[AI translation] I mentioned earlier that there is a terrible word running through the story of the rich and Lazarus: late. Last time I said that almost the whole hellish agony of this rich man in the parable could best be summed up in that single word, that desperate cry of being forever late, forever late for something! It was too late that this poor man realised that he had forgotten to care for his own soul. I would now like to talk about the other case, which perhaps caused him even more terrible pain than the first: he forgot to care for the souls of his relatives. We read in the Word: now, in the place of his anguish, he remembers that he has five brothers still living on earth, perhaps it would not be too late for them if someone warned them. Let Lazarus go, bear witness, tell them that there is a God! Let them take it very seriously! Tell them there is eternity! Get ready for it! That there is judgment, accountability, let them not forget it while they are living on earth. Tell them there is salvation and there is damnation. Think ahead of time where you will end up! How awful that he never spoke of these matters to his brethren, and now he is horrified at the thought that they, too, living as indifferent to the salvation of their own souls as he lived, may come to where he did. They will meet.The truest anguish will be when he will feel the reproachful look of his brothers and sisters on him, when they will accuse him: 'You have had the greatest career! We all wanted to follow your example, we all wanted to live like you, we all wanted to live like you, and we got here! We learned a lot of life wisdom from you, but you didn't care about our souls! We sat at your table many times, but you never talked about God, the most serious and important question of life! Oh, if only he or anyone else could go back for a moment, if only he could say one word: not about wealth, not about business, not about how to make a good living. No! But he would remind them of God, of a relationship with God. Because he has just realised that this is the only thing necessary. Oh, if he could only make up for this terrible omission, he could bear the anguish of his own soul so much easier. But no more, it is forever too late!
I think that perhaps one of the most agonizing of all the agonizing feelings is when one is forced to see that it is one's own fault, one's own omission, one's own sin, that has got another person into trouble. I am sure many of you are familiar with the young, elegant prince in Tolstoy's Resurrection who seduces an innocent young girl with great frivolity. By this careless, briefly sinful affair, he plunges the unfortunate girl into terrible, immeasurable debauchery, misery and suffering. When he sees the damage he has done to the other's soul, he sells all his possessions, for remorse begins to gnaw at him. He cannot find his place and follows the little maid into exile, into poverty. In this way he tries to make amends for the damage he has done to the life of another man. I think that if we could see the consequences of all the psychological damage we have done to a person by one of our comments, by our behaviour, we would not sit with such a clear conscience. We would feel something of the terrible pain that this rich man of the parable was suffering. We cannot imagine how much damage we do to people by the mere fact that we do not care about their souls.
But let's just keep it narrow, as the Word says. The rich man in the story is concerned for the spiritual salvation of his five brothers who are still alive. His immediate family. It is very good that the Word does not say that I have three sons and two daughters, but that I have five brothers. It is not only about the responsibility of parents for their children, what will happen to them in eternity, but the rich man here in the place of anguish is terrified that woe is my brothers and sisters, they will not get here! Have you really, seriously thought about where your relatives will end up? Have you had a real, serious conversation with them about where they will end up? So it's about the most precious treasure of the people of our house, their eternal salvation! It is not about having a bit of religiosity that you can pull out as a crutch when you get into trouble, but about the future glory for which Jesus sacrificed so immeasurably, which he has earned and bequeathed to us with such incredible suffering and sacrifice. But not only for us, but for our children, our brothers and sisters, our spouse, the people of our whole house.
The irresponsible negligence with which we neglect this most important issue for our own is almost incomprehensible! We are capable of sacrificing everything if our child or mother is ill! Yet almost nothing to save the same precious soul for eternal life. To protect our loved ones from the germs that can bring all kinds of illness. And how defenceless we leave them against the spiritual germs that can bring about the misery of eternal damnation! If they are going somewhere, we prepare them, we discuss the arrival and departure of the train. I wonder who among us thinks of that other great journey, when someone leaves home forever, to prepare that precious soul? But the people of our house are mortal too! Can you let him go on his great journey with the peace of mind that he is not burdened by neglect?! Or may the Lord call thee. Canst thou leave the people of thy house with this comfort, that thou hast often and carefully discussed with them where and how thou wilt meet? Do you think that you have done all you can for your people by providing for their food, clothing, education, financial situation, their well-being in this world? Oh, no! For the most important things are still missing! That which Jesus said is a really necessary thing, that is, a living relationship of faith with the living God, which is stronger even than death, which endures even after death!
