Is there Life After Death?

Sunday Service

June 9th, 2024

Speaker: L/Pastor D. Balewa

Text: Luke 16:19-31

Topic: Is there Life After Death?

Is there really life after death? If yes, then how do we know since none of us have ever gone to heaven and come back to tell us? This is the essence of our faith as believers. We believe there's life after death because the Bible tells us so.

There are several components here that are important for us to understand: death, Hades, and paradise.

From the text, we hear of two classes of people: the rich and the poor. Despite their social class, one thing was common to both—they died. Death is a universal experience; all have died, and all will continue to die. However, there is a significant difference in what happens after death. Lazarus was taken by angels due to his holy living, while the rich man simply died. No angels were mentioned to have carried him.

This is a clear message that there's life after death and a separation between those who live righteously and those who live unrighteously. In the afterlife, we can remember what we did on earth and recognize everyone.

Many of us are preoccupied with self-love, forgetting or ignoring the needs of others, much like the rich man. As believers, we should not be found wanting in showing kindness and goodness to others. Jesus, in this text, is not condemning wealth but cautioning against a selfish attitude.

There is another life after death, a life where any form of struggle we face on earth will not be present. Over there is a life of comfort, as seen in the story of Lazarus.

May the Lord open our hearts through today's words to be responsive to the needs of others in any way we can.