28th April 2026

28th April 2026


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Luke 16v19-31) 


Message (Scott Woodburn)


One of the greatest lies ever told is that this life is all there is. Perhaps you have heard someone urging you to live for today because you are a long time dead? Me too. I'm not against making the most of today but I am incredibly thankful that this world and life is not all we have.


Think for a wee moment about our town of Ballynahinch. I often joke at the expense of the 'Hinch but (don't tell anyone) I have grown to love this place. I love the walk down by the river, I love looking out over the town from the old windmill, I love the history of the place and I love Edengrove. But would I want to live here forever? No way. What about East Belfast? As much as I love home it is not without it's problems.


The next time you have a moment try and take in the world around you. I once found myself in the great city of Rome and was almost overcome by the stench of the place, I walked through Belfast last June and noticed the empty shops and failing infrastructure and I drove up Dromore Street just last week and slowed to watch as the PSNI were dragging someone into a police car. We don't have to look far to see that all is not as it should be upon the earth.


Jesus once told a story about two men who at first glance couldn't be more different. The first man wasn't named but he was dressed in the finest clothing and his table lacked nothing (v19). I often ask people are they living the dream and everyone always says they are. I'm not sure if they're telling the truth but this man truly was living the dream.


The second man lay outside the first man's house and was called Lazarus (v20) which means "God has helped." This story is often seen as a parable which is a story with a deeper and veiled meaning. Jesus frequently told parables but He only ever named one person in a parable. That person was Lazarus and so some have suggested that Jesus was here telling a real life story rather than a parable. Lazarus was certainly not living the dream. His body was covered in sores (v20b) which dogs would come and lick and he was so poor that his daily hope was to be fed with scraps from the rich man's table (v21a).


None of us if we had our choice would want a life like Lazarus, all of us would choose the life of plenty. Yet if both men were separate in life, they were united in death (v22). There is no rhyme or reason to life. Some struggle while others succeed, some never know a day of worry while others weep through the night and some dance a jig on their 90th birthday while others know physical weakness all their days.


What is your life? Just a mist that appears for a time and then is gone (James 4v14). This life isn't all there is and death is not the end. Christ gives meaning to life with all of it's complexities and He gives hope for something greater to come after death. Trust Him.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q53 Which is the third commandment? The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
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