The story of the rich man and Lazarus seems to give us a chilling warning about the fate of our lives as well as fascination about the next life. Lazarus who is poor and had lived off the crumbs from the rich man's table ends upon heaven (Abraham's bosom) and the rich man ends up in Hades in torment. The rich man pleads earnestly for Lazarus to come back to earth to instruct his (the rich man's brothers) so that they would not suffer the same fate. We have these words of the rich man to Abraham:
"Then, father, I beg you to send him [Lazarus] to my father's house - for I have five brothers - that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment." Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." Luke 16:27-31
You get the picture here that we have enough in Scripture pertaining to how to get to heaven. We have Moses and the prophets: the word of God is sufficient. Don't we struggle with how we might entice someone into the Christian faith? Do we need anything beyond the power of God's word? This is something for us to contemplate. Yet, even having someone come back from the dead will not necessarily be convincing. What this means is that the word of God is powerful in and of itself with the work of the Holy Spirit.
I would ask you to contemplate the power of God's word to help convince an unbelieving world. You may want to read the entire Gospel reading which is Luke 16:19-31 in preparation for Sunday worship. May God's blessing be upon your reading and worship this Sunday.
Pastor Marty
"Then, father, I beg you to send him [Lazarus] to my father's house - for I have five brothers - that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment." Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." Luke 16:27-31
You get the picture here that we have enough in Scripture pertaining to how to get to heaven. We have Moses and the prophets: the word of God is sufficient. Don't we struggle with how we might entice someone into the Christian faith? Do we need anything beyond the power of God's word? This is something for us to contemplate. Yet, even having someone come back from the dead will not necessarily be convincing. What this means is that the word of God is powerful in and of itself with the work of the Holy Spirit.
I would ask you to contemplate the power of God's word to help convince an unbelieving world. You may want to read the entire Gospel reading which is Luke 16:19-31 in preparation for Sunday worship. May God's blessing be upon your reading and worship this Sunday.
Pastor Marty
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