| The Pope, Billy Graham and Oral Roberts all died on | | | | diagnosed with lung cancer, but she passed away |
| the same day and arrived at the Pearly Gates at the | | | | very suddenly after being rushed to the hospital one |
| same time. St. Peter said to them, "I have some bad | | | | evening after she started coughing up blood. We |
| news and some good news. The bad news is that | | | | need to be prepared (as the Boy Scout motto says) |
| we are full right now and I am going to have to send | | | | for the unexpected. It will be too late after we die. |
| the three of you down to the devil. The good news | | | | Hell is a permanent place from which there is no |
| is it should be temporary and I'll have you back in six | | | | escape. There is no love in hell, only hate. It is a dark |
| weeks or less". St Peter made a quick call to Satan | | | | place where there is no freedom. The lost in hell will |
| to arrange the necessary accommodations, and then | | | | remember all the chances they had in life to repent. |
| the three went for a brief stay in hell. | | | | They will have no second chances in hell. |
| A week later, St. Peter received an urgent call from | | | | Jesus loved to talk about hell because that was part |
| Demon HQ. It's the Devil himself. "You have to get | | | | of His mission. He loved to talk about the Valley of |
| these guys out of here and now! I mean NOW!" | | | | Hinnom, which was Jerusalem's garbage dump and |
| "What's the problem?" St. Peter asked. "It's like this," | | | | most hated place. It was also the place where the |
| the Infernal One explains, "The Pope is going around | | | | bodies of the poor were buried, so it was likely the |
| blessing everyone, Billy Graham is saving everyone, | | | | place where Lazarus was buried. Jesus did something |
| and Oral Roberts has raised almost enough money to | | | | in this parable that He didn't do in any other |
| put in air conditioning!" | | | | parable-He mentioned specific names. This leads |
| On Oct. 29, 1999, the CBS Morning Show went to | | | | scholars to conclude that this is a true story. The rich |
| Hell. A headline in the Detroit News on Nov. 3, 1999 | | | | man went to hell not because he was rich, but |
| read, "Businessman Sees Hell as Tourist Site." A | | | | because he rejected Christ. The choices we make |
| headline in the Chicago Tribune on Oct. 29, 2000 | | | | today will determine our eternal state. |
| read, "Saints and Sinners Can All Go to Hell". On Jan. | | | | If you want to know if hell is a place of literal fire, |
| 27, 2001, a headline in the Detroit News read, | | | | just ask someone who has been there-the rich man. |
| "Almost Cold Enough to Freeze Hell Over". The article | | | | It's no wonder he wanted Abraham to send |
| read, "The deep freeze that hit the nation in recent | | | | someone to warn his brothers. It's no wonder he |
| weeks and buried several states in an unending wave | | | | himself wanted to go back and warn them. There is |
| of snow had one more odd effect: Hell almost froze | | | | no escape from hell. Hell enlarges itself daily. It is |
| over". | | | | occupied by the multitudes who did not have to go |
| What each of these stories was referring to is a | | | | there. It is occupied not only by some of the worst |
| small town between Detroit and Lansing, Michigan | | | | criminals and dictators in history, it is also occupied by |
| called Hell. A small town of just a few hundred | | | | those who chose to reject Christ. We need to hear |
| residents, it has capitalized off its name. The | | | | hell's solid conviction. Hell is a bottomless pit, a prison |
| Chamber of Commerce has a billboard visible to | | | | or dungeon where there is intense darkness. The |
| travelers traveling along a nearby highway suggesting | | | | meanest, cruelest, filthiest people in history will be |
| they go to Hell. The town gets calls throughout the | | | | there along with the unsaved church members and |
| year from TV and newspaper weather reporters to | | | | the people who trust in their own righteousness for |
| find out if there town is truly hotter or colder than | | | | salvation. |
| hell. Husbands send alimony cheques through the post | | | | Some of us get too busy for God. We can't belong |
| office so that they are postmarked in Hell. Many | | | | to His church. We don't want to be part of the folks |
| citizens in the surrounding area come to this little | | | | that are going to heaven. We're too busy doing |
| town every April to mail their tax returns so that | | | | everything else, and then we die, and that's it. Some |
| they bear the Hell postmark. | | | | who are lost appear to be saved because they live |
