WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.040 Y'all go ahead and grab your Bibles and turn to Luke chapter 16. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:12.500 We're going to be looking at what is commonly referred to as the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. 00:00:13.960 --> 00:00:23.960 So as TJ mentioned last week, we are currently on week two of a very short series on parables while the professionals are away. 00:00:25.100 --> 00:00:28.800 And I can tell you in full assurance that I am actually not a professional. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:33.480 And I know that because I realized I don't have one Charles Spurgeon quote in this sermon. 00:00:33.700 --> 00:00:36.439 So please don't hold that against me. 00:00:37.740 --> 00:00:42.740 So last week, TJ, he spoke on the parable of the talents, did a great job. 00:00:42.859 --> 00:00:46.420 And as Gary mentioned also this morning during the Lord's Supper service. 00:00:47.060 --> 00:00:53.960 And so this week we will be looking at the parable of the rich man and Lazarus again, Luke 16, 19 through 31. 00:00:53.960 --> 00:01:01.480 Before we get in to the text, I do want to take just a few minutes to speak about what parables are. 00:01:02.380 --> 00:01:08.579 And at their heart, parables are short stories that are meant to convey truth about the kingdom of heaven. 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:15.099 In the parables that Jesus tells, he would often use very familiar items, right? 00:01:15.299 --> 00:01:18.840 He would use very familiar situations to the people who are listening to him. 00:01:18.980 --> 00:01:22.099 He's trying to relate to them in a way that they can understand and make sense. 00:01:22.099 --> 00:01:25.579 And the parables at their heart are comparison stories. 00:01:26.299 --> 00:01:29.719 You can know this very easily just by thinking about a couple of them. 00:01:29.799 --> 00:01:32.219 The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. 00:01:32.619 --> 00:01:35.599 Or the kingdom of heaven is like a net, right? 00:01:35.699 --> 00:01:37.459 So you have that simile there, right? 00:01:37.479 --> 00:01:39.119 A comparison using like or as. 00:01:39.639 --> 00:01:43.259 So parables are at their core comparison stories. 00:01:44.139 --> 00:01:47.959 Other parables are not as outright in their comparison. 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:51.479 For instance, you have the parable of the sower and the seed, right? 00:01:51.819 --> 00:01:54.479 You have the sower and the seed and the different types of soil. 00:01:54.879 --> 00:01:57.039 And they're all meant to represent something different. 00:01:57.500 --> 00:02:06.719 So Jesus is comparing a very familiar situation to his hearers to explain and expound upon truths about the kingdom of heaven. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:12.319 And his parables often had a twist as well. 00:02:12.539 --> 00:02:14.139 And just a little spoiler alert. 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:16.079 In our parable today, there will be a twist. 00:02:16.620 --> 00:02:20.539 So, but his stories often had twists. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:23.419 There was something that the hearer was not expecting to hear. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:26.020 There was something that they were not expecting to come up against. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:31.180 Just another easy example is think about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, right? 00:02:31.180 --> 00:02:34.500 You have a Pharisee and you have a tax collector and they're both praying up at the temple. 00:02:35.020 --> 00:02:37.640 But Jesus says only one of those went home justified that day. 00:02:37.659 --> 00:02:38.920 And it wasn't the one you would think. 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:41.360 It wasn't the dirty, nasty tax collector. 00:02:41.920 --> 00:02:43.540 Or it wasn't the Pharisee. 00:02:43.580 --> 00:02:44.260 Sorry, excuse me. 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:47.960 It was the tax collector, right? 00:02:48.040 --> 00:02:49.980 The guy that was on the lowest rung in society. 00:02:49.980 --> 00:02:54.680 He was the one that Jesus said went home justified because of his heart, right? 00:02:54.819 --> 00:02:57.980 There was that twist that people weren't expecting. 00:02:57.979 --> 00:03:02.179 And he would have messages like that. 00:03:02.259 --> 00:03:04.719 And his hearers, there were times where they didn't like that. 00:03:05.179 --> 00:03:06.159 They didn't like that. 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:09.919 Oftentimes, he was telling his stories in the presence of the Pharisees. 00:03:10.060 --> 00:03:11.419 And we'll see that again today. 00:03:12.359 --> 00:03:15.579 His main target audience in the parable today are the Pharisees. 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:20.679 And these parables, as he's telling them, they can be difficult to understand, right? 00:03:21.099 --> 00:03:25.159 That was true for the people who heard them for the first time, just like it's true for us today. 00:03:25.159 --> 00:03:28.799 And so the disciples, they asked Jesus in Matthew 13, 10. 00:03:28.859 --> 00:03:30.599 They said, why do you speak to them in parables? 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:33.039 And Jesus replied to them in verse 11. 00:03:33.139 --> 00:03:37.099 He said, to you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. 00:03:37.659 --> 00:03:39.139 But to them it has not been given. 00:03:39.699 --> 00:03:41.819 For to the one who has, more will be given. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:43.539 And he will have an abundance. 00:03:44.419 --> 00:03:47.639 But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 00:03:48.379 --> 00:03:50.039 This is why I speak to them in parables. 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:55.079 Because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 00:03:55.859 --> 00:03:57.500 And he continues on in verse 16. 00:03:58.199 --> 00:04:02.959 He says, but blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:09.379 For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see, and did not see it. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:12.479 And to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:20.680 In short, these parables that Jesus tells, they show the spiritual blindness of the people who are listening to them. 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:27.139 It's only through the grace of God and the working of the Spirit in our lives that we have the capacity to understand Jesus' teachings here. 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:37.699 So, if we do not have that Spirit at work inside of us, then we also will be blind to that truth, as are the Pharisees in these instances. 00:04:37.699 --> 00:04:44.579 Another aspect of parables that make them so effective is that we as humans, we are generally drawn to stories. 00:04:45.180 --> 00:04:47.560 Think about how successful movies and books are. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:50.539 We are innately drawn to a good story. 00:04:51.139 --> 00:04:56.919 And so, even Jesus' parables, for people who don't claim to follow Christ, they've worked their way into their common vernacular. 00:04:57.560 --> 00:05:00.839 You have the lost, the prodigal son. 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:03.019 You have the good Samaritan. 00:05:03.459 --> 00:05:05.099 Everyone knows who the good Samaritan is. 00:05:05.099 --> 00:05:07.639 Everyone knows or has some concept of the prodigal son. 00:05:07.779 --> 00:05:09.839 Even people who don't claim Christ, right? 00:05:10.099 --> 00:05:11.779 So, Jesus' stories are memorable. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:13.779 They've lasted for thousands of years. 00:05:14.620 --> 00:05:20.019 And if you're like me, then you had probably a parent or a grandparent or somebody older than you, right? 00:05:20.519 --> 00:05:21.420 You get home. 00:05:21.860 --> 00:05:22.779 You got in trouble. 00:05:23.620 --> 00:05:27.279 Mom or dad, in my case, dad, would sit me down, you know, in the backyard. 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:31.219 I had a white, I was a baseball guy, so we had baseballs everywhere. 00:05:31.300 --> 00:05:33.180 I had a white bucket with a lid on it. 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:34.759 And my dad would pull up that bucket. 00:05:35.159 --> 00:05:36.659 He'd say, all right, son, sit down. 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:37.360 Great. 00:05:37.699 --> 00:05:38.259 Here we go. 00:05:38.759 --> 00:05:38.920 Right? 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:43.680 My dad's about to launch into some long story I've probably heard a million times, you know. 00:05:43.779 --> 00:05:45.639 And he's going to teach me a lesson on that story. 