Sermons about Heaven: March 14, 2010
Sermon #3: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Part #1:
Introduction:
In an INDIANA CEMENTARY is a TOMBSTONE that is MORE than 100 YEARS OLD & it has this EPITAPH written upon it.
Pause stranger when you pass me by;
As you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, so you will be;
Prepare yourself to follow me.
& a YOUNG MAN came along & WROTE a FEW LINES BENEATH the POEM.
To follow you I am not content;
Until I know which way you went.
That’s a PRETTY GOOD EPITAPH right there, isn’t it?
Did you KNOW that there is an ORGANIZATION called AFTER LIFE TELEGRAMS?
They offer to DELIVER MESSAGES to the DEAD for $10 a WORD with a 5 WORD MINIMUM. & the WAY they DO THIS is they GIVE THESE MESSAGES to TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS who PROMISE to DELIVER the MESSAGES upon PASSING into the AFTER LIFE.
That is actually TRUE.
In the FINE PRINT of the AGREEMENT however, it WARNS CUSTOMERS that they CANNOT GUARANTEE the MESSAGES will GET THROUGH because the TRUTH is, AFTER LIFE TELEGRAMS SOLEMNLY WARNS, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE DIES.
ALEXANDER STEWART , a GRIEF COUNSELOR, has said there are basically TWO THINGS MOST PEOPLE WANT to KNOW about their DECEASED LOVED ONES.
#1: WHERE ARE THEY?
& #2: HOW IS IT GOING WITH THEM?
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
That is a QUESTION a LOT of FOLKS has ASKED ME when I have tried to COMFORT them in their GRIEF. WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Apparently there were THOSE WHO LIVED in the NEW TESTAMENT TIMES who were just as CONCERNED ABOUT THAT QUESTION as we are TODAY.
Do you REMEMBER when PAUL WROTE to the THESSALONIANS & he was WRITING to them because of the QUESTIONS in THEIR MINDS concerning DEATH & the AFTER LIFE.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 ‘My brethern, I would not have you ignorant concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.’
Now PAUL WASN’T TALKING ABOUT THEM FALLING to SLEEP like we FALL to SLEEP AT NIGHT.
The TERM “FALLING ASLLEP” is a SOFTENED TERM for a CHRISTIAN’S DEATH.
It is USED OFTEN in the SCRIPTURES to DESCRIBE a CHRISTIAN WHO DIES.
For instance, do you remember when LAZARUS was RAISED FROM THE GRAVE?
JESUS said about LAZARUS:
St. John 11:11 ‘These things HE said & after that HE said to them, Our friend LAZARUS SLEEPS.’
LAZARUS WASN’T ASLEEP, HE WAS DEAD!
He has BEEN IN THE GRAVE for 4 DAYS.
& then there was DAVID in the OLD TESTAMENT & we READ OF HIM in the book of ACTS 13:36 It says:
“After he had served his own generation by the will of GOD he FELL ASLEEP & was buried with his fathers & saw corruption.’
In the NEW TESTAMENT this PHRASE, ‘TO FALL ASLEEP” when it refers to a CHRISTIAN is referring to DYING.
& it is really a VERY INTERESTING WORD in the GREEK LANGUAGE.
It MEANS to RECLINE.
It is the SAME WORD that is USED for SOMEONE who SLEPT in a HOTEL for just ONE NIGHT & then the NEXT DAY they would GET UP & go on with their journey.
It is a BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATION of WHAT HAPPENS to a CHRISTIAN when they DIE; their BODY GOES TO SLEEP & it is PUT INTO THE HOTEL WAITING for the TIME when the RESURRECTION of the SAINTS of GOD will happen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Now EVERYTIME someone ASKS ME WHERE ARE THEY NOW?’ the 1ST THING I have to TELL THEM is:
THEIR BODY IS ASLEEP:
THEIR BODY has DIED & THEIR BODY is in the GRAVE.
& every time we PASS the CEMENTARY we’re REMINDED of WHAT HAPPENS to a PERSON’S BODY when they DIE, THEIR BODY goes into the GRAVE.
But THAT is NOT the ISSUE.
