Genesis 63 – The Story of Lot (Part 1)

The word of God is in Genesis 19:1-11:

 

"The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 'My lords,' he said, 'please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then get up early and go on your way.' 'No,' they answered, 'we will spend the night in the square.' But Lot insisted so strongly that they did turn aside and went into his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. Before they lay down for the night, all the men of Sodom—both young and old, from every part of the city—surrounded the house. They called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.' Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, 'No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you wish. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.' But they said, 'Get out of our way!' And they said, 'This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.' They pushed Lot aside and came to break down the door. Then the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. And they struck with blindness those who were at the entrance of the house, from the least to the greatest, so that they could not find the door." Amen.

 

The Model of Judgment and Salvation

The passage we'll be looking at today is the well-known story of Sodom and Gomorrah, found in Genesis 19:1-11.

 

Two angels visit Lot's town of Sodom. Lot, who happened to be sitting by the city gate, sees them, stands up to greet them, and bows down to the ground. He pleads with the angels to come into his house, wash their feet, stay the night, and leave early the next day. The angels initially intended to spend the night in the square, but Lot's persistent urging eventually leads them to his house. Lot prepares a meal for them, baking unleavened bread, and they eat.

 

Before the angels go to bed, the inhabitants of Sodom, both young and old, from all parts of the city, gather and surround Lot's house. They call out to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out so that we can have sex with them!" Lot goes outside to meet the crowd, shutting the door behind him, and pleads earnestly. "Please, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Please let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you wish. But do nothing to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof."

 

However, the people of Sodom shout, "Get out of our way!" and threaten, "This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! Now we will treat you worse than them!" They push Lot aside and try to break down the door. At that moment, the angels reach out, pull Lot back into the house, and shut the door. And they strike the crowd outside the door, both small and great, with blindness. Consequently, they wander around, unable to find the door. Amen.

 

This story is generally understood as an event where a city falls into corruption and God judges it, demonstrating how terrifying that judgment is. Of course, that meaning is clearly present in the text. However, at the same time, this text is not limited to the event of Sodom and Gomorrah alone. Rather, it can be seen as a small model, or a miniature, of what God's history of salvation in the Old Testament is, that is, how God's history of salvation will begin and how it will be completed. In other words, it contains not only the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah at that time, but also a preview of what will happen until the end of human history. This was true in Noah's time, and it is also true in the event of Sodom.

 

How is such an interpretation possible? Of course, if we look at this event in isolation, it may be difficult to understand. However, Jesus Himself explained these passages in the New Testament. Look at what He says about Noah and Lot in Luke 17. Verse 26 records: "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all." Jesus says that the days of Noah are similar to the days of the Son of Man, that is, the last time the Lord will return.

 

It doesn't end there. In verse 28, He adds: "It was the same in the days of Lot." This means that the story of Lot is not just Lot's story alone. What is it connected to? It is connected to the end times. The Lord used this event of Sodom and Gomorrah as an example when explaining the last days when the Son of Man will come. "People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed." This is how Jesus interpreted the event of Sodom and Gomorrah, not just as the event itself, but in connection with the day of the Son of Man. (We will continue to examine the story of Lot's wife later.)

 

Lot's Settlement and Status in Sodom

Today, I'd like to first address the part about Sodom in the story of Lot and Sodom. We began discussing Lot earlier, but didn't have enough time to cover it adequately, so we'll postpone Lot's story for later and focus on Sodom today.

 

Lot settled in Sodom after separating from Abraham. There was an incident where Abraham rescued Lot, who had been taken captive by the northern kings. Generally, if one's place of residence is invaded by enemy forces, and one is taken captive and their property is seized, if they miraculously return alive and it wasn't their original hometown but a place they had moved to, most people would typically leave that place. "I can't live in this town anymore" would be a common reaction. However, interestingly, Lot continued to stay in Sodom.

 

If we look at how Lot was treated in Sodom, today's passage, verse 1, states that "Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city." Sitting by the city gate usually signifies a leader of that city. The city gate was primarily a place where elders or leaders gathered to arbitrate disputes or resolve legal matters. After Abraham's rescue of Sodom, Lot, as Abraham's nephew, would have naturally gained a higher status. This is a self-evident fact that requires no further persuasion. Lot had established a quite firm position in Sodom. Therefore, it's highly probable that he chose not to leave Sodom.

