Luke 16:19-31 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 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; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 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. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 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. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The story before us is not a parable. It is a true story because Christ gave the name of the saved individual. In a parable, Christ never names people.

Outward appearances are not always the same as inward appearances.

The appearance of the rich man.

He was dressed in purple and fine linen. (The purple and fine linen of man’s righteousness will never beautify in the eyes of God.)

He fared sumptuously every day.

If he got sick, he could afford the best doctors.

He had many friends (because of his wealth and power {pull, or political prestige})

The appearance of Lazarus.

He was a beggar, a person of disgust to many people. (God doesn’t look on the outward appearance, but on the heart.)

He had beggars for friends.

He had little influence. (It is not uncommon for a poor afflicted child of God to stink in the nostrils of influential, covetous and wealthy men of this world.)

He had trouble helping himself, much less helping others.

He was probably dressed in rags because he couldn’t afford better clothing.

He was sick and had only the dogs for doctors. (Lazarus body was in bad condition, but his soul was a precious jewel to God.)

C. The rich man didn't go to hell because he was rich and Lazarus didn't go to heaven because he was poor.

1. Salvation doesn't depend upon the riches of this life, or the flesh, or physical pleasures.

2. Salvation is of the spirit.

3. Many believe God pays more attention to the rich than to the poor.

4. God pays attention to His people.

There is no record that the rich man got his riches by fraud, oppression, or any kind of wickedness.

Some rich people are rich because they are crooks. They spend their time in profitable, crooked ventures.

Some poor people are poor because they are crooks. They spend their time in unprofitable, crooked ventures.

Riches may make a person forget the real purpose of living.

Seeking wealth and pleasures of the body are the ruin of many a soul.

Job 21:7-15 - "What is the Almighty that I should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?"

D. Lazarus desired to be fed with the rich man's crumbs.

1. I believe Lazarus was fed with these crumbs because he came back. It makes no sense to think that the rich man didn't feed the poor, because there were poor people at his gate.

2. The rich man was evidently well known to feed the poor because Lazarus "was laid" at his gate. The language suggests that others carried Lazarus to the rich man's gate, therefore the rich man was well know to provide for the poor.

3. It is often assumed the rich man was wicked and the poor man was good.

4. There is no scripture that says the rich man was wicked.

5. It seems to me the rich man was too busy with the things of this world to take care of eternal things.

Funeral services do not always reflect the condition of the soul.

A. At death. (Suicide doesn't end it all!)

1. Life (the soul) exists in a condition separate from the body. The soul didn't die when the body died, but continued living somewhere.

2. The soul removed from this sphere, or realm of existence to a higher sphere or realm. Back to God who gave it.

3. Angels carry Lazarus' body to the bosom of Abraham. (Angels is plural, not singular.) Elijah had more than one angel carry him to heaven.

4. The rich man went to hell.

a. This teaches us that everybody doesn't go to heaven when they die. There is no such thing as universal salvation. (Fatherhood of God, brotherhood of man.)

b. Saved people go to heaven.

Lost people go to hell.

B. The rich man had a funeral, which the Bible states was a burial.

His body probably had a grand funeral, but his soul was in torments.

Verse 23 states that his soul was in torments in hell. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments

There would be more real mourners if men could only see within the veil of death.

Men may eulogize of the past of this world’s departed great ones, but what about their present?

The torments of the lost in hell is indescribable.

Lazarus probably didn’t have a funeral, but his dead body was probably cast into the fires of Gehenna.

Verse 22 declares that the soul of Lazarus was carried by the angels into the bosom of Abraham. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom

Lazarus body had the burial of a dog, yet the very angels of God attended his soul.

What a person has now may not be a reflection of what he will have in the life to come.

The rich man.

He fared sumptuously every day, yet in eternity he desired just one drop of water.

He desired to be clothed with the fair attire of this world’s goods, not with the righteousness of God.

He desired to be recognized as a man with influence, power, prestige, or wealth, not as one of God’s faithful men.

The rich man desired comfort in this life, and found it, yet could find none for all eternity.

