Immerse: Messiah - Flipbook - Page 54
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IMMERSE
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MESSIAH
16:17–17:5
God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. But that doesn’t mean
that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear
than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.
“For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else
commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her
husband commits adultery.”
Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in
purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay
a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay
there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come
and lick his open sores.
“Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside
Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried,
and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham
in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.
“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus
over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in
anguish in these flames.’
“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime
you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is
here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great
chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one
can cross over to us from there.’
“Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to
my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them
so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’
“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your
brothers can read what they wrote.’
“The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to
them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’
“But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they
won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to
sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be
better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck
than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves!
“If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance,
forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time
turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”
The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.”
