HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO TAKE SIDES! WE CAN SOMETIMES FIND HUMOR IN SUCH ENDEAVORS LIKE DEBATING WHETHER IT IS PRONOUNCED “POTATOE” OR “PATATTA,” “CARRIBIAN” OR “CARRA-BEAN” OR EVEN “NEVADA” OR “NUH-VADA.”
WE ALWAYS DESIRE TO BE RIGHT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIDE WHICH IS GOD’S SIDE! JOSHUA 24:14-15, “…SERVE THE LORD ALONE. BUT IF YOU REFUSE TO SERVE THE LORD, THEN CHOOSE TODAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE. WOULD YOU PREFER THE GODS YOUR ANCESTORS SERVED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES? OR WILL IT BE THE GODS OF THE AMORITES IN WHOSE LAND YOU NOW LIVE? BUT AS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”
WE NOT ONLY MAKE THE CHOICE TO SERVE THE LORD, BUT WE RESIST THE WORLD’S IDEOLOGY AND MAKE THE CHOICE TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE THINGS OF GOD. COLOSSIANS 3:2, 5, “THINK ABOUT THE THINGS OF HEAVEN, NOT THE THINGS OF EARTH…SO PUT TO DEATH THE SINFUL, EARTHLY THINGS LURKING WITHIN YOU.”
ONE OF OUR OTHER GREAT CHOICES IS WHERE WE INTEND TO SPEND ETERNITY. OUR TEACHINGS FROM JESUS REMINDS US OF THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF PREPARING FOR THE END OF EARTHLY LIFE. WE NOT ONLY PREPARE FOR OUR OWN, BUT HELP OTHERS PREPARE. THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION.
WE MUST MAKE THE MOST OF THE TIME AS PAUL WROTE IN 2 CORINTHIANS 6:2, “…THE “RIGHT TIME” IS NOW. TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.” WE SHOULD NOT DELAY OR BECOME SOFTENED TOWARD THE GIFT OF TIME THAT IS GIVEN TO US BY GOD.
2 PETER 3:9, TELLS US “THE LORD…IS LONGSUFFERING TOWARD US, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.”
THE FACT THAT GOD IS LONGSUFFERING MEANS THAT EACH OF US HAS BEEN AFFORDED SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR AND UNDERSTAND THE GOSPEL WITH ADEQUATE TIME TO RESPOND TO THE CALL OF GOD IN OUR LIVES. THIS LIFE IS THE TIME FOR REPENTANCE; THIS WORLD IS THE PLACE FOR PREPARING OUR SOULS AND THE SOULS OF OTHERS FOR THEIR ETERNAL DESTINY.
WE SEE THIS DICHOTOMY OF TWO ETERNAL DESTINATIONS IN OUR PARABLE OF “THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.” THERE IS THE REWARDING COMFORT OF HEAVEN LAZARUS WAS ENJOYING AND THE TORTURING FLAMES OF HELL THAT HAD THE RICH MAN IN AGONY.
THE RICH MAN TEACHES US A FEW POIGNANT LESSONS ABOUT HIS DISPOSITION OF AGONY AND TORMENT. I SEE THREE LESSONS: ONE: THE GREAT CHASM OF CHOICE. TWO: HEED AND OBEY THE GREAT COMMISSION. THREE: HEED AND OBEY THE TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE.
FIRST “LESSON FROM HELL:” THE GREAT CHASM OF CHOICE. THE RICH MAN TEACHES THAT IT WAS HIS EARTHLY DECISION THAT KEPT HIM ANCHORED TO THE ETERNAL REALITY OF HIS CHOICES.
THE TRAGIC REALITY OF THE RICH MAN’S CHOICE SHOWS THAT THE COMING JUDGMENT IS FIXED AND PERMANENT FOR THOSE WHO REJECT GOD. THE MOMENT OF OUR DEATH, WITHOUT SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, COMES THE IMMEDIATE AND PERMANENT REALITY OF RECEIVING AND ENDURING AN IRREVERSIBLE FATE.
ETERNAL TORMENT IS IN STORE FOR THOSE WHO KNOW OF GOD’S REDEMPTION, BUT HAVE MADE THE CHOICE NOT TO RESPOND TO HIM IN THIS LIFE. WHEN WE STAND BEFORE GOD, HIS JUDGMENT WILL BE MADE SOLELY ON THE CHOICE WE MADE HERE ON EARTH WHICH WILL BE IRREVERSABLE UPON THE MOMENT OF OUR DEATH.
NO PERSON, ONCE THEY’VE STEPPED ACROSS THE THRESHOLD OF ETERNITY, CAN CHANGE THEIR SPIRITUAL STATE OR DESTINATION. THE WORD “CHASM” REFERS TO AN “UNBRIDGEABLE SPACE” WHICH MEANS ETERNITY IS A PERMANENT AND UNCHANGEABLE LOCATION.
