Sitting here and reading the story of Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31and I am reminded of something a lot of men's wives tell them on a daily basis, and that would be that we don't listen. Oh we hear what is being said but did we actually listen and understand what was just said. In most cases probably not gentlemen, and we all know this to be true. When you get in front of a good movie or TV show or gt really into a good book and someone walks up and starts talking, do you really hear what they are saying, most of the time no, unless we stop what we are doing and focus our attention on what they are saying we will never truly understand what they were trying to communicate, and before ya know it , the other person has either gotten mad and walked off, or you said yea and they walked away and you have no idea what you were agreeing to and its to late to stop and take it back.
Biblically we do this practically everyday. In Luke 16:19-31 we are told the story of Lazarus, a beggar that laid at the gate of a rich man daily and begged for something, even the scraps off this rich mans plate, like a dog would. Lazarus was covered in sores and probably looked like a homeless person, with torn clothing and probably a stench to him like alot of today's homeless have. The Bible even tells us the dogs would come and lick his sores. Well one day both men died and they both entered into the after life. The rich man, being who he was found himself in the pits of hell, in torment and misery.And lo and behold what does he look up and see far away , he sees Abraham with Lazarus by his side and there is no tormenting for Lazarus, only glory. Well upon seeing this the rich man says Father Abraham please let Lazarus dip his finger in water and cool y tongue and Abraham basically says What? Don't you remember when you had it all and all he wanted was some scraps and you said tough, well sorry he cant cool your burning and besides we are separated by a huge chasm and we cant come there and you cant go there.
Well this really gets to the rich man who then asks well can ya at least send Lazarus to my family so they wont make the same mistakes and have to endure this place like I am. Abraham informs him that nope he cant go besides your family has Moses and the prophets to listen to, to which the rich man says well they aren't listening to Moses but if a dead man shows up they will definitely take notice. Abraham at this time makes a very bold statement that if they wont listen to a man of God like Moses they sure aren't gonna listen to someone resurrected from the dead.
How true is this statement in today's world. We have many many many well known evangelist's in this world but more than that we have someone who died on a cross for our sins, was buried and the rose from the dead 3 days later and ascended into heaven and speaks to us today through his word and his spirit, yet do we as a people in general listen? The answer to that is we hear but do we understand. There alot of people out there today who have heard the name Jesus ,have sat in a church pew all their life maybe, but have never heard the true call of Christ to come to him and start a personal relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and one day they will find themselves looking up over that great chasm yelling Lord please just send someone to cool the fire, but no one will come to help as it will be to late. Mom and Dad , will you be the one hollering send someone to tell my kids about Christ because I was to busy in my life to hear Christ calling me to be the spiritual leader of my family and I don't want them to wind up in hell beside me, or will you be the one standing in glory with no torment, no tears, no fears, no sickness or pain, free to worship at the feet of the king for eternity.
When the time comes lets all be able to hear those words well done good and faithful servant Matt 25:21. Bless you as you go out today into this world and may the grace of God follow you as you go.
Bill Roy
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