Luke 16:19-31
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
This is a familiar story. It’s very hard to be a student of the Bible for several years and not run into this one. It’s a frightening story. The subject is about death and the fact that some people die and go to Hell. It’s not pleasant to think of how a person will be in such terrible torments in a place called Hell. It’s a forgotten story. Many preachers today have chosen not to use this Bible text for a sermon. In fact all references to Hell have been deleted from many pulpits in our day. It’s a true story. It was told by Jesus and He never tells a lie. Some say it’s a parable (a made-up story). I don’t believe it is. Jesus said there was a certain rich man and a certain beggar named Lazarus. Jesus gave a name to one of the characters. It gives the appearance of a real event. If it wasn’t a true story, Jesus would have said so. He would have said, “what I’m about to tell you doesn’t really happen, but there was this certain rich man…”
When Jesus told of His second-return and the preparation of mansions, he said this, “In my Father’s house are many mansions and if it was not so, I would have told you…” John 14:2 Jesus did not waste words on pointless stories.
As Jesus tells this story of the rich man and Lazarus, let’s remember that there is a story behind the story. Many of the stories, parables, and lessons Jesus gives are motivated by something being said, or taught by others, especially the religious rulers of the day---the scribes and Pharisees.
Luke 16:14-15 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
They focused on the outside. They looked good in the eyes of men, but God knew their hearts. Jesus tells this story and simply tells them…they are going to Hell. They hated him for the story.
I’ve titled the message---- THE ETERNAL HOMECOMING.
Everyone ON SOME day will be going to their ETERNAL HOME. BUT WHERE WILL THAT HOME BE? Will it be the home of this rich man in the story? Or will it be the home of Lazarus? There’s no 3rd option.
Just as there’s no 3rd option in the story….we do not see another option given in the Bible. It’s either Heaven, or Hell. The Bible says, “it’s appointed unto man once to die, and then the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27
Our Eternal Home is not based on what we POSSESS.
Our Eternal Home is not based on what we PROFESS.
Our Eternal Home is based on WHO WE KNOW.
1. Our Eternal Home is not based on material POSSESSIONS.
LOOK AT THE RICH MAN…..
v.19 Having fancy clothes… latest fashions…designer labels,drive the most expensive car/truck….have millions in the bank does not give signs of going to heaven.
Mark 8:36 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
v.19 fared sumptuously…lavishly every day…life of ease, you see The Pharisees thought wealth was a sign of acceptance with God…Very much like the prosperity gospel today…
a) He had wealth
b) He had what money could buy
c) He had friends…prestige…clout in the community…(this is inferred from the passage) No doubt he had political connections….Board member of some prestigious institution …A person of community status……well thought of…
But people listen,---it does not matter what great wealth you have…or what people think of you….may be popular, a part of the in-crowd…NONE OF THAT WILL KEEP YOUR SOUL FROM A BURNING HELL!
d) he had a great send-off…. “was buried”…….
No doubt….well-known officials came to his funeral and said something respectful and honorable……he got some pretty flowers…the funeral parlor looked so pretty….so soothing…His friends / family..dressed him up…made it look so pretty…so dignified….soft music played in the back ground…
In my home town there’s a cemetery…Mimosa cemetery….a place where a well-known atheist is buried……a few preachers were looking at his tombstone. The writings on the rock spoke of atheism…no heaven..no hell….While the preachers were looking at his tombstone…a lady in a car spoke up. She was way up in years.
She said, "I remember as a child…when he died. They had a funeral for him…..a band played…..
People, It does not matter how they send you off……make it look important…flags fly half-mast…..bands playing….celebrities come and speak on your behalf…NONE OF THAT WILL KEEP YOU FROM A BURNING HELL…
The rich man found his eternal homecoming in hell. And the bands were not playing…no one making great speeches then, no one applauded his arrival, no welcome party was awaiting him…..all he heard was the screeming of his own voice…screeming and crying in excruciating pain….a place of incredible torment…
LOOK AT LAZARUS….
• He was a beggar. He did not have the purple and fine linen. He wore the beggar clothes….an awful sight to see. His clothes were not of the fashionable type….He didn’t have the famous designer labels….he wore the scraps, the leftovers…nothing matched… (the Pharisees believed the beggar…was a sign of God’s displeasure…and the least likely candidate for Heaven.)
• Going to heaven….is not based on what you possess in material things…don’t have a penny to your name….fancy clothes….this poor ole’ beggar clothed in robe of righteousness…washed in the blood of Jesus…
What did Lazarus possess…..that made it possible for him to go to Heaven?
He had Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior….
Look at Lazarus as an example of one receiving Christ….
1) His poverty…beggarly status….speaks of how a person must come before the Lord….we come “blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Spiritually, we are bankrupted!
2) His inability….Lazarus had to be laid at the rich man’s gate. Unable to walk….unable to do for himself. (Pharisees taught…..God helps those who help themselves…sounds good, but God saves not by works, but by grace…) To be saved we must come to the Lord Jesus in our inability. We don’t come bragging off to God about our abilities…and what an asset we are to His kingdom….(the Pharisees….justified themselves, see v.15)
---WE ARE UNABLE TO COME TO GOD ON OUR OWN….Jesus said..”You can’t come to me, unless the Father draw you..”
There is "None that doeth good, no, not one…"
You can’t pray a pretty prayer, that God will accept….we don’t have it in us.
You can’t live a strict life that God will accept….we are totally unable to do anything to MERIT SALVATION…
3) His sickness…FULL OF SORES…
LUKE 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Until we come to know Christ as Lord and Savior, we are a sick people….the Bible says we’re dead in our trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1….that’s how sick we are….sick to death…..
