By Todd Core
SCRIPTURE
Luke 16:19-31
“I know, Father Abraham,” he said, “but they’re not listening. If someone came back from the dead, they would change their ways.” Abraham replied, “If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.” (vv. 30-31)
OBSERVATION
When I read the gospels, I can’t help but imagine the serious yet playful sides of Jesus. It is almost like He navigates conversations with the religious leaders with a sly glint in His eye. For instance, here in Luke 16, Jesus is challenging the Pharisees’ worldview regarding who will be in Abraham’s bosom (heaven). In the story told by Jesus, the unnamed rich man passes away after years of ignoring the poor man named Lazarus at his gate. In hell, the rich man still feels a superiority to Lazarus and asks Abraham to send him over to put water on his tongue. After it is established that people cannot go from one location to the other, the rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus back to the living to warn his brothers about the realities of heaven and hell. Abraham reminds him that his brothers have Moses and the Prophets aka the Old Testament to warn them. The rich man presses Abraham by reasoning that if they saw a dead man come back to life, then they would believe. Abraham doubles down by observing that if his brothers reject Moses then they will not be convinced by someone rising from the dead. Here is where I marvel at Jesus. Remember, Jesus is the one telling this story. Jesus knows that He will die and be resurrected. Sadly, Jesus knows that these same Pharisees will not believe in the message of a resurrected Jesus because they had already rejected what Moses and the Prophets predicted about Him.
- We, too, sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that if God would just show us a huge sign or miracle then we could trust Him. This passage reminds us that God has already revealed what we need to know about Him to trust Him in the Word of God.
- This passage also reminds us that Jesus considered heaven and hell to be real fixed eternal places. We need to examine our own hearts to make sure that we trust our salvation to Christ alone. It is also a reminder to pray for those we know who are far from God.
OBEDIENCE
As we approach the week of Easter, let us be reminded that Jesus did rise from the grave and speak truth to us. Here are a few examples for how we can be obedient to the truth of this scripture:
- Identify and pray for one person you know who needs Christ’s forgiveness in salvation.
- Look for opportunities to share the gospel today.
- Invite someone to join us via livestream on Easter Sunday.
- Be committed to reading the Word of God instead of looking for a “sign.”
- Pray for God to bring scriptures to mind to help you increase your faith in Him during these days of uncertainty.
PRAYER
Father, thank You for revealing Yourself through the pages of Scripture. Thank You for painting such a clear picture of Jesus as our Messiah. Give me the faith and strength to trust You from the truth of Scripture. Thank You for salvation that comes through faith in Jesus. Help me to have faith that You are in control and that You have prepared a place for Your children to spend eternity with You forever. Father, I pray that You will use this time in the life of our nation and the world to draw people to You. I pray for salvation in the lives of my friends, family, and community. Amen.
