Luke 16:19-31
Christ’s Winners versus Pharisees’ Failures
We are studying in a section that may have started at the beginning
of the chapter. Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, teaching His
disciples as He went. He taught them about how NOT to fail as a
steward, then in \\#Luke 16:14\\ the Pharisees—wanting to justify
their failures—derided Jesus. In \\#Luke 16:15\\ Jesus responded to
their mocking. From that point to the end of the chapter, it appears
that Jesus responded to their mockery. If that is the case, this
story was one to warn the Pharisees of their future if they did not
repent.
Without doubt, the account that Jesus gave in these verses is one of
the most vivid and powerful stories in the Bible. It is to the lost
what the book of Revelation is to the saved, a preview of their
future.
Some attempt to minimize the account by saying it is merely a
parable. I do not believe that it is for unlike a parable, Jesus gave
a name in this story, Lazarus, the man who went to Abraham’s bosom.
Further, I doubt that it is because it is not an earthly story. A
parable is an earthly story that teaches spiritual truths. Jesus used
parables about what we could see to help us understand and visual
what we cannot see, but we cannot see hell. Hell is as unseen as
heaven so why use what we can’t see to explain what we can’t see? But
if this is a parable, how awful hell must be for the pictures that
Jesus used were of unending torment and unceasing desire. Oh how
horrible an eternity in hell must be.
No, I do not think it to be a parable. I think that Jesus was still
rebuking the Pharisees from their mockery in \\#Luke 16:14\\ while at
the same time, warning them of their future if they do not repent. I
believe Lazarus was a real person, perhaps someone they all knew. I
believe the rich man, although unnamed, was a person they knew and I
believe Lazarus is still in heaven enjoying the life of the righteous
and the rich man is still in hell enduring the life of the torment.
Going back to the parable that Jesus gave in \\#Luke 16:1-8\\,
Lazarus, although poor and humble, was the steward that did not fail
and the rich man, although rich and extravagant, was the steward that
failed.
Let’s point out a few truths tonight.
I. The Pharisees’ Failure
A. We have switched from talking about discipleship to discussing
salvation.
1. That change took place in \\#15\\ when Jesus began to
speak to the Pharisees—who were for the most part
unsaved.
2. People do not go to heaven because they are poor or to
hell because they are rich.
3. The only way to heaven is through faith in Jesus Christ.
4. However, the rich man would have fit the Pharisee’s image
of successful and Lazarus would have fit the Pharisee’s
image of failure so Jesus used them to teach some lessons
to the Pharisees.
B. Notice the truths about the Pharisees’ failures.
1. \\#22\\ The Pharisees’ failure was welcomed to heaven.
a. One could not be any poorer than Lazarus.
(1) He was a beggar. He had no job and no way to
provide for himself save to beg.
(2) He was sick. The Bible says he had sores and it
indicates that he was too weak to stop the dogs
from licking them.
(3) He had VERY limited resources.
(a) My first impulse was to say he had no
friends, but \\#20\\ says he was laid daily
at the rich man’s gate.
(b) Someone must have helped him back and forth
daily to get and from get that spot to
where ever he slept.
b. Just a note, this has been the plight of many in our
world.
(1) I do not think the welfare system works because
it was never government who was called by God
to perform this task.
(2) It was the church.
(3) However, whether right or wrong, I am glad that
some have been kept from dying such a lonely and
hard death.
c. Even the poorest of the poor are welcomed into heaven.
(1) God made the qualifications so that anyone—
absolutely anyone—was welcomed into His heaven.
(2) One does not have to have a penny, perform a
feat, recite a speech, or even change a
behavior!
2. The Pharisees’ failure may receive God’s angelic escort.
Luke 16:22 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;
a. I have always liked what God did for Lazarus.
b. Please note, the Bible does not promise every
Christian will be transported as Lazarus was.
(1) This may have only been Lazarus’ mode of
transportation to heaven.
(a) Perhaps for his service, Lazarus was given
this ride to heaven. Granted, the Bible
does not mention any such service, but that
is the point. Neither does it promise us
that we will be carried to heaven this way.
(b) Indeed he may have still been serving the
Lord in glorious way!
(c) Or perhaps for his suffering, Lazarus was
given this ride to heaven.
i. Let us not forget what Abraham spoke
to the rich man is true of every one
of us.
Luke 16:25 …remember that thou in thy lifetime
receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus
evil things…
ii. Oh how sweet and like our God it
would be of Him to immediately
demonstrate to Lazarus the vast
difference of what eternity will be
like to those who have suffered and
done without.
