The Rich Man and Lazarus - 11

Say one thing to that I neglected. I'll say this by way of a short story is asked by fellow preacher back in Pennsylvania, many, many years ago 35 years ago I got a call on Sunday morning from his wife Fred sick in bed and is there any way you could come and preach for him this morning I said was sure about a 40 minute drive so I got my thoughts together and went and preached and at the end of the service. I extended an invitation for people little lady is coming to the front of the will of the Lord is working. She can stop at the pew. She walked right up on the platform and whispered in my ear you forgot the offering.

So I forgot to mention that the offering plate to the back of the church. For your convenience, I forgot to mention the offering place, burst my bubble you know there I thought God was doing real work. What yeah will when the ushers come down flowers or something. So you've already placed your offering in the place in the back those of you to go out back that way and will move that direction. I the rich man and Lazarus. I want you to be alarmed because this is the first thing I did in my preparations for this morning but in the course of my preparation I googled what happens when you die you talk about a massive confusion.

What happens when you die this question… From the website. This question pre-occupies is so much we built countless religions to help explain what might exist on the other side. In fact, the central pillar of all religions is providing an answer as to whether there is life after death. That being said, religion isn't the only source of answers for what comes after death, philosophy, and recently science also provide possible solutions. Unfortunately, there are multiply multiple possible solutions. None of them are certain, and it's impossible to tell exactly what is the true answer when that's far from being hope filled. Here are some suggestions when you die you instantly reincarnate after death comes a form of reincarnation time perception does not exist. While dad know Reem Carson reincarnation can seem to happen right after you die. Even if a billion years passes in between wants anything more about that nonsense when you die you transform from something and everything okay death releases your consciousness from the limitations of the human body and allows it to rejoin the universal conscious really universal consciousness. What happens after death. Not only will all the pain be gone. Once you pass over but you will also feel the wash with the life force.

If you die late in life. All those aches and pains of old age are wiped away in an instant after death comes eternal nothingness. Most likely the scariest and most depressing after death scenario.

This person says what is that again that after death comes eternal nothingness, and that in his opinion, is the most scariest and most depressing after death scenario really they did read Luke chapter 16 would you say the experience of the rich man is far more depressing far more concerning far more scary course. It is conclusion.

None of these theories are proven. However, this is not the point. The point of this article was to show that our current understanding of what happens after we die is extremely limited.

No one really knows for sure all we are left with our theories okay, as I did that search article came up from a man who died in a motorcycle accident and he came back to life. He 75 years old. Gary blessings his name. He says when I came back.

Three angels came up to me I was 1/4 of an inch wide and 1 foot long, that is your soul and your soul is housed in the column of your spine.

He says with this accident. It was part of my journey. My growing up, my understanding even after the accident surgery and a drug overdose. A couple of years later. This is what he said you never die. Death stands for now he stake in the word death acronym that stands for, don't expect a tragedy here. It is one transformation from one dimension to another and it is painless, free and lovely. I've experienced it so I can say that okay all of that raises the question what is the question. The question is, what is your epistemology. That was a big word all that word means is what is your source of truth what answers this fundamental question in your mind what happens after death. Is it the Internet is it Google is it the myriad of opinions by people is an experience or do we have an authoritative word from Almighty God. Yes we go got his address the subject were looking at a passage this morning and it is a sobering passage. The note that I sent out to you last night around 630 I reminded you that far as I know this is the only passage that describes the experience of somebody suffering in hell, it speaks of is a motion to speaks of the spotted speaks of his understanding to resting it sobering and is here for our instruction, here's how I'd like to proceed this morning. There's a question that I'd like to speak to at the beginning and that is a question of whether this is a parable, or whether this is the account of the head of the historical situation is been a lot of think spilled on that subject. And I'm not certain that it's all that Jermaine to the question, let me give you just a couple of thoughts about that. Those who say this is not a parable say that mainly because Lazarus's name is given to us and of all the parables recorded in the Scriptures. It's the only one that a man is a man's name is given. Therefore, they say, well, this is not a parable Jesus is speaking of an actual person that he knew and that others note okay let me answer that with just a couple of thoughts number one. The name Lazarus was a very common name not an unusual name. I won't say a generic name but a very common name and the name Lazarus means one is blessed of God. So you see it's doesn't necessarily point to the Jesus is speaking, particularly of a certain particular man. He could've but we don't know that for certain. I personally believe that it's a parable.

Some say well if it was a parable.

