The Blessings of Entertaining Angels

Genesis 19:1-11 NKJV  Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.  (2)  And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”  (3)  But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.  (4)  Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house.  (5)  And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”  (6)  So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him,  (7)  and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!  (8)  See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.”  (9)  And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.  (10)  But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.  (11)  And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door. 

• Wow, so much to talk about as we get into the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

• This morning’s passage of scripture is the start of the final event’s of Lot’s story in Genesis. 

• By the time we are done preaching through these events in a few weeks we will have completed the history of Lot. 

• If you remember, I preached about how quickly being sin adjacent turns into sin abundant… that was from way back in Genesis 13 when Lot chose to live near Sodom because the land was well watered. 

• He chose out of selfish ambition, instead of seeking the Lord. 

• By Genesis 14 Lot is living in Sodom,  that is what verse 12 teaches us. 

• Also in chapter 14 Lot get’s captured, and then later rescued… and when rescued Lot returns to Sodom! 

• By chapter 19 Lot is now a city official, sitting at the city gates of a city that is about to be turned to glass. 

• Now I don’t want to preach about it this morning, because I talked about it before… but just take a moment to ponder the trajectory of Lot’s life… 

• Selfishness leads to dwelling near sin. 

• Dwelling near sin leads to dwelling in sin. 

• Dwelling in sin leads to captivity. 

• Returning to sin leads to destruction. 

• Now that in itself is a sermon and a half! Listen, if Christ has set you free, don’t return to your sin… don’t return to dwelling amongst sin… it might go good for a while, and you might get promoted to managing the city gates… but God’s patience is not eternal, eventually the fire and brimstone is going to fall and you don’t want to be in that city when it does! 

• Guy’s, if it can happen to Lot it can happen to you! Think about all that Lot has been through up until this point… 

• Lot had participated with Abraham in one of the highest callings ever given to men, when God called Abraham out of Ur.  

• In Haran, Lot was there as amazing revelations came down from God.  

• He was there too in Shechem and in Bethel as God appeared time and time again to Abraham, beginning this everlasting covenant that we now enjoy. 

• When he was captured by king Chedorlaomer and taken away… five kings and there armies could not defeat Chedorlaomer and his allies… 

• Yet Lot watched as Abraham’s tiny army did what five kings could not… Surely lot most have known that God had given the victory to Abraham to rescue Lot from captivity. 

• And after all of this, after the covenants, the blessings, the warnings, the captivity, the miraculous victory, and the freedom… what does lot do with his freedom? He returns to Sodom, a place marked for destruction. 

• Yet, Lot did not perish… why? Because God is a God of Grace! And, through all his foolishness, there was still a hint of righteousness… 

2 Peter 2:6-8 NKJV  [God turned] the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;  (7)  and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked  (8)  (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 

• Through it all, Lot still hated the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah… yet he still chose to dwell there, not only that, but to be involved in their politics and commerce, sitting at the city gates. 

• So here is another free sermon tidbit for you: Righteous living protects even the dumbest saints from destruction. 

• You can be dumb as a rock, you can ignore all wisdom and guidance… and God will still protect you and deliver you… thank you Jesus! 

• Now don’t presume by this, because Lot lost EVERYTHING when Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed… He went from wealthy and influential to homeless and living in a cave overnight… But, his life was spared. 

• Now that I have talked about what I am not going to preach about, let me introduce what I AM going to preach about this morning… 

Genesis 19:1-2 NKJV  Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.  (2)  And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.” 

Hebrews 13:2 NKJV  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 

• This week I felt in my spirit I needed to preach something a little more positive, a little more encouraging, a little more uplifting. 

• I don’t want to be a pastor who only preaches fire and brimstone… 

• But that is tough when I am literally preaching through the portion of scripture where the phrase “fire and brimstone” originated from. 

• Last month after preaching on God’s justice in the midst of a wicked world… I was like “Man I need to preach something uplifting” and then I read ahead in Genesis and it was like “The Sodomites try to rape angels… Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed… Lot’s wife is turned into a pillar of salt… Lot’s daughters rape Lot… Abraham lies to Abimelech…. 

• Phew… it’s a lot of sin for the next couple of chapters… but in the midst of it, we see righteous lot being righteous lot, and entertaining angels… 

• And the Lord put on my heart to preach this message… 

• The Blessings of Entertaining Angels. That’s what we are going to talk about today, let’s get into… but before that, let’s pray over this message… 

• So this morning I have two points to go through… 

• Point One – Angels are sent to minister to us, protect us, and bless us 

• Point Two – Live a life that is hospitable to angels 

• So let’s dive into point one this morning, Angels are sent to minister to us, to protect us, and to bless us. 

