A Sunday School teacher had spent a great deal of teaching her young class about the fact that doing “good works” could not buy them a place in heaven. To drive home her point she asked her class, "If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would I get into Heaven?"
"NO"! the children all answered.
"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would I get into Heaven"?
Again, the answer was "NO"!
"Well," she continued, "then how can I get to Heaven?"
In the back of the room, a 5 yr. old boy shouted out,
"You gotta be dead"!
(from a true story related by a young woman named Tina Miller)
APPLY: In this morning’s sermon we’re talking about two people who died.
One man went to Hell… and
One man went to Paradise or Abraham’s bosom.
One preacher I read said he could only find one time that Jesus ever spoke about Heaven. “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2
But by contrast that same preacher counted at least 11 times Jesus spoke about Hell.
(Stephen Cook – sermoncentral.com)
Now if I’d have been Jesus, I think that teaching about Heaven would be MORE important. After all, why wouldn’t my audience want to hear about what awaited them in heaven and what it would be like. But Jesus apparently believed we needed to know more about Hell than even heaven.
(PAUSE)
Here in Luke 16 we have Jesus telling us the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus. It’s the ONLY parable Jesus ever told about afterlife. He was explaining to His disciples what life would be like… after we die.
And once again, there seems to be a heavy emphasis on Hell.
We’re told in detail that
· It’s a place of torment “In hell, where he was in torment…” Luke 16:23
· It’s a place of thirst and agony and fire “… have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ Luke 16:24
· It’s a place where there is no hope, and from which there is no escape “And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ Luke16:26
· Or as Mark 9:48 describes it. It’s a place "where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
As I was preparing for this sermon a question came to my mind:
Why did Jesus tell this parable?
Now, it helps to realize that I meet with several preachers to plan and work on our sermons together. For the month of October we decided to do a series on Heaven and Hell. But as put the ideas on paper we occasionally came up with titles and ideas without having specific Scripture in mind to base the sermons on.
So the title of this morning’s sermon was “Why should I care?” and as I began looking through the various passages I could use, I happened upon this one in Luke 16, and was struck by the clarity of Jesus answer to that question "Why should I care?”
Jesus’ answer to that question was basically this:
You better care!
You better care, because you and I are going to spend eternity in one place or the other.
You and I are either going to spend eternity in heaven… or in hell.
And Jesus is telling us - Hell is real – and you don’t want to go there.
Now, all that leads up the hard part of the sermon for me.
As I was examining this text I was struck by something made me uncomfortable.
There was a teaching here that seemed to contradict everything I’d ever believed about the coming judgment and the afterlife.
To introduce you to this conflict I had, I’m going to give you a quiz.
Question #1: Why did the rich man go to hell?
(wait for a reply)
The parable basically implies the rich man went to hell because he didn’t help Lazarus.
Now for question #2 - which goes back to last Sunday’s sermon where we read about the last judgment where Jesus separated the sheep from the goats in Matthew 25.
Do you remember why Jesus sent the “Goats” (those on His left) away into eternal punishment?
Jesus explains in Matthew 25.
"Then (the Son of Man) will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
1. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat,
2. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
3. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in,
4. I needed clothes and you did not clothe me,
5. I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
"They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
"He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:41-45
So… the rich man goes to hell because he didn’t help Lazarus (and probably others like him), AND the goats go to hell because they didn’t help others who were like Lazarus.
Ahhh… excuse me. We’ve got a problem here.
The Bible explicitly teaches me that I am saved by grace… not works.
Ephesians 2 tells us:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
So, I can’t be saved by my good works, BUT Jesus tells us the Rich Man in Luke 16 and the Goats in Matthew 25 went to hell… because they DIDN’T DO GOOD WORKS!
That doesn’t make any sense!
Which is it?
Since - when I die - I either go to Heaven or Hell, and Jesus teaches me that I can go to Hell because I didn’t do good things, why does the Bible teach that I can’t be saved by Good works?
Well, it teaches that because both things are true.
1. I cannot be saved by my good works. It doesn’t matter how much good I do, I can’t force my way into heaven by my self-righteousness. I can’t accumulate so many brownie points on earth that I can approach the pearly gates, tip my hat to God and walk in without so much as a “by your leave” – because He couldn’t stop me if He wanted to. I deserved heaven. I bought heaven. It’s mine and no one can deny me.
I’m sorry, that defies all Scripture and all common sense.
2. But I can go to hell if I don’t do good works… that’s what the story of Lazarus and the rich man, and the story of the sheep and goats is all about.
This is how it works.
ILLUS: How many of you have been to a funeral?
As you approach the casket you’ll see numerous floral arrangements, and these floral displays use two different kinds of flowers.
§ First there are the bouquets of cut flowers.
§ And there are planters.
§ There’s generally more bouquets than planters because the florist can create a more impressive splash of color with those arrangements of cut flowers than they can with a planter.
However, both of these floral arrangements (the bouquets and the planters) have beautiful flowers and both mean a lot to the family of the deceased.
BUT NOW… wait about 6 weeks.
What happens to the cut flowers after that period of time? (they die)
What about the planters? (they are usually are still alive)
Why did the cut flowers die?
They died because (unlike the planted flowers) they DIDN’T have any roots.
Both sets of flowers had pretty fruits – the flowers, but the cut flowers died because they had no root.
It was the root that gave the plant its life… not the fruit
But both sets of flowers were on display at the funeral because of their fruit.
That’s why the mourners purchase them.
They want the flowers to be on display.
That’s what gives the gift its value.
You’ll never go to a funeral and see a bunch of stems sticking out of a planter with no flowers.
The root gives the flower its life, but the fruit (the pretty flowers) give the flower its usefulness in that setting.
Now let’s go back to Ephesians 2
Remember it told us in verses 8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
But then, in verse 10 it says: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do (what?) good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
Why does verse 10 say we were saved (created in Christ Jesus)???
To do good works!
But the previous verses tell us we’re not save by those good works.
So, we’re not saved BY good works.
But we are saved to DO good works.
You and I were not saved just so we could sit around and twiddle our thumbs all day. We were not saved to sit in a padded seat and go through a religious service every week and smile up at the preacher (not that I have anything against you smiling at me as I preach).
We were saved to get up off our backsides and DO SOMETHING!
James said it this way:
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?
Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that— and shudder.”
James 2:14-29
In other words: “You say you have a root in Jesus? Good. Show me you have a root by showing some fruit.”
In Matthew 21 we’re told that “Early in the morning, as (Jesus) was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’ Immediately the tree withered.”
Matthew 21:8-9
In the Gospel of Luke we have Jesus telling another parable.
"A man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig-tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’”
"‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig round it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’" Luke 13:6-9
The fig tree had no figs.
It was bearing no fruit.
Without that fruit it was worthless.
It was worthless because it wasn’t fulfilling the reason it had been planted to begin with.
We are HIS workmanship created in Christ Jesus for… Good Works.
The fig tree was planted to bear good fruit
We were saved to bear good fruit.
That’s why Hebrews tells us that we shouldn’t skip church.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25
One of the major reasons we should commit ourselves to meeting with each other is so we can help each other fulfill our purpose in Christ. So we can “spur one another on toward love and GOOD DEEDS.”
But we’re not doing these “Good deed” in order to be saved.
It’s not the good deeds that gives us life eternal.
It isn’t the fruit that saves us.
It’s the ROOT that saves us.
So, why then should I do good deeds?
You know, there are lots of well meaning Christians who mistakenly do good works out of fear. They’re afraid they won’t do enough to please God. They visualize God holding some kind of tally sheet that keeps track of their good deeds and their bad ones. And if the good deeds don’t outweigh the bad… they go to hell.
They do what they do out of fear.
But now… notice why the “Sheep” did what they did in Jesus story in Matthew 25:
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, YOU DID FOR ME.’ Matthew 25:34-40
These righteous people didn’t bear their good fruit in order to be saved, they bore their good fruit because they loved Jesus. They bore fruit, because they loved the root.
They bore good fruit, because they belonged to the root (Jesus)
AND it wasn’t their fruit that saved them… it was their root (in Jesus)
God doesn’t grade us on HOW MANY good works we do.
He’s just looking to see if we’re doing something for Him.
We’re not saved because of our fruit, we’re saved because we’re attached to the root. So, how do you get “attached” to this root?
1. You need to believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
2. You need to believe you’re a sinner and you need to REPENT.
"REPENT and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38
3. You need confess Him as your Lord, To make Him the owner and ruler of your life.
“That if you CONFESS with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
4. You need to be buried in the waters of BAPTISM and raised up a new creature.
“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:3-4
5. Then you need to LIVE for Him.
To those who by PERSISTENCE IN DOING GOOD seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. Romans 2:7
CLOSE: A man named Paul Leonard told a story paying his way through Ohio State University back during the Depression. His father had died during my senior year in high school, and his mother had become blind.
He wrote: “By night I was a taxi driver, and during the lunch and dinner hours I waited tables in a campus-dining hall. I made enough money to pay my expenses, but I had to always pinch pennies.
At lunch one day I was serving a table where faculty members were seated. As I returned to the table with my tray held high, the unthinkable happened! I slipped on a spot of gravy on the floor and watched helplessly as the plates slid off the tray, spilling onto an especially well-dressed man, one of my professors.
My heart sank. What could I do to atone?
I grabbed a towel to clean up the food, but I only spread the mess over more of my professor’s suit. He locked his eyes on me and asked, "Mr. Leonard, what are you going to do about this?"
"I’m so sorry sir. I’ll pay to have your suit cleaned," I responded.
"I don’t believe this suit can be dry cleaned, do you?" my professor countered.
It was badly stained. I could tell that. And who was I to question his judgment?
He had every right to be irritated. "Whatever it takes, sir." I answered.
Later that afternoon in his class I heard the dreaded words: "Paul Leonard, I’d lie to speak to you for a moment." After everyone else had left, he said simply, "Mr. Leonard, I believe it is only fair that you buy me a new suit."
"Yes, sir," I managed to say.
I agreed to meet him at a downtown Columbus men’s store the following day. I recognized the name of the store, and exclusive men’s clothier specializing in custom-tailored suits. I also knew that I could cover the expenses only if I were able to make payments over several months of work and scrimping.
"Oh there you are," the ever-proper professor remarked. He had arrived early. He already chosen the fabric and the tailor had already taken measurements. My professor, a regular customer, had apparently vouched for my trustworthiness because the clerk nonchalantly accepted the professor’s remark, "Mr. Leonard will be responsible for the bill, as I have indicated.
More than a little disorientated, I turned to follow my professor out of the door. Then he stopped. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.
"Yes sir," I responded. "It will take time, of course, but I…"
He interrupted me with words directed to the clerk. "Let’s see that Mr. Leonard is fitted for a suit just like mine. And put them both on my bill."
(from an article in “Lookout” magazine in 1990)
Paul Leonard didn’t deserve that suit. He hadn’t the money for it and he had done nothing to deserve it. In fact, by all rights, he would have ordinarily walked away from that clothing store a much poorer man. But because of the mercy of his professor he received a gift. A far greater gift than he would ever been to obtain on his own.
But now, what if Leonard had picked up his suit… and never wore it? Or, if he did wear it - he used it to work out in the yard or change the oil in his car. By his actions he would prove to his professor that the gift meant nothing to him and that the price for the suit was of no consideration to him.
What he would do with that gift would reflect how much he loved and appreciated the kindness of that professor. In the same way, the way we treat the free gift of our salvation will reflect how much we love and appreciate the mercy of our Father.
It wasn’t Leonard’s appreciation that bought him that suit however.
It was the mercy and grace of someone else who paid the price.
In the same – it isn’t the fruit that saves us, it’s the root.
It’s the blood of Jesus that was shed for us on Calvary.
(Give invitation)
