"He answered, 'Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment"
Luke 16:27-28
The background to this verse is this, I will take some literary license.
There was a man who was wealthy, as a matter of fact he felt he was above other people. He dressed like a King in the best clothes and was quite showy if you you will. He wanted people to know he was rich. He lived the good life, spending money on good food, and the best he could get, luxury was the name of the game for him. Man of the world for all intense and purpose. Driven to success a son born in a family with the same values.
There was anoher guy who had very little, almost nothing. This guy was hungry, sick and in need so he went to hang out at the friont gate of the rich guy. Obviously the one man had so much and could afford to give even the littlest of something, he would have some pity on him. So he waited for the rich man but when he appeared he just walked past him and into his big beutiful well morgaged home. In his dispare the poor man sat on the street corner wondering what was going on, what would he do now. So weak from hunger and a life of poverty, he could not even keep the dogs from coming over and licking the wounds that he had.
In the middle of the night a comotion outside woke the rich man. The peace and quite that he enjoyed in his big house had gone and now heard voices outside. Some bright lights, but he couldn't tell where they had come from. Not seeing anything from the distance of his window, he went back to bed. In the morning on his way out to the spa he realized that the poor man had died, laying there with the dogs still licking his sores. The noise the man had heard were the angels taking the poor man to the right side of Abraham. You see he had lived a life devoted to good works and obediance to God. He was a righteous man and recieved the rewards of heaven.
As time moved on the rich man, who had always enjoyed the finer things of life, died while swimming in the local bath house. He left all of his wealth, the fine house and the horses to his family. His clothes were even brought home and hung back in his closet. Everything he had worked for his entire life remained for his family now to enjoy. But he was taken to a miserable place, a place of torment. A place that he was not expecting and certainly didn't want to be.
See the rich man was now in Hell. He had forsaken all that God had provided him as the work of his own hands. He had lived in opulance and ignored those around him, people like the begger and others. More importantly he refused the word of God, what God had commanded him to do. He certainly missed the part about pity and compassion, about how to love thy neighbor.
So the rich man is now burning up with guilt and hopelessness. He is so bad off that he is looking for a cool drink and somewhere to sit down. He is not used to the hard work and toil that he is under now that he resides in Hell, let alone the skin peals and sores that now ravage his body. this is nothing like the Life I had before he says over and over again.
Then out of the corner of his eye, he sees across a great divide Abraham standing with the poor man he now knows as Lazarus, that was at his front gate a while back. They are obviously looking across to see the torment of hell and what happens to those that go there. The Rich man asks Abraham, father please have pity on me, send Lazarus over and have him dip his finger in water to quench my thirst.
Now, now in his desperation he needs Lazarus. Not like before when he stepped over him. Now he wants pity and before he could give none. So Abraham, reminds the Rich man of s0omething very important. Do you remember all the good things in your life? Do you remember that at your own hand you believed you were successful? Do you remeber that you had no time for things of real value and you showed no pity on Lazarus who had nothing and came to you? Iam sorry, Abraham said, there is nothing I can do. There is no way now for you to come to us or us to go to you, this chasm between will remain to divide.
Now the Rich man could see what had happened. He knew his goose was cooked and that he had made poor choice in life. He had stored up treasures on earth, lived a opulant life and not shown concern or love to anyone but his possessions. So then he begs, Father, send Lazarus to my fathers house for I have five brothers. Let him warn them so they won't come to this place of torment. Obviously the family is having the same issues as he was having. they probably all ignored God and stored up worldy possesions. Now he wanted to save them.
When the Rich man realized where and why he had gone wrong it was too late. He had spent his life it what seemed to be the correct manner according to the majority of people. He was successful, and had everything, he probably even went to the Synogogue each week just to show his face. But what really mattered was in his heart, he could not show pity when pity was needed. He could not love because he saw things in regards to value and worth to him. He could ignore what didn't make him prosper. Everything looked good on the outside to the worlds standards but on the inside it was not. It was not what God valued.
Abraham tells the Rich man no. They, as you did, have there chance. The prophets told you what was to happen and you didn't believe. Now they don't believe and won't believe even if I send Lazarus. They will need to make their choices in life.
So what will your choice be. How much information do you need? Whos standards will you live by? When will you expect pity? The Lord Jesus Christ was sent for us all so that we may be saved and have the eternal gift of life. If you ignore that now, if you live only for the world today you may be on the wrong side of the chasm for eternity with no hope to cross back over, and no hope then to recieve the grace that God offers you now. Water anyone?
Father, convict the hearts of those that read that may be whitwashed, dressed in purple and fine linen that their worldy possesion will gain them nothing. Allow them to see that the treasures in Heaven are what they should seek. Allow them now to know and follow Jesus Christ as their example here on earth. Amen.
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