Point One – Angels are Sent to Minister to Us and Protect Us. 

Genesis 19:1 NKJV  Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. 

• You know I was talking to Pastor Matt about this sermon and we came to the same conclusion… We don’t talk about angels enough. 

• We talk about God a lot, sure, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit… and of course we do, He is kind of why we are here, amen? 

• And we talk about demons some, don’t we, I mean anytime we talk about Satan and his minions we are talking about demons… Satan being a demon himself. 

• But how often do we talk about angels… real angels, how they are sent to us by God… how they minister to Us, how they protect us, how they bless us? 

• I mean, basic biblical doctrine teaches us that there are twice as many angels as there are demons, right? Because Satan and a third of the angels rebelled against God, and were cast out of heaven… these are the demons we know today… 

• So if Satan and a third of the angels represent the population of demons, and two thirds of the angels represent the population of current angelic beings… then, let me do some basic math… YUP there should be twice as many angels as there are demons. 

• Yet we read these stories, we read what happens here with lot, and I think for many of us, deep down inside, we believe that these stories are very rare and only for the extremely holy. 

• Angels appear to Lot, sure, and to Jacob, and to Elijah… sure… and in the New Testament, we see them in the empty tomb, and we see them opening prison doors… of course… and in Revelation angels play a big role… 

• But what about today… aren’t angels active today? 

• When I think of angels today I tend to think of them coming to intervene for missionaries in hostile lands… or I think of them running interference in politics. 

• Only the most important people get angelic visits, or so I tend to think… but what does scripture say? 

Hebrews 1:14 NIV  Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? 

• Let me ask you a question: Are you going to inherit salvation? 

• I know I am! I hope you are too! If you are born again, then you are an heir of Abraham’s promise… if you are born again then you are an adopted son or daughter of God… Is it not the son’s and daughters who inherit what the Father has? 

• So then if we are those who will inherit salvation, then Hebrews 1:14 says that all angels are sent to us to minister to us. 

• That means that angels are sent to help us, to comfort us, to be with us in times of hardship, trouble and need. 

• And yes, church, angels are sent to protect us. IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN LIVING IN RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD, YOU HAVE GUARDIAN ANGELS. (explain right standing) 

• Yet, and I will just speak for myself here, when I hear the phrase guardian angle, my immediate thoughts go to childhood stories, cartoon angels an shoulders, and odd catholic traditions… I rarely think of the reality that God has sent angels to ME to guard ME to protect me and my family… yet that is what Scripture says… 

Psalms 91:11-13 NKJV  For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.  (12)  In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.  (13)  You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. 

• You probably recognize this scripture as the one that Satan quoted in Matthew 4:6 as he tempted Jesus… but this psalm is for all those who fear God, for all those who belong to the promises of Abraham, to all those who are saved by the blood of Christ. 

• Yes of course the applied to Christ’s earthly ministry, and He shows us a perfect example of how they are played out… but the plain truth is that these verses are also for us… they are written to all true believers… and if that is the case then verse 11 proves the existence of guardian angels. 

Psalms 91:11 ESV  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 

• Church, two angels where sent to lot to protect him and rescue him from danger… These were, in a sense, guardian angels. 

• Sodom was about to be destroyed, and God commanded His Angels concerning Lot… 

• So these two angles, who had taken physical, human like bodies, walked into the gates of Sodom and rescued lot… 

Genesis 19:5-11 NKJV  And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”  (6)  So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him,  (7)  and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!  (8)  See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.”  (9)  And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.  (10)  But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.  (11)  And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door. 

• Lot brings these angels into his home, and what does the wicked Sodomites want to do? They want to rape these angels. 

• The whole city of Sodom, young and old, show up at Lot’s house and demand that Lot send these angels out so they can rape them. 

• It was a riot that was brewing, and it was likely to end in Lot loosing his life, or at the very least, these visitors loosing their lives. 

• So Lot panics, and offers his virgin daughters up instead… what a stupid, foolish, wickedly sinful thing to do… again we see Lot not behaving wisely, yet still finding favor with the Lord. 

• The angels, these two guardian angels if you will, then rescue lot from the rioting mob, and strikes the mob with blindness… 

• And just to show you how evil and enraged this crowd was, even after being struck with blindness they still tried to find the door to rape these angles, until, as scripture says, they grew wearing trying to find the door. 

• Now this should encourage us in a few ways… 

• First, I preached on this before in regards to lot, you can be righteous and wrong at the same time. 

• It was wrong of Lot to offer up his daughters… it was gross! But the righteousness of Christ and His mercy for Lot meant that Christ would command these angels to go and rescue him. 

• Stupid, yes. Sinful in this moment, yes. But righteous through Christ Jesus. 

