Jump Start # 1347

Luke 16:22 “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.”

  We continue looking at this most fascinating and interesting story of the rich man and Lazarus. This is a look into the next world. This is a warning about what happens when the love of money gets a hold of us.

Our verse today tells of two deaths. The poor man died and the rich man died. Opposites in life, they are now opposites in death. We also notice that they traded positions from life and death. In life, Lazarus was suffering. In death, he is comforted. In life, the rich man fared sumptuously every day. In death, he was tormented. In life, there was no one to help Lazarus. In death, there is no one to help the rich man. In life, Lazarus begged. In death, the rich man begged. So many contrasts and opposites. This is a fascinating piece of literature and wonderful and powerful Biblical lessons.

Both men died. We are not surprised that Lazarus died. He was sickly, hungry and in a bad way when we first meet him. The rich man seemed to be doing well. He too, died. Death comes. It always does. We need to talk about this, because this is something that too many fear, do not understand, and hope that if they don’t think about it, it will just go away. It never does. Our fear of it only makes it worse when it does come. And, it always comes.

Hebrews 9 reminds us that we have a divine appointment with death. God always keeps His appointment. So the two men in our story die. People die every day. Some, like Lazarus, are sickly and death is often a welcome relief. Others, possibly like the rich man, seem to be doing well and death takes them. A car accident. A victim of crime. A plane crash. A tornado. An earthquake. A heart attack. Death doesn’t always move slowly and give us time to prepare. It can come suddenly. I’ve heard of preachers who passed out and died in the middle of a sermon. I’ve heard of folks dying in church. Some die in sin. Some are ready and others are not.

Death pays no attention to who you are, how important you are, nor how busy you are. Death pays no attention to how much wealth you have, how many children you have at home, or even if you are at home. People have died on vacation and business trips. Death doesn’t pay attention to how old you are. Parents have buried babies. Parents have buried teenagers. Some live to be 100 and others do not make it to their first birthday. There is that divine appointment and no one knows when it’s their turn.

I expect the rich man had a fine funeral. I’d expect the who’s who showed up. I’d expect he had the finest that money could afford in his funeral. His grave would be marked with a tall stone that everyone would notice. You see that in most cemeteries. There is one huge stone that stands very tall and is very prominent. It cost a lot to put that there. That would have been the rich man’s grave. Poor Lazarus on the other hand was most likely dumped in a pauper’s grave. His place unmarked. Lazarus would be quickly forgotten by most, because most didn’t even know him. We tend to ignore poor people and be drawn to celebrities and wealthy people. We still do that. We just had the Kentucky Derby in our area last week. The paper and the newscasts showed the private jets, the red carpet with the big name celebrities, the fine dressed people, the big hats. That’s the attention. The simple guy taking money at the parking lot never makes the news. The guy who picks up the trash doesn’t make the news. It’s the wealthy, the super star, that’s where the attention has always been. Big in life doesn’t mean big in death.

Our text begins to reveal things that we do not see with our eyes. This is the beginning of the spiritual lessons. It tells us that the rich man was buried. We’d expect that. However, it also tells us that Lazarus, the poor man, was carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom. That’s something that no one would have seen or noticed. The soul can not be seen by eyes. Angels are spiritual beings. They are not those fat chubby babies that you see in gift stores. They are a spirit. Spirits cannot be seen. The angels swoop down and carry the soul of Lazarus to Abraham’s bosom.

Abraham was the father of faith. It was Abraham that God first called and made promises with. Abraham was God’s friend. Jesus declared that Abraham was alive, not physically, but his soul. Death isn’t the end. The last page is not at the cemetery. Lazarus died, but he was carried to Abraham’s bosom. We’ll have more to say about that tomorrow.

