生命的彼岸
路加福音十六章23至31节
23他在阴间受痛苦，举目远远地望见亚伯拉罕，又望见拉撒路在他怀里，
24就喊着说：‘我祖亚伯拉罕哪，可怜我吧！打发拉撒路来，用指头尖蘸点水，凉凉我的舌头，因为我在这火焰里，极其痛苦。’
25亚伯拉罕说：‘儿啊，你该回想你生前享过福，拉撒路也受过苦；如今他在这里得安慰，你倒受痛苦。
26不但这样，并且在你我之间，有深渊限定，以致人要从这边过到你们那边是不能的；要从那边过到我们这边也是不能的。’
27财主说：‘我祖啊！既是这样，求你打发拉撒路到我父家去，
28因为我还有五个弟兄，他可以对他们作见证，免得他们也来到这痛苦的地方。’
29亚伯拉罕说：‘他们有摩西和先知的话可以听从。’
30他说：‘我祖亚伯拉罕哪，不是的，若有一个从死里复活的，到他们那里去的，他们必要悔改。’
31亚伯拉罕说：‘若不听从摩西和先知的话，就是有一个从死里复活的，他们也是不听劝。’”
信息分享
我们昨天看到财主与拉撒路在生前的强烈对比。如今，画面一变，我们看见他们在死后的分别。拉撒路生前一贫如洗，他唯一拥有的，就只有对神的信心。然而，这信心却带领他经过死荫的幽谷，去到旧约的先贤那里，与亚伯拉罕共聚一堂。他们在那里欢喜快乐地等候基督领他们到天堂。
可是，财主却在阴间受着极大的痛苦。当他知道自己身处阴间，会否感到非常惊讶呢？也许，当他看见拉撒路竟然与亚伯拉罕和其他先贤在一起，会感到更加惊讶吧！
财主死后要到阴间，是否因为他生前已享尽荣华富贵？不，亚伯拉罕和约伯在世上都有丰富的家财。财主之所以要到阴间，乃因他在生前没有醒觉自己需要神。他一直远离神，因此，他死后便要永远与神隔绝。
财主在世的时候应有尽有，一切随心所欲；但在死后，一切都不再遂其所愿。他的渴求，将永远得不到满足；他想逃避痛苦，但在他与天堂之间，却隔着一道无法跨越的鸿沟。
死亡并非生命的终结；死亡只是通往永恒的一道大门。大门之后有两个地方，一个将永远与基督同享福乐，另一个却永远与神分离。
我们并非在死后，才选择要往哪个地方；我们必须在今生便作出决定。你作了甚么抉择呢？
你希望在永恒的将来，去哪里呢？
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?