The Right View of Life
A Sermon on Luke 16:19-31
Originally preached Sept. 23, 1962
Scripture
19¶ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell …
Sermon Description
The only two eternal destinations for humankind are heaven and hell. In this sermon on Luke 16:19–31 titled “The Right View of Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows the two very different destinies presented in Scripture that correspond to two different ways of living. There is the carnal life of sin and pleasure that is only concerned with what is temporal and physical. This life leads to eternal destruction and is the destiny of all who die in sin. The other way of life is one that is concerned with God and what is true, good, and eternal. This life leads to eternal life and communion with God. These two lives are either of unbelief or belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. One’s attitude toward life, death, and the soul reflects the heart and mind. The story of the rich man and Lazarus show these two principals at work in these two lives. Jesus shows the folly of living for this world with its fleeting passions and desires. But those who seek the kingdom of God are blessed and righteous even though they may suffer in this life. Those who believe do so only because of the work of God upon their hearts. Even if unbelievers were to see a man rise from the dead, they would not believe in Jesus and His gospel.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by establishing that the passage being discussed, Luke 16:19-31, is a statement of fact by Jesus rather than a parable.
- Jesus's teaching has several characteristics:
- It is unique and surprising, cutting across human thinking.
- It calls us to think, reason, and gain wisdom, not just rely on emotion.
- It simplifies the problems of life, focusing on fundamentals rather than complications.
- It presents two ways, God's way or the way of "mammon" (the world). A choice must be made.
-
It shows the tragic folly of making the wrong choice.
-
The most important thing in life is one's outlook and attitude, specifically how one views death and eternity.
- One's view of life determines how one lives and dies. The rich man lived for pleasure and died alone, while Lazarus lived for God and was carried to heaven by angels.
-
The mode of one's death and state after death are determined by one's view of life. The rich man went to hell, while Lazarus went to heaven. Their states are unchangeably fixed.
-
The right view of life comes from believing "Moses and the prophets," the Scriptures. They show us our sin, need for salvation, and God's provision of salvation in Christ.
-
We must repent, believe the gospel, and press into the kingdom of God to have the right view of life, die well, and enter heaven.
-
We should pray to live and die well so we can enter heaven and hear "Well done." The wise believe the Scriptures and the gospel.
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.