Three buddies were discussing death and one asked the group: “What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?” One said: “He was a great humanitarian who cared about his community.” Another said: “I’d like for people to say, ‘He was a great husband and father – an example for many to follow.’” The third fellow answered: “I’d like for people to say…Look, he’s moving!”
Recently there’s been an increase in interest in our culture about life after death.
There are many people who claim to have the ability to contact dead relatives reuniting them with family for one last conversation. I certainly don’t advocate this practice of contacting dead people and I believe it’s demonic. But it does demonstrate the curiosity that people have about the afterlife. As the Bible tells us: “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Death is called the great equalizer – in the end it visits all people.
But death is not the end of existence. We are eternal beings who exist after this physical body is caput. Unfortunately, many people don’t prepare themselves for that moment. They leave it all up to fate. What will be will be.
You have probably heard the phrase – “If these walls could speak.” I say to heck with walls – what if dead people could speak?! Now that would be something!! I have always wondered what people would say to us if they could come back for just a few minutes. Would they magnify the glories of heaven or the miseries of hell? I wonder what Billy Graham would say? Probably a lot different from what the past leader of Iran – Ayatollah Kharmenei, would say! And what about recently departed Ted Turner? Now what would he have to say about eternity?
But, in fact there is a Biblical account of two dead men speaking. The story is told about Lazarus and Dives. This is actually a pre-Christin account. Our first dead man – Lazarus, was not a Christian but was saved on the basis of the Old Testament dispensation so the account is in pre-Christian terms. I won’t take the time to go into all the details here but it’s an interesting study to do on your own.
Basically this is a conversation between a rich man and a very poor man. They were on opposite sides of a great gulf separating those who were ‘saved’ and those who were ‘lost.’ The rich man was in Hades not because he was rich and had fine food, but because he had zero concern about following God’s laws etc. God’s requirement is that we do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him. Dives failed to do any of these while alive and was justly condemned.
Dives saw in hell what he never saw on earth. He was raging but not against injustice. When Abraham points out the contrast between his life and that of Lazarus, Dives knows he’s there justly and he knows he never repented.
So now he pleads for his brothers to be warned so they would repent and not end up as he is. For the first time he knows the truth but now it’s too late. Dives wanted Lazarus to return to his five brothers and warn them. But honestly, they would probably kill Lazarus for telling them their brother was in hell. How could he ever prove he was from the land of the dead?
As Abraham told Dives, if his brothers rejected Moses and the prophets, why would
they listen to this former poor man who begged food at their gate every day?! Point taken! If the Old Testament was sufficient then, how much more is our New Testament a sufficient revelation to escape hell and gain heaven by faith now In Jesus Christ?
But if a person rejects this New Covenant then all the evidence in the world will not move him.
One cold night in December of 1959 machine guns blazed and took down one Roger Toughy, a former member of Al Capone’s gang. He was shot down in front of his sister’s house in Chicago. It had been only 23 days since his release from prison but he knew too much about the underworld. They had a saying – dead men don’t talk. So down he went.
But as we have found – dead men do talk. People are still talking about Roger Toughy 65 years later – what exactly did he know? And in fact, Hebrews 11:4 tells us that “he being dead still speaks.” In other words – read the Living Word of God! It and the people therein will speak volumes to you about eternal life -heaven & hell. After all
– what have you got to lose?
Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org
