The Great Divide

Luke 16:19-31
"But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish." Luke 16:25
James says our earthly lives are a “mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). Our earthly journey is incredibly brief. Perhaps the greatest lesson to learn from this story, then, is that when death comes knocking on our door there is only one thing that matters: our relationship with Jesus Christ. The rich man spent his life on things of this world gathering amazing wealth. With all his wealth, he took no notice of a destitute sick man lying on his very doorstep. He had the means and opportunity to minister. He didn’t. Why? He was blinded by the world. He was also blinded to his eternal destiny.
The rich man’s state, like the state of many today, is blinded by physical wealth not seeing the needs of others and their own needs. The pleasures of this world has them oblivious to their need of a Savior. “Life is good.” But, this world is limited and short lived. James tells us we are only a mist. Our lives will soon end, then eternity. Just like in mathematics the days of our lives compared to infinity are negligible. Eternity is forever. Infinity. Nothing compares. And we are told by Jesus in Luke that eternity is divided. Heaven and hell. One or the other. Separated by a “great chasm”. A massive divide. An infinite divide.
Those who do not know Jesus are headed for infinite hell. Permanent hell. There is no crossing. No change. No hope. Separated from heaven by infinity. The only hope these people have is Jesus. We are given the position as the ambassador for the kingdom of heaven to the world. As gateway Christians we must take our job as ambassador with extreme seriousness. The lost only have one hope and death is permanent. They will not get another opportunity after death.
If not us then who? If not then when? If not here then where?

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