The Rich Man and Lazarus and Life After Death

1. Read: Luke 16:19-23

2. About the Text:

1) Context starts in Luke 16:13ff

2) Contrast between serving God and mammon (v.13).

3) Covetous Pharisees overhead (v.14).

4) They justified themselves before men . . .

a. They rejected John the baptizer.

b. They rejected the testimony of the law.

c. They acted lawlessly in regard to their marriages.

5) Here is the context in which the story begins.

3. NOTE: Is this just a parable?

1) Jesus names a real person in this story (Lazarus). That’s not characteristic of parables.

2) Parables are “earthly stories with heavenly meanings.” This is a heavenly story with a spiritual warning.

3) The story speaks of Abraham being alive which Jesus affirms as reality to the Sadducees (Matthew 22:32).

4) If the results of the story are not real, then what is the point?

a. Rob the story of its great impact.

b. The story contains great warning regarding eternal life after death.

5) What’s the motivation for taking it as merely a parable?

4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Rich Man

1) Described as rich

a. Independent.

b. Self-satisfied.

2) Clothed in purple.

a. Purple was the color of the wealthy and royalty

b. Lydia sold purple garments (Acts 16:14).

c. Jesus was robed in one prior to crucifixion (John 19:2, 5).

3) Fine linen.

a. This was also clothing of the rich.

b. Gen.41:42 – Joseph.

c. 1 Chron.15:27 – David upon bearing the ark back to Israel.

4) Faired sumptuously.

a. Healthy, robust individual.

b. Fine dining.

c. All of the indulgences of life.

2. Lazarus

1) Beggar

a. Dependent upon charity for food.

b. Depended upon others for everything.

2) Laid at a gate.

a. Indicates that someone put him there.

b. Could not get himself around physically.

3) Full of sores.

a. Indicates physical health.

b. He was in poor health.

4) Desired crumbs.

a. Only wanted the leftovers.

b. Just the meager portions to sustain his life.

c. Does not indicate a desire to be other than hungry.

5) Dogs licked his sores.

a. Indicates his helplessness.

b. No one else gave him medical attention.

c. These were his only companions.

1. Lazarus died.

1) He was carried by angels.

a. He who had no one to care for him in life received preeminent care in death.

b. No longer was he lonely.

2) He ended up in Abraham’s bosom.

a. The expression represents one who has entered paradise.

b. Abraham in Matt.8:11 used to indicate salvation.

3) He was now comforted (vs.25).

2. The rich man died.

1) Says he was “buried.”

a. An elaborate funeral perhaps.

b. It was all he received at death.

2) He found himself in “hell” or “hades.”

a. This is the realm of the unseen.

b. The place of the dead.

3) The rich man was in a place of torments.

a. Says he was tormented in flame (vs.24).

b. He looks up to see Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom.

1. Notice that the cries come only from the rich man.

1) Lazarus cried out for help during life.

2) But now Lazarus makes no cry.

2. The rich man’s cry is for self.

1) He said, “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.” (vs.24).

2) Notice the irony of the rich man’s cry for self.

a. Lazarus cried out to the Rich man during his lifetime for help.

b. The rich man now cries out for Lazarus help.

c. Lazarus did not ask for much in his lifetime, just crumbs from the table.

d. The rich man was not asking for much now, just a drop of water.

e. None was given to Lazarus in life.

f. None was given to the rich man in death.

3. Notice Abraham’s answer.

1) “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.”

a. Abraham called him “Son.” This was significant for the Jewish people.

b. The rich man was told to “remember.”

c. The rich man was given no respite for his torment.

2) “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.”(vs.25, 26)

a. This great gulf is an impassable barrier.

b. This gulf indicative of the spiritual situation.

1. The rich man cried, “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.” (vs.27, 28).

1) He asks to send Lazarus back to Lazarus’ life. He gives no thought for poor Lazarus.

2) The rich man wanted Abraham to send Lazarus to his five brothers.

3) He wanted Lazarus to testify to them regarding this place of torment.

2. “Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.”

1) Abraham makes it clear that Moses and the prophets have the information that the Rich man wanted to be given to his brothers.

2) Abraham told the rich man that his brothers were responsible themselves to HEAR Moses and the prophets in their lifetime.

3. The rich man replies: “And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.”

1) The rich man in a last effort to save his earthly brothers says that one risen from the dead would be more persuasive.

2) He says that his brothers would repent. This indicates that they needed to repent.

4. Abraham says, “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

1) Moses and the prophets are all the information they needed.

2) One risen from the dead would not be persuasive to those not interested in spirituality

1. Who do we find ourselves most like? The rich man, or Lazarus?

1) Remember that this story was told for the benefit of the covetous Pharisees.

2) Covetous is an evil against which we need to guard all of our days.

3) Luke 12:15 “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

2. Death comes to all men.

1) Heb.9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

2) The rich man felt the sting of death. 1 Cor.15:56

3. There are only two final destinations for man.

1) One is either saved or lost.

2) Matthew 25:46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

4. The rich man traded a lifetime of “good things” for an eternity of “torment.”

1) What will we give for salvation?

2) Mat.16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

5. There will be no second chances after this life is over.

1) Rev.21:27 “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

2) Rev.21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

6. Those who are lost do not want their relatives to be lost with them.

7. Those who are lost want us to tell others about the horrible place known as hell.

1) Jesus spoke more about hell than any other New Testament figure.

2) We must tell others of the horrors that await there today if they do not seek God.

3) Those who are lost want their lost relatives to repent. Acts 17:30, 31.

8. The scriptures were sufficient for the Rich Man’s brothers to be saved. So they are today.

1) We have everything we need through the word of God (2 Peter 1:3 “…His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…”.

2) The scriptures are sufficient for us to be God’s workman (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

9. Those who do not accept the testimony of the scriptures would not even believe one risen from the dead. Today we have both!

1) We have the scriptures (Romans 15:4).

2) We have a resurrected Messiah (1 Cor.15:1-11).

1. Let us remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus.

1) The characters.

2) The circumstances.

3) The cries.

4) The conclusions.

2. Invitation