Abram Gets Back to Bethel - Sermon Notes | Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig

I. Introduction (Genesis 13)

We are in Genesis chapter 13
Learning about Abraham and Sarah and Lot
They are showing us how to live by faith
The dangers of discontentment, and strife in the home
AND how to get back right with God when we have made wrong choices
ALL of these are New Testament issues, taught starting in Genesis!

II. Review of Chapter 12

Last time, we learned four big truths from Abram and Sarai…

A. Faith Ain’t Real Until Tested

It is only a word until proven to be real

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” - James 1:2-4

Dreams, conspiracy theories, your imaginations, used cars, news reports ALL need to be tested before you actually believe them and trust them!
EVERYONE will face overwhelming problems that WILL cause us to have to choose between faith and fear
Testing will happen at any time, and can even occur ALL the time - all our lives
And, real, enduring faith and trust in God makes us mature and strong!

B. Most People Quit Following the Bible Because They Never Learn How to Live by Faith

They want to be in control
They want to understand what is going on around them and in them
They are only happy when constantly rewarded with good things when they do right
And, they never expect problems, troubles, heartaches, disasters, loss, and failures to be PART of the Christian’s life

C. What Happened While They Were in Egypt?

Abram and Sarai were away from, and out of the will of God - that is very important to understand
They constantly faced MORE fears - they were not trusting in the Lord’s care, and so became full of worries and anxiousness
They had no walk with God while in Egypt - to them, God had gone silent - because they had left Him behind
While in Egypt, Abram only thought of himself - he put his wife at risk
And, they picked up some problem baggage, as you will see in this chapter

III. Message

A. Abram is Back in Canaan (Genesis 13:1)

“And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.” - Genesis 13:1

Abraham is back in the middle of God’s will
He and Sarai have walked back North into the southern part of Canaan
They are back where God had called them to be - they were back home
That is an important lesson for US
Christians often become carnal, and go astray - don’t act like you don’t!
- Making decisions based on fears
- Ending up way away from where you should be - drinking, scrolling, complaining, never evangelising, never coming to Prayer Meeting
The wonderful truth is that if you are breathing, then it is possible to get back right with God. To start to do the right things, and start living IN the middle of God’s will
Now, Abraham was pushed back home, but what a wonderful gift of grace that God allowed him back and brought him back
When God opens a door for you to get back right with Him, you better take it

B. Learn the Definition of Sin

Missing the mark - doing anything that is not the will of God, according to the word of God is sin
Bubble-level - right in the middle, or else the entire project will be off
Even doing good things, but not doing what God said do, is sin - because you are off target
EXAMPLES: Ladies, phoning and encouraging a friend for over an hour, when your family is waiting on you to prepare supper. Gentlemen, mowing the grass, when you haven’t spent any time with your wife or kids in days
Abram and Sarai were now back to HITTING THE TARGET!

C. Problem Baggage (Genesis 13:1-3)

“And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai.” - Genesis 13:1-3

Notice what Abram brings back with him:

Lot is still with him - which may be a good thing or maybe a bad thing. But Lot has a load of baggage himself. It seems that Lot got a wife while he was in Egypt
More Wealth - Abram and Lot both became very wealthy. They brought a load of wealth from Egypt. Money is not a problem - but the love of it is
Many Servants (318 men servants!) - They gathered a load of servants to work all his new flocks. And along with all those servants, there was one woman named Hagar. Her name means “run-away”, and we will see more about her later in Genesis 16
Sarah was still with him - It is a great thing that Sarah was still with him - she has stayed with him, even though he put her in danger. Sarah would have missed so much if she had abandoned Abram - don’t abandon flawed husbands!

D. Back in Bethel (Genesis 13:3,4)

“And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.” - Genesis 12:8

After being in Egypt, Abram arrives BACK in the place he left out of fear

“And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.” - Genesis 13:3,4

Abraham’s Priority - the Worship of God, and being in the Will of God
Abram has arrived back to the very place that he had left in fear
Why had Abram left the Promised Land in chapter 12?
- Because of the fear of the famine - would devastate his flocks, his wealth
- Also because of the Canaanites - hungry people do desperate things
- So, he had allowed circumstances to make up his mind for him
- And had moved he and Sarai OUT of where they were supposed to be
- He stopped trusting that God brought them there and would sustain them THERE
He returned to something bigger than a “place” - Bethel was bigger than a village
It was his altar there that Abram returned to - He heads straight for the altar
- He was back to that same simple altar he had made maybe a year earlier
- A place where God was real to him, and special, and was his focus
- Bethel, to him, was the place of his altar - where he worshiped God
- This was Abraham’s third altar as he zigzags across the land of Canaan. Even though he is a nomad, he is making permanent monuments to the worship of God - not temples, not idols, but places where people can simply worship God
We too need to live beyond physical places
- To me, Ballincollig is more than a town, it is the place of a NT Church!
- Ireland is MY Promised Land
- To me, Ballincollig is right in the middle of the will of God
Repentance is: Humbling yourself and going back where you should be. It is what gets you back right with God!

