September 1
Lesson 1 (KJV)
Faithful During Distress
Devotional Reading: Luke 17:22, 26–37
Background Scripture: Genesis 18:16–19:29
Genesis 19:1, 4, 5, 15–26, 29
1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even, and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men who came into thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
17 And it came to pass when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun rose upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
Key Verse
It came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.—Genesis 19:29
Responding to God’s Grace
Unit 1: God Is Faithful
Lessons 1–5
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. List the salient points of Lot’s flight from Sodom.
2. Explain how this account demonstrates both the judgment and the mercy of God.
3. Prepare an explanation (one that could be presented to an unbeliever) of how God’s wisdom and mercy are displayed through the message of the gospel.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
A. No “Fair Weather” God
B. Lesson Context
I. God’s Warnings (Genesis 19:1, 4, 5, 15–23)
A. Angelic Visitation (vv. 1, 15–17)
B. Lot’s Hesitation (vv. 18–20)
The Small-Town Ideal?
C. Angelic Determination (vv. 21–23)
II. God’s Judgment (Genesis 19:24–26)
A. Upon Sodom and Gomorrah (vv. 24, 25)
B. Upon Lot’s Wife (v. 26)
Part of the Landscape
III. God’s Mercy (Genesis 19:29)
A. Remembering Abraham (v. 29a)
B. Rescuing Lot (v. 29b)
Conclusion
A. Mercy in Judgment
B. Prayer
C. Thought to Remember
HOW TO SAY IT
Gomorrah
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Guh-more-uh.
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Sodom
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Sod-um.
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Zoar
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Zo-er.
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What Do You Think?
In what ways can we encourage and help people to escape when they’re trapped in sinful or challenging environments?
Digging Deeper
What does biblical encouragement include that secular viewpoints might not?
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What Do You Think?
Under what circumstances, if any, is it proper to attempt to bargain with God?
Digging Deeper
How can we ensure that our motives are pure when we are tempted to bargain with God?
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Visual for Lesson 1. Keep this time line posted throughout the quarter to give participants a chronological perspective.
What Do You Think?
How can we use biblical accounts like that of Sodom and Gomorrah to communicate the nature of God to unbelievers?
Digging Deeper
How do Matthew 11:23; Romans 9:29; 2 Peter 2:4–10; Jude 7; and Revelation 11:8 inform your answer?
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What Do You Think?
What steps can we take to protect ourselves from the temptation to “look back” in unhealthy ways (Luke 9:62)?
Digging Deeper
How do Ezekiel 16:43; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; 2:10, 25 speak to healthy ways of looking back?
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What Do You Think?
How can we best use “God remembered” passages such as Genesis 8:1; 30:22; Exodus 2:24; and Revelation 18:5 to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable?
Digging Deeper
Considering Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34; and Hebrews 10:15–17, what are some wrong ways to use “God remembered” passages?
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Prayer
Father, both Your judgment and Your mercy are revealed, not only in this account but throughout Your Word. May we give thanks that in the cross of Jesus “mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (James 2:13). We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thought to Remember
What happened to Sodom illustrates God’s mercy even in judgment.
To print the reproducible activity page, simply click the highlighted text below to create a pdf file on your hard drive. Then open the pdf file in Acrobat Reader and print.
Activity Page (September 1—Faithful during Distress)
Nickelson, Ronald L. et al., eds. The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020. Vol. 67. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2019. Print.
Redford, Douglas, Jim Eichenberger, and Tom Thatcher. “Faithful during Distress.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020. Ed. Ronald L. Nickelson et al. Vol. 67. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2019. 15. Print.
Redford, Douglas, Jim Eichenberger, and Tom Thatcher. “Faithful during Distress.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020. Ed. Ronald L. Nickelson et al. Vol. 67. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2019. 15. Print.
Redford, Douglas, Jim Eichenberger, and Tom Thatcher. “Faithful during Distress.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020. Ed. Ronald L. Nickelson et al. Vol. 67. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2019. 14. Print.
Redford, Douglas, Jim Eichenberger, and Tom Thatcher. “Faithful during Distress.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020. Ed. Ronald L. Nickelson et al. Vol. 67. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2019. 14. Print.
Redford, Douglas, Jim Eichenberger, and Tom Thatcher. “Faithful during Distress.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020. Ed. Ronald L. Nickelson et al. Vol. 67. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2019. 13. Print.
Redford, Douglas, Jim Eichenberger, and Tom Thatcher. “Faithful during Distress.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020. Ed. Ronald L. Nickelson et al. Vol. 67. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2019. 13. Print.
Redford, Douglas, Jim Eichenberger, and Tom Thatcher. “Faithful during Distress.” The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019–2020. Ed. Ronald L. Nickelson et al. Vol. 67. Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2019. 12. Print.
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