Sermon Audio Archive

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

  

"Remember Lot's Wife"

Jarrod Jacobs

We read this short verse in Luke 17:32. It is an interesting thought, and something worthy of our study. In Luke 17:32, Jesus refers to what happened to Lot's wife after the family fled from Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. As Lot and his family were leaving Sodom, having been spared by God (II Pet. 2:6-9), they were warned not to look back lest they "be consumed" (Gen. 19:17). And as humans are wont to do, when they came to Zoar, Lot's wife did that very thing and "became a pillar of salt" (Gen. 19:23-26). Having been promised safety by God, she still paid the penalty for disobedience.

Certainly, when we think about our lives and the experiences that we have had, we can see that remembering is vital to our not repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Let us consider Lot's wife and think about some things we ought to remember.

Friends, we need to remember that God keeps His promises. Just as God promised destruction on whomever looked back to Sodom in Genesis 19, God has promised eternal damnation for those who do not know God and do not obey His word (II Thess. 1:6-9). God has promised "rest" for the people of God (Heb. 4:9). God has also promised an eternity of living in the presence of God and Christ in Heaven (Jn. 14:1-6; Rev. 7:15-17). Seeing that God kept His word in the Old Testament, we know He will keep it today (Rom. 2:7-11)!

In remembering Lot's wife, we learn that God will not allow the wicked to continue indefinitely. Sodom and Gomorrah came to an end in Genesis 19. When God was through, there was nothing left but ashes and smoke (Gen. 19:28)!! The lesson we must remember is that though we may have done something "in private," rest assured God knows about it, and we will answer for it (Num. 32:23; Prov. 15:3; Ecc. 12:13; Rom. 2:16; I Tim. 5:24-25)!!

By remembering Lot's wife we learn that just because a place seems great, this does not tell you what is on the inside! Lot, in Genesis 13, "pitched his tent toward Sodom" because he saw the well-watered plain (v. 12). By Genesis 14:12, he was in the city, and by Genesis 19, he was sitting in the gate of the city. Though rich, this city was wicked because of homosexuality, and put simply, they were "sinners before the Lord exceedingly" (Gen. 13:13, 19:5). This "vexed" Lot's righteous soul (II Pet. 2:7). Yet, remember that he went there voluntarily because of the physical goods he thought he could enjoy! Let us not be fooled by the belief that physical prosperity equals spiritual soundness! Many times, it is exactly the opposite!!

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