Hard Sayings: You Can’t Get Here from There

For many modern Christian theologians the doctrine of hell is seen, at the worst — as odious, and at the least — as embarrassing. Even Pope Francis around Easter of last year came out and denied the existence of a literal hell, that God doesn’t send people to hell, and that hell is a human invention. The official Vatican response was, “Well, he really didn’t mean that.”

The doctrine of hell is uncomfortable for many believeres. Even some of the great Evangelical Bible scholars and theologians of our era are hard-pressed to understand hell. R C. Sproul was once asked which biblical doctrine he struggled with most. He replied: “Hell.”

The passage before us is a hard saying because it is the antitheses of what most of the world believes is normal. The Jews believed that having the good things of life — especially wealth — was an indication of God’s favor on your life. The more wealth the greater God’s blessings. Conversely, poverty and/or physical maladies — the bad things of life — were considered an indication of God’s disfavor on your life, and perhaps even judgment. So when, in his story, the rich man goes to hell, and the poor man goes to paradise, Jesus is reversing and challenging the commonly held theological sentiments of his day. What everyone knew to be true was not necessarily true. When Jesus said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. In fact a camel can get through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man can get into heaven!” (Mark 10:23-25). And the Apostles were flabbergasted at this because, they too, had bought into the common theological assumptions of their day.

The outline tonight is simple:

Two Persons

Two Places

Two Prayers

Two Lessons

I. THE TWO PERSONS (16:19–21)

1. the contrast between the lives of these two men is stark and Jesus intends for it to be that way

2. the reversals from their earthly lives to their eternal lives is equally shocking

A. THE RICH MAN

““There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.” (Luke 16:19, ESV)

1. over the centuries the rich man has been named

a. in the Latin Bible produced by Jerome, he uses the name Dives because that’s the Latin word for rich ... sometimes you’ll hear preachers refer to Dives and Lazarus

b. but in the Jesus’ story this is just an anonymous rich man

2. his lifestyle is opulent — if Robin Leach was still filming Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous this man might have been featured

a. he is a rich man

1) we know from 1st century archeological digs that the rich of that day enjoyed luxury and amenities just like the rich of any era

ILLUS. First century Rabbi Tarfon defined wealth as “100 vineyards, 100 fields and 100 servants.” The practical Rabbi Yosi defined a rich person a “whoever has a toilet near his table.”

2) in Jerusalem the homes of the wealthy were incredibly spacious and were decorated with mosaics and water fountains

3) sizable homes have been found at Bethsaida; one near the Sea of Galilee was complete with a wine cellar

4) the homes of the rural rich had spacious grounds on which were often found an olive press, grape press, and a family tomb

b. he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen

1) that he was dressed in purple means that his outer garment had been dyed with Tyrian purple dye which was extracted from sea snails

a) because it was very labor intensive to produce, was a vibrant purple and did not fade the dye was extremely expensive, and only the rich could afford it

ILLUS. A year ago this month (Jan. 2021) archaeologists digging in Israel found a piece of purple cloth dating to the era of King David. After 2,000 years it was still a bright purple.

b) in antiquity, purple attire was associated with the nobility, with priests, and of course with royalty indicating that not only was this man rich, but probably important and powerful

2) his inner garment, a knee-length tunic, was made of fine linen made of expensive Egyptian cotton

c. he feasted sumptuously every day

1) in an era when most people lived hand-to-mouth with the very poor not always sure where their next meal was coming from, this man had more than enough to eat — indicated by the fact that food frequently fell from the rich man’s table

3. Jesus paints the picture of a man living in dazzling splendor day in, day out

ILLUS. Just last week Forbes magazine put out it’s annual list of the world’s billionaires. Just so you know there are 2,755 of them. However, only a handful — 10 to be exact — currently have $100 billion or more in net worth each. Elon Musk, the co-founder and CEO of Tesla, is the richest person in the world with a $269 billion net worth. Behind Musk is the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, with an estimated net worth of $187 billion. Just for grins I did the math ... Musk’s and Bezos’ combined wealth would fund the Federal Government spending for only 25 days.

a. now, let me quickly say, that wealth is, in and of itself, not evil and many who have it will spend eternity in God’s kingdom

ILLUS. Job and Abraham, David and Solomon, Joseph of Arimathea, and the disciple Barnabas were all wealthy men, and I have not doubt that all of them are part of that great crowd of witnesses spoken of in the Book of Hebrews.

