DYING IN THE DOOR OF LIFE ( Judges 19:25 - 27 ) Intro. I heard a story once about a young woman who starved to death with her nose pressed against the window of a bakery. To imagine the intense pain and agony of being so hungry and being able to see more bread than you could ever eat, smell the aroma of the fresh loaves, watch people walking in and out carrying their loaves I believe it would be better to be a million miles away from our answer, than to sit in the doorway, and see, and smell and watch others go in and come out and never taste the things we desperately need. vs. 27 .... behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. She was no doubt saying ..."if I can just make it in I know I’ll be all right." But she never made it in. She died in the doorway of life. John 5: At the pool of Bethesda Imagine laying helpless among a crowd of sick and lame people. You have been sick thirty eight years and every time you get up to go into the pool to be healed someone steps in front of you. Someone who is not as sick as you, or who just arrived there. Day after day you lie there so close to being healed, but never healed. You see the waters troubled, you smell the midst of the water, you see others come and go. But, its never your turn. Acts 3: At the Temple gate This man had been lame all of his life. He never knew what it was to walk on his own, he never ran or went anywhere that he did not need help. They carried him every day to the temple gate to beg for his daily existence. Just outside the temple area. So close to the presents of God. So close to the one who could make him whole. Some people die with their hands on the threshold of the help they need. They go to church and sit in service after service and never step through the doorway to their answer. Lets look at three things; 1. The crowd around; 2. The woman herself; 3. The house. 1. THE CROWD AROUND THE HOUSE: A. We read a similar story taking place in the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorra. If we look at the history of these cities we are not really suprized. 1. They were known for their absents of morals and sin. 2. Anyone who entered those cities entered aware of the danger they faced. B. This was not Sodom and Gomorra! (Judg 19:12 NIV) His master replied, "No. We won't go into an alien city, whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah." 1. Gibeah was a city of their brothers. Of the same descendants of this Levite. This was later to be the birth place of Saul, the first king of Israel. 2. During the reign of Saul it became the capital of Jerusalem. 3. It was this city that was a seed bed of homosexuality and violence. Men about to break the into house and rape and hurt. C. These were their brothers; (Judg 19:22 KJV) Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. Belial - wickedness, or destruction. 1. You don’t know how far you will go or how much sin will get a hold of you. 2. You may have come from a church background. 2. LOOK AT THE WOMAN HERSELF: (Judg 19:25 KJV) But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go. A. A concubine was a young woman who was like a servant and like a wife. Only she was not a wife, they were willing to put her out and leave her with the mob all night. 1. A concubine was a woman with a reputation. She had no commitments. 2. To the men in this story she was little more than an animal. B. I tell you that you can give your self over to the lusts of the flesh if you want to there is one thing that is true from this story until today. The world will use you, abuse you and then loose you!!! 1. Her reputation made her expendable in the eyes of those in the house. 2. Her reputation caused those outside to give no thought to her life. C. Why was this woman a concubine? 1. Maybe her father had debts he could not pay. He gave his daughter in trade. Maybe your parents lived lives that caused you to be in the position your in. Get out!!! Don’t follow in their foot steps, don’t let yourself be trapped into being the devils concubine. 2. Maybe she owed a debt she could not pay. She might have been caught stealing or just needed some security. Don’t settle. You owe a debt you can’t pay, Jesus paid a debt he did not owe, yours. 3. Maybe she fell for the Levites lines!! The Levites were not supposed to have multiple wives, so they would take a concubine. This was their loop whole. Don’t buy some smooth dude’s lines, he’ll throw you to the dogs to save his own hide!! 3. LOOK AT THE HOUSE: (Judg 19:20 NIV) "You are welcome at my house," the old man said. "Let me supply whatever you need. Only don't spend the night in the square." (Judg 19:21 NIV) So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink. (Judg 19:22 NIV) While they were enjoying themselves,..... A. In the house was plenty, fed every one. Safety, don’t sleep on the square Joy, while they were making merry, enjoying themselves... 1. That’s why she died with her hands on the threshold of the door. 2. She knew that all she needed was in the house. B. Some of you are here this morning with your hand on the threshold of the door of heaven, knowing what you need is in him. 1. You have been used and abused, your life might have been broken into pieces, and you feel like you are about to die. 2. Time and again you have been to the threshold of hope and never got yours. a. Laid daily at the gate, just outside b. Sat by the pool, never getting in. C. Today is your day, the door is opened to you and help is on the way. Don’t die with your hands on the threshold of help. Pastor John C. Smith, Jr. Westwood Church of God, Simpsonville S.C. JOHNC30@prodigy.net