As Cindy and I travel to assembly each Sunday a preacher comes on the radio. His opening words every week begin with: “ If I had to give this message a title it would be” and then he gives us the title. I chuckle every week- I don’t know why. Maybe because he is so predictable. So this week I am going to say” If I had to give this message a title, “ I would call it heaven or hell the choices are ours”
As we age we should begin to think about “the hereafter”. It happened to me the other night in the kitchen for midnight snack and after I stood there for several minutes- I asked myself What am I here after.
I say choices because our path to either destination is governed by the choices we make. For example, if one makes the choice in an assembly with everybody’s eyes closed to raise their hand and repeat the sinner’s prayer, well I am sorry but I do not see in the Scripture where we are saved by the “sinner’s prayer” or that we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at the end of it..
More importantly, if we believe we are saved by “faith alone” adhering to the modern plan of salvation and reject Baptism in the watery grave, because it is works-I do not see that we have followed God’s plan of salvation.
If after been baptized and we believe we are now saved forever-we must discard the truth of God that teaches us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling as disregard Paul’s words in Phil. 2:12
And If we call ourselves a Child of God a Christian but continue to be friends with the world-NOT cooperating with the Spirit in His sanctifying work-and live like the devil then we are trampling on God’s Grace.
1 Pet 13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
With that said, I want you to know we can be assured of our salvation.
Rom 8 Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. And v 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
If any of you have any uncertainty please talk to one of us and we will guide you onto the narrw path of eternal life.
In America’s churches today people like to be encouraged…...So I decided today to preach an uplifting message of encouragement.
Therefore, Today’s text will examine two deaths.
A well known comedian observed that the #1 fear for Americans was Public speaking” and the 2nd was of dying. The way I interpret that is that most of us would rather be in the casket than deliver the eulogy or this message.
Visitors to the Fuji islands tell of a strange custom known as “the calling to death”. The bereaved climbs to a high tree or cliff and cries out pathetically the name of the deceased and “come back- come back.”
But there is no answer-there is only the silence from one the who is gone. Friends those people are without God and without hope as they live in this world and they have no hope after death in the world to come- they are hopeless.
People in America will spend a fortune when they get a Dx that is terminal to prolong their life-won’t they?
I read a story of a man who was Dx with ca. When he asked the doc how much time did he have the doc said 6 months best case scenario. The man lamented about how short that time really was. The doc said here is what you do-move to the hills of TN find a widow woman with 6 or seven children living in a one room cabin and marry her. THOSE 6 MONTHS will seem like 30 years!
Pray- Prepare our minds to be encouraged today as we contemplate our own passing from this world into eternal life. May we make life choices that bring you honor and glory. In Jesus name, Amen
Our Text today comes from Luke 16: 19-31
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
There are 30 recorded parables from Jesus in the synoptic gospels. There are no names given. I do not see this passage as a parable I see it as a true story Jesus told. Why. does Jesus name Lazarus? Because Jesus knew Lazarus! Now this is not the brother of Mary and Martha who lived in Bethel. This is NOT the Lazarus Jesus raised from the dead after several days. Although this Lazarus was certainly raised.
WHY did Jesus call Lazurus’ by his name? Because his name was written in the book of life. It becomes obvious that Lazuras was and is and ALWAYS will be a child of God. I will bet that Lazurus heard the words recorded in MT. 25:21
‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
So Lazarus was laid at the rich man’s gate. Now the text doesn’t tell us if he was dropped off like a stray dog to remain forever.
Maybe whoever dumped him had hope that this rich man would parcel out some scraps for this helpless destitute man. Lazarus longed for just a few scraps from the rich man’s table. Unfortunately, the word used for longing describes an unfulfilled desire.
Oh ! how Lazarus who had nothing to give would be blessed for a chop from that wonderful rack of lamb or any leftover scrap. But No all he got was some old stray dirty dogs who licked his sores (who were probably also just dropped off) and even if he did get a scrap-he was probably too weak to fight off the dogs. But Lazarus longed for what he never received.
What a contrast from the rich man- who wore “purple clothes” Purple describes a fine, expensive dye used on luxurious clothing, who dined sumptuously for every meal It is a picture of someone with great wealth eating delectable and extremely expensive food.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, 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.’
Lazurus died (one would assume from starvation) and the angels came. That is worth repeating the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side also referred to as the “Bosom of Abraham” It reminds me of the song Swing low, Sweet chariot- 1 I looked over Jordan, and what did I see,
Coming for to carry me home.
A band of angels coming after me,
Coming for to carry me home.
Lazarus is in the home of the righteous, also referred to as Paradise in Lk 23:43. Some call it the angelic heaven. His faith like Abraham’s, the thief on the cross and so many others has been credited to them as righteousness, because He died in O.T. times. He is experiencing what Paul describes in 1 Cor. 2: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him—
The rich man also died and he is in torment.
The rich man is unknown by Jesus and he is only called the “rich man” throughout the entire text and according to our next verse probably heard these words recorded in Mt. 25:41 ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. “For I was hungry and thirsty you gave me nothing to eat or drink and if you did not do it for them-then you did not do it for me either.”
Just a few of the verses that describe where the rich man NOW finds himself: Rev. 21:8 the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Mt. 25:46 a place of eternal punishment. 2 Thes. 21:9 punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. Mt. 13:50 throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jude 1:7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
Hell is a place where one wishes they could die, but they too have inherited a body imperishable and will face eternity in misery.
Hades or Hell is the place to which the wicked went and will go. It is those who refused to have a working faith in God during the O.T. times and today who reject Jesus Christ as Lord, His ministry and His redemtive work on the cross.
Now in v 23 the rich man in torment sees Abraham and Lazarus by his side. I guess he is still thinking he is “All that and more” like he is still a high ranking wealthy person of importance” So he has the audacity to ask him to send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool his tongue. When, my children would ask for things that were unrealistic. I would often respond with these words: and the people in Hell want ice water.
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
Maybe you have heard it before: you can’t get there frome here!
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
The Law and the Prophets constitute the whole of the O.T. The rich man failed to hold to the truth and by faith believe it and live a righteous, just and upright life. He chose a selfish, pleasure filled life all about him for a season and after a very short season of Sumptuous eating and life’s luxuries he was cast into Hell for eternity.
You see if we choose to reject the transcendental truth of God over time our hearts will become hardened. We will reach a point where NO EVIDENCE Not even the truth of the historical Christ will change our minds. Jesus was raised from the dead and HE is coming back!
INVITATION
Unfortunately, we live in a SEA OF SINFUL HUMANITY . In this fallen world we will have worries, fears, anxieties, sickness, depression and all kinds of disorders.
We will sin and we will be sinned against. We will be scarred and our sin will scar others. I said “Heaven or Hell the CHOICES belong to US.”
Now the hard stuff: We must allow Jesus to set us free from pain and hurt we have been injured by and forgive those who have sinned against us or we run the risk of NOT being forgiven and end up with the “rich man” eternally separated from God. AS we forgive so shall we be forgiven.
We must flee from self -righteousness and judgment and focus our attention on our eternal home.
Invitation
Our first step is to trust that Jesus Christ is Lord by faith, repent of our sins, confess to the church and to the world-Christ is Lord and be baptized. (Immersed in the watery grave of salvation) Then we must grow, by joining the Holy Spirit to develop His fruit in our lives.