E. Lot’s Flimsy Faith (Genesis 13:5)

“And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.” - Genesis 13:5

Abram’s nephew, Lot, was still with him
That’s basically ALL you hear about Lot - he also is with Abram
Evidently Lot is believing in Jehovah God along with Abraham
The Bible does say Lot had been justified and made righteous like Abraham had…

“And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.” - 2 Peter 2:7

How? By the same way as Abram - by believing God over all idols and self
Lot proves anyone can be made righteous. Because Lot was not a very good man, and he definitely wasn’t mature. He just believed in the God of Abraham and all of His promises
But that is sad if that is all Lot was - a believer - and not a worshipper
The Bible never says Lot built an altar - never actively worshipped like Abram did
He just hung around spiritual people like Abram
Lot is very wealthy as well - he and Abraham are able to make money and wealth very easily, but he was unable to be content and unable to love his neighbour as himself, and his neighbour was Abraham
Lot, as we will see, thought only of himself. And yet was a believer! A carnal believer

F. Strife in the Family (Genesis 13:5-7)

“And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.” - Genesis 13:5-7

Too much “Stuff” and not enough room
- “This town’s not big enough for the two of us”
- There was not enough room for both sets of herds of cattle in the vast fields of Canaan
- There was constant unwanted intermingling of free roaming cattle, and it was hard to tell whose goats, camels, sheep and cows were whose. There were no fences
Substance often separates
- All their “substance” and wealth and “blessing” was now separating these two men

“And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” - Luke 12:13-15

Wealth will usually do that to EVERY ONE OF US
If you had 1 million euro, you would move AWAY from everybody, and build high walls to keep people out
And unfortunately, the more money you have, the less you give away
In a church, all of us are zeros. Bankrupt. Broken.
- The only thing we ever brought to God was the sin that killed His Son
- The only value of a person’s life is their SOUL - nothing else

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” - Mark 8:35-37

In this room, the wealthy are nobodies, the politicians are nobodies, the lawyers are learners, the teachers are students, and the businessmen are servants!
God warns about strife
- Strife is contention, friction, arguing, fighting for what you believe is your right

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” - Galatians 5:14,15

“Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?” - 1 Corinthians 6:7

Strife between Christians is wrong - Examine your heart under God’s microscope!

“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.” - Romans 13:13

“For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” - 1 Corinthians 3:3

“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” - James 3:14-16

“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” - Proverbs 10:12

“A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.” - Proverbs 15:18

“It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.” - Proverbs 20:3

“Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.” - Proverbs 17:1

“The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.” - Proverbs 17:14

It is important that we do strive in battlefields and in sports arenas
But NEVER in our homes or in our church
That is, IF you are a SERVANT!

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.” - 2 Timothy 2:24

When there is strife in your heart, in your home, in this church, we must look at the bigger picture
- Is our argument really worth it? What will you win? What will you lose?
- The problem is not who is going to win, but the problem is the spirit behind the strife, which is the devil

“Only by pride cometh contention.” - Proverbs 13:10

So judge your strife in your home. Judge your strife in the church. Do not judge one another so flippantly and so quickly
Have as much grace as you do knowledge in your disagreements

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…” - 2 Peter 3:18

Too many Christians are way too extreme in one side or the other
Some of you KNOW what is the right thing to do, but have little grace with those that aren’t doing things exactly right
Some of you have great GRACE, but never draw any lines and stay faithful
We need to grow in BOTH actions towards other people!
Strife wasn’t Abram’s and Lot’s biggest problem…
- “and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land”
- Abraham and Sarah and Lot with all their wealth were surrounded by Canaanites - they were being watched… and were in danger, and were instead fighting themselves

G. Abraham Had Grace with Lot (Genesis 13:8,9)

“And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” - Genesis 13:8,9

He did not want strife. He said, We are brethren. We are not competitors
He gave up his power and right to the land that was promised to him and not to Lot
I’m sure it was very hard to do, because he was letting someone else win
So, Abram had to fight the urge to become BITTER with LOSS - and so will you
He saw all those same fields and rivers and lakes and let them go!

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” - Hebrews 12:15

Gave Lot the choice - at risk to his own wealth - God does that constantly with US
The life of FAITH is a life of LOSING, not prosperity - oh that you would learn this!

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.” - Matthew 5:38-41

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” - Luke 9:24

Trusting in the Lord allows material things, emotional things, even important things to die, because they all have been given into God’s hands to do with as HE pleases!
It is okay to lose things, but never be a victim! Whatever men and women do to you… take advantage of you, forgive them, and let them win, and YOU will be blessed best!