The ISSUE is ABOUT the REAL PERSON.
Because we all KNOW that the BODY is NOT the REAL PERSON.
The BODY is just the HOUSE which the REAL PERSON LIVES.
The BODY is just the SHELL in which the REAL PERSON RESIDES.
So WHEN THIS BODY GOES TO SLEEP & GOES into the GRAVE, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REAL PERSON?
The BIBLE GIVES US THE ANSWER:
In the MESSAGE this morning I want us to take a LOOK at these 3 POINTS:
TWO PEOPLE
TWO PLACES
TWO PRINCIPLES
In order for us to GET OUR ARMS AROUND THIS SUBJECT & EMBRACE IT I want you to look with me at a PASSAGE of SCRIPTURE which many of us are FAMILIAR WITH.
Luke 16:
There we have the STORY which is USUALLY REFERRED TO as the RICH MAN & LAZARUS the BEGGAR.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
So we START with TWO PEOPLE:
LAZARUS & the RICH MAN:
& as we LOOK at this STORY we will SEE THESE TWO MEN in kind of in SPLIT SCREENS.
They are CONTRASTED WITH EACH OTHER in THREE WAYS.
We will WATCH THEM in THEIR LIFE.
We will SEE THEM in THEIR DEATH.
& we will SEE THEM AFTER THEIR DEATH in THEIR ETERNITY.
1ST we just get a LITTLE SNAPSHOT of them in THEIR LIFETIME.
Here are these TWO MEN as they are CONTRASTED in THEIR LIFE.
Luke 16:19-21
‘There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple & in fine linen & he fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named LAZARUS, who was full of sores, who laid at his gate desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came & licked his sores.’
Now when ABRAHAM spoke of the RICH MAN in VERSE 26 he said that
‘In his lifetime the RICH MAN had received the good things.’ He KNEW the GOOD LIFE. He fared SUMPTOUSLY EVERY DAY.
The WORD SUMPTOUSLY MEANS FLAMBOUANT, BRILLANTLY.
He was OUTWARDLY WEALTHY.
Then there was LAZARUS who was COMPARATIVELY UNIMPRESSIVE. He was as POOR as the RICH MAN was RICH. He was EXTREMELY POOR.
LAZARUS was both SICK & HUNGRY.
His SORES could have been BOUND & DRESSED by the RICH MAN’S OINTMENT but INSTEAD they were LICKED by the DOGS.
Every day LAZARUS was left LAYING at the GATE of the RICH MAN just to BEG for SOME FOOD.
We DON’T have a HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT.
We see SOMETHING LIKE THAT all the time.
LAZARUS was HOPING for ONLY a FEW CRUMBS that could be THROWN in HIS DIRECTION.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
So there we have the SNAPSHOT of these TWO MEN & THEIR LIVES.
The RICH MAN was COVERED in PURPLE & in FINE LINEN.
& the POOR MAN, LAZARUS, was COVERED ONLY in SORES.
The RICH MAN FARED SUMPTUOUSLY & the POOR MAN, LAZARUS DESIRED to BE FED with the CRUMBS.
The RICH MAN had MANY SERVANTS; LAZARUS had ONLY the DOGS to CARE for HIM.
TWO MEN CONTRASTED in LIFE. & the CURTAIN COMES DOWN on SCENE ONE:
SCENE TWO:
The NEXT TIME we SEE these TWO MEN is in DEATH.
TWO MEN CONTRASTED in DEATH:
1st we READ of the DEATH of LAZARUS:
Luke 16:22 ‘So it was that the beggar, LAZARUS, died & he was carried by the angels into ABRAHAM’S bosom.’
It seems from READING the STORY that LAZARUS DIED 1ST.
There was NO REFERENCE to the BURIAL of LAZARUS. It simply says that he DIED.
MORE THAN LIKELY his BODY WASN’T BURIED because IN THOSE DAYS when a POOR PERSON who was a BEGGAR DIED they would either PUT HIM in the POTTER’S FIELD or MORE THAN LIKELY they would THROW HIM in a PLACE CALLED GEHENA which was the NAME of the DUMP LOCATED OUTSIDE the CITY.
So MORE THAN LIKELY, LAZARUS’ BODY was DISPOSED OF in this DUMP. But the BIBLE says:
LAZARUS’ REAL SELF was CARRIED to ABRAHAM’S BOSOM.
& then we have the DEATH of the RICH MAN in VERSE 22 & at the END of the VERSE is very BRIEFLY DISCRIBED.
‘& the RICH MAN also died & was buried.’
Now it is NOT HARD to IMAGINE the VERY LAVISH FUNERAL that the RICH MAN had.
MANY, MANY, EULOGIES: about the THINGS he had either DONE or NOT DONE in HIS LIFETIME.
But REGARDLESS of ALL of his RICHES & ALL of his GOOD DEEDS he may have done he COULD NOT BUY ONE EXTRA DAY of his life.
So SCENE TWO comes to a CLOSE.
TWO MEN in their DEATH; NOTICE the CONTRAST.
ONE is CAST AWAY as the GARBAGE of LIFE while the OTHER is LIFTED UP in a very MAGNIFICENT WAY.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SCENE THREE:
Now we go to SCENE #3 & there we will SEE SOMETHING that we will NEVER SEE AGAIN in the BIBLE.
The ONLY WAY we are ABLE to SEE THIS is THROUGH the EYES of the LORD JESUS as HE is the ONE TELLING the STORY.
But PLEASE NOTE that this is NOT A PARRABLE.
This is a REAL STORY. In ALL of the PARRABLES that JESUS told HE NEVER EVER USED one’s PERSONAL NAME of the INDIVIDUAL.
In THIS STORY JESUS calls ONE of the PEOPLE by THEIR NAME, LAZARUS.
& this is NOT the LAZARUS that JESUS RAISED from the DEAD. It was ANOTHER MAN by THAT NAME.
But it was APPARENTLY a MAN that JESUS KNEW PERSONALLY by THAT NAME.
JESUS TOLD THIS STORY as AN EYE WITNESS to NOT ONLY their LIVES & their DEATHS but also to WHAT HAPPENED to THEM AFTER THEIR DEATHS.
The STORY is ABOUT to LAY a FOUNDATION for us to UNDERSTAND what HAPPENS WHEN OUR LOVED ONES DIE.
The BIBLE TEACHES that BEFORE the ASCENSION of JESUS CHRIST there was an IMMEDIATE PLACE where the SOULS of MEN & WOMEN went at their DEATH.
This PLACE is COMPOSED of THREE COMPARTMENTS.
There was ABRAHAM’S BOSUM.
There was the GREAT GULF FIXED.
& there was HELL the PLACE of TORMENT.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
PLACE #1: ABRAHAM’S BOSUM:
Now ABRAHAM’S BOSUM we are told is called PARADISE.
It is the PLACE where the RIGHTEOUS DEAD go.
According to THIS STORY it is a PLACE of COMFORT.
Luke 16:25 ‘LAZARUS is COMFORTED in this place.
When LAZARUS DIES his BODY goes into the GRAVE & HE goes to PARADISE.
It is also a PLACE of LOVE & COMPANIONSHIP.
LAZARUS is PICTURED in the BOSUM of ABRAHAM.
The ANGELS took LAZARUS to PARADISE IMMEDIATELY after his DEATH.
When LAZARUS DIED his BODY went into the GRAVE or WHEREVER they put his BODY & HIS SOUL & SPIRIT went to PARADISE.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
PLACE #2:
There is also a PLACE of TORMENT.
It is also called HADES or HELL & into THIS PLACE the SOULS of the WICKED DEAD go.
The RICH MAN who was SO FLAMBOYLANT in HIS LIFE, went to THIS PLACE & it REPRESENTS the DESTINATION of ALL who FAIL to PLACE THEIR TRUST in JESUS CHRIST.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
PLACE #3:
& then in BETWEEN PARADISE & HADES we are TOLD in the SCRIPTURE that there is a GREAT GULF FIXED. According to JESUS there is a CHASM or a GORGE BETWEEN these TWO PLACES that CANNOT BE CROSSED under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
But let’s TAKE NOTICE to WHAT is HAPPENING to these TWO MEN.
