WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.240 What would that spiritual right relationship with God start to look like on the outside, 00:00:06.299 --> 00:00:10.240 in other words, if it were to be worked out into your everyday life? 00:00:12.540 --> 00:00:16.800 Tonight, Jesus is going to show us just one of those signs. There are many in Scripture, 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:21.900 but tonight he's going to point us to one of those signs. And he's going to do that through 00:00:21.900 --> 00:00:29.240 a story, the story of the rich man and Lazarus. And in this story that we're going to look at, 00:00:29.239 --> 00:00:33.820 we're going to see Jesus give us two characters, and then he's going to show us a great reversal, 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:39.820 and then he's going to teach us an important lesson. And this parable that we're looking at 00:00:39.820 --> 00:00:45.659 tonight is found in Luke chapter 16, verses 19 through 31. So let's turn there together. 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:54.959 It's page 876 in the Pew Bible, if you want to turn there. Luke chapter 16, verses 19 through 31. 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:04.500 Now, it's always helpful to read some of these parables in context, so we're going to do that. 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:09.900 If you look up to verse 14, we're going to pick up some of the context in verse 14. That's on a 00:01:09.900 --> 00:01:18.079 previous page if you're looking in the Pew Bible. So verse 14, the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:25.000 heard all these things. That is, things that Jesus had just been teaching them about money. 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:34.060 And they ridiculed him. And he, that is Jesus, said to them, you are those who justify yourselves 00:01:34.060 --> 00:01:41.900 before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of 00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:48.219 God. Now, we covered verses 16 through 18 last week, so jump down to verse 19. This is the parable 00:01:48.219 --> 00:01:54.240 we're going to look at. Jesus says, there was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who 00:01:54.239 --> 00:02:02.479 feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 00:02:02.979 --> 00:02:09.120 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:17.979 his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died 00:02:17.979 --> 00:02:25.439 and was buried. And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:33.139 Lazarus at his side. And he called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip 00:02:33.139 --> 00:02:39.739 the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame. But Abraham said, 00:02:39.740 --> 00:02:45.700 child, remember that you in your lifetime received good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things. 00:02:46.700 --> 00:02:52.780 But now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you, 00:02:52.860 --> 00:02:57.660 a great chasm has been fixed in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:05.460 and none may cross from there to us. And he said, then I beg you, Father, to send him to my father's 00:03:05.460 --> 00:03:10.400 house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:17.780 torment. But Abraham said, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And he said, no, 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:25.060 Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. He said to them, if they 00:03:25.060 --> 00:03:30.780 do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. 00:03:30.780 --> 00:03:39.819 Let's pray together. Lord Jesus, we thank you that when you ascended to the father's right hand 00:03:39.819 --> 00:03:47.280 and sat enthroned as the king of the universe, you left us not at a distance from you, but you sent 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:54.039 your Holy Spirit into our hearts to carry on your work of redemption. Thank you that by your spirit, 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:59.920 you've inspired your word, and you give us the illumination that our hearts need in order to 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:03.719 understand your word and live it out in our lives. So we pray, Lord Jesus, that you would be at work 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:09.639 in that way tonight by your spirit, helping us to understand and to apply what you're telling us 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:20.219 in your word. We pray this in your mighty name, Lord. Amen. So Jesus tells us a story of two men. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:27.199 One of these guys is a rich man. Look again at how he's described in verse 19, clothed in purple, 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:34.319 purple dye, as it happens, was very expensive in the ancient world. In order to get purple dye, 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:40.719 you actually had to extract it from sea snails. Imagine that being your job, gathering snails and 00:04:40.719 --> 00:04:47.079 then extracting from each one a little bit of dye, enough to actually clothe a robe. So you can tell 00:04:47.079 --> 00:04:53.459 purple clothed was very expensive. It was typically something that only royalty wore because it was so 00:04:53.459 --> 00:04:58.079 costly. I'm not sure what the equivalent would be today. I actually did a Google search. What are the 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:04.060 most expensive clothing brands right now? And what came up was Gucci, Prada, and Armani and some others 00:05:04.060 --> 00:05:09.359 I couldn't pronounce. So there you go. This guy rocked it every day in his Armani clothes. 