Progressive Baptist Church's Website
Once upon a time there was a rich man who wore the richest, wealthiest, most envied clothes in town. Not only did he wear fine clothing, but he lived in The biggest and most wonderful mansion. He rode in the finest carriages, his horses were the best in all the world, and he had more servants and handmaidens waiting on him in his house than anyone else that anyone knew.
This rich man was envied and sought after by everyone. The young men would run to do business with him. They wanted to learn his business techniques so they could become rich just like he was. The young ladies always tried to impress him with their great beauty. They quite frankly hoped he would marry one of them, making that lady the richest woman in The world. Children tried in vain to get close to him. They wished the rich man would throw a little of his vast change their way. But alas, the rich Man's
servants never let the children get close enough to even hear their cries.
When the rich man would approach the gate of his great mansion, there lay a beggar named Lazarus day after day. Lazarus' body was full of sores, his clothes were raggedy and torn. Only the rich man's dogs showed him any pity as they would come and lick his sores. As disgusting as it may sound, Lazarus was thankful for the dogs. Since he could not afford to buy medicine, the dogs gave very real relief to his pussing, open sores.
Lazarus had no family and no real friends, but he was a Christian. Lazarus believed with all his heart that when he died he would go to heaven. He made up in his mind that even if he gained nothing in this life, he did not want to miss the beauties of heaven when he left this world. Lazarus said within his heart he did not want to be a "loser" twice. Maybe he was a loser in this world but he was not going to be a loser in the next. Lazarus held on to his faith in God in spite of the terrible life he was experiencing on earth.
Now everyday the rich Man would see Lazarus at the gate to his mansion. And everyday Lazarus would say the same thing, "Rich man, Oh Rich man, have mercy on me. Please just let me eat the crumbs of food that fall from your table. I am so hungry and I have no money. Just the crumbs, all I ask you for, Sir, is the crumbs that fall from your table!" Alas, but the rich man smirked a very snobbish, smug smile at the destitute looking beggar man. "My crumbs are for my dogs only, beggar man! What is your name, the rich man belittlingly uttered to him? Lazarus humbly told him his name. "Lazarus, if I give you my dogs' food, then they won't be able to lick your sores. You wouldn't want my dogs to be hungry, now would you?" The heartless rich man would taunt Lazarus with this response everyday. Then the rich man would ride away unto his big, beautiful mansion distraught by the fact Lazarus had dared even to talk to him.
Finally, on one uneventful day on earth, no one was noticing - and if they did notice, no one on earth cared - but, on one day, Lazarus died. The True and the Living God, the Lord of Heaven and of Earth, the Creator of all The universe, even the one in whom Lazarus had kept his faith, He noticed. God sent me, the Angel of Life and Death, to go get Lazarus. I was given the commandment to royally usher Lazarus into Abraham's arms. I was told to array Lazarus like a king in heaven- to give him a new body, new clothes, and a new outlook on life. Now Lazarus was to live a rich, luxurious life for all eternity. I was very glad for Lazarus because unto Lazarus I became an Angel of Life.
Back on earth, on a day soon after Lazarus had died, there was a very sad day for the whole town. The rich man died. Young men and young ladies cried. The rich man's servants and handmaidens all mourned. There was a big funeral service with grand sounding praises from his former business associates. The whole town shut down and grieved for the rich man a proper amount of time. You know, the mourning time the world usually gives one of their own. The True and the Living God also noticed his death. He sent me the Angel Of Life and Death to get the rich man. But Alas, to the rich man I became an Angel of Death because he had not served God in his life on earth. I was commanded to take him to HELL, the place of eternal torment. The rich man was quickly filled up with sores. He became a hideous, horrible looking creature as he was eaten by worms and tormented in a burning fire for all eternity.
In HELL, tormented beyond belief, the rich Man could see far, far away in the distance from him, the wonderful luxury Lazarus now lived in with Abraham. In fact he could see that the luxury Lazarus had was tremendously greater than anything he ever had when he lived on earth. So the tormented rich man decided to plead with Abraham. "Father Abraham, have mercy on Me. Please send Lazarus to help me. Have him dip the tip of his finger in Water, come touch and cool my scorching tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." Poor tormented rich man. He still despised Lazarus. I guess he wanted to make Lazarus his Servant in Hell. Can you believe it? He wouldn't even talk to Lazarus, but bypassed Lazarus and pleaded directly with Abraham.
Abraham answered him speedily, "Son, remember, when you lived on earth? You had the best things in life. Remember how Lazarus, who had nothing, asked you to help him just a little, but you refused! Remember?
Well, now, Lazarus is comforted, but you are tormented. Anyway, between us and you is a great big gulf, so that no one here could pass to you if they wanted to. Likewise, no one from there in HELL, can pass to here." The tormented rich man screams and shrieks in horror!!!!! Then the tormented rich man pleads again, this time to try to bring something good out of his destroyed existence. "Wait, Father Abraham! I pray you, send Lazarus to earth to my Father's house to warn my brothers. I have five brothers who are living wrong just like I did. If I don't warn them, they will end up like me." But Abraham said to him, "Your brothers already have Moses and the prophets, Preachers, Pastors, and Teachers, Evangelists, Apostles and Disciples preaching to them and warning them to change their lives so they won't go to Hell. Let them hear them."
The tormented rich man still pleaded, "No, Father Abraham, that's not enough. It won't work. But if you send someone from the dead back to the living to warn them, then they will hear and change." Poor tormented rich man and his brothers. They never respected Preachers telling them right from wrong. Now the tormented rich man wished Lazarus could go. Abraham finally explained to him, "if they do not listen to Moses and Preachers, they will not be persuaded even if someone rose up from the dead!"
How about you! What will it take to convince you to believe in God? Do you think it would help if someone came back from the dead to Preach to you? Suppose the tormented rich man came back - would you believe his report? (At this point a hideous, monstrous looking form of the tormented rich man jumps up and says "TURN OR BURN!" and screams, and shrieks horrible, ghastly cries.) (Cut the lights Off for a few moments of Silent deliberation.)
Lights back on) Don't be afraid! The tormented rich man is not coming back, nor are any Christians that have died coming back to warn the living. There will be no 'Sermons from Hell" to grab you. You just have to believe The Word of God that comes across by the "foolishness of Preaching' and the conviction on your hearts by the Holy Ghost! I hope you will listen and be saved before it is too late! You will all become believers in God one day. To those who believe before they die, I will come as an Angel of Life to usher you into heaven. To those of you who will not believe in God before you die, accepting his Son Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, to you I will come as an Angel of Death to usher you into the dark, horrible, everlasting pit of tormenting, unending HELL.
May You All Turn Before You Burn!!!!!
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