Luke 16:19-31
19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
I. Verse 19
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
It is not a sin to have money. Unless you love it more than God.
I Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
We see here that the rich man prepared for this life; but, he had no time for God. He did not prepare for life after death.
II. Verse 20
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Sometimes even God’s people are physically put in tragic situations. (. . . laid at his gate, full of sores, . . . )
III. Verse 21
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
No one cared about Lazarus’ state; except the dog. No Medicare. Nobody cared. His need was not as great as the rich man’s. What a paradox.
IV. Verse 22
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
The beggar dies. Not a surprise. But, what the surprise is, angels escort him to heaven. Who would have thought that would happen? Then the unexpected! The rich man dies, also. Death takes no holiday here.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
V. Verse 23
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Here comes the shocker! The rich man ends up in hell!
Matthew 19:23, 24: 23Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
No amount of money can deliver a soul from hell. Some startling facts about hell: He could see and he was in torment!
Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
He also sees Abraham and guess who? Lazarus, of all people.
VI. Verse 24
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
He addresses Abraham as “father.” He should have called on God the Father.
Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
But, now it’s too late. He asks Abraham for mercy. He should have asked God before he died. What nerve! Who down in hell does this man think he is? He asks Abraham to send Lazarus to cool his tongue. Yes, that same Lazarus that did not get so much as a piece of bread from him. What arrogance! Now we also see he is tormented in flames. Folks, this is the reality of hell. It is real!
Matthew 18:8, 9 8Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
VII. Verse 25
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Abraham reminds the rich man how good he had it when he lived on earth. That was as close to heaven as he ever got. And, he tells him how much Lazarus had to suffer. Now he reminds him how Lazarus is comforted, and that he is being tormented.
Mark 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
VIII. Verse 26
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Before the resurrection of Christ, Paradise (heaven) was located in the center of the earth, beside hell, separated by a great gulf.
Matthew 27:50-53 50Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
IX. Verse 27
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Now he asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house.
X. Verse 28
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
He now becomes missionary minded. He remembers he has five brothers and he wants Lazarus to go and testify to them. How sad. He now realizes that they are all headed to hell also, which is a place of torment.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
XI. Verse 29
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Now Abraham reminds him that they have Moses and the prophets. The Word of God. They should listen to the man of God.
XII. Verse 30
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Now he tells Abraham that Moses and the prophets, the Word of God, are not enough. But, if a dead man was to show up at their home, they would repent. The Bible says:
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
XIII. Verse 31
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Now Abraham reminds the rich man, if they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, the Word of God, they won’t be convinced even if a dead man witnessed to them.
John 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
V
You know, one has rose from the dead. Yes, the most important person to have ever walked the face of this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, has risen from the dead. If man does not believe that, and trust in Him for the payment of his sins, he also will end up in hell.
Have you trusted the Lord Jesus for your salvation?
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23a
For the wages of sin is death;
Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Ephesians 2:8,9
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved
Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
FIVE THINGS GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW
1. We are all sinners.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
2. We all owe a sin debt.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
3. We cannot save ourselves.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
4. Jesus has already paid our debt.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
5. We must all get right with God and trust Jesus as our personal savior.
Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
God’s Way
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