4/13/21

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
And in hell he lift up his eyes,..." (Luke 16:22-23)
There are many differences between being poor and rich.
Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and he fared sumptuously every day:" (v. 19) His clothing was clean, gayly colored, and cool cotton. He lived lavishly, and quite comfortably, every day. He had good things to eat, and was never hungry.
"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." (v. 20-21) Lazarus was a crippled man that could not work to provide for himself. Someone "laid" him at the gate of the rich man's house, hoping that he might be cared for. He was covered with sores, probably a combination of disease, poor nutrition, and from insect bites which he scratched, and had become infected. He only hoped for what fell from the rich man's table, but his only comfort was when the street dogs, that roamed the city, came by and licked his sores.
There are many things that the rich and the poor have in common.
1) They are human beings.
2) They are mortal.
3) They will die.
4) And, they will exist in eternity, somewhere.
Jesus says that both the men in His story die, despite their condition and estate.
I imagine that someone found Lazarus' crippled, infested body where he died. But he was not home! The moment he died, angels escorted his soul into the presence of God. Only his mortal remains were found upon the earth. He did not go to heaven because he was poor. There is only ONE WAY into heaven! Jesus is the only way! Lazarus must have believed on Jesus, and was saved!
Someone found the rich man after he had died. Maybe he died in the presence of family and friends. But he was no longer home either, that is, not in that lifeless body. His spirit had departed this world. Jesus said, "And in hell he lift up his eyes,..." (v. 23) He went to that awful place that we don't like to think about, and that we want to deny the existence of. Yet Jesus gives compelling evidence of its existence!
And if angels came to receive Lazarus, I shutter to think about what came for the rich man at his death.
The rich man did not go to hell because he was rich. He went into hell because he did not have Jesus as his Savior! That is the only reason that a person goes to hell.
We put people into many classifications:
1) Rich, or poor.
2) Male, or female.
3) Educated, or uneducated.
4) Young, or old.
5) Black, or white.
6) City folk, or country folk.
7) Baptist, or Methodist, or Catholic, or whatever!
But, with the Lord, only two categories of people exist! Saved or Lost.
You need, more than anything else in this world, to be in the "Saved" category.
You can only be on that list by receiving Christ as your Savior!
From my heart to your heart.