Tuesday - "Family"

“Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’“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.’ “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Luke 16 27-31

In the story about Lazarus and the rich man, when both men die, they go to distinctly different places. Lazarus the beggar, we are told, was taken to Heaven to spend eternity with God. The rich man was sent to Hades to live a life of torment. In today's passage, the rich man is begging Abraham (who is with Lazarus in Heaven) to send Lazarus to visit his family on earth...to convince them to repent and turn from their ways. The rich man wants his loved ones to avoid the torture that he is enduring.

I love Abraham's response. He tells the rich man that even if he did send Lazarus back to tell his family, they wouldn't believe him. He says that the man's family had Moses and the prophets telling them about Heaven, yet they continually rejected the concept. The truth is right in front of their faces, yet they didn't change their thinking.

Maybe that's your family this morning. They know the truth...they have been to church a few times and have heard the Gospel but have rejected the claims of Christ. What are you supposed to do?

Two things: 1) Continue to tell them. 2) Repeat step #1.

Never give up sharing your faith. Invite your loved ones to church. Bring them to Easter baptism. Talk to them about God. Show them the love of Christ at every opportunity. Be genuine.

There is so much at stake here. Eternity rides in the balance. Can you imagine living your forever out in hell replaying the times you rejected Christ over and over in your head? What could have been? What should have been? There could have been paradise, but instead there is torment. Never give up on those you love...just because they have said they aren't interested before doesn't mean that things can't change. They need YOU to tell them...they need you to overcome their defenses. They need you to convince them that Jesus was telling the truth. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It may not be easy, but it is of critical eternal importance.

See you tomorrow,

Pastor Brian