Jesus came to rise from the dead
“And in Hades he raised his eyes being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his arms.
(Luke 16: 23-26 NASB)
And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
But Abraham said, ‘Child. remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
‘And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set, so that those who want to go over from here to you will not be able, nor will any people cross over from there to us.’
It’s Christmastime.
Time to shop for just the perfect gift for that special person whom we love.
What shall we give him?
What shall we give her?
Oftentimes, we do not focus upon the torment found in Hades, in Hell (a very real place) as we focus upon the joy found in the celebration of Christmas—but we should.
Moreover, we do not focus upon the space that remains between Paradise and Hell (a very real place) as we see the calendar days remaining until Christmas morning—but we should.
‘A Great Chasm has been set, . . .’
Jesus meant to rise from the dead—for you & for me!
Jesus came to bring each one of us the ultimate gift of Salvation found only in Him.
- Jesus never meant for any of us to be forevermore placed in Hades, in torment, a place He made for Satan and his demons.
- Jesus came to show us the Way to come home to Him~
The prophet Isaiah recorded the truth about the Way—Jesus. Please pause to read with me.
“For a Child will be born to us,
(Isaiah 9: 6-7 NASB)
a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders,
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of armies will accomplish this.”
- It is a truth that Hell exists. The Bible tells us so. God tells us so, and God does not lie.
- It is a truth that any person who does not accept Jesus by faith will not reside in Paradise during eternity. The Bible tells us so. God tells us so, and God does not lie.
‘And in Hades he raised his eyes . . .being in torment, and saw . . .’
Jesus meant to rise from the dead—for you & for me!
- The Word of God records what eternal choice exists, a decision we must make—now—here on this side of death.
- The Word of God records how mankind cannot wait until he dies to decide, for then, time will have run out & the decision will have already been made.
‘And he cried out and said, . . . have mercy on me . . .’
‘so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue for I am in agony in this flame . . .’
Jesus meant to rise from the dead—for you & for me!
In the Scriptures, we see the one who waited, who postponed his decision, and we read of his torment. Flames. Torment. Cries. Anguish. Even just the tip of the tongue—such a tiny part of a person’s body, but Paradise is so very real and so is Hell.
‘but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.’
‘between us and you a great chasm has been set, . . .’
Jesus meant to rise from the dead—for you & for me!
- We live now, here on earth, on this side of our decision.
- We live now in comfort, but may we not step over those who live in squalor as we live in splendor.
- May our hearts bleed in compassion, as Jesus taught, for those who live without their daily needs met.
It’s Christ-mastime.
Time to shop for just the perfect gift for that special person whom we love.
What shall we give him?
What shall we give her?
- Oh Lord, help us give others the gift of YOU, as we care for their needs!
- Oh Lord, help us to have eyes to see WHO they most need, as we purchase whatever they may need to survive!
- Oh Lord, help us to love them as YOU have taught us, YOUR children, to love!
‘those who want to go over from here to you will not be able, . . .’
‘nor will any people cross over from there to us.’
Jesus meant to rise from the dead—for you & for me!
- A Chasm!
- A Space of Division.
- A Here & A There.
- A Place where God dwells & A Place where the devil was cast to remain.
- A Decision made now, while we are alive, seals our eternal resting place.
- A solitary decision.
- A “Yes, Lord, I believe & I confess my sins as I also confess You as my Savior. Lord, I ask You to receive me. Lord, save my soul. Oh, God, forgive me, a sinner.”
- A prayer. A gift offered to each of us—through Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life!
- A decision. A way of life. A walk with God’s Holy Spirit.
- An earthly decision, one that has eternal consequences.
Jesus meant to rise from the dead—for you & for me!
“For a Child will be born to us,
(Isaiah 9: 6 NASB)
a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders,
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
Jesus came to die—for you & for me!
Jesus meant to rise from the dead—for you & for me!
It’s Christ’s (mas) time.
Time for just the “PERFECT” Gift.
May we give to others our testimony of that “PERFECT” Gift.
May we live our lives ready to see God.
May we live our lives ready to meet our God.
May we be ready!
Yes, there is a solitary question that must be asked: If Jesus called us home today, what side of the “great chasm” would we be carried to?
“There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace
(Isaiah 9: 7 NASB)
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of armies will accomplish this.”