 

In fact, the reason Lot initially went to Sodom was not because it was a spiritually excellent town, but because, as described in the Bible, it was well-watered and pleasant to live in, like the Garden of Eden. Anyway, two angels descend upon Sodom, where Lot had settled, and judgment is about to come.

 

The Sins of Sodom: Homosexuality and Pride

When we think of the sins of Sodom, the most famous story is probably about homosexuality. In the passage we read today, there's this phrase: "They called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.'" The word 'have sex with' here is a word that might be familiar to you. It's one of the Hebrew words that has come into common use, like 'Hallelujah' or 'Amen,' and it's 'yada (יָדַע, H3045)'. It means 'to know'. This word signifies more than just intellectual knowledge; it implies intimate knowledge, like that between a husband and wife. Therefore, the literal translation, "We want to know them," implies an intention to engage in sexual relations. This shows that the people of Sodom wanted to bring out the two male angels to commit homosexual acts, and this is why it's understood as one of the greatest sins of Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

There are several pieces of evidence that support this interpretation. The clearest evidence is Lot's reaction in the very next verse. Lot tries to protect the angels even by offering his two daughters.

 

Lot's act of saying, "Let them be, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as seems good to you. But to these men do nothing, for they have come under the shelter of my roof," is an extreme choice that is difficult to imagine, but considering the situation in Sodom at the time and the meaning of the word, it clearly shows that there was a sexual issue. In fact, it is almost impossible to interpret this verse in any other way. Furthermore, whenever the story of Sodom appears in the Old and New Testaments, words like adultery, fornication, and sensuality are often used together. For this reason, when there is a debate about homosexuality, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is often mentioned.

 

Pride and Forgetfulness of God

However, we need to examine the Bible fairly. While the text clearly points to sexual sin, other passages in the Bible offer a broader perspective on the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. One of the most famous passages dealing with Sodom's sin is Ezekiel 16. Let's read Ezekiel 16:49 together: "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them."

 

This verse explains Sodom's sin by comparing it to Jerusalem's sin. Indeed, Ezekiel also says in the preceding verse, "Jerusalem, your sin is greater than Sodom's." Isn't it surprising that the first mention of Sodom's sin is not lewdness or sexual depravity? The first things mentioned are arrogance, abundant food, and carefree ease. This was the reason Sodom was judged. There's a side to Sodom's sin that differs from what we commonly know. It says their hearts were lifted up.

 

The prophet Isaiah also talks about Sodom, describing the sins of Israel. "Their faces (this also refers to Israel) betray that they are sinners. They parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought disaster upon themselves." This is from the book of Isaiah. The reason sin is called pride here is that they committed sin without hesitation in exposing it and without trying to hide it. In other words, they felt no pangs of conscience. They had become so proud that they did not realize their own sin.

 

We might say that the sins of Sodom were immense, but in fact, we often show a similar attitude ourselves. When someone is deceived and suffers a loss, we might say, "Oh, that's too bad," but we also use phrases like, "It's foolish to be deceived," or "It's foolish not to deceive." This is, in fact, no different from the sin of Sodom that I just mentioned. The act of exposing one's sin, knowing it is a sin, yet committing it without any tremor of conscience, is like having one's conscience seared. It's considered normal. They think, "The world is so wicked, it's foolish to act differently there."

 

In short, they did not fear God. Despite the flood judgment, they lived as if that judgment had nothing to do with them. They believed that they could live perfectly well without God, without worshiping Him or seeking Him. Isn't that true in reality? If we have food, don't suffer from serious illnesses, and face no major difficulties in life, how much do we feel the need to seek God? There are times when we seek God only when our children cause trouble, or when we ourselves are sick, or when there's some problem, but when everything is going well, our hearts become proud, and we don't seek God.

 

Today, inflation is severe, and some say a great depression might come. Do we fear God as much as we fear inflation? How much do we worry if a great depression comes? Everyone is complaining that prices are rising and life is hard, and every newspaper is in an uproar. Dear believers, are we truly afraid and worried that we might forget God? Are we concerned about God? If not, we can see how foolish we humans are and how we are missing what we should truly fear. In the past, it was common to say, "Should I fear man or fear God? I want only to please God." But now, we live in an age where people don't even fear other people. The attitude of "Who cares what others say, as long as I'm happy" is rampant. While it's not entirely bad for us all to fall into extreme individualism and not care what others think – being too bound by formalities was also a problem – we now live in an age where "doing what my heart tells me" seems to be considered right.

