The eternal existence of every human being is divided into three phases: life, death, and eternity, as revealed by Jesus in Luke 16:19-31. The sermon contrasts a rich man, characterized by pride, power, popularity, and pleasure, with the poor beggar Lazarus. The core lesson highlights the rich man's profound thoughtlessness towards God, his own soul, others, and the inevitability of death and eternity. The message concludes by urging listeners not to be like the rich fool, but to trust in God and lay up treasures in good works for eternal life.
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Beloved radio friends, we greet you in the precious name of the Lord Jesus, our Savior, and we welcome you to the broadcast of the glorious gospel of God's grace. My beloved friend, have you ever seriously considered what is the complete history of every human being, whether man, woman or child? Have you ever realized When you and I were first born into the world, our history began, but also our history will never end. Have you realized that though you had a beginning, yet as a personal being, you will have an eternal existence.
You may wonder about this, but let us seek the proof from the Word of God, the Bible, the divinely inspired book, that is infallible. And let us listen to the words of the greatest teacher who came from heaven, lived upon the earth, and died for our sins upon the cross, but now lives in heaven, even Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In Luke chapter sixteen, verses nineteen through thirty-one, the blessed Son of God reveals very carefully and in detail, that the history of all mankind consists of three distinctive phases.
There is life, there is death, and there is eternity. Let me repeat this. Take the fact in, my beloved friend. From this sermon spoken by the Son of God, he definitely declares and proves that your entire history and mine consists of life and death and then eternity. Let this truth sink deep into your heart and conscience, my beloved friend. Your existence is absolutely eternal. You will exist forever.
Now in our scripture, Luke sixteen, nineteen through thirty-one, The Savior unfolds the actual history of two particular men. Two men in life, two men in death, and two men in eternity. Now this record is not a parable, my friend. Please note this fact. They were two distinct, real persons, though differing in great contrast during life and even in death. and particularly in eternity. But let us read the account of these two men in life.
The words are recorded in Luke sixteen verses nineteen through twenty-one. The Lord Jesus saying, 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." Now this is the history of these two men, as the Savior declares it, during life.
We recognize the fact one was rich, the other poor, and to take a worldwide observation of today, surely we can see this distinction in the world now. It is still noticeable there are those who are rich and there are many who are poor. But let us first of all consider the rich man in our story. Now any careful reader of the Word of God will remember that God in His Word warns us of the dangers that are associated with riches. For instance, in Psalm sixty-two and verse ten, God says, if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
But now let us recognize some facts regarding this particular rich person. First, we must know his pride It is written in Proverbs chapter ten and verse fifteen. A rich man's wealth is a strong city. He depends entirely upon his possessions for his strength. But the New Testament warns the rich do not be high-minded, for riches can certainly feed human pride. And there is no question of doubt. This rich man was proud.
We know the second fact indicated. He would tell us of his power, as he was clothed in purple and fine linen. This was the garment of the rich and the royalty, and demanded, as we may well understand, to possess servants in abundance. He could indeed exercise a poverty and power. because of his wealth, which he undoubtedly must have done. But there is a third fact. We must confess that by his riches he gained great popularity. He had no lack of friends in worldly recognition.
Being rich enabled him to have the association of many in that day and read the headlines without question of doubt. But also we might remember that by his riches he had popularity with that recognition that the world would give. For being rich enabled him not only to make the headlines of the news in that day, but he had no lack of friends. Being rich, the world took note of it, and today as it is written in the Word of God. Proverbs chapter nineteen in verse four, Wealth maketh many friends.
But they know the fourth fact, the pleasures of life that he enjoined. He fared sumptuously every day. It was a life of ease and luxury, not merely occasionally, but constantly, every day. It was a life of ceaseless gaiety and fun. But there remains something very solemn and notable through all of this. Though he had his pride, though he had his power, though he had his popularity, though he had his pleasures, yet sad to state. His thoughtlessness was very outstanding.
He was a thoughtless man. First, and this is the most important fact, he was thoughtless of God. Never once did he think of God who had blessed him with the riches. God was never in his thoughts. And radio, friend, are there not many today, whether rich and oftentimes poor, who are thoughtless of their creator and their savior, God? A second thing, he was thoughtless about his soul. Do you remember the parable of the rich fool that the Lord Jesus told in Luke chapter twelve, saying, Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry?
But God said unto him, Thou fool this night, thy soul shall be required of thee. Then who shall those things be which thou hast provided? Yes, he was thoughtless about his own soul, as many are today. But last of all, we must say from the story he was thoughtless of others. Never once did he think of helping the poor beggar Lazarus, who only desired the crumbs from his table. Yes, indeed, he was thoughtless of others. But may I go further to say, he was thoughtless of something that he did not expect. or even look for.
He was thoughtless of death. He so loved what he had and lived the way he did, he never thought of that inevitable fact. It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment. Hebrews nine twenty-seven. My beloved radio friend, let us be sensible, even if we may be young. Even a child can say, I'm not too young to sin and I'm not too young to die. It is a divine appointment for every one of us. It is appointed under men. And please let me ask, has anyone ever failed throughout all human history to prove that this does not happen?
No, not one. Let us face it. It is an inevitable conclusion that by all normal events of life, am I ready? for that event, prepare to meet thy gods under the prophet Amos long ago in Amos four twelve. My beloved radio friend, are you prepared? This rich man was not prepared, for he was also thoughtless of eternity, his existence that would take place in eternity. For do not ever think that death means ceasing to exist. It does not.
If you think so, I can assure you, from the word of God, your belief will reveal your eternal regret of thinking so. Let me in the closing moments repeat the words of First Timothy chapter six and verse seventeen. Charge them that are rich in this world. that they be not high-minded but and trust nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy and that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Oh, my beloved friend, don't be like this man in our lesson, a rich fool who had no thoughts of death and further still of eternity.
My beloved friend, let me re-emphasize, though we go through life, we should realize our life is but a trifling length of time. compared to a never-ending eternity. And we raise the question which this rich man never thought of, where will I spend eternity? Our blessed God and our Father, we pray that the solemn words of our Lord Jesus regarding these two men in life may reach the conscience and heart of every one of us, and particularly particularly the life of the rich man, so neglectful of God, of Christ, and of others, and of eternity.
May you speak to us today, we ask, in Jesus' name, amen.