What The Rich Man Would Say

Introduction

I’d like for you this morning, if you have a Bible to be opening to the book of Luke and Luke chapter 16, I want to talk about a story that Jesus related that is probably familiar to everyone in this audience. We know it as the story of the rich man and Lazarus. In Luke chapter 16, the beginning in verse 19, Jesus said, There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.

The rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and seeing Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot. Neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, Father, that thou would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. And he said, No, Father, Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they would repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. This story has fascinated audiences throughout the generations because it furnishes at least a little insight into life after death. As it tells about these two men whose lives experienced complete reversals of fortune. The rich man would have given everything to change his eternal condition. The beggar was the one who enjoyed the blessings that all should seek for and desire. Being as described in Abraham’s bosom. Now there are those who look at this and there’s some quibbling over to whether this is a story of reality or simply a fictional story.

Those who deny that there’s any consciousness after death tell us that really this is just a story of fiction. Or at best a parable. They try to deny that in reality that there could be any consciousness after death. On the other hand, there are those who look at this and say, Well, Jesus, even to the point of naming the beggar, as Lazarus, was actually telling a story of that was true, true to life. Well, there’s one thing for certain that even if you call it a parable, it would be uncharacteristic of Jesus to talk about things that were impossible of happening. In every parable, even that Jesus taught, he took things that were true to life, that could occur in real life. The parable of the source, soil, the different types of soil, that’s true to life.

Any of the parables you read about of Jesus, he talked about something that really could be true to this life, and alongside of it, taught a truth. So whether you call this a parable or actually a real story, you recognize that it really has some truths about it that I think we can say, look, these are things that we must take notice of. This morning I want you to consider with me, what if, what if the rich man were able to stand here today and preach? What do you think he would say? You ever thought about it from that point of view? I really call the lesson what the rich man would say. And I think if you look at the story of Jesus, there are some obvious things that when you consider the condition that after death they each experience, you can see there are some things he probably would urgently exhort every one of us.

1. Instead of a Success, a Failure in Life

Now, the rich man in this life was highly regarded among men. No doubt, as in our own time, our society likes to think, oh, somebody who’s really materially wealthy, they are successful. Aren’t they really living? You see the big homes and the fine automobiles, and you think, oh, that’s the measure of success. No doubt this rich man clothed in the attire of the wealthy, he was able to live in splendor every day. He had anything that money could buy, everything that he might have wanted to have. But because of selfishness, he was disgusting in God’s sight. He obviously failed to realize the seriousness of the present opportunity in preparing his life for eternity. And thus, really, instead of being a success, he was a failure in life, wasn’t he?

2. Both Died

In contrast, there was Lazarus. And really, from a human perspective, those who were around him perhaps thought Lazarus was probably anything but successful. In fact, he he had nothing materially. He was a beggar. Jesus described him as surviving only by eating the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. He didn’t even have good medical attention. The dogs licked his sores. Successful. But everyone who looks at the final state or condition of Lazarus would say, this man really understood success in life. He prepared for eternity in such a way, far different from the rich man. The reality of this lesson, both died. You have to stop and think about that for a moment. It did not matter that a man was rich or a man was poor.

Both died. As Hebrews 9 and verse 27, it is appointed in the man once to die. And after this, the judgment. And every one of us sitting here today, we shall die. If God allows time to go on, you and I face certainty of physical death. And of judgment to follow thereafter. Actually, death is separation of the body from the spirit. And what we really read in this text is something after physical death. Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 7 says the spirit returns unto God that gave it, while the dust returns to the earth. Our bodies will decay, but our spirit, we continue to be alive. In Revelation chapter 6, verses 9 and 10, there’s a story where Jesus was describing the uh, or John in the vision, saw the souls under the altar when the fifth seal was loosed from that book sealed with seven seals.

