Luke 16:19-23 - A Covetous Life Can Lead to Hell

Today, we're looking ata solemn passage of Scripture as we examine Luke 16:19-23. Jesus has justsilenced the sneering Pharisees, pointing out their covetousness—their love ofmoney over their love of God. In fact, Luke 16:14 says, "Now thePharisees, who were lovers of money, heard these things and they derided him.” Theysneered at him. They mocked at him. Jesus talked about money and theconsequences of living a covetous life, pursuing the world, the flesh, thedevil, and money rather than living for God. Remember in this same passageJesus said, "You cannot serve God and mammon." Over the years, I'veheard some preachers say, "You'll never hear me talk about money."They're scared that if they discuss money from the pulpit, people might thinkthey're money-hungry and run them off. My friend, they're not following the exampleof Jesus. Jesus spoke often about money, its use, and how we're to be goodstewards of the resources, money, and wealth that God has blessed us with.There's nothing wrong with talking about money from the pulpit, Jesus did. Ifyou want to follow His example, you may need to do the same. It's goodteaching; it helps people understand stewardship because money is where welive. We need money for everything we do in this life. Money, as I've saidbefore, represents our life. We exchange our time, skills, and talents for apaycheck at the end of the week so we can buy food, shelter, andtransportation, and meet necessary needs. Money is a representation of ourlife, and how we spend our money shows how we spend our life. It’s veryimportant and reveals whether we're covetous or not. If we fail to apply God'sprinciples in our lives and follow them in the use and stewardship of money,using it to make friends for eternity, as mentioned in this passage, we missthe mark. The Pharisees didn’tlike what Jesus was saying, and Jesus is about to confront them powerfully,explaining the consequences of their covetousness if they do not repent andcome to the Lord. Notice that Jesus told a story in verse 19: "Therewas a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and faredsumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full ofsores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fellfrom the rich man's table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. So itwas that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. Therich man also died and was buried, and being in torments in Hades, he lifted uphis eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom." You see a contrast inthis story. First, I want to point out that Jesus began this chapter by sayingin verse one, "There was a certain rich man who had a steward."Now in verse 19, He again uses the same wording, "There was a certainrich man." This one was clothed in purple and fine linen. Jesus istelling two very real stories about two very real men in both stories.  In the first one, a rich man and a unfaithfulsteward, and in this one, a rich man and a beggar. Jesus is not making up aparable, as some try to claim, to dismiss this and avoid believing in a placecalled hell. My friend, we miss the holiness and righteousness of God if weignore the reality of hell. Jesus talked aboutmoney, and He talked about an eternity in hell, a place of fire and torment foreternity. And if we reject God and His only way of salvation and choose to livefor temporal things rather than what is eternal, failing to believe in the LordJesus Christ and trust Him to be our Lord and Savior, it will be our eternaldestination.  This passage caught myattention as a 19-year-old teenager 54 years ago and led me to accept JesusChrist as my Lord and Savior. I believe God can use it in your life too. Itrust that today you will choose to live for Jesus and eternity.  God bless!