00:05:10.699 --> 00:05:14.919 We're also told that he wore fine linen. That was typically something that royalty wore as well. 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:17.959 This would have been his undergarments, what he wore under that purple robe. 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:24.759 And just the word fine linen, right? I mean, here was someone who didn't have to work for a living. 00:05:25.979 --> 00:05:32.620 This wasn't a manual laborer or a farmer. He wasn't involved in construction or manufacturing. 00:05:33.599 --> 00:05:41.560 He could wear fine linen. And he feasted sumptuously every day, Jesus says. His cooks and his maids 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:46.099 could serve him up a full course meal at every sitting and he could invite all his friends over 00:05:46.100 --> 00:05:50.160 and they could feast together and he didn't have to do a single one of the dishes. 00:05:53.800 --> 00:06:01.520 But then Jesus tells us about another man, a poor man. And this poor man is covered not in the robes 00:06:01.520 --> 00:06:06.240 of royalty, but his body is actually covered in what? Covered in sores, Jesus says. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:13.800 And this man is not feasting sumptuously with his friends every day, but he actually has to 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:20.840 shoo the dogs away who are coming to lick at his sores. Which dogs licking your sores, by the way, 00:06:20.900 --> 00:06:25.180 isn't sort of a cute, nice image. You have to remember that dogs weren't sort of nice pets in 00:06:25.180 --> 00:06:31.220 the ancient world. They were street scavengers. And here they came to lick at him and he's shooing them 00:06:31.220 --> 00:06:37.560 away. Now, of course, these two men couldn't be more different on the outside, could they? 00:06:38.380 --> 00:06:43.960 A rich man and a poor man. And let's pause right here in Jesus' story. 00:06:46.100 --> 00:06:54.020 What do you make of these two men? Of course, Lazarus evokes our pity, to be sure. But if you 00:06:54.019 --> 00:07:03.139 didn't know the rest of Jesus' story, which one would you say is doing it right? Which one's life 00:07:03.139 --> 00:07:09.000 might show some evidence of God's favor? Which one of these guys is blessed, as we might say? 00:07:11.599 --> 00:07:16.219 Which one of these guys has got some evidence of being in a right relationship with God? 00:07:16.220 --> 00:07:23.700 And of course, if we were just shooting from the hip, we'd probably say, well, probably the rich man, 00:07:23.900 --> 00:07:33.940 right? Clearly, he's got it all together. Doesn't his external material wealth prove that he has some 00:07:33.940 --> 00:07:43.720 kind of internal spiritual favor? But after introducing these two men, Jesus shows us next a great reversal. 00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:52.700 Look at verses 22 and 23 one more time. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's 00:07:52.700 --> 00:07:57.500 side. That's a way of speaking about the feast of heaven, that they're there with Abraham and the 00:07:57.500 --> 00:08:04.680 other saints who have gone before feasting together. The rich man also died, Jesus says, and was buried. 00:08:06.020 --> 00:08:12.900 And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off. 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:23.720 And Lazarus at his side. So Jesus says, both men die. And it's not the rich man who ends up at the 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:32.620 feast of heaven. The rich man actually ends up separated from God. You see, his material wealth was 00:08:32.620 --> 00:08:39.639 no guarantee, no evidence of eternal life. He had everything that this world had to offer, 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:42.100 but he had nothing of lasting value. 00:08:46.100 --> 00:08:51.819 Now, Jesus's point here, pay attention, Jesus's point here isn't that having lots of money is 00:08:51.819 --> 00:08:58.080 inherently bad and being poor is inherently good. That's not what Jesus is saying. He's not saying 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:01.919 that every rich person is going to be separated from God and every poor person just naturally has 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:09.240 eternal life. No. Rather, Jesus wants us to think about the sort of life that shows evidence or fruit 00:09:09.639 --> 00:09:16.500 really knowing God. What would that life look like? And that's why verses 14 and 15 are important. 00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:19.740 Jesus is talking here to Pharisees. 00:09:21.659 --> 00:09:26.100 Who, even if they aren't necessarily materially wealthy, although some of them were, 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:30.159 the Pharisees are very, very externally righteous. 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:36.279 They know all the Bible verses. They pray the long prayers. They keep all the rituals and rules. 00:09:37.579 --> 00:09:42.639 And of course, none of those things are bad in and of themselves. We should be reading scripture. 00:09:42.839 --> 00:09:49.199 We should be praying. We should be caring about God's law. But to do those works of external 00:09:49.199 --> 00:09:55.639 righteousness, to have all of that, does that put us in a right relationship with God? 00:09:55.639 --> 00:10:07.080 Is being successful financially or even successful religiously a sure sign of God's favor? 