Dinner and a Smoking Date

Wednesday 05/24/17

Message – Dinner and a Smoking Date

Series: Thru the Bible – Genesis 18-19

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Dinner and Smoking Date

Chapter 18

God comes to Abraham in “their spot” – by the Terebinth trees – NOT in the cool of the day as in the garden but in the heat of the day.
There were Abraham saw three men – one was El Shaddai and two were angels (which we discover later in 19:1).
Abraham (at 99) RUNS to them and bows down to the ground – asking them to stay a while.
V3 – You see the, last time God spoke to him He left abruptly – this time Abraham is seeking to keep him a while.
Abraham calls himself their servant and then makes good on his words. He serves them and causes them to rest – bringing them water to drink and with which to wash their feet FOR them.
God and angel’s eat with man – steak, bread, milk and butter. (so there you non-dairy vegans!) The passage says “bread” but this was used as a generic term for food.
This is clearly important to Abraham – first he is said to RUN to these men imploring them to stay a while – now is is said to “hurry” back to the tent to make preparations.
The meal was substantial – the flour for the three cakes was the best in the house and was measured out in portions of 2.5 gallons of flour each.
A tender calf, butter and milk. Even by today’s standards this is a feast – but in the ancient world Abraham was preparing for VERY special guests – for royalty.
- James, Fausset and Brown say, “Animal food is never provided, except for visitors of a superior rank when a kid or lamb is killed. A calf is still a higher stretch of hospitality, and it would probably be cooked as is usually done when haste is required – either by roasting it whole or by cutting it up into small pieces and broiling them on skewers over the fire. It is always eaten along with boiled corn swimming in butter or melted fat, into which every morsel of meat, laid upon a piece of bread, is dipped, before being conveyed by the fingers to the mouth.”
Abraham stands while they eat – it was etiquette of the day – a type of politeness in fact it would have been a breach of respect to sit with them.
They asks of the whereabouts of Sarah? Then GOD said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
Sarah is eavesdropping (God knew this)
He baits her by letting her hear what He had said to Abraham.
She responds much like Abraham. She laughs – only it is not a laugh of plain disbelief, but of giddiness at the prospect of physical intimacy at their age.
- Leupold translates the word pleasure and “to enjoy sexual delight” – the implication is not only on the act of intimacy itself but it’s culmination in a child and the child’s subsequent upbringing.
God calls her on it – Abraham had no idea she was even listening – Sarah comes out of the tent and denies it – God asks – “Is anything too hard for Me?” and says to her, – “yeah ya did!”
After eating they got up and walked towards Sodom and Abraham walk with them to properly send them on their way.
READ vs. 17-21
Abraham intercedes for the cities.

Chapter 19

The angel’s respond to Lot’s urging to stay with him.
These angels had to endure yet another big meal.
The Sodomites attempt to take sexual advantage of these two men.
Lot offers his virgin daughters.
These angels are mighty – they are able to open the door in a controlled manner even though it had so much pressure on it that it was near to being broken open. They snatched Lot in and slammed it shut again!
The men outside are struck with blindness – which did not stop their pursuit until they were worn out looking for them.
The angels then told Lot that he would need to gather all he had in the morning and leave the city.
Gen 19:13, “(13) For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.”
- 1Kings 22:20-23
Lot lingers – angel’s eventually took the matter into their own hands – due to God’s mercy.
Gen. 19:22 “(22) Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.”
That next morning Abraham sees the destruction of the city
Male offspring was IMPORTANT!!!
- Gen. 19:32, “(32) Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.”

There is much more information in the audio/video of the actual message. I hope you listen, learn and enjoy!

…Blessings!

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

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Blessings!

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!