Pastor Alan Dunn writes, “Not a Serious Lot”, about the story of Lot at Reformed Baptist Fellowship. He addresses our need to lead lives and speak words that give weight to the message of the Gospel. Lot preached to his sons-in-law a warning of the impending destruction of Sodom. Genesis 19:14 records their reaction:
Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city ” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. NASB
Lot’s sons-in-law just didn’t believe what Lot was saying. Lot may have had a history of joking with them. He may never have spoken of important matters, spiritual or otherwise. Something caused them to think Lot was joking instead of thinking he was serious but wrong. Do we take the Gospel message too lightly and make less of it in how we live our lives and how we speak? Would people, that know us, think we were joking if we told them about the coming judgment? Pastor Dunn writes:
Now, I don’t intend to be dour or morbid, but can I really be too serious? Can I be too serious about being a voice that forms the watershed at which men divide and flow either on into heaven or hell? Can I be too serious while Babylon seduces and the Beast ravages the people of God? Can I be too serious while serving Christ’s sheep on a spiritual battlefield? Can I be too serious about giving an account for the souls of men? Will Jesus say to me on that Day when He is casting men out of His presence into eternal darkness, that I was just too serious about all this salvation from the wrath to come stuff?
May we lay aside jokes, funny stories, and worldly methods in our presentation and give sober attention to the true Gospel message and present it clearly with compassion so people will understand the seriousness of their plight without Jesus.