B. THE BEGGAR (16:20–21)

“And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.” (Luke 16:20–21, ESV)

1. his name is given to us — it’s Lazarus — meaning "God has helped"

a. the name Jesus chooses for the poor man of his story is oxymoronic since it is clear from the narrative that God has obviously not helped this man (according to the common theology of the day) or he wouldn’t be in the state he is

2. his lifestyle is destitute with three issues standing out

a. his predicament

1) he is probably lame (or very sick or very feeble) since we are told he was laid at the rich man’s gate

2) physical disability was one of the chief reasons for poverty in the ancient world, and all these folks could do was beg, depending on the kindness of others

b. his pain

1) he is full of sores — it’s a word meaning entirely covered with and may well have conjured up pictures of Job in the minds of his listeners as he sits in ashes scraping the pus and dead skin off his body with a broken piece of pottery

2) he is so weak and so enfeebled that he can’t even shush away the dogs that come and lick his sores

c. his poverty

1) he is daily laid at the rich man’s gate and he covets the scraps that fall from the rich man’s table

3. here is a very, very poor man, one in need of everything

a. in the culture of that day the poor man possessed no hope; the rich man possessed all hope

C. THE JUDGMENT

“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,” (Luke 16:22, ESV)

1. Jesus is blunt ... the poor man died, but the rich man also died

a. unless you’re one of those believers fortunate enough to be alive when Jesus returns in glory ... ALL MEN WILL DIE

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,” (Hebrews 9:27, ESV)

2. just as Jesus contrasted their lives, even their deaths are starkly contrasted

a. Lazarus is probably left unburied ... in fact his body is probably disposed of in the Valley of Hinnom which marked the western and southern edges of Jerusalem and was the city’s garbage dump where unclaimed body’s were unceremoniously dumped with the rest of the city’s refuse ... there were no grave cloths, no anointing, no mourners at Lazarus’ death ... that his dead body was left exposed to the elements was the worst degradation that could happen to a Jew

b. the rich man is buried ... his body would have been carefully wrapped in fine linen with ointments and spices applied to his body ... family would have mourned his passing ... friends would have carried his body to the family’s private tomb ... words of praise for his life and accomplishments would have been shared

3. now comes the plot twist

II. THE TWO PLACES (16:22–23)

“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.” (Luke 16:22–23, ESV)

1. if Jesus would have concluded the story with the rich man died and went to paradise, while the poor man died and went to hell everyone would have wisely stroked their beards and thought, “Yes ... yes. That’s how it should be”

2. the contrast in these men’s eternal destines is hard to stomach which is why it’s a hard saying

A. LAZARUS IN PARADISE

1. in his eternal destiny we see that Lazarus’ name is appropriate

a. it symbolizes that the only way he was able to enter paradise was by God’s help

b. heaven is our destiny only by God’s grace

1) the poor man does not merit heaven because of his poorness any more than the rich man merits heaven because of his riches

2) both deserve hell and judgment

ILLUS. In his book Concise Theology, J.I. Packer makes a keen observation about hell. He writes, Scripture sees hell as self-chosen ... Hell appears as God’s gesture of respect for human choice. All receive what they actually chose, either to be with God forever, worshiping him, or without God forever worshiping themselves. If the thing you most want is to worship God in the beauty of his holiness, then that is what you will get. If the thing you most want is to be your own master, then the holiness of God will become an agony, and the presence of God a terror you will flee forever.”

c. the rich man goes to hell not because he is rich, but because he chose himself over God while Lazarus chose God because, in the end, that’s all he had

2. in vs. 22 Jesus refers to Abraham’s side — literally the "Bosom of Abraham"

a. it was where all pious Jews wanted to spend eternity after death

1) for any Jew at the time, this seating arrangement would have been a mark of the highest honor