ONE of them DIED & went to PARADISE. & ONE of them DIED & went to HADES, (GREEK) or to HELL. (ENGLISH)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Back to the SCRIPTURES now & NOTICE LAZARUS in ETERNITY.
Luke 16: ‘So it was that the beggar died & was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.’
1ST of all NOTICE, that when the BEGGAR DIED, GOD sent HIS ANGELS to TAKE him to PARADISE.
What a COMFORT to KNOW that the ANGELS COME & TAKE US to HEAVEN.
I have HEARD the DYING PROCLAIM they SAW ANGELS & sometimes PEOPLE who DO NOT KNOW the SCRIPTURES THINK they are TALKING OUT of MIND.
They are TALKING in the SPIRIT!
ABRAHAM’S BOSOM is another TERM for PARADISE & it REPRESENTS the PLACE where the SOUL & SPIRIT of the OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WENT when they DIED.
This is STILL an OLD TESTAMENT STORY because JESUS had NOT YET DIED on the CROSS.
LAZARUS DIES & his BODY probably was THROWN INTO the DUMP but the ANGELS CAME & they TOOK his SOUL & his SPIRIT to ABRAHAM’S BOSUM, PARADISE.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Now let’s LOOK at the RICH MAN in his ETERNITY.
1ST NOTE that he is in a PLACE of MISERY:
Luke 16: 23-24 ‘& being in torments in hell he lifted up his eyes & he saw Abraham afar off & Lazarus in his bosom & he cried & he said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me & send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water & cool my tongue for I am tormented in these flames.’
Some people ASK, ‘Where in the BIBLE does it say that WHEN YOU DIE you GO to HELL & there are FLAMES?’
But it is RIGHT THERE; a PICTURE of it. This MAN is in TORMENT & he is in FLAMES.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Now the RICH MAN is NOT LOST BECAUSE he is RICH.
& LAZARUS is NOT SAVED BECAUSE he is POOR.
We MUST ASSUME that the RICH MAN DID NOT BELIEVE in JESUS CHRIST while LAZARUS DID.
& it is BECAUSE of THEIR FAITH that their ETERNAL DESTINY is FIXED.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE that in MANY RESPECTS the RICH MAN & LAZARUS have CHANGED PLACES.
WATCH WHAT HAPPENS:
This PROUD & ARROGANT MAN has BECOME the BEGGAR in ETERNITY.
The ONE who in LIFE had DENIED the POOR MAN a CRUMB from his TABLE is NOW BEGGING for just ONE DROP of WATER.
The ONE who in HIS LIFETIME had fared SUMPTUOUSLY every day would NOW BE HAPPY with JUST ONE DROP of WATER to COOL HIS TONGUE.
He is in a PLACE of MISERY.
& NOTICE 2NDLY that he is in a PLACE of MEMORY.
Luke 16: 25 “& Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received the good things & likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted & you are tormented.’
This VERSE INDICATES that HELL is a PLACE of MEMORY.
He LIFTS UP HIS EYES & he SEES LAZARUS & he is CONSCIOUS of WHAT he has MISSED.
ONE of the TORTUES of HELL is to LOOK ACROSS the GULF & to VIEW the COMFORTS & the BLESSINGS of THOSE who were FAITHFUL to CHRIST.
I BELIEVE that THROUGHTOUT ALL ETERNITY the LOST will be CONSTANTLY REMINDED of WHAT they MISSED BECAUSE he REJECTED GOD.
I BELIEVE they will REMEMBER the CHURCH SERVICES where they HEARD the GOSPEL & the HOLY SPIRIT was WORKING with them but they REJECTED it & in ETERNITY it will FOREVER REPLAY in their MEMORY.
They had a CHANCE & perhaps MANY CHANCES to BE in PARADISE. They DID NOT have to BE in HELL.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
HELL is a PLACE of MISERY & of MEMORY & then
3RDLY HELL is a PLACE of MOURNING:
Matthew 16: 27-31 ‘Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore father, that you would send him, Lazarus, to my father’s house; for I have 5 brothers that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses & the prophets, let them hear them.’ & he said, ‘No Father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead they will repent.’ & Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses & the prophets, neither would they be persuaded if somebody came back from the grave.’
