SEVEN
LESSONS LEARNED TOO LATE
"There was a certain rich
man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every
day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate,
full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich
man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass,
that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the
rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in
torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried
and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this
flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy
good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and
thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great
gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can
they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee
therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have
five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this
place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let
them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them
from the dead, they will repent. And he
said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:19-31
Here is the story of the
rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus died, and was carried up to heaven. Chosen,
redeemed and born of God, he entered into glory. But "the rich man also died!" What became of him? "In hell he lift up his eyes, being in
torments!" Our Lord allows us to look beyond the grave. He allows us
to look into hell itself. He shows us the pains, feelings and desires of a
damned sinner, one who is forever shut up in hell.
Here are seven things that
old Dives learned. But he learned them too late. He learned them in hell! I
pray that you will not learn them too late.
l.
DEATH DOES NOT END ALL. "If a man die, shall he live again?" Indeed, we shall. We
all have an immortal soul that will live on forever, after our bodies are in
the grave. Will you spend eternity in the bliss and glory of heaven or in the
torments of the damned in hell?
2.
THERE IS A REAL PLACE CALLED
"HELL". Hell is as real as Danville, Kentucky. The same Inspired Book that
tells us about heaven and the eternal bliss of the redeemed tells us about hell
and the eternal misery of the damned. I do not know where it is, and I cannot
imagine what it is, but hell is a real place. The rich man found out too late
that hell is not a myth.
3.
A HOLY GOD MUST AND WILL
PUNISH SIN.
God is so inflexibly just and holy that when he found sin upon his own dear Son
he poured out his infinite wrath upon him. And he who punished his Son for sin
will certainly punish you for sin, if your sin is not removed by his Son.
4.
HELL IS A PLACE OF ENDLESS
TORMENT.
Dives cried, "I am tormented in this
flame!" Hell is a place of lust and desire unfulfilled, a place of
mental, moral and physical agony.
5.
CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY OF
SALVATION
- The rich man's riches, religion and works were of no value to him in hell.
Missing Christ, he lost all!
6.
EXCEPT A MAN REPENT HE WILL
SURELY PERISH. In hell this man realized that without repentance there is no
salvation (v. 30).
7.
NO ONE CAN EVER BE SAVED
WITHOUT HEARING AND BELIEVING THE GOSPEL (vv. 28-31). Be wise now, and believe the
gospel. Trust Christ, lest you also perish forever under the wrath of God.
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #777
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S.
Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net