3. Two Different Realms for Those Who Die

And what is described there are souls that had been slain for the testimony of Jesus. They were dead physically, but white robes had been given unto them. And they were crying out unto the Lord, How long, O Lord, holy and true, does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? So there was life still going on on the earth. Though they were dead physically, their spirits were still alive, and before the Lord they were able to plead, please avenge the wrongs that have been done to those who are the servants of God. Consciousness after death is a reality. But when we notice in this story of Jesus, there are two different states, two different realms for those who die. It is said of the rich man in Hades.

The rich man was buried. Probably at one of those fine funerals, you know. Have you ever been to a funeral today, but the preacher preached a man perhaps as best he could right into heaven? Of course, nobody can preach another into heaven. But I mean, you know, if he’s successful materially, probably he lives in this good country and a Christian nation, we go through all these kind of things. And we somehow have him where some way, somehow he’s probably going to be alright, because God is love. Well, I don’t demean the fact that God is love. But also God is a God of justice, and God has certainly revealed his word that we might know truth, and those who reject it can recognize that God is also a God, as the Hebrew writer said, a consuming fire in Hebrews chapter 12 and 29.

He is a God of justice. And those who reject the gift that God has given, the Son, his only begotten son, cannot expect that God will just overlook that rejection. This man in Hades. Now, if you have the King James Version I’ve just read from, probably it’s somewhat confusing because it says it translates that he was in hell. And when we think of the word hell, we we normally think of the eternal lake that the scripture describes as burning with fire and brimstone. That’s really a different Greek word. If you have another translation, yours probably read. He was in Hades. And there are really two Greek words that are both translated, hell, really three in the King James Version. Hades and Gehenna. Now, Gehenna is the word that is most often found to describe the place we normally think of hell.

Jesus in Matthew 10 and verse 28 said, Fear not them that are able to kill the body, but not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, Gehenna. In Mark chapter 9, verses 43 through 48, Gehenna is a place where Jesus described as the fire shall not be quenched. The worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Gehenna. In Revelation chapter 20, it speaks about those as the second death. In other words, there’s physical death, the first death, but the second death is the eternal separation from God in a place prepared for the devil and his angels. And yet the rich man was in Hades, not yet Gehenna. There’s a condition going on before the final judgment.

There’s still life going on on the earth. Hades is that realm where the spirits of all dead ones go. Righteous or wicked, go to Hades. But you notice in this story, there’s a great gulf fixed between the two. One could not cross over to the other. So that Hades, in fact, interestingly, Jesus went to Hades. In Acts chapter 2, you remember the sermon that Peter was preaching, and he quoted from Psalm 16, and in Acts 2 and verse 27, he said that his soul or spirit would not be left in hell, or Hades is the Greek word. Neither would his flesh see corruption. And what that really says is that Christ would come back from the dead, the realm of the dead. His body would not decay, and he would not, or his spirit would not be left in Hades.

But now there’s another word for the realm of the righteous in Hades. You remember on the cross, Jesus said to the thief, today, thou shalt be with me where? Paradise. There is the realm of Hades described as paradise, where the righteous would go. Now in this story, he is described as being in Abraham’s bosom. But that would also fit Scripture. Or we know Abraham, the father of the faithful. Abraham, from whom really all the nation of Jews came. It was to Abraham that God had made the promise in Genesis 12, he would make of his seed a great family, out of which he would raise up through the sea through whom he had blessed all families of the earth. In one sense, every Jew is a son of Abraham.

But not every Jew is going to be in Abraham’s bosom. You see, Abraham, what made him stand apart from his others of his generation is he looked for a city whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11 says. And Abraham and those who walk in the faith of an Abraham are in the city built by God for the faithful. To be in Abraham’s bosom, as this man was, is as though to be in paradise or the garden beautiful. It is though to be blessed of God who walk in the steps of Abraham. But mind you, looking at the two situations, where would you rather be? In a place like Lazarus, or in a place like the rich man. Hades, where there is torment. Second Peter 2 and verse 4 speaks about even the angels that sinned were kept in chains of darkness, reserved unto judgment.

