Lazarus and the Poor Man: 4 Things the Rich Man Gained in Hell That We Need to Gain Today Luke 16:19-31 2-3-13 AM
a day of statistics: Over 112,000,000 will watch the game on TV. The average advertiser will spend $4,000,000.00 on second commercial time. a thirty 1,250,000,000 chicken wings will be consumed. 49,300,000 beverages will be imbibed. 7,000,000 will miss work Monday (mostly hangovers).
one statistic that will likely go unnoticed: Before today is over, it is estimated that 6,815 people will have died in America alone.
one statistic that will like go unnoticed: If they are not here, with us Where are they? Better question: Where will I be after this life is over?
Hell: a forgotten doctrine Did you know that the Bible talks more about Hell than it does about Heaven. Did you know that Jesus preached more about Hell's destruction than he did Heaven s rewards? Our text for today is just a small part of His teachings on the subject.
God and mammon As you ll remember, we Jesus said needed to be shrewd in seeking and keeping the Lord s Gift of Salvation, as the world often is in regard to seeking and keeping its mammon, (Lk. 16:8). And he summed it all up by saying; "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Lk.16:13).
Luke 16:20-31 Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the {crumbs} which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
Luke 16:20-31 Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's Bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.'
Luke 16:20-31 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and {that} none may cross over from there to us.'
Luke 16:20-31 And he said, 'Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers-- that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' But he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'
Luke 16:20-31 But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.
two men, two lives, two destinies. Luke 16:22, 25 says Lazarus may have been poor in this life, but when he died he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's Bosom [where] he experienced comfort and peace forever. That makes him the Rich man in my book.
two men, two lives, two destinies. The so-called rich man found himself in torment (vrs. 23), Separated from all possible relief (vrs 26). Crying out for mercy, [and] begging that Abraham send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.' (vrs. 24). You can t hardly call that man rich, can you?
In hell I can t prove this, but I suspect one of the greatest pains in Hell, will be the knowledge that no one, not ourselves, not our family, no one EVER needed to be there and of course it will ALL be too late to change anything.
4 Things that I Believe the Rich man gained in Hell, that every Christian needs to gain TODAY 1) VISION 2) TEARS 3) REASON 4) REMEMBRANCE
vision Luke 16:23 - "And in Hades [the man who had been rich on earth] lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. Can you see what he saw? Can you envision a day of eternal punishment and eternal reward?
vision Matt 6:19-21 - "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. How much better to see this today, than in HELL.
tears (of humility and sorrow) Luke 16:24 And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame. How much better to SORROW for sin Today, while we may repent, then in Hell where there will be NO REPENTANCE available.
2 Cor. 7:91-0 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to {the point of} repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to {the will of} God, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to {the will of} God produces a repentance without regret, {leading} to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces [only] death.
reason (to obey God & live faithfully) In vrs. 25, Father Abraham appeals to basic logic when it comes to Heaven and Hell God makes it all right. Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. It s about Justice.
let s be reasonable 1 Jn. 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we (are honest to) confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we (continue to) say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
let s be reasonable Heaven is the eternal home of forgiven sinners. Hell is the eternal home of those who have not sought God s forgiveness, and who will die in their sins. Use your BRAIN! Will you win or lose Heaven?
remembrance After the Game (of life) *If the Lord tarries long enough, SOME of the people we may watch the game with today, SOME of the very folks whom we love, SOME of the people we call family, won t go to Heaven. Not in their present condition. Doesn t that concern you?
remembrance Luke 16:27-31 27 And he said, Please Father Abraham, I m begging you, Please send Lazarus to my father's house-- 28 I have five brothers -- somebody needs to warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment. 29 But Abraham said, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.
remembrance Luke 16:27-31 30 But he said, No, Father Abraham, (THEY AREN T LIKELY TO HEAR THOSE MEN), but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent! 31 But he said to him, If they Won t listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded EVEN if someone DOES rise from the dead. You get the message.
listen carefully This isn t saying GIVE-UP. It is saying KEEP TRYING.
remember? 1 Cor. 10:1-5 - A lot of people STARTED the Exodus Nevertheless, they were laid low in the wilderness. Remember Why? Eph. 2:11-22 - Remember when you were LOST? Remember when you were called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision." Remember your condition at that time? Luke 17:32 - Jesus speaking of the end times told the people -"Remember Lot's wife. Rev 2:5 - Jesus told the church at Ephesus - 'Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first. A memory is great thing when it is filled with JOY.
4 Things The Rich Man Gained in Hell A VISION of mankind s destiny TEARS of humility over sin. REASON to act reasonably in light of the facts. REMEMBRANCE of whom and what is at stake.