Sunday Teaching • Feb 24, 2014

SODOM: TWO ANGELS ON A MISSION

When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed!" (Genesis 19:15-17)

Please join us this Sunday, February 24th at 10:00 am., as Calvary Bible Church hosts its weekly Bible Teaching and Fellowship Service in the front lobby of the U.S. Bank Building, 303 Crescent Avenue (near the corner of Crescent & Metropole), offering a Biblical study on Faith & Obedience entitled:  “Sodom: Two Angels On A Mission," taken from the Book of Genesis, Chapter 19.  All are welcome to join us and hear this message of love and truth from God's Life-Changing Word!

Visiting Beautiful Catalina Island?  Then Come Worship With Us!

During a hot summer day, the LORD Himself walks out of the wilderness with two men to greet Abraham, who is resting in the doorway of his tent under the large oak tree at the Oasis of Mamre near the southwest corner of the Dead Sea.  He tells the now 99 year old man once again, that he will have a son, with whom He – the LORD – would make an everlasting covenant, giving his offspring (the Jews) the entire land of Israel.  He also shares with Abraham His plan to have His angels – the two men who were with Him -- to go on to the sexually-corrupt cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and destroy them completely. After a brief and very brave argument on Abraham’s part, the LORD agrees to save his nephew Lot and his family from the fiery destruction to come. As we begin Chapter 19 of Genesis, we see the two angels of the LORD entering Sodom, meeting Lot, and the sexual immorality of the men of the city revealed.

The Destruction of Sodom by John Martin 1840
Click On Photo To Display Larger Image

From there the story picks up with the speed of an action-adventure motion picture. Bigger-than-life action stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger could have easily played the angels!  "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed!" the angels told Lot. (Genesis 19:17) And run they did: Lot, his wife, and his two daughters. Although God’s plans are always perfect for us (as long we are obedient to His Word), leave it to we humans to muck things up!  It is said that “curiosity killed the cat.” But in this case, Lot’s wife turned and looked back, disobeying the command of God’s angels, and her curiosity turned her into a pillar of solid salt.  

As we study the Book of Genesis together, we see that despite mankind’s continued failure – beginning with Adam & Eve and continuing with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – our most Benevolent, Loving, and Living Creator demonstrates His unending love for us.  Every time man falls on his face in failure, our Loving Father is there to pick him up, dust him off, and send him (and all of us, as well) on his way to begin all over again.  Reading Genesis, you will get some understanding of why God is seeking to have such a close, loving relationship with each and every one of us.  To the Prophet Jeremiah, our Heavenly Father said, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3)  His love is meant to sweep us off our feet and save us from our sinful self.  It couldn’t have been said any clearer than by Jesus Himself: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (Jesus Speaking in John 3:16)

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection in His new, glorified body, He told them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ (the Messiah King) to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations." (Luke 24:46-47)  This is the true "gospel," the "good news" that ministers of our Lord are commanded to preach: repentance of your sins with the promise of everlasting life with Him in heaven. Your faith in this promise "comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)  There is no other way to eternal life after you die.  Please join us this Sunday and learn what God has to say about your future, as written in His inspired Holy Word... the Bible. Become a REAL Christian... a true follower of Jesus Christ. He gave up His life so that we -- each and every one of us -- might have eternal life!

Paul, in his letters to the early Church, tells us that it is our friend, Jesus Christ, who saves us from sin and gives us a resurrected body and eternal life -- we do not save ourselves.  Trying to be "a good person" or doing good deeds does not lead to salvation.  To both Jews and pagans, Paul preached "repentance of sin toward God and faith commitment toward our Lord Jesus Christ."  (Acts 20:21)  It is only by our repentance of sin (turning away from it) and direct commitment to Jesus Christ -- not belonging to a particular religion, following a church denomination, or doing "good works" -- that changes in our life and our eternal salvation are assured.  Peter  tells us how easy it is to find salvation: "Repent and  be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)   Are you ready to receive the free gift of eternal life from your new-found friend, Jesus Christ?

Each week's study is taught by Pastor Jason Gant, bringing you the loving and living Word of God from the Bible, chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse.  Everyone is welcomed, and transportation is happily provided.  Attendees at this Sunday's service will have the opportunity to ask their Bible questions and take part in a brief discussion period after the teaching.  Our "Coffee & Carbs Fellowship" follows immediately afterwards.  For more information, please call 310-510-3003 or visit our website at www.calvarybiblechurch.com.  Can't join us this Sunday?  In the meantime, if you need prayer. please call our toll-free 24-Hour Prayer Line 1-866-Holy-Word (465-9967).  Remember...  Read the Book, Learn the Truth!

_____________________________________________