4. Keep Your Eyes Set on Heaven

So there is a place of punishment, even after this life for those who have been wicked. Well, let’s say, what would the rich man then say? If he’s now in the place while life is still going on on the earth, but but he is his destiny is sealed. What would he say if he were here today? What do you think the rich man would say to us? Well, let me suggest at least four different things rather quickly. First of all, don’t you believe he would say, Keep your eyes set on heaven? The scripture here in verse 23 that we read a moment ago, in hell of Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment and see Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Now, at this time, he had his sight set where he would like to be.

But it’s too late for him now. Seeing now the comfort and blessings that Lazarus enjoyed, the rich man surely would say, keep your eyes set on the goal that really is worth having in life. In Colossians chapter 3, in verses 1 through 4, the apostle describes, for those who are risen with Christ who are Christians, listen to the admonition. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. For you’re dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Keep your focus. Who are you?

Where are you going? Sadly, there are some who have once obeyed the gospel who’ve lost sight of where they’re going. Some have lost their faith. Some are no longer really zealous for the Lord or faithful. They’ve turned to the selfish fulfilling of the fleshly lust. Sometimes I hear about even those who formerly preach the gospel. You know they know. But they’ve left the Lord. Maybe they’ve divorced their wife, or maybe for some material gain they went to things of the world, or for whatever reason, they’ve fallen into sin and they haven’t repented of it. It’s one thing to sin, but it’s another to repent of it, and those who just keep on going in the way of the world must say, Wow. Why would you know of elders, once elders who’ve lost their faith, are good Bible class teachers, women as well as men.

People you’ve known who once were good and faithful. Song leaders, even. I’ll tell you what’s happened. They pulled up their anchor. Hebrews 6 19 says, Hope is the anchor of the soul. And there will be storms, there will be temptations and trials in life. But when we lose sight of the hope that we have of heaven. We get to thinking only about the now. And people say, you know, the Lord wants me to be happy. And we’re thinking about the present moment. The apostle Paul was in prison when he wrote the book of Philippians. And he said, Christians ought to be happy, rejoice in the Lord always. But who’d want to be in prison? Lord wants us to be happy. Maybe he could have gotten out of prison if he’d have renounced Christ.

He lost his head. The tradition says he was beheaded. Well, was that successful? Well, when you think in terms of where we’re really going, we’re but strangers and pilgrims in this life. When we forget our destiny, if we at least forget heaven and live only for now. We’re sort of like the man you may have probably heard the story, it’s an old old story about the preacher who was preaching about heaven. Everybody wants to go to heaven, just stand up, and the whole audience stood up except one man on the front row. Preacher looked down and said, Sir, don’t you want to go to heaven? He said, Oh, sure. But I thought you was getting up a load now. There are some people who want to go, but not now.

Lord, later on, I’m too busy with the world right now. Are we like that? Are we so busy with life and family and things that are attracting us that we don’t have time to worship the Lord? Some of us can’t come back on a Sunday night because we’re too busy with now. We don’t have any time to read the scriptures because we’re too busy with now. We’re so involved in things here and now. Indeed, Jesus spoke how some with iniquity would abound and persecution. He said the faith of some would wax cold. Matthew 24, verses 12 and 13. There’s some who depart from the Lord. Jesus predicted that. In fact, in 2 Peter chapter 3, where he talked about the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.

He said, There are some who who, like the scoffers, saying, Where’s the coming of the Lord? While things have continued like we always were. He said, Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, one day with the Lord as is a thousand years. The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night. That is when men are not expecting him, but he shall come. God, while he’s long suffering. You can count on his promises being sure. He’s not slack concerning his promises. And there are some people who think, oh, well, you know, I’ve got time. I’m not even sure judgment’s going to come. Why look on? It’s just we own tomorrow. I’m going to turn to him, but not today, not now.