Why doesn't it say Jesus spoke this parable. Parable will because not all the parables are introduced that way. I believe it's a parable because it's in this context of discourse were Jesus is speaking in parabolic language is connected to the other parables that have gone before, so the question and if you like to talk more about why have come to this conclusion of the Gladding.

Talk with you, but I'm convinced that this is a parable, think about what what we've seen. We seen the parable of the three pick the three stories that make up the parable in Luke 15, the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son, you move into chapter 16 and there is the parable of the unjust steward one through 14 verses 14 through 18.

The law, the prophets in the kingdom and then the rich man and Lazarus. So it's in this genre parabolic instruction that Jesus gives. I believe it's a parable. See it's not just the so-called experts on the Internet that will confuse you and steer you wrong. It's preachers. Billy Graham was in was interviewed in 1983 note 1993. This was in time magazine's opinion of a number things God. Scripture held devils, angels, the virgin birth, Christ's resurrection. This is what Dr. Billy Graham at the say on hell.

The only thing I can say for sure is that hell main separation from God. We are separated from his light from his fellowship.

I'm okay so far that is going to be hell when it comes to a literal fire.

I don't preach it because I'm not sure about when Scriptures use fire for fire concerning hell that is probably an illustration of how terrible it's going to be not fire but something worse.

A thirst for God it that cannot be quenched really unimpressed unimpressed. We need understand not just the question of genre but we need understand the context here and I want to help you with that. There is the parable of the unjust steward recorded in Luke chapter 16 and it is an unjust steward.

He was a shrewd manager. He was unscrupulous he was dishonest. He's not being commended for that bees being commanded by Jesus in this parable.

For what reason because he was smart enough to use available resources that he had to prepare for the future. Verse nine and I say to you, make friends for yourselves of unrighteous mammon that when you fail, they may receive you and everlasting home. This man was unscrupulous in his dealings and read the verses before to know what I'm talking about. So there's a connection here now goes on here.

Verse 14 again consider the context. Now the Pharisees, who were the Pharisees, why why why he wished it and that because they are present in all of this parabolic instruction back to 15 chapter chapter 15 verse one then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to him to hear him and the Pharisees and scribes complain saying this man receives sinners and eats with them. The Pharisees and the scribes. Luke chapter 16 verse 14 now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things and they derided him. They were unhappy with him.

They rejected him and he said to them, you are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what he is highly esteemed among man is an abomination in the sight of God, but on the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God is been preached in everyone is pressing into it and it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away then for one title one tittle of the law to fail. Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery, and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery and then we have the parable of the rich man and Lazarus a connection. Jesus is speaking to what the Pharisees what about the Pharisees. They were lovers of money, what's the parable about a rich man a rich man who lived was all for that selfish self indulgent, and he paid the ultimate price for that lifestyle for living, for those things because he find himself where separated from his previous life in hell consciously and torment. That's the connection. So the question the context not I like to walk you through three sobering contracts three sobering contrasts. There is a contrast here between these two men in life there is a contrast between them. In death, and then there is an extended contrast between these two in eternity was consider number one. The contrast in life.

There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.

Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Life couldn't be more contrasted than this parable that Jesus gives between these two men. I want you to know that there is nothing said negatively about the man's wealthy may have come by it honestly is not unspiritual to be wealthy.

I nothing spiritual to be wealthy know why do I say that because that's what the Pharisees bought well assigned to the favor of God upon your life is to be wealthy to have riches. That's why Jesus is giving this parable.

Now the Pharisees were lovers of money, and I thought exhibit a of God's favor upon our life. Wealthy and we love money because God loves money. Just as there's nothing spiritual about being wealthy.

There's nothing spiritual about being poor because some people think well if you happen that was to be your lot in life, then eternity will resolve that discrepancy you were poor.

Gotta make up for that in the in the life to come. That's again nonsense not not found in Scripture, so a rich man and a poor man, a contrast in life. What we learn about the rich man, though he was rich he was very rich. He fared sumptuously every day. How did he uses resources, the steward was he did he use those resources to bless others ministered others that were told about a beggar a certain beggar named Lazarus who was full of sores, who was laid at his gate. Evidently he didn't have the faculties to carry himself to the rich man's gate. He was carried there and he was a beggar and he was desirous to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.

And I know it's not a very good word picture for but this is the way Jesus chose to communicate this moreover the dogs came and licked one of what a horrible existence, he would say. There's a rich man.

I was blessed of God and he used his riches to bless others know the picture is a man who was insensitive, who was self-indulgent to was selfish and what he had and it's not just that that's how he handled his finances and his riches. It's a reflection of his heart, his character of them of the true self.