00:05:45.899 --> 00:05:46.539 And you know what? 00:05:46.579 --> 00:05:46.959 He did. 00:05:47.259 --> 00:05:48.339 I can still remember him. 00:05:48.819 --> 00:05:49.120 Right? 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:56.620 I can remember my mom sitting down at the kitchen table telling me, you know, I better be thankful I wasn't in Catholic school getting my hands wrapped by the nuns. 00:05:57.180 --> 00:05:57.439 You know? 00:05:57.439 --> 00:05:58.379 I remember these things. 00:05:58.379 --> 00:05:59.939 I remember these things. 00:05:59.939 --> 00:06:00.519 I had coaches. 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:01.180 I played ball. 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:08.339 So I had coaches that would tell all these stories from things and things that they have learned to help make me more successful as a player or as a coach. 00:06:08.339 --> 00:06:13.639 And so on a much grander and obviously much more important scale. 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:18.199 Jesus is attempting to accomplish the same purpose with these parables. 00:06:18.699 --> 00:06:24.099 He is using a relatable story to teach the hearer a deeper truth about the kingdom of God. 00:06:24.100 --> 00:06:28.540 And so with all of that said, let's get into the text. 00:06:30.540 --> 00:06:34.800 Luke 16, starting in verse 19 down to verse 31. 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:43.100 There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 00:06:44.100 --> 00:06:51.320 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus covered with sores who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. 00:06:51.319 --> 00:06:55.060 Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:59.500 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. 00:07:00.159 --> 00:07:02.079 The rich man also died and was buried. 00:07:02.500 --> 00:07:08.719 And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:17.000 And he called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue. 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:19.379 For I am in anguish in this flame. 00:07:19.379 --> 00:07:27.379 But Abraham said, Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things and Lazarus in like manner bad things. 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:31.319 But now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:43.219 And besides all this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed in order that those who would pass from here to here to you may not be able and none may cross from there to us. 00:07:43.220 --> 00:07:53.360 And he said, Then I beg you, Father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them lest they also come into this place of torment. 00:07:54.140 --> 00:07:57.060 But Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets. 00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:58.500 Let them hear them. 00:07:58.500 --> 00:08:01.300 And he said, No, Father Abraham. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:04.920 But if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. 00:08:05.620 --> 00:08:12.839 He said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:14.920 Now let's pray. 00:08:16.259 --> 00:08:17.540 God, thank you for your word. 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:19.819 Thank you for the gift of it. 00:08:19.819 --> 00:08:26.680 That you saw fit to write down these things for your glory and for our benefit. 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:36.460 And God, as we seek to open it and learn more about you today, I pray that you would open our eyes, that we wouldn't be spiritually blind to this parable. 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:40.980 But that through the spirit working in us, that we can see what you have for us today. 00:08:41.740 --> 00:08:42.120 Amen. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:48.840 So in this story, we have mainly two contrasting characters, right? 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:52.399 We have the rich man over here and Lazarus on the other side. 00:08:52.940 --> 00:08:59.259 And Jesus says that this rich man is so wealthy that he wears the most expensive clothes that you can wear, right? 00:08:59.379 --> 00:08:59.580 Linen. 00:09:00.060 --> 00:09:03.340 I mean, still, linen is incredibly expensive. 00:09:03.660 --> 00:09:04.960 It's this great cotton. 00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:10.139 They dyed it purple, which at the time was this incredibly expensive way of coloring clothes. 00:09:10.200 --> 00:09:13.180 It was the most expensive color that you can have. 00:09:13.740 --> 00:09:18.180 There's even some connotation in this that the linen is actually referring to as undergarments. 00:09:18.179 --> 00:09:24.139 So it's like, I mean, down to this guy's core, like he's Gucci, you know, like it's it's as good as it gets. 00:09:24.959 --> 00:09:32.759 So not only is he wearing these expensive clothes every single day, not just occasionally, not just big, you know, big events, but every day. 00:09:32.819 --> 00:09:35.939 But he's also feasting sumptuously every day. 00:09:36.299 --> 00:09:36.599 Right. 00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:39.759 So, like, I think about, you know, big family gatherings like Thanksgiving. 00:09:39.960 --> 00:09:43.220 You come out and you have, you know, the turkey and all the trimmons. 00:09:43.500 --> 00:09:43.700 Right. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.060 And it's just as a kid, you know, I walk in, my eyes get really big. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:47.379 Well, that's what this guy's eating. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:48.920 He's eating that every single day. 00:09:49.019 --> 00:09:50.840 He's feasting sumptuously every day. 00:09:51.540 --> 00:09:54.620 And so this lavish lifestyle, he is flaunting his wealth. 00:09:55.340 --> 00:09:55.540 Right. 00:09:55.700 --> 00:09:58.180 This isn't somebody who's trying to hide the fact that he has money. 00:09:58.259 --> 00:10:01.100 He wants everyone to know that he has a lot of money. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:02.820 So that's on one side. 00:10:02.860 --> 00:10:04.960 On the other side, we have we have Lazarus. 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:10.240 And now there is no evidence in this passage to suggest that this is the Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead. 00:10:10.379 --> 00:10:12.340 And to be honest, it's likely it's not. 00:10:12.800 --> 00:10:15.300 But Lazarus in this story, he's incredibly poor. 00:10:15.740 --> 00:10:18.799 And not only was he poor, but he was also covered in sores. 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:20.240 He had a terrible skin disease. 00:10:20.719 --> 00:10:27.099 And he also had some sort of infirmity or disability because it says he was laid at the gate, which connotates that he couldn't get there himself. 00:10:27.779 --> 00:10:28.019 All right. 00:10:28.779 --> 00:10:29.699 So he was poor. 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:30.740 He was covered in sores. 00:10:30.819 --> 00:10:36.779 He was laid at this gate that the rich man had, which is also another measure of the wealth of the rich man. 00:10:36.839 --> 00:10:37.019 Right. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:37.799 He had a gate. 00:10:38.079 --> 00:10:38.259 Right. 00:10:38.259 --> 00:10:39.419 And it wasn't even just a gate. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:41.240 It was like the gate of a walled compound. 00:10:41.620 --> 00:10:44.439 So this guy, I mean, he really had he really had something. 00:10:45.299 --> 00:10:48.439 And so Lazarus, he's laid there and he's laid there in hopes for charity. 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:48.959 Right. 00:10:49.099 --> 00:10:57.000 At that time, people who could not, people in his situation would often be laid in places in hopes for charity. 00:10:57.199 --> 00:11:01.399 And so having him laid at the gate of this rich man made sense for the time. 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:03.319 You know, hopefully the rich man, he sees him. 00:11:03.659 --> 00:11:04.859 He feels something inside. 00:11:04.979 --> 00:11:09.199 He shows some sort of hospitality, some sort of philanthropy, brings him in, takes care of him. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:11.040 And all that kind of stuff. 00:11:11.700 --> 00:11:11.920 All right. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:14.180 So but he's hungry. 00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:19.720 And Jesus said that he could actually be filled by the scraps that fall off of this guy's table. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:20.440 Right. 00:11:20.520 --> 00:11:26.140 So just like the trash, the garbage that's left over, the stuff that they would have fed to the dogs. 00:11:26.379 --> 00:11:26.580 Right. 