生命的彼岸
路加福音十六章23至31節
23他在陰間受痛苦，舉目遠遠地望見亞伯拉罕，又望見拉撒路在他懷裡，
24就喊著說：‘我祖亞伯拉罕哪，可憐我吧！打發拉撒路來，用指頭尖蘸點水，涼涼我的舌頭，因為我在這火焰裡，極其痛苦。’
25亞伯拉罕說：‘兒啊，你該回想你生前享過福，拉撒路也受過苦；如今他在這裡得安慰，你倒受痛苦。
26不但這樣，並且在你我之間，有深淵限定，以致人要從這邊過到你們那邊是不能的；要從那邊過到我們這邊也是不能的。’
27財主說：‘我祖啊！既是這樣，求你打發拉撒路到我父家去，
28因為我還有五個弟兄，他可以對他們作見證，免得他們也來到這痛苦的地方。’
29亞伯拉罕說：‘他們有摩西和先知的話可以聽從。’
30他說：‘我祖亞伯拉罕哪，不是的，若有一個從死裡復活的，到他們那裡去的，他們必要悔改。’
31亞伯拉罕說：‘若不聽從摩西和先知的話，就是有一個從死裡復活的，他們也是不聽勸。’”
信息分享
我們昨天看到財主與拉撒路在生前的強烈對比。如今，畫面一變，我們看見他們在死後的分別。拉撒路生前一貧如洗，他唯一擁有的，就只有對神的信心。然而，這信心卻帶領他經過死蔭的幽谷，去到舊約的先賢那裡，與亞伯拉罕共聚一堂。他們在那裡歡喜快樂地等候基督領他們到天堂。
可是，財主卻在陰間受著極大的痛苦。當他知道自己身處陰間，會否感到非常驚訝呢？也許，當他看見拉撒路竟然與亞伯拉罕和其他先賢在一起，會感到更加驚訝吧！
財主死後要到陰間，是否因為他生前已享盡榮華富貴？不，亞伯拉罕和約伯在世上都有豐富的家財。財主之所以要到陰間，乃因他在生前沒有醒覺自己需要神。他一直遠離神，因此，他死後便要永遠與神隔絕。
財主在世的時候應有盡有，一切隨心所欲；但在死後，一切都不再遂其所願。他的渴求，將永遠得不到滿足；他想逃避痛苦，但在他與天堂之間，卻隔著一道無法跨越的鴻溝。
死亡並非生命的終結；死亡只是通往永恆的一道大門。大門之後有兩個地方，一個將永遠與基督同享福樂，另一個卻永遠與神分離。
我們並非在死後，才選擇要往哪個地方；我們必須在今生便作出決定。你作了甚麼抉擇呢？
你希望在永恆的將來，去哪裡呢？
LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE
Luke 16:23-31
23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “Then 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 in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house,
28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”
Message
We saw yesterday the contrast of circumstances in the lives and the deaths of the rich man and Lazarus. How different it all was.
Now the scene has changed and we look at the contrast in their circumstances after death. Lazarus had very little in his life time except his faith in God. But that faith carried him through the valley into the presence of the Old Testament saints, gathered together with Abraham. It was a happy place of fellowship where they waited for Christ to come and take them into Heaven itself.
But in the other portion of the unseen world the rich man was in deep trouble. Was he surprised to find himself there? Was he even more surprised to see Lazarus with Abraham and the other saints?
Was that man there in an unhappy place because he had been rich? No. Both Abraham and Job had been very rich. He was there because during his earthly life he had not recognised his need of God. He had turned away from God. Now he was separated from God forever.
In life he had all he wanted. He could satisfy his every wish. Now none of his requests were granted. He was in a place of unsatisfied longings and an unbridgeable gulf. There was no way out of his terrible situation.
Physical death is not the end of our existence. Death is only a gateway. Either it leads to unending joy and blessing with Christ or it leads to a place on continued and eternal separation from God.
The choice is not made then - it is made here in this life on earth. What choice have you made?
WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY?