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THE KING’S BUSINESS
th e y w ou ld h a v e m a ltre a te d b o th stran g e r a n d fellow citizen. T h e re is, a fte r all, a v a st difference b e tw een ev en a w o rld ly m in d ed b e liever a n d th e w o rld . 2. The angels did not go, but sent Lot to warn his children. (1 ) It is a fa th e r’s business to save his sons a n d d au g h te rs from th e fa te of Sodom . It is m an s business, n o t angels’, to w a rn sinners. ( 2 ) T h e w o rd o f w arning, “Up, g et y o u ou t of this p la c e ; fo r th e L o rd w ill d e stro y th e city. ( 3 ) T h e ir tre a t m en t of th e w arning, "H e seem ed as one th a t m o ck ed .” L ike th e la st d a y scoffers w ho say, A ll th ing s c o n tinu e as th ey w ere from th e b eg in ning” (2 Pet. 3 :4 ) . T h e y soon, b u t to o late, ch an g ed th e ir m ind s (R ev . 6 :1 6 , 1 7 ). 3. “The angels hastened Lot.” ( 1 ) “T o d a y if y e w ill h e a r H is voice. Now is th e a c c ep ted time. ( 2 ) “H e lin g e red ,” like th e sailor w ho ran below fo r a six pence in a pocket, L o t w ou ld h av e gone dow n w ith th e ship, b u t th e angels laid h o ld on his h a n d .” “T h e L o rd b e ing m erciful (p rop itiou s, Luke 1 8 :1 3 ) to h im .” “E scape fo r th y life, th ey cried. L oo k n o t b eh in d thee, to long, o r reg ret, th a t which G o d has cursed. “ E scape to th e m ountain. 4. Lot’s Wife. “F o r A d am ’s lost race, G o d h as o p en ed a fountain. “ But his w ife lo o k ed back . H e r h e a rt w as in S odom . T h e sto rm of b rin y v a p o rs o v e rto o k h e r in h e r tra ck s an d she b e c am e a he ap of sa lt” (S o th e H e b .) . A n d Jesu s H im self says, “R em em b e r L o t’s w ife!” (L u k e 1 7 :3 2 .) N one can b re a k aw ay from th e sins th a t so easily b e se t us” (H eb . 1 2 :1 ) if th ey lo o k back . W e m ust b u rn our ships b eh in d us to conquer. N o r m ay w e “ stay in all th e plain, b u t com p le te ly ch ang e ou r env ironm en t.
T h e Slime P its o f th e P rin tin g P ress: R e ad in g th a t ensnares. ( 3 ) T h e Slime P its o f Sensuality: P leasures th a t kill. ( 4 ) T h e Slim e P its of Business: Comm ercial dishonesty. ( 5 ) T h e Slime P its o f th e Saloon : T h e d an g e rs of gam b ling an d tip pling. T h e se a re chief am ong sins a n d sources o f d e stru c tion in our m o d e rn v a le o f S iddim . Because of these th e crust is th in b e tw e en our civilization an d th e bo ttom le ss pit. But fo r these ou r la n d m igh t b e “ as th e G a rd e n o f th e L o rd .” But fo r th e sake of these things com e th th e w ra th of G o d u p o n th e ch ild ren of d isob ed ien c e ” (Col. 3 :6 ) . This w ra th o f G o d is n o t only com ing on th e w ho le com p lex of our social sys tem , “ as it w as in th e d ay s of L o t” (L uk e 17 :2 8 -3 0 ), b u t it is h e re now . in bu rn ing up th e glorious stren g th o f y o u th ; scorching its m o ral loveli ness; b ligh ting p e a c e o f hom e life; m ak ing an arid d e se rt of social com m un ity ; d ry ing up th e stream s th a t shou ld diffuse g en eral p ro sp e rity ; cankering th e g o ld a n d silver a n d ' ripening th e ag e fo r th a t e tern al ju d gm e n t of which tho se ashen p lain s a re a n exam p le (J u d e 7; 2 Pet. 2 :6 ) . Note: T h is lesson is d esigned to d ire c t a tte n tio n to this h isto ric an d p ro p h e tic exam ple. If two angels cam e w ith such zealous d ev o tio n to rescue one m an an d his fam ily from th e holocaust, surely w e m ay show equal zeal to save a s m any as m ay b e from p re sen t an d final re trib u tion. III. The Rescue of Lot. 1. Lot in contrast with the men of Sodom. ( 1 ) H e lo d g e d th e strang ers in his hou se ; th ey w ould h av e lo d g e d th em in th e street. ( 2 ) H e p ro te c te d th em ; th ey a tta c k e d them . ( 3 ) H e w ou ld h av e sav ed th em a t cost m o re d e a r th a n his life;
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