Sermon Tone Analysis

I. Introduction

We have been speaking of issues in our culture that we want to visit or revisit that help us as Christians to think biblically and to look at them with a biblical worldview.

One such issue that is of great concern to me is the notion that has developed in our culture that there is no judgment from God.

Specifically, many people today don’t believe in a literal Hell, an afterlife, or eternal punishment.

We as Christians cannot diminish the clear teachings of Scripture especially when this particular doctrine is tied to the very gospel we preach.

For though the gospel is good news, it is good news precisely because of the bad news of the human condition.

That we are all born spiritually dead, alienated from God, hostile to Him in our minds, and are all born sinful and rebellious against our Creator who stands in judgment against all disobedience to His will is of utmost importance to our proclamation.

Any attempt to downplay, or not to articulate these facts risk our subversion of the gospel we say that we espouse.

So today we want to look at a parable in Luke 16:19-31 that gives us some insight into what awaits those who reject the Word of God and remain in unbelief–those who don’t know the God of the Bible

II.

Context for the parable.

III.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

IV.

The two men’s reversal after death

BDAG Definition: Hades as place of the dead

Louw/Nida Definition: a place or abode of the dead, including both the righteous and the unrighteous (in most contexts ᾅδηςa is equivalent to the Hebrew term Sheol)

BDAG Definition: severe pain occasioned by punitive torture, torture, torment

V.

The Rich Man’s Conversation with Abraham

BDAG Definition of Anguish: to undergo physical torment, suffer pain

Louw-Nida Definition of Flame: the burning vapor surrounding an object on fire–flame

Selfishness, No loss of sense of superiority, He thinks to request of Abraham, He thinks to have Lazarus commanded to serve him

They must hear Moses and the Prophets

They won’t believe even if one rose from the dead!