Those of you that were saved at a young age. And if you got your Bible, go with me to the book of Luke, chapter number 16. We were just in Luke 15. So we're gonna go back there, Luke chapter 16. If you enjoyed that preaching, would you say amen? And he did a great job. I love brother Luke. And he said, dad's in his top five. And he told me coming down, I'm in his top three. So I don't know where that puts dad at, but I'm in the top three favorite, brother Isaac. That's wonderful. But I love Brother Luke, I like his pastor, I love their church, and I sure am glad. One of the things I think that gets under my skin the most, Brother John and I travel, and we've talked about it before, is not just, I'm not talking about our church, but Brother Delbert, at plenty of different churches you go to, there'll be a visitor or somebody will come in that ain't been there in a while, Brother Blake. And everybody comes up to him and says, well, where have you been, stranger? Maybe we should go get a visitor packet. How long has it been since the last time you were here? And try and embarrass them for not being at church. That's the worst thing we could ever do. We ought to tell them, hey, we've been praying for you. We're so glad to see you. Not try and be a smart aleck and get inside of their head and make them think we've been talking about them while they weren't here. You never know what they've been going through. We talked to people today at them banks, and they were telling us stories, and most of the time, it's stuff we've heard before. You know, well, I got this, and I got that, and work, and family. But the truth is, I ain't got a clue, Brother Debra, what they've been through, and they probably got some good reasons for why they ain't at a church, in their mind at least. And the church's job, the church's job is to love on people. And it's dad's job to call people out for not being here. And so we ought to be thankful anytime anybody shows up here, don't you agree? Luke chapter number 16, if you're there, would you say amen? Luke chapter 16 and verse number 19. Luke chapter 16 and verse number 19. It says, There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. 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. And in hell, he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. Don't you like how everything changed when Lazarus was on this earth? He was begging for something from the rich man, but once eternity hit the rich man's begging for something from Lazarus Aren't you glad don't matter what you have down here. It's everything about what we've got over there And I sure am thankful that eternity is the only thing that matters verse number 24 or verse number 25 says but Abraham said son I 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 beside 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 that would come from thence. Then he, talking about the rich man, don't miss this verse. Then he said, I pray thee 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 unto this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. He said, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded. the one rose from the dead. Brother Johnny, would you pray for me if you wouldn't mind? one more time this evening, dear Father. God, we ask you, God, just let the Holy Spirit rest on us tonight here, God. I pray, God, that you touch Brother Tyler, dear Lord, God. God, that you use him in a mighty way here tonight, dear Father, God. God, that you put a head of protection about him, dear Lord, God. God, that you touch his thoughts, his mind, dear Lord, God. God, touch his body, God, that you lend him your power, your strength, that he may stand, God, and preach your word, Father, God. God, I pray that you have your will and have your way in his service, dear Lord, God. God, touch each and every one of us Amen. Thank you. We find here that none of us are strangers to Luke chapter number 16, at least I hope you aren't. And I understand it's a midweek, so stick with me. I ain't preaching a full message on hell, I promise. But we find here in Luke chapter number 16, I'd give you the context, but if you want the context of what's happening up to this point, you should have listened to Brother Luke. He just gave you the chapter before. We find that that chapter before is one of the greatest chapters in the New Testament, the lost and found chapter about the lost silver, the lost sheep, and the lost son. We find that here in chapter number 16 that Jesus is still dealing with the Pharisees. He is still giving out parables, but he gets to the end of this chapter and begins to tell a story about the rich man and Lazarus. We find that as Jesus begins to talk, we know that Jesus often spoke in parables, but do not get it twisted that this is not a parable tonight. This is not a made up story. This is a parable where Jesus would take something carnal and use it to apply to you and I. Spiritually, and that's not a parable here in chapter number 16, but this is a real eyewitness account of what it is like in hell. This is an insight from the Son of God that knows everything, that has seen everything, that created everything. He knows exactly what it's like in hell. In fact, I believe that he's been there, Brother Delbert. But can I say we find that Jesus now is telling us of a poor man by the name of