October 04, 2020: SOAP #3958:  Esther 1-2; Psalm 150; Luke 17       

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 17:26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 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. 28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

Observation:  Surely the people of Sodom knew that Lot was living among them.  His uncle Abram with all his company of servants and sheep were not too far away.  And Lot himself had so many sheep that he and Abram had to separate to find enough pasture for their sheep. 

They knew that Lot was in their city, but they did not know that judgment was coming their way.  They did not know that Lot’s presence was the only thing holding it back!  It happened “the day Lot left.” 

Application:  The day the church is taken from this earth also will be a terrible day.  It will be the first day without their righteous influence. Even as we see sin abounding, seemingly in all places, a day is coming when there will be no one under the control of the Holy Spirit to withstand evil.  In the USA one can see the lack of godly influence in the laws being written today, and in the decisions made in our courts.  People publicly calling for the defunding of our police and leaders listening to them, and then passing legislation to withdraw money from the police!  

If the presence of righteous Lot withheld judgment on Sodom, may the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of committed believers do the same for our nations today. 

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, mold me, fill me, use me.  Make me like Jesus! Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!