Why Do Christians Care
About People’s Souls?
Luke 16:19-31
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
1 Mar, 2009
AM
I.
Introduction (Matthew 23:15,33; 25:41)
A.
Did you know that Jesus
taught a lot about hell?
B.
Oh, “Hell” is a bad word
isn’t it? Most people don’t hear the word “hell” except in arguments, or from
filthy mouths!
1.
A little boy went home
after church one day, and the mother asked him, “How was church today?” And the
young lad responded, “Oh it was fine, ‘cept the preacher used a bad word today!”
“Oh really?” the mother exclaimed. “Yeah. He must have shouted ‘HELL’ fifty
times in his message!”
2.
Hell is a bad word because
hell is a bad place. That is an
understatement, isn’t it? Hell is
awful beyond compare. Hell is
torture beyond our wildest imaginations.
We should tremble, and ache and weep when we speak of it… it is that bad!
3.
"Hell" is truly a bad
word. But I need to speak this bad word.
We need to talk about hell.
We need to remember that a Christian is saved FROM hell!
4.
Remembering this helps us
appreciate what we have been freely given… salvation TO heaven.
5.
Example: A diamond looks
most brilliant when it is seen in contrast to a black backdrop.
The same is true of God’s heaven.
When we see the free and glorious gift of eternal life in contrast to the
blackness of outer darkness… heaven shines forth all the more beautiful!
C.
But… It’s the 21st
century we live in, isn’t it?
D.
Nobody is supposed to
believe in hell today. Right? Nobody!
1.
Most religions have “moved
on” and now only talk about love, and kindness and social equality, and
socialism, and philosophy, and medications, and hypnotherapies, and focus
groups, and ecumenicalism, and diversity, and tolerance…
2.
But there is a truth… a
horrible truth, that remains undaunted, and stands beyond question – there is a
hell! There is an awful, horrible place called hell!
3.
Men change their ideas,
but God's truth is always the same. The great eternal God tells us that there is
an eternal hell for all those who reject Christ and live without God.
E.
One man wrote, “Unless we
come to grips with this terrible doctrine, we will never even begin to
understand the depths of what Jesus did for us on the cross. His body was being
destroyed in the worst possible way, but that was a flea bite compared to what
was happening to his soul. When he cried out that his God had forsaken him, He
was experiencing the punishment of hell itself.”
1.
If a mild acquaintance
denounces you and rejects you—that hurts. If a good friend does the same—the
hurt's far worse. If your spouse walks out on you, saying, 'I never want to see
you again,' that is far more devastating still. The longer, deeper, and more
intimate the relationship, the more torturous is any separation.
2.
But the Son's relationship
with God the Father was infinitely greater than the most intimate and passionate
human relationship. So, when Jesus was cut off from God, He went into the
deepest pit and most powerful pain, beyond all imagination. And He did it
voluntarily, no, passionately… for us!
F.
Don’t tell me there is no
hell! Christians DO believe in hell! Just as Jesus did, and just as Moses did.
And just as Isaiah did! And just as Jonah did!
1.
If you do try and tell me
there is no hell, you are telling me God doesn’t LOVE sinners who WILL end up
there!
2.
You’re telling me that God
is not just. And that God doesn’t care, and that we all don’t matter in this big
cosmic burp, and it doesn’t matter how we live, and that justice is just the
survival of the fittest!
3.
Don’t you tell me there is
no hell!
G.
The
very core truth
of the Bible is that we all deserve hell! Every one of us are sinners,
law-breakers, who really only worship ourselves, and worship the THINGS we
possess and worship the things we desire more than we ever worship God! And
therefore, we are separated from God, and no matter how much we try, we never
can bridge the gap that exists between us and God. And if we are truly separated
from a truly perfect and holy God, then there is only one other place for us… a
place called hell!
1.
A preacher preached a
sermon on hell and a woman asked him if he had any children. He replied that he
did. "Do you love them?" she asked. "Oh yes," the preacher answered. "Well," the
woman said, "what would you think of a father who could save his children from
suffering and refused to do it?" "I would say that he was a tyrant and a
monster," the preacher said. "That's what you're making God out to be. God would
be a monster if He sent his children to hell instead of delivering them by his
power." "But lady," the preacher responded, "you're making one mistake. God
doesn't have any children in hell and he never will have. The people in hell are
the devil's children. All of God's children are in heaven or on the way there.
God has a home for His children and the devil has a home for his."
2.
He was right. God is the
Father only of those who believe in Jesus Christ... who have been born again
into HIS family. Too many people are presuming on the goodness of God as an
excuse for sin. They say, "Let us live as we please. God is too good to punish
us." One day they are going to have a rude awakening.
3.
God is not the father of
all. He is the Creator of all, but not the Father of all. He only becomes our
father only when we come to Christ. Jesus said in
H.
