AFTER HERE, WHAT’S HEREAFTER? (PART 2)
1. A REVIEW OF LAST WEEK – SUMMARY
a. We talked about our curiosity concerning the hereafter.
b. The different emotions we experience when we face death.
c. The fact that, in the end, there is nothing we can do to prevent death.
d. We looked at some of Hollywood’s apparent concept of death.
i. Everyone ok
ii. Happy reunion for all
1. We know from scripture this in not true.
e. Critical to know the truth.
f. What God has to say about trying to contact the dead.
i. Through mediums
1. Don’t
ii. THE ONLY GOOD SPIRIT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT!
2. Reincarnation
i. Despite what Shirley claims, there is no biblical evidence.
3. Near Death Experiences
4. If Paul did die, then was revived.
a. Could be classified as near death experience.
5. If Stephen saw our Lord before he died and if Paul died and was caught up into paradise, it is just possible that other believers might also have such a vision.
a. Reports of seeing Christ, relatives long dead may have some validity.
i. Shouldn’t expect, but it may be possible.
6. Problem – Cannot accept without careful examination.
a. May or may not reflect true conditions of life beyond death.
b. Do they conform to the biblical picture of the hereafter?
c. Also, prior beliefs are essential en evaluating what was experienced.
i. More on this important aspect of our walk with Christ later.
7. MOST IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:
a. Satan will try to duplicate the same positive experiences for unbelievers that God gave to Stephen and Paul.
b. The Great Deceiver want people to think one’s relationship with Christ has no bearing on the beauty and bliss that awaits everyone.
i. If angels await those who have been made righteous by Christ, it is understandable that demonic spirits await those who enter eternity without God’s forgiveness and acceptance.
8. ABOUT THE LIGHT
a. God is light.
i. Don’t you think satan duplicates light of his own?
b. CANNOT EMPHAZIE ENOUGH THAT SATAN WISHES TO DISQUISE HIMSELF AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT!
i. 2Corinthains11:14 –“And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
9. IT’S NOT THE TRANSITION, BUT THE DESTINATION THAT REALLY COUNTS.
10. WE DO MUCH BETTER TO TRUST SOMEONE WHO WAS ACTUALLY DEAD, NOT SOMEONE WHO WAS JUST NEAR DEATH.
11. CHRIST is the only one who is qualified to tell us what we can expect on the other side.
12. We learned “Sheol and Hades” are one in the same
i. Neither is “Hell”
13. At this point in our study, in “Hades/Sheol” there are two regions.
14. WHAT IS HINTED AT IN THE OT IS MADE ABUNDANTLY CLEARER IN THE NT
15. The OT was written in Hebrew. The Hebrew word sheol is used for the realm of the dead in the OT.
16. The NT written in Greek. Sheol translated to “Hades.”.
a. In fact, when the whole OT was translated into Greek before the time of Christ, sheol was always translated “hades.” Similarly, when the NT quotes OT texts, sheol is always translated “hades”; they are one and the same.
17. NT “hades” is never used of the grave, but always refers to the world of departed spirits.
18. NT gives details about what hades is like for both believers and non-believers
19. Christ accepted the rabbi’s understanding that sheol, or hades, had two compartments.
a. To emphasize to greedy Pharisees how the fortunes of rich people might someday be reversed in the world to come,
i. Told a story that takes us behind the veil which separates the dead from the living.
20. READ LUKE 16:23-26
a. Point – Tormented rich man not in hades because he was rich.
i. Bible teaches riches, or lack of them does not dictate our eternal destiny.
b. Christ told story to jolt greedy Pharisees into realization that their riches cannot save them; poor people might be better off in the life to come.
i. We will expand on this more over the next few weeks.
c. Christ describing the radically different destinies of a believer and unbeliever.
i. Let’s focus on the fate of the rich man, trying to understand his predicament while his family was still enjoying the creature comforts of earth. Though we can be quite sure his family didn’t know it, he was in acute distress.
ii.
d. Remember the rich man Lutzer spoke of.. the one who for whom a “quick” funeral was prepared?
i. Both he and the rich man in the parable, and millions like them have discovered too late that their worldly influence could not save them; nor could their wealth and reputation extricate them from this bind. Instead of victors, they were now victims; rather than bragging about their freedom, they now had to confess their enslavement.
21. POINT ONE: The man was fully conscious immediately after death.
a. Memory, speaking, pain, and bliss – all of these were a part of his experience.
i. “Have mercy on me and sent Lazarus………
1. Still giving orders
a. Relationship continues
b. In hades, an alcoholic will thirst for a drop of liquor, but none will be given to him. The drug addict will crave a shot of heroin, but will not receive it. The immoral man will burn with sexual desire, but never be satisfied.
c. Perpetually burning lusts and desires never subside and the tortured conscience aches but is never sedated. There will be increased desire with decreased satisfaction.
i. Remember the funeral for the rich man Lutzer performed?
1. While his memory was respectfully honored, he was in pain he had smoldering needs that were unmeant. He had inflamed desires that were neither satisfied nor quenched
22. POINT TWO: The eternal destiny of this man was irrevocably fixed.
a. “Between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from there to us cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.”
i. Friends can leave funeral home, go out for dinner, plan a vacation etc.
1. Their friend in hades is confined, without any possibility of escape.
ii. The man had an overwhelming realization that his destiny was irrevocably fixed. And the future of his predicament became worse, never better.
23. POINT THREE: This man knew himself well enough to know that what he was experiencing was fair and just.
a. His entire life present to him.
i. His transfer did not diminish, but heighten his self-awareness.
ii. Begged Abraham to send Lazarus back to his father’s house, “For I have five brothers-that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.”
1. Recognized Lazarus and Abraham
2. Memory of brother/family
3. Concern for them
4. Realization of his errors
5. Aware of his torment
b. Apparently the man believed what was happening to him was just for two reasons.
i. First, never says anything about how unfair it is for him to be there.
1. Complains about the pain, but not injustice.
ii. Second, and more important, he knew exactly what his brothers would have to do if they were to avoid his own fate.
1. If they would repent, they would be kept from joining him in misery.
c. Incredibly, the man suddenly became interested in missions.
i. Begged Abraham to warn his five brothers
1. Realized unforgiven sin led to a place of agony.
ii. With his heightened perception and a better understanding, he could see that his relationship with Jesus should have been his highest priority.
d. Instead of wanting his brothers to join him in hades for the sake of companionship, he was more than willing to never see them again if only he knew they would be on the other side of the gulf.
i. Apparently even in hades there is great compassion, a natural human concern about the fate of those who are loved.
e. Abraham’s answer is instructive.
i. “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if some rises from the dead.”
f. JESUS TOLD THIS STORY BEFORE HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION.
i. Yet today, even though the evidence for His resurrections is overwhelming, as Abraham prophesized, many men and women still do not believe.
ii. Remembering the rich man Pastor Lutzer buried, if only he, not his son, had been able to tell Pastor Lutzer what to say at his funeral.
24. POINT FOUR: The rich man in Luke 16 was not yet in hell, but hades.
a. The Bible is clear that no one is yet in hell today. Someday, hades will be thrown into hell, but that has as yet not happened.
25. Read (Revelations 20:11-15)
26. SUMMARY
a. We learned “Sheol and Hades” are one in the same
i. Neither is “Hell”
b. At this point in our study, in “Hades/Sheol” there are two regions.
c. In either region, we maintain, with an apparent heightened awareness:
i. Our Memory
ii. Concern for those we love
iii. Recognition of others
iv. Awareness of our circumstances.
