Pastor Rene's Bible studies
The Gospel of Luke-- Chap 16:19-31
In the other world
Today we continue learning what God values instead
of what man esteems, and about the stewardship of our life..
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This section started in Luke 15:1; The Pharisees accused
Jesus of welcoming sinners and Jesus spoke the parables of the lost sheep,
the lost coins and the lost son to show how he values the lost soul.
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Then he continued in Chap 16 using the parable of the
Shrewd manager to teach us about our eternal future in regard to handling
wordly wealth.
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For the Pharisees and for the religion of the world,
success, and prosperity are a sign of God's favour. But remember Jesus
strict warning: "What is highly valued among men
is detestable in God's sight."
This afternoon, we continue to learn how to value what
God values…
In the other world
19
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived
in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered
with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even
the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 "The time came when the beggar died
and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and
was buried.
Now the veil is lifted from the other world. The truth
is brought to light. Christianity reveals the other world.
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Here the spiritual things are represented. It described
the different state of good and bad, in this world and the other world.
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According to the Jews, temporal blessings and possession
of riches were promised to the righteous; but all this concept was in disorder.
They rejected the Messiah. They failed in obedience but wanted to enjoy
the blessings. In fact, what we see here is the concept of possession among
the Jews; it was personnal selfishness, and indifference to a poor brother
at his door.
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Revelation opens the other world to our view.
V. 19-- The rich man represents most of the people
of the world, and specifically the Pharisees in Jesus time.
It does not say he got wealthy by fraud, but Christ
shows that a man may have a great deal of wealth and pleasure in this world,
yet perish for ever under God's wrath.
This man is probably a Pharisee and one who justify
himself before man;
Probably his peers would say he was an honest and
respectable man; with a good reputation.
But the Lord does not think it is important to mention
his name…
He was dressed in purple and fine linen
He was highly esteemed by his surrounding (those
who sold him his expensive clothes).
Living in luxury
He feasted splendidly every day;
And was esteemed even more, for his generosity and
hospitality in keeping a good table.
V. 20-- A beggar named Lazarrus (Eleazar- God
has helped)
A very well known beggar in Jerusalem
The dogs licked his sores
His ulcers laid bare and were not closed…
It does not say the rich man did him any harm, but
we do not find any care for him.
V.22-- And the beggar
Hunger, pain and in need of all thing
Here we see a godly man who will be happy forever,
in the depth of adversity and distress.
It is often the lot of some of God's saints to be
greatly afflicted in this world.
Died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side
Amazing change of scene
The Jews' view of paradise-- the place where the
souls of good men remain from death to the resurrection
The rich man also died and was buried
He was probably buried in an expensive and glorious
way.
Even in death, we see a demonstration of senseless
pride that is an insult to the poor.
The sin of this rich man was providing for himself
only.
V. 23-- In hell, where he was in torment,
he
looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
After death, we see the different condition of
this godly poor man and this selfish rich man.
He was in hell, and he lifted his eyes, being in
torment.
Man, in this world is fallen, wicked. If he has received
the good here, enjoying it as a sinful man, he will be tormented, while
we see the poor man he despised finding happiness in the other world.
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This story is not about what to do to enter heaven,
but is to contrast the principles of this world and the invisible world
Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water
24
So he called to him, `Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus
to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am
in agony in this fire.' 25 "But Abraham replied, `Son, remember that in
your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad
things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides
all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those
who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from
there to us.'
This dialogue does not show that there will be dialogue
between dawmed sinners and saints, but it shows the hopeless misery and
the fruitless desires of the wicked…
There is a day coming when those who despise the
people of God, would gladly receive kindnes from them. But in hell, they
won't have their supplications fulfilled.
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We learn than in the other world we will know each other.
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About praying to the saints who are dead, here is an
example of uselessness of praying after death and praying to the dead…
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This parable shows the idea that riches are a proof
of the favour of God is wrong.
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One more truth to remember is: Wicked people
will find good things only in this life, and at death, they will be forever
separated from anything good. The same way, godly people can only
have avdersity and sufferings in this life,, and at death, they are forever
separated from all evil.
The great chasm (gulf) between you and us.
Which side of it will you go? What side are you now?
27
"He answered, `Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,
28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also
come to this place of torment.' 29 "Abraham replied, `They have Moses and
the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 30 "`No, father Abraham,' he said,
`but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 31 "He said
to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not
be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
After the experience of tourment, and realizing his
hopeless situation, he begged that his brothers might be warned by someone
who was raised from the dead.
His supplication was declared useless.
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One of the reason is that it would add more eternal
remorse because he first showed them the way
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How many would desperately desire to undo what they
have done or written? John Lennon "Ijust believed in me". Beatles "We are
more popular than Jesus-Christ". Darwin and many more…
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A messenger from the dead could say no more than what
is said in Scriptures.
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The same Corrupted will that rejects the written word,
would reject a witness from the dead.
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Note that the resurrected Christ met with the same
unbelief that had rejected him while he lived.
There is no consolation in the other world if the testimony
of the word to the conscience is rejected.
In every generation, no terrors, or arguments, can
give true repentance without the special grace of God renewing the sinner's
heart.
To repent, it means a true change of heart. A thousand
apparitions cannot produce it. God only can through applying his word by
his Spirit…
This parable through a revelation of the other world
shows us what the conduct of tha Christians should be with regard to temporal
things…
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