00:11:26.900 --> 00:11:31.360 That Jesus is saying that that would have been enough to to feed this guy. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:36.759 And so not only that, but there's also dogs that are coming and they're licking his sores. 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:37.320 Right. 00:11:37.379 --> 00:11:45.460 And so as I was studying for this, I heard some there are some people who would think that the dogs are licking his sores out of the sense of comfort. 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:45.940 Right. 00:11:46.019 --> 00:11:47.659 You know, like we have two dogs in my house. 00:11:47.740 --> 00:11:48.899 They look nonstop. 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:49.539 They won't quit. 00:11:49.820 --> 00:11:55.980 And so if you have any kind of, as we would say, boo boo, if Titus has a boo boo or Nora has a boo boo, the dog wants to lick it. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:56.279 Right. 00:11:56.580 --> 00:11:58.240 So this measure of comfort. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:02.659 So it could have been that or it could have been that they were just hungry and Lazarus looked like a meal. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:03.500 Right. 00:12:03.740 --> 00:12:07.759 So dogs at that time, they weren't household pets like they were scavengers. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:11.519 They were not they were not well liked. 00:12:12.019 --> 00:12:17.580 But either way, whether it was, you know, a dog giving kisses or Lazarus was going to be food, it's pretty gross. 00:12:18.060 --> 00:12:19.220 They were licking his sores. 00:12:19.700 --> 00:12:21.440 So that's where we're at. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:28.139 So we have the rich man up here on this end of the spectrum and Lazarus on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:37.580 And so Jesus, he continues the story from there by telling us that the poor man died and was carried up to Abraham's side, which is to be understood as heaven. 00:12:38.259 --> 00:12:43.100 And then likewise, the rich man also died, but he was found to be in Hades in a place of torment. 00:12:43.820 --> 00:12:46.120 And then just one other thing to note about that. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:49.500 When Lazarus dies, it doesn't even mention a burial. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:50.100 Right. 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:51.360 There is no mention of a burial. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:54.340 He wasn't important in that society at that time. 00:12:54.680 --> 00:12:56.860 But the rich man, he has a burial. 00:12:57.060 --> 00:12:57.159 Right. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:58.840 It says he died and was buried. 00:12:59.419 --> 00:13:00.180 He was somebody. 00:13:00.300 --> 00:13:00.899 He was important. 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:01.480 Right. 00:13:01.539 --> 00:13:05.000 Just furthering that the contrast between the two. 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:07.720 So they both die. 00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:12.659 And Lazarus, he's carried up to Abraham's side. 00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:15.779 And then the rich man is found to be in Hades in torment. 00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:20.340 And in his torment and anguish in the flame, he looks up and he sees Lazarus. 00:13:20.340 --> 00:13:30.240 And he calls out to Abraham to have Lazarus come down and dip his finger in some water and put it on his tongue to cool it because he is in such anguish. 00:13:30.899 --> 00:13:34.700 But then Abraham hits him with a truth bomb and it would have hit like a ton of bricks. 00:13:35.340 --> 00:13:42.180 He says, child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things and Lazarus and like manner bad things. 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:46.259 But now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. 00:13:46.259 --> 00:13:57.100 And besides all this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able and none may cross from there to us. 00:13:57.860 --> 00:14:00.679 So Abraham's telling this rich guy, he said, man, in life, you had it good. 00:14:00.860 --> 00:14:01.720 You were the top dog. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:02.340 Right. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.659 You were wearing Gucci and Prada every day. 00:14:04.779 --> 00:14:05.039 Right. 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:07.539 You were eating these Thanksgiving feasts every single day. 00:14:07.700 --> 00:14:09.200 You had a gate, man. 00:14:09.220 --> 00:14:11.000 Like you had it good in life. 00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:13.399 And Lazarus, he didn't have anything. 00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:14.480 Right. 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:15.759 He had nothing. 00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:20.659 He was late at your gate hungry and you walked by him daily and didn't take care of his needs. 00:14:21.080 --> 00:14:21.480 Right. 00:14:21.539 --> 00:14:24.899 He was just hoping from scraps for the dog food off of your table. 00:14:25.319 --> 00:14:30.259 He was diseased, had this awful skin disease and was fighting off dogs from licking him constantly. 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:33.700 He said, not only that, but there's this massive divide here. 00:14:34.019 --> 00:14:36.379 We can't come to you and you can't come to us. 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:37.399 I'm sorry, buddy. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:38.720 There's nothing I can do here. 00:14:40.059 --> 00:14:43.679 So the rich man, he hears that and he realizes, man, this fate is eternal. 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:47.799 So then he thinks in response to Abraham. 00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:53.620 Abraham, well, if it's too late for me, if I'm stuck here, then can you send Lazarus to my family? 00:14:54.079 --> 00:14:55.099 I got five brothers. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:56.199 They're in my father's house. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:58.759 I don't want them to end up in this torment like I am. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:00.620 I'm suffering. 00:15:00.719 --> 00:15:01.439 This is terrible. 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:04.880 So Abraham, but he responds. 00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:07.900 He says, they have Moses and the prophets. 00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:09.220 Let them hear them. 00:15:10.280 --> 00:15:15.400 The rich man, he hears this and thinks, no, I mean, Abraham, you don't understand. 00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:16.040 Right. 00:15:16.220 --> 00:15:17.240 You don't understand. 00:15:17.400 --> 00:15:18.760 And he's begging at this point. 00:15:18.800 --> 00:15:20.880 He says, no, father Abraham. 00:15:21.040 --> 00:15:24.780 But if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. 00:15:24.779 --> 00:15:31.319 And you think Abraham, he's not, he's not changing his mind. 00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:38.839 He says, Abraham says, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone would rise from the dead. 00:15:39.199 --> 00:15:40.159 He doubles down. 00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:45.419 So in our time this morning, I want to talk about three things, mainly three things. 00:15:45.860 --> 00:15:48.559 Thing number one is this idea of a great reversal. 00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:52.159 Thing number two will be God's just judgment. 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:55.620 And then thing number three will be the sufficiency of scripture. 00:15:56.459 --> 00:15:58.219 And then we'll, we'll shoot for some application. 00:15:59.819 --> 00:16:02.379 So when I say the great reversal, what do I mean? 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:14.480 So Al Mohler, when he's describing this idea, he says that what passes for power and dignity and success in one life may lead to a very different result in the life to come. 00:16:14.959 --> 00:16:17.139 And scripture is full of examples like this, right? 00:16:17.179 --> 00:16:17.779 Look at Peter. 00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:19.059 He was a fisherman. 00:16:19.339 --> 00:16:22.100 He wasn't a learned biblical scholar, right? 00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:24.379 Look at Rahab in the Old Testament. 00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:25.379 She was a prostitute. 