How Great a Chasm
Only Jesus can bridge the gap between God and man
SCRIPTURE:
Luke 16:26 NLT - And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.
OBSERVATION:
In Luke chapter 16, Jesus shares another parable—the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. It features one wealthy man and another poor. At first glance, we might assume that only the poor can inherit eternal life, but that's not true. Although one was very rich and the other extremely poor, wealth had nothing to do with the chasm that separated them after death. Both men had the opportunity during their lives to make a choice—not in business, investments, or social status, but in whom they trusted.
We can find a clue in the words, “and besides…” The rich man was in torment, while the poor man was in comfort. Both were descendants of Abraham, but their fates depended on whom they trusted—one trusted in the god of money, the other in the Almighty God.
Earlier in the chapter, Jesus addressed the Pharisees about their true hearts versus their outward appearances.
Luke 16:15 NLT - "You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.”
What matters most is our hearts. Are we just pretending to be something outwardly, while inwardly we are something different? This was the very question Jesus asked the Pharisees. He was teaching about two masters, using money as a comparison to God.
When we serve God, we view money correctly. When we serve money, we see everything the wrong way. The conflict between trusting God and money still exists today.
Jesus explained that the chasm was so wide that no one could cross it—neither the rich with their resources, nor the poor in their suffering, nor the Pharisees or the religious through their self-righteousness. None of them could bridge the gap. Only Jesus could.
Luke 16:16-17 NLT - "Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God's law to be overturned.
This was the turning point. Before John the Baptist, the law was the standard. But with John came the Good News—Jesus would not abolish the law but fulfill it, bridging the great chasm between God and man.
APPLICATION:
You cannot earn, buy, or suffer your way into Heaven. The only path is through Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. It was Jesus who bridged the gap between God and us.
So today, who or what are you trusting to bridge the gap?
Phil Wickham’s song "Living Hope" captures this truth so beautifully.
Luke 16:26 NLT - And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.
OBSERVATION:
In Luke chapter 16, Jesus shares another parable—the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. It features one wealthy man and another poor. At first glance, we might assume that only the poor can inherit eternal life, but that's not true. Although one was very rich and the other extremely poor, wealth had nothing to do with the chasm that separated them after death. Both men had the opportunity during their lives to make a choice—not in business, investments, or social status, but in whom they trusted.
We can find a clue in the words, “and besides…” The rich man was in torment, while the poor man was in comfort. Both were descendants of Abraham, but their fates depended on whom they trusted—one trusted in the god of money, the other in the Almighty God.
Earlier in the chapter, Jesus addressed the Pharisees about their true hearts versus their outward appearances.
Luke 16:15 NLT - "You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.”
What matters most is our hearts. Are we just pretending to be something outwardly, while inwardly we are something different? This was the very question Jesus asked the Pharisees. He was teaching about two masters, using money as a comparison to God.
When we serve God, we view money correctly. When we serve money, we see everything the wrong way. The conflict between trusting God and money still exists today.
Jesus explained that the chasm was so wide that no one could cross it—neither the rich with their resources, nor the poor in their suffering, nor the Pharisees or the religious through their self-righteousness. None of them could bridge the gap. Only Jesus could.
Luke 16:16-17 NLT - "Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God's law to be overturned.
This was the turning point. Before John the Baptist, the law was the standard. But with John came the Good News—Jesus would not abolish the law but fulfill it, bridging the great chasm between God and man.
APPLICATION:
You cannot earn, buy, or suffer your way into Heaven. The only path is through Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. It was Jesus who bridged the gap between God and us.
So today, who or what are you trusting to bridge the gap?
Phil Wickham’s song "Living Hope" captures this truth so beautifully.
How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation, I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness, Your loving kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope – Phil Wickham
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation, I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness, Your loving kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope – Phil Wickham
1 Peter 1:3-5 NKJV - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
What will you put your trust in today?
PRAYER:
Jesus, thank You for bridging the gap—the chasm I could never cross. Keep my heart loyal and my life true. May I always trust You—my Living Hope!
What will you put your trust in today?
PRAYER:
Jesus, thank You for bridging the gap—the chasm I could never cross. Keep my heart loyal and my life true. May I always trust You—my Living Hope!
No effort or wealth can bridge the chasm—only Jesus, our Living Hope, can.
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