The story of Lot in the book of Genesis serves as a sobering warning about the consequences of small compromises and drifting choices. What begins as a seemingly harmless preference can lead to profound spiritual and familial devastation. This sermon examines Lot’s journey through ten key stages, illustrating how one poor decision after another pulled him further from God’s best. Choices have consequences, and Lot’s life reminds us that faith waits while the flesh grabs for immediate satisfaction.
A Pitiful Position
Lot’s story reaches its tragic end in a cave in the mountains. He finds himself in drunkenness instead of discernment, with daughters who were not discipled, surviving without victory. This pitiful position was never his intention, yet his choices led him there.
A Prioritized Preference
In Genesis 13:10-12 (KJV), we read: “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan. And Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.” Lot prioritized what appeared pleasant and profitable. He lifted his eyes to what he could see physically, ignoring what God could see spiritually. No altar was built, and no prayer was offered. What we prioritize reveals what we truly trust.
A Progressive Path
Lot’s move was not immediate rebellion but a gradual drift. He pitched his tent toward Sodom, setting his direction. Direction determines destination, and each step drew him closer to danger.
A Polluted Proximity
The men of Sodom “were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly” (Genesis 13:13 KJV). Lot knew better, yet he placed himself near sin. Being near sin without hating it always leads to compromise.
A Providential Rescue
In chapter 14, Lot was taken captive in a pagan war. God mercifully sent Abraham to rescue him. This deliverance should have served as a wake-up call, yet it did not. Deliverance is often God’s loudest warning.
A Pressing Reminder
After the rescue, Lot witnessed Abraham honour Melchizedek while rejecting the king of Sodom’s treasures. This displayed separation and different values, yet Lot still chose Sodom.
A Prominent Position
By Genesis 19:1 (KJV), “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.” Sitting in the gate indicated leadership and acceptance by the city. Lot gained status in the world but lost authority in his home. He influenced the city while being ignored by his family.
A Powerless Plea
When the angels warned of destruction, Lot urged his sons-in-law to flee, but “he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law” (Genesis 19:14 KJV). His testimony had been weakened by compromise, rendering his plea powerless.
A Painful Price
The angels hastened Lot, but “while he lingered” (Genesis 19:16 KJV), they mercifully dragged him and his family out. His wife looked back and “became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26 KJV). Delayed obedience demands a greater cost. Lot lost family members to judgment.
A Polluted Posterity
In the cave, Lot’s daughters conceived by their father. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day (Genesis 19:36-38 KJV). Lot escaped judgment but forfeited influence. He got his girls out of Sodom, but he did not get Sodom out of his girls. This led to generational consequences for Israel.
Lot chose what he could see over what God could see, sight over submission, flesh over faith. Even small wrong decisions, if left unaddressed, lead to awful consequences. This passage warns us to stop drifting when we sense we are off course. The safest time to repent is when warned, not when ruined. God is gracious and merciful. Let us lift our hearts to the Lord and ask Him to keep us aligned with His will. Trust God and move forward in obedience.
Conclusion
Lot’s life stands as a sobering reminder that even small, seemingly harmless decisions can pull us far from God’s intended path when left unchecked. He chose the visible over the spiritual, the immediate over the eternal, and the flesh over faith. Yet the same merciful God who rescued Lot from Sodom stands ready to rescue us today. The safest moment to turn back is right now—while the warning is clear and the way home is still open. May we refuse to linger, lift our hearts instead of our eyes, and ask the Lord to keep our course steady in His perfect will. Let us choose obedience today so our legacy honours Him tomorrow. Trust God fully, and step forward in alignment with His Word.