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:29.059 She was on the lowest rungs of society at that time. 00:16:29.699 --> 00:16:32.480 And Ruth, same, right? 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:38.980 She was a widowed Moabite in a foreign country gleaning grain in somebody's field, right? 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:41.899 Even Paul, Paul describes himself as not even being a good speaker. 00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:48.159 So when we see these people, they weren't kings or royalties or anything like that. 00:16:48.439 --> 00:16:51.279 What made them exceptional is their faith, right? 00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:57.559 And in Hebrews chapter 11, there's an entire chapter devoted to just common people who are exceptional because of their faith. 00:16:57.620 --> 00:16:59.059 They're justified by their faith. 00:16:59.059 --> 00:17:09.740 And so their world then that they lived in, even our world now, for most of these people, we wouldn't deem them to be successful, you know, by any measure of what we deem to be success. 00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:17.400 But I will tell you that what goes for success is being told, well done, my good and faithful servant, right? 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:20.339 What goes for success is running our race to completion. 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:21.759 That is what success is. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:33.859 The world, it'll tell you that success is buying a nice big new lifted truck or buying a big house, being the boss, having a bunch of followers on Twitter or Facebook friends. 00:17:34.039 --> 00:17:36.000 That's what the world will tell you success is. 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:39.000 But that's not what scripture tells us success is. 00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:42.180 Jesus says in Matthew 5 in the Sermon on the Mount, he says, 00:17:42.180 --> 00:17:45.120 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:17:45.840 --> 00:17:48.080 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:51.060 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:56.299 Now, these teachings are very different than what people tell us bring success today, right? 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:59.700 We're trained almost to be prideful, right? 00:17:59.840 --> 00:18:01.560 We're told to look out for number one. 00:18:01.740 --> 00:18:02.880 We're told to look out for ourselves. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:03.700 Sorry, I keep tapping that. 00:18:04.019 --> 00:18:07.440 We're told to look out for ourselves because no one else is going to look out for us. 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:15.559 We're told that we're to chase personal happiness and satisfaction at all costs, no matter what it does to other people, right? 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:21.920 We're told to seek power, to climb that social ladder, to reject the authority that's over us, right? 00:18:22.320 --> 00:18:27.740 And so the rich man in this story, he apparently chased many of these same things that we're told to pursue today, right? 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.400 We can see it. 00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:32.360 He lived this opulent, lavish lifestyle daily, right? 00:18:33.860 --> 00:18:37.360 So is there inherently wrong with having money or possessions? 00:18:37.620 --> 00:18:38.779 No, there's nothing wrong. 00:18:39.220 --> 00:18:45.160 There's a lot of examples in Scripture of people who had means that, you know, loved the Lord and pursued him, right? 00:18:45.299 --> 00:18:46.299 Job, right? 00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:53.100 Job was very wealthy and, you know, pursued the Lord and was faithful, right? 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.640 And it's just like being poor. 00:18:54.720 --> 00:19:00.500 It doesn't inherently mean that we have a love for Christ or that we don't love material possessions. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:07.100 In our flesh, we're just as capable of being prideful about our poverty as we are of our wealth, right? 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:17.460 So whether the point is, though, is whether we have much or whether we have little, we are called to be stewards of the gifts that God has entrusted us with, right? 00:19:17.460 --> 00:19:23.140 If we back up one parable in Luke, it's the parable of the unjust steward. 00:19:23.140 --> 00:19:26.400 In Luke 16, 9, Jesus says, 00:19:26.520 --> 00:19:43.680 And so the point that Jesus is making here is that we should be using these material possessions that God has entrusted us with to further the kingdom of God. 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:57.039 But you see, the issue happens or the problem happens that when we take those material blessings that God has given us and we use them to bless our own little kingdoms, to further our own little kingdoms, not to be used for the purposes of the kingdom of God. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:00.319 And that's what this rich guy, that's what he's clearly guilty of, right? 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:07.920 He wastes all these vast material blessings that God has given him on these ridiculous clothes and these ridiculous feasts. 00:20:08.159 --> 00:20:12.339 All the while, he has a guy dying at his front door, right? 00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:14.079 He wastes it. 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:23.539 There is no evidence that the rich man attempts to meet Lazarus' needs or provide him any relief. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:25.879 And so the writer of Hebrews, he tells us, 00:20:25.959 --> 00:20:31.179 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware. 00:20:31.899 --> 00:20:32.099 Right? 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:33.839 The rich guy, he doesn't care. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:34.639 He doesn't do that. 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:36.199 He's worried about him, number one. 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:36.640 Right? 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:42.420 He's at the top of the social ladder and living in his walled compound with his gate. 00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:42.920 Right? 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:43.799 He's happy to be there. 00:20:44.900 --> 00:20:48.940 But Lazarus, he is as far removed from that as you can get. 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:49.360 Right? 00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:59.220 So one thing I thought was cool that I didn't realize in researching this parable is that in this parable, Lazarus is the only character in all of Jesus' parables that he actually names. 00:20:59.779 --> 00:21:00.059 Right? 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:00.759 It's cool. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:03.880 So Lazarus, his name actually means God has helped. 00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:04.480 Right? 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:12.000 So if you're hearing this, you know, in first century, if you're hearing Jesus tell this parable for the first time, and he's saying like, oh, Lazarus. 00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:12.339 Okay. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:13.519 Oh, God has helped. 00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:14.900 How has God helped this guy? 00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:15.500 Right? 00:21:15.640 --> 00:21:17.299 I don't see how God's helped this guy. 00:21:17.539 --> 00:21:19.319 If anything, God helped the rich guy. 00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:20.140 He's rich. 00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:20.900 Right? 00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:23.019 Lazarus, God has helped. 00:21:23.299 --> 00:21:25.299 I mean, he's incredibly poor. 00:21:25.420 --> 00:21:26.000 He's diseased. 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:28.839 He's getting licked by dogs, laying at a gate. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:32.259 If anything, he's been cursed by God. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:32.799 Right? 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:34.380 That's how the Pharisees would have seen that. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:35.860 That was very common at that time. 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:39.920 They would have seen the rich man as being blessed and Lazarus as being cursed. 