I often wonder at parents, how they care for their children, how much they worry about what will happen to them in life, yet how little they care about what will happen to them in eternal life. How is it that the people we love the most are almost never really talked to seriously about the issues that are most important to them? This rich man already knows very well that it is at this point that the most painful omission burdens his soul. There are many Christian families who have Bibles, thank God, but very few who huddle over an open Bible and talk with God together about the questions of their souls, the problems of eternity. And these would be the best occasions to make up for these omissions. We are all overwhelmed with our own troubles, and there is not much time to talk quietly with one another. But this is where the irreparable omissions come from.
I read somewhere that a young man was on trial for embezzlement. His father was a well-known jurist whose famous manuals were in circulation. 'Do you remember your father?' asked the judge sternly. 'How could you bring such disgrace on his name? The boy replied in a monotone: 'I remember very well that when I went into his room to talk to him about something, he looked up nervously from his books and snarled at me: 'Can't you see I'm working? I'm writing a book, I'm busy, get out of here! And my father has written his books and here I am! - Sad, isn't it? But even sadder would be the same scene in eternity, in the last judgement, if someone accused you of never having had time to care for his soul. Oh, let's not realize too late what a terrible self-deception "I don't have time", "I don't have time" is.
But it is not self-deception, it is one of the most successful tricks of Satan, the father of lies, against people. Notice where we always want to save time? In Bible reading, in prayer. Isn't that strange? Lest we realise in eternity what fools we have been! Or maybe it's not the lack of time, but the spirit? Perhaps it is that we have not been educating the people of our house in such a way that we really open our hearts to one another? Has it been a long time since there was a spiritual atmosphere in family life in which souls could open up to one another? Tell me honestly, is your faith still credible in your home? Are you trusted in matters of spiritual life? Would they believe and accept your teaching? Do they not know you too well that words on such matters have long since lost their credibility with them? Just a few days ago, I heard an elderly mother complain about her son, how harshly and unlovingly he was treated. She is constantly making him feel that he is a burden, that he is useless. She continued. What will this son feel in eternity when he realizes that it was not his unbelief or his cynical attitude, but his often-voiced but unloving faith that drove his mother away from God.
Or is it perhaps a good thing that the people of our house do not discuss their spiritual matters with us, because we would be embarrassed, because we too are uncertain in these matters? Tell me, if your child, your life-partner, should ever be struggling with some great sin, can you give me any serious advice? Could you lead him to the throne of grace? Could you reveal to him what the death and resurrection of Jesus means to a soul seeking deliverance? How many live around us who have no idea that they too need grace, that there is grace for them! How many people do we live with who are inwardly restless, unpeaceful, unhappy, bewildered by the confusion of the world, and drifting wearily in a purposeless life towards a meaningless death! Oh, that you could once tell them that God is alive, and that you knew him as a compassionate and loving God! That thou art living by this compassion, that this God is thy father. The liberating good news that there is freedom from all kinds of sin and bondage because Jesus died for them, and that there is victory over death because Jesus rose from the dead. How much good could be done here! What a blessing you could be among your own! What a great omission of yours if you are not! This rich man already knows it, that's why he's in agony. He realized too late what he had failed his five brothers' souls.
But it's not too late for you. You are still here, and you have those whose souls you can care for. You know where it begins, don't you? You believe in Jesus! It is written, "Believe on Christ and you and the people of your house will be saved." (Acts 16:31) So believe in Jesus Christ, who is your personal Savior, your Brother, who bore the indignity of Calvary for you and on your behalf, who opened the way to eternity for you. Do you believe in His real divine person? Do you believe that Jesus is waiting to live His rich life in you, if you will, if you need, if you ask, if you let Him? Because if you truly believe in Jesus Christ, the people of your house will recognize Jesus in your words, in your gestures, in your love! Then fear nothing, His life will slowly rule over the rest of the people of your house! For the Jesus who lives in you by faith will not be long resisted by the people of your house. Don't worry even if your words, if the results of your testimony are not seen, just be authentic! For it is written and true that "what a man sows, that he also reaps". Do not fear the sowing of a true testimony, it will be reaped most assuredly! Only do not be late in proving.
Just for the record, most people, when they walk out the door of their home, come back. But there are some who, once out the door, never return. And none of us can know which group he belongs to: the "most" people or the "some" people? Think about how you go out the door! What is left behind you? A testimony missed, or a testimony made many times about where we will end up? You and the people of your house. Let it not be too late! It is not too late now! Let us pray thus:
To those who knock on the door
The door of grace.
The Lord Jesus promised,
To grant our request.
Come, Jesus, and don't be late,
Do not depart from us:
Lead us, O Christ,
Our merciful Jesus!
(Canto 227, verse 8)
Amen
Date: 21 May 1967 Evangelization