The Passing

Recently I had two deaths in my family my mother-in-law and my brother. Both fell victim to cancer. My mother-in-law loved the Lord and lived a victorious life. She was truly the woman of Proverbs 31. My brother lived a free spirited life, and touched many lives with his generosity. Their passing on made me think more about the passing on of our spirit and soul.
The Lord Jesus gave us some insight into life after our physical death. We read in Luke chapter 16 verses 19 – 31 regarding the passing on of Larazus a poor and destitute believer and a rich unbeliever. They knew each other on earth and had some level of communication. However, once they passed on from this life, they parted ways. The poor man Lazarus went to paradise. The rich man – his name was not given – passed on to hades.
We learned from the account given in Luke 16 that believing Lazarus was at rest. Not a word was spoken by Lazarus. The unbelieving rich man however was very vocal. He called out to Abraham and asked him to have mercy on him and send Lazarus to “dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame”. Abraham told the rich man he could not help him, because there was a great separation between them. He couldn’t come where Abraham and Lazarus were and Lazarus couldn’t go where the rich man was.
The rich man carried over his attitudes, mindset and his memory with him into eternity. He still viewed Lazarus as being inferior to him and a servant. He did not ask Abraham to come and cool his tongue. He said to Abraham to send Lazarus to cool his tongue. He cared for his brothers while on earth and he remembered them and he continued to care for them. The rich man wanted Abraham to send Lazarus (the servant one) to warn his brothers “lest they also come to this place of torment”. Abraham told the rich man that they had Moses and the prophets, “let them hear them”. The rich man said to Abraham, “No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent”. Abraham said in his wisdom - no they won’t.
We know One came from the dead. The Lord Jesus Christ took on the form of a servant (Phillippians 2:7) and came from heaven in the likeness of men. He died to pay the penalty of our sin and He redeemed us to God our Father. He rose from the dead on the third day and was seen by his disciples and many other believing ones. Yet people do not believe Him nor do they repent. Read 1 Corinthians 15: 3 – 9. Paul said in verses 3 and 4: For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Read Matthew chapters 27, 28; Mark chapters 15, 16; Luke chapters 23, 24 of the accounts of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.

Today, if you do not believe Jesus died and rose from the dead. Would you read the accounts one more time and believe the Gospel? Tell the Lord Jesus Christ that you know you are a sinner, and ask Him to forgive you. Repent of your sin today. Do not be like the rich man in Luke 16.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Giving Thanks

Giving thanks is always a bit difficult.  The Lord Jesus when He was here on earth once healed ten lepers, and only one returned to give Him thanks.  I do not know about you, but sometimes I do not feel like saying “thank you”.  Sometimes I forget to say thank you to the person holding the door for me to step into a building.   Giving thanks always – means all of the time – no excuses, no forgetfulness, no apprehensions.  It takes effort and discipline to always say thanks. Giving thanks always for all things means everything is included.  No item is left out.  We are to give thanks for the things we consider good.  The things we consider bad.  The things we consider to be inconsequential, and the things we consider unworthy of our thankfulness.  We are happy to give thanks for the good things, the good happenings in our lives.  We are overjoyed to do so, and we – I know I do – let everyone around us know that we are. G...
Read more

The Three In One in Our Daily Living

God – Father Son and Holy Spirit is involved in our living out our salvation.  When I awake in the morning the first thing I do is pray.   The Holy Spirit is there in my praying to get it right for me.  Romans 8:26 tells us:  “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.  For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought , but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.    The Holy Spirit intercedes for us on behalf of our prayers.  Many a time we cannot express what we are feeling or thinking as we desire.  Our minds are twisted by our negative experiences, the untruths we have been told, the sinful ways we perceived in ourselves and others, our sinful acts that we have committed and are committing.  All of these experiences and actions helped shape our thinking.  The Holy Spirit cuts through all of our fog, and He knows what we should be saying to God, and He communi...
Read more

Love - The overriding factor

Love not hate.   Christians – born from above are called to love one another and to love the peoples of the world; just as God has loved us and as He loves the entire human race.    We are to be known as Christ ones because of our love for everyone.  Please let us believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ not be influence by the voices that are around us today.  We know there are injustices and inequalities in our society.  Truly in every society in the world the same exist.  Life is of God.  No one can exist outside of God’s breath of life.  That means every human life, no matter the skin tone, is valuable and precious in God’s sight, and should be as well in ours.    God shows us in 1Corinthians 13 what love looks like and what love is not.  Verse 1- 3 warns us about the nature of our works (after we have accepted God's salvation). V1: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have...
Read more