April 25, 2025 Morning Devotional

Morning Devotion: Read Luke - The Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 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. 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; 23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 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. 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. 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. 27  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 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.

This passage of scripture is a true account of two people, one died and went to Abraham’s bosom and the other died and went to hell.

Yesterday we spoke of the reality of such place as hell. Today we will some more truths about the subject.

Notice the rich man was in the torments of flame. There is fire and burning and sulphur (brimstone). It is a dark flame and searing pain. This man begged for water to cool his tongue. The meaning is this, each person who is there and those who go there will be cognizant of their surroundings and can feel the excruciating pain and torment.

Things do not cease after death when it comes this punishment of God.

Now, there are some religions who believe and teach that once you die that is it, you are buried or cremated and it’s over. You just go back to the earth from whence you came. They believe you have no cognizance, no feeling or memory after death.

They use these verses to bolster their claim.

Ecclesiastes 9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Ecclesiastes 3:20  All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

What they fail to realize is the fact that the body dies and the soul goes into eternity.

Ecclesiastes 12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

2 Corinthians 5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

The soul of man spends eternity in one of two places. If one is born-again they spend eternity with the Lord; if one is not born-again they are like the rich man in this text. In both cases, the soul experiences all the affects of their station.

When a person dies, the body dies and the soul goes on into eternity. The body has no function at death, no memory, no feeling, no nothing, it is dead. The soul however, remains forever in one place or another.

Where will you be when you pass on?

Matthew 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

My dear beloved friend, we would love to see you enjoying eternity in heaven with us.

The choice is till yours,

Pastor Cook