 

The Deliberate Forgetting of God

 

If our hearts were good, what would be wrong with doing what our hearts tell us? But our hearts have far more evil than good. How dangerous and terrifying is the phrase "We live as we please"? Yet we live in an age where such things are considered honest and spoken of as if they are fine. How about you? It's not just us. You might think that if we have meat, bread, and rice to eat, there's nothing to worry about in the world. People talk about climate change and global warming as serious problems, but it all feels like someone else's story. We only fear when rice runs out in the market; talk of rising temperatures and the earth facing problems doesn't really resonate with us. But this is not just our story; it was true 2000 years ago as well.

 

I will paraphrase and read you a passage written by the Apostle Peter: "Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. All the generations before us are now in their graves. Yet, nothing has changed since God created everything (not in our terms, but) mountains are still mountains, and water is still water. What has changed? So, what about the Lord returning? It's been 2000 years since the Lord left." Peter answers this by saying: "But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. They deliberately forget that, (this next part is very important), by these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed."

 

You and I often live our days forgetting God. We usually say it's because we're busy. Also, whenever we live according to our own thoughts and then realize, 'Ah, I shouldn't do this,' we think we've forgotten the Word. But the Bible's judgment and diagnosis are different. The Bible says that you are deliberately forgetting. Because you never forget what you like. Don't you know how much your weekly or monthly salary is? Don't you know how much you received last week? Is there anyone here who doesn't know how much salary they received last month? It might be a slightly difficult question, but is there anyone who doesn't know their bank balance? Most of you probably know roughly, if not precisely, for fear of looking at it too much and it might break. Do you forget? You don't forget until you get sick. It may seem like it's natural for you to forget, but it's not. Why do you forget? Because you don't care. You don't think deeply. To put it in the Bible's terms, it's because you don't love. Why do you easily forget the Lord? Because you have little interest in God. In whom do you have a lot of interest? In yourselves, especially in money, you don't forget. That's why the Bible says, "You are deliberately forgetting. You are deliberately not thinking about God; you are not making excuses like being busy or other things." You will probably agree with this.

 

The Attitude of Pride and Disregard for God

 

And the Bible describes such an attitude as pride. In Ezekiel, it says that they are complacent because they are proud, and in the New Testament, when Jesus speaks of the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah in Luke 17, He speaks not of their sexual depravity first, but of their eating and drinking daily and living without fear as usual. This means they do not fear or dread God at all. Here, 'fear' and 'dread' do not mean terror, but not revering God. It means not honoring God, and not considering how much God keeps His promises and acts accordingly.

 

Cheap Grace and the Weight of Sin

Things that simply shouldn't happen if we truly believe God is alive happen too easily in our lives, and the church suffers because of it. I, too, often see incidents reported in newspapers or Christian newspapers, and it's not just once or twice that I question whether we are truly people who believe God is alive. If God is alive, how can we live like this? If we truly believed it, how could we live and speak like this, never considering that there will be a judgment and we will stand before God? Looking back, such questions often arise. However, it doesn't apply only to those people; it applies to ourselves at times.

 

We often talk about faith and say, "God is love, so no matter what sin I commit, God is a forgiving God. Therefore, I am a forgiven person, so I have no worries." However, this speaks of only a very small part of the truth. Of course, it is truth, but when speaking truth, one must speak the whole truth. If you think, 'God forgives all my sins, so it's okay for me to commit any sin,' then you are treating God like a washing machine. He is not God; He is just your washing machine. (I initially intended to use the word 'trash can,' but it seemed too irreverent, so I changed it to 'washing machine.') You treat God that way, considering Him an entity who must cleanse your sins when you throw them at Him.

 

Does the Bible really say that? No. That is one of the most terrifying sins. You should be able to grieve over sin, because God's heart grieves. You should be able to be sad over sin, because the Lord grieves and weeps. Why does the Holy Spirit grieve and weep? Because of our sins. It is impossible for you to feel nothing while God's heart aches. We must understand sin. When dealing with sin, you must go before the cross. Only then can you deal with sin correctly.