2) it’s why we see the Apostles regularly arguing over who will be at Jesus’ side in his kingdom — they are all vying for the place of highest honor

b. Abraham’s bosom refers to the place of comfort in the biblical Sheol or what the Greeks called Hades

c. just as a Christian might say, “When I die, I want to be with Jesus wherever that is” a Jew would say, “When I die, I want to be with father Abraham wherever that is”

3. that the beggar dies and is carried by angels to be with Abraham would have shocked the Pharisees who are listening to Jesus tell this story

a. that’s not how it’s supposed to be

1) the belief that disease and poverty signified God’s curse on a person was deeply ingrained in their thinking

ILLUS. Remember Job’s three friends? They all insisted that Job’s calamities and sufferings were the result of his sin even if he didn’t know what that sin was.

b. that Abraham has received such a man into eternal fellowship was stunningly incomprehensible to Jesus’ hearers

4. that such a “lowlife” as Lazarus was taken to heaven by angels would have been a shock to the Pharisees, but the greater shock is about to come

ILLUS. There is still a lot of truth in that. I think many of us will be surprised as to who is in heaven, but even more surprised as to who is not.

B. RICH MAN IN PERDITION

1. the rich man dies, and his soul goes to hell

a. and even the disciples are thinking, “It can’t be so. Jesus is mixed up. This can’t be right! If this rich man doesn’t make it to Paradise who will?”

2. several things stand out about the rich man’s situation

a. 1st, he is in torment and anguish and conscious of his situation

b. 2nd, he desires mercy, but does not, indeed cannot, receive it — his life on Earth determined his eternal future

“But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.” (Luke 16:25, ESV)

1) the fact that the rich man did not obey the 2nd greatest commandment — love your neighbor as yourself — means he did not obey the 1st greatest commandment — to love God with your whole being

2) if the rich man had loved God as he ought, he would not have ignored Lazarus’ condition

3) the rich man’s lack of concern for the poor man is not the reason he winds up in hell, but his unconcern for Lazarus is a symptom — and indicator — of his true spiritual state

c. 3rd, his sinful nature is unchanged

1) in his past life he ignores Lazarus

2) in his eternal state he seeks to use Lazarus ... “Send Lazarus”

d. 4th, his situation is permanent

“And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’” (Luke 16:26, ESV)

3. this is one of the clearest biblical passages indicating a clear separation between the righteous dead and the unbelieving dead

III. THE TWO PRAYERS (16:24–31)

“And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”” (Luke 16:24–31, ESV)

A. THE RICH MAN’S PRAYER CONCERNING RELIEF FOR HIS BODY

1. the request (vs. 24): He asks Abraham if Lazarus can come over and help ease his agony in the fires of hell

2. the refusal (vs. 25): this request is denied

a. notice ... he doesn’t ask to come to them, but he asks Lazarus to come to him!

3. the reason (vs. 26): a great chasm separates them

B. THE RICH MAN’S PRAYER CONCERNING REDEMPTION FOR HIS BROTHERS

1. he begs Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his five evil brothers about this terrible place

2. Abraham tells him that they have Moses and the prophets have warned them

a. though it’s not expressly stated, the rich man recognizes that his brothers won’t listen to the Scriptures any more than he listened to the Scriptures

b. the rich man insists that if only the miraculous could take place — if someone from the dead could return to life and warn them they would certainly believe

c. Abraham insists, If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead

IV. THE TWO LESSONS

A. HELL IS REAL AND A PLACE OF REAL SUFFERING

1. even a quick read-through of the Gospels reveals that Jesus talks about hell and judgment more than any other person in the Scriptures

a. Jesus talks more about hell than he talks about heaven

b. Jesus describes the horrors of hell much more vividly than he describes the glories of heaven

2. the central truth that Jesus taught about hell is found in Matthew’s gospel:

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, NIV84)

a. the unrepentant sinner needs to be warned that this life is not all there is

1) there is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned

3. the idea that there is a place of eternal torment awaiting people simply because they have not believed the right religious truths is absolutely repulsive to many

ILLUS. British Philosopher Bertrand Russell rejected Christianity, and Jesus Christ primarily because of the doctrine of hell. He wrote: “There is a very serious defect to my mind in Christ’s moral character, and that is that he believed in hell. I do not myself feel that any person who is really profoundly humane can believe in everlasting punishment.”

a. how’s that for chutzpah?