H. Lot is Very Immature (Genesis 13:10-13)

He never grew in his own walk with God - Lot never matured - always carnal
He never learned from Abram
- God had given Lot a godly uncle to watch and learn from - a living example of faith and trusting God
- He did not realize his uncle was his example. He wasn’t learning from him
- And that is a shame, because you learn most by watching godly people
- Who are YOU following / watching / learning from?
Lot was just impulsive. He was sight driven.

“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. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” - Genesis 13:10-13

What Lot saw drew him like a fish attracted to worms - vast fertile land and water
Lot’s eyes only saw success and wealth
He was the first get-rich-quick man

“A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.” - Proverbs 28:20

Watch what happens to Lot in verse 11:

“Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.” - Genesis 13:11

He LEAVES Bethel - the house of God, and the will of God…
He knowingly chose the Jordan River Valley that was full of wicked men
At that time there was no Dead Sea. It was “before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and was even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt”
He knew what he was heading into… “filthy conversation” (filthy lifestyles) - and thought he could manage it (2 Peter 2:7)
It would take an intervention of Abraham and God to save him from God’s judgment against the wicked men of Sodom in chapter 19
And so, he pitched his home, his tent toward Sodom. Every morning he woke up, and as he exited his tent, he would see the city of Sodom
It’s like every day of your life turning on the TV first thing or your phone, and letting the media and the influences of this world be the first thing that influences you, not knowing that they are from hell

I. “But the Men of Sodom Were WICKED” (Genesis 13:13)

“But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” - Genesis 13:13

Wicked - evil, immoral, ungodly, lawless
Sinners before the Lord - PUBLICALLY sinful. No fear of God’s opinion
Exceedingly - excessively - to the extreme
THAT is what GOD said about them!
Lot knew the MEN in Sodom were wicked…
But didn’t care. Their wickedness didn’t matter to Lot. There was money to be made!

J. All the While, Abraham Stays in Canaan (Genesis 13:12)

“Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.” - Genesis 13:12

Abram is not leaving anymore
Abraham’s humility saved him from Sodom. Lot’s lust will destroy him
Abraham will have to save Lot from God’s judgment on Sodom!

K. God Speaks Again (Genesis 13:14-17)

God speaks to Abraham once again and encourages Abraham

“And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” - Genesis 13:14-17

Most of us live very miserably because we never really get to a place where God can speak to us. The Bible is dry. Prayer is dead. Preaching is boring!

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” - John 10:27

We’re either arguing or lusting or overworking instead of resting and enjoying God
God tells Abraham he can now enjoy the land, even though he’s given up some of it
Lot has chosen his part, like Judas did. Mary chose her part
Abraham has chosen his part
And God guarantees that, because of his own humility and not demanding to have always more, his would be better
What you give up is nothing compared to what is left for you when you trust God, turn the other cheek, let the world win, and do right yourself
The land grant to Abraham was vast (Genesis 15:18) - 750,000 square miles (twice the size of Texas)
God promised that Abram’s seed, his descendants, would be like dust covering the earth in number

L. On to Mamre (Genesis 13:18)

“Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.” - Genesis 13:18

God said, Walk the land the length and the breadth of the promise
And that’s when Abraham moved to the town of Mamre to see what was there…
And what did he do there? He built an altar there

IV. Conclusion

A. You Need a Bethel

Wherever you are, you need to have an altar for worship
Not an idol, or statue, or picture, or lamp
Not a stone altar in your back garden
But a special place for your personal worship
Jesus called it our “closet” - not showy, but real
A place where you can return to - to know when you have strayed!
An altar where you worship God, and just take time to enjoy God!
A place where things we value and treasure die as we give them back to God
By the side of your bed, or side of your couch - maybe in your car
This church has an altar - rarely used - but that is what THIS platform is!

B. Contrast Abraham and Lot

Abraham struggled to live by faith - Lot lived by sight
Abraham had only the promises of God - Lot only had what he could have and hold in his hands
Abraham constantly grew and matured - Lot stayed the same
Abraham anchored his life to his worship - Lot anchored it to his wealth

C. Check for Covetousness in Your Heart

Envy is idolatry
Are you EVER content with what you have?
Does the world and wealth and all the lights and “stuff” have all your attention?
God says discontentment and covetousness is IDOLATRY! And must be repented of!

D. Discover and Get in the Very Middle of God’s Will for Your Life - and Stay There!

If you are married, get yourself humbled / right with your husband/wife and stay that way
If you are single - clear out any access to porn, and bad friends, and serve God until He shows you someone worth losing everything for
If you are employed - serve him or her like you would Jesus Christ
If you are called to preach or teach the Bible, start preaching and teaching it!