That's what it is driving at know this contrast in life. What about this man who was rich in this world's goods was actually what he was poor with how he was poor, spiritually. While this poor man was in contrast, rich spiritually. That's the irony of this sofa really gonna get our minds around the proper contrast, Jesus is painting.

It's this is between a poor rich man and a rich, poor man that Jesus is contrasting between one of did not have God.

Although we had much else in one who had got a little elected question which would you rather be some of your smart some of you are saying I want to be both. That's not the question.

The question is which would you rather be. Would you rather be rich in this world's goods, but poor, spiritually or poor by the world standards but rich spiritually not hypothetically I know how you would answer the question, but if you had him if it was in your power to choose your life. This isn't just for weekend K this is your life. Which would you choose serious questions and I've had the privilege of being in Zimbabwe ministering to the men in the church is therefore think of been there seven or eight times in our places you can go in this country and encounter people who are poor when you go to Zimbabwe. Everyone I encountered was in that category of poor 250 people come came to church and there were two vehicles there. People walked eight or 10 miles to be a church. Some people came to church hoping to be some food there because they did know that they had physical energy to walk the distance back home.

Poor was a dark poor but you know what, in the midst of that abject poverty. There is a richness.

There is a spiritual richness. That's not just in a few people been a lot of the people they have a faith that is contested in the fire is a vibrant faith that God they believe God in a way that puts many of us to shame, joy. It is obvious their joys and I don't have their joys and I do you know what the ships coming in tomorrow know that's not the source of their joy at source in God. So it's a serious question, isn't.

Here's this contrast in life and this rich man how he handled his riches, revealed his character. He was uncompassionate. He was selfish he was indulgent and it is what he lived for is what he lived for the Pharisees, verse 14, who were lovers of money to. This is directed to in part them to. Here's a contrast in life.

Then there's this contrast in death. Verse 22 so it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.

The rich man also died and was buried, but difference dispute. Do you see between the two men there. Verse 22 is were thinking about a contrast not only contrast in life in a contrast in death. What is a sandwich set about wanting I said about the other what said about the rich man written says the rich man died and he was what he was very was it say about and and think about. He was very you think he was very what were the circumstances around his funeral. You think there was pomp and circumstances and other people of influence who attended that Corser was that's his life that so we surrounded himself with was a say about the poor man says he died as a say. He was buried the same as buried.

Most likely, was buried, but he was buried unceremoniously maybe buried without a whole lot of people attending. What else does it say about him is not set about the rich man. He was carried where he was carried to Abraham's bosom. He was escorted to Abraham's bosom. One of the things card and I appreciate about the culture here in the South. It's absent up north in terms of funerals is the police escort that the funeral procession is given to the cemetery is not common up north it's one thing for that respect, and that honor to be given that your escorted to the graveyard by the police.

People sit along the highway and wait for the percent. The procession to pass them.

That's a great thing. I like it shows respect puts applause on life.

Someone has died, someone is going to their grave is much as we might be impressed by that this man this man was escorted by angels to Abraham's bosom as an escort isn't yes amen hallelujah is the point.

The point is both men died, both men died in the passing of time. Let's consider number three contrast in eternity contrast in eternity begins in verse 23 and being in torments in Hades.

He that is the rich man lifted up his eyes and he saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus in his bosom. I wonder how many times this man lifted up his eyes and acknowledgment that there is a God that he would be held accountable to that there was a God that his life that he was living was dependent upon here in this place. The Bible says Jesus tells us, he lifted up his eyes and when he lifted up his eyes. What did he see who did he see he saw two people he saw Abraham he saw this man Lazarus. Now many times he walked past that man is gay, but how many times he made a conscious choice to be tightfisted with his resources and ignore the poverty of this man here this man is he sees Lazarus and he sees Abraham and says and being in torments in Hades read through the passage and see how many times you see that word torment and it's not just the word in the English it's how many times that word is translated. It's various ways five times in this passage Jesus is drawing our attention to the one of the fundamental characteristics of Hades is a place of torment torment torment contrast in eternity. Then verse 24 says he cried and said father Abraham.

