03.20.16 Notes (GoodNews Week 11)

#GOODNEWS Week 11
The Gospel of Luke #3
“Where Are You Going?”
Pastor Kris Freeman
Revolution Church

Luke 16:19-31 (NLT)

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.
22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet.[e] The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and he went to the place of the dead.[f] There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.
24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’
25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’
27 “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’
30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’
31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Here is a child of wrath and an heir of hell sitting in the house, fairing sumptuously, and a child of love and an heir of heaven lying at the gate, perishing for hunger. – Matthew Henry

In ancient religious traditions, prosperity had inclinations of BLESSING .

The Rich Man:
1. Dressed in purple – his adorning was pleasant, clean and royal, a prince
2. Fared sumptuously – food, servants, quality and abundance
3. Lived in luxury – he had no need of want, the upper one percent of his community
There is no sin in being rich; it is the attitude of the one who obtains it, and the manner in which they build it.

In ancient religious traditions, poverty had inclinations of SIN .

The Poor Man:
1. Poor man covered in sores – he was in poverty, unable to receive care
2. Lay at the gate – possibly so sick it affected his mobility (Acts 3)
3. Longed for scraps – rejected by the elite, thought to be less
There is no extra righteousness in being poor, but there is no indication this man was being punished but rather a victim of life.

The biggest difference in this story is the NAME .

We are not defined by our circumstances our possessions, our identity is in Christ and our inclusion is His kingdom is confirmed by how God knows us.

Definitions of Torment (Hades) – Place of the Dead
1. Torment – he was in agony
2. Sight lines – he was in envy
3. Memory – he was in regret
4. Pain – he was in agony
5. Hopelessness – he was in eternity
The greatest torment of Hell may not be the physical pain, but the spiritual SHAME .

Definitions of Paradise (Abraham’s Bosom) – Place of the Presence
1. Transportation – he was carried by angels
2. Sight lines – he looked forward and not back
3. Memory – it seems to be erased
4. Healing – the earthly disease, pain was gone
5. Heaven – he was in the eternal presence of God
The greatest blessing of Heaven is not physical blessing, but the spiritual PRESENCE .

What you HAVE will not determine where you GO, but WHERE you go will always determine WHAT you have.