00:10:09.240 --> 00:10:17.340 And Jesus is saying, not at all. The rich man dies, is buried, and immediately upon his death, 00:10:17.340 --> 00:10:29.600 lifts up his eyes in torment. He looked good in man's eyes, but to God, his heart was an abomination, 00:10:29.820 --> 00:10:37.100 as Jesus said back in verse 15. Now, of course, we don't like to think about the reality that Jesus 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:44.220 is describing here. And remember, Jesus is telling a parable, so not all the details are literal here, 00:10:44.220 --> 00:10:50.759 but the reality that he's describing is true. Could there be a more unpopular doctrine than the 00:10:50.759 --> 00:11:00.279 doctrine of judgment and hell? And yet, friends, do you know who spoke about the reality of eternal 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:11.980 judgment more than anyone else in the Bible? It wasn't Moses with his law. It wasn't Paul in his epistles. 00:11:11.980 --> 00:11:22.420 But it was Jesus himself in the gospels. Jesus talks about the reality and the possibility of eternal 00:11:22.420 --> 00:11:28.759 separation from God in hell more than anyone else in the entire Bible by about 10 times. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:41.240 Is that because Jesus is cruel and unloving? No, just the opposite. If you and I were barreling down 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:49.180 the highway on a road trip, and up ahead in just a few hundred feet, the bridge was out, and we were 00:11:49.180 --> 00:11:56.139 going to go crashing a thousand feet down, what would be the most loving and right thing for you to do 00:11:56.139 --> 00:12:03.940 as my co-pilot? Not to say, oh, I don't want to be cruel or unkind. He is doing a good job driving 00:12:03.940 --> 00:12:09.860 after all. No, the loving thing for you to be to say, Nick, the bridge is out. You have to stop the 00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:18.880 car. You have to turn away. There's nothing but destruction ahead. Stop. You see, Jesus understood 00:12:18.880 --> 00:12:24.620 that where we stand with God is the most important thing we could ever think about. 00:12:24.620 --> 00:12:34.519 God. Because where we stand with God has eternal consequences. God created us to be eternally 00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:41.879 related to him. And where we stand with him will be where we stand with him forever. You know, 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:46.399 you can spend a lot of time thinking about your job. And that's okay to spend a lot of time thinking 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:52.980 about your job. But the reality is your job is not going to last forever. And you can spend a lot of 00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:59.539 time thinking about maybe getting married one day. But your marriage, if God gives you one, 00:12:59.620 --> 00:13:06.820 isn't going to be eternal. And you can spend a lot of time thinking about all sorts of temporary things, 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:13.259 clothes and video games and cars and homes and all kinds of things. But friends, none of that 00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:22.960 is going to last forever. And if like this rich man, we're leaning on our external wealth, 00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:27.680 or our physical well-being as a sign of our spiritual well-being. Or even if we're just 00:13:27.680 --> 00:13:34.019 taking that as, you know, even if that's just something that's distracting us 00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:38.560 from considering where we truly stand with God. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:43.399 And friends, we are in incredible danger. 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:57.000 You see, I think the reason that Jesus gives the poor man a name in this parable, 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:04.220 and yet he doesn't give the rich man a name, is because I think he wants us to put ourselves 00:14:04.220 --> 00:14:10.980 in the shoes of the rich man. The main character in this story isn't Lazarus. This story is really 00:14:10.980 --> 00:14:15.139 about what happens to this rich guy. It's about you and me. It's as if Jesus is saying, 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:23.899 you fill your name into the blank. And Jesus is warning us that when our short life is over, 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:32.820 we will enter into a permanent state. And however we stand with God when our life ends is how we will 00:14:32.820 --> 00:14:41.020 stand with God for eternity. Look again at verses 24 through 26. 00:14:42.300 --> 00:14:45.520 And he, the rich man, called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:49.860 and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:51.440 for I'm in anguish in this flame. 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:57.020 But Abraham said, Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, 00:14:57.520 --> 00:15:01.220 and Lazarus in like manner bad things, and now he's comforted here, and you are in anguish. 00:15:01.220 --> 00:15:05.139 And beside all this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed, 00:15:05.660 --> 00:15:08.879 in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:11.100 and none may cross from there to us. 00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:18.779 If you look closely at the rich man's words in verse 24, what do you see? 00:15:20.920 --> 00:15:23.160 At first, it looks like he's had a change of heart, right? 00:15:24.160 --> 00:15:26.639 Father Abraham, have mercy on me. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:33.799 You know, we can often think, is it cruel and unjust for God not to allow this man a chance 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:36.120 to cross over and enter the feast of heaven? 