Sermon for Saturday
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. Luke 16:24
If it were possible for him to do it, do you think Lazarus would have taken a drop of water to the former rich man? After all, the rich man had given him nothing when he was lying ill and destitute at the mansion gate. We don’t know whether Lazarus even received the crumbs that he pleaded for. He could certainly argue that the rich man was getting what he deserved for his selfishness and lack of compassion. Or what about the rich man’s five brothers, what objection could Lazarus raise against going to testify to them? We don’t read that the brothers were unkind or uncaring, so would Lazarus have gone to them if he could? The finality of death prevents us from answering those questions. But this account begs the question about what we would do to ease suffering or prevent sinners from going to hell.
Today’s text and its context remind us of the awfulness of hell and of the terrible consequences that face Christ rejectors. Despite all the careless curses of men, no one with the least bit of understanding of damnation could ever wish their worst enemy to go there. And yet, all about us are those who are heedless of what lies eternally before them. They are like the rich man, living for today and this world, with no thought or preparation for what lies beyond this life. Even as he was ignored by the rich man, Lazarus could never have wished the man to land in hell. We don’t know what Lazarus was able to say to him. But we do know what we are able to say to the lost folks around us. And we do know more than Lazarus probably did about what lies before the lost.
Notice that the rich man was not surprised to see Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, and he did not challenge Lazarus’ right to be there. So Lazarus must have lived a testimony before him. That is something every Christian can do. Our godly life should speak to all those we encounter. And if it does, it opens the door to handing out a tract, inviting people to meetings, or even sharing our testimony with someone.
Let us do what we can here and now to offer the Gospel to the unsaved around us. After we are gone, we will not be able to offer them even a drop of water. -Jim MacIntosh