LISTEN to the POWER of the WORD of GOD:
It is MORE POWERFUL than SOMEONE COMING BACK from the DEAD according to JESUS.
The RICH MAN REPRESENTS the LOST that are NOW in HELL.
He was ALIVE & he was CONSCIOUS & he was in FULL EXERCIZE of his MEMORY & he is in TORMENT.
There were TWO PEOPLE:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Now NOTICE there was TWO PLACES:
NOTICE the PROGRESSION of WHERE they ARE NOW:
1st of all the RICH MAN is in an INTERMEDIATE HELL: a TEMPORARY HOLDING PLACE:
So far as the UNSAVED DEAD are concerned, they CONTINUE in this PLACE called HELL UNTIL a PARTICULAR TIME in the FUTURE.
At the JUDGMENT of the GREAT WHITE THRONE, HELL GIVES THEM UP & they are then JUDGED & SENTENCED into the LAKE of FIRE.
WHERE is THAT FOUND?
Revelation 20:13-14 ‘& the sea gave up the dead who were in it & death & HELL delivered up the dead who were in them & they were judged, each one according to his works & death & HELL were cast into the LAKE of FIRE. This is the 2nd death.’
Here is WHAT HAPPENS:
When a PERSON DIES TODAY & they DO NOT KNOW JESUS their BODY goes into the GRAVE & their SOUL & SPIRIT goes to this INTERMEDIATE HELL.
Then ONE DAY AFTER the JUDGMENT, HELL according to the SCRIPTURE will be CAST into the LAKE of FIRE which is the PERMANENT HELL.
There is MOURNING & WEEPING & WAILING FOREVER & EVER.
Do I BELIEVE in a PERMANENT HELL?
If there is NO PERMANENT HELL then there CANNOT BE a PERMANENT HEAVEN because the BIBLE says FAR MORE ABOUT HELL in the NEW TESTAMENT than it says about HEAVEN.
There is SUCH A PLACE:
& HELL is a PLACE where NO ONE WANTS to GO:
You can say, ‘I DON’T BELIEVE THAT.’
But NOT BELIEVING IT WON’T MAKE IT UNTRUE!
Whether WE BELIEVE IT or DON’T BELIEVE IT; IT is STILL TRUE.
& it is going to BE A PLACE where you can see from this RICH MAN that we WOULD NOT WANT TO GO & neither would we WANT ANYONE WE LOVE to GO THERE either.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Now NOTICE the INTERMEDIATE HEAVEN: PARADISE
EVERY FAITHFUL FOLLOWER of GOD that DIED BEFORE the ASCENSION of CHRIST went to PARADISE.
WHEN a BELIVER DIES in the OLD TESTAMENT their BODY went into the GRAVE & their SOUL & SPIRIT went to a PLACE called PARADISE. JESUS told the THIEF on the CROSS, ‘Ths day thou shall be with ME in PARADISE.’
But WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS & HE was BURIED & HE AROSE AGAIN on the DAY of HIS ASCENSION SOMETHING CHANGED.
I WANT us to LOOK at
Ephesians 4: 8-10 ‘Therefore HE says, when HE ascended on high, HE led captivity captive & gave gifts to men. Now this HE ascended, what does this mean that HE also 1st descended into the lower parts of the earth. HE also descended is the one who ascended far above all the heavens that HE might fill all things.’
Here is WHAT the BIBLE says:
When JESUS ASCENDED BACK to HEAVEN AFTER HIS DEATH --- HE WENT into the EARTH & HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE.
HE WENT into PARADISE & HE TOOK ALL the PEOPLE that were in PARADISE & HE TOOK THEM WITH HIM UP to the 3RD HEAVEN.
PARADISE is NO LONGER an INTERMEDIATE PLACE. (ABRAHAM’S BOSUM)
PARADISE is WITH GOD in HEAVEN.
JESUS TOOK ALL of THOSE WHO were in PARADISE --- ALL of the OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