00:15:38.899 --> 00:15:40.259 But look a little more closely. 00:15:42.659 --> 00:15:45.159 Has the rich man really had a change of heart? 00:15:48.100 --> 00:15:51.840 During his life on earth, the rich man lived in utter disregard of Lazarus. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:55.759 Lazarus suffered right at his doorstep, and the rich man did nothing to help him. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:16:01.220 And now, how does the rich man treat Lazarus? 00:16:04.259 --> 00:16:05.000 Like a servant. 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:07.420 Like a slave. 00:16:07.920 --> 00:16:09.360 Like Lazarus can just do his bidding. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:12.500 Tell Lazarus to come cool my tongue. 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:14.600 I'm in anguish over here. 00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:17.460 He can come away from the party and help me out. 00:16:18.180 --> 00:16:19.639 He can come meet my needs. 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:24.439 Friends, you see what's happened? 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:34.460 The self-centeredness with which the rich man lived his entire life persists. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:39.460 It keeps going into eternity. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.600 He's still only thinking of himself. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:50.379 And friends, that's one way for us to understand hell. 00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:58.659 To be handed over to the utter horror of our own selfishness forever. 00:16:58.659 --> 00:17:08.480 When Jesus began his public ministry in the Gospel of Luke, he announced the year of the Lord's favor. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.759 He said, now is the time for liberation. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:16.379 Now is the time to repent, to turn from sin and selfishness, and believe the Gospel. 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:19.379 But friends, what Jesus is saying here is that time won't last forever. 00:17:19.380 --> 00:17:29.020 If we live our entire life trusting in self, and looking out for self, and caring about self, and living in self-pity, 00:17:29.820 --> 00:17:33.680 and seeing all the things that we ourselves have earned and deserved, 00:17:33.780 --> 00:17:36.880 and thinking of ourselves as good enough and all the good things we've done, 00:17:38.820 --> 00:17:44.620 then eventually God will say, okay, have it your way. 00:17:44.619 --> 00:17:48.000 To self, you can belong. 00:17:51.219 --> 00:17:56.239 And when God hands us over in that way, there will be no repentance. 00:18:00.639 --> 00:18:06.599 You see, it's not that God will refuse us entrance into heaven after death, 00:18:07.219 --> 00:18:10.559 although he's perfectly just to do so. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:17.019 But it's that those who haven't trusted in Jesus won't even ask. 00:18:20.859 --> 00:18:23.899 We will continue to make demands for ourself, 00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:27.779 and we'll continue to try to use others to meet our needs, 00:18:27.859 --> 00:18:31.159 and we'll continue to make excuses, and justify ourselves, 00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:35.000 and say that God wasn't fair, just like the rich man in this story. 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:35.079 Amen. 00:18:35.079 --> 00:18:35.119 Amen. 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:45.259 So what is Jesus trying to teach us in this parable? 00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:51.919 Not just the reality of eternal separation from God, 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:58.240 but he's also teaching us that having material wealth 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:01.859 is not evidence of a right relationship with God. 00:19:02.399 --> 00:19:06.639 Rather, it's what we do with our wealth that's the evidence. 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:11.080 Do we use our wealth to serve ourselves? 00:19:13.380 --> 00:19:16.340 Or do we use it wisely and shrewdly to serve others? 00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:18.680 Last week, we looked at the parable of the shrewd manager, 00:19:19.280 --> 00:19:23.700 and one of the lessons we learned there was what Jesus said in verse 9 of this chapter. 00:19:24.040 --> 00:19:26.600 Make friends for yourself by means of unrighteous wealth. 00:19:26.660 --> 00:19:28.120 That is, material wealth. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:31.120 Make friends for yourself by means of your wealth, 00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:34.420 so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. 00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:40.740 That is not the rich man of our parable the exact opposite of that. 00:19:44.360 --> 00:19:48.200 That when his wealth fails, there's nothing and no one to receive him. 00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:51.039 He's alienated, and he's alone. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:55.980 Now, friends, hear me very clearly. 00:19:57.380 --> 00:20:02.700 Jesus is not teaching us here that how we use our money is what actually saves us. 00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:07.700 He's not saying that we're saved by serving others with our wealth. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:10.460 That's not what makes us righteous. 00:20:10.600 --> 00:20:12.319 That doesn't put us into a right relationship with God. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:13.799 We're not saved by our charity. 