncle Abraham, sojourning the land, pitching his tent here and there, looking for the city of God, the place that God had promised him.
[11:40] That is the city that you and I should be earnestly looking for. You know, in the days of Noah, when God's heart was grieved, that he had ever created man because of the evil and the wickedness that was constantly in man's heart.
[12:10] Genesis chapter 6, Genesis chapter 6, and at verse 5, we read these words, And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
[12:34] And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him. at his heart. God commanded Noah to build a huge ship to save his family and two of every living thing, bird and animal and creature, so that they would be saved.
[13:06] The commentators tell us, and they have not agreed on this, some commentators say that it took Noah a hundred years to build the ark, some others say a hundred and twenty years.
[13:22] But during that time, it does not have been a long, long time, Noah was preaching to the people. He was telling them of the destruction that God was going to bring on the world.
[13:41] He faithfully proclaimed God's message, but the people thought he had gone mad, and they mocked him.
[13:53] Oh, oh, Noah, look at the Noah, he's lost the plot this time. He's building a huge ship miles and miles away from the sea.
[14:04] The sand must be getting to him. He's lost the plot, he's just completely lost him, this is the and he mocked him. But you know, the day came when Noah and his family went into the ark, with all that God had commanded him, and notice this, in Genesis chapter 7 verse 16, God closed the door of the ark, the finality of the door.
[14:45] What was inside the ark was safe, what was on the outside of the ark was lost forever. the commentators think, and I'm quite sure that maybe they've got a good point as well, that during the time that Noah was buried in the ark, he would have had help from the local men in building.
[15:23] others would be above looking and watching what he was doing. Can you picture in your mind's eye, those people, they see the door of that ark closing without the help of any human hand.
[15:50] there was no human hand to be seen as the door of the ark closed. God closed the door. And they would be thinking in themselves, what's going on here?
[16:06] And then all of a sudden, the fountains of the deep sprang into life, and the floodgates of heaven opened, and the world began to fill with water.
[16:24] Imagine the scramble of those people as they made for the door of the ark, clawing at the door of the ark, to get in, but it was too lit.
[16:39] Oh, they believed no of them, they believed no of them, but it was too lit. And what in the chapter we read here, he tells his sons in Rome to get out of Sodom because God was going to destroy it, but he sent to them as one who mocked.
[17:05] And they did not listen. But as in the days of Noah, when the fire of God rained down from heaven, they believed then, that it was too lit.
[17:23] Too lit. The story was told about a young engineer and his crew. They were building a bridge high up in the mountains over a deep gorge.
[17:40] bridge. The storm's clouds were gathering for days on end. The young engineer was a bit worried that the bridge in its unfinished step would be in danger and he begged his crew to stay overnight and to finish the bridge off.
[18:05] I'll pay you an extra day's wage, as he said. No, we're not doing that. And he constrained and he begged them, I'll give you a week's wage.
[18:21] If you work the night and complete the bridge, I'll give you an extra week's pay. And they said, no, we're not doing that. We've made plans. We've made plans and we'll go your own way.
[18:35] And that night, the dark storm clouds, they emptied their way on the mountains.
[18:48] And the rain and the water came down the mountain side and its tunnels and swept the unfinished bridge away. You see, my friends, there is danger in delay.
[19:05] you holding back this morning from giving your heart to Jesus. Are you saying, not yet, Lord, I'm not ready.
[19:21] Maybe some other time. Won't it be sad if God will have to say to you, too late, I never know you.
[19:37] Now is the accepted time. Today is the day of salvation. salvation. Today, if you hear my voice, pardon not your heart.
[19:57] God is saying to each one of us here today, remember God's wife. That brings us back to this woman.
[20:09] the first thing we notice about her is she has no name. We do not know where she came from.
[20:23] We do not know who her people are. All the Bible tells us about this woman is that she was lost wife.
[20:35] three things briefly I would like us to notice about this woman. The first thing is the privileges that she had.
[20:53] She was married to Lot, whom the Bible tells us was a godly man. She had been through many adventures with her godly husband.
[21:05] She had gone through conquests with god's people. She had been in the struggles days she had sinned as sorrows. She had felt the pain.