What's he doing here. The spring wonder how many times he prayed in his earthly life. I don't think many times because he didn't know too much about prayer is praying to the wrong person right praying. The father Abraham that's a exercise in futility. Father Abraham can do in foreign one God who we better be praying too easy, only one who hears prayers and answers prayers God the father. He cried and said father Abraham, have mercy on me, that's in it. Oh, that neither said that only all the feet of felt that in his heart, although that God had rent that in him while he was on earth, a God who is plenteous in mercy, would've had mercy on him, but again he sprang to father Abraham father Abraham can't show him mercy, have mercy on me and send hello Lazarus, send Lazarus that Amy dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame while what irony there is there. He sees this man that he neglected walked past was insensitive to someone might be a be some kind help doing right now. Verse 25 but Abraham said, son, remember, remember, this idea that when you die that you are dismissed to a place of unconsciousness, nonexistence that you're annihilated. This man remembers what is he remember he remembers his life Abraham son so I remember that in your lifetime you received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now, now he is comforted and you are tormented, he's given them two reasons why there's no mercy for him. One is the way he lived his life while he was on earth he lived for himself.

He had no time for God. He had no time for others is the first reason is going to receive no mercy in the second reason is, besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from their past to us.

I have a fascinating interest in people who are given to building of bridges when you cross these bridges as it is fascinating to me who who designed this who built this as impressed as we might be. The Bible tells us that there is one mediator one bridge between God and man and is the man Christ Jesus is the only one who can bridge the gulf between a holy God and a sinful man or woman. We need to be impressed by that there is a great gulf fixed so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from their past to us.

Then he said he's asking for impossibilities. Then he said I bet you therefore, father that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment. All the sudden he's got concern for others, which I really wonder how much concern he had for anybody while he was on earth besides himself. What happened to these two men. The moment after death.

Think with me about the poor man what happened to him. Was he surprised did. He is life orientation change all know he was. He was a he was a God-fearing man his circumstances, it taught him humility his circumstances, it taught him not to trust in riches because he had none, but to trust in the God and he was rewarded for that. So when he died.

What was his experience he came into a greater appreciation and a greater enjoyment of the things that he'd already been enjoying on earth. That's the way it is for the Christian is an expecting our hope is in and something new.

Our hope is in a greater expression of what we've already experienced lower on this earth whereby the rich man.

I think he got a rude awakening would be an understatement. Death for him was a shock.

It was the rudest of all awakenings they had known nothing but comfort's wealth was able to buy am but here he is in Hades.

He's in torment. Think about this. He may have been like a lot of people that we talk to who are ignorant about what the Bible says about the reality of heaven and hell. I many week of us have talked to somebody and says well I don't know about heaven. I don't know about hell.

I think the only heaven that exists is the one I'm able to make for myself here on earth and only how it exists is the hell that some of us in door on earth. Hear anybody talk like that you people talk like that on the day what that'll change that thinking all changed. The first moment after death. The rich man may have thought the dying was itself a hell. But when he died, he discovered that far from being helped even itself was heaven compared to what he was now suffering. Some say well tipped up to, you know, kind of fun. Minimize the delight the language year. They say well you know Jesus and talking literally he's talking figuratively. Is it really make much of a difference does it matter whether you Jesus talking figuratively, figuratively or literally, this man came to know something that he did not know before.

What was that the reality of hell needed something that he had not done before. What was that praying and as I already suggested he was not.

He was praying I miss praying to the wrong person asking for the wrong things. Yes study in contrast in life and death in eternity, I beg you, father, that you would send him to my father's house for have five brothers that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment. Abraham said to him, they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.

And he said no father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent will wonder where he got that language.

Wonder where he thought that that was a necessity to repent causes me to think Jesus is saying again.

He's talking to the Pharisees. Jesus is called them how many times it must of their self-righteousness and want here is depicting the Pharisees in Hades saying the very thing the Jesus and said no if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent to lay to lay but he said to them if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead.

Let me give you some lessons as we come to conclusion Scripture teaches that the life is short and it short regardless of whether you 40 years or hundred in light of eternity. Life is short, it is dreadfully serious, life is not a joke. How we live in this life matters.

What happens in this life, has eternal consequences. One's attitude to God and his word is confirmed in this life and that cannot be altered in the next one. One's attitude to God and his word is confirmed in this life, and it cannot be altered in the next see here the reality of future judgment.

What based on one's decisions in this life. What'd you do, would Jesus was your life known as a life of repentance. That's the answer the question. Another lesson the futility of even a resurrection to persuade those who persist in rejecting God's revealed word and conclude with some challenging principles number one death is the destiny every man that's why on Google. There's thousands and thousands of pages about what happens after death. Because like some people are smart enough to know that's what everything I everybody's gonna die one death is the destiny of every man.

The living should take this to heart.