 

Therefore, when it comes to the problem of sin, in order to truly understand the meaning of God forgiving us, we must also consider the terror and weight of our sin, and how much we can grieve and ache before God in its presence. If we do not recognize sin, God's forgiveness will inevitably become light, and we will not be able to escape from sin, but will continue to proceed only with light forgiveness and cheap grace.

 

However, at the same time, the opposite is also true. When people hear sermons about sin and come to know what sin is, many come before God, repent of their sins, and rely on the Lord's cross. However, instead of moving on to "I will rise," some fall into self-pity, saying, "I can't," "I'm still a sinner," "I can't help but be a sinner," "Humans are so weak," and become frustrated. This is also not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches both things together: our sin is terrifying and persistent, and it was difficult for us to be free from it, but through the cross of Jesus Christ, we have finally gained freedom, and we are the people who daily confess anew that we live as children of God, never condemned. That is why we say we are joyful, and that is why we say we do not give in to sin, but rather overcome that sin and evil with goodness.

 

Sin Without Repentance and Violence

In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, we find two crucial aspects. One is the nature of sin without repentance, and the other is how that sin leads to violence.

 

We see that there was absolutely no sign of repentance in the land of Sodom. There was no turning back to God for them. Sin is certainly terrifying, but what is truly terrifying is not committing sin itself, but not repenting. It's not coming before God and not relying on the cross. You might think it's important to simply confess your sins and say, "I committed these sins. Therefore, I admit my guilt." However, confessing and admitting your guilt in a courtroom doesn't make a judge send you home out of kindness. You have to pay the price for the sins you committed. It is right to go to prison, and it is right to be punished for sin.

 

Therefore, simply confessing sin does not mean that sin is forgiven. What is important is to go beyond confessing sin and grasp the cross of Christ Jesus with that sin. The gospel is knowing that He died for me and has clothed me with His righteousness, that I am now clothed in the garments of Jesus.

 

Sodom and Gomorrah were wrong to commit sin, but they did not turn to God and repent. There was no turning back. The prophet Jeremiah expresses this by saying, "Sodom strengthened the hand of the wicked and did not turn back." This is one of the most terrifying aspects of sin. Sodom was not only proud, but because of its pride, there was no turning back. Against this backdrop, we see that their wickedness led to fornication, immorality, sensuality, and sexual depravity. This suggests that the Bible is talking about all of these things together, beyond what we might consider simple sexual depravity.

 

Sin Leading to Violence

The word sensuality (色慾) here means not controlling one's sexual desires at all. This applies not only to homosexuality but also to heterosexual relationships. We react sensitively to homosexual sin, but in fact, the Bible talks about heterosexual sexual depravity more than 10 times more often. You know that, don't you? Does the word 'adultery' appear more often in the Bible, or the word 'sodomy'? Of course, the word 'adultery' appears far more often. We often tend to downplay our own sins by pointing to the sins of others or sins we don't commit. However, the Bible tracks and points out our sins much more.

 

Don't misunderstand. The Bible clearly warns against same-sex sexual depravity as sin. Leviticus is very clear, and today's text also leaves no room for escape. If one tries to explain Lot's attempt to offer his daughters in a different way, it would be one of the impossible interpretations unless one pre-supposes that such content is not in the Bible. This is a dishonest attitude. Looking at 2 Peter or Jude, they clearly describe Sodom's sin as adultery, fornication, and sensuality. Especially in Jude, it uses the phrase "strange flesh," showing that Sodom's problem clearly includes sexual wickedness.

 

Furthermore, the more terrifying problem in Sodom was that such sexual depravity led to violence. The phrase "Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them" goes beyond simply demanding homosexuality. This was not a consensual act. Violence was inherent in it. The depth of sin is enormous. The violence shown by Sodom should never be downplayed, and at the same time, we must also be honest about all the sins that were in Sodom.

