April 18, 2019
Judges 17-18; Luke 15-16. YOU WON’T BELIEVE a ZOMBIE
Scripture
Luke 16:31 (NIV) He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'
Observations
1. Context: Jesus told the story about a beggar who got nothing from a rich man. Both men died. The beggar’s soul went to Abraham’s side of the place of the dead (Hades), and the rich man’s soul went to the torment side. A great chasm separated the two forever, and with no exceptions. The rich man begged that someone from Hades go warn his brothers so they wouldn’t have to go to eternal torment.
2. Jesus said they have the Scriptures to teach them. They wouldn’t believe a Zombie. He put a tremendous amount of authority and power on the Scriptures more than miracles to change lives.
3. Proof that what Jesus said is true: a) He raised his friend Lazarus (same name, different guy) from the dead. Many believed when they saw him but the Pharisees didn’t and wanted to kill Jesus (John 11:45, 53). b) After Jesus Himself arose, many people still didn’t believe… and don’t to this day.
Applications
1. Miracles are fleeting and easily doubted. Good illusionists, Hollywood CGI, and medical advancements have dulled our belief in true miracles.
2. We must know the Scriptures and realize they have the power to change lives more than miracles.
3. There is a real heaven and a real hell. After we shed our bodies, the commitment we made while breathing air determines our eternal destination.
Prayer
Lord, this story in Luke can seem like an interesting idea for a movie, and we tend to toss it in the fiction/science fiction/fantasy genres without giving it the value it deserves. I pray that the truth You teach through stories like this will speak to our souls in a way that stirs us to action.
-GBB
