A PREACHER FROM THE DEAD OR THE LIVING WORD?

The rich man in hell, realizing his torments would never end, immediately became concerned for the safety of his five brothers. His desire was that Lazarus be sent to preach and warn them lest they too should descend into the place of never-ending agony and pain. Note that he was only interested in his family members and says nothing about the glory of God in the salvation of his brothers. Not one word is spoken about Christ being magnified as God’s sacrifice for sin nor did he indicate any awareness of the necessity of the Spirit’s work in the hearts of his brothers. His motivation did not involve the Lord at all!

Notice Abraham’s response, which speaks volumes. “They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them” (Luke 16:29). There is something far better than someone coming back from the dead and preaching about the reality of hell and that is the proclamation of “the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever…and this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:23, 25). It is this Word “that is able to make men wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). The rich man’s reasoning is typical of the unregenerate mind which believes that people would embrace truth if they beheld a great miracle, such as a preacher coming back from the grave. But, salvation does not come through beholding a miracle, but through and by the living Word, applied to the heart by the Holy Ghost Who must perform the work of regeneration within a spiritually dead sinner bringing them to “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).

The written Word speaks of the Incarnate Word. The book of God tells the story of redemption. It sets forth Adam’s fall into sin and  the  consequences of that representative man’s transgression, which is death. It tells of God’s remedy for sin, the Substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ Who died that God might be just in justifying the ungodly. The Old Testament proclaims Christ in prophecy, picture and promise while the New Testament declares His incarnation, the purpose for His coming, “to save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). It tells of His life-long compliance to the law and that He was “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). It tells of His absolute victory over sin, Satan, death and hell, His exaltation, enthronement, universal reign and second coming. The Lord sends forth His Word and as His gospel is proclaimed, He blesses according to His eternal purpose. “My Word shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). 



-preacher Jim Byrd

http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=13thstbaptist

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