Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31)

Lazarus and the Rich Man(Luke 16:19-31)

Luke 16:19-31 • Two Earthly Existences (vv. 19-21) • Two Eternal Destinies (vv. 22-23) • Three Requests (vv. 24-31)

I. Two Earthly Existences (vv. 19-21)

II. Two Eternal Destinies (vv. 22-23)

II. Two Eternal Destinies (vv. 22-23) • The Great Equalizer? No. Death is not an equalizer. But it is the common, inevitable destiny of all.  “golden lads and girls all must, as chimney sweepers, come to dust” Shakespeare 2. Reversal of fortune Who envies who now? Death doesn’t reverse fortunes, but faith does.

What the Bible does not teach • Universalism • Annihilationism • Purgatory

Universalism This is the view that everyone will be saved. It is usually anchored in a view that says God is love and that conquers everything else.

Universalism in The Shack  “In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me, but only some choose relationship.” (225)  “I am not who you think I am, Mackenzie. I don’t need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It is not my purpose to punish it; it’s my joy to cure it” (119-20)

 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”(John 3:36)  “you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5)  “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” (Heb. 10:27)  “fear Him who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell.” (Luke 12:5)

Purgatory “In Roman Catholic teaching, purgatory is the place where the souls of believers go to be further purified from sin until they are ready to be admitted into heaven. According to this view, the sufferings of purgatory are given to God in substitute for the punishment for sins that believers should have received in time, but did not.” Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 817

Purgatory (Lat., "purgare", to make clean, to purify) in accordance with Catholic teaching is a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God's grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions. New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia

“[Judas Maccabeus], also took a collection, man by man, to the amount of 2,000 drachmas of silver to Jerusalem for a sin offering (for the dead), thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection, 44(For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) … Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin. (2 Maccabees 12:42-45)

Why we reject purgatory  “It is finished” (tetelestai)  The sufficiency of the blood of Christ  Passages that speak of being immediately in the presence of Christ  The lack of reasonable support for it

Annihilationism “that unbelievers, either immediately upon death, or else after suffering for a period of time will simply cease to exist – God will annihilate them and they will no longer be.” Wayne Grudem Systematic Theology

“I was led to question the traditional belief in everlasting conscious torment because of moral revulsion and broader theological considerations, not first of all on scriptural grounds.” Clark Pinnock “Emotionally, I find the concept [of eternal conscious torment] intolerable and do not understand how people can live with it without either cauterizing their feelings or cracking under the strain…” John Stott

No annihilation  “everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2)  “eternal judgment” (Hebrews 6:2)  “eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41)  “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matt. 25:46) • “The smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day or night.” (Rev. 14:11)

Hades  torment & anguish  torment in fire (like Hell)  realization of the bliss of the redeemed  regret (for self and others)

III. Three Requests (vv. 24-31) R1. “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.” A1.  merciless, irreversible judgment  unbridgeable chasm between heaven and hell

III. Three Requests (vv. 24-31) R2. “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..” A2. “They have Moses and the Prophets” R3 “if someone goes to them from the dead…” A3 “if they do not hear Moses & the Prophets, neither will they be convinced … ”

Life Principles • Bring your wealth under the Lordship (and compassion) of Christ. • “Hell’s hot; heaven’s sweet; judgment is sure and Jesus saves.” • Put your faith in Christ while it is called today! • Tell the brothers (& sisters) of the dead the gospel lest they go to eternal torment.

“O lente, lente, curritenoctisequi! [Run slowly, slowly, horses of the night!]The stars move still, time runs, the clock will strike, The Devil will come, and Faustus will be damned.” Christopher Marlowe, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus

Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31)