2 Peter 2:7-8 NKJV  [God] delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked  (8)  (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 

• So my first encouragement and application for today is this: If you do something stupid and sinful, get back up, keep living righteously, keep abhorring sin and rejoicing in good… and God will continue to be with you, to protect you, to guide you, to command His angels concerning to protect you and bless you. 

• Now this story of course is not unique to Lot, all throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, we see the angels of God working to bless and protect the people of God. And not just all throughout the Bible, but in modern history as well. 

• Now what I was going to do was list a bunch of different times in modern history that angels have intervened… 

• You can find all sorts of stories online, Billy Graham has a book about angels that is wonderful, there are even some videos that purport to be angelic encounters. 

• There are many tales from World War One, World War Two, and the Six Day war in Israel  from different soldiers of angels appearing to protect them. 

• There are many missionaries that talk about how angels protected them, comforted them, or guided them. 

• Many of these stories are powerful and awe inspiring… but I don’t want you to get excited this morning about someone else’s story. 

• I want you to live a strong Christian life, one that is welcoming and hospitable to angels, so that angels are a part of your own walk with Christ… not just some story you read online… and that brings me to point two this morning. 

• Point two, the application point, is this: Live a Life that is Hospitable to Angels. 

Point Two – Live a life that is hospitable to angels 

Genesis 19:1-3 NKJV  Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.  (2)  And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”  (3)  But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 

• Do you notice the hospitality of Lot? 

• Lot does not know these two men are angels, they were called men in the last chapter, they looked like men, behaved like men, dressed like men. 

• There were no halos or wings… 

• No golden aura shown around them. 

• They were just travelers coming to the city, looking for a place to rest. 

• So the men come to the gate, and naturally Lot is there, doing his job at the city gate… and one part of that job is to great and vet travelers… 

• So the men tell Lot they just want to stay the night in the city square, this being normal in ancient middle eastern tradition, but Lot won’t have it. Lot instead, out of pure hospitality, insists they stay at his house. 

• He even prepares a feast for the men. 

• WHY? Because that is who lot was… He lived a life of love, and joy, and hospitality. His head was in the clouds sometime, sure… but he was a genuinely kind and hospitable man. 

Leviticus 19:34 ESV  You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. 

1 Peter 4:9 NKJV  Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 

Romans 12:13 ESV  Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 

Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  (23)  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 

• The Bible tells us to be hospitable, like Lot was hospitable, it is literally commanded by God in both the Old and New Testaments. 

• Kindness and Goodness are called FRUIT of the SPIRIT! A sign of someone who is saved is that they are kind and good to others. 

• And here is where it comes back to angels… when you are living a life of hospitality, you will by nature end up showing kindness and hospitality to angels… And when the mobs of this world come at you, it sure is nice to have some angels in your corner. 

Hebrews 13:1-2 NKJV  Let brotherly love continue.  (2)  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 

Hebrews 13:2 ESV  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 

• When I was living in North Carolina my life had hit pretty close to rock bottom. 

• I had broken up with a girl I was engaged to marry, I had lost my position in the church, I had made some stupid, selfish, and sinful decisions… 

• But God remained good. I did not turn my back on Him, I almost did, but with His help I stayed faithful. 

• I had to move back in with my parents, which in hindsight is so embarrassing… but my parents were there and loved me… so I moved back in. 

• One day my parents met a man who was homeless and needed a place to stay. 

• So my mother, through a gift of discernment and hospitality, offered to let this man live with us. 

• This man was odd… but not crazy. He had no vices, no addictions, he never smelled bad, or dressed poorly… and he seemed incredibly brilliant. 

• He loved God, that much was clear, and He knew the Bible inside and out. 

• He helped around the house, did all the yard work, laundry, and even ironed all of our clothes, mine included. 

• And one day, when I was really depressed about my Ex, he prophesied over me “As so as you let this go, God will bring you a woman seven times better than your ex”. 

• I prayed that night and gave it all up to God. Told God that I was past it and that I trusted Him. 

• A week later the man disappeared. Without a trace, not telling anyone. Gone… leaving his room pristine and no trace that he was ever there. 

• The next day, Pastor Matt called me to introduce me to Amanda. The man’s prophesy came true. 

• I wonder to this day if that man was an angel, my mother in her hospitality entertained him and we were blessed. 

Hebrews 13:2 ESV  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 

• When I was at Faith and Victory as a young teenager I had a best friend, Eddy. A Russian kid I had known ever since he moved to the states with his dad. 

• Eddy and I did everything together, including going to church. 

• And we booth loved Christian Rap music. 

• Now back in the day there were not a lot of options for Christian rap… this was before Lecrae hit the scene, or KB, or Andy Mineo. We had like three options, the Gospel Gangsters, T-Bone, and Petidee. 

