R314 The Absolute Certainty of Life After Death

God has an encouraging word for you and me today.

The Bible-based reading of Dr. Don Wilton about the certainty of life after death in just a few moments will be opening God's word to the book of Luke chapter 16 for today's message the absolute certainty of life after death as we open God's word know that were open to speak and pray with you as well were connecting on our website right now I tewonline.org eat wonderful resources. The loneliness solution a great book. Everybody's been asking about plus the new book from Dr. Wilton about his time as the pastor of Dr. Billy Graham call Saturdays with Billy. You can take a big right now. Tewonline.org he would also stand ready to pray for you at 866-899-WORD 866-899-9673 now today's teaching with Dr. Don Wilton like a copy of God's word and turn with me in your Bibles to Luke's Gospel chapter 16 subject this morning is a subject that is of vital concern to every person upon the face of the earth, the absolute certainty of life off the bed.

I wonder if you've ever wondered what happens to a person when I die. I've often wondered that in my ministry. I've had the privilege the opportunity that God has afforded me to be at the bedside of a number of people who have tossed on from this world and have died. You know, one of the questions that all of us want to know is what happens when a person dies. It's something that's close to our heart is not well the Bible teaches us, my friends, that it is absolutely certain that there is life off the day. You know, one of my favorite verses in the Scripture goes like this to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord now that refers to people who have given their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and the word of God actually tells us that the instantaneous moment that the believer closes his or her life in this present life.

They open their eyes in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ transported by the angels to be seated at the feast table of the king. I want us to read. I story that Jesus told us in Luke chapter 16 and we going to try and understand somewhat as to what the Bible teaches about the absolute certainty of life after death, Luke's Gospel chapter 16 and beginning in verse 19 Jesus said there was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.

He must've been an American. Surely at his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with souls and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham side if I could just pause there. Someone came to me one time and they said Dr. Wilton when you get this that the Angels will transport you.

Well, there it is right there.

I love that phrase. I believe that God dispatches his angels gives them permission gives them the go-ahead and says I want you to go and get him or her and carry them into my presence. What a wonderful picture look at verse 22. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham side. I need to pose again at the same place. The word all the terminology Abraham side is the Jewish understanding of the place called heaven, Abraham's bosom, the place where Abraham is the father of the nation of Israel, the father of all people.

That is where God is. And so the word Abraham side, Abraham's bosom in the authorized text is that you would use most commonly in Jewish circles in the time of the Lord Jesus Christ to talk about heaven now. The rich man also died and was buried, and in hell he lift up these eyes when he was in torment and he looked and he saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side, so he called to him. Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of each finger in water and cool my tongue because I'm in agony in this fire but Abraham replied, son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus is received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony, and beside all of this, between us and you a great chasm or a great golf has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us the Onset then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them so that they will not also come to this place of torment. Abraham replied they have Moses and the prophets let them listen to them no father Abraham he said, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent and he said to him, if I do not listen to Moses and the prophets. They will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead by the Lord righties word upon our hearts, the absolute certainty of life off today. Now there are three absolute certainties that strike us immediately. We begin to study this passage number one. It is absolutely certain. According to this passage that Jesus said it is absolutely certain that we are all alive is not staggering.

If you go look at this passage, Jesus spoke about to living beings. Are you going to say to me pasta do you mean to tell me that you came to church today just to tell us something that we will know to be true, it is absolutely certain that we are all alive now as I look around our congregation today. We all look alive.

