A CERTAIN RICH MAN - AND LAZARUS.   Luke 16

‘No heaven. No devil. I’ve been there.’   A prominent Australian business man was unconscious for four minutes while CPR was performed. He rallied.  Millions of neurones die when the brain is robbed of oxygen: while some patients revive to exist as a vegetable.  This pretence was repeated in a cricket telecast to 100 million viewers, including 3 million Australians. India. South Africa, UK and South East Asia heard this lie, untruth, falsehood, and propaganda. God’s word speaks clearly.
‘It is appointed unto man once to die; and after this the judgment.’ He did not die.

Christ told of ‘A certain rich man who was clothed in purple, (obtained from a small animal), and fine linen (indicating a priestly garment) fared sumptuously every day‘. Everyone knew his indulgence.  He enjoyed luxurious comfort. 

‘A certain beggar, Lazarus, which means God restores, full of sores (a threat to life, and possibly leprous) was laid (dumped) at his gate like a basket ball.  He was an embarrassing eyesore, and an offensive intruder.

The beggar was famishing and wasting. Scripture added, ‘He desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table.  Guest cleansed their hands, with bread crumbs falling to floor.  Moreover, dogs came and licked his sores, giving him gentle relief.  No nurse, ambulance or hospital relieved him of his distress.

‘The beggar died.’ His body was certainly thrown into the Valley fire, to prevent   infection spreading, ‘He, that is, his spirit and soul were carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.’ a picture of Heaven.  Angels in life and death minister to the heirs of salvation, even to this beggar. In Java God sent angels to help my dear wife and me during the delivery of a precious daughter: we were alone during a tropical storm; totally dependent on a merciful heavenly Father. 

‘The rich man also died, and was buried.’  Presumably ceremonial formalities, with eulogies of his philanthropy followed.  His perfumed body rested in a lavish, expensive coffin, such as are entombed in Westminster Abbey or a family crypt. Pharisees would preside over the celebration before distinguished guests.  But what of the person behind this tragedy? ‘And being in torments, anguish, grief, heartache; in hell or hades, (the place of departed spirits ) He lifted up his eyes (from an inferior position) and saw Abraham and  Lazarus ( restored by God ) in his bosom, ‘ which promotion every Hebrew regards highly’ v23.

Then he cried, (possibly the first time he had sought mercy, or many would have sought it from him. ’Father Abraham, have mercy on me.  Send Lazarus‘, the filthy beggar.   A misplaced missionary zeal in hell.  ‘That he may dip the tip of his finger in water (there is no water in Hades; and Christ is the Water of life) and cool (by an evaporative process) my tongue (inflamed language, scandal, boasting, denial of heaven and hell, cursing, blasphemy)’. Hell offers no fellowship despite many who brag of future social activity and prospective achievements in hell.

Now he confessed, ‘I am tormented’ (or grief-stricken).  The same word described the heartache of our beloved brother when His cherished wife was called home to heaven: and an older brother on losing his beloved of forty five years.  They were lonely, silent, in this fire of suffering. Hell burns as fire and brimstone, with smoke rising.  The rich man’s conscience was on fire, after years of placating it. On earth, he had brushed aside the gentle, persuasive conviction of God’s Spirit. 
 We must show tender compassion for unsaved friends, dear ones, and strangers.

Abraham said, ’Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented’ (v25). Long term memory was preserved in hades, where he experienced torment, anguish, grief, contrasted with Lazarus’ comfort. The Greek word ‘parakletos’ speaks of the Lord drawing alongside to help: oh, what comfort to Lazarus.  Our Lord forgives our sins and remembers them no more for ever! Glorious. Our son, John, reported from Rwanda that many genocide slaughterers had confessed their hideous crimes, and were forgiven- and their recorded sins firmly nailed to a cross.

And besides all this ‘Who can estimate the blessing of heaven and condemnation of hell.  ‘There is a great gulf (chasm, separation) fixed’, which is invariable, and not subject to seasonal change or variation of God’s nature, or indecision of the bible.
No missionary work proceeds from hell. Today is our opportunity: and only in our   generation.  God does not charge us with future evangelism. ‘So that those who would pass from here to you cannot; nor can those from there pass to us.’  Heaven’s customs angels guard these boundaries.  Contrast smallpox vaccination scar, which assured entry to nations.  Christ in the heart opens heaven’s gate.

The rich man (now poverty-stricken) pleaded, ’I beg,’ though he may never have begged on earth. ‘Therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house’. ’He had enjoyed every conceivable luxury. Awaken, shake, and plead with them.

Memory stirred when he considered the lost estate of his loved ones. Does yours?
‘I have five brothers, that he might testify (recall, as a martyr, or witness). His compulsion, ‘lest they also come to this place of torment. ‘Besides all this!’ Moreover,  ’Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from here pass to us’ V26. No cross-cultural transactions occur. No inter-cultural adjustments for rescue are possible.

I had 2 brothers, the elder living in Sydney with cancer of the lungs from tobacco smoking.  His marriage had broken down, following unfaithfulness, and then alcoholic addiction ended the second one. He was dying. ‘Come‘. We drove in our golf diesel several times.  He returned to his boyhood faith in the Lord Jesus, singing, despite battling his emphysema, ’The Lord’s my shepherd I shall not want‘: our Mother’s favourite. We hugged. I prayed, and sobbed. Heaven was assured.  

My younger brother also suffered lung cancer- with liver involvement. He repeatedly asked, ‘Why call me?  Why have you come? ‘He refused to hear, until his wife pleaded that I tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.  On life-support systems, and deeply comatosed, I whispered of Jesus’ dying love. No eye or lip flickered. Such patients may understand- but not respond.  I prayed after the celebrant’s cold, God-denying. Bible-less, meaningless service: using the shepherd’s psalm; precious as our Mother had taught us. Only the Father knows if my dear brother turned in faith to the Saviour.

‘They have their bible, ‘Abraham, said to them, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ (v29)  The precious word of the eternal God is available in thousands of languages. Most in our Western world have bibles - some maybe dusty, unread. Many are cherished and pored over. They must listen to them.

The first five books of the bible have much gospel truth, for example, in Genesis, with creation, the Fall after satan’s temptation, the promise of the Redeemer; the world -wide flood and destruction of all except Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives.  The faith of Abraham and Joseph release so much truth.  The later prophets referred to the Messiah and Redeemer on hundreds of occasions, pleading with each generation to repent and turn to the Lord their God.   

The once-rich man, now unspeakably impoverished, objected, ‘No! Impossible. Father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He was abysmally wrong.

Noah returned after the deathly devastation of the flood with all civilisation; Isaac returned after Abraham had concurred to offer him as a sacrifice ; Jonah returned from the grave of the Mediterranean Sea; Job declared, “I know that my Redeemer lives, I shall see him in my flesh.’ 19:25. Christ showed His resurrection power with restoring an only son, only daughter, and only brother, Lazarus (John 11 ).   Paul was raised from the dead; John in the Revelation was in the Spirit: and greatest miracle of all, our Lord Jesus Christ, was raised from the dead after three days in the grave and in hades. Men still do not believe the clear word of Holy Scripture.

Our Lord reminded the once-rich man in hell ’if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one man rise from the dead’ (v31).

Loved ones, associates, friends -  tell them, plead with them; pray for them to embrace Christ as Saviour; to anticipate heaven- and spurn the advances of hell.

                             Where will you be one split second after you die? 
                                 Comforted in heaven- or tormented in hell!