Will Your Name Be Remembered?

Who won the Oscar in 1969 for Best Actor? Which actor has an airport named after them? Which actor was known as The Duke? If you answered John Wayne for all three of these questions you would be correct. John Wayne won an Oscar for Best Actor in 1969 for True Grit. He died in 1979 and Orange County renamed the airport John Wayne Airport that same year and he was known as The Duke. I wonder if Millennials even know who John Wayne was and I’m sure a very small number even care. So if he’s barely remembered (by young people) now 35 years after his death, will he be remembered in 50 more years?

John Q. Hammons died about a year ago. People in Springfield, MO obviously know who he was. A street is named after him as well as several buildings. