Friday, February 11, 2011

Spurgeon's Thoughts on Hastening Lot

Genesis 19:15- "When the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot."
     Were these pesonages angels, or divine appearances? It matters not: they were messengers sent from God to save. In any case they teach us how to deal with men if we are to arouse and bless them. Picture the two angels with all their four hands occupied in leading out Lot and his wife and his two daughters.

I. The Righteous Need to be Hastened.
    1. In what? In matters of obedience to their Lord.
        In coming out from the world. (Verse 26).
        In seeking the good of their families. (Verse 12).
     2. Why? The flesh is weak. Lot was an old man, too much tinetured with worldliness.
         Sodom has a sluggish influence.
     3. By what means?  Be reminding them of their obligations, their opportunities.
         By leading them to consider the flight of time and brevity of life.
         By warning them of sure ruin.
II. The Sinners Need to be Hastened.
     1. Sinners are very slow and apt to linger.
         They have settled down in the Sodom of sin.
         They do not believe our warning.
         Delay is Satan's grand device for their ruin.
      2.  Our business is to hasten them.
          We must be in earnest ourselves as these angels were.
          We must also be patient and repeat our pleadings.
          We must be resolute, and lay hold on their hands.
      3.  We have many arguments with which to hasten them.
            Their imminent danger while lingering.
            The sin of loitering when God commands.
            The supreme necessity of immediate decision.

    When a young man made an open profession of the gospel, his father greatly offended, gave him this advice: "James, you should first get yourself established in a good trade, and then think of the matter of religion." "Father," said the son, :Jesus Christ advises me differently; He says, 'SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD.'"

"Brother," said a dying man, "Why have you not been more pressing with me about my soul?" "Dear James," replied the brother, "I have spoken with you several times." "Yes," was the answer, "you are not to blame; but you were always so quiet over it; I wish you had gone on your knees to me, or had taken me by the neck and shaken me, for I have been careless, and have nearly slept myself into hell."

The above is an excerpt from Spurgeon's Sermon Notes, condensed by David Otis Fuller.