{"id":3177,"date":"2017-08-13T16:03:21","date_gmt":"2017-08-13T20:03:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/?p=3177"},"modified":"2017-08-14T16:34:13","modified_gmt":"2017-08-14T20:34:13","slug":"questions-and-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/?p=3177","title":{"rendered":"QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sermon by Rev. Richard Jones<\/strong><\/h3>\n

rec0813-112455<\/a><\/p>\n

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<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

Sermon Series: <\/strong>The Story of Abraham<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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 <\/p>\n

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

Genesis, Chapters 18 & 19:23-29<\/strong><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 18<\/strong><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

A VISIT FROM GOD<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 18:1-8 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>1 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
\n2 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth
\n3 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and said, \u201cO Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.
\n4 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,
\n5 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on\u201d\u201dsince you have come to your servant.\u201d So they said, \u201cDo as you have said.\u201d
\n6 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, \u201cQuick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.\u201d
\n7 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. <\/span>
\n8 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hebrews 13:1-2 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>1 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Let brotherly love continue.
\n2 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. <\/span><\/p>\n

1 Peter 4:9-10 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>9 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
\n10 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God\u201d\u2122s varied grace:<\/p>\n

Matthew 25:34-40 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>34 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then the King will say to those on his right, \u201d\u02dcCome, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.<\/span>
\n35 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,<\/span>
\n36 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.\u201d\u2122<\/span>
\n37 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then the righteous will answer him, saying, \u201d\u02dcLord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?<\/span>
\n38 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?<\/span>
\n39 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?\u201d\u2122<\/span>
\n40 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And the King will answer them, \u201d\u02dcTruly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.\u201d\u2122<\/span><\/p>\n

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A QUESTION FROM GOD<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 18:9-15 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>9 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0They said to him, \u201cWhere is Sarah your wife?\u201d And he said, \u201cShe is in the tent.\u201d
\n10 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0The LORD said, \u201cI will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.\u201d And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
\n11 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.
\n12 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, \u201cAfter I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?\u201d
\n13 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0The LORD said to Abraham, \u201cWhy did Sarah laugh and say, \u201d\u02dcShall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?\u201d\u2122
\n14 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.\u201d
\n15 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0But Sarah denied it, saying, \u201cI did not laugh,\u201d for she was afraid. He said, \u201cNo, but you did laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeremiah 32:17 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>17 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0\u201d\u02dcAh, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.<\/p>\n

Job 42:2 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>2 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0\u201cI know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>20 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,<\/p>\n

Luke 1:37 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>37 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For nothing will be impossible with God.\u201d<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

A PURPOSE OF GOD<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 18:16-21 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>16 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.
\n17 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0The LORD said, \u201cShall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
\n18 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
\n19 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.\u201d
\n20 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then the LORD said, \u201cBecause the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,
\n21 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Romans 1:27 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>27 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Jude 1:7 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>7 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Isaiah 3:9 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>9 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom;<\/span> they do not hide it.<\/span> Woe to them!<\/span> For they have brought evil on themselves.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A DIALOGUE WITH GOD<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Genesis 18:22-33 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>22 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.
\n23 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then Abraham drew near and said, \u201cWill you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
\n24 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it?
\n25 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?\u201d
\n26 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And the LORD said, \u201cIf I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.\u201d
\n27 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Abraham answered and said, \u201cBehold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
\n28 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?\u201d And he said, \u201cI will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.\u201d
\n29 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Again he spoke to him and said, \u201cSuppose forty are found there.\u201d He answered, \u201cFor the sake of forty I will not do it.\u201d
\n30 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then he said, \u201cOh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.\u201d He answered, \u201cI will not do it, if I find thirty there.\u201d
\n31 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0He said, \u201cBehold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.\u201d He answered, \u201cFor the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.\u201d
\n32 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then he said, \u201cOh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.\u201d He answered, \u201cFor the sake of ten I will not destroy it.\u201d
\n33 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 19<\/strong><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

A JUDGEMENT FROM GOD<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 19:23-29 (ESV)
\n<\/strong>23 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
\n24 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.
\n25 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
\n26 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0But Lot\u201d\u2122s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
\n27 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
\n28 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
\n29 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

GOD IS HOLY<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Are we going to be like Abraham, a friend of God?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Or, are we going to live like Lot, a friend of the world?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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