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

1. To download a copyof today’s lesson go toTheGoodTeacher.comand click on “Gospel Meetings”

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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)

5. The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31 • 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)

6. The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31 • 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)

7. 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)?

8. The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31 • 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)

9. The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31 • 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).

10. The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31 • 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)

11. The Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31 • 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)

12. 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?