Amen. I stand before you this morning because Pastor Jeff is unable to. Early on this week, he became sick, possible flu. I thought surely by the weekend he'd be feeling better. So yesterday, just before noon, he calls me and says, you got a sermon ready, right? So here we go. I did have one that I've been working on for several months, just thinking through, pondering, and so had to get serious with it yesterday. So here we go. Also today, we'll be observing the Lord's Supper, and we'll also be observing a baptism. Amen? So be looking forward to that. This message this morning got Two purposes in it, I hope. One is that those of us who are saved would become more concerned, more burdened for the lost. And that if you're here today and you're unsaved, that the Lord might use this message to reach your heart. So it's an evangelistic message. And so pray for me this morning as we work through three different passages, kind of a little different sermon. We're going to look at three different passages and pull these three passages together in what we're going to call the biography of a lost man. That biography of a lost man. All of these passage will be in the gospel of Luke and we'll start out in Luke chapter 18. Have you ever contemplated, thought through why lost people, our lost friends, our lost family, how they calculate and how they manage their lostness? How they work through their life plan to reject the gospel and to stay lost? I believe there's many scenarios that we could think about how people do mental gymnastics in order to keep themselves lost. You know, with just a basic understanding of the gospel, which we could say a basic understanding of the gospel would be Jesus died for sinners. And just with that should be enough to cause us to repent and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, this of course is from a human standpoint that I'm thinking and talking, because we know salvation is a sovereign act of God's grace. Wherein He moves and works upon the hearts of men, hearing the gospel. We must hear the gospel. And thus He saves them. The lost are blinded to the truth. The gospel, they can't see it. They can't understand. I mean, they can know much about it. Understand some about it. But they're dead in their trespasses and sin. They cannot see nor understand the things of God. So these three narratives that we're going to look at in the Bible lay out for us a unifying biography of a lost man. Now, of course, these narratives are not all speaking of the same man, but we're going to put them together and look at them as the same man and see how they fit together nicely to lay out a detailed story of lostness. In this case, we could say it's the biography of a rich man's dilemma. Because in each case it's talking about someone who is wealthy, someone who is rich. But we'll see how it can be applied to anyone that is lost without Christ. I believe we could examine the lives of the lost and probably come up with many categories as to why they are lost. Let's think about a few of those. Some people are lost because they just don't know. They've never heard the gospel. They've never heard about Christ. They're going through life and they never give thought to God and the things of the eternal. They are raised up not necessarily in an atheistic home where people are just blatant opposition to God, but just that there's no mention. There's no thoughts. There's no ideas concerning Him. God is not in the equation of their life. That's hard for us to fathom and think about growing up in the Bible belt. But there are many that have not heard the gospel. We've grown up in it and around it and maybe we were raised in Christian homes or at least we had some influence of the gospel upon our lives. But there are some who do not. I can remember I was pastoring a small church here in Arkansas and we had like a youth program and a kid, a child was there between maybe the ages of 8 and 10 and we were talking to him about the gospel and about Christ and he had never heard the name of Jesus. I thought that was strange in our town. I was kind of ashamed that there was a young boy in our town that had never heard the name of Jesus. But sadly, that's becoming more and more common, even in the South, where Christ is just not in the equation of people's life. So there are those who just don't know. Then there are those who do know and just hate the thought of it. All of us before salvation had a hatred for God. We are haters of God by birth and by nature. And the Bible truly depicts the lost in their sin as lovers of self more than lovers of God. So it's not that they would blatantly say, I hate God. But just with their actions in their life, they only live for themselves. And that's what really these passages are going to show us. That it's all about self and selfishness. So there is a true connection With the, I believe, the majority of atheists, when you hear their stories, it's not that they don't believe God exists. They just say that he doesn't. They know that he does. And it's normally largely because there was some tragedy in their life. or some tragedy in the world wherein they say, if there was a God that you call loving, he would never allow this to happen to me or he would never allow this to happen in the world. And so, so much is in the atheist heart and mind It's because they hate the thing that happened and thus attribute it to God and hate Him or want to do away with Him. So there are those who don't know, those who know and hate the thought of it. Then there are those who know and just don't care. They've heard to an extent They've possibly weighed in their minds and just dismissed this thing about God and Jesus and what He's done. They don't care to think about it. They have no regard for it. This is the condition that Jesus describes in Matthew 11 when He's talking about the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. And you remember He's done many