We believe we are alive while as I look around some of you think you're alive. Maybe you don't look so alive they people all around the world today and we are flesh and blood and we live and we move and we have our being. We all living beings. It is, I Magnus thing to be alive is not life can be such a wonderful wonderful experience and hear the Bible tells us about to reel me in flesh and blood. It is absolutely certain that we are alive and we have a life to live and that life affords us with the greatest spiritual opportunity that any person at any time in any place can never have all because of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. But I want you to note in the second place, it is absolutely certain that we're all going to die someday. Well that's what the Bible says look at verse 22. That's what the practical nature of our existence tells us it is absolutely certain that we're all going to die someday. The Bible says the time came when the beggar and this man died. The time came, it came to pause. It is absolutely certain that we are all going to die so that you wouldn't think so. If you went to the moles of Christmas time because everybody's trying to live a little longer on pre-we do everything we can to try and extend our lives affect. It's one of my wife's favorite things to do is to go to the mall and get a free squirt of something. Have you ever gone to the mall to get a free squirt watch the ladies the next time you go. They walk into these different shops and things and there's a lady standing there and she gives her squirt of this in the squirt of that and a squirt of this in the squirt of that whenever you leave the shop you feel quite dizzy in your head you had so many squirts in so many different smells and sharp, soft food today with all kinds of cosmetically man and woman we try and keep the color of hair we try and retain youthful looks.

We have all kinds of surgeries, facelifts, nose lifts every other kind of thing you can ever imagine. To try and make ourselves live just a little bit longer we take our Pepto-Bismol. We consult out doctors.

We have our our examinations at the right time in our lives we make absolutely certain that we eat the right thing and we have enough food and fiber, and we go in exercise and we job and we stand up and we do this and we do that and we do everything we possibly can trust to live a little while longer, but I'll guarantee you sometime. All of us are going to die someday. I wonder how many people at the great First Baptist Church of Spartanburg that we will know that upsetting these pews and had been ministered to them have ministered that years ago months ago have since been transported by the angels to be seated at the feast table of the king and the preciousness of the memories that we have within our hearts. It is absolutely certain that we are all going to die someday, someday, as matter how rich or poor.

You might be as matter what club you belong to and doesn't matter what you look like you can look like Mr. Atlas were all gonna die someday. But there's 1/3 absolute certainty that the Bible tells us that is simply this, it is absolutely certain that when we do die, we are not all going to the same place. Our beloved friends listen to the word of God.

The Bible says in verse 22. Look at it with me. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him into heaven. The rich man also died and was buried and went to a place called hell. The Bible says that there are two distinct destinations at the moment of day one is heaven. The other one is called hell that I have had people over the years suggest that preachers and ministers and churches should never talk about hell. You should only talk about the good things. Well, you see, frames the word of God from Genesis to Revelation is food with good things because the Bible says that our eternal destination is determined by the decision that we make. While we are still alive. That's the wonderful thing about being alive. The Bible says that the Lord Jesus Christ breathed his bread into the nostril of man is never fish caught IR in the Hebrew text and the Bible says that man soon and he became separated from God. And yet, while he is alive in Adam old people die, but in Christ Jesus.

We all made alive is not a wonderful thing to know that see the word of God says it is absolutely certain that we're all alive is absolutely certain we're all gonna die someday. But the Bible says it is absolutely certain. My friend that when we do die when not all going to the same place as a minister of the gospel. I can tell you from personal experience that there is an eternal difference between the funeral service of someone who is died in Christ Jesus and the funeral service of one who has said no to the Lord Jesus Christ is an eternal difference quite literally and practically. It is an eternal difference and the Bible says when we do die, we are not all going to the same place where you going to say to me will pasta cannot know where I'm going absolutely.

The Bible tells us we can know that where we go. Bible says we can settle that and for the born-again believer. The word says to be absent from the body is to be present for the Lord Jesus Christ that we are transported by the angels to be seated at the feast table of the King of Kings and Lord of lords, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. But what happens to the person who is separated from God. Let's have a look at it together.

Number one, it is absolutely certain that all after a person dies. Having said no to Jesus Christ. It is absolutely certain that they will praise the name of the King of Kings and the Lord of lords.

Look at verse 25.

Look at verse 24 off to this man died. Having rejected God having scorned and scoffed at him.

The Bible says he called to him and said to him, father Abraham, have pity on me.