| We can laugh about hell all we want, but in today's | | | | good, moral lives. There are people who are saved |
| Gospel reading, Jesus reveals that hell is a real place | | | | who may, at times, appear to be lost. The real test |
| that is no laughing matter. Where we end up after | | | | of whether or not a person is saved comes at the |
| we die depends on where our heart is in this life. God | | | | time of death. Everyone lives forever-some in |
| calls us to celebrate the riches of life, not a life of | | | | heaven, the rest in hell. Everyone who refuses to |
| riches. Where our treasure is, so is our heart. A good | | | | accept Christ has chosen to live their eternal lives in |
| example of this is the parable of the rich man and | | | | hell. They will not lose their memory or identity. They |
| Lazarus. Both wanted to enjoy the good things in life, | | | | will remember everything they did, said or thought |
| but the rich man wanted everything for himself. This | | | | while on earth, and they will remember it for eternity. |
| is typical of the "me first" world we live in today. No | | | | Judgment is a very real fact in this world and the |
| one in his right mind who is right with God would | | | | world to come. |
| refuse to help a neighbour in times of trouble, but | | | | We do not need to be deliberately evil to miss the |
| that's what the rich man did when he refused to help | | | | gate of Heaven. All we have to do is be indifferent |
| Lazarus. The rich man chose to live according to the | | | | to the needs of those around us. We need to have |
| chasm his god-money-created in life. He couldn't cross | | | | a missions conscience. The church must also listen |
| the great chasm in death. The price we pay for our | | | | carefully to the world's concerns as it determines its |
| love of money is a deep chasm that divides us from | | | | programs and direction. We need to help the hungry, |
| each other. The rich man enjoyed a life of plenty on | | | | the thirsty, the lonely, the dying. The way we treat |
| earth, while Lazarus enjoyed a life of material | | | | other people in this life is the way we will be treated |
| poverty. When they died, they went in opposite | | | | in the next life. In other words, what goes around |
| directions-the rich man to hell, and Lazarus to heaven. | | | | comes around. We will have to deal with our decision |
| The rich man's thirst in hell is the same thirst we | | | | to help or ignore them when we stand before God's |
| have-a thirst to know God. For the rich man, it was | | | | throne on Judgment Day. Our mistakes will come |
| too late. For us who are living, it is never too late to | | | | back to haunt us for eternity. |
| know God. Knowing God won't save us from times | | | | When the rich man died, he found out ten things: |
| of trouble, but faith in Jesus will give us an anchor to | | | | 1. Death does not end it all. |
| hold on to during life's storms-just like the words of | | | | 2. God had a record of his sins. |
| the hymn "Will Your Anchor Hold" say. God wants us | | | | 3. Satan lied to him. |
| to know Him because He loves us and wants to | | | | 4. Hell is the kind of place Jesus said it was. |
| provide for our needs. He wants to provide for us | | | | 5. He missed the greatest thing in life. |
| because of the special covenant He has with us. He | | | | 6. He still had his memory. |
| wants us to be as close to Him as His shadow. God | | | | 7. Hell was a mad house. |
| wants us to be dependent on him so we can | | | | 8. All opportunity to be saved was gone. |
| experience our greatest happiness and freedom. God | | | | 9. There is only one way of salvation. |
| never stops giving. Coveting feeds a lack of | | | | 10. The redeemed received the opposite 5 minutes |
| contentment, encourages roving, restless eyes and | | | | after death. |
| causes us to look for satisfaction in the things we | | | | One of the most fascinating works of poetry I have |
| don't have instead of the riches God has given us to | | | | ever read or heard is a poem entitled "Five Minutes |
| enjoy. God uses money to steer our lives into the | | | | After I Die", and I would like to conclude my sermon |
| areas in which He wants us involved. He does this by | | | | by reading it to you, because it sums up the points |
| giving or withholding money. | | | | of my message very clearly. |
| God is the constant companion of the poor. If we | | | | Loved ones will weep o'er my silent face |
| develop a relationship with the poor, we also develop | | | | Dear ones will clasp me in sad embrace |
