Rich Man and Lazarus

You’ll find the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16. In summary, the rich guy lived sumptuously. Meanwhile, Lazarus sat daily at the man’s gate covered in weeping sores and vainly begging for scraps. When they both eventually died, Lazarus went to Abraham’s bosom (e.g. heaven). The rich man went to hell. 

We’re nearly one week from the celebration of Jesus’ physical resurrection. I suppose that’s why the last few verses of this story caught my attention this morning as they did. The rich man said to Abraham: 

"Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.

“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ But he said, ‘No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 

“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.’” 

Heaven is real. So is hell. God wants everyone reading this to be with Him in heaven. That’s why He gave us the Scriptures – Moses, the prophets, and the apostles. Their writings are our flawless roadmap to eternal life. But if we scoff at their words, we will scoff at the risen Jesus, even if He were to come and stand in our living room. 

For good reason John wrote near the end of his gospel: “These [words] have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” 

But who will believe his report?