He was humbled in hell, but it was too late to be saved.

Lazarus.

In this life he had nothing, but in eternity, he has everything.

Lazarus didn’t have comfort in this life, but in eternity he finds comfort.

Lazarus was clothed in rags in this life, but in eternity he is clothed in the righteousness of God.

Lazarus was in constant misery in this life because of sickness in his body, and only had the dogs to lick his sores. In eternity, he has no pain at all.

C. What kind of torments did the rich man endure? (more than one)

1. He was tormented in the flames of hell.

a. Some don't know whether hell is full of flames or not.

b. Some believe the flames of hell or symbolic of being in a place where God is not.

c. The Bible says that hell and the Lake of Fire is fire, so that is what I will believe.

2. He had a memory.

a. He knew who Lazarus was.

b. He remembered his five brothers, and had a love for them. He couldn't do anything to help them.

c. He had an increased memory because he also knew Abraham, whom he had never met.

d. He remembered the taste of cool water on a hot day when his tongue was parched from thirst.

e. He remembered how he had helped Lazarus when he was in trouble, and now wanted Lazarus to help him when he was in trouble.

1) To a lot of people this is what Christianity is.

2) Christianity is to help those with no thought that you will ever be repaid.

Christ provided meals for those who were unable to repay, and he didn't expect to be repaid.

D. What is Abraham's bosom?

1. To the Jews.

a. A return to the Garden of Eden.

b. They go to be under the throne of glory.

c. They go to the place of the Saviour - the beginning of it all: the bosom of Abraham.

2. To the Gentiles.

a. It is heaven, where Jesus Christ is.

b. It is a place of continual comfort and joy.

Taking advantage of wrong opportunities will lead to catastrophic later.

The rich man took advantage of wrong opportunities.

He got great wealth, power and prestige.

He forsook the warnings about his lost soul.

He gained many privileges and much material wealth, yet lost his own soul.

Verse 25 states, But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

The remembrance of a wasted lifetime will be, in the world to come, an undying source of remorse.

Lazarus.

Lazarus didn’t have any of this world’s wealth, but all of eternity’s wealth.

Lazarus would never regret trusting Christ and being saved.

The temporary miseries of this world’s loss will be very short indeed when compared to the riches gained for all eternity.

Saints and sinners meet together now, but the time is coming when they will be eternally separated.

Verse 26 - 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.

Earthly relationships avail us nothing at all in eternity.

Everything depends on our relationship to God and His Christ.

All the prayers for the dead are to no avail, for there is no possibility of a person getting out of hell when they go there.

There is no possibility of a person getting out of heaven when they go there.

There is no such thing as purgatory.

C. Lazarus and the rich are far apart.

1. While they were upon the earth, they could be near each other.

2. After death, they will never be near each other again.

There are no prayers answered in hell.

Verse 27 - Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

There is no doubt many prayers prayed in hell, but none are answered.

The rich man at first prayed for a single drop of water to be placed on his tongue by Lazarus, but that was refused.

Now he prays for his five brothers on this earth, and that is refused.

People who do not avail themselves of prayers on this earth will not have their prayers answered in eternity.

It is wrong to wait to pray until you get to hell.

II Cor. 6:2 - …behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

C. The rich man never asks to go to Abraham's bosom.

1. He knows his eternity is sealed.

2. He also knows that those living on the earth still have an opportunity to change where they will spend eternity.

3. He knows his five brothers are coming to hell when they die.

4. He has a great love for his brothers.

5. He doesn't understand that they must listen to the preachers that are on the earth then.

a. He believes miracles and signs and wonders will cause them to turn to Christ.

b. The truth is that the preaching of the gospel is foolishness to unbelievers, whether they are in hell or still living on the earth.

Those that do not hear the Word of God shall perish without remedy.

Verse 29-31 - Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Signs and wonders will profit nothing.

Preachers who preach the true gospel at this present time are the only ones able to lead lost souls to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

People will not be saved even if a person came back from the dead to tell them about the wonders of heaven, or the horrors of hell.

Acts 16:31 - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.