OUR FIRST LESSON FROM HELL IS THE GREAT CHASM OF CHOICE: USING THE TIME WE HAVE NOW TO SURRENDER TO JESUS, DIE TO SELF, AND REMAIN AWAKE TO THE GOSPEL AND TO OUR ETERNAL DESTINY.
OUR SECOND LESSON FROM HELL IS TO HEED AND OBEY THE GREAT COMMISSION! THE RICH MAN THOUGHT OF HIS FIVE BROTHERS AND WANTS LAZARUS TO GO BACK AND WARN THEM. HE ASKS TO COME BACK FROM THE DEAD TO WARN OTHERS OF HELL’S REALITY.
ALTHOUGH HIS INTENTIONS ARE NOTEWORTHY, BEING ALREADY IN ETERNITY IS TOO LATE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. HIS INTEREST IN THE SALVATION OF HIS FAMILY SHOULD HAVE COME SOONER – WHEN HE WAS STILL WITH HIS BROTHERS TO TELL THEM HIMSELF.
SPIRITUALLY DISCIPLINED AND STRIVING AFTER HOLINESS, WE LIVE AS EFFECTIVE WITNESSES TO THE WORLD. WHEN TRULY CONCERNED FOR OUR FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, AND OTHERS, WE WILL TELL THEM NOW! WE WILL FIND A WAY AND MAKE A WAY TO SPEAK!
MARK 16:15-16, “GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOOD NEWS TO EVERYONE. ANYONE WHO BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED. BUT ANYONE WHO REFUSES TO BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED.” WE LIVE IN URGENCY OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL NOW…TODAY…IN BOTH WORD AND DEED.
OUR LAST “LESSON FROM HELL” IS THE RESPONSE OF ABRAHAM IN VERSE 29 TO THE RICH MAN’S PLEA TO EVANGELIZE. HE SAID, “MOSES AND THE PROPHETS HAVE WARNED THEM. YOUR BROTHERS CAN READ WHAT THEY WROTE.” WE MUST STUDY AND KNOW THE BIBLE!
THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH SAYS THIS, “THE BIBLE IS OUR SOURCE FOR DISCOVERING HOW WE MAY GROW. IT IS THE CHRISTIAN’S “GROWTH MANUAL.” IT MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AS THE FINAL AUTHORITY FOR OUR LIVES; THEREFORE, IT OUGHT TO BE READ AND DILIGENTLY STUDIED FOR ITS MEANING. GOD WILL SPEAK TO GROWING CHRISTIANS THROUGH ITS PAGES IF THEY ARE LISTENING. THE VALUE AND MEANING OF LIFE ARE FOUND IN THIS BOOK. THE PRAYERFUL STUDY AND APPLICATION OF SCRIPTURE IS A MEANS OF CLEANSING AND OF CHANGING ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR.”
WE WITNESS EFFECTIVELY WHEN WE CAN EFFECTIVELY SPEAK AND SHARE THE WORD OF GOD. WE DIGEST SCRIPTURE TO GAIN WISDOM, FIND HOPE, DIFFERENTIATE TRUTH FROM ERROR, AND APPLY GOD'S PRINCIPLES TO LIVE A TRANSFORMED AND PURPOSEFUL LIFE.
PSALM 119:105, “YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO GUIDE MY FEET AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.” KNOWING SCRIPTURE IS PARAMOUNT TO LIVING IT OUT, PROCLAIMING ITS TRUTHS, AND SHARING IT WITH OTHERS. OUR LAST “LESSON FROM HELL:” THE BIBLE IS THE MOST SUFFICIENT GUIDANCE FOR US! WE MUST STUDY AND KNOW THE BIBLE!
THREE “LESSONS FROM HELL” THAT REMIND US THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO BE CERTAIN ABOUT ETERNITY. NOW IS THE TIME TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ENSURING OTHERS ARE PREPARED AND READY. NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS THROUGH WHAT GOD HAS REVEALED TO US IN SCRIPTURE.
THE QUESTION THEN REMAINS: ARE WE PREPARED TO CROSS THE THRESHOLD OF DEATH THAT LEADS INTO ETERNITY? BEING FULLY PREPARED IS REALIZING OUR SINFULNESS HAS BROKEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
IT IS KNOWING THAT WE MUST SEEK FORGIVENESS FOR THOSE SINS THROUGH CONFESSION, AND TO WELCOME JESUS CHRIST INTO OUR LIFE AS SAVIOR SO HE CAN POUR OUT HIS HOLY SPIRIT UPON US TO WORK IN US TO HELP US GROW IN FAITH AND BECOME MORE LIKE HIS SON, JESUS.
MARK 8:36, “FOR WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN, IF HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?” LET US LEAVE HERE READY TO NOT ONLY LIVE TODAY, BUT TO LIVE FOR OTHERS, FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL AND TO GOD’S ULTIMATE GLORY. MOST IMPORTANTLLY, MAY WE ALL PREPARE OUR SOUL TODAY TO LIVE ETERNALLY IN GOD’S KINGDOM!
