Sacred Truth Friday: Rich Man and Lazarus

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and  fared sumptuously every day.But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,desiring to be fed with  the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to  Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.“Then 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.’But Abraham said, ‘Son,  remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house,for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’Abraham said to him,  ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’But he said to him,  ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets,  neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ” - Luke 16:19-31 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke16:19-31&version=NKJV
A. Death
B. Beggar comforted
C. Rich man tormented
D. Great gulf fixed
E. Five brothers will not repent

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, - Hebrews 9:27 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews9:27&version=NKJV
A. Death certain
B. Judgement certain

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; - 2 Peter 2:4 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Peter2:4&version=NKJV
A. Angels who sinned not spared
B. Cast into hell
C. We will not be spared, either if we sin habitually

Lesson: Death is final. All opportunities to obey the Gospel, serve God and teach others are lost. So let's make sure we do all these before death comes upon us. Upon death we'll know immediately where we're at and why: tormented for not obeying the Gospel or being unfaithful to God, or comforted for obeying the Gospel and serving God all our days. The choice is ours.
Judgment comes after Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 4:16) and the dead are raised (John 5:28-29).
Judgement is declarative, not determintive. May God declare of all of us: "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Another wonderful sermon from Stephen Wiggins.