 

Church Order and the Responsibility of Believers

Friends, to be more fair and factual, neither homosexuality nor heterosexuality is eternal. According to the Bible, if you were born male, you will not be eternally male, and if you were born female, you will not exist eternally as only female. The Bible clearly states: "When you go to the Kingdom of God, there will be no marrying or having children." Now you will be treated as human beings. It doesn't mean that if I am a woman and go to heaven, I will become gender-neutral; it means that I will stand before God as a human being. The fact that we are currently distinguished as male and female clearly tells us that we are incomplete. Men need women, and women need men. Not only for bearing children, but for a human being to be complete, two genders are needed. That is our creation principle. However, when we go to heaven, we will not end as one gender; we will be perfected as human beings. Therefore, in that place, such sexual distinctions will disappear, and what is called discrimination will cease to exist. Thus, sexual imbalance or discrimination are things that happen on this earth, and we know that such things will not exist in the glory we will enjoy in the end.

 

The Importance of Order and Attitude Towards Government

So, one might ask, "Since it will be that way in the future, can we do as we please on this earth?" No, that's not it. What the Bible says is that while we are on this earth, God has established order rather than chaos and confusion. That's why God allowed government instead of anarchy. Anarchy is not what all believers who believe in the Bible strive for. Even if the government doesn't please us and has problems in itself, we must acknowledge that God is governing the world through this order. This doesn't mean that we cannot resist the government, or that we must remain silent even if the government is doing wrong. That is contrary to what the Bible teaches. The Bible always emphasizes that we must submit to and respect those in authority and power, while at the same time, believers must live for God's will and holiness.

 

Therefore, regarding false and wrong deeds, it is indeed the duty of believers to protest the government through legal means and to speak of what needs to be corrected. However, this is not something the church can establish as a doctrine. To reiterate, the church does not support any specific government. The church, following what pleases God, merely has the right and responsibility for each believer to exercise their preferred government and what the government ought to do, conscientiously before God, in light of God's holy will. The church does not collectively create things and try to impose them as if they were our will. This is because we clearly acknowledge that this world is different from the church.

 

However, as precious citizens and as God's people, you must always remember and fulfill your responsibility to influence this society by the way you live on this earth.

 

Church Order and the Dangers of Power

Sadly, there is order even in the church and family, which God has allowed. It's true for the church and it's true for the family. However, whether due to our evil nature, social influence, or Satan's temptation, these orders often do not result in good and beneficial outcomes. This is because we are easily drawn to power and might, rather than the benefits that order provides. We still sometimes see corrupt public authority in the world. Public authority should clearly maintain society and allow us to practice our faith peacefully, yet it can also oppress citizens and cause many people hardship. We have seen such things often throughout history. Why is that? It's because we love power and might.

 

Upholding God's Order and Addressing Church Issues

 

Is such a phenomenon limited to the secular world? No. It appears the same way in the church. What happens at a national level is not at all absent at a church level. In the church, if things go wrong, power struggles can arise. People want to see who holds a higher position and try to exercise their power. I believe that this often manifests as misguided power through positions. A pastor, because he is a pastor, may unconsciously misuse the power he possesses. The same applies to elders and deacons. While it is clear that they are respected and established by God for the order of the church, it is not given for anyone to lord over others or to be superior.

 

In any case, we must not lose humility in our attitude towards the government, nor in the church, because we recognize that this is the order established by God. However, at the same time, you and I, as God's people, have a responsibility concerning actions that undermine that order. If things are happening in the church that are contrary to God's will, do not escape by thinking, 'The church is like this or that, do I really need to make a fuss about this and disturb the church?' If you believe that something is happening that goes against your religious conscience and God's Word, then according to biblical principles, first speak with the party involved within the church. If the conversation with that party does not resolve the issue, then through several admonitions, you should eventually report it to the session and request that the session resolve the problem properly.

 

If you have personal dissatisfaction with the church, or don't like certain things, or if things don't go your way, thinking 'I'll just live my faith by myself and let it end that way' might bring you peace of mind, but it grieves the Lord's heart. That's because you don't love the church. Loving the church is not your choice. You are called to love the church. That's why it's painful and difficult. How can things go well when we are all so stubborn? But even so, even if we sit down and talk hundreds of times, and agonize and shed tears together, we cannot neglect the church, which is the body of the Lord. We love the body of Christ, and we strive for it.