[21:19] She had heard first hand about the gracious covenant that god had made with uncle Abraham. She knew that god was willing to accept men and women through the sacrifice of blood.
[21:40] She would have joined in their praises also in their priests and even engaged in their prayers. And this is distounding that even though she experienced all these privileges within a family that honoured god she still perished.
[22:08] But you know I believe that the greatest privilege this woman had was to host two angels in her home.
[22:21] Yes two angels came to Sodom to tell of the wrath of god which was to come on those two grave cities of the plain.
[22:36] She heard the message of deliverance and she took that message on board and it brought her to realise the danger she was in and she took the first steps in being saved.
[22:57] She got up early in the morning with her husband blood and while they tarried this is the most wonderful privilege of all angels took hold of her hands hand was in the hands of angels what a privilege and they began leading her and her husband and her two daughters to safety oh what a privilege what a privilege this woman had not only were angels in the home but her hand was in the hand of angels and they led her out to the out of the city and the cries was ringing in her ears flee for the night go to the mountains don't stop in the praying and don't look behind we were singing at the beginning of her service
[24:08] I to the hills will lift my arms from whence has come my name the hill which is Christ that is where you strength and my strength comes from that is where this woman's strength would have come from too if only she had reached out for it what if it had all these privileges on God's wife where sadly none at all though she had many opportunities and many men of grace at her disposal though she had special warnings from heaven and divine helpers and messengers this woman she lived and died graceless godless impenitent and unbelieving the eyes of her understanding were never opened her conscience was never made sensitive to the way of
[25:19] God her affections were never set on the things that are above she had a form of religion she did as many others did and still do in her own day she drifted along and her heart was not right with God the world was in her heart and her heart was in the world in this state she lived and in this state she died outside the second thing that I would like us to think of is her saying she began to linger after a good start she always came to a dancer and as she began to remember the things she was leaving behind her lovely home livestock neighbors friends possessions but the greatest thing she left behind in
[26:43] Sodom was her heart she was out of Sodom but Sodom was still in her heart she looked back at the fun and memories of Sodom and the same almighty God who had given her life took that life away in the twinkling of an eye you know I remember years ago a program I saw on TV it was a garlic program and although I remember nothing about that program what stuck in my mind was the person who was presenting the program he was interviewing a young lady and when he was coming to the end of the interview he asked her what are your hobbies and normally the answer would be reading or walking or some kind of spoken activity but this young lady her answer was having a good time and lord's wife remembered the good times she had in
[28:09] Sodom and she craved after them said you know my friends where your own treasure is that is where your heart will be as well and sadly this woman's heart was still in sorrow the world was in her heart and her heart was in the world in this state she lived in this state she died where is your own heart tonight where is my heart pay like it is in Jesus the third and the last thing I would like us to think about is her conscience but in his book Pilgrim's Progress makes a picture for us of a man leaving the city of destruction behind his family waiting after him to come back he closes his ears and his toes on and just before he reaches the celestial city he meets a man named
[29:24] Ignorance and this man is rummaging in his pockets he's searching for something and Pilgrim asks him what are you doing and the man says I'm trying to find some money to buy my way into heaven no matter how good you are to the church no matter how good you are to your neighbours to your friends no one can buy their way into heaven you must be born again
[30:35] I think it was Spurgeon who took a whole year preaching on this very subject you must be born again one of his elders approached him and said why are you preaching you must be born every Sunday every time and Spurgeon said because you must be born again you must be born again you must leave the pleasures of the world behind two lots one her heart was still in the world she had started out in her pilgrimage journey she was outside the city of refuge only a few more steps and she would have been saved but the pull of the pleasures of sorrow proved too grave and she just had to have one final look and that was to be her last you know my friends
[32:05] God does not pray days when God gives us a warning of impending danger we hid the warning we did not do otherwise as Lord's wife looked behind she was immediately turned into a pillar of salt frozen solid in her standing position There was a new sight to be seen at the entering into the city of Zohar that morning.
[32:45] A shining stone-cold clear of sun, which was once white. Almost saved, but lost forever.
[33:01] You know, my friends, there's a pathway that leads from the very jaws of heaven all the way to the gates of heaven.
[33:18] And the vilest sinner can walk that path. And not only walk the path, but if he has felt or she has felt forgiveness for their sins, they can go in on that gate.
