Title: Luke 16:19-31 Irreversible Regret
Contents Luke 16:19-31 / Irreversible regret
There was a rich man. Every day they feast and live in luxury, and when they die, they suffer in hell. On the other hand, Lazarus, a beggar, died and found comfort in Abraham's bosom.
No one in this world lives forever. Death does not discriminate between the rich and the poor, young and old. When death comes, no matter how strong you are or how much money you have, you cannot stop it. It swallows up everything you boast about, including your beauty, health, youth, substance, and honor.
You may know the rich man mentioned in Luke 12:16 and below. Although wealthy enough to lack, he was not prepared for the death that would come to him hours later. He prepared a storehouse for his harvest, but not his soul, which was more important. The Bible calls such a person a “stupid person.”
Steel King Carnegie famously said, “It is a disgrace to die rich.” This means that being rich does not know when to accumulate wealth and when to return it.
The rich man in today's text is also a representative person who did not prepare for death. He realized something very important, but it was too late. It was only when he went to hell that he realized it. No matter how great an achievement may be, those who do not prepare for their own death are fools. Although Lazarus lived a poor life as a beggar, he was prepared for death. When he lived, the rich man, who seemed to have no wish for the pleasures of the world, had two wishes.
The rich man's first wish when he went to hell was a drop of water to wash his throat. “He called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in the midst of this flame’ (Luke 16:24).
What kind of hell is hell? Hell is a place of thirst. The rich man who went to hell suffered from thirst. When a person believes in Jesus Christ, he is freed from the pain of hell, the pain of thirst. However, one thing to remember is that Jesus said, “Ah, I am thirsty” on the cross. The Lord took the pain of thirst for me and for you.
The second wish of the rich man who went to hell is for his family who are still alive in the world. “Then he said, I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, that they may bear witness to them, since I have five brothers, so that they do not come to this place of torment” (Luke 16:27, 28)
This rich man is concerned about the rest of his family of five who now live in hell. I've become like this, but the place I desperately wish for them not to come here is Hell.
Belated regret and remorse are deeply ingrained in the dead rich man's two wishes. If you were asked by God today, “What shall I give you?”, how would you answer? What are you looking for?
We are living in one of the most economically prosperous times compared to past history. Nevertheless, we live the most spiritually and spiritually poorest lives. Now that Lent is passing, I pray that you will become believers who once again deeply meditate on the life and death of Jesus Christ.