Lazarus and a rich man that's lost and on his way to hell. We find that at the beginning he begins to talk about this man Lazarus that was so poor that he didn't even have food to eat. You'd almost think, Brother Johnny, that he had just financed a car and he was having to make payments. And I feel like Lazarus tonight. We find that Lazarus has nothing on this earth. But somewhere along the line, he must have put his faith and trust in the only thing that matters. Aren't you glad that the Bible still says, brother Bubba, that we are not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold, but with incorruptible things like that precious, precious blood of Jesus Christ. I don't know about you, but I'm glad that my salvation is not standing on a credit score. It's not standing on a number in my bank account. but my salvation is rested on Jesus Christ and Christ alone. On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. I, sir, am thankful tonight that it is not based on what I have, it is not based on what I can do, but it is based off what He did on the hill of Calvary. Aren't you glad for the blood that reaches to the lowest beggar? and flows to the highest of mountains. I'm glad that the blood is able to save anybody, anywhere at any time, no matter what you've done, no matter where you've been. I'm glad that the blood is still enough to save Lazarus and it's still enough to save you. Aren't you glad for the blood tonight? We find that Jesus tells us about Lazarus that dies, and we find that he is carried by angels down to Abraham's bosom. We find that he is resting there with the other saints of God, and it begins to tell us the other side of the story that you usually hear preached on about how the rich man dies, and when he was in hell, he lifted up his eyes. Note that tells us that you are completely conscious when you're in hell. And I understand, I know the majority of the people's testimony in the room, but maybe there's somebody. May I just remind you that hell is forever, that hell is for all of eternity, that hell is a place of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and absolute torment where you'll never get out except for one day where you'll finally get released only to be cast into the lake of fire. And hell is no place to gamble with. You say, but preacher, I made a profession. Preacher, I'm sure everything's all right. This is not a game where you just want to be sure. It is not a thing where you just want to be close. But if you are not 100% positive that you're saved, there's an issue tonight. It's mandatory that you must check up and make sure that you ain't headed to where the rich man was. The Bible tells us that hell hath enlarged herself. You know what that means, Brother Blake, about hell? Hell's a woman, is what it says. Hell hath enlarged herself. But then we find it says it has enlarged itself and it is moving to meet you at its coming. That means that hell is desiring to see you there. If you have never accepted Christ, there is still enough room in hell for you. And there's still enough room under the blood of Christ for you as well. I'm glad we don't believe in limited atonement. Aren't you thankful for that, Brother Delbert? We find that the rich man in hell begins to lift up his eyes, and look with me, if you would, in verse number 24. Verse number 24. says, and he cried and said, Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame. We find that when he first lifts up his eyes in hell we find that he is only worried about one person and that's himself. He begins to say, Abraham, would you send somebody? Is there any hope for me? Is there any help for me? Is there any way that I can get out of here? Is there any way that I can find any relief? And he begins to cry out for grace. And he cries out for mercy. But those of us that know the Bible know that there is no grace and there is no mercy in heaven. I understand the psalm says, if I make my bed in hell, thou art there reminding us of the omnipresence of God that is everywhere all the time. But you better understand there is no grace in hell. There is no love in hell. There is no forgiveness in hell. There is no relief in hell. Hell is a place where you will never find the things that God offers here. It's all gone. God's gift of salvation expires the moment that you end up in hell. Stick with me, we're almost to where I want to get to. We find that he's worried about himself and Abraham reminds him that there is no relief that is coming his way. Notice what happens in the rich man's life. But Johnny, notice what the rich man does. He first cries out for help from who? For himself. And he understands and realizes that he's never getting out. So then notice what he says in verse number 27. Verse number 27, then he said, I pray thee. I pray thee is what the Bible says. He said, I pray thee therefore, Father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house. He's no longer concerned about himself, but he is now concerned about somebody else. We find that the Bible tells us, it says, the rich man prayed. I mean, think about it. He has just realized, Brother Delbert, that there is no hope for himself. He has just realized that there is no way that he's ever going to get out. He has just realized that there is no help or hope for his soul, and it says that he begins to pray. I