if they don't listen Luke 16:19-31?
Jesus told a powerful story of rich man who went into eternal torment. Meanwhile the poor man he'd stepped over week after week suffering next to his front door went into the arms of Abraham Luke 16:19-23. The rich man called ought across a chasm from his suffering for help him--but no one could reach across the divide Luke 16:24-26. He called for Abraham to send him back to at least tell his brothers. But Abraham replied that people have already been sent and even if someone rose from the dead they wouldn't listen (Luke 16:27-31).
Not listening to God isn't a new problem--but what's the root of the problem: is it our ears or our hearts?
Adam and Eve had this problem (Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 3:1-24). The first sons, Cain and Able, had this problem (Genesis 4).
The issue isn't a hearing problem rather it's a heart problem. Moses tried to convince the hard hearted Pharaoh that God wanted the children of Israel to leave Egypt (Exodus 4:21, Exodus 7-14). People in Jesus day heard but didn't listen either. In our day we have hard hearts and a God who sent the law, prophets and His own Son that we might have faith and live. So what will it take to set us back to right with God when we become so hardened to the truth of God's love and mercy.
What will it take to reach the hard hearted who no longer believes in his own need of repentance:
- argument
- prayer
- a miracle
- a combination of all three?
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