Under Authority

The Main Idea: The Lord’s Great Covenant Reclamation: Unimpeded by Sin!

*The Big Question: Why does the Lord put up with Lot?

*The Central Point: There’s No Stopping His Reclamation Determination… Not Even:

1.) Those Shameless Know-it-All’s (vv. 30-32) – (Application: Don’t you see how the Lord EXPANDS your options?)

2.) Their Decadent Doings (vv. 33-35) – (Application: Don’t you see how the Lord SETTLES your soul?)

3.) Their Corrupt Consequences (vv. 36-38) – (Application: Don’t you see how the Lord DESIRES your good name?)

The Main Idea: The Lord’s covenant compassion: As sure as his memory.

*The Big Question: How does the Lord prove himself trustworthy to his covenant people?

*The Central Point: He uses their prayers for his plans… He shows it in his faithfulness to:

1.) His Word (vv. 23-26) – (Application: Grace means judgment is real.)

2.) His Priests (vv. 27-28) – (Application: Faith means believing without seeing.)

3.) His Promises (v. 29) – (Application: Trust means God always remembers his promises.)

The Main Idea: The Lord’s covenant compassion is worked out with real people, who are real sinners, in real time, in real places.

*The Big Question: How does the Lord work out his compassion for his covenant people?

*The Central Point: He answers priestly prayers for their rescue… by:

1.) Seeing the Reality (vv. 1-11) – (Application: Progress, “not-yet” perfection: The Lord looks at your heart and starts where you are…)

2.) Saving the Righteous (vv. 12-22) – (Application: Progress, “not-yet” perfection: The Lord listens to your heart and sets you on your way…)

The Main Idea: The Lord shows his compassion through covenant priesthood to draw us to himself.

*The Big Question: How does the Lord show compassion to his covenant people?

*The Central Point: He shows compassion by drawing them through Abraham’s priesthood… by:

1.) Initiating His Priesthood (vv. 16-21) – (Application: The Lord’s compassion for you initiates your compassion for others)

2.) Instigating His Priesthood (vv. 22-23) – (Application: The Lord wants to see his compassion overflowing from you the same way it does from him)

3.) Activating His Priesthood (vv. 24-33) (Application: The Lord wants to see his compassion for you move you into engaging prayer for others)

*The Main Idea: God wins the consent of each one of his covenant people under his authority.

*The Big Question: How does God win their consent?

*The Central Point: He wins their consent… by:

1.) Entrusting Covenant Authority Downwardly (vv. 1-5) – (Application: God commands and takes delight in our effort to obey him)

2.) Receiving Covenant Authority Upwardly (vv. 6-8) – (Application: God receives and counts as meaningful the results of our effort to obey him)

3.) Empowering Covenant Authority Horizontally (vv. 9-15) – (Application: God cares for each one he graciously receives under his covenant authority)

*The Main Idea: Circumcision means God MUST take on the cost of our sin to fulfil his covenant of grace.

*The Big Question: How much must God take on to give out?

*The Central Point: He gives until it hurts… showing it by:

1.) Making Promises: His Own Hurt (vv. 1-8) – (Application: It costs him: takes on death to give out life)

2.) Making Impressions: He Must Hurt (vv. 9-21) – (Application: It costs us, but not like it costs him)

3.) Making Room: How Much Must He Hurt? (vv. 22-27) – (Application: Is following him worth it?)

*The Main Idea: God is so sovereign even our sinful ways can’t derail his Great Reclamation Promise.

*The Big Question: How sovereign is he?

*The Central Point: He’s so sovereign our barriers delay, but don’t derail his promise-keeping… Barriers like:

1.) Legal Devices (vv. 1-6) – (Application: Our double-dealings delay, but can’t derail his promise-keeping)

2.) Relational Manipulation (vv. 7-14) – (Application: Our power-scheming delays, but can’t derail his promise-keeping)

3.) Role Laziness (vv. 15-16) – (Application: Our passive-leanings delay, but can’t derail his promise-keeping)

*The Main Idea: God reassures us that he’ll keep every bit of his promises to us.

*The Big Question: When you wonder if God keeps his promises, how does he deal with you?

*The Central Point: He reassures you by his covenant…which he shows you by drawing you:

1.) Into Dialog (vv. 1-11) – (Application: God’s more concerned about your faith than you’ll ever be)

2.) Into Rest (vv. 12-16) – (Application: God’s more in control of your circumstances than you might wonder)

3.) Into Love (vv. 17-21) – (Application: God’s more committed to your salvation than you’d ever dream)

*The Main Idea: God reassures us that he’ll keep every bit of his promises to us.

*The Big Question: When you wonder if God keeps his promises, how does he deal with you?

*The Central Point: He reassures you by his covenant…which he shows you by drawing you:

1.) Into Dialog (vv. 1-11) – (Application: God’s more concerned about your faith than you’ll ever be)

2.) Into Rest (vv. 12-16) – (Application: God’s more in control of your circumstances than you might wonder)

3.) Into Love (vv. 17-21) – (Application: God’s more committed to your salvation than you’d ever dream)

*The Main Idea: In the midst of his people’s sin God goes to war to redeem them.

*The Central Point: God Fights For You Even When…!

*The Big Question: God: What’s he good for?

Warring for Your Soul Even When:

1.) You’re Immature (vv. 1-12) – (Application: God’s Protection Plan: way before “the bed you made”)

2.) You’re In Danger (vv. 13-16) – (Application: God’s Protection Plan: way better than you’d figure it)

3.) You’re In Christ (vv. 17-24) – (Application: God’s Protection Plan: way beyond all you could imagine)