Jesus took the time to
tell us about a man who went there one day, and He recorded what that man said.
And it is worth taking a listen to this morning!
1.
Because this voice from
hell is directed at US!
2.
First to get sinners
saved, and secondly, to get Christians concerned
I.
I don’t know about you,
but because there is a hell, I care about souls! I care not only where “I” will
go one day, but where my Mom will go. Where my dad will go. Where my children
will end up. I care!
J.
This
K.
It’s all about doing
whatever it takes to open our mouths and get people to realise they
II.
Message – A Voice from Hell (Luke 16:19-31)
A.
It is the Voice of A Certain Rich Man
(16:19)
1.
Jesus says something so
powerful at the very beginning of his lesson…
a.
“There was a certain
rich man…” What a thing to say!
b.
This is not a bed-time
story with made-up characters. It is a message about hell!
c.
This man lived and walked,
and
2.
Jesus starts off telling
us about a rich man. He knew this man. Knew all about him: where he lived, how
he lived, how long he lived, what was in his heart, and Jesus knew where he went
when he died!
3.
Jesus is going to compare
him to US. To
4.
Not just to wealthy people
(it is not a sin to be wealthy), but compare him to ALL people who are JUST LIKE
THIS MAN!
5.
This is truth #1 – God
knows personally those who go to hell! They are not ignored by God, or uncared
for by God!
B.
It is the Voice of A Blessed Rich Man
(16:19; Cf James 1:17)
1.
He was probably super
rich!
a.
He wore anything he wanted
(most people at that time only owned 2 changes of clothes, max)
b.
He ate sumptuously – ate
anything he wanted, whenever he wanted (most people only eat 2 or even 1 meal a
day, and most eat RICE)
c.
He was dressed in the most
royal clothes – took himself very seriously!
d.
He never had to worry
about anything. Never worried about whet he was going to eat, or where he was
going to live, or how he was going to afford anything!
2.
But the truth is,
Everything he got, everything he wore, everything he ate, came from God!
3.
Truth #2 - If there is
anything good in your life, it is because God gave it to you!
a.
Farming – God gives, and
God can take it away
b.
Stocks – God gives, and
God can take it away
c.
Children – God gives, and
God can take it away
d.
Bank accounts - God gives,
and God can take it away
e.
Health – God gives, and
God can take it away
f.
Sanity – God gives, and
God can take it away
4.
Yes, this man was blessed!
Not lucky, not self-made, but blessed by God!
5.
We better get back to
believing that we ALL have it better than we deserve!
6.
This is not an attack
against wealthy people, or bankers, or politicians… this is a message by Jesus
on HELL!
C.
It is the Voice of An Apathetic Rich Man
(16:20,21)
1.
Not everyone was as well
off as this rich man. There are other people in this world, sometimes at the
very other end of the spectrum
2.
There was also a beggar.
Jesus names this man. His name was Lazarus.
a.
Not just ANY beggar who
lived in another city, or in a far away country
b.
Here was a beggar that was
daily laid right at the side of the entrance gate to this rich man’s home
c.
Here was a beggar that had
nothing – absolutely nothing to eat
d.
Here was a beggar who was
hungry! He sat and WISHED (desired) for crumbs to be thrown to him from the rich
man’s table – he was so willing to be satisfied with just scraps of food – cold,
mixed-in-with-rubbish food!
e.
You think you have it
rough? Well, HERE was poverty! Here was a real beggar!
1)
Not a professional beggar
like we have today!
2)
Not a lazy beggar
f.
He had a medical problem
and no relief, no helping ointments, no antibiotics, no pain medications, no one
to just hold and comfort him as he cried in pain
g.
His only friends were
stray dogs that licked the swollen sores that continuously ran with puss and
grew in size all over his body.
3.
What is amazing is that
this rich man didn’t care – he had something called “APATHY!” It is in
a.
He knew there was a dying
man at his gate
b.
He passed by that dying
man every time he went in and out of that gate
c.
He turned away from the
face of that dying man every time
d.
He ignored the pleas and
the cries of that dying man at his gate
4.
This rich man didn’t care!
a.
He didn’t care about GOD –
don’t tell me you love God and worship God, and talk to God, when all you think
about is yourself! This rich man is someone who had everything BUT God! And he
didn’t care what God thought. He just didn’t care!!!
b.
Ever met anyone like that?
c.
He not only didn’t care
about God, He certainly didn’t care about people! He just didn’t care!
d.
That’s OUR world! A
selfish, self-centred, self-seeking world
1)
Nothing like a good
recession or depression to show us just how far away from God we all are, and
how addicted we are to OURSELVES and our worries and our problems! Watch the
suicides, watch the family
2)
There is absolutely
nothing wrong with having money and owning nice things – but to not care about
anyone but yourself… to only worry about fashion, and new music, and new videos,
and new gadgets and new toys, new houses, well… THAT’S wrong!
