What is This Thing Called Eternal Life?

September 27, 1992 - PM

Luke 16:19-31

INTRO:

Illustration: The professor who introduced his course on Christian theology by putting a bowl of beans on the desk and having his students guess the number; a number which he later revealed. The professor then asked "Which is Christian faith more like?: (1) Guessing the number of beans in a bowl? and later finding out a number, OR, (2) 'Your favorite song?'"

The unanimous response was, "Our faith is like our favorite song!"

Then the professor would try to show them through the rest of his course how they were wrong: Christian faith is dealing with truth-fact that is not changed according to our whims. Thankfully, if we believe the Bible, our faith is not as fragile as having to guess at absolute truths. But our faith IS based on truth that is truth whether or not we happen to believe it!

However can I say it? Believe it— THE FACTS OF SPIRITUAL LIFE ARE FACTS!

I. HEAVEN AND HELL ARE SPIRITUAL REALITY

Luke 16:19-31 Is an oriental story representing absolutely true values - Jesus has a way of turning our value-systems upside down.

He sketches a poor-but-angel-attended blessed man and he contrasts him with a rich-but-wretched damned man.

In the beginning of the story we are almost envious of the rich man and certainly feel sorry for Lazarus.

At the end of the story we are curious about Lazarus' surroundings— he is in an Oriental heaven, eating grapes, lounging on rugs, in the very lap of luxury— while we are even more curious about the rich man's surroundings, for they are one of a very, very few glimpses into what we call "hell."

Dives, as we have come to call the rich man, is parched, in torment, begging for one drop of water.

** We're looking for details: Jesus is giving us basic, vital truth! **

II. THE WORD OF GOD IS TO BE TRUSTED!

  1. The concern of Jesus is that we discover who we are before it is too late to act on the knowledge.
  2. The Word of God will tell us exactly who we are and what God is like and where we are headed!

    The rich man asked Abraham to send back a man from the dead to warn his brothers to change their ways. Jesus had Abraham say, "They have Torah! If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, they would not listen to a man come back from the dead!

  3. HOW CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE?

    It is not so easy to submit to the authority of Jesus, and seek to let His words sink down into our souls to show us, rich or poor, what we really ARE, and what or whom we really LOVE and SERVE.

    It is not so easy to reject the idols of comfort and of security and to believe that, rich or poor, there is not that much difference in our deepest needs.

    It is not so easy, whether we are rich or poor, to deliberately submit to the call of Jesus to follow Him to the cross on the way to the Throne.

    GOD IS PATIENT WITH TRUE SEARCHING, SEEKING!

III. GOD IS LOVE, BUT GOD IS GOD!

  1. There is no doubt that human understanding of God grows and develops as we come to know Him better. There is even some truth in seeing a "progressive revelation" from early history and Old Testament times until now.

    But we will do well not to think of "the God of the Old Testament" as opposed to "the God of the New Testament" as though God is made in man's image. We will do well to remember that the name of names for our God was given to Moses at the burning bush, the unspeakable name that means "I AM THAT I AM"!

    What we say of Him, and what we THINK of Him will make a great deal of difference in how seriously we will take His Word. But it will not affect one iota the Holy One that IS WHO HE IS, and changes not!

  2. There is no doubt that following Jesus and being a true Christian will be expressed differently— in many different ways by different people!
    1. But being saved and making Jesus Lord! is not "like your favorite song!
    2. Jesus died on the cross to provide the way of salvation! - God is God! He deserves our total allegiance and loyalty! He is HOLY— and He cannot fellowship with selfish, unspiritual, unscriptural home made religion!

Believe! Repent! Confess! Receive!

Conclusion:

What is your faith?

Guessing beans? It can be more than that— it can be TAKING GOD'S WORD EXACTLY AS HE GIVES IT!

ARE YOU ONE WHOSE FAITH IS LIKE "YOUR FAVORITE SONG! I'll worship my own higher power in my own way!

God help us to come into contact with the God of heaven and earth! Help us to believe HIM against all other words! IN JESUS, AND IN HIS WORD, IS THE TRUE SPIRITUAL REALITY!

Text: Luke 9:25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

Prayer - #7 Exalt Him - JESUS IS LORD!

Illustration:

John LeCarré's novel A Perfect Spy pictures a man, Magnus Pymn, with great intelligence and sensitivity, a chameleon able to fit into any and every situation, but who had no abiding loyalty or abiding foundation of trust on which to build his life. He rose to the top of his profession, and had the world at his feet. But his life was absolutely empty. The final solution he found was suicide.