PART IV: Put the Hammer Down!
December 1-2, 2012
Leaders – In the next two weeks we are asking each person to prayerfully consider their
financial commitment to the Fuel Campaign and to fill out their cards with that commitment.
It’s never easy talking about money and generosity to others, however, the Bible is clear that
generosity is a fruit of a heart that trusts God to provide. This week’s study is to help us
discover generosity in the story of Abram & Lot. Lot chose to follow the money and it doomed
him and his family. Abram chose to be generous with his possessions and he became
incredibly wealthy because of that attitude.
Before Generosity…
Genesis 12 and 13 are almost identical stories, one begins in Ur with God’s call to Abram to follow
Him into the land of Promise, and the other begins in Egypt where Abram returns to the land of
promise. In Genesis 12 Abram progressively follows God’s call goes as far as Haran, then to the land of
Promise. After living in God’s Promised land, Abram encounters trouble and leaves God’s land for
Egypt. There he lied about his wife and let the Pharaoh take her from him. After Pharaoh finds out and
returns Sarah to him, Abram choses to return to God’s land and trust his promises. Genesis 13 takes
up the story there.
READ Genesis 13:1-7
Identify the moves Abraham made to return to trust in God.
LEADERS GUIDE – In many ways this story of Abram is similar to Israel leaving Egypt hundreds of years laterleft Egypt with all he owned, God made Israel rich in Egypt by plundering the Egyptians, traveled through the
Wilderness {or Negev}, traveled by stages until they reached Ai.
Point out two ways Abram returned to God: Note the phrases: left Egypt, traveled…into the Negev, with his
wife, and all they owned. Abram clears out of Egypt, he left the place he relied on for help in the famine
instead of God. This passage begs the question: What things do we need to clear out of our Egypt? (where we
trust ourselves instead of God)
Notice, next, that they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel. Bethel is the place in Gen 12 where Abram
set up an altar and worshiped God. So he now returns to his trust in God.
What are the similarities and differences between Abraham and Lot?
LEADERS GUIDE – Wile Lot reflects Adam & Eve’s pursuit for the forbidden fruit, he is very passive throughout
this story, while Abram made choices to follow God. He follows Abram and becomes wealthy in the process. Lot
and the Moabite & Ammonite (modern Jordanian) nations that would come from his daughters, are constantly
in conflict with Israel. Lot would later be rescued by Abram for his choices: First, in Gen 14 when Sodom was
attacked by the kings of the North, then he was rescued from Sodom by two angels before God destroyed it
(Gen. 19).
SIMILARITIES: Both were very wealthy, while Abram is described as rich with livestock, silver, and gold; Lot has
flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents. Abram moves the families from the Negev
(wilderness area) toward Bethel, where the land is more fertile. The land was not sufficient to provide for both
families’ entourage. Both men’s families had constant disputes over pasture for their flocks.
DIFFERENCES: Abram chose to follow God, Lot followed Abram, both were wealthy, but the text notes a
difference in their wealth. Disputes show a conflict over the same land without the ability to settle them.
Abram Chooses Generosity – Trust in God
READ: Genesis 13:8-13
How does Abram display generosity in this section?
LG - The most obvious way Abram displays generosity is offering Lot a choice rather than issuing
a mandate. By this generous choice Abram opens himself to Lot’s selfish choice that would leave
him vulnerable to the left-overs. Abram didn’t complain about Lot’s choice, he simply moved his
family and belongings to the land Lot didn’t choose. Abram choose family peace and trust in
God over wealth.
How does Lot demonstrate a hoarder mentality?
LG - Lot’s choice considers only the beauty and fertility of the land. The text says that “Lot took a
long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley,” indicating that he studied his options and was
drawn to the deceptively fertile, well-watered plains where he would not have to work very hard
to find pasture and provision for his family & herds. The text points out that Lot never really left
Egypt, the area he choose reminded him of the well watered and fertile land of Egypt.
