Too Late to Change Your Mind

Have You Ever Wondered What Someone Would Say If They Could Speak From Hell?

Yesterday, I promised to tell you what happened after our lesson on Luke 16.

When class ended, everyone headed to lunch as they usually did. I gathered my things and left, never imagining that the lesson would continue after I was gone.

Later, I learned that the residents were still talking about Luke 16 around their lunch tables. They were discussing the passage with one another and even sharing their thoughts with the staff caring for them.

That deeply encouraged my heart.

As a Bible teacher, there is no greater joy than knowing God’s Word stayed with them long after the lesson ended.

Sometimes the conversation doesn’t end when the class is dismissed.

Sometimes…

It continues around a lunch table.

And that brings us back to Jesus’ remarkable story.

Have you ever wondered what someone would say if they could speak from hell?

It’s a chilling thought.

What if we could hear the conversation between a man in heaven and a man in hell?

What regrets would be expressed?

What warnings would be given?

In Luke 16, Jesus gives us a glimpse beyond this life through the story of two men whose earthly lives couldn’t have looked more different.

One was rich.

Not just comfortable—rich.

He wore purple and fine linen, the designer clothing of his day. Every day was a feast.

The other was Lazarus.

A beggar.

Covered with painful sores.

Hungry enough to long for the crumbs falling from the rich man’s table.

If you had passed them on the street, you probably would have assumed you knew which man was blessed.

Then both men died.

And in a single moment…

Everything changed.

Lazarus was carried to Abraham’s side—a place of comfort and rest.

The rich man found himself in torment.

The man who appeared to have everything suddenly had nothing.

The man who appeared to have nothing suddenly had everything.

What a reversal.

From his place of suffering, the rich man begged for just a drop of water.

Then came an even more desperate plea.

“Please send someone to warn my brothers.”

But Abraham answered:

“They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.”

In other words…

They already have God’s Word.

The problem wasn’t a lack of evidence.

The question was whether they would believe what God had already revealed.

And that takes us right back to what we’ve been discovering throughout this study.

From Genesis…

To the Prophets…

To the Gospels…

God has faithfully revealed Himself.

The Bible tells one magnificent story of His mercy and grace.

Jesus didn’t tell this story simply to satisfy our curiosity about the afterlife.

He told it to awaken our hearts.

Eternity is real.

Judgment is certain.

And while we are still living, God’s invitation is still open.

That invitation is possible because of Jesus.

God’s mercy means He does not give us the judgment our sins deserve.

God’s grace means He gives us what we could never earn—salvation, forgiveness, eternal life, and a home with Him.

At the cross, mercy and grace meet.

Mercy withheld the judgment I deserved.
Grace gave me the salvation I could never earn.

Jesus made both possible.

Because He bore our judgment and paid our debt in full, God can offer forgiveness to everyone who places their faith in Him.

One day…

Every one of us will step from time into eternity.

The question isn’t whether that day will come.

The question is:

What are you trusting in?

Your goodness?

Your religious activity?

Your best efforts?

None of those can save you.

But if your trust is in Jesus Christ alone, you can face eternity with confidence—not because of what you have done, but because of what He has done for you.

As I ended the devotional that day, I had just one problem.

Sara had missed the lesson.

And this wasn’t a lesson I wanted her to miss.

It was the holiday season, and I had a small gift for each of my seniors, including Sara. I planned to drop them off the next time I was in the area.

I had no idea that a simple visit to deliver a Christmas gift would become a conversation I would treasure for the rest of my life.

I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.