understand hell is a place where we are separated from God, that the prayers of those in hell are not being heard by the Father, Brother Dale, but I understand all of that. I understand that it is a place of weeping and wailing and all that stuff that I just mentioned, but I find it very peculiar that the rich man in hell, when he realizes, Brother Blake, that he's never getting out, he begins to pray for somebody else. He is praying for others that they don't join him where he's at. And we find that the rich man, when he understands there is nothing he can do for himself, has a burden for somebody else and has more of a burden for lost souls than the majority of church members do. A man that is burning in hell today, right now, right beneath your feet, probably cares more about lost souls than you do, because we're walking in and out of stores, and gas stations don't ever think to say nothing about Christ to nobody. Somebody burning in hell forever, that whether somebody gets saved or not, does not change his outcome, cares about more sinners than half of us do tonight. I mean, think about that. And I got to thinking as I was reading through this text, what if we could hear hell pray tonight, Brother Delpert? I mean, I understand that it's separated from God, but what if we lifted the lid off of hell? And I'm sure there'd be screams, I'm sure there'd be weeping, I'm sure there'd be wailing, but maybe if you sifted through some of the souls, Brother Delpert, there just might be a couple down there that are crying out to a God that'll never hear their prayer and is saying, God, don't let anybody else come here. God, save my family. God, save the children. God, save everybody so that they never have to come where I'm at. What if we could hear hell pray tonight? I mean, don't you agree it would probably change how we go about church if we could hear hell pray? I mean, I'd say it would probably change how many of us are faithful if we could hear hell pray. I would say it'd probably change how you worship if you could hear hell pray. It would probably change how you live your life when you're at the workplace around all the buddies and nobody else can see you that goes to church with you. It'd probably change everything about your life if you could hear hell pray tonight. I guarantee you'd pray more if you could hear how hell prayed. I guarantee you pray harder and more fervent than if you could hear hell pray than you do now tonight. What if we could hear hell pray? It would probably change the complete dynamic of the body of Christ today if for just one minute we could hear hell pray. I mean, to think, we ought to be so sorry and sad. There are probably more sinners underneath you and I, underneath the house of God, that have prayed more in two minutes than we have in two weeks. I mean, think about it. The rich man probably prayed more in two verses than you have in two days. Myself included, Brother Delbert, we get busy and we don't think of it. But a rich man probably prayed longer than a bunch of people that have been saved by the blood of Christ we just shouted about a few minutes back. We ought to be sorry tonight to think that there's more sinners in hell that have more of a burden for lost souls than the church does. I wonder, what if we could hear hell pray, Brother Bob? I want to preach on that thought for just a few minutes tonight, and I'll get out of the way. If I could hear hell pray. Say, if only God would let us hear hell pray for just a minute, I believe it would change the heart and the burden of every saved individual in the room, if we could just hear hell pray. You say, preacher, what would we hear if we could hear hell pray? What are they praying about while they're down in hell, Brother Delbert? I read through this text, and I want to show you three prayer requests. I believe they are taken up and praying over in hell right now as we speak, based off of this story that Jesus Christ has told us. I'll give you these three prayer requests, and I'll take my seat. First, I want you to notice, I believe they are praying that we would put God before the pleasures of sin. I believe they're praying that we put God before the pleasures of sin. Look with me in verse number 19 again if you would. It says, there was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. Go down with me to verse number 25 if you would. It says, But 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. We find that the rich man, given his name that the Bible gives him, was clearly a very wealthy man. It is important to remember he did not go to hell because he was rich. The Bible says it is harder for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. But it does not say it is impossible. There are plenty of rich men, I believe, that have probably accepted Christ as their Savior, guaranteed. I'm sure of it. There's had to have been at least one somewhere along the line. And the rich man did not go to hell because he was rich. He went to hell because he rejected God. that you know what actually is the truth is that I believe 100% the Bible supports that there will be levels of punishment in hell based off how much light you were exposed to. And if the rich man never heard the gospel preached and never ever went to a church and never had anybody knock on his door, hell will be easier on him than it would be if you died and went to hell off a church pew because you've heard the gospel of Christ over and over and over again and you've rejected and rejected and rejected It would be sad to think, but it's Bible, that a serial killer that never heard the gospel that killed 30 people will die and have an easier time in hell than you would because you sat on a church pew and were exposed to the light and denied the light. We find the rich man has rejected Christ as his Savior and he's died and he's went to hell. It says that the rich man was clothed in nice linens, and it says that he ate good food, and I guarantee he had great parties, and I'm sure by the Luke that he had a great time on earth, but I promise you if you could hear him pray for one minute, he'd probably tell you that everything he had wasn't worth any of it tonight. I guarantee, he would say, take me back and put me in Lazarus's spot. And if I can live like Lazarus did, but die and go to heaven, I'd rather have that life than the life that I lived on earth. I promise you if we could hear him pray, they'd probably be yelling at the church saying, hey, won't you put God before the pleasures of sin? And the desires of success to my say don't get me wrong. I understand I'm 100% for working a job and supporting your family and taking care of it dad and I were just talking about it the other day that people will look at you because you're a Full-time preacher and say well if you ain't got a job You ain't preaching at my church. Brother Johnny, if you ain't got a job, you must be an infidel. You must be this or that or this or whatever it may be. But can I say tonight that I'm still working a job, Brother Delbert, as a preacher. It is our job to work and study and pray the Word of God for eight hours at least a day. And that's why we've got such respect for bivocational preachers, because they're working two full-time jobs at the same time, Brother Delper, because they study as much as they work secular. But you better understand that if all you care about is an extra dollar, or if all you care about is giving somebody a bigger gift, or if all you care about is more money so you can gift this, or more money so that you can have this, if that's all you care about tonight, our priorities are messed up if it's pulling you out of the will of God for your life. Say if you are clinging to a dollar bill and you say, I won't give it up even though I know God wants me to preach or God wants me to be able to be at church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Thursday night. God wants me to be able to be there when they go soul winning. God wants me to be there for men's prayer. God wants me to be there for the events that the church puts on. If there's anything that is pulling you out of the things of God, then it's not what God wants in your life tonight. Say, we think, well, God gave me this job. Well, maybe the devil gave you that job to keep you from being faithful to the house of God. Say, you better believe that. I just got on my email the other day, and I got an email from Huntington Banks that I had applied to. before I started as an evangelist, and they sent me a thing. One of the managers there had said that if you'd like to come in, we are hiring, and your name was on the list. I thought, man, that'd be great to have a stable job, be able to stay at home, brother Delbert, not have to worry about dumping more oil in my car than I do gas. That'd be wonderful, but the truth is, that was not God giving me an opportunity to make more money. That was the devil trying to pull me out of the will of God. The Bible still says that the love of money is the root of all evil tonight. We get a desire in our mind from the world. You better understand that hell would come up here and beg us to try and live holy and to live our life in the will of God tonight. say not only do we must understand we've got to put God before success, but also those pleasures of sin that I mentioned, that you better understand that our power comes from the holiness that we live by. The cleaner you live, I believe the more power God will give you in your life. I believe that power is not something that is given from another preacher. I don't believe power is found in a building, or a bottle of oil, or anything else. I don't believe that power is found in how much money you've got, or your status as a preacher, or how good of a church member you are. I believe power is found in the Word of God, in your prayer closet, and in how clean you live your life. There are Christians out there that ain't got a dollar to their name. They'll never even have anybody that knows their name. But they've got twice as much power on their life than I'll ever have. Because they've prayed, they've gotten the Word of God, and they've lived as clean as they can. Say I had a basketball coach in high school that said this phrase. We used to laugh at it, but it's the truth. There is power in purity tonight. There is power in a pure mind. There is power in a pure spirit. There is power in a pure testimony. There is power in a pure thought. There is power in the pure actions. There is power in what you do right by the Word of God. And if you want power as a Christian, I wonder if I were to ask you to raise your hands because everybody's looking. We'd all raise our hands and say, I want power as a Christian. And if you don't, your priorities are mixed up. But I dare to say all of us want a power as a Christian. Power is not just for preachers or singers. It's for a saved child of God so that they have power on their life to see souls converted and to accept Christ so that you've got the Holy Ghost on you when you witness to somebody. We all ought to want power tonight. If you really want power, then you've got to live as clean as you possibly can. Somewhere along the line, we said, how close to the edge can I get instead of how close to the cross can I get? And if you want power, live as clean as you possibly can, and God will give you power tonight. That's Bible. We ought to put God before the pleasures of sin tonight. First I want you to notice we see that they're praying that we would put God before the pleasures of sin But then secondly notice I believe they're praying that we would get in the powerful scriptures tonight They're praying that we'd get in the powerful scriptures look with me in verse number 27 again if you would Notice what it says. It says, then he said, I pray thee, therefore, Father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house. Fry five brethren that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, they of Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. That's the Bible. And he said, nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. That's what the Bible says. Are you still with me? Would you say amen? Amen. Verse 31, 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 find that the rich man pleads with Abraham, and he says, Abraham, if you'd just send Lazarus back to them, if he could resurrect from the dead, brother Delbert, if he could come back to life, I know that they would believe. I know that they would trust you, But the truth is in just a few chapters Jesus Christ is going to be hung on a cross for all to see. Everybody shouted crucify and they watched him die and he gets buried for three days and he resurrects and shows himself openly to at least a thousand some people. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians, there's at least 500, I think, that he showed himself by that weren't even named, Brother Delbert. And he shows himself openly. And when he resurrects, you know what the Bible says, that many other resurrected when he got up and went up and marched over to the temple. And yet, even though the Son of God raised from the dead, there's people that still didn't believe. So don't tell me that if somebody raised from the dead that all of a sudden everybody believed Brother Delper. I mean go back a couple chapters here in the book of Luke and you know what you find? That Jairus rose from the dead. Jairus' daughter rose from the dead and didn't nobody else extra believe just because of that? Lazarus raised from the dead and people came to see him and come to see Christ and there were some that accepted Christ but the truth is it made everybody want to kill him even more. And it says for this reason they sought that they may kill and crucify Christ tonight. So don't tell me that if some miracle happened and somebody rose from the dead and all those stories of the people that died and went to heaven and came back, don't tell me that if something like that happened, all of a sudden everybody believed. Because there've been plenty that were raised from the dead and there's still men that reject God. In fact, if I could go a step farther, the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter number two and verse number one, and you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Where in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. I'll skip down to verse five. It says, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved. and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus tonight. Even you and I have been raised from the dead. We were dead, but the Holy Ghost of God, we accepted Christ as our Savior, and we entered into a new life, and I once was dead, but now I'm alive, being born of the Spirit with a new heart, and the Lord is living on the inside of my heart. I've been raised from the dead. That's what the Bible said. Do you agree? Won't you say amen? Then tell me why when you don't tell somebody your testimony, not everybody falls down and gets saved. Because the truth is, our testimony isn't the thing that's got all the power on it tonight. So how do we see souls saved and accept Christ as their Savior if our testimony doesn't always work? And if somebody's raised from the dead, they won't even believe. Well, it's the same thing Abraham said. He said, you know what they've got that's better than somebody raising from the dead? They've got Moses and the prophets, that's the Old Testament. They've got the Word of God. And Abraham says, if you want to see people saved, then the Christians ought to get the most powerful thing there is, this book tonight. You understand, this is the greatest thing you've got in your life. This Bible is the greatest thing you've got. Bible says in Philippians whereby God has given him a name that is above every name that the name of Jesus every knee should bow every tongue should confess of things in heaven and things on the earth and things under the earth the name of Jesus is the highest thing except for the Word of God Bible says he hath esteemed his that word even above his own name that book is the highest thing in the universe The Bible says it is settled in heaven. His word is settled in heaven. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but God's word shall last forever. It is purified seven times. This is the most powerful thing there is in this world, and we treat it like garbage tonight. I mean, do you agree? I know that it's a little quiet. I'm just about done, I promise. But do we not treat this thing like garbage? I mean, let's just be real for a minute. I've got about seven or eight, well, probably a little bit more than that. I got about 10 to 12 of these things. And most of them sit on a bookshelf. And the one that I read, I don't always read tonight, just being honest with you. I don't always read the Word of God like I should, Brother Delbert, and none of you do either. I promise, I know it. You might not tell me, but I know none of us read it like we do, like we should tonight. But it is where the power is at tonight. Yes, we live clean. Yes, we pray. But if you ain't in this book, none of it matters. None of it matters. I mean, let's just be real, you've got no reason to praise tonight if you aren't in this book. Because you don't praise off how you feel, you praise off what the Word says. And if you don't know what the Word says, what are you shouting about tonight? If we don't read this Bible, then how in the world am I capable enough to go and talk to a sinner that might read the Bible more than I do? How in the world am I gonna have an answer to be able to give them when they ask me what salvation's all about? And we stutter and stammer trying to quote Romans 10, 9, and 10 because that's the only verse we halfway know, but Johnny, this book is where the power is at. Let's say I understand there are churches that are growing with preachers that get up and write three points down and get up and preach one verse out of context, but that's nothing but fluff tonight. I want the real power. Real power comes from the Word of God. You ought to thank God that we've got a pastor that studies 12 hours of message just about and dives down into the Word of God. I mean we sit here and scratch our heads and wonder where in the world's revival at, but the truth is Back when revival came, we didn't have social media, we didn't have televisions, we didn't have phones, and all them old saints of God did was dive into that Word of God, and let it dive into them, and change who they are, and change how they live, and change what they do. The Bible still says, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Are you still with me tonight? This Bible is the most powerful thing we've got in the world. I can get up here and preach with charisma, and I can preach with flash and flair, but without that book, there is no power. You might see character, you might see me pulpiteering and pulling on your heart strings with a story, but without this book, it is nothing tonight. The truth is, the reason why church pews are empty is because the majority of the church is about crust deep into this book, because they have no desire to dive farther in tonight. If we want to be a church that has the power that we pray for, it ain't just going to come some mystical being from the sky come down all of a sudden like electricity. We've got power. I believe that prayer works. But if you want power and you really care about your church, then you get in this book every single day and let it change your life tonight. I used to laugh at it when I was 16, 17, 18. I was the youth pastor here, I was working a job, I was going to school, and I did not have time, Brother Blake, to read my Bible. I would get up on Wednesday, I'd flip and find a verse, write a couple points down on the youth guide to preach to the youth, and I watched as all of a sudden them youth services got to trickling down. Brother Johnny, because I had no power, because I wasn't in the book tonight, but the more you get in this book, it will change your life, I promise. It's the most powerful thing we've got. Say, I sure am thankful that we've got the book. Aren't you glad God gave us a book? Don't you think it's worth more than just getting thrown in the backseat, getting tossed down the coffee table? Don't you think it's worth more than leaving in the pew? This book is the most important thing we've got. Get in it and it'll give you power as a Christian tonight. He's praying, I believe hell's praying that we'd put God before the pleasures of sin. They're praying that we'd get in the powerful scriptures. But then lastly, they are praying that we would go and proclaim salvation tonight. They're praying that we'd go and proclaim salvation. Look at me in verse number 28, if you would. Verse 28, it says, for our five brethren, that he may testify unto them. lest they also come unto this place of torment. Lauren, you come play. I'm just about done, I promise. I'm taking my seat. Notice that the rich man's whole desire and whole heart, Brother Delbert, that he's praying for. is he wants somebody to go and testify to his brothers. He's got five brothers that are lost and on their way to hell, but at this time, if nothing changed, and they live the same way that the rich man lived, they're probably in hell with him right now. And he says, Abraham, would