THE LOVE OF GOD
Luke 16:19-31
God is Love. The evidence of His Love is Jesus Christ. The
Lord summed up the entire Bible with two new commandments. First, Love the Lord
your God with all your mind, your heart and your soul. Second, Love your neighbor
as yourself. All the Law and the prophets hang on these commandments
( Matt 22:27 -40
).
In Houston
"I am hungry, will work for food." This has become
an industry. Not that there are not some legitimate cases but many are there to
get your money for free.
These people are stuck in this mind set and so are we. We
have either of two reactions;
one of hate or one of pity. We hate to see them there, or we
pity them so we give them
a dollar or two. The
real issue is LOVE. We don't know how to love them. To love, takes time and effort.
The world is filled with two types of people. The Haves and
The Have Not. The Lord
presents us with a case of the Haves and The Have Not; The
Rich man and Lazarus.
This passage shows us an extreme lack of love.
LACK OF STEWARDSHIP
V:19. "Now there
was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously
living in splendor every day."
A. There was a rich
man, a man who was blessed with much more than he needed.
1. Everyday, he
dressed in very expensive clothes.
a. The
reddish purple dye was very expensive and was made from Mediterranean
purple
mussel.
b. Fine linen
was expensive refined white cotton.
2. He lived a luxuriously life.
a. He had the
best of everything.
b. The color
purple was reserved for kings and nobles.
c. Every day
was a feast for him.
V:20. "And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at
his gate, covered with sores."
A. A poor man named
Lazarus was laying outside the rich man's gate.
1. The Greek
word for Lazarus means "helped of God".
2. Notice, God
identified the poor man, but not the rich man.
a. The life
of the rich man was of no value to God.
b. The life
of Lazarus, the poor man was valued by God.
B. Lazarus was not
only poor but very sick.
1. The sores made
him unclean and an outcast.
2. The Lord cares
for the poor, the least in the world.
3. Lazarus was
poor, but he did have someone who brought him to the gate of
the rich man.
4. Our present
situation does not determine our value to God.
a. Lazarus
was poor, but the Lord took notice of him.
b. Lazarus
was suffering, but the Lord knew his condition.
c. He was
poor and he was suffering but the Lord blessed him with life each day.
C. The earthly
blessings of the Lord are not equal among men.
1. One man was
rich and one man was poor.
2. One man was
well and one man was sick.
3. One man had
friends and one man was an outcast.
4. God kept watch
over both men.
LACK OF LOVE
V:21. " And
longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table;
besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores."
A. Lazarus was laid
at the rich man's gate hoping to be fed crumbs from his table.
1. The rich man
did not value the life of the poor.
a. The rich
man came in and out of his gate and ignored the needs of the poor.
b. The rich
man, knowing that Lazarus was sick made no effort to help him.
2. The rich man
was a selfish individual.
a. The rich
man neglected the needs of his neighbor.
b. He had
more than he needed, but he did not provide a meal or medical help to
Lazarus.
C. The rich man was blessed with the means to help, but he
was concerned only
for himself.
1. The rich man had
no compassion for the poor or the sick.
2. The rich man
treated Lazarus the same as he treated stray dogs.
a. The crumbs
from the rich man's table were thrown outside his gate.
b. Stray dogs
lived off of food that was leftover and thrown out.
D. The only comfort
Lazarus had doing the day was from the stray dogs licking
his sores.
a. These dogs
were unclean and made Lazarus more susceptible to disease.
1. God allowed the
dogs to comfort Lazarus but not to harm him.
2. In our times of
need, God is our comforter.
3. In our times of
need, God is our protector.
E. The rich man was
empty.
1. He was void of
compassion.
2. He was void of
love.
3. God hated the
attitude of the rich man.
4. God placed before him, his way of salvation, but
he ignored it.
5. God placed
before him a reason to open up his heart and bless others, but he was
blind to it.
F. Lazarus did not complain about his condition.
1. Lazarus did not
complain about the rich man.
2. Lazarus did not
complain to God for better conditions.
3. Lazarus desired
the crumbs from the rich man's table, but we hear of no
complaint.
complaint.
a. It would have
been good to get a meal from the rich man, but he settled for
crumbs.
b. Lazarus
endured to the end.
