Eternal or Temporal Valuables?

Luke 16:19-31

19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 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.'"

Jesus told this parable about those who hold to valuables in this life as they seek comfort, riches, and possessions and contrasted these with the extremely poor who suffer want to make the point of what we should value in life in light of eternity.  The rich man seemingly had all he ever desired until he died and found himself suffering eternal torment in Hades which we often call Hell now.  Lazarus, however, suffered with hunger and sickness and had to beg to survive by begging at the very gate of the man who suffered no want of anything.  When they both died, Lazarus was escorted into heaven by angels while the selfish man left all riches behind as his remains were buried and he then suffered greatly afterwards.  The once rich man looked up from the fiery lake of suffering (Matthew 8:12) and saw the once poor man with Abraham in heaven (Matthew 8:11) and called to Abraham for relief from the torment of the flames of judgment he earned ((Romans 6:23) from unrepentant sin as we now know the details more fully after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ described by Paul and the other apostles.  The condemned begged for mercy as the begged outside his house had for years and was reminded that his good things that he valued were only his as long as he lived on earth at the expense of others like poor Lazarus.  Yes, he had received all the go in greed while the other had suffered great need which he did nothing to help with.  Now the poor was rich in the Lord and was comforted while he was the pauper who reaped the torment from all he had sown in life.  Not only that, but there was no way to cross from Hades to Heaven in either direction; the choice made in this life determines eternity after death and judgment (Hebrews 9:27-28, Matthew 25:46, John 12:25, 17:2-3) which we all face.  No amount of earthly valuables or good deeds can earn the kingdom of heaven, only the work of believing God’s word and work in Jesus Christ (John 6:28-29) through repentance from the dead works of sin (Hebrews 6:1) and faith in the Lord’s work to enter in.  Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3) who will inherit these things of true and eternal value no matter how much suffering is endured in this life.  The once rich man who had nothing then begged Abraham to send messengers to his five brothers to tell them the bad news with the good news of escape from his own fate of torment.  He was told that they already had the answer in the scriptures (Luke 24:46-47) which pointed to Jesus who was telling this parable that the listeners would understand what He was conveying in this fictional tale of the reality of faith and judgment, of eternal death and eternal life.  The now poor man who was suffering terribly asked if someone could go to the brothers from the dead to make the urgency clear to them but was told if they did not understand from the scriptures that they would not be persuaded to repent even if one were to rise from the grave to tell them what was already available by what God had been telling them and which they would see in the resurrection of Christ Himself who was pointing to what He was about to accomplish to save those who trust His word, turn from sin, and believe to recei Him according to His word of the good news, the gospel of eternal life.  How many still refuse to believe the simple truth of God’s work as they attempt to work their way to heaven or choose to live for themselves and reject their only hope of true eternal valuables He offers us freely?  Do we dare seek to lay up earthly temporal treasures at the expense of ones never ending (Matthew 6:33) of eternal worth?  We are called to count the cost of life and death and choose wisely when our eyes and ears are opened.  Remember the poor rich man and the poor Lazarus who was rich with true and lasting valuables in the Lord.