Culture Makes Disciples (Genesis 19)
Group Guides | Sharing the gospel, sharing our lives (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
By way of introduction: Discuss what is “culture”, when it comes to understanding it in something as small as a group of people or a household, or to something as large as society.
Read Genesis 19 and 2 Peter 2:1-10
1. We have seen Lot’s life track towards Sodom-life, and now two angels meet him at the city-gate. Knowing that the New Testament calls him “righteous Lot”, how would you describe his life and ministry in the opening scenes of Genesis 19?
2. As the evil men of Sodom come to Lot’s house, how does societal culture shape Lot’s decision-making here?
3. In these fast scenes of verses 12–26 the danger is clear and present to us, but not to Lot’s family and even himself. Why do you think they respond the way they do?
4. Read Luke 17:28–33, what is Jesus teaching his church here?
5. Just after we thought life in Sodom was horrible enough, it can be just as bad out of Sodom. Like many, Lot thinks if he gets out of the world then he won’t be “of” the world – so he goes with a cave option. Yet in the last scenes of Genesis 19, what does this teach us as a church of God’s people when it comes to the influence of culture?
6. In verses 27–29 we see Abraham again.
a. what does this show us that God is doing in Genesis 19, in answer to Abraham’s prayers?
b. If Jesus is the ultimate intercessor (as we saw in John 17 earlier this year), how does the gospel shape our ministry in the world?
As we move into term 3, we’ll be in a series from 1st Corinthians on the doctrine of church with a focus on church culture. So…
- Pray for the preaching of Christ crucified from this letter (1 Corinthians 1:23), and that our church culture would be cruciform, like Christ.
- Pray for those whom God would save in our families, friendships and society we live in.