works there. And these people are not hearing Him. They're not seeing. They're not receiving. He gives to them a severe woe. Jesus pronounced upon them that they would be judged in a more severe way than Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom. Jesus states that if the things that have been done in your city had been done in Sodom, they would have repented long ago. And then he explains why and what they were doing. He says, he that has ears, let him hear. He said, you're like children, like children that are playing in the marketplace. And they're playing this music and they're wanting you to dance. They're wanting you to celebrate. And you walk by and you don't join in the celebration. Or they're weeping and they're mourning. And you're supposed to come by and see this kid game. And you're supposed to join in and mourn with them. And what he says, and what he likens them to, is people who just walk by. That's just a silly kid thing. I'm not going to participate in it. It's going to be greater on them than on what Sodom and Gomorrah were doing. So those who know, those who hear, those who have some idea about and just don't care about it. But then I'll give you this last one. We'll move over. There's some more. I'm sure we could come up with, but there are some that know. Oh, they know. They've grown up in the church. They're in a Christian family. They know the gospel. They could articulate the gospel to you. And they know they need to be saved. And they may even think, I'm going to be saved when I'm ready. The procrastinator, right? Yeah, I know. I know what I need. I even know how to be sad. I know I need to repent. I know I need to believe the gospel. I know it. Yeah. I want to live for myself right now. And then one day I may. We're going to see in one of these texts. Thou fool. This night. Your soul. Will be required of you. Everyone that can hear my voice. People younger than you have died. We're not promised a tomorrow, right? Boast not thyself of tomorrow. For you do not know what a day may bring forth. So let's begin our biography by turning to chapter 1. As this biography opens, We see a man that's coming to Jesus in Luke chapter 18. Let's pray before we read the text. Our Father in heaven, we bow before you and we confess and we beg that you might help us this morning To hear your word. That it might work a work in our lives to cause us to. To see the lostness of the lost. That it might concern us. Greatly that we might pray more fervently for our lost children, grandchildren, family and friends. But Lord, you might use this message. to bear upon a heart this day. You might work a work of regeneration for Your glory and for Your Son's sake. We pray in Christ's name, Amen. So let's open the biography and begin reading in Luke 18, verse 18. A certain ruler asked him, saying, good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? That's a good question, isn't it? If you're lost here this morning, that's a good question. What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? None is good, save one, that is God. By the way, for this message and these passages, I'm using the old King James, all right? But it's not much different. I compared it. It's really close. So we're going to be good, all right? Why callest thou me good? None is good save one, that is God. Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor thy father and mother. These are all the commandments that are toward men. He didn't say we should love the Lord. He's using these commandments that are outward toward others. But he skipped one, didn't he? Did you notice that? He skipped ten. And I think he does it for a reason and for a purpose. Because I don't think the guy could have answered the way he answered if he would have included that one. Because that was his problem. Thou knowest the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor thy father and mother. And he said, all of these have I kept from my youth up. Now, when Jesus heard these things, he said to him, you lackest one thing. Sell all that you have. Distributed unto the poor. And you shall have treasure in heaven and come. Follow me. He didn't say you should not covet. And that's his problem. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful. For he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God. For it is easier for a camel to go through the needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it, who then can be saved? He said, these things which are impossible with men are possible with God. So not only is this young man whom Jesus is speaking to having to contemplate, am I willing to give up all that I have, give it to the poor that I might follow the Lord and thus in this context have eternal life. The disciples are hearing this. And Peter said, Lord, lo, we have left all and followed thee. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house or parents or brethren or wife or children for the kingdom of God's sake who shall not receive manifold more in the present time and in And in the world to come, life everlasting. Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Give up everything that you might have Him. Give up everything that you might follow Him. How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God. Great possessions, He was very rich, kept Him from being saved. Now this is our point. There is something that is keeping you from being saved. If you know the gospel, you know what Jesus has done, but yet you still will not come that you might have eternal life. It's because there's something you're not willing to give up. You do not want to give up. I want to cling to this. I want to hold on to this. You see, it may not be riches, It's just something that's got a grip on you and you've got a grip on it and you don't want to let go of it. Maybe it is possessions, people, pride, prestige, the profane. It's your sin. You don't want to let go of that sin. What's gripping you and keeping you from coming to Christ? What is it that you can't let go of? That you might have? so much more. What will you give in exchange for your soul? And what would it profit you if you were to gain the whole world that in the end you would lose your soul? What will you What he missed and what he didn't understand is what Jesus told the disciples toward the end of that conversation that. You can't give up. The stuff. That you can't gain so much more. In this life. And in the life to come. Eternal life. Some of the other Gospels it says he went away sorrowful He went away sorrowful He wanted eternal life But he wanted temporary life more That's some of you you think this temporal life this temporary life Holds more for you than the eternal How foolish! How will you leave here today? Will you leave like this young man? Sorrowful? Still lost in your sin? Even right now, as you listen to me, you know there's something that's pulling at you, that's tugging at you, that will not let go of you, that does not want you to listen to these words. Hey! Look over here! Don't listen to that! Which brings us As we close this chapter, we'll open the next, see what happens to this man. Not that it's him, but play along with me. Let's see what happens. Well, this guy, he goes on to gather more and more and more. We'll say the Lord has turned him over to himself, given him all of his pleasures and all that he wants. And thus we turn to Luke chapter Luke 12. Here He is wrapped up even more in His wealth and in His riches. Luke 12, verse 15, let's begin reading. And He said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness, For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses." Our life, it's not made up, it does not consist by the things that we have, the things that we possess. This is not what life is, this is not what life's about. I heard a wonderful Proverb, I guess. I was with a man this past week, and he said, my mother told me once, he said, Jerry, you'll never be rich, but if you follow the Lord, you'll never have to be. That makes sense, doesn't it? Our life does not consist in the abundance of the things which we possess. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentiful. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? Because I have no room where to bestow all my fruits. And he said this, This will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater. And there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, you have much goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. You heard of self-talk? I guess we all do it, we all talk in our minds, but this is some kind of self-talk, isn't it? I don't believe anyone is this bold to talk this way to themselves, not this blatant, but some may talk to themselves this way in a deceptive way, maybe in a less bold way, Thinking boy, I've done well for myself I've laid up much I Can sit back and take it easy now Verse 20, but God said to him Thou fool This night thy soul shall be required of you Then, who shall these things be which you have provided? There it is. When I promised a tomorrow, so is He that layeth up treasure, here's the key word, so it is that He that layeth up treasure for Himself and is not rich toward God. Bad state, isn't it? This guy's biography is not looking too well. He comes, he's rich. What must I do? He knows about eternal life. He knows he wants eternal life. But he's not willing to give up the temporal life in order that he might have the eternal life. So he sets back and his business continues to grow. And he says, man, look at all I've got. I need to tear down my warehouses. I need to build bigger warehouses so I can store all my stuff. I'm set. I'm going to sit back, eat, drink, and be merry. But he did not know. that death would knock on his door that very night and his soul would be required of him. What is it that you're stacking up? What is it that you're piling up for yourself? Your lust. Your passions. Your fleshly appetites. They've consumed you. It's all that you want to live for. It's all that you do live for. You get your fill of one sin and you want to move on to the next so you tear that barn down and you build another barn for more and more sin. To consume it upon your passions and your lust. Not thinking. That it's all going to come to an end. This guy doesn't see the end in sight. He thought he had much time to enjoy his fruits. But how foolish was he. What are we seeing? that the underlying issue in these two chapters that are keeping this person lost, is it not selfishness? The love of self? The love of pleasing self? Taking care of self? Consuming all things upon himself? What's the root of all evil? Money, right? You caught it, didn't you? The root of all evil, the Bible says, is not money, but the love of money is the root. And where does that love, where does that lust, where does that desire come from? From the heart. From within. The lust, the love of things, selfish gains, selfish pleasure, selfish passions. Thou fool. This night, thy soul will be required of you. Then who shall these things be, which you have provided? What's the old saying? You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse, right? It's not going with you. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where what? Moths eat, rust gets, thieves steal. But lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor thief can break through and steal. What a man. The biography of a lost man. What must I do? Sell all that you have, give it to the poor, come follow me. Can't do it. Went away sorrowful. Built it up, built it up, built it up. What am I gonna do? I got too much stuff. I need to tear my barns down, build bigger barns. I do that, I've got it all set. I'm gonna sit back and relax and take it easy. Boom! This night, your soul is required of you. So let's go to the last chapter. Chapter many of you could probably guess, right? 