Text: Genesis 13:8-9, NLT
8 Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! 9 The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.” Genesis 13:8-9 (NLT)
Introduction
During his 10-year prison stay, Craig wrote to his family members on many occasions, declaring his repentance and asking for forgiveness – but no one answered. Because he was a minister and a leader in his community, his highly publicized trial had left a bitter taste in the mouth of his family. Upon his release, he continued to write, but no one in his family would communicate with him, even though he had been out of prison for more than two years.
Move 1
Abraham had taken Lot his nephew with him to the land that God had shown him. Lot had been with Abram through famine and prosperity. As relatives, they had endured much together. Both of them had been prospered by God and all between the family seemed well.
Nonetheless, because of their prosperity both of them could not live on the same piece of property. Abraham and Lot loved each other and got along well, but their employees were engaged in continuous conflicts over use of land, water, and resources. This tension caused Abraham and Lot as close relatives to begin to withdraw from each other. This conflict interfered with the special relationship they had always enjoyed. Lord, have mercy!
Now let me add here that these conflicts had become so contentious they had become violent and Abraham knew that the situation had to change. I’m so glad that somebody in the family, especially the one who has God on their side knows when to act. Abraham did not sit idly by and watch the devil destroy his relationship with Lot and the rest of his family. Abraham acted and moved to resolve the issue.
Abraham said again, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we’re close relatives!” I wonder if there’s anybody here among this assembly of family and friends who have allowed strife to come between you and your relatives to the point that you no longer fellowship one with the other. I wonder if there’s anyone here who no longer attends the family reunion or no longer goes to visit a relative because of strife. Well, if you’re in the building I stop by to tell you, God says, “Let no strife come between you because God is able to bless each of you.” Hallelujah!
Abraham makes the first move; Abraham decides to give Lot the option to choose whatever land he wants as long as they continue to remain close as relatives. Lot reveals his heart when he chose “the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar.” He made his decision because “the whole area was well watered.” Water was like gold in the world economy today. The one who controls the water controls the economy. And it’s just like the situation in Israel and Palestine today; the one who controls the water controls the land. Lord, have mercy!
Israel and Palestine have been feuding for generations because Israel insists on controlling the major water routes. I wonder if there is anyone here this afternoon who is controlling things in your family and because of your control others in your family have been held back, held up, and kicked back. I wonder is there anybody here who knows somebody in your family that won’t share the blessings God has given your family because they control that blessing. I wonder if there is anyone here this afternoon who believes that you can stop your family member’s blessings because mother or father left you in charge of the property and the money. Lord, have mercy!
I stop by to tell you this afternoon, you better be a blessing, because when you become a blessing to your family, God will do exceedingly abundantly above all things. Can I get a witness here? Anybody here every had the bless you in spite of…..in spite of what your relatives did to you…..in spite of what they said about you…..can I get a witness here? Hallelujah!
Move 2
Well, let me move on. I got to tell you three things about this text that demonstrates how friends and family should relate to one another. Hallelujah!
First, families and friends should stick together. You have heard it said, “Blood runs thicker than water.” That means that when you are related to somebody you’re family. You will not allow anyone or anything to come between you and family. God called Abram out from his Father and Mother’s house. God did not call Lot; but since Lot was Abraham’s nephew and Lot wanted to go with Uncle Abram, Abram allowed him to go with him. Abram became responsible for Lot’s welfare and ensured that Lot had the same opportunities to be blessed that Abram had. Lord, have mercy!
Abram did not try to keep Lot from the blessings that God blessed him with. Abram shared all that God had blessed him with, with his nephew Lot. And Lot became a wealthy and mighty man. Hallelujah! Abram knew that families should stick together and bless one another. Can I get a witness here?
Not only should families stick together but families should settle any differences that come between them. Notice carefully that it was the older family member that made the first gesture to settle the dispute. Abram went to his nephew and made an offer of compromise so that the family could remain stable.
Somebody here this afternoon knows that you have been entrusted by your fore parents to watch over the family and to take care of your younger siblings, but you are acting stubborn and stuck up. I stop by to tell you that as a child of God, you ought to make the first move. You ought to give that younger person in the family the opportunity to blessed even if it looks like you might lose something. Lord, have mercy!
Third, and finally, families should sacrifice for one another. Abram had to sacrifice so that Lot could be blessed and move on with his life. But the mnute Abram acted like his Father in Heaven, his Father in Heaven showed up to bless his socks off. Lord, have mercy!