All of a sudden he's whole demeanor and he's purpose in trying to make someone who takes the name of the Lord Jesus Christ inviting I'm afraid to tell you that I have go to a ballgame sit in a restaurant, you can hardly get a movie today without someone taking the name of the Lord Jesus Christ inviting. I remember many years ago I said to my family. Let's go out and eat. We were living in New Orleans at the time and are never forgotten this. And so we went out to East New Orleans and we decided we wanted to have some good all New Orleans seafood week I'm out on Reed Blvd. in New Orleans and there was a Shoney's restaurant. I had a big sign that said all-you-can-eat shrimp. I said that's me.

We went in there. There were people everywhere they were eating literally hundreds of trip I mean they were all over the place in New Orleans, Louisiana. They tell you you going to have all-you-can-eat shrimp.

That's what you get. It's marvelous.

And so we sat down. People all over the place. This young lady came to serve out table. She looked good, she smelled good. She was a university student at you and know she was putting herself through college very admirable. She took our order. She went back in the boys and and mom and dad. We sat there in keen anticipation, and all of a sudden Jessica got the biggest tray of fried shrimp you've ever seen in your life. I mean by just hanging over the edge.

Like us, looking at me as they come out of the kitchen. I said boy am I gonna put at least a thousand shrimp into the ministry today. There is no doubt about that whatsoever.

And then she walks around all gingerly and she comes up to where we sitting something awful happened you got up she tripped and I tell you something. Folks I've never seen such a catastrophe.

In all my life. There was bits of gloss and bits of plates and bits of lettuce and tomato. There was shrimp jumping all over the place.

I mean, it was just everywhere and to make matters even worse, my two sons were just little lads at the time had jumped up on the seat and I was saying.

Dan Dan and the whole restaurant was looking at me as though I had trip led young lady went down on all fools embarrassed her face and her countenance change you can imagine, she began to gathering those shrimp and everything the coffee and everything that it spilled all over the restaurant and all of a sudden just two words came out of her mouth and those two words with the name of my Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ over it did shrimp, not the Bible says about that. My precious friend by the Bible says he is Lord. He alone is Lord. He has risen from the day and Jesus Christ alone is Lord, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall one face that Jesus Christ is more to the glory of God. And I want to say to you, my beloved friend today that it matters not how much a person has black screen taken the name of the Lord Jesus Christ inviting has rejected him has refused his grace.

The word of God says it is absolutely certain that every single person isn't going to praise the King of Kings and Lord of lords, but for the world outside of Christ Jesus is going to be too late. It is going to be too late. It is absolutely certain note in the second place. It is absolutely certain my friends that often we die we going to have the capacity to remember. Now this is one that really strikes me look at verse 25 but Abraham said to the man who died outside of Christ, son, remember now the word remember means recall to your memory.

Remember that you in your lifetime. Beloved friends you going to say to me pasta. How do you explain that I cannot explain it outside of God's unsearchable riches.

The word of God. The word of the Lord Jesus Christ tells us that often we die we are going to have the capacity to remember lifetime.

I've heard some people say to me, I'm just going to end it. If I end it is going to end all my troubles. I'm just kinda blank, not according to Scripture – never blanks anybody out. Death is not the end it's the beginning it's just the beginning. The Bible says once you die you will have the capacity to remember and to remember specifically what took place in your lifetime. What a tragedy but I want you to notice second absolute certainty that is absolutely certain you will have the capacity to remember your wasted opportunities. You see, the Bible says my friends that you don't only remember, but you remember your wasted opportunities.

Every time I preach the gospel. Every time I see people lost myself the question, how many more times as the gospel need to be presented to an individual before they will understand that they must be born again.

Has God been speaking to you. What you say yes to him to die right now. Do it right now.

Say yes to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is your opportunity.

Why don't you do it now.

Forgive the interruption will be back with more of today's great message with Dr. Don Wilton, but he's pose the question right now to say yes to Jesus Christ.

We would love to speak with you. Pray with you about that. Perhaps the Lord is been stirring in your heart. Some questions that need to be answered. Let's discover those answers in God's Encouraging Word the Bible itself. As you give us a call number is 866899 word that's 866899673. Radical keyboard keyboard we'd meet you on our website as well as TW online.org that's DEW online.org were also having many questions submitted to Dr. Wilton.