Death is the great equalizer riches, the liability sale liability units comes with the liability because whatever we have. We are a steward of God's government require an accounting of it. Jesus said a lot of things about the difficulty of the rich man getting into heaven. Why because he's going to trust his riches and you can't trust your riches and trust Jesus the same time you got something in order to trust him. It's an exclusive trust one's eternal destiny is not related to earthly wealth. That's clear in this passage, but the knowledge of the sobering reality of hell should affect the way we invest our earthly resources question what will you be glad you gave and invested in the kingdoms work. The churches work one minute after you die one minute after you die, what will you be grateful that you let go of and just waste it and squander it but invested it for eternity.

Life right now is a present training ground, everyone will give account to God for his stewardship at death.

There is continued consciousness going tell you different. Different. The data will tell you.

God didn't really say no.

There is conscious existence after death, the lost go into conscious torment at while the save go to conscious beliefs. There's a great gulf fixed between the saved and the lost in this condition is unchangeable, it's unchangeable and earthly choices determine eternal destinies and earthly inequalities are adjusted in the next life. When conclude with one last contrast what is that it's the contrast between the hopelessness of this man, this lost man this rich man.

It's a contrast between his hopelessness after he died in the hopefulness he had before he died, what hope was there for him after he died, his fate was sealed.

All this pleading all his anguish always torment fell on deaf ears. There wasn't anything he could do to remedy his situation. It was hopeless. The contrast is between the hopelessness there and the hopefulness before he died. Obviously, everyone in this room is a life. People who are watching by live stream our life today is the day of salvation.

This is a day of grace. These are days of opportunity. What we going to do with that. Are we going to be serious about the most important thing about life's existence.

Where are we going to spend eternity. I make absolutely no apologies for speaking this forcefully about the subject of hail hail is a very very very long time.

It's where the fire is not quenched is where there is torment is where there is conscious existence for ever and ever and ever so much so I just don't know how wise it is to scare people into hell. Let me ask you this question. I lived on a busy street and I had a driveway and my children were in the habit of riding their bicycles in the driveway.

What kind of a father. Would I be if I didn't warn my children about the danger on the busy highway so you would scare your children, you finally I take them by the hand out to the road tonight so you see the car going to buy you walk out there. You drive your bicycle out there. You will be.

Don't ever go on that highway when you do the same course you would were talking not about just earthly life you were talking about heaven and hell and as long as there is breath in me and God will use me toward someone, the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit came to convict the world of what of San we understand that a lot of righteousness of what looks at me to convict us that God demands a righteousness on us that only he can provide.

And it is a perfect righteousness that only comes from him through his son Jesus Christ Holy Spirit's come to teach us that the convict us of that.

But what else to convict us of what judgment, what is that all hand separation from God think I spoke a word of apology one sermon recently and some of my things and don't you ever apologize for speaking the truth God use me got God use that message to bring me to Christ when I was a child or one whenever will this is the story the rich man and Lazarus. May God help us to respond to it. According to our hearts needs may motivate us to be messengers.

I wonder what it would do for us. If someone who is in hell could speak to us with the urgency. No doubt they would speak to us about people they know and care and love, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, neighbors, get casually think they'd be about eight when you get a chance we could could go by so-and-so's house and talk to them about this place. I man I mean is not they would grab on to you. They would hold on to you. They would speak earnestness to you. They would write was not gonna happen, but the reality is no different. Jesus is telling us what Hally is like. Let's not be cavalier about that. Let's not be there's people all around us who are in danger of going there.

Here's the picture, here's the picture Jesus said there is a Broadway is a big highway many going on that way and work. As I wrote late. It leads to destruction. There are some who were on Broadway, the God and grace arrested them and put them on a narrow way.

Now they going in the same direction as those are on the Broadway know the way so is your on this way going to glory in her people want to Broadway going to hell your life is passing people right what you doing what you say are you saying you just have good day. Hope things are well. The kids that's the way Wheeler the seriousness of this subject hasn't ripped us. It hasn't ripped me sufficiently enough, but we need grid by Winnie going to use us to be rescuers of people so my God use the spring father, thank you for your word. Thank you for the sober reminder of what awaits all of us. After this life.

Thank you for many who are hearing me it will be eternal bliss eyes have not seen years of not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him. All what heaven will be like oh God for those who are on the Broadway that leads to destruction. There is an eternity of hell fire waiting them. Lord, please save the lost opener blinded eyes. Use us to be messengers of truth we might see our love ones rescue pray in Jesus name