As long as we think we can handle it…we can manage….we got our own remedy for our situation….JESUS CAME TO SAVE SINNERS.
Many people are as what’s describe in Revelation 3
Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
4) His Desire
v.21 desiring to be fed…
Lazarus did not find satisfaction in his present condition. He desired to be fed….just the crumbs….That’s the sign of a real believer in Christ…not satisfied with their present condition…..desire to be fed….
1Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
God did not allow Lazarus to be fed from the rich man’s table….he sent angels to carry him….to God’s banquet table…Heavenly Manna….
The crumbs of this life don’t satisfy the child of God.
Some people love the crumbs that fall from the tables of the casino….the lottery,….people today…long for the crumbs from the rich and the famous…they follow their lives…and long to have just a crumb of what the wealthy have….maybe the crumbs of the wheel of fortune, or maybe we’ll win a shot at DEAL, OR NO DEAL…. The saints of God desire the table of the Lord!
Jesus has a table spread
Where the saints of God are fed
He invites His chosen people:
’Come and dine’.
With his manna he does feed
And supplieth every need
Oh, it’s good to sup with Jesus all the time.
cho: ’Come and dine’, the Master calls,’Come and dine’
You can eat at Jesus’ table anytime.
He who fed the multitude,
Changed the water into wine
To the hungry calleth now, ’Come and dine’.
His disciples by him stand
Thus obeying Christ’s command
For he called to all of them:
’Come and dine’
He fulfilled their hearts’ desire
Bread and fish were on the fire
And he satisfied their hunger every time.
Soon the Lamb will take his bride
To be ever at his side
All the Hosts of Heaven shall assembled be,
Oh, t’will be a glorious sight
All the saints in spotless white
And with Jesus we shall feast eternally.
5) His comfort v.25
In LIFE…the rich man had all the comforts of home.
To Lazarus…there was very little comfort for him.
One sign that you are a believer in Christ…you HAVE an uncomfortable feeling about this ole’ world down here….you have a longing for another place…THIS WORLD IS NOT YOUR HOME, YOU’RE JUST PASSING THROUGH….
Colossians 3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Many today….seek the comfortable life….that have no desire for Heaven…they want to make heaven down here…one day it will all end..
For the rich man…his life of ease, comfort CAN TO A SCREECHING HALT!!!
All comfort gone! No more Comfort Inn. No more Comfortable pillows. No more comfortable lifestyle. No more soft, velvet linen…ALL COMFORT GONE..
For the rich man….
It was TORMENT….WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY……BUT PURE TORMENT….
1) PERSONAL torment. “I am tormented……my tongue….)
Hell is a real place, where real people go…and personally experience real torment…
2) REGRETTABLE torment. “How, I wished…I had done something about my soul…..day of sad regrets…
3) FIXED torment. Will not be undone. Rich man…send Lazarus…..dip water….cool my tongue……CHANGE MY CIRCUMSTANCES…..I’LL STAY HERE…BUT PLEASE…REMOVE THE TORMENT…
Nothing will change for a person in Hell. Fixed….. “ a great gulf…fixed’”
• No answered prayers. “I pray thee” No one is prayed out of Hell. Pray and scream all you want…no one will ever hear your cries. The maggots of Hell will tear upon your burning flesh….no PITY in Hell!
• No WATER in Hell. No rivers, no waterfalls…..
• No laughing in Hell. No singing. No celebrations….some people brag about going and being with their friends…
• Hell is a place for those who reject Christ…..
• Some say…God loves everybody…and He will not let anyone go there…
Check out this verse…
1Corinthians 6:9-10
9 Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: no sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, 10 thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.
Oh, that’s a list of all the “bad” people. Everyone outside of Christ is on that list.
2. Our Eternal Home is not based on what we PROFESS.
Matthew 7: 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
3. Our Eternal Home is based on WHO WE KNOW.
Jesus will say to many….I NEVER KNEW YOU….. GOING TO HEAVEN IS BASED ON KNOWING CHRIST AND CHRIST KNOWING YOU….
Rich man had a plan of salvation…….even in Hell….it was a hellish plan
v.27 rich man…it’s too late for me….but I have 5 brothers….
Send Lazarus….. v.30 from the dead
Ironic…Lazarus (not the same one) was risen from the dead…still what did they do to Jesus? crucified Him.
Solution: something supernatural…sensational…people will believe….amazing stories from the afterlife…
NO!!!
Jesus…..they have Moses and the prophets (OT ) Word of God
Today, people doubt,….even seemingly among Southern Baptist…have doubts about the sufficiency and power of the Holy Bible….
……we think we’ve gotta to have EXTREME Bikers…..do stunts on their bikes…draw a crowd…and then…on the tail end of the sensational exhibit…slip in Jesus…just like the rich man….this is a hellish plan from hell…detracting from God’s Word….PROBLEM…PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO HEAR FROM HIS WORD……
Jesus said….NO….if they will not hear Moses/prophets Word of God….they will not hear….even if…..back from dead…
What can Moses and the prophets tell us? What can OT tell us?
SEE Luke 24:27 “……concerning himself” All points to Christ!!!!
The rich man in Hell……do this for me. Send Lazarus to me….if not Send him to my brothers….I’ve got a plan….even in hell…the unregenerate have got their own ides…own agendas….selfish ways…
It’s not about me and my plans……
It’s about Jesus…and his plan…
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Jesus took our Hell for us…..Calvary was Hell on a Hill…He took your torment…paid your penalty of sin IN FULL…)
There’s coming an Eternal Homecoming! The greatest homecoming you will ever know is when you come by faith to Jesus Christ confessing your sins and you determine to follow Him in obedience.
Turn from your sins and trust Christ today.