you please ask the Lord to send somebody that'll testify to him? But the truth is, it wasn't Lazarus's job to testify to him anymore. Brother Delbert, Lazarus was dead. It was the Christian's job on that earth. Say if this is happening at the same time that Christ is on earth, that would mean that it is Peter or Paul's job to go and witness to this rich man's brothers, Brother Delbert, if it's happening at the same time. But it was the Christian's job to go and testify to them that Lazarus was dead. They find that the rich man gets to praying. Notice what he's praying for. He says, Father, I don't want to let my brothers come here. He says, Father, would you please don't let my brothers come and join me here. That's been at least 2,000 some years ago, Brother Blake. I mean, at least 2,000 years it's been. His brothers have probably already joined him in hell, Brother Delbert. So what is the rich man praying today? If we could bend down our ear, Brother Johnny, and we could hear what he's praying today, I wonder what he's praying. I mean, think about it. Do you believe, say amen if you believe that hell is forever. Do you agree tonight? Are you still with me? Stick with me for the last little bit. Say amen if you believe that once you're in hell you never get out. That's the truth tonight. So the rich man has been burning in hell for at least 2,000 years, correct? He's there. He's been there. He's still there. Think about this, I was talking with Brother Blake about this message that I was writing on about a year ago. Got to thinking that that rich man was there when he heard Judas drop into hell and start screaming it wasn't worth it. That rich man was there when Agrippa opened up his eyes in hell and screamed out, almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. The rich man heard it that day when Pilate entered into hell and said, what should I have done with a man named Jesus, Brother Delbert? The rich man was there when he heard the rich young ruler cry out and say, it was just too much to give up. It was just too much, but it was worth every penny. I wish I would have accepted Christ. Are you still with me tonight? I mean, think about it. The rich man was there when Nero screamed out and cried out for repentance for all the sins that he had committed and all the Christians he had killed. The rich man heard it when Darwin fell into hell and realized that there really was a God that created everything, including hell tonight. The rich man was there and he heard it when Bon Scott finally found out what was at the end of the highway to hell. He was there when Adolf Hitler realized that he wasn't right about everything. He was there when Stephen Hawking realized that there was one that was smarter than him. He was there when Kobe Bryant died. He was there when sinner after sinner after sinner has lifted up their eyes in hell. for 2,000 years. He's heard scream after scream, Miss Debbie, of lost sinner after lost sinner after lost sinner. I mean, think about what it was like during the Holocaust for the giant when he heard thousands at the same time cry out with the realization of where they were. Think about what he heard on 9-11 when the towers came crashing down and thousands died at the same time and he heard them all scream out at the same time. He has heard sinner after sinner after sinner. I mean, they say that somebody dies every 13 seconds. Could it be that every 13 seconds there's a new scream, with a new story, with a new excuse, but he realizes that they'll never get out? I mean, think about it. Maybe just now there was Rick and a 12-year-old little girl has just rejected Christ, going to middle school. Maybe a freshman in high school just rejected Christ at a youth rally somewhere or at a midweek service, and now they've lifted up their eyes, and she cries out, Daddy! But he understands the rich man knows that Daddy ain't coming to save him, brother Delbert. He knows that she'll never get out, Brother John. Think about it. He just heard an older man that had good grandkids and had a good family, but never truly accepted Christ over and over and over and over again. He has seen sinner after sinner after sinner. Tonight, if you're lost and you die lost, you'll hear your scream one day. I got to thinking, what would the rich man's prayer be now? He used to pray for his five brothers. But if we can lift the lid off hell, Brother Delbert, for just a minute, sift down and find some 2,000-year charred-up soul and pull it up for just a minute, Brother Blake, his prayers properly, God, please don't let there be any more. Probably says something like, I've heard soul after soul. God, my brothers are already here. Please don't let there be anybody else. And he's probably saying, God, kick those Christians in the hind end and tell them to do their job tonight. It is the job of every saved individual in the room to make sure that the rich man doesn't hear another scream. We are the answer to the rich man's prayer. You understand that? That it is our job and it is our duty. The Bible still says, go ye into all the world and tell everybody about Christ, whether it's a homeless man on the side of the road, whether it's a rich man in a palace somewhere. It is the job of every Christian. To come across, every sinner you come across, to tell them about the only thing that will