00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:41.920 But this is where we have the great reversal. 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:42.599 Right? 00:21:43.120 --> 00:21:45.079 So that's when death comes. 00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:46.779 We see how things change. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:52.640 And as I mentioned before, Jesus' parables, they had this element of shock value. 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:53.460 Right? 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:56.380 Now for us, we lose some of that shock value. 00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:57.259 Just frankly. 00:21:57.779 --> 00:21:58.059 Right? 00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:00.960 We've heard these stories time and time again. 00:22:01.460 --> 00:22:05.700 And so it's difficult for us to put ourselves back in the place of the person who would have heard it originally. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:06.659 Right? 00:22:06.879 --> 00:22:11.419 To see these characters as those first century Jews would have, as the Pharisees would have. 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:12.460 Right? 00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:16.360 Like I said, the Pharisees would have been hearing Jesus describe this rich guy. 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:19.019 In their mind, they would have been thinking, man, that guy's blessed. 00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:21.299 Like, God really, that guy's blessed. 00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:21.940 He's made it. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.120 God's got him. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:25.819 And they would have been hearing Lazarus being described. 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:26.819 And they said, nah, he's cursed. 00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:27.640 Yeah. 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.460 God's cursed him. 00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:29.440 I don't even want to help him. 00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:29.840 Right? 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:33.639 Because I would be maybe potentially messing up God's plan for Lazarus. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:34.599 Right? 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:35.339 He's cursed. 00:22:36.119 --> 00:22:46.579 So imagine those Pharisees when they hear Jesus say that the poor guy who's diseased, like he's the one who's carried up by the angels to the place of Abraham's side. 00:22:47.139 --> 00:22:47.439 Right? 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:50.799 And so that isn't even just like being carried up to heaven. 00:22:50.919 --> 00:22:52.379 That's a place of honor. 00:22:52.939 --> 00:22:53.139 Right? 00:22:53.140 --> 00:23:02.320 So it's the picture of being at a great banquet and Lazarus is being given a place of honor by the father of the faith. 00:23:02.780 --> 00:23:03.160 Right? 00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:03.860 By Abraham. 00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:05.720 Like one of the patriarchs. 00:23:06.860 --> 00:23:15.840 So not only would they have been surprised to hear that little twist, but then they would have been even more surprised as well to hear that when the rich man died, that he went to hell. 00:23:16.340 --> 00:23:16.640 Right? 00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:18.560 They kind of doubled down on that shock. 00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:20.280 But that's the great reversal. 00:23:20.279 --> 00:23:31.079 So because the fact of the matter is, is the things of this world and the success or the status of this world, they're not, they don't directly translate to the kingdom of heaven. 00:23:31.740 --> 00:23:32.180 Right? 00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:32.879 They don't. 00:23:33.099 --> 00:23:38.859 We have measuring sticks for success here of what we deem to be successful, but that's not the same for God. 00:23:39.379 --> 00:23:39.639 Right? 00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:42.819 Look at 1 Corinthians 1, 25 through 31. 00:23:42.819 --> 00:24:12.799 Paul says, 00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:42.819 00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:45.059 That's it. 00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:45.740 That's our hope. 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:47.579 This life is a vapor. 00:24:47.980 --> 00:24:48.679 It's a mist. 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:50.240 It's here today, gone tomorrow. 00:24:50.460 --> 00:24:51.980 Vanity of vanities, says the preacher. 00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:52.599 Right? 00:24:53.319 --> 00:25:00.019 Do not store up for yourself treasures here on earth where moths and rust destroy, but store up your treasure in heaven. 00:25:01.619 --> 00:25:02.519 So thing number two. 00:25:03.899 --> 00:25:05.679 God's just judgment. 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:05.820 God's just judgment. 00:25:13.580 --> 00:25:17.720 So in this text, Jesus makes it very clear that heaven and hell are real places. 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:18.320 Right? 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:19.100 We can't avoid it. 00:25:19.560 --> 00:25:21.279 Jesus talks more about hell than anyone else. 00:25:21.400 --> 00:25:23.039 He talks about hell more than he talks about heaven. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:27.740 And when it comes to eternity, Jesus only lays out two possible destinations. 00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:28.299 Right? 00:25:28.859 --> 00:25:30.779 He lays out heaven and he lays out hell. 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:31.619 No limbo. 00:25:31.740 --> 00:25:32.440 No purgatory. 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:33.619 Just heaven and hell. 00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:43.480 He doesn't extensively describe in this section of the text heaven and hell, but he does give us some light into both. 00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:52.259 You see, we can see Lazarus at Abraham's side being comforted while the rich man is in anguish and flame. 00:25:53.339 --> 00:25:57.500 You see, heaven is a place where there's no more sin, no more sorrow, no more pain, no more death. 00:25:58.279 --> 00:26:01.220 We will live eternally in God's presence and be comforted. 00:26:01.900 --> 00:26:02.660 There will be joy. 00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:03.779 There will be peace. 00:26:04.579 --> 00:26:05.900 And then hell is the exact opposite. 00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:07.759 There's no goodness in hell. 00:26:08.019 --> 00:26:09.400 There's no presence of God. 00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:12.220 There's no joy, no peace, no comfort. 00:26:12.220 --> 00:26:15.299 There's no eternal suffering and anguish. 00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:16.120 Right? 00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:20.960 In the parable of talents that TJ read last week, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 00:26:21.600 --> 00:26:24.339 But we live in a culture today that tries to clean up hell. 00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:25.079 Right? 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:28.500 They either try to clean it up or just do away with it because it's uncomfortable. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:34.779 It's not culturally appropriate to tell someone that they're not good enough and that there's consequences to their actions. 00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:35.700 Right? 00:26:35.740 --> 00:26:38.240 I don't like being told that there's consequences to my actions. 00:26:39.480 --> 00:26:41.640 So people would just rather avoid the topic. 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:43.680 And bring it up. 00:26:43.799 --> 00:26:45.960 But Jesus brings it up multiple times. 00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:49.420 He says in Matthew 13, 49 and 50. 00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:56.180 So it will be at the end of the age, the angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. 00:26:56.759 --> 00:26:59.420 In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:04.580 So our Lord and Savior himself says that hell will be full of tears, pain, and turmoil. 00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:12.599 And the truth of the matter is, is that no matter what we want to believe, God's just judgment, just judgment is coming. 