| a relationship with the God who continually relates to | | | | Shadows and darkness will fill this place |
| them. Just as the rich man ignored Lazarus, we often | | | | Five minutes after I die. |
| ignore anyone who can't help us achieve our goals. | | | | Faces that sorrow I will not see, |
| The way to life involves keeping the Ten | | | | Voices that murmur will not reach me, |
| Commandments, especially as Jesus taught in the | | | | But where, oh where, will my soul be, |
| Parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke's message to | | | | Five minutes after I die? |
| the rich calls on them to share their wealth. They are | | | | Never to repair the good I lack, |
| not more valuable because they have more valuables. | | | | Fixed to the goal of my chosen track, |
| They are not owed a privileged status. Social status | | | | No room to repent, no turning back, |
| and material possessions are no guarantee of our | | | | Five minutes after I die. |
| standing with God. The rich man's tragic flaw is that | | | | Marked forever with my chosen prong, |
| he suffers from a deep spiritual deafness, an inability | | | | Long is eternity, o so long, |
| to hear and listen to the call for mercy and justice, or | | | | Then woe is me, if my soul is wrong, |
| even the practical plea for just plain bread and some | | | | Five minutes after I die. |
| salve for the sores the dogs lick. | | | | Oh what a fool-hard word, but true, |
| God does not condone poverty or condemn plenty. | | | | Passing the Saviour with death in view, |
| The difference between Lazarus and the rich man | | | | Doing a deed I can never undo, |
| wan not what they owned, but what owned them. | | | | Five minutes after I die. |
| The rich man was rich materially but poor spiritually. | | | | If I am flinging a fortune away, |
| On the other hand, Lazarus was poor materially but | | | | If I am wasting salvation's day, |
| rich spiritually. He was a good example of the 2nd | | | | "Just is my sentence," my soul shall say, |
| Beatitude mentioned in Luke 6:20-"Blessed are you | | | | Five minutes after I die. |
| poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God". The | | | | Thanks be to Jesus for pardon free, |
| Pharisees loved material things more than they loved | | | | He paid my debt on Calvary's tree |
| God, so Jesus used this parable to teach them what | | | | Heaven's gates will open for me, |
| was really important. Just as the neglect of physical | | | | Five minutes after I die. |
| health leads to physical death, the neglect of spiritual | | | | Oh marvelous grace that has rescued me, |
| health leads to spiritual death. | | | | Oh joyous moment when Jesus I see, |
| Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon | | | | Oh happy day when like Him I'll be, |
| earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt and where | | | | Five minutes after I die. |
| thieves do not break through nor steal". The rich | | | | God help you to choose! Your eternal state |
| man's experience warns us of the possibility of being | | | | Depends on your choice; you dare not wait. |
| rich enough in this world to live luxuriously, yet so | | | | You must choose now; it will be too late |
| poverty-stricken in the next that we have to beg for | | | | Five minutes after you die. |
| a drop of water. The best type of collection to have | | | | God has given us gifts to share. When He empties |
| is one that is given away. That's why Paul said in 1 | | | | his coffers and becomes poor, we become rich |
| Timothy 6:18, "Be rich in good works…" | | | | spiritually. This Parable is about values, not money. |
| Remember Dorcas, the woman who made garments | | | | The rich man's sin was not his wealth, but his hard |
| for the poor in Acts 9:36-43. She is the same woman | | | | heart. Those who are rich have an obligation to help |
| Peter later raised from the dead. We are urged in | | | | the poor. How we use what we have leads to God's |
| Psalm 91:16 to use ourselves to glorify God and share | | | | judgment. |
| the Good News of our salvation with everyone we | | | | Thanks be to God. AMEN |
| meet. | | | | The author is a licensed Lay Reader in the Anglican |
| If you were to die suddenly, where do you think you | | | | Parish of South Queens (Anglican Diocese of Nova |
| would go? Sudden death in particular should be a | | | | Scotia and Prince Edward Island) and lives in |
| warning to all of us, for we do not know when our | | | | Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| time is up. A good example is what happened to my | | | | . He can be contacted by email at craig.patico. |
| brother-in-law's mother recently. She had been | | | | |