16. Luke 16. Verse 19. The close of the biography is a grim reality, indeed. To think what will become of the one who only lives for himself runs into eternity unprepared, having only lived for this life, and has done no preparation for the next. 16 verse 19. Here He is again. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen. and fared sumptuously every day. There was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of sores, and desiring to be fed from the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. Some of the most scariest words in the Bible. And in hell, he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Could you send Lazarus that he could just dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue? For I am tormented in this flame. There he is. And Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And besides all this, Between us and you there is a great goal fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us who would come from thence." You're stuck. You're stuck. There's no comfort coming to you. No riches will soothe the flames of that burning. No passion will pacify the daunting darkness of that abyss. Wailing and gnashing of teeth. No dying of the worms. Are those not some of the most terrifying words in the Bible? And in hell, He lift up His eyes, being in torment? I think of another phrase that is another one of those, oh, I don't want to hear that. When Jesus will look to them and say, depart from Me. I never knew you. You're in a terrible predicament if you're unsaved. You are facing the judgment of God and an eternal hell. Would you not be saved? Would you not come to Christ? That very same one who will stand that day and say, depart from me, I never knew you. That same Lord Jesus stands today and says, come unto me, all you that are burdened down with your sin and heavy laden, come to me and I will give you rest. Come unto Me, and be ye saved, all you ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else." He says, come. He says, come. Come, so that you will not hear, depart. I never knew you. Oh, let's finish the text and we'll call it done. If this guy, if this rich man, and I'll dare say if anyone that is in hell right now could come back, they would be the greatest evangelist we'd ever know. Is this not his heart? What does he say? Verse 27, then he said, I pray you therefore, Father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment." Oh, okay. You can't bring Lazarus to me to dip his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am in torment. I don't want my brothers in this torment. Send Lazarus back that he might testify to them lest they come to this awful place. And Abraham said unto him, verse 29, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. What's he saying? They have the Bible. Let them hear the Bible. And he said, no, no, Father Abraham. But if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. I know they would. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." We've got the complete story. We've got more than Moses and the prophets. We have Jesus Himself! Jesus Himself. If you will not hear Him, would you not hear Him? May the Father of heaven and earth cause your sin to become so wearisome, so heavy that you can no longer bear it. May it weigh you down to your knees. May your sin become a sickness to your soul, a disease to your existence. When we think upon the demands of the gospel and the life of taking up our cross and following Jesus, do we really contemplate what's being asked? And I believe every saved person here would say, yes, if the Lord asked me to give up everything, and go wherever He wanted me to go, I would go. You must have that in your heart. You must be willing to say that. And you do say that. And you do hope that you would be willing to do that. To give up all and go to Ecuador. To give up all and go to Papua, Indonesia, to give up all and go to Somalia. So, yes, we we say that. Yes, Lord, I'm willing to give up everything to follow you as long as you really don't ask me to. But the true believer says, Lord, here am I. Send me. What do you want? What do you want? Living a life for you is worth way more than living a life for me. I'll give it. I'll go. Do we hear the message today? What are you doing with this? What are you going to do with this? Do you hate these words? Are you going to disregard these words? Are you going to go on? Then to hell you go. Please, sinner friend, Heed not my words, but the words of our Master. Come unto me, and be ye saved. Come to me, you that are weighted and burdened down with sin, and I'll give you rest. Flee! Flee to Him! Repent and believe the gospel! For God has made His Son, Jesus Christ, to be sin for you. Your sin was placed upon Him, and He bore the wrath reserved for you. Come, repent and believe the Gospel, and bear it no more. For God made Him, Christ, to be sin for us who knew no sin. No sin was ever found in Him. Not in His hands, not in His mind, not in His heart. He was the true Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. that you may be made the righteousness of God in Him. You can be made right with God through the sacrifice of God's only Son. Listen to the ministry of reconciliation. That God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, putting our trespasses Not on us, but on Him. And He took our sins and He died in our place. I just say to you, be reconciled to God. Let's pray. Father, as we have seen in Your Word, the end of the selfish man. Help us see that our selfishness was placed on a man, on a cross, the Lord Jesus Christ. And he can forgive. He can cleanse. He can wash. He can renew. He can regenerate. He can make all things new. He can even give us the right mind to think rightly about life and eternity. Lord, would You so grant that the light of Your Gospel might shine into a heart today that they may see, oh, that they may see Christ in all of His beauty, in all of His glory. For it's in His name we pray. Amen.