God said to Abram, “14 After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. 15 I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants[a] as a permanent possession. 16 And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! 17 Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.”
The devil told Abram he was stupid; the devil told Abram you crazy; the devil told Abram if I were you I wouldn’t give Lot anything. You the one with the blessing on your life; just run Lot away and keep what God has given you. God never promised Lot anything anyway.
But I’m so glad that Abram looked at the devil and told the devil, “You just don’t know who you’re dealing with. For I serve a God who is able to take care of me. I’m the head of this household; I’m in charge of my father’s brother’s son. And because he’s family, I’m going to resolve this issue.” Devil, get thee behind me. I will let no strife come between Lot and me. Devil, my family is more important than my pride; my family is more important than houses and lands; my family is more important than silver and gold. Hallelujah!
Move 3 (Conclusion)
You remember Craig; let me finish the story about Craig and his family. Just after his release from prison, Craig returned to his community and formed a ministry that provided homes for the community’s homeless. Now, Craig was in the news again. Two years had gone by, and Craig had served faithfully without receiving any pay.
One night, as Albert watched the evening news, he saw a newscaster at a ceremony where, to his amazement, his brother Craig was being awarded the key to the city for the good work his ministry was doing in the community. Suddenly, Albert felt convicted, and he saw his brother’s life in a different light. He decided that he would pay his brother a visit.
Craig looked thinner than Albert remembered. He looked tired and withdrawn – no doubt the effects of a 10-year prison term. Albert stood in the busy storefront office and embraced his brother awkwardly. Then he said, “Craig, I apologize for not seeking you out sooner. I’m sorry I let your past mistakes keep me away. I wanted to be the first one in the family to welcome you back. We all got together, and we want to bless your ministry with a $1,000 contribution.”
Both men let their tears run freely. After Albert made that first move, love was victorious. A wave of reconciliation swept through their family. Lord, have mercy!
Well, because you and I were walking along the road of life when all of a sudden we came to a deep cavern in the road. The engineers had left on a thin, spider web that stretched from one side of the cavern to the other. The spider web was the only way over to the other side. You and I had a spider web’s chance of making it over the cavern to the other side. Lord, have mercy!
The cavern was the sin and iniquity that Adam bequeathed to us as human beings. The spider web was our attempts to love one another and to do good in the earth. We found ourselves unable to do good because whenever we tried to do good, evil was always present. Lord, have mercy! Can I get a witness here!
Many times that spider web had been broken by strife and offense between brother and sister, father and mother, relatives and friends. Many times we had been walking across the cavern on the spider web only to get suspended over the cavern and find ourselves falling into the ravine. We had no way to ensure the spider web would hold. We were without hope and without God in the world. Lord, have mercy!
But I hear a voice crying down through the ages, “Prepare me a body, Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will, O God.” And I heard the angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest peace on earth good will toward men. For unto you is born this day a Savior who is Christ the Lord!” yes, he did.
He came not as an overseer or a judge; but he came as our kinsman redeemer and our Elder brother. He came to settle the strife between us and God. He came to sacrifice his life for our death. For we were doomed to die and spend eternity in hell. But Jesus came that we might have life and that more abundantly. Yes, he came to make sure that you and me could make into the promised land. Anybody here glad about what Jesus came to do. Anybody here can bear witness that Jesus paid it all. Anybody here knows that if it had not been the Lord on your side, you never would have made it.
I’m so glad that Jesus came. I’m so glad that my elder brother made a way for me. Are you glad this afternoon about what God did through Jesus Christ. Well if you show enough glad, you ought to commit this afternoon to let no strife come between you and your family and friends.
You ought to tell the devil, because God is able, I’m able. I’m going to forgive and bless my friends and I’m going to bless my family. I’ll let nothing separate me from the responsibility to to love my friends and family. I’m going to settle the issue today; I’m going to let go and let God right now! Hallelujah!
Paul said it like this “All we like sheep have gone astray, each unto his own way; and God has laid upon Jesus the iniquity of us all.” Lord, have mercy! Beloved, God reconciles people and all things to Himself through the sacrificial blood of Jesus. God’s plan to reconcile us to Himself reminds us that reconciliation requires that someone make the first move.
BARRIER BREAKING ENTERPRISES 