A tale of two men (3)

By Pastor (Dr.) Elisha Olusheye

Dear Reader,

This is the concluding part of the commentary on a Bible story titled, “A Tale of Two Men,” as told by our Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 19:199-23, concerning the rich man and Lazarus. We have seen how the righteous man Lazarus died and went to heaven while the wicked rich man ended up in hell. The contrast in their earthly lives has been highlighted, while the reality of everlasting hell fire for the unbelievers—the finally impenitent, has been proven scripturally beyond all reasonable doubts. It now remains for us to discuss briefly today the rich man’s concern for his lost brothers, and God’s own genuine concern for your life too.

The great concern for lost brothers: The rich man, who became the poor man, began to remember his life on earth. His many opportunities to repent and receive Christ were ever before him. Suddenly he thought of his five brothers who were following his bad example. They were trying to get rich as he did. They did not have time for God, either. He pleaded with Abraham to do something. “Send somebody, send Lazarus to them.”

“They have the Bible,” Abraham said. “If they will not listen to God through the message of the Bible, they wouldn’t listen to one who rose from the dead.”

If men will not listen to God’s Word, they will not repent. I have often thought that, if it were possible to open the gate of hell and get the rich man out and let him testify and warn the people, if he could stand on the platform with his flesh melting and dripping off his bones, little maggots leaping out from his decaying body, and his blood curdling screams of warning flooding the auditorium, surely the hair would stand on every head, chills would run up the spine, tears would blur the eyes, and every sinner would cry out for mercy. But, according to our Scriptures, if men will not repent because of the words of Jesus and the Bible, then they still will not, even if this poor man came from hell (Luke 16:27-31; John 5:45-47). Great concern came, but it was too late for that. However, it is not too late for us. It is time for concern.

Many of us care about your lost soul. I could remember, many years ago, a great evangelist preached a sermon titled, “Who cares if a sinner goes to hell?” The great evangelist pointed out that “God the Father cares, His Son Jesus Christ cares, and the Holy Spirit of God cares, the lost in hell care, and the saved in heaven care.” (Luke 15:1-24; 19:10, 41; II Peter 3:9; John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 6:23).

Many have given their life to God for service because they cared. Many have gone to the mission field, while many others have become pastors, some evangelists, and others have become teachers to help keep men and women out of hell. A lot of Christians have sacrificed, worked, and given because they caught a vision of keeping a soul out of hell.

How long is eternity? If we could only realise what a horrible thing it is for one to lose his soul! The torment, the burning, the crying, the memories, the regret, the payment for sins will never end. How long is eternity? Will there ever be hope? Let us try to imagine how long hell will last.

The holy Bible says that hell is for ever! (Matt. 25:41; Mk. 9:43-48) Men are not thinking about the length of eternity. “How long is it?” you ask. This is a crude example; but if you should be able to sum up the number of grains of maize that have ever grown from the beginning of time; and multiply the enormous figure times all the leaves that have ever grown on all the trees since Adam’s time; then multiply that times the number of metres to the sun; then multiply that times all the drops of rain that have ever fallen; then multiply that times all the grains of sand in the world, times anything else that crosses your mind.

The tragedy of it all is that non-Christians — whether dead or alive — all those who refuse or fail to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and all slaves of sin and satan who stubbornly refuse to repent and be converted to born again Christians, will spend all that time in hell! (John 3:18, 36).

I urge you to trust Christ now. You have read the Lord’s message to you in this lecture. In the final analysis your eternal state will be that of one of the two men mentioned in the “Tale of Two Men”. Whether heaven or hell will be determined entirely by what you do with Jesus.

If you will now trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour, find a convenient place to talk with Him right now. Confess all your past sins to Him, asking Him to forgive you all your sins, and ask Him to accept you as one of His faithful children for the rest of your life. (Prov. 28:13; Isa. 64:6; Acts 2:38, 39; 3:19, 20; I John 1:8-10).

Pray this prayer now: “Oh God of mercy, I realise that I am a sinner, and that I cannot help myself to make heaven. I believe that Jesus Christ, Your Son, came to this world and died for me, by shedding His precious blood for the remission of my sins. I here and now accept and trust Him as my Lord and Saviour. I am depending on Him alone and nothing else for my salvation. I am henceforth trusting the Lord Jesus Christ to take me to heaven when I die. I beg you to please uphold me till the end in Jesus’ name. Amen”

If you have taken this twin step of genuine repentance and faith in Christ, I hereby assure you, by the sure Word of God, that your name has now been written in the book of life as a child of God and a candidate of heaven. (John 5:24; 8:36; II Timo. 1:12). What remains for you to do is to get attached to a good church near you where you can begin to learn more about Christian walk with God and how to grow in grace. And it will be well with you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Concluded)

For further information, counselling, prayer and other help, please contact me at once, on telephone numbers: 08055069284, 02-8100301, 8100248 or 08037878711; write to E-mail: ehlolusheye@yahoo.co.uk or write to G.P.O. Box 530, Ibadan.

Be of good cheer (2)

By Pastor S.S.Jemigbon

Fear not! Christ is whispering to you. In year 2008, He says you should cheer up. He will be there to give you peace — a perfect and enduring peace; He will be there to help you, fight for you, provide for you, protect you and sustain, you.

His presence in the disciples’ boat gave them a safe landing. It is true that fear can make one see death instead of life, disbelieve the Voice of God, and see darkness instead of light. The disciples who were crammed in fear saw a spirit instead of Christ. This year, the Lord has given you a word of assurance, “fear not!

“Be of good cheer’ He gave such assurance to Jacob in Isaiah 41:13, “For, I, the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying unto thee: ‘Fear not, I will help thee.’

Jacob came up with a testimony at the end. The frosty relationship between him and his brother Esau became friendly and his once battered life became a fulfilled life.

You need to put your trust in the Lord as you are starting the New Year. David says in Psalms 33:20-21: “Our soul waits for the Lord: He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.”

If only you can put your trust in God, then you will surely rejoice. He is set to handle everything concerning you — your business, trade, family, marriage etc.

Are you thinking of how this year will look like? I can hear Him say ‘Fear not, I will pilot you’ These are His words of assurance. Your journey through the year is akin to a regular user of the ocean which is characterised by turbulent waves, boisterous wind and the stormy tide.

You cannot sail without a hitch, trials or trouble, but Christ says, “I will pilot you unto safe- landing.”

We have set our feet on a journey that is going to cover 365 days. And definitely we will meet with difficult things of the evil ones on the way, because the word of God says, sufficient of the day is the evil thereof.

In that time of the disciples on the Sea of Galilee, Christ was on the mount praying, they had problems and difficulties on their way, yet they were sustained.

Let us have this strong faith, for the journey we have set our feet on, Christ is not on the mount again, but now He is at the right hand of God in heaven. What is He doing?

(To be continued)

Pastor S.S. Jemigbon,
Tel: 01-7741673,
01-4966033,
01-4965264.
E-Mail:
taclawna@hyperia.com