The tenth verse elaborately describes how Lot chose the best for himself. “Lot lifted up [nāśāʾ] his
eyes and saw [rāʾâ]” reflects his intense survey of the region of the Jordan. The description of
what he saw is lavish; the area was well watered. As if this description were not sufficient, the
writer compares it to the garden of God, probably a reference to the rivers in the garden that
went out and watered all the region (Gen. 2:10–14), and to the land of Egypt, which was always
well watered because of the Nile. There would be no difficulty finding water and vegetation in
that lush area.
The narrator places such an emphasis on what Lot saw that the reader can understand how it
aroused his desire. Just as the tree in the garden of Eden had awakened Eve’s desire, so the fertile
valley of the Jordan attracted Lot. With such an appeal to the senses in both passages, other
considerations were forgotten.1
What things does the text tell us did not bother Lot about his choice of land?
LG - The reader discovers that Sodom and Gomorrah had not been destroyed yet because of their
sin. But 13:13 tells us that Lot did know that the people of this area were extremely wicked and
constantly sinned against the Lord. Yet he choose it anyway. Lot was choosing wealth over
protection and trust in God’s provision.
God’s Promise to Abram, and all Who Choose Trust
READ: Genesis 13:14-18
The text begins this section with a time-marker, When did God make Abram this
promise? Why do you think God made this promise at this time?
LG - After Lot had gone…because the way Abram resolved the issue demonstrated his choice to
trust God’s provision rather than to step over people to gain more-and-more. The pursuit of
wealth rather than trusting God’s leadership, tends to run over relationships. Once Abram made
his choice and settled down in it, God blessed him with His promises and wealth.
From this story, what could have kept Abram from being generous with Lot? What made
him so generous?
LG - Abram could have hoarded what was rightfully his out of the fear of loosing his wealth, or
everything that he had worked for. But what made him generous was his decision to believe
God’s promises and to be generous with what was rightfully his.
Allen P. Ross, Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis, 286 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
Books, 1998).
1
The Fuel Campaign is an ambitious plan to provide facilities for reaching families in our
Campus areas. It is based on the assumption that Harvest Church is generous toward building
God’s Kingdom.
What are the steps you need to take in determining your commitment level to this
project this week?
This Week’s Fuel Campaign Prayer Guide
Monday
Prayer
Verse
Tuesday
Wednesday
Lord, we
Lord
Lord, help
live in a
today I
me be wise
world that pray that like serpents,
when we the world innocent like
speak up
and it's
doves as I
for Your
influence
battle the
truth we
on my life schemes of
meet
either
the dark
opposition. through
forces.
Give me
trial or
the
through
courage to pleasure
speak
would be
boldly and
broken
without
and that
fear as I
my life
also know
would
You have stand out
conquered
as
the world. different
so that
the lost
will see
You in my
life.
Rom. 8:35- 1 John
Matt. 10; 16;
39; John
2:15;
2 Cor. 2:11
16:33
James 4:4
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Lord You
Lord
Lord we
Lord
have blessed
please
face trying
please
us with a
help me
times so
help me
Pastoral staff today to
today I
to set an
that You
offer the
are
example
have gifted
same
praying
for our
with great
grace You that you
youth
talents.
have
reignite
through
Today I pray given me
the
my
that I honor to others. embers of
speech
them and
Keep my my heart
and
that they
tongue
for You
actions.
encouraged
from
and for
Help
because
speaking the work
them to
they witness
harsh
You have see in me
the fruit of
words
for me to
love,
their labor
but
do in
faith, and
through this
instead
these Last
purity
congregation offer the day. Lord
and
and those
fruits of revive my
follow
we touch in the Spirit
passion
that
our realm of to those
for You.
example
influence.
You place
in their
in my
lives..
path.
1 Tim. 5:17
Eph. 4:29;
Hab. 3:2
Gal. 5:22
1 Tim
4:12