save their life. You ought to be ashamed as a Christian if you never carry a gospel track on you. I mean, we ought to be ashamed tonight if we don't ever have a Bible where we can show somebody, this is the thing that changed my life. Say we act like we've got all this boldness that if the government comes to take our guns, we won't let them. But we ain't got enough boldness to tell somebody about price at a gas station tonight. Priorities are missed. You, if somebody dies and goes to hell in Jackson County, you know whose fault it is. It's our fault. They go to hell, have their own choice, and it's not laid on our account, but we could have told them about Christ, and here we are sitting on our hands, more worried about everything else in the world than we are about seeing a soul saved tonight. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves, don't you agree? That is the reason we are here. I know it's a little bit late, I'm done, I promise. But that is the reason why you're here. You understand that? You got saved to give God glory and to tell others about the grace of Christ. Grace of Christ. Let me ask you this, when's the last time you did it? When's the last time you stepped into a gas station and said, ma'am, it ain't got to be a whole doxology and give her this full testimony report and this and that? When's the last time you looked at a lost person? Brother Bubba, you said, hey, do you know if you were to die right now, you'd go to heaven or go to hell? Let me tell you about what settled it for me tonight. When's the last time you did that? I mean, really, you've probably been to Walmart, to a restaurant, to a store. When's the last time you did it? We ought to be ashamed if there's ever somebody that we don't tell about. I'm not preaching this dogmatically, I don't tell everybody. I thank God we got to tell everybody at the bank today, but I don't always do that tonight. I think we wait for some great spiritual moment. We say, well, I only witness when the Holy Ghost impresses my heart. If you were in that book like I just told you to be, the Holy Ghost would always impress your heart because everybody's got a soul and everybody deserves to hear about God tonight. And ask this, when's the last time you were the answer to a rich man's prayer? He's praying for some Christians to quit being so absorbed in this world, to quit worrying about a number on a pay stub, quit worrying about a house, and quit worrying about gifts, and quit even worrying about everything you've got in your life, and just have a burden for a week for a lost sinner tonight. Even if nobody ever lets you lead them to Christ, I ain't for forcing them into a prayer, but I'm also not for just living a personal evangelism tonight, a lifestyle evangelism where if I live clean enough, they'll see God in me. Now that ain't what God told you to do. He didn't tell you to just live like it and maybe they'll see it in you. He didn't even tell you just to invite them to church. If all we do is knock on doors and say, hey, come to Grace Gospel, we're doing nothing more than showing off a brand and trying to build a business tonight. Trying to grow a number. That ain't what God called us to do. He called us to see souls saved tonight. When's the last time you heard the answer to what hell's been praying? Heads or bowed, eyes are closed, I'm done. I'll ask you this, maybe in here you'd be honest with me. Say, Preacher, I don't know that I'm saved. I've never accepted Christ as my Savior. I'm not 100% positive. Preacher, would you pray for me? I just don't know that I'm saved. Would you slip your hand up and back down just so I can pray for you? Would you just be honest with me? Say, Preacher, I'm not 100% positive. If I were to die, if I'd go to heaven or if I'd go to hell, Preacher, would you pray for me? Nobody's looking around. I won't call you out. Would you just slip your hand up and back down and say, Preacher, pray for me? I ask you this, I ain't gonna ask you to raise your hand, but I ask you this. It'd be good for every Christian, as they sing, to come find a spot on the altar, because none of us live as holy as we should. None of us read the Bible like we should, and none of us witness like we should. So what more do you need to get you to come to an altar tonight? We're all wrong. I'll go find me a spot. Dad's singing. Or else the pastor would find himself a spot, because none of us do what everything that I just preached about. I wonder, Christian, would you come right now, slip out of your seat? Maybe there's a lost person in your life. You need to come down and say, God, give me power on my life so that I can see them going to Him. I wonder, would you come? Christian, what's your excuse for sitting in a pew? I would love to hear it. Maybe you read your Bible eight hours a day. Maybe you live as holy as you can. Maybe you witness to every sinner you see. I aspire to be just like you. But there's some Christians down here that understand that we're all a bunch of failures tonight. I wonder, would you come? Many have come. Would you come tonight? Would you come? If anything, you ought to come and say, God, would you place somebody on my heart that I can see something? God, let me lead one person to Christ before the week's over and the year's out. Many have come. Would you come tonight? Would you come?