Whom Will You Serve?

GETTING STARTED

Have you ever been in a situation where you seem to be trying to please two radically different people with different desires and needs? Maybe you’ve had houseguests who didn’t get along. As the host, you exhausted yourself in attempts to please all the parties. In the end, it rarely works. Most often, we end up offending or frustrating all the parties, or we simply make ourselves an emotional mess. Well, let’s multiply this situation times 100 and see what happens.

  • Think of a time when you were caught between two people—family members, friends, neighbors, or co-workers—who were at odds with one another. How did you handle the situation?

READ THE WORD: GENESIS 19:1-11 (ESV)

19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” 3 But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” 6 Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, 7 and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. 8 Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” 9 But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. 11 And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. How did Lot greet the two angels who visited Sodom (vss. 1-2)? Why do you suppose Lot issued such a firm invitation to them (vs. 3)? 
  2. What words and actions of Lot and the men of Sodom make it clear that the intent of the Sodomites was evil (vss. 7-9)?
  3. What did Lot say to the crowd in verse 7, and how did he attempt to appease them in verse 8? What does this decision between two great evils tell you about Lot’s situation?
  4. Who ultimately solved this problem? What happened (vss. 10-11)?
  5. Are there any situations you face where none of the options in your control seem good or appropriate? What would it look like for you to trust God to take care of the situation?

RESPOND TO GOD

When Abraham and Lot parted ways, Lot chose this place to live when he “saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord” (Gen. 13:10). Years later, Lot found himself trying to live a double life in an attempt to please both the Lord and the evil people among whom he had chosen to live. How often do we find ourselves in a similar situation—on the one hand trying to gain man’s favor, and on the other, trying to live in a manner that is pleasing to God? Let’s all choose wisely, with the Creator who chose us as his own!

  • Thank God that he fights battles for you and protects you from evil.
  • Pray that God would help you today to live in such a way that you would please him before all others.