Can Death Be That Bad?
Dr. Marty Baker / March 10, 2002 / Luke 16:19-31
Last week I began a three week series focusing on the Afterlife. We asked the question: Can we talk to the dead? We talked about the syndicated television show, Crossing Over With John Edward. As you may know, John Edward claims to have the ability to psychically contact dead relatives reuniting them with their family for one last conversation. Last week, we focused on the story of Saul going to a medium in the city of Endor so that he could talk to the deceased prophet Samuel. Samuel appeared to him, but did not provide the insight that he was looking for. Instead, Samuel prophesied that Saul would be dead by the next day.
Today, I want to introduce you to another story found in the Bible that focuses on two individuals who have crossed over into eternity. In Luke 16, we are given a rare glimpse into the afterlife. We see the story of two individuals, Lazarus and Dives. These two guys were acquainted with one another while they were living, but they did not consider themselves to be friends. Dives was very wealthy and was blessed with the luxurious things of life while Lazarus was poor and ate the scraps of food that feel from the rich man’s table. In addition to his great poverty, Lazarus suffered with open soars all over his body.
One day while Jesus was teaching in the streets, he shared their story. This story has become known as The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. It is the only parable that Jesus ever taught that a specific name was used in the lesson. He called the poor man Lazarus, which meant "helped by God."
You may have heard this rich man referred to by the name of Dives, but dives is simply the Latin word for "rich." When this parable was translated from Greek into Latin, this is the word that was used, and consequently this rich man has been called Dives ever since.
As fate would have it, these two men passed away or crossed over into eternity about the same time. More than likely Lazarus’ body was carried to the city’s garbage dump while Dives’ body was buried. They crossed over into eternity, but did not go to the same place.
According to a survey in US News & World Report, most American believe in the afterlife. In fact, 78% of Americans believe in heaven while only 60% believe there is a hell. I think that these numbers are inflated because if 60% of us actually believed in hell then it would reflect in how we live our lives.
What do we know about heaven and hell? Today’s story gives us a glimpse of the afterlife.
Luke 16:22-23
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 hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
These verses produce a myriad of reactions. Many people read this story and say, "Good, that’s the way it should be." They feel like heaven and hell should compensate people for what happens in this present life. If that is what we believe then we are wrong. The rich man was not in hell because he was rich any more than that Lazarus was in heaven because he was poor. Heaven and hell are not a compensation for what you go through here. The principle that determines who goes where is quite different, as we shall see as the story unfolds.
Another reaction is to shy away from this picture of the afterlife especially from the thought of hell, with its flames and its torments. Many are offended by this story and feel that it could not possibly be what Jesus would teach. How can a loving God send someone to hell?
How many times do we hear that question asked on television or in a conversation with our skeptic friends? The answer is, over and over. I personally do not believe that God would send anyone to hell. If a person ends up in hell, it is of their own choosing. I believe that God will say, "Based on your decision to live apart from Jesus Christ your entire life, I will now grant you your wish to be separated from Him for eternity."
God does not send people to hell; their choices in life set their path for eternity. You may be wondering what hell is going to be like.
(Joke: The last time I spoke on hell, someone said, "Pastor Marty, I never knew what hell was really like until I heard you preach!")
In our culture, the words "hell" and "damnation" are more commonly viewed as descriptive verbs. We talking about damning this person and giving hell to that person. These words have become cute ways to communicate our rage. The constant improper use of these words have lessened the severity of their intended definition. It’s our culture attempt to shake our fist as a holy God and say that we are not afraid of anything He can throw our way.
But one day, all of us, will cross over to the other side.
Hebrews 9:27
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
What will it be like? Dives gives us some insight.
Luke 16:24
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.’
Some people feel like these verses are figuratively written. They see that the flames, the water, the tongue and the chasm are just metaphors in Jesus’ teaching. They liken this to Jesus saying, "I am the door." or "You are the salt of the earth." This maybe true, but I see them as literal. What if they are not literal, what is Jesus saying about hell? What is hell going to be like?