EARTH IS A PREPARATION FOR HEAVEN
V:22. "Now the
poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's
bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried."
bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried."
A. Even though he
was poor and even though he was sick, God loved Lazarus.
1. At Lazarus
death God sent His angels down to carry him into heaven.
2. Lazarus is
comforted because he now rested on the breast of Abraham.
a. Abraham
is the father of faith and the father of Israel
b. In heaven, a place of rest was reserved for
Lazarus in the Father's house.
c. In life,
Lazarus had no rest from his torment.
d. In
heaven, Lazarus has eternal rest.
e. The poor
can easily find hope in the Father.
f. Your
personal circumstances on earth is no reflection of your reserved
position in Heaven.
position in Heaven.
g. Your
personal circumstances on earth is not always a reflection of the love the
Lord
has for you.
B. The rich man died and was buried.
1. The rich
man had an end to his pleasure on earth.
a. His
death was the end of his pride.
b. His
death was the end of his luxurious living.
2. The poor
and the rich suffer the same fate; they all die.
a. No one
can escape the physical death.
b. Death
is no respecter of person.
3. Death was
the end to the rich man's elevation.
a. Death
was an end to the rich man's fame and fortune.
b. Death
was the end of the rich man's feast.
C. Death was the
beginning of Lazarus elevation.
1. He was
elevated from a poor man on earth to a rich man in heaven.
2. On earth
Lazarus sat outside the gate of the rich.
a. In
Heaven, Lazarus was in the gate with a rich Father.
3. On earth, Lazarus had to settle for
crumbs from the rich man's table.
a. In
Heaven, he sits at the table and feast from the abundance of the Lord.
4. On earth
he suffered and in heaven he rejoices.
5. On earth, Lazarus
had no friends, but in heaven He had a friend in Jesus.
6. Life on
earth is often unfair, but life in heaven is well favored.
JUDGEMENT FOR LACK OF LOVE
23 "In Hades he
lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and
Lazarus in his
bosom."
A. Hell is a real
place.
1. Hell has many
inhabitants.
2. The
inhabitants in hell live in torment.
3. Life does not
end with death, but begins in heaven or hell.
4. The
inhabitants in hell have feelings. Mat 13:50
5. The
inhabitants in hell have no joy.
6. The
inhabitants in hell can communicate their pain.
7. The
inhabitants in hell can see heaven from a distance. Rev 20:12-14
8. The
inhabitants in hell can see those they neglected in heaven.
B. The inhabitants in
hell can see pleasure in heaven.
1. The
inhabitants in hell can see those they stepped over on earth in heaven.
C. Lazarus has a
place of honor in heaven.
1. The term "Abraham's
bosom" describes a person seated at a low table on pillows
leaning back
toward the breast of the host next to
him.
a. This
position at the table is a position of honor.
b. Lazarus
position is next to the Father.
c. Lazarus
was at the feast with the Father.
2. The term
"Abraham bosom" is also used to denote heaven.
a. Lazarus was
taken into heaven at his death and seated at the table of the Father.
D. There is a great
distance between heaven and hell.
1. No one can
cross over from hell into heaven.
2. No one can
cross over from heaven into hell.
3. One must
decide while he is living where he wants to spend eternity.
4. Once dead,
your destination is fixed.
V:24 "And he
cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that
he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in
agony in this flame."
A. The rich man knew
about the Father.
1. The rich man
knew the law.
2. While he
lived, he failed to establish a relationship with the Father.
3. While he
lived, the rich man willfully neglected the commands of the Father.
4. While he
lived, the rich man willfully neglected to show mercy to the poor.
B. The inhabitants in
hell will cry out to the Father.
1. While they were
on earth they took the Father for granted.
2. In their mind,
on earth they had no need for the Father.
3. In hell, the
rich recognized that the Father has the power.
Rom 14:11
4. In hell, they
recognized that the Father is in charge.
5. In hell, they
recognized that the Father has the authority to grant requests.
B. In hell, the rich want
mercy. While on earth, he was not merciful.
1. In hell, the
rich man wanted help from those he ignored on earth.
