Where Will We Spend Eternity? A Solemn Choice (Luke 16:19-31)
The sobering parable of the rich man and Lazarus, found in Luke 16:19-31. This passage forces us to confront the ultimate question: Where will we spend eternity? It is a question that demands our attention, a question that requires a serious and honest response.
I. The Decision of Where We Will Spend Eternity Is An Individual One (Luke 16:19-22)
This parable begins by contrasting the lives of two men: the rich man, adorned in luxury, and Lazarus, a beggar, covered in sores. Their circumstances were vastly different, but their ultimate destinies were determined by something far more profound.
• a. How do we spend our lives? (v. 19): The rich man's life was consumed by earthly pleasures and material possessions. He lived for the moment, seemingly oblivious to the suffering around him. How are we spending our lives? Are we consumed by fleeting pleasures, or are we investing in eternal values?
• b. What value do we place on material possessions? (v. 19): The rich man's focus on material wealth blinded him to the needs of Lazarus. Do we allow our possessions to define us, or do we use them to serve God and others?
• c. How do we face adversity? (vv. 20, 21): Lazarus endured immense suffering, yet his hope remained in God. How do we respond to trials? Do we turn to God, or do we succumb to bitterness and despair?
This parable reminds us that our choices in this life have eternal consequences. Our character, our priorities, and our response to suffering shape our destiny.
II. We Must Be Prepared for the Inevitable: The Passage to Eternity (Luke 16:22-26)
The parable then shifts to the afterlife, revealing the stark contrast between the rich man's torment and Lazarus's comfort.
• a. How do we walk with God?: Lazarus was taken to Abraham's side, a place of comfort and fellowship with God. This indicates that Lazarus had a relationship with God during his life. How is our walk with God now?
• b. Jesus validated the existence of hell (v. 23): The rich man found himself in torment, a place of suffering and separation from God. Jesus, in this parable, confirms the reality of hell. In Hades, the senses are not lost, nor in heaven. This is a place of conscious suffering.
• c. There is no purgatory. From Hades we cannot pass to heaven (vv. 23-26): The rich man's plea for relief was denied. A great chasm separated him from Lazarus, symbolizing the unbridgeable divide between heaven and hell. There is no second chance after death.
This passage is a solemn warning: our eternal destiny is sealed at the moment of death. We must be prepared to meet our Maker.
III. Our Lives Must Be Prepared Now to Go to Eternity (Luke 16:27-31)
The rich man's final plea reveals his desperate desire to warn his brothers, but his request is denied.
• a. We cannot pass back from the spiritual realm to the material realm (vv. 27-29): The rich man's attempt to send Lazarus back to warn his brothers was futile. The spiritual realm is not subject to our control.
• b. We are responsible for our decisions (vv. 30, 31): Abraham's response was clear: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." We have the 1 Scriptures, the Word of God, to guide us. We are responsible for our choices.
This parable underscores the urgency of repentance and faith. We cannot delay our decision to follow Christ.
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- The Divine Curriculum: Learning as a Pathway to God
- Ten Stories of Conversion in the New Testament
Conclusion:
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is not meant to frighten us, but to awaken us. It is a call to examine our lives, to repent of our sins, and to place our faith in Jesus Christ.
Where will we spend eternity? The choice is ours. Let us choose life, let us choose Christ, and let us live in light of eternity. Amen.