5.
One good thing in all
this… this beggar may have owned nothing of this world, but he had a Saviour! He
had a future! He had a hope that was sure
6.
Truth #3 –
D.
A Mortal Rich Man
(16:22)
1.
Death came for both these men!
a.
We are only mortal!
Money has a way of tricking us, lying to us, making us feel like everything is
just going to stay the same way forever! But it doesn’t! We grow old. We lose
our sight. We have to take pills. We have to plan for death.
b.
I personally don’t want to die.
I want to live to be 103! I’m not looking forward to pain, hospital beds,
nursing homes, or wheelchairs! I am not looking forward to medications, and
cancer wards. I don’t relish the thought of clinical trials, and hospital food,
or bed-pans! But it is all ahead, for all of us!
2.
The beggar died first
a.
One day, the beggar is
lying at the rich man’s gate, crying, hungry, and the next day he is gone.
b.
The spot that he has sat
at, now is swept and clean. The dogs don’t come around anymore. That beggar
died, and was probably just cast into an unknown grave. Quickly forgotten by
all.
c.
Did anybody notice how
Jesus described that poor, wretched, poverty stricken man died? He was gently,
compassionately, powerfully carried by angels! BY ANGELS! Right to the very LAP
of Abraham - the closest friend of God! Nobody could claim that spot, yet this
poor man had the best audience, and the highest seat of honour in paradise with
Abraham!
3.
Then, just a little while
later, to everyone’s surprise, the rich man died too. Unexpectedly. Tragically.
And the crowds came, and honoured this rich man’s death. The flowers were
endless. The mourners were countless
a.
This very wealthy man,
with all the doctors, all the best foods, all the trips to his summer and winter
homes, could not fight death!
1)
The book of James (4:14)
says, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a
little time, and then vanisheth away.”
2)
Ecc 8:8 says, “There is
no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he
power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall
wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”
b.
In ancient
c.
In
d.
A millionaire died in the
1940’s. He left strict orders that he wasn’t to be laid out in an ordinary
casket. He insisted that he be buried in his gold Cadillac. As the bright,
shining gold Cadillac was being lowered into the big grave, a bystander
exclaimed, "Man, that’s living!"
e.
But did you notice how
JESUS described his death? There is no full stop at the end of the verse!!!
f.
Jesus said some of the
most terrifying words ever spoken… AND IN HELL HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES!
4.
No matter who you are, no
matter how young you feel… you are going to die!
5.
Both are dead, but one is
in paradise, and the other is in… well… where is this rich man now? Satin sheets
and pillows? Purple robes and steak dinners? Friends over for dinner? Family
surrounding him? No! This man is in HELL!
6.
Truth #4 – How we live is
nothing compared to how we die!
E.
A Tormented Rich Man
(16:23-26)
1.
Hell is God’s righteous
judgment on sin! Called damnation (Matthew 23:33 “How
shall ye escape the damnation of hell?”
It is
2.
And that punishment is
called torment. Hell is tormenting because:
a.
A person has all his
senses
1)
He feels every pain
2)
He screams and cries like
a baby
3)
This arrogant, apathetic,
selfish man now hurts
b.
A person has has all his
memories
1)
He remembers being taught
about hell in the synagogue as a boy
2)
He remembers rejecting it
as fear-mongering, and intolerant
3)
He remembers Abraham
4)
Most of all, he remembers
Lazarus!
c.
A person has has all his
energies – he can cry loud and clear!
d.
A person has is completely
helpless
e.
A person has is separated
from God, from heaven, from all who
f.
Worst of all… you are not
supposed to be there! He is supposed to be in heaven – he wasn’t supposed to BE
in hell (Matt 25:41)
3.
Not just mental anguish –
NO!
a.
Psalm 9:17 “The wicked
shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”
b.
Hell is described as
1)
A furnace of fire
2)
A lake of fire – a fire that
is not quenched, that does not burn out
3)
A bottomless pit – with the
inhabitants falling, forever
4)
A place of torments and
everlasting punishments
5)
A place where people pray but
are not heard
6)
A place where they cry for
mercy but find none
7)
A place where they wail but
are not helped
8)
A place where they curse God
over and over again
9)
A place where they can never
repent
10)
A place of outer darkness
11)
A place of where people have
no rest day or night
12)
A place where they gnaw their
tongues
13)
A place of blackness and
darkness forever
14)
A place where their worm dieth
not, and the fire is not quenched
15)
A place from which the smoke
of their torments ascendeth up forever and ever
4.
This man is burning!
5.
Now, I want to show you
THE most amazing truth in this entire lesson by Jesus!
F.
Hear Now the Voice of A Burdened Rich Man
(16:27-31)
1.
We saw how he had cared
only about HIMSELF at first when living on earth. AS WE
2.