00:27:13.059 --> 00:27:16.460 And those who do not find themselves in Christ will be banished to hell for all eternity. 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:21.419 You see, we are all sinners and have all fallen short of the glory of God. 00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:24.360 And because of our sin, we are separated from God. 00:27:25.160 --> 00:27:26.200 God is holy. 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:26.880 Right? 00:27:27.080 --> 00:27:27.920 God is holy. 00:27:28.060 --> 00:27:28.820 And he is just. 00:27:29.140 --> 00:27:31.440 And because of that, he can have nothing to do with sin. 00:27:32.259 --> 00:27:33.880 And he can't take any part in it. 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:36.340 Psalm 89, 14 says, 00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:39.240 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. 00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:41.919 Steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:47.959 Because of God's just nature and because of his holiness, he has to punish sin. 00:27:48.599 --> 00:27:48.759 Right? 00:27:49.159 --> 00:27:52.539 And we have to remember that God is just at all times. 00:27:52.699 --> 00:27:55.220 People try to confuse it and say that God is love. 00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:57.759 And so, therefore, how could a good God punish sin? 00:27:58.199 --> 00:28:00.579 They just don't understand the character and nature of God. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.159 Right? 00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:03.539 God in his justice, he must punish sin. 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:06.740 And we have this tendency to forget it. 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:12.079 But to be honest, I don't think that we would really want him to not punish sin. 00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:12.440 Right? 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.799 We desire justice. 00:28:14.379 --> 00:28:14.720 We look. 00:28:14.879 --> 00:28:15.519 Turn on the news. 00:28:16.159 --> 00:28:16.700 Turn on the news. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:17.379 Pull up your phone. 00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:18.159 Get on social media. 00:28:18.460 --> 00:28:20.319 Look and see all the injustice around us. 00:28:20.619 --> 00:28:21.019 Right? 00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:21.920 You see that. 00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:25.359 And inside of you, your heart, something screams out for justice. 00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:26.659 Where is justice? 00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:27.720 Right? 00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:32.899 Think about as we go about our days and people, these perceived slights. 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:33.139 Right? 00:28:33.140 --> 00:28:36.080 These injustices that we feel that have been done against us. 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:38.560 In our heart, we cry out for justice. 00:28:39.280 --> 00:28:39.420 Right? 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:42.140 Praise God, there will be justice one day. 00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:43.240 It's been promised. 00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:44.200 We know it's coming. 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:47.560 In that final judgment, God will render justice. 00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:48.380 Right? 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:54.480 All the atrocities, all the atrocities that we see when we're saying, where is justice here? 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:58.319 Those people, they will have to atone from their sin. 00:28:58.819 --> 00:29:02.079 And they'll have to give an account for their sin. 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:02.599 Excuse me. 00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:07.019 And I would be much more terrified of facing God than I would be of facing me. 00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:11.859 All sin will have to be accounted for. 00:29:11.859 --> 00:29:17.839 The punishment for that sin is death and eternal separation from God to experience his wrath forever. 00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:21.740 And then once that judgment's been made, there's no going back. 00:29:22.659 --> 00:29:23.799 There's no going back. 00:29:23.859 --> 00:29:24.359 It's eternal. 00:29:24.359 --> 00:29:27.159 As Abraham said in the passage, 00:29:27.159 --> 00:29:31.099 And besides all this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed, 00:29:31.419 --> 00:29:34.219 in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, 00:29:34.740 --> 00:29:36.459 and none may cross from there to us. 00:29:37.099 --> 00:29:39.559 So once God has handed down his judgment, that's it. 00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:42.240 We're either redeemed or we're condemned. 00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:45.899 There is no swapping back and forth. 00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:52.139 But God, God has extended his grace to all people. 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:52.639 Right? 00:29:52.919 --> 00:29:56.679 He even extended his grace to the rich man in this passage. 00:29:57.079 --> 00:29:57.799 His common grace. 00:29:58.919 --> 00:30:03.319 Wayne Grudem, he defines common grace as the grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings 00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:04.679 that are not a part of salvation. 00:30:05.480 --> 00:30:08.559 It's by grace alone that we can take every breath that we take. 00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:09.799 That we wake up in the morning. 00:30:09.919 --> 00:30:10.740 It is the grace of God. 00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:16.559 It's grace that God didn't immediately judge the world when Adam and Eve brought sin into the world in the garden. 00:30:17.139 --> 00:30:17.720 God's grace. 00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:21.879 The rich man, all his material blessings, God's common grace. 00:30:22.619 --> 00:30:22.759 Right? 00:30:23.919 --> 00:30:28.299 God gifted them and gifted all of us, you know, those things. 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:31.039 But that grace doesn't lead to salvation. 00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:34.200 There's a difference between common grace and saving grace. 00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:39.100 You see, saving grace is the grace of God that brings people to salvation. 00:30:39.620 --> 00:30:43.440 It's that grace that brought Lazarus up to Abraham's side. 00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:43.860 Right? 00:30:44.059 --> 00:30:45.620 And none of us deserve this grace. 00:30:46.080 --> 00:30:47.900 We don't deserve it whatsoever. 00:30:48.259 --> 00:30:50.319 But praise God, there's grace to be had. 00:30:50.840 --> 00:30:51.000 Right? 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:53.660 Ephesians 2, 4-8. 00:30:53.660 --> 00:31:02.759 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. 00:31:03.540 --> 00:31:10.220 By grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 00:31:11.040 --> 00:31:16.800 So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:21.139 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your own doing. 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:22.799 It is the gift of God. 00:31:23.579 --> 00:31:31.799 So even though we are sinners, God in his love and grace has redeemed believers through the atoning work of Christ on the cross. 00:31:32.919 --> 00:31:37.879 God poured out his wrath on Christ so that we can be declared justified in his sight. 00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:43.720 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we are our salvation. 00:31:44.379 --> 00:31:44.539 Right? 00:31:44.539 --> 00:31:46.920 And this grace, this grace is costly. 00:31:47.139 --> 00:31:47.819 It costs something. 00:31:48.539 --> 00:31:51.220 It costs God his son. 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:52.000 Right? 00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:56.759 I love the cost of discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 00:31:57.119 --> 00:32:01.920 And so, and I'm also thankful that those Wimpy's are here so I can quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer while they're here. 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:03.960 Except for Germany. 00:32:03.960 --> 00:32:09.380 Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance. 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:11.480 Baptism without church discipline. 