Our verse reveals that God knew that Lazarus had died. God had summoned the angels to carry the soul of Lazarus to Abraham’s bosom. Abraham’s bosom, an unusual expression, brings the image of a deep hug. Lazarus who seemed to have no one. Lazarus who could not even keep the dogs away, now had angels and now was embraced by the father of faith, Abraham. He was loved. He was accepted. He was welcomed. It also is an indication that he was right with God. Abraham is listed in Hebrews 11 as one who gained approval. He was the one who was looking for that heavenly city. And now, poor Lazarus was there, with Abraham, embraced by Abraham. No greater scene of love and faith and acceptance than that. We thought he was alone in life, but he wasn’t. God was with him. God was always there. He didn’t die alone. He was not abandoned after death. God cared for Lazarus.

The thought and question comes from this, does God still send angels today? I see nothing in the Bible that would make us think that this has stopped. Lazarus, obviously was faithful to God. The angels are servants of the righteous. You’ll note that the text doesn’t tell us that angels also gathered up the rich man. He is the one who seems abandoned by God. He didn’t have time for God in life and God doesn’t have time for him in death. How comforting to know that God is with me every step of the way. How comforting it is to know that God takes care of His people. How encouraging it is to know that God knows and God cares.

You’ll also notice from the text what is missing. Nothing dramatic is mentioned about this journey from death to Abraham’s bosom. God doesn’t do drama. We are not told what Lazarus felt like. We are not told what songs, if any, he heard. We are not told about bright lights or such things.

A side note. The most popular religious books on the market today are those accounts of people who died, went to Heaven and came back. There are dozens of them. They report seeing Jesus on rainbow ponies, talking to departed family members, listing what songs they heard, and just a joyous and wonderful journey. These books are hot. They are flying off the shelves. People are interested in the other side. People want to know about death. They want to be told it will be ok. There are multiple problems with these books. Don’t waste your money buying them. First, they are inconsistent with each other and they are inconsistent with what the Bible teaches. Second, no one in the Bible who was resurrected ever spoke about what they saw, heard or felt. Nothing. Third, Paul was allowed to see the ‘third Heaven’ (2 Cor. 12). He said he heard things that were unlawful for him to repeat. An inspired apostle was not allowed to tell us what he saw, yet all these others are? And they are making money off these books? Don’t you see a problem with that? Fourth, Paul was nearly killed by stoning. He never told us what the experience was like. Fifth, the Bible defines death as the separation of the body and soul (James 2:26). The only way for the soul and body to reunite, a resurrection, takes a miracle. Always a man of God was around to do that. It didn’t just happened. It didn’t happen naturally. There was a reason and a purpose for it. These books, about going to Heaven during surgeries or going to Heaven after being killed in car accidents, are ignorant of simple Biblical facts. Don’t believe them. Don’t buy them. They are not true. They belong on the fiction shelf.

What we do know and need to know is found in the Scriptures. Both Lazarus and the rich man died. Lazarus was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom where he was comforted. The rich man was in torment. Death wasn’t the end for either one.

Their choices in life determined their destinies after death. This wasn’t prearranged by God. This wasn’t something beyond their control. Lazarus was a man of faith. The rich man was a selfish snob. The rich man could have been with Lazarus had he read and followed  Moses and the Prophets. Had he opened his heart and been generous to a hurting soul laid at his gate, the outcome would have been different. His choices, his decisions put him where he was. And that is one of the great lessons for us. You and I will also die someday. Our choices, even today, have an impact on our eternal destiny. Are we compassionate with others? Do we forgive others? Do we extend mercy to others? Are we believers? Are we reading God’s word?  Life is lived one day at a time. Collected, those days make up a lifetime. A lifetime of living for self, a lifetime of sin, a lifetime of faith and obedience determine where we go. The rich man must have been shocked. He had not given much thought to the other side. Now he was there. Now it was too late. Now he could do nothing to change things.

That’s the lesson for us. Today, make the right choices. Today, live by faith. Today, do something for the kingdom. Today, walk with the Lord. Today. You may not have a tomorrow.

Roger