Warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment

Luke 16:19-31 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. ²⁰ And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, ²¹ and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. ²² Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ ²⁷ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— ²⁸ for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ ³¹ 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.’”

The story of Lazarus and the rich man, in today’s text, is more than a story of how the injustices of this world will be made right in eternity. It is not simply a message to encourage us that even if things don’t go well here on earth we can look forward to peace and comfort in heaven. This story Jesus tells affirms that there is a heaven and a hell. It lets us know that there will be suffering and torment for those who spend eternity apart from God. What was the reason the rich man ended up in that place of torment? Was it simply because he was rich and had lived a good life? The rich man shows his concern for his brothers, who presumably also live comfortably. He says:   “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!” The rich man recognized that there is a need for repentance. He wanted his brothers to know the truth that he himself had rejected, the truth of God’s word revealed through the law and the prophets. Abraham’s answer was:  “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.” 

Someone has indeed risen from the dead! Yet many still are not persuaded. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says: the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.     Many people today think that it is foolish to believe that Jesus died for the sins of all mankind on the cross. They do not believe He died and was resurrected, they think it foolishness. Beyond foolishness many are even offended by the cross of Christ. They are also offended by the rest of God’s word, the law and the prophets. In the story Jesus told, the rich man was concerned for his brothers. He realized it was too late for him, but he desired that his brothers would believe, would know the truth and repent. It would seem that the rich man was not concerned with whether or not his brothers would be offended, he wanted them to see, to hear and believe the truth. There are many people who are on the same path as the rich man. They are on a path that will lead them to a place of eternal torment. Will they cry out why didn’t you tell me the truth? If we answer that we were afraid that the truth would offend them will that change their circumstance? Will that change their eternity?

The story says: ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them… ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” In Ezekiel 3, we read the call and commission of a prophet of God.       “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. ¹⁸ When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. ¹⁹ Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. ²⁰ Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. ²¹ However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”         The call and commission to Ezekiel was to tell the truth, to warn the people of the path they were on. Ezekiel was not to be concerned with whether the truth would offend them. We see too that Ezekiel was not responsible for the results. He would not be held accountable if they did not listen. He would be accountable though if he failed to warn them.

Jesus has also called and commissioned us as believers, as His followers. He says: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”     Like Ezekiel, we are not responsible for the results, but we are called and commissioned to tell them the truth. We are called and commissioned to tell them the good news, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is available here and now for those who believe. We are to tell them the good news that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and the good news that He is risen. They may not believe. They may even be offended. The results are not our responsibility. In John 16:8-11 Jesus says:  “ when He(the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”  

The message of the cross is not just for Christians. In Romans 10: 12-17 Paul says:  there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; ¹³ for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ¹⁴ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”  ¹⁶ However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

The results are not our responsibility. We are called by Christ, first and foremost to: love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself…  But our love cannot save them. Only a revelation of Christ can save them. Our love is to be a demonstration of the love of God.    God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)  Our love for the world, our love for sinners is useless, in vain if we fail to tell them the truth. Our love needs to point them to the demonstration of the love of God, the greatest love known, the cross of Christ, indeed foolishness, even offense to some, but to us (all) who are being saved it is the power of God.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, Savior, Redeemer; precious Holy Spirit thank You for the demonstration of Your love, that while I was yet a sinner Christ died for me. Through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit may I be faithful to love You with all my heart, soul and mind and may I also love others. May I love them enough to tell them the truth and may I trust You enough to leave the results to You. In Jesus name, the name above all names, the only name by which men can be saved, I pray.    Amen.