1) Russell essentially says, “Jesus was a pretty good person except for this one fatal flaw in his character — he chose to believe in hell, and therefore, Jesus is not as moral as I am!”

b. a philosophical objection to hell does not somehow make hell go away

4. and to say that hell is “unpleasant” is a gross understatement (Gary Lawson-Far Side)

a. hell is a place of eternal torment ... unquenchable fire ... where the worm dies not ... where people will gnash their teeth in anguish and regret ... from which there is no return and no end

ILLUS. Timothy Keller tells the story of how one Sunday, after preaching on the topic of hell, a woman, with a very worried look on her face, approached him and asked, “Pastor Keller, do you believe in a hell with real, literal fire?” He answered to the lady, “No, I don’t think the fire is real.” She breathed a sign of relief, to which Keller quickly responded, “I think the fire is a metaphor for something much, much, much worse than real fire.”

1) I tend toward the literal meaning, but Keller Keller could be right, too — it could be a metaphor for something much, much, much worse than real fire

B. GOD WILL NOT KEEP YOU OUT IF YOU INSIST ON GOING

ILLUS. In the mid-1920's Calvin Coolidge was serving as the Vice President of the United States and as such was president of the U.S. Senate. He was a man of few words, his nickname being “Silent Cal.” But when he did speak his wit could be pierceing. Once, during a heated deliberation on the floor of the Senate, one Senator told another Senator “go to hell.” The incensed recipient of the decree turned to Senate President Coolidge for proper admonishment. “Did you hear what he said to me?” the offended Senator barked. “He told me to go to hell! [You’re the president of the Senate] What are you going to do about it?” Coolidge picked up the Senate rule book and thumbed it. “Hmm,” he replied in his New England twang, “I checked the book, and he does have the right to tell you to go to hell.” Then he paused. “But you don’t have to go.”

1. everyone has a date with deity

a. men who sought to avoid Christ all their lives will not be able to avoid him now

b. you can run from Jesus in this world, but you’ll not be able to avoid him in the world to come

2. Jesus is the one sitting on this throne

a. in this world, while he lived, he was the Lamb of God who takes away sin

b. in his millennial kingdom, at the and of this world, he will be the Lion of Judah, who judges sin and condemns the unrighteous

“He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.” (Acts 10:42, NIV84)

3. The Unrepentant Will Stand Before God’s Throne

a. they man who knew there was a God, but who defiantly refused to repent and come to God will now be judged

4. The Self-righteous Will Stand Before God’s Throne

a. the man who was convinced that he was “a good person” and would “merit eternal life on his own account” will now be judged

b. these are people who think they are too good to be damned —they thought that the gospel is for the drunkard, the murderer, the pervert, the harlot, and the child molester — not “good people” like themselves

5. The Religious Will Stand Before God’s Throne

a. the man who depended on the five pillars of Islam, or sought to live out the Noble Eightfold path to enlightenment (Hinduism), or gave his life to the Four Nobel Truths of Dharma (Buddhism), or every morning and evening faithfully repeats the Shama, will now be judged

6. The Procrastinator Will Stand Before God’s Throne

a. the man who knew there was a Heavenly Father, who knew Jesus was His son, and only Savior, who knew he needed to make a confession of faith, but who just never got around to receiving Christ will now be judged

b. good intentions will not get you into God’s Heaven

7. The Church Member Will Now Stand Before God’s Throne

a. the man or woman who went to church every Sunday, who was been baptized, and catechized, and confirmed, but never converted will now stand before God’s throne, and be judged

8. those who have been dead for millennia, and those who have been dead for mere moments, will now find themselves resurrected, and standing before the Lord, summoned to experience condemnation, judgment, and wrath

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