2. On earth, the
rich man refused to provide for the needs of Lazarus, but
in hell, he
requested Lazarus help.
THERE IS NO REDEMPTION FROM HELL
V:25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during
your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but
now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony."
A. Hell is a place of reflection. Rev 20:12-14
1. Hell is a place where God will remind you
of your short comings.
a. The rich
man remained a child all his life.
b. He never
grew to maturity.
c. He failed
to take responsibility for His blessings.
d. To much is
given, much is required. Luke 12:48
2. Hell is a
place deserved by your actions on earth.
3. The Lord stood
at the door of the rich man, but he
would not invite Him in.
a. In hell, the
rich man saw Lazarus in the rich position.
b. The rich
man is forced to remember his luxurious life style on earth.
c. The rich
man is forced to remember his neglect of the poor. Rom 14:12
d. The rich
man is forced to remember his selfish behavior.
e. The rich
man is forced to accept his position in hell as payment for his sins.
B. The rich man is
forced to see his neglect turn into a blessing for the poor.
V:26. "And besides all this, between us and
you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here
to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us."
A. There is a great
impassable distance between heaven and hell.
1. Once you are
in heaven, you are in heaven for eternity.
2. Once you are
in hell, you are in hell for an eternity.
3. Once you die,
your destination is fixed.
a. No one
can pray you out of hell.
b. You must
make your peace with God before you die.
B. The rich man in
hell thought to negotiate his condition with the Father.
1. The time to
establish communication with the Lord was while he lived on earth.
2. There is no
redemption in hell.
WE ARE ROLE MODELS; GOOD OR BAD
V: 27. "And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you
send him to my father's house."
A. We are role models
to those around us, good or bad.
1. We can
influence those around us in a positive or a negative way.
2. By his
actions, the rich man influence his brothers to be like him.
3. He failed his
brothers by not teaching them to love
their neighbors.
4. He failed his
brothers by not following God's commands.
B. Because of his
negative influence, his brothers would follow his lead and
end up in hell.
1. His brothers
needed a godly person to lead them to the path of righteousness.
2. His brothers
needed someone to tell them about horrors of hell.
3. His brothers
needed someone to tell them about the blessings of heaven.
4. His brothers
needed someone to tell them that there is life after death.
V:28. " For I have five brothers — in order that he may
warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment."
A. The rich man in
hell was still selfish.
1. He wanted
Lazarus to warn his brothers but not anyone else.
2. He did not ask
that the world be warned in addition to his brothers.
B. The rich man, in
his torment , if he could, would have disturb Lazarus for his own
benefit.
1. He did not ask
that an apology be sent to Lazarus for the wrong he did.
2. He expected
Lazarus to show his brothers love when he had no love.
3. The rich man
expected forgiveness without repenting and asking for forgiveness.
V:29. "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the
Prophets; let them hear them."
A. The word of God
was being taught in Synagogues all around them.
1. It is the Word
that convicts the heart.
2. There were
good role models all around them.
3. His brothers
chose to follow him.
B. His brothers also
closed their eyes to the needs of the poor.
1. The rich man's
brothers walked pass Lazarus and showed no compassion.
2. The rich man's
bothers chose a life style of selfishness.
3. His brothers
closed their ears to the Word of God.
4. His brothers
would have to suffer the consequences of their actions.
V:30. "But he
said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead,
they will
repent."
A. The rich man
wanted to negotiate with the Father while in hell.
1. He was
accustomed to getting what he wanted when he wanted it.
2. His money and
his popularity got him what want he wanted.
B. In hell you carry
neither fame or fortune.
1. In hell, there
is no communication with the Father except to pronounce your
condemnation
to the eternal fire.
2. You do not
negotiate with the Father.
C. Only the Word of
God has the power to cause one to repent.
1. Only the Word
can change a heart.
GOD'S MERCY
31 "But he said
to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be
persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.
A. God has blinded us
to the full torment of souls in hell.
1. He has given
us only a slight view of hell and nothing more.
2. Our hearts and
minds cannot handle the full horrors of hell.
B. God in His mercy
has spared us from full the knowledge of the damned spirits.
THIS IS A CRY FOR US TO SEEK SALVATION FOR OURSEVES AND
OTHERS
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