The Great Divide

 VP Calvin Coolidge presided, one fine day in the US Senate. But soon, 2 Senators began to argue, angrily. As they argued, Cal leafed through a book. Finally, one told the other, "Go straight to hell!" The offended Senator complained to VP Coolidge. Calmly, he replied. "I've been looking through the rule book." "Senator, you don't have to go." True that. Jesus shows us today that we have to choose. (No choice or a delayed choice picks for us.) One day, that choice will be fixed. No do-over. No chance to change our choice. One more thing. If we choose heaven, the way we live better show it. How? Just before our verses, the unjust steward teaches us to use all God gave us (time, skills, $, etc.) shrewdly to lay up treasure in heaven. Jesus now tells us how disastrous it'll be if we don't. Let's look at Lk 16:19-31. 19a"A rich, no-name any-man dresses in king's purple & the finest snow-white linens. He's ultra-rich & flashes it. 19bHe lives in luxury, every day. The best foods. The best wines-by the numbers. (26 bottles of this. 18 of that. 31 of another. ...) 20aAt the gate of his mansion was laid a beggar named Lazarus. Just this once, Jesus names someone in a story. The name? Greek Lazarus = Hebrew Eleazar. 'God is My Help.' Ironic. Homeless, he shelters at a rich man's gate. He may be crippled. Someone even has to lay him at the gate. 20bHe's covered with running sores. Did God bless that? No! 21aHe longs to eat what falls from the rich man's table. Crumbs. Loafs of bread used as napkins at parties. 21bEven wild dogs come & lick at Lazarus' sores. Not to ease things. They only add to his torment. The beggar is worse than unclean. He's 100% outcast. Least of the least. Has God helped him? Ever? Then why name him 'Lazarus'? Later. No one knows how long we have. One day, 22a"the beggar's time came. He died. No mourners. No long funeral procession. No burial. His body? Most likely at the dump. On earth, he had none of life's comforts. In the story, he doesn't even speak. At death, there's no funeral procession. His only escort? 22bAngels carried him to Abraham's side. All his life, he endured poverty, illness, rejection, being crippled, hunger, & being an outcast. In death, no one missed him. Yet he endured it all without a word. No complaint. But he had faith. Saving faith. Now, he's in heaven. He had saving faith. In the end, God does help him: into heaven. The time came for 22cthe rich man, too. He also died. But his memorial service? Lavish. Well attended by the wealthy. Fine food & drink galore. In life, he knew no lack. Many came to enjoy fine food & drink & the professional mourners. (Family & friends were too busy counting their inheritance.) His body? A long procession to escort his body to the graveyard. 22dHe's buried in a fine mausoleum. But no angel escort. No one remembers him. Where is he now? 23aIn hell. Why? What did he do? Nothing really bad. God didn't balance things out with Lazarus by sentencing him to torment. What sent him to hell? Instead of doing good, he did nothing. God even provided chances to show God's mercy at his front gate: Lazarus. Plenty of chances. But his only concern had been his own comfort. No life of obedience to God's word. No saving faith, like Abraham. Now, 23bhe's in torment. (Hell sounds like a place I don't want to be.) 23cHe looked up & saw Abraham far away, Lazarus by his side. All his life, others catered to his every wish. Even in torment, he still thinks they should.24aHe called, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. No repentance. Just self-focus on his misery. He even tries to play on his Jewish heritage. He calls, 'Father Abraham.' It's respectful. In Jn 8:39 Jesus says his Jewish heritage won't save him. Only faith. Just as with Abraham. 24bSend Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water & cool my tongue. He's oblivious! He doesn't yet realize that Lazarus is no longer a servant to command but an equal! His only concern? His comfort. No repentance from his selfishness. 24cI'm in agony in this fire.' All his life, he'd enjoyed comfort. So, he thinks he's entitled to relief! He just doesn't get it. 25a"But Abraham replied, 'Son... Literally, 'Child...' Abraham has compassion on him, even if he's in hell. Nevertheless, Abraham also tells him the truth straight up. 25b'Son, remember your lifetime. We'll be able to remember our lives. All our thoughts, words, & deeds. They'll lie open like a map to show us how we got wherever we are. 25cYou received your good things. Lazarus received bad things. In Mt 23:12, Lk 14:11, & Lk 18:14, Jesus warns us about God's Great Reversal. The high brought low. The low lifted up. So it is with the rich man & Lazarus. 25dNow he's comforted here & you're in agony. Heaven or hell. No middle ground. No Purgatory. No do-over. No 2nd chance. Hell is worse than real & terrible. It's final. 26aBetween us & you a great chasm has been fixed. The Great Divide. 26bThose who want to go from here to you cannot. Nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' No bridge. No passageway. 27a"The rich man answered, 'Then I beg you, father. He still thinks he has influence. 27bSend Lazarus to my father's house. More orders. Even now, he thinks Lazarus is someone to command! His request? 28aI have 5 brothers. Family concern? Maybe. 28bLet him warn them, so they won't also come to this place of torment.' At best, he is concerned for family. Just as possible, he's trying to justify himself. 'If someone had only warned me...' Right. 29a"Abraham again tells him straight up. 'They have Moses & the Prophets. Scripture. 29b'Let your brothers listen to them.' You can almost hear Abraham's self-talk. 'Rich man, someone did warn you. Repeatedly! Just look at the prophets. Why didn't you take Scripture's warning?' Everything we need to guide us to heaven is in Scripture. It was true then. It's true now. But it isn't Scripture that gets us to heaven. How does it help? In Jn 5:39-40, Jesus tells us. How? All Scripture is about Jesus, teaches us about Him, & guides us into relationship with Him. Scripture is our guide to Jesus. Come to Him. He alone can take us to heaven. The rich man still doesn't get it. 30a" 'No, father Abraham,' he said. He still feels entitled to others serving him. 30b'If someone from the dead goes to them, they'll repent.' Remember how many times the Jews asked Jesus for miraculous signs? How many did He give them? [0.] Why? Right: miracles confirm & strengthen a believer's faith. But alone, miracles convince no one. By the way, notice that the rich man keeps calling Abraham his father. Who are Abraham's true sons & daughters? Only those who believe & obey as Abraham did. The rich man keeps asking for mercy. But in his life, he never gave mercy. 31"Jesus said to him, 'If they don't listen to Moses & the Prophets, they won't be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Jesus is telling all of us: we don't need miracles for saving faith. The Scriptures have all we need. Faith is a choice. In the absence of proof, we have to choose it. Miracles are about proof. Not faith. Jesus says we need faith. Let's circle back to a question we deferred. Why does Jesus name a sick beggar Lazarus? Remember what Abraham just told the rich man. 31"If they won't listen to Scripture, they won't be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." Soon, Jesus will raise another Lazarus from the dead. Martha's & Mary's brother. By naming the beggar, Jesus wanted the Scribes & Pharisees to remember & believe. Did it convince them to believe? Only in a way. It convinced them to try to murder both Lazarus & Jesus. The point? God warns us against putting much hope in signs or wonders to convince others to believe in Jesus. Scripture is all we need. Let's wrap up. Jesus is strongly warning us. So does James in Jas 2:14-17. Faith without faith's works is dead. Works won't save us. But neither will a faith without works. All it takes to go to hell is do nothing. Want a shopping list of works to show Jesus how thankful we are for salvation? Look at Mt 25:31-46, parable of the sheep & the goats. It's really simple. Feed the hungry. Give water to the thirsty. Invite a stranger in. Clothe the naked. Care for the sick. Or visit those in prison. Jesus will give us chances. He says just do it for even one. It's enough. The Great Divide - Luke 16:19-31 Page 1 of 1