But something happens
through the debate with Abraham…
a.
Realisation sets in… this
rich man is going to remain here, in this awful place called hell. No water, no
protection, no comforts, no help, and no hope of it ever getting better!
b.
And then the penny drops!
Then a thought enters his mind… “My family!” “I don’t want them to come to this
place!”
3.
Do you realise that it is
at THIS POINT that this rich man becomes what every born again child of GOD
should be… BURDENED about somebody’s eternal destiny!
4.
He thought of his family.
a.
He thought of how his
brothers were addicted to themselves as much as HE had been. He thought about
how little they cared about God, and others. He started to worry!
b.
He thought about their
SPIRITUAL NEED. He knew they probably had all their physical needs met. But they
were poor when it came to their soul
c.
He finally cared! He
finally cried over their souls. He finally called for action! He finally was
willing to do anything, send anyone to wake them up, and SAVE THEM from the
awful place called hell!
5.
And this rich man was
begging for somebody to care!
6.
Send Lazarus! Get Lazarus
BACK UP THERE to tell them of this horrible place! To warn them, and stop them
from rejecting God!
7.
Get him to TESTIFY – to
TELL THEM how to repent, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! Get Lazarus to go
and knock on my brother’s home, and ignore their laughter and their mockery!
8.
Send Lazarus to everyone!
9.
This man in hell makes a
terrible mistake – he thinks a miracle will convince his brothers that hell is
real, and that God should be taken seriously
10.
But Abraham plainly tells
him that even someone raised from the dead doesn’t convince stubborn hard hearts
that there is a hell, and that God cares, and that people must be born again.
11.
People ONLY get saved,
only get born again, by believing the preaching of the word of God (Rom 1:16;
1Cor 1:17,18)
a.
People need to hear the
word of God
b.
People need to hear it
from the mouths of those who have been saved
c.
People need to know that
Jesus cares about their soul
d.
And they need to know that
WE care!
12.
THAT’S what this
13.
Caring about what this
rich man cares about NOW! Not when it is too late
G.
An Abandoned Rich Man
1.
This is the last we hear
of this man.
2.
Oh, he is still there.
Still thirsty. Still crying. Still in torments.
3.
God cannot do anything for
this man now. Why? Because God had provided a perfect lamb (
4.
Some of you trust your
church, or trust your prayers, or you trust your good works, or you trust in
your priest, or you just don’t believe at all!
5.
Well, here is the result
NOT simply trusting Jesus Christ!
a.
Lost,
b.
Not into nothingness, but
in a burning, fiery, furnace called hell
III.
Application
A.
You may not believe in
hell… yet! Well, I’LL believe it for you and BEG you like
B.
As Charles Spurgeon said,
"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they
will perish, let them perish with our arms around their knees. Let no one go
there unwarned and unprayed for."
C.
Do you know why people
deserve hell? Why people NEED a Saviour?
1.
It is simply because they
have never looked into the mirror of the Law of God to see their diseased state
and their need of immense forgiveness.
2.
Without an understanding
of their sin and their helpless state before God, they will never rightly
understand the Gospel. Charles Spurgeon so aptly stated, "People will never
accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy law."
IV.
Conclusion
A.
I don’t know about you,
but because there is a hell, I care about souls! I care not only where “I” will
go one day, but where my Mom will go. Where my dad will go. Where my children
will end up. I care!
B.
This
C.
It’s all about doing
whatever it takes to open our mouths and get people to realise they
D.
Now listen to Jesus. He
knew the truth about hell. He said a certain rich man died and
went
down to hell, and was in torment. He said that the man cried out, "I am
tormented in these flames." He said that the man was anxious for his brothers to
repent, so that they would not come to that "place of torment."
E.
If a man breaks the laws
of the land, what else is there to do but punish him? He is put in prison or
sentenced to death. And if men rebel and sin against God and trample his son
under foot, what else is God to do but put them in the prison called Hell?
Judges must exact a penalty for a broken law and so must God.
F.
Have you heard this man’s
voice in hell?
1.
It is the Voice of A Certain Rich Man
2.
It is the Voice of A Blessed Rich Man
3.
It is the Voice of An Apathetic Rich Man
4.
It is the Voice of A Mortal Rich Man
5.
It is the Voice of A Tormented Rich Man
6.
It is the Voice of A Burdened Rich Man
7.
It is the Voice of An Abandoned Rich Man
G.
It will change your
destiny if you are not born again
H.
AND it will
I.
Will you let it
J.
Who in your home, in your
family, at your workplace do you want to see end up in hell? Who would you go
right up to and say “GO TO HELL!”?
K.
If you know what lies
ahead, and wouldn’t want it for your worst enemy, then open your mouth, and get
into soul-winning, and let’s see some folks saved by the preaching of the word
of God!
Craig Ledbetter | Pastor |