00:20:13.900 --> 00:20:14.120 No. 00:20:14.700 --> 00:20:21.420 But if we are already in a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ, 00:20:21.539 --> 00:20:24.900 that will be one of the fruits that comes out. 00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:32.720 That will be one of the ways that that new life within us starts to express itself in our daily life. 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:35.320 Why? 00:20:38.320 --> 00:20:45.240 Why is that kind of other-centered generosity one of the signs of knowing God in Christ? 00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:51.359 Why is Jesus saying that the generous use of our money is a sign of being a child of the kingdom? 00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:58.680 Because, friends, what the gospel tells us is that our sins have made us completely destitute. 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:08.560 And the one who holds all the wealth in the universe spent it all to pay the debt of our sin 00:21:08.560 --> 00:21:11.980 and to give us eternal life. 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:14.580 You see, friends, isn't this the gospel? 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:19.640 That the one who wore the purple robes of heaven came to earth, became poor, 00:21:20.220 --> 00:21:24.000 died on a cross in our place so that we could be forgiven. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:29.220 Haven't you and I in the gospel received unimaginable generosity? 00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:37.160 As much as we're the rich man in this story, in our sin, aren't we also Lazarus? 00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:43.900 Weren't we the ones that Christ came and took in at great cost? 00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:49.440 And didn't he feed us at his table and put ointment on our sores? 00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:51.880 And didn't he clothe us in his own royalty? 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.519 Isn't this what's true of us in Christ? 00:21:59.119 --> 00:22:04.019 And so how can we look at the Lazaruses around us 00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:08.779 and not respond in the same way that our Lord responded to us? 00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:16.460 How can we, who've been given infinite spiritual wealth in the gospel, 00:22:16.579 --> 00:22:19.960 not turn around and give some of our material wealth to those in need? 00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:24.299 What a small thing to do in response to what Jesus has done for us. 00:22:29.299 --> 00:22:33.759 It's not having wealth that's a sign of being in a right relationship with God. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:36.940 It's not just having wealth. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:37.940 Some Christians are wealthy. 00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:39.220 Some Christians are poor. 00:22:39.460 --> 00:22:41.039 It's what you do with it, friends. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:44.579 Do you give? 00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:46.319 Do you serve? 00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:51.619 Do you think of creative ways to bless others through what God has given you, 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:53.159 whether it's a lot or whether it's a little? 00:22:55.159 --> 00:22:57.200 Do you love those less fortunate than you? 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:03.220 In fact, do you even stop seeing people as less fortunate than you 00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:05.140 because we're all equal at the foot of the cross? 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:11.860 In other words, those who have received mercy show mercy. 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:18.539 Now, Jesus ends his parable with a lesson. 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.380 Let's pick up again in verse 27. 00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:24.240 And he, the rich man, said, 00:23:24.760 --> 00:23:27.700 Then I beg you, Father, to send him, that is Lazarus, to my father's house, 00:23:27.760 --> 00:23:30.180 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, 00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:32.060 lest they also come into this place of torment. 00:23:33.300 --> 00:23:35.260 But Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets. 00:23:35.360 --> 00:23:36.080 Let them hear them. 00:23:38.060 --> 00:23:41.160 And he said, No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, 00:23:41.380 --> 00:23:42.220 they will repent. 00:23:43.380 --> 00:23:45.740 And he said to them, and he said to him, 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:48.500 If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, 00:23:48.740 --> 00:23:50.160 neither will they be convinced. 00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:53.320 If someone should rise from the dead. 00:23:56.660 --> 00:23:58.180 What will convince you, friend, 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:00.220 to stop living for yourself 00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:02.440 and to put your trust in Jesus 00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:05.300 so that you might enter the feast of heaven 00:24:05.300 --> 00:24:09.820 and not come into the place of eternal, self-centered torment? 