Jesus uses the word picture gehenna to describe hell. Gehenna is a Greek word that refers to a deep valley outside the city of Jerusalem. All of the garbage that had accumulated throughout the day was thrown into that valley at night and burned there. It was a dump that smoldered 24 hours a day, year after year.
When you throw something into the garbage bin or take it to the landfill, you don’t feel bad about it. The stuff you bring to a dump is useless, irredeemable, irreparable, completely disposable.
The Bible teaches that unbelievers in hell will be consciously aware that they have been deemed worthless, irredeemable, fit for no good purpose. These thoughts will produce emotional anguish that will last forever.
Luke 16:24
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.’
Luke 24:16 speaks of fire, flames, and torment. Hell is so bad that the rich man queries Lazarus about the possibility of receiving a single drop of water to cool his tongue.
Dives doesn’t ask for a barrel of water or a jar or a cup or a gulp. He just says a drop or two would be precious beyond description. The Bible says that that type of unrelieved physical pain will go on day and night forever.
Luke 16:25-26
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 fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
Dives realizes that his fate is sealed; there’s no turning back. There’s no hope for him, so he turns his attention to his family.
Luke 16:27-28
27 "He answered, `Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,
28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
Luke 16:29-31
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.’"
Dives’ torment increases when he realizes that he cannot cross over to warn his brothers of impending judgment. (Thoughts on John Edward)
Some of you may be wondering why God would not grant this man this request. I mean if God really wants people to go to heaven, it only seems logical that he would allow a messenger from beyond to communicate the path that we are to follow. ( possibly develop concept that Jesus has come to show us the way to God)
Don’t miss the point of Abraham’s words. The rich man is not denied his request because God is unwilling to give as much opportunity as possible; he is denied it because it is useless, because it will not work. As Abraham points out, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets neither will they be convinced if some one should rise form the dead.
We are just like the brothers of Dives. We want the spectacular, the dramatic, the shocking to occur. We want God to do more than he has done. We want God to open the heavens and speak; perform a miracle or two; or send an angel, then maybe we would believe. We want God to send a messenger from beyond the grave and then we will believe.
You know, he has already done that. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin in Bethlehem - the story of Christmas. When he was thirty-three years old, secular and religious history states that they crucified him on a cross. They buried him in a tomb, but three days later, he rose from the grave. It’s the story of Easter.
The question is: do you believe? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the son of God? Do you believe that He died on a cross and came back to life on the third day? Have you acknowledged Jesus as Your Lord and Savior?
I would encourage you not to leave this room until you know for sure that Jesus Christ has forgiven you of all of your sins and has prepared a place in heaven for you.
(At this time, I felt prompted to focus on three groups of people as I closed: the seekers, the ones who had wandered away, and the already convinced. I encouraged the seekers and wayward to turn to Christ. I encouraged the "convinced to keep a tender heart for lost people. A song was sung focuses on the saving aspect of Christ and we closed in prayer. The following was my planned closing that I did not use.)
I encourage you to pray a simple pray, asking Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior. I encourage you to turn away from your self-focused life and embrace the life that he has for you. This will require you to repent.
I realize that there are some that will say, "I’m am not going to pray. I’m not going to repent; I’m not going to bow. I don’t need this."
The Holy Spirit is urging you to do the right thing. There are people in this room that are urging you to do the right thing: Ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart. Don’t spend eternity without Christ.
Let me reassure you. I do not believe that a loving God will send anyone to Hell ... You make the choice on your own. The decisions that you make in this life will bear fruit in the next. If you live separate from God in this life, you’ll live separate from God in eternity.
How about people who have never heard about Jesus Christ?
Genesis 18:25
...Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
I don’t believe that people will be condemned for rejecting a message they have never heard. But we are not talking about the tribes in Africa now. We are talking about people in this room. You’ve heard it week in and week out. Now, it’s time to make a decision.
There were two friends talking one day. One of them was a skeptic and the other a believer. The skeptic said, "What would you say if when you die you found out that there was no such a place as heaven after all?"
With a smile the believer replied, "I should say that I’ve had a fine time anyway!"
Then, he asked a question in return, "What would you do if when you die you discovered that there was such a place as hell after all?"
Closing Prayer
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