The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

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( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Luke:16:19-31

kjv@Luke:16:19 @ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

kjv@Luke:16:20 @ And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

kjv@Luke:16:21 @ And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

kjv@Luke:16:22 @ And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

kjv@Luke:16:23 @ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

kjv@Luke:16:24 @ And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

kjv@Luke:16:25 @ But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

kjv@Luke:16:26 @ And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

kjv@Luke:16:27 @ Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

kjv@Luke:16:28 @ For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

kjv@Luke:16:29 @ Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

kjv@Luke:16:30 @ And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

kjv@Luke:16:31 @ And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

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Today's notes:

Context:

• Before - Luke:16:16-18 Additional Teachings
  
• After - Luke:17:1-10 Sin , Faith, Duty
  

Study Resources:

dict:torrey death

dict:easton Abraham

dict:easton Paradise

dict:tcr Torment

G3982 persuade

Notes:

When it comes right down to it, the rich man comes to one all important conclusion: even if it does him no good his loved ones have to be convinced to repent. The question becomes how does one convince another to repent in this life?

The certainty of death is upon us all. Just as certain is the concept that even if someone arose from death to tell us what awaits on the other side that such information would most likely be rejected especially if it involved torment. It is obvious that our persuasions largely follow whatever we want there to be of the future and not derived from any solid information or logic.

Take our persuasion regarding the character/worth of the two principal characters. There is nothing to say that the rich man should be looked favorably upon, that he had done something or was of a particular character to have deserved such lavish reward in this life. Neither is their anything to tell us like wise about Lazarus' earthly plight, yet we make those types of judgments and of thus we are fully persuaded. It goes to show the vulnerability of our reasoning. If true in the one case why not as likely vulnerable in the larger perspective as well?

Father Abraham makes the case that there is more than enough information from which to arrive at the required repentance given by Moses and the prophets. Consider well what type of information and what type of repentance that this would be, for neither speaks all that much about the next life as they do about the present state of the sinner and what true holiness is up against even from the most religious; they speak of the mandatory need and one day coming of a promised savior sent only by the mercy and grace of God. People today reject the notion of heaven and hell because they reject the necessity of needing a savior, preferring to think that all of these other trappings of self worth and ability are sufficient when the history gathered around and confronting Moses and the many prophets tells us exactly otherwise.

It wasn't all that long ago that this thread of conversation began with the topic of the resurrection of the just and unjust. From there we went through the tremendous cost in this life of discipleship, the idea of true inheritance and then stewardship with the conveyance of sin debt and debt reconciliation. Now we are privy to the suggestion of a vast gulf placed between the two and that world and this one. The chasm seems just as impossible to cross as the gulf between the unrepentant and the repentant.

This warning may not be just for the hardened poor sinner, but for the hardened rich saint as well.

Key Messages:

Declaring Certainty

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Further Resources:

Comment Board:Luke:16:19-31
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Luke:16:19-31 rwp@Luke:16:19-31 mhcc@Luke:16:19-31
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index

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