00:24:11.860 --> 00:24:14.580 What will convince you to take that step? 00:24:17.800 --> 00:24:19.700 And Jesus is challenging us here. 00:24:19.700 --> 00:24:22.500 Because the point of this last paragraph 00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:25.720 is Jesus telling us very loud and clear 00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:29.039 that our real problem when it comes to believing the gospel 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:31.360 isn't a lack of proof, 00:24:31.740 --> 00:24:33.440 but it's a hardness of heart. 00:24:36.440 --> 00:24:40.519 Why wouldn't Lazarus, coming back from the dead, 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:42.539 convince these brothers to change? 00:24:42.600 --> 00:24:43.380 Let's be honest. 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:45.120 That seems a little odd, right? 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:46.519 If someone came back from the dead, 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:48.059 you'd think that would be pretty convincing. 00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:55.399 Because he knew that these brothers 00:24:55.399 --> 00:24:57.479 had all the intellectual proof 00:24:57.479 --> 00:24:59.659 that they needed to believe already. 00:24:59.660 --> 00:25:05.980 Now let me say, 00:25:06.040 --> 00:25:06.660 if you're here tonight 00:25:06.660 --> 00:25:09.220 and you're curious about the historical evidence 00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:10.300 for the truth of Christianity, 00:25:10.800 --> 00:25:12.860 if you have genuine doubts about its truthfulness, 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:15.400 then this church is a good place for you to be 00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:17.560 because we would love to explore 00:25:17.560 --> 00:25:20.019 and help you understand some of that evidence 00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:21.040 and to ask questions 00:25:21.040 --> 00:25:22.480 and to wrestle with the faith. 00:25:22.580 --> 00:25:23.380 Jesus never says, 00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.700 just take a blind leap 00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:27.120 and then you believe. 00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:27.460 No. 00:25:28.580 --> 00:25:29.460 We should believe 00:25:29.460 --> 00:25:31.559 because we're convinced that it's true. 00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:35.120 Jesus isn't afraid of giving people the evidence 00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:36.240 and the proof that they need 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:38.160 to help understand how this all makes sense 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:40.400 historically and rationally. 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:42.299 But the reality is, friends, 00:25:42.360 --> 00:25:44.720 after considering all the evidence you can, 00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:49.620 there will still remain the heart issue, 00:25:50.080 --> 00:25:51.880 which is the issue. 00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:54.820 And the heart issue is, 00:25:55.320 --> 00:26:00.820 will we submit our hearts and our lives 00:26:00.820 --> 00:26:03.260 to another wholly? 00:26:05.860 --> 00:26:10.920 Or will we remain our own self-centered Lord? 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:19.160 Who will be the Lord of your life? 00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:23.360 And all the evidence in the world 00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:28.160 isn't going to just immediately push you over that line. 00:26:32.100 --> 00:26:33.940 Because, of course, when Jesus told this parable, 00:26:34.060 --> 00:26:37.180 he knew and he had already begun teaching the disciples 00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:39.880 that he was actually going to rise from the dead. 00:26:41.700 --> 00:26:44.380 I mean, the dramatic irony of that line 00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:46.160 just bursts off the page, doesn't it? 00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:47.580 Because we all, reading the Gospel of Luke, 00:26:47.579 --> 00:26:48.659 know that Jesus is going to be the one 00:26:48.659 --> 00:26:49.919 who does rise from the dead. 00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:53.679 And the tragedy is that many in Jesus' own day, 00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:55.319 even after his resurrection, 00:26:55.779 --> 00:26:57.699 would still refuse to believe. 00:27:02.399 --> 00:27:03.919 Friend, don't let that be you tonight. 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:09.539 Are you still going to remain locked up 00:27:09.539 --> 00:27:11.619 in your own selfishness? 00:27:13.339 --> 00:27:16.399 Or will you admit that God is God 00:27:16.399 --> 00:27:20.039 and that his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:27:20.099 --> 00:27:23.259 has come and paid the penalty for your sins 00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:25.940 and rose again and ascended to the Father's right hand 00:27:25.940 --> 00:27:26.480 as King 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:29.779 and now invites you and calls you 00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:32.019 to come and trust yourself to him? 00:27:32.019 --> 00:27:39.779 In a minute, we're going to sing a final song. 00:27:41.539 --> 00:27:42.379 But before we do, 00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:43.920 I want us to just spend a minute tonight 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:45.920 in just quiet spiritual reflection. 00:27:46.039 --> 00:27:47.660 We don't often do this in the evening service. 00:27:48.359 --> 00:27:49.339 But we're just going to take a minute 00:27:49.339 --> 00:27:52.339 to just meditate and pray quietly in our seats. 