[33:41] And a lot of people will say, I'm too great a sinner, and God will never look the way I am.
[33:52] Jesus died for you and for me. And every sin, if you come to Jesus and accept him as your Savior, every sin that you have ever committed, the ones you are committing just now, and the ones you are still committing, they are all washed away from death.
[34:20] So the vilest sinner can walk the path to glory. But you know, just as surely, there is a pathway that leads all the way from heaven right down into the depths of heaven.
[34:40] And sadly, lots of wine. And then that path. There were so many young children in here, and not so young as well.
[34:55] We didn't have a Sunday school or a children's school, but I'm going to tell you young people a wee story before I finish. And I'm sorry I'm taking a little bit longer than probably it would be.
[35:14] There was once a little boy, and he wanted to meet God. Now I don't know if this story is true or not, but it's an illustration for us all.
[35:26] We don't know the name of the boy. We don't know the name of the boy. We don't know the name of the boy. He knew it was a long way to where God lived. So he spat his suitcase with sandwiches and crisps and juices, and he set off.
[35:47] And he set off on his journey. And when he had got about three blocks away from his own home, he met an old lady sitting on a park bench.
[36:04] And the boy sat down beside her. And he opened the suitcase, and he took out a sandwich. And as he looked at the old lady, he saw she's looking hungry.
[36:21] And he opened the suitcase and he gave her a sandwich. And she gave him a lovely smile. And the boy was so impressed.
[36:32] He loved the lady's smile. He had never seen a smile like it. And the boy wanted to see her smile again.
[36:43] And he opened her some juice. And she smiled again. And the boy was delighted.
[36:55] They sat there all afternoon, eating sandwiches and crisps and drinking juice. And the strange thing is, not one word passed between them.
[37:12] As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was. And he got up to leave. Nothing had gone just a few yards.
[37:27] He turned back. He ran back to the old lady and he gave her a huge big cuddle. And he got the biggest smile that he ever got.
[37:39] When the boy opened the door to his home a short time later, his mother was surprised to see the look of joy on his face.
[37:57] And she asked him, what did you do today that made you so happy? And he replied, I had lunch with God today.
[38:10] But before his mother could respond, he added, you know, she's got the most beautiful smile I ever saw.
[38:23] Meanwhile, the old lady, all so radiant with joy, returned to her home.
[38:36] And her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face. And he asked her mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?
[38:56] And she said, I had lunch on a back bench with God today.
[39:09] And before a son could respond, she added, you know, I never knew he was so young. And he said, I'm not a young man. You know, my friends, God is everywhere.
[39:21] And to speak kind words to someone, it costs us nothing. We need to share happiness and make others smile and to feel Christliness.
[39:39] You know, there are a lot of people, there are a lot of people today, they never come to church. They never read the Bible. You and I might be the Bible that read.
[40:02] And it would be sad if you and I turned our backs on people like that. A kind word turns every other back.
[40:15] Three words in your text today. What a message. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying, but a message from me.
[40:27] What a message from God. You know, it's not what any man can say or do. It's what God can do with his word.
[40:40] Three small words. What a message. What a warning. The last day in Sodom was a beautiful day. Genesis 19.23 tells us that the sun was up.
[40:55] It was a beautiful day. It was business as usual. And as it was in the days of Noah and Ron. So it will be in our own day when Jesus Christ comes back.
[41:11] They will be buying, they will be selling. There will be business as usual. They will be marrying and taking in marriage. And the sun of man will come in the twinkling of an eye.
[41:26] It could be at the big national. It could be at the time of the Christmas. Will you be ready? Are you ready? We do not know what a moment we breathe for us in our lives.
[41:40] You know, my friends. God did not command his servants to write in the Bible. Remember Abraham. Remember Jacob, Joseph, David, or all those giants of the faith.
[41:56] He said, remember Lord's wife. Why? Why? We have to remember the privileges that she had.
[42:07] We have to remember the sin that she committed. But most of all, we have to remember the punishment that she has.
[42:21] May God help each one of us to remember the love of God. And to make our cause and our lecture show.
[42:33] Take hold of Jesus today. And to say that the tithe in heaven. Let's pray.