In Luke chapter 16 the story of a nameless man, only
identified as “a rich man,” is recorded for us.
In short, this is a story of a man who lived his life for all the
luxuries this world has to provide. The day
came that he died and found himself in hell.
The level of his misery is summed up in verse 24 when he says, “I am in
anguish in this flame.”
This rich man is pleading for a poor beggar, named Lazarus,
who used to lay at his gate, covered in sores, begging, to come and dip his finger
in water and cool his tongue. This is a
request that the Lord refuses to honor.
As the rich man continues in agony, he makes this request in verses 27-28,
“Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house – for I have five
brothers – so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of
torment.”
Whether you believe this is an actually historic account,
which I do, or a parable, the request of the unnamed rich man from hell has to
strike a chord with you. This man pleads
for someone to go to his father and brothers.
The beauty of this all is that we can go. We can go to the house next door, we can go
to our family, we can go to our friends, and tell them. We can make sure that no one misses the opportunity
to avoid hell. Let us be faithful to
share the hope of the Gospel with those around us.
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