You got a question, let us discover the answers together with its online TW online.org for the phone number. I pray you jotted down stored yourself, 86 689-996-7324 hours a day ready to pray for you. Now back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton Bible says if death comes you will remember your wasted opportunity. But I want you to notice something else. It is absolutely certain that heaven and hell are two irreconcilable differences. Look at what the Bible says. The Bible says in verse 26, and beside all of this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed now that word fixed means it cannot be changed. It is an absolute absoluteness in its full hearing Scripture.

Jesus said it will never be changed. Heaven and hell will never come together. I've heard some people say to me pasta what I'm going to do is I'm going to die and I'm going to going to a place where God will purge me of my sin and often been purged of my sin ultimately old people are going to be taken out from this place and putting that heaven, not according to the word of God. There is a great golf fixed. It is fixed you to see this is the dividing point that I want you to notice a further point. It is absolutely certain. Those who die outside of Christ will beg for those who been left behind. The good verse 27.

He also then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers, you know that I'm convinced based upon that scripture dread. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people who died outside of Christ who even as we look at God's word today or joining with older precious men and women on this earth. You are praying for their loved ones begging, begging for the souls of those who stood upon the earth who refuse to receive the grace of God I cannot explain it to you.

All I can tell you is that God's word is very clear. I've had people say over the years. Pasta don't ever preach about hello, don't get onto the side of life. God is a God of love.

How can a God of love. Send anybody to hell friends. That's why he is a God of love.

God doesn't want anybody to go to hell he doesn't want anybody to perish. That's what the grace of God is. That's why I'm so excited about being a believer, and beside all of that PCP muse got Moses and the prophets lived here there, it's not God's plan for evangelism that did people should come back from the grave to warn us of a dead person walking yeah right now we wouldn't even have to have a message let alone an invitation that's not God's proven, or chosen method of evangelism. What is God's method of evangelism there. It is Moses the word of God, the law of God. The prophets, the people of God, the preacher of God say to me pasta.

Are you a prophet. I could never claim that I'm simply a sinner saved by the grace of God. But there is one thing that I know beloved friends.

I know that God reached down from heaven many years ago and called this Richard sinner to be a posturing, a preacher, I'm absolutely convicted of that. I'm convinced in my heart that God has called me to break the bread of life and to love people and to shepherd the flock and to tell you about Jesus Christ you know as many people across the other two are bowing their heads. Perhaps you need to stop where you want take a moment just hear from the pastor's heart before him preaching from Luke chapter 16 now dear Dr. Don Wilton are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news and by the way, don't go away because I'll be right back just in the did you just pray along with Dr. Wilton. Give your life to Jesus Christ press Lord been stirring your heart throughout the entire day. We have some friends that I know accepted Christ earlier in the broadcast. Either way, you need to know you are not alone in these next steps.

One of the great joys of our ministry at The Encouraging Word is walking through and putting resources in your hands that will bless you absently free. Dr. Don has resources for you given your life to Christ or we dedicate your life to Jesus today. Call us at 8668. That's 866-899-9673 were also connecting on our website as well as TW online.org and we have a number of resources that could bless you in remarkable ways one of which is the brand-new book Saturdays with Billy with Dr. Don hello everyone I'm gone and I know that most people got any fun. Dr. Bailey, the man who preached the gospel millions of people around the world. Frames of presidents and prime ministers Wiens and King. What was Mr. Graham.

Like in person. I had the extraordinary privilege and to know Mr. Graham is both a friend and as he supposed over the years I would drive every Saturday to visit him right there in these home in North Carolina, weeds sit to walk about families politics and faith all the things frames share with each other.

My friendship with Mr. Graham changed my life and it is my hope that some of the stories in Saturdays with Lacey was confirmation number to get your copy again is 866-899-WORD. You can call right now, 866-899-9673. Order your copy online as well. TW online.org that's TEW online.org and why are there, sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don consider following is our social we would love to get socially connected with you as we connect you with God's Encouraging Word until next time. Take care