3 Death Is Not The End

3. Death Is Not The End

Sometimes, recognizing the certainty of death can turn into a morbid obsession. It can paralyze some with fear and plunge others into depression. Such people have missed the point!

Becoming aware of our mortality should serve as an incentive to keep our attention focused on eternal goals and values. It reminds us that when our earthly life concludes, our eternal life begins.

You see, death is not a period at the end of life’s sentence. It is a conjunction, linking time and eternity. The issue at hand is this: how does the sentence read after the conjunction?

A tombstone in a 100 year-old cemetery bears this verse: “Pause, stranger, when you pass me by. As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you will be. So prepare for death and follow me.”

An unknown visitor added these lines: “To follow you, I’m not content, until I know which way you went!”

It is at this very crossroads that our story takes an interesting turn.

Upon Lazarus’ death, God dispatched some angels to escort him to the bosom of Abraham. Was this the result of his poverty? No. Because of his suffering? No! It was the fruit of his faith. You see, the name “Lazarus” is a derivative of the name “Eleazar,” which means “God has helped.”

When Jesus told this story of a man named Lazarus, He was not simply describing a man who was poor and sick, but a man whom God had helped.

“Some help,” you might say. “He was broke, sick, totally dependent…and God didn’t even protect him from the dogs! What kind of help is that?”

Jesus wasn’t talking about physical deliverance; He was looking deeper. Inside that body of infected flesh was a man whom God had visited in faith. His life in this world was a tragedy, but he knew much about the world to come. Lazarus was a man who knew God.

But what about the rich man? What did his affluence accomplish? We’re told that no sooner had he closed his eyes in death than he found himself being tormented in hell. No purgatory, no “sleeping in the grave,” no second chances, no options.

Then, the former rich man did an amazing thing. He looked up and saw Abraham, far away in heaven, comforting Lazarus. There is a remarkable revelation packed into those few short words.

You see, the man had eyes—his own eyes. He had a mind—his own mind, with memories and senses intact.

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The Urban Alternative (TUA) is a Christian broadcast ministry founded over 30 years ago by Dr. Tony Evans. At TUA, we seek to promote a kingdom agenda philosophy designed to enable people to live all of life underneath the comprehensive rule of God. This is accomplished through a variety of means, including media, resources, clergy ministries and community impact training. The Urban Alternative’s daily radio broadcast airs on over 1,400 radio outlets in America and in over 100 countries worldwide. Find us online at tonyevans.org.

Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and president of The Urban Alternative, a national ministry dedicated to restoring hope and transforming lives through the proclamation and application of God’s Word. For over three decades, Dr. Evans has also served as senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas. He is a prolific author of numerous books, including the best-selling Kingdom Man. His radio program, “The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans,” is heard daily on over 1,400 radio outlets. Dr. Evans is also the chaplain for the Dallas Mavericks and former chaplain for the Dallas Cowboys.

The Urban Alternative | P.O. Box 4000 | Dallas, TX 75208 | 800-800-3222 | TonyEvans.org

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