 

Building Up the Church Through Love and Repentance

 

Until each and every believer in God's church can fulfill their role as part of God's church, we will experience many trials and difficult moments. Because things don't go well, we may struggle, sometimes cry, and sometimes get angry and shout. However, all of this is ultimately done in the belief that it will build up God's church. It must be so. The church is not merely a club where you feel a sense of belonging, or an organization for cultural enrichment. It is because of Jesus Christ, who shed His blood for us, that we are here.

 

Don't be afraid. Don't be timid. Speak to the church and to the believers. Admonish one another, but do so with a truly humble heart and a love for truth. Please, do not try to teach others or think 'I am better than you,' but rather consider others better than yourselves and lift them up, humbly building and shaping each other anew in the Lord. There will be times when things don't go well. If even the pastor doesn't listen, how much more so for you? In such cases, consult with spiritual seniors or trustworthy believers and handle the matter well. There's no need to tell others. If that doesn't work, that's what the session is for. 'But even that doesn't work well.' I know. I will repent again and again. I am truly sorry. For all the things that don't go well as you wish, as you rejoice, as our church strives, the senior pastor is the greatest sinner and chief offender. Things don't go well, but please forgive. And let's start again. Isn't God's church precious, rather than things not going as we wish? If things don't go well, shouldn't we, who love God's church, build it together, even if it means shedding a little blood and enduring hardship? Even if it hurts, even if it's difficult, if God's church cannot stand firm in this situation where it is criticized by the world, where will you find hope? If we are all not going to do that work, why do we gather every week just to see each other's faces like this? It's not right, is it?

 

Sodom and Gomorrah are not just someone else's story. It's because we can become like Sodom and Gomorrah. Dear friends, the family is also included in this area where we must always be awake and fight. The family can be a place where the husband's power, guaranteed by the Bible, can be misused, where he tries to do things his own way rather than loving and respecting his wife, and wants to impose his will and thoughts. We all have desires as humans, and sometimes we want to fulfill them through the family. You're not alone; your children are the same. Children are not as perfectly good in all things as you might think, even though they are so kind, young, and innocent. Everyone is a sinner. Therefore, dear friends, remember that we ourselves can walk the path of Sodom and Gomorrah, so look back at yourselves, and let God rise up in us again.

 

Salvation of the Cross and Restoration of the Church

Friends, what is more surprising than the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? It is that God shined the light of salvation there. You might think it's unfair. Why didn't He destroy everyone? How did He save them? Why did He save them? We know this is grace.

 

Therefore, beloved people of the Lord, you and I do not do this out of fear. This story is not meant to end with merely realizing, "I am truly a sinner." It is not to jointly criticize by saying, "Yes, the church is corrupt," nor is it to unconditionally condemn the church by exposing its many corrupt parts. We must build the church together because we love it, and because we want to establish truth through love, and we must remember together that we are that very church.

 

Individual Repentance and the Church's Mission

Each and every one of you is so precious. Last week, when I was asked to pray in front of the children during Vacation Bible School, looking into their eyes, I didn't know what to pray. Compared to the twinkling in their eyes, I felt like a mass of sin. When I looked at the children, all I saw was calculation, and my thoughts were elsewhere, but these children came and were so happy to play, worship, and learn the Word in God. I wondered when I had ever been like that. While always looking at the Word to preach, and complaining inwardly while serving the members, I reflected deeply on when I had truly enjoyed and delighted in God, and I repented greatly. Dear friends, you might be able to deceive yourselves, but you cannot deceive God. Therefore, let's return not to the path of Sodom and Gomorrah, but to the clear path of God's salvation, the clear path of Jesus Christ's cross bestowed upon you. Let's move forward together. I earnestly hope that we can collectively restore God's church, this church of God which is our concern and sorrow, and at the same time our joy, which your God has allowed you, to be truly church-like.

 

Let us pray.

 

Loving Lord, we are the very church that confesses to love God's church. Lord, we are the believers You have called. But every time we see the image of Sodom and Gomorrah in ourselves, our hearts ache so much. Forgetting the essence and nature of sin, we live as if we are a little more righteous than others, without even fighting properly. Lord, please forgive us.

 

Please help us to think deeply about God's church again, and to meditate once more before You on what it means to be called as God's church. Humble our uplifted hearts on this earth, and make us look only to You and firmly hold on to the cross. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.