00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:12.779 Communion without confession. 00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:15.019 Absolution without personal confession. 00:32:15.620 --> 00:32:17.500 Cheap grace is grace without discipleship. 00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:18.880 Grace without the cross. 00:32:19.120 --> 00:32:20.259 Grace without Jesus Christ. 00:32:20.660 --> 00:32:21.559 Living and incarnate. 00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:25.120 Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field. 00:32:25.600 --> 00:32:28.220 For the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:33.100 It is the pearl of great price to buy, which the merchant will sell all his goods. 00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:39.480 It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble. 00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:44.500 It is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him. 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:45.819 Right? 00:32:45.819 --> 00:32:49.240 This grace costs something, and it should invoke a response from us. 00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:49.859 Right? 00:32:50.119 --> 00:32:53.639 Not a cheap version of grace where there's no actual power to it. 00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:54.240 Right? 00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:58.099 But the grace of God, this saving grace, there's power to it. 00:32:58.519 --> 00:32:59.419 There's power to it. 00:33:00.139 --> 00:33:04.139 And that's, it's that grace, not common grace, which brought Lazarus to Abraham's side. 00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:10.059 On the other side of saving grace, we can see that the rich man, he earned his faith. 00:33:10.059 --> 00:33:15.019 And even while he's in hell, he's still prideful and arrogant. 00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:15.819 Right? 00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:18.440 So, like, hell doesn't bring about, like, repentance. 00:33:19.099 --> 00:33:19.359 You know? 00:33:19.720 --> 00:33:21.839 Like, and we can see that in a couple, in a couple ways. 00:33:23.319 --> 00:33:28.220 So, as we said, you know, at the beginning, he looks up to heaven and he sees Lazarus and recognizes Lazarus. 00:33:28.259 --> 00:33:28.379 Right? 00:33:28.399 --> 00:33:29.819 That's the guy who was laying at my gate. 00:33:30.159 --> 00:33:30.399 Right? 00:33:30.740 --> 00:33:31.679 He says, hey, Abraham. 00:33:31.899 --> 00:33:33.259 He doesn't even talk to Lazarus. 00:33:33.399 --> 00:33:34.619 Lazarus is still beneath him. 00:33:34.659 --> 00:33:38.819 Even though Lazarus is in heaven and he's in hell, Lazarus in his mind is still beneath him. 00:33:38.819 --> 00:33:41.200 He says, Abraham, can you send him down here to me? 00:33:41.539 --> 00:33:42.339 I'm a little hot. 00:33:42.539 --> 00:33:44.480 Like, I got some anguish here. 00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:47.279 Can you get him to dip his finger in some water and put it on my tongue? 00:33:48.139 --> 00:33:48.319 Right? 00:33:48.740 --> 00:33:50.139 Even still, he's prideful. 00:33:50.200 --> 00:33:52.799 He's asking Abraham to send Lazarus to serve him. 00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:53.879 Right? 00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:57.099 And then later, he tries to correct Abraham's theology. 00:33:57.679 --> 00:33:58.439 No, no, no, Abraham. 00:33:58.759 --> 00:33:59.000 No. 00:33:59.419 --> 00:33:59.599 No. 00:33:59.720 --> 00:34:03.259 If someone comes from the dead, right, then they'll repent. 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:04.299 Right? 00:34:04.460 --> 00:34:05.519 How prideful is that? 00:34:06.019 --> 00:34:07.179 How prideful is that? 00:34:07.439 --> 00:34:08.099 So, yeah. 00:34:08.099 --> 00:34:08.179 Yeah. 00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:10.779 So, we can see the rich man earned his faith. 00:34:10.860 --> 00:34:12.539 He rejected the saving grace of God. 00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:13.779 Right? 00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:19.039 And so, from there, after we see Abraham's response, we have our last little twist. 00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:20.799 Sorry. 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:22.900 We'll speed this up a little bit. 00:34:23.759 --> 00:34:24.339 Point number three. 00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:25.059 Thing number three. 00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:26.420 The sufficiency of scripture. 00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:27.039 Right? 00:34:27.380 --> 00:34:32.559 So, up to this, if you're just casually reading it, you would see a parable of two guys that are different. 00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:33.159 Right? 00:34:33.159 --> 00:34:36.519 You would see one guy who lived opulently. 00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:37.599 Another guy poor. 00:34:38.099 --> 00:34:40.359 And you can see that God punishes sin. 00:34:40.879 --> 00:34:41.059 Right? 00:34:41.159 --> 00:34:43.319 We could see that there's consequences to that sin. 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:44.940 And that is important. 00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:46.139 That is incredibly important. 00:34:46.539 --> 00:34:46.699 Right? 00:34:46.699 --> 00:34:49.819 But Jesus hits it with another little twist right there at the end. 00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:51.019 In verse 31. 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:56.960 He said to them, but if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. 00:34:56.960 --> 00:35:01.039 And so, while Jesus is telling this parable, he knows what's coming up next. 00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:01.480 Right? 00:35:01.699 --> 00:35:03.619 He knows he's going to the cross. 00:35:04.019 --> 00:35:06.000 He knows he's going to die for our sin. 00:35:06.220 --> 00:35:08.460 He knows he's going to rise again from the dead. 00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:12.760 And he knows that he's going to do all of those things and people are still going to reject him. 00:35:13.579 --> 00:35:13.860 Right? 00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:17.559 He knows that him rising from the dead isn't going to be enough. 00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:20.360 Isn't going to be enough to convince everyone. 00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:21.159 Right? 00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:23.840 People that that's not going to do it. 00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:24.420 Right? 00:35:24.420 --> 00:35:31.860 We have everything we need in God's word for salvation and a call to repentance. 00:35:33.059 --> 00:35:42.059 According to Wayne Grudem, the sufficiency of scripture means that scripture contained all the words of God he intended his people to have at each stage of redemptive history. 00:35:42.280 --> 00:35:48.700 And that it now contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting in him perfectly, and for obeying him perfectly. 00:35:49.340 --> 00:35:49.500 Right? 00:35:49.500 --> 00:36:00.559 And so everything in this book that we're holding right now, we have everything we need to recognize our sin, to see our need for a savior, to know who that savior is. 00:36:01.079 --> 00:36:01.480 Right? 00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:04.460 To repent of our sin and then know how to follow him. 00:36:04.659 --> 00:36:09.000 Everything we have is in this book because at its core unbelief is a heart condition. 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:10.000 Right? 00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:14.719 So the rich man, he's thinking that if his brothers, if they see some miraculous sign, then they're going to repent. 00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:16.420 But Jesus knows that's not it. 00:36:16.840 --> 00:36:17.079 Right? 00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:18.239 It's their hearts. 00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:19.619 It's their hearts. 00:36:19.699 --> 00:36:22.420 And they have everything that they need in God's word. 00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:26.480 They have the evidence in here to repent and believe. 00:36:27.219 --> 00:36:27.360 Right? 00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:32.559 And we have access to this, to God's word, at unprecedented levels of human history. 