Luke 16:19-31 19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'”
In this parable, we see that there was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day, at his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. After their deaths, the rich man was in torment in Hades, and saw Abraham who is the father of faith with Lazarus by his side and Lazarus was comforted. What is the problem with this rich man? The problem is that he did not repent before he died. He had five brothers, and he wanted Abraham to send Lazarus from the dead to testify to his brothers so that they would repent. Abraham told him that if they did not repent after hearing what Moses and the prophets said, even if someone was raised from the dead, they would not listen. Similarly, if people don’t repent after listening to the Bible, even if someone is raised from the dead, they will not listen either.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)
Here Lord Jesus says “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The poor are usually poor in spirit, more humble, more willing to seek after God and trust in God, so they are blessed, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Rich people have everything, they think that they don’t need God, so they don’t seek God, don’t trust in God, usually they are not poor in spirit. But if they repent, God will also accept them.
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2)
This is the beginning message Lord Jesus preached when he started his ministry. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repentance in the original Greek means a change of mind, a change from a self-centered life to a God-centered life. To live a God-centered life means to live a life of doing God’s will. When a person believes in the Lord, repents and is baptized, he receives the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit lives in him. The kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God is the kingship of God. The kingship of God means God is the king and the Lord of our lives. Lord Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is among you, is within you. When the Holy Spirit lives in us, the kingdom of heaven is within us. May God bless you and your family.