00:27:53.700 --> 00:27:54.779 If you're a believer in Jesus, 00:27:55.099 --> 00:27:56.019 maybe you could take a minute 00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:59.000 and examine on the basis of this text 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:01.680 how you have been using your material resources. 00:28:02.819 --> 00:28:03.700 Are you serving? 00:28:04.299 --> 00:28:05.019 Are you giving? 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:08.180 And if as you pray 00:28:08.180 --> 00:28:09.380 and as you look into your own heart 00:28:09.380 --> 00:28:10.680 and as you do so before God 00:28:10.680 --> 00:28:12.099 and if you see that that's true, 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:15.259 then tonight, thank God for the grace 00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:16.799 that enables you to do that 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.339 and ask God for more grace 00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:19.759 to be able to do it more and more. 00:28:22.140 --> 00:28:23.000 And if you're a believer 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:26.099 and you see ways in which you're not doing that, 00:28:26.099 --> 00:28:29.619 then ask for God's forgiveness 00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:31.639 and know that Jesus' death and resurrection 00:28:31.639 --> 00:28:33.539 covers those sins too 00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:35.740 and then pray that the Holy Spirit 00:28:35.740 --> 00:28:37.139 would begin to teach you 00:28:37.139 --> 00:28:38.619 and show you and give you wisdom 00:28:38.619 --> 00:28:41.559 about how you can serve Him better in this way. 00:28:41.699 --> 00:28:43.859 Ask for the Spirit to give you this fruit 00:28:43.859 --> 00:28:46.359 of generosity and compassion 00:28:46.359 --> 00:28:48.799 and charity in your heart and in your life. 00:28:52.379 --> 00:28:54.199 If you're not a believer in Jesus tonight, 00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:56.220 then this would be a good time 00:28:56.220 --> 00:28:57.660 to ask yourself 00:28:57.660 --> 00:29:00.160 and to prayerfully ask yourself 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:01.080 before God. 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:03.299 On the one hand, 00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:05.380 are there some evidences that I need? 00:29:05.460 --> 00:29:06.640 Are there questions that I have, 00:29:06.740 --> 00:29:08.559 genuine questions I have 00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:10.340 that are sort of keeping me 00:29:10.340 --> 00:29:11.460 and holding me up 00:29:11.460 --> 00:29:12.700 in my spiritual journey 00:29:12.700 --> 00:29:13.700 for becoming a Christian? 00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:16.440 And if so, what are they? 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:19.039 And who are you going to ask 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:20.440 to help you find the answers? 00:29:20.440 --> 00:29:23.519 Would you be willing tonight 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:25.019 to start to talk about some of those 00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:26.299 and explore some of those? 00:29:30.100 --> 00:29:31.000 Or on the other hand, 00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:32.519 is it not so much a head issue for you, 00:29:32.580 --> 00:29:33.460 but is it a heart issue? 00:29:34.940 --> 00:29:37.039 Have you been exploring the faith? 00:29:38.380 --> 00:29:40.240 Does it start to make sense to you? 00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:43.600 But honestly, at the end of the day, 00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:44.840 are you afraid to give God 00:29:44.840 --> 00:29:46.000 the control of your life? 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:49.859 Friend, if so, 00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:51.420 ask yourself tonight, 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:52.680 what would God need to say 00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:54.259 or do to convince you 00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.380 that you can trust Him 00:29:55.380 --> 00:29:56.000 with your life? 00:29:59.640 --> 00:30:00.599 There's an old hymn 00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:01.859 that we sang this morning, actually, 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:02.740 in the morning service 00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:03.299 that says, 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:05.640 what more can He say 00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:08.380 than to you He hath said? 00:30:11.720 --> 00:30:12.579 Have you considered 00:30:12.579 --> 00:30:14.500 that if God loves you so much 00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:16.740 as to die for you and your sins? 00:30:18.180 --> 00:30:19.480 Then you can trust Him. 00:30:20.500 --> 00:30:21.799 And He'll not let anything 00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:22.400 come your way 00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:24.099 that's not ultimately for your good 00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:25.319 if you're His. 00:30:28.500 --> 00:30:29.680 So let's take a moment then 00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:30.460 and let's be still 00:30:30.460 --> 00:30:31.640 before God together. 00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:46.400 Him. 00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:44.480 Thank you. 00:31:44.500 --> 00:32:14.480 Thank you. 00:32:14.500 --> 00:32:44.480 Thank you. 00:32:44.500 --> 00:32:46.500 Thank you.