• But our favorite by far was Petidee… He was HARDCORE… I remember going to the Christian bookstore when his CD’s would get released to pick them up… I remember bumping my two 12 inch subwoofers to his music… Eddy and I LOVED this guy! 

• Well, Eddy got diagnosed with terminal cancer when he was 18, and given just a few weeks to live. 

• The last time I saw Eddy alive at church was a Wednesday night, he would die that Saturday. 

• But this Wednesday nigh we were having Bible study, and a redheaded man walked in that no one had ever meet… he came in and we welcomed him like family, it was clear this man loved God. 

• He worshiped with us, and joined with us in Bible study… and I don’t know if you have ever had this feeling… but it felt like we had known him for life. 

• At the end of service we were all fellowshipping, and the man said he was from south florida. Pastor Matt, who also loved Pettidee said “South Florida, that is where Pettidee is from!” 

• The man replied “Oh, you know Dewayne? Do you want to talk to him?” 

• This man then pulled out his cell phone and started dialing. It was 9PM Washington time, which meant it was midnight in Florida, but none-the-less, Pettidee answered. 

• Then Eddy got to spend 15 minutes talking to his favorite Christian musician, just a few days before he went to be with Jesus… it was like Make a Wish… but more like Receive a Miracle. 

• I also got to talk to Petidee… and he told me “Man I can’t believe you guys called me tonight… I was just praying to God on my tour bus and I said “God am I making a difference, is anyone blessed by my music, does anyone care” I was crying out for answers, then my phone rang… you guys are an answer to prayer”. 

• The man with readhair then left, and I would only ever see him once again, at another time I needed an angel, but that is a story for another sermon… 

• This morning I want to challenge you… what would have happened if FVC was not a hospitable church? 

• What would have happened if my mom was not a hospitable Christian?  

• I don’t know that I would be married right now. 

• Now the challenge for you, are you being hospitable? Do you entertain strangers? 

• Here is a big challenge… is your home welcoming to angels? 

• If an angel walked into your home, would they WANT to stay there? 

• When they see what is on your TV, or on your stereo. 

• When they see the way people talk to each other in your home? 

• Is your house a house of peace? When people walk into your home do the feel the presence of God? 

• Or is there chaos? 

• Is there sinful language left and right? 

• Sinful images on the TV… sinful songs blaring out the radio? 

• When you meet strangers, are you hospitable and kind? Do you show joy and peace and kindness and goodness everywhere you go? 

• Start making friends with everyone, it’s not that hard to be kind. 

• Ask people how you can pray for them, it’s not that scary of a question. 

• Smile at everyone everywhere you go. 

• Live a life of complement giving, start making a practice of blessing people with complements… I have done this for 20 years and only had it turn out bad twice… turns out that lady did NOT intend for her hair to look that way… 

• Church greeters stay on point, because you never know when you are greeting someone who is an angle. 

• And this goes for everyone, if you see someone in church you don’t know, go sit with them, talk with them, make them feel welcomed… because how terrible would it be for an angel to visit our church and sit alone? 

• Take down ungodly artwork in your home, replace it with scripture art, family photos, and things that remind you of the goodness of God. 

• Play worship music in your home, take time to pray, pray over your house and all that is within it. 

• Read your Bible, play the Bible out loud, have places of prayer in your home. Dedicate your home to God. 

• Make a decision today that you want to be THAT kind of Christian. You can level up your life, you can change things… you can have that kind of home and that kind of hospitality, you just have to do it… what is holding you back. 

• Then, as you live your life with God as your shelter, watch as angels start showing up. 

Psalms 91:9-11 NKJV  Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place,  (10)  No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;  (11)  For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 

Conclusion 

• Listen church, Lot had A LOT of problems… but Lot did one thing right, he lived his life for the LORD. And because of that, his life, and the life of his daughters, was saved. 

• I know that many of you have mad mistakes this year, this month, maybe even this week. 

• And you are looking down the barel of those consequences… maybe even making more dumb and sometimes sinful mistakes to try to cover up those consequences… 

• Like Lot who should have never lived in Sodom, never taken a job at the city gates, and certainly should not have offered his daughters up to be rapped… 

• Maybe you feel like Lot surrounded by a mob of evil, some of which you brought on yourself… 

• The encouragement today is this… live your life for God, love others as yourself, show hospitality… and God will send His angles to minister to you, to comfort you, to guide you, and to protect you… and you might not even realize it when it happens. 

• Gospel Call 

Join us this Sunday at either 8:30AM or 10:30AM for worship followed by this message from the Word of God.
Christian Life Church of Cedar Rapids
2808 Schaeffer Dr SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404.
www.CedarRapidsChurch.com