To download a copy of today’s lesson go to TheGoodTeacher and click on “Gospel Meetings”

To download a copy

of today’s lesson go to

TheGoodTeacher.comand click on “Gospel Meetings”

After Death…What Then?

Lessons From the Rich Man

and Lazarus

Prepared by Chris Reeves * Mt. Moriah church of Christ Gospel Meeting * July 27, 2007

Luke 16:19-31

Is wealth a sign of God’s approval? Some think so (Lk. 16:14).

Jesus confronted those who were lovers of money, pointing them to their eternal destiny (Lk. 16:19-31).

Some have tried to dismiss this passage by saying, “It is only a parable.”

Make no mistake: what happened here will happen to us.

The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31

It is foolish to trust in riches (vv.19,25)• Riches can lead us away from God (Mt. 6:19-24)• Riches can lead us into sin (1 Tim. 6:9-10)

It’s not what you have, but who you are that counts in life (vv.19-21)• The rich man was well off, but not right with God

(Lk. 12:20)• Lazarus was poor in life, but rich with God

(Jas. 2:5)


The wealthy often ignore and neglect the poor (vv.20-21)• Who is your Lazarus (Prov. 21:13; Gal.

2:10; 1 Tim. 6:17-18; Jas. 1:27; 1 Jn. 3:17)? All men die, rich or poor (v.22)

• Death is an appointment all will keep (Heb. 9:27)


Death is not the end of life, but a transition from one life to the next (v.23)• There is more to man than a body (Gen.

1:26; 2;7; Eccl. 12:7; 2 Cor. 4:16; Jas. 2:26)• The spirit of man lives on after death

(Mt. 22:32; Lk. 23:46; Phil. 1:23)• There is a life to come (Mk. 10:30)

The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31 Salvation is not universal; not all will be

saved (v.23)• Lazarus saved and the rich man lost• God wants all men to be saved (1 Tim.

2:3-4), but few will be saved (Mt. 7:13-14,21; Lk. 13:23-24)

Mercy must come from us in this life, before it comes from God in the next (v.24)• Are you merciful now (Matt. 5:7;

Jas. 2:13)?


You can go from comfort to suffering, or from suffering to comfort (vv.24-25)• Terrible to be lost: the torment of Hell is

great (Mk. 9:43-48; 2 Thess. 1:8-9).• Wonderful to be saved: the comfort of

Heaven is great (Heb. 4:9-11; Rev. 14:17) You can’t order God around in the next life

(v.25)• We are judged according to our deeds

(Rom. 2:6)


You will be conscious in the next life (vv. 23ff)• The doctrine of “materialism” is denied• We “see,” “say” and “remember” in Hades

Once you die your destiny is fixed (v.26)• The doctrine of “second chances” is denied• The doctrine of “reincarnation” is denied• The doctrine of “purgatory” is denied• The doctrine of “baptism for the dead” is denied• All die once, then the judgment (Heb. 9:27)• Judged for what we do today (2 Cor. 5:10; 6:2).


It’s too late for personal evangelism after you die (v.27)• Open doors are shut at death (Col. 4:3)• Don’t wait until death to be urgent about

preaching (2 Tim. 4:6-7; 2 Pet. 1:12-15) It is possible to judge a person as lost

(v.27)• We can judge righteously (Matt. 7:1-5)• We can judge someone as “lost” (Lk. 15:24)


God saves through Scripture, not through miracles, or communicating with the dead (vv.29-30)• The doctrine of “spiritism” is denied• The doctrine of “Calvinism” is denied• The “social gospel” doctrine is denied• The Scriptures are all sufficient for salvation

(Rom. 1:16; Jas. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:15-17). Some will not let God’s word convince them

(v.31)• Some are hardened (Jn. 12:40; Acts 19:9)

Where Will You Be…One Second After Death?

No more sermons, songs, or study No more family and friends to encourage you No more longsuffering and listening No more opportunities to get it right Where will you spend your eternity?

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