00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:33.219 Okay? 00:36:35.799 --> 00:36:39.000 There's no excuse for us to not use it. 00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:46.840 So that's not to say that there aren't other resources that we shouldn't use. 00:36:47.059 --> 00:36:50.719 I know I used resources when I was looking at this, but the Bible is ultimate. 00:36:51.079 --> 00:36:55.739 The other resources, the podcast, the books, all that stuff, they don't have the same authority as God's word. 00:36:56.139 --> 00:37:00.940 And the people that are writing these books and doing these podcasts, they would probably tell you the same thing. 00:37:01.119 --> 00:37:01.299 Right? 00:37:01.420 --> 00:37:01.920 Read the Bible. 00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:02.980 Read the Bible. 00:37:05.360 --> 00:37:06.299 Scripture is perfect. 00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:07.059 It's infallible. 00:37:07.340 --> 00:37:07.519 Right? 00:37:07.619 --> 00:37:09.320 No book or what other people had to say. 00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:14.779 So I know for myself, especially early in my walk, I was quick to lean on what other people had to say. 00:37:14.900 --> 00:37:16.340 And there's nothing wrong with that. 00:37:16.539 --> 00:37:16.739 Right? 00:37:16.799 --> 00:37:17.960 There's nothing wrong with that. 00:37:17.960 --> 00:37:20.099 But don't go to them at the expense of the Bible. 00:37:20.739 --> 00:37:20.900 Right? 00:37:21.059 --> 00:37:22.159 This is what we need. 00:37:22.400 --> 00:37:23.279 This is sufficient. 00:37:23.940 --> 00:37:24.139 Right? 00:37:25.000 --> 00:37:29.679 So we should be wary of people who try to use other things to interpret Scripture. 00:37:30.039 --> 00:37:30.440 Right? 00:37:30.599 --> 00:37:31.519 Like the Book of Mormon. 00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:32.519 Right? 00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:32.539 Right? 00:37:32.699 --> 00:37:36.199 Reading the Book of Mormon to be able to interpret the Bible. 00:37:36.340 --> 00:37:37.739 We should be wary of stuff like that. 00:37:38.440 --> 00:37:38.539 Right? 00:37:38.659 --> 00:37:39.539 Scripture is sufficient. 00:37:39.980 --> 00:37:40.800 Deuteronomy 4.2. 00:37:40.860 --> 00:37:45.980 You should not add to the word I command you nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God I command you. 00:37:45.980 --> 00:37:46.019 Right? 00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:50.280 So we are not to add to Scripture. 00:37:50.500 --> 00:37:51.599 We're not to take from Scripture. 00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:57.780 And for the sake of time, I'm going to cut to the next. 00:37:58.139 --> 00:37:58.280 Right? 00:37:58.280 --> 00:38:03.460 So basically, the Pharisees, this is something that Jesus called the Pharisees on. 00:38:03.900 --> 00:38:04.080 Right? 00:38:04.600 --> 00:38:05.900 Look at Mark chapter 7. 00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:07.980 Like Jesus calls them out on it very clearly. 00:38:08.280 --> 00:38:09.260 It's a great example. 00:38:09.800 --> 00:38:14.800 The Pharisees are saying, hey, why do your disciples not wash their hands? 00:38:15.060 --> 00:38:16.380 It's the tradition of the elders. 00:38:16.720 --> 00:38:18.340 And Jesus is like, you guys are a bunch of hypocrites. 00:38:18.900 --> 00:38:19.180 Right? 00:38:19.259 --> 00:38:22.019 You're more worried about the traditions of men than following the commands of God. 00:38:23.119 --> 00:38:23.279 Right? 00:38:24.379 --> 00:38:25.039 Obey the word. 00:38:25.239 --> 00:38:25.940 Don't add to it. 00:38:26.039 --> 00:38:27.000 Don't take away from it. 00:38:28.059 --> 00:38:28.940 So application. 00:38:30.119 --> 00:38:30.519 Application. 00:38:30.940 --> 00:38:34.359 So what can we learn from this parable? 00:38:34.460 --> 00:38:35.319 What can we take away? 00:38:36.079 --> 00:38:38.039 Number one, we must be in the word. 00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:38.739 All right? 00:38:38.739 --> 00:38:46.119 A lot of times there's a direct correlation between how we are doing spiritually with our time in the word, our time in prayer. 00:38:46.879 --> 00:38:47.000 Right? 00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:47.039 Right? 00:38:48.300 --> 00:38:55.900 Fundamentally, as believers, we should be interested in the things of God, which should then lead us to want to learn more about God, which we can do by reading God's word. 00:38:56.340 --> 00:38:56.539 Right? 00:38:56.679 --> 00:38:58.780 We call it our relationship with God. 00:38:59.059 --> 00:38:59.360 Right? 00:38:59.440 --> 00:39:01.119 It's not just our knowledge about God. 00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:04.940 But when we talk to fellow believers and say, hey, how's your relationship with the Lord? 00:39:05.000 --> 00:39:06.199 How's your walk with the Lord? 00:39:06.280 --> 00:39:06.460 Right? 00:39:06.460 --> 00:39:09.940 This idea of intimacy with God. 00:39:10.320 --> 00:39:12.900 We don't read the Bible for like a textbook. 00:39:13.340 --> 00:39:13.440 Right? 00:39:13.440 --> 00:39:17.340 I'm not, it's not my math book, you know, which I never read anyways. 00:39:17.780 --> 00:39:23.420 But we don't, we don't read the Bible to learn theology for theology's sake. 00:39:23.659 --> 00:39:23.940 Right? 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:31.619 We read the Bible to learn more about who God is, to draw us into a deeper, more intimate and more full relationship with him. 00:39:32.159 --> 00:39:32.400 Right? 00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:33.099 So read the word. 00:39:33.780 --> 00:39:34.760 It's living and active. 00:39:34.840 --> 00:39:36.380 It's sharper than any two-edged sword. 00:39:37.000 --> 00:39:37.180 Right? 00:39:37.519 --> 00:39:41.180 Piercing to the division of the soul and of spirit and of joints and of marrow. 00:39:41.480 --> 00:39:44.160 It discerns the heart, the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. 00:39:44.480 --> 00:39:44.740 Right? 00:39:44.980 --> 00:39:46.639 Reading God's word changes our hearts. 00:39:47.180 --> 00:39:47.440 Right? 00:39:48.139 --> 00:39:49.599 Reading God's word changes our hearts. 00:39:49.660 --> 00:39:52.260 It's not enough to just have intellectual knowledge of him. 00:39:52.260 --> 00:39:54.380 The demons have intellectual knowledge of him. 00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:56.400 But there's no salvation in that. 00:39:56.720 --> 00:39:56.880 Right? 00:39:57.260 --> 00:39:58.519 It's about the relationship. 00:39:59.300 --> 00:40:00.660 And scripture is sufficient for that. 00:40:00.659 --> 00:40:06.659 And then number two, we should be eagerly waiting for Christ's return. 00:40:07.679 --> 00:40:09.039 Final judgment is coming. 00:40:09.239 --> 00:40:10.319 And we'll have to give an account. 00:40:10.899 --> 00:40:12.440 And God will execute his justice. 00:40:13.199 --> 00:40:15.739 So in light of this, we should be waiting for Christ's return. 00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:19.399 It should spur us on to walk in holiness. 00:40:19.719 --> 00:40:21.940 We should be excited to see. 00:40:22.699 --> 00:40:22.839 Right? 00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:25.359 It should encourage us to share the gospel with others. 00:40:25.559 --> 00:40:26.639 Hey, judgment is coming. 00:40:26.819 --> 00:40:27.659 Repent and believe. 00:40:28.219 --> 00:40:28.420 Right? 00:40:28.679 --> 00:40:30.639 That should spur us on for evangelism. 00:40:31.199 --> 00:40:31.379 Right? 00:40:31.819 --> 00:40:36.259 As Christians, that's how God's coming judgment should encourage us. 00:40:36.739 --> 00:40:41.599 And if you're not in the Lord, well, then your encouragement should be to repent and believe. 00:40:42.179 --> 00:40:42.799 Judgment's coming. 00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:43.759 Right? 00:40:44.099 --> 00:40:45.199 Jesus is the only way. 00:40:45.259 --> 00:40:46.679 He's our only hope in life and death. 00:40:47.319 --> 00:40:49.639 As we sang earlier, Jordan, Jesus paid it all. 00:40:49.960 --> 00:40:50.199 Right? 00:40:50.440 --> 00:40:51.599 All to him I owe. 00:40:52.319 --> 00:40:52.599 Right? 00:40:52.599 --> 00:40:53.799 Jesus paid it all. 00:40:53.960 --> 00:40:54.920 And praise God for it. 00:40:55.460 --> 00:40:55.639 Right? 00:40:56.860 --> 00:40:59.819 So reading the rich man Lazarus, what should it spur us on to? 00:41:00.339 --> 00:41:03.619 It should spur us on to read our Bibles because God's word is sufficient. 00:41:04.139 --> 00:41:08.119 It should spur us on to eagerly await Christ's coming and to lead holy lives. 00:41:08.639 --> 00:41:10.299 Sharing the gospel with others. 00:41:10.940 --> 00:41:12.039 Forgiving others. 00:41:12.599 --> 00:41:12.819 Right? 00:41:12.820 --> 00:41:14.500 Because God's final judgment is coming. 00:41:15.340 --> 00:41:15.519 Right? 00:41:15.780 --> 00:41:16.460 Let's pray. 00:41:16.460 --> 00:41:16.519 Let's pray. 00:41:17.120 --> 00:41:17.740 Let's pray. 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:17.740