(2) But perhaps, this is every believers’ ride home
and perhaps you and I—even before we close our
eyes in death, will see God’s chariot come forth
to carry us home.
3. The Pharisees’ failure received the goodness of God in
heaven.
a. At this point in time, Jesus was not actually talking
about heaven but what we refer to as Abraham’s
Bosom \\#22\\, the resting place of the Old Testament
saints before Jesus died.
b. This account was before Jesus died and so was before
the departed were welcomed into heaven.
c. Here, we are not told of streets of gold, gates of
pearl, a city suspended between heaven and earth, or
the throne room of God.
d. In fact, we are only told here:
Luke 16:25 …now he is comforted, and thou art
tormented.
e. But Lazarus certainly received of God the goodness
that he lacked on this earth and, after the death of
Jesus, was welcomed into God’s heavenly home.
II. The Pharisees’ Success
A. How surprised the Pharisee’s must have been when Jesus made
the statement:
Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes,
being in torments….
1. Granted, it is my assumption that the rich man connects
to the Pharisees, but I certainly believe he does!
2. The rich man had everything the Pharisaical heart longed
to have.
3. His reward? Hell.
4. The way the verse reveals that truth sounds hard and harsh
because that is the way Jesus wanted that truth to come
across to the Pharisees.
B. So what kind of world can the successful Pharisees expect?
1. Hell is torment.
Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes,
being in torments….
a. It is interesting but this text only mentions two
torments, the flame and the thirst.
b. I’m pretty sure there are more torments than that in
hell.
c. The rich man did not elaborate on what was happening
to him. but it seems obvious that the fire and heat
inflicted pain and suffering upon him.
d. From the thirst we conclude there is no satisfaction.
(1) One drop of water, just one, was all that the
rich man sought—but he was denied.
(2) The rich man still cries for water.
(3) The rich man still not received even one drop.
(4) The rich man will never be satisfied.
2. One with no exits. Hell has no exits.
a. This is one of the main points the story illustrates.
b. The rich man, with all his wealth, could not purchase
or bribe his way out of hell or get anyone to come
to him.
c. In fact, he was instructed—with pity from Abraham—
several important truths.
(1) There was a great gulf fixed and no one was
getting out.
Luke 16:26 And beside all this, between us and
you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they
which would pass from hence to you cannot;
neither can they pass to us, that would come from
thence.
(2) This great gulf not only kept the unsaved
inside, it also keeps the saved outside.
3. Hell is filled with regret.
Luke 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore,
father, that thou wouldest send him to my
father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify
unto them, lest they also come into this place of
torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and
the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one
went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses
and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded,
though one rose from the dead.
a. This seems to be the point that Jesus was emphasizing
the most for four verses are devoted to it.
b. The rich man spoke of no regrets for himself.
(1) Oh, I am sure he had them.
(2) Nobody will be in hell and not have regrets.
(3) However, this man’s arrival to hell had been
fairly recent.
(4) How do I know? Because his brothers were still
alive.
(5) His stated regret was not for himself for he knew
there was no hope for him but for them.
(6) Might I suggest that in hell we will finally get
over selfishness?
c. Like himself, his brothers had rejected the true
message of the law and the prophets.
(1) Using their own wisdom, they had all mocked God
and God’s word.
(2) And now he regretted that they would soon be
joining him in that awful place!
d. As there will be no one in hell who does not have
their own regrets so there will be no one in hell who
wants another to join them there.
(1) In funerals I am sometimes called to serve those
I did know or perhaps knew too well were unsaved.
(2) My goal in such times is to give as much comfort
as I can without misrepresenting the Bible or
the deceased’s life. (If I am too blunt, the
mourners will rejecters may reject the message
altogether.)
(3) A few statements I can make and know it is true
for both the saved and the lost is, "Your loved
one wants you to be saved." "They want you to
hear about and accept the good news of Jesus
Christ!" "They want you to go to heaven when
you die."
(4) How do I know that is true? Because the rich
man, as cold and indifferent to God and others
as he was on earth, did not want his brothers to
go to that awful place!
There is much more than I can say about hell. The Bible mentions it
often. But what we need to see tonight is that no matter how cold
you have been to Jesus Christ, you will regret it. There are eternal
consequences to mocking God and Jesus was warning the Pharisees
beforehand what their future would be.
If you are without Jesus Christ, come to Him.
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