Jump Start # 1349

Luke 16:31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.”

  We conclude our week long look at the powerful story of the rich man and Lazarus. It is a look into the next world. It lifts the curtain and allows us to see what happens after death. There are several things we notice.

• Both men were alive after they died. It is not just the righteous that live after death
• Father Abraham knew about both men and how they did in life
• The text uses the expression “no” several times to the rich man. No water would be given. No Lazarus would be sent back. No special warnings to his brothers. There was no crossing over allowed.
• After death there was a sense of identity, memory, feelings and desire.
• The rich man was in torment with no hope of it ending nor any relief on the horizon
• The rich man no longer could boss his way around others. He was at the mercy of God

There are layers and layers of lessons for us in this text. This is a passage that applies to all,  for unless the Lord comes, all of us will pass through the doorway of death. There are two final thoughts that I want to share with you today.

First, in many ways, both of these men were already judged. They were not in a neutral holding place awaiting the final judgment. The rich man was being punished and the poor man was being comforted. In Hades, there was no crossing over. A great gulf or chasm separated the comfort from the torment and Abraham declared that ‘those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.” There was no changing their positions. From that I gather that the rich man couldn’t suddenly become righteous and then change his status nor could poor Lazarus mess up and be sent to torment. There was no crossing over.

Now two questions come from this. I’m not sure if I have the answers but will give it a try. First, if they are already “judged” then why is there going to be a final judgment? It seems that it has already taken place. In some ways that is true. However, both the rich man and Lazarus have yet to stand before God. That hasn’t happened yet. The books were not opened and they were not judged from the books. Also, there will be some who never died when Jesus comes. There will be some who have never been to Hades. The judgment will be the gathering of all people of all time. It is then that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess. That has never happened. It has never happened because first of all, not all creation has ever been alive at the same time. Second, until the judgment, our free will has allowed us to deny Christ instead of confess Him. That will change. There will be no doubters, deniers or scoffers at the judgment. Every knee, every tongue. Also, at the judgment, the final sentence will be given out. Criminals are often found guilty by the court system and they have to return for sentencing. They know they are guilty. They return to find out their punishment. Likewise, track runners and marathon runners know when they cross the finish line and they break through the ribbon that they have won. Often there is a ceremony later where they are given a trophy or a medal. They know that they are going to get it, they came in first. In a similar way, this is what the judgment will be. The guilty will hear their sentence. The righteous will hear their reward. It is then that the wicked and the righteous part for the final time.

A second question that comes from these thoughts, “Is it possible for one in torments to still make it to Heaven and is it possible for one in Abraham’s bosom to eventually be cast into Hell?” Fair questions. It leads to worry and concern though. Although Lazarus never speaks in this text, I do not see that the comfort he received was somewhat tarnished because he may still end up in Hell. The text doesn’t lend itself to that conclusion. We all must stand before the righteous God, who is our judge. How merciful and forgiving He will be is up to Him. Much of what we have done to others will be how God treats us. If we do not forgive, God will not forgive us. We can’t be right with God and wrong with one another. There will be no mercy for the one who has shown no mercy. James tells us that. So is it possible that we can flip flop our destiny from where we are in Hades? We know that there is nothing after death that will change us. No prayers. No baptisms. No burning candles. None of those things will change the dead. I would like to think and hope that those, like the rich man, can find mercy from God. The rich man did not receive any mercy from Abraham. No one should wish that anyone should be lost forever. We should never use the expression, “Go to Hell.” That is the right of God alone. Jesus wanted all to repent. Jesus did not want any to perish. That should be our wish as well. To answer the question, I see nothing other than the righteousness of God that makes me think that our position can change from what it is in Hades. I expect that the rich man would be sent to Hell. I would expect to see Lazarus in Heaven. I tend to think that Hades is a prelude to the eternal. As nice as Paradise is, it’s not Heaven. As terrible as torment is, it is not Hell. There is nothing to hang our hats upon that would lead us to a conclusion that after we die we can always change things. That isn’t supported by the text. The rich man certainly tried. He wanted water. Not happening. There was no changing that was taking place.

Second, from our verse today, some people refuse to be persuaded. The rich man’s five brothers were that way. They ignored the Bible, as the rich man had. Abraham declares that if someone would be resurrected from the dead, they still would not be persuaded. Persuaded to what? Persuaded to change. Persuaded to commit to God. Persuaded to follow Christ. And someone did rise from the dead. There was another Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha and the friend of Jesus. He was raised in John 11. In the next chapter, the Jews sought to kill both Jesus and Lazarus. They were not persuaded. And, of course, the greatest resurrection was Jesus. When Paul preached about the resurrection, some sneered. The resurrected Christ was preached throughout the world. Are people persuaded? No. It wasn’t for a lack of evidence, but rather stubborn hearts that refused to change. People want to be allowed to do what they feel like. Let us marry multiple times without consequences. Let us marry people of the same sex. Let us party. Let us have fun. Let us worship self. Let us bow to the god of happiness. No rules. No commitment. No responsibilities. Let us drink until we pass out. Let us do drugs until we are addicted. Let us be selfish, immoral and irresponsible. Let us neglect our children. Let us ignore the Bible. Then, when we die, take us to Heaven.

People want to live like the rich man and go to Paradise like Lazarus. Live like a sinner and die like a saint. Doesn’t work that way. Live like a sinner and you’ll be sitting next to the rich man in agony. Live like Lazarus and you’ll be embraced by Abraham.

Those final words of our verse today were prophetic in many ways. When Jesus said, “even if someone rises from the dead,” He must have thought about His own coming death and resurrection. Some of those very Pharisees He was telling this story to, would be the very ones who would not be persuaded when the news spread about the risen Savior. They would deny. They would cry ‘blasphemy.’ They would remain indifferent and unchanged.

And, now we come to you and I. Are we walking with the rich man or with Lazarus? Each day, every choice, every decision puts us closer to one or the other. Another day without God. Another Sunday without worship. Another selfish decision. Closer and closer to the rich man we move. Or, another day with prayer. Another opportunity to help others. Another day to walk by faith. You look up and there are the footprints of Lazarus. It’s not about the rich man or Lazarus, it’s about Jesus. Am I moving closer to the Lord or staying at a distance? Do I have a heart that can be persuaded? Have these articles and these verses moved me? Am I fighting God?

One day, one day sooner than most of us would like to think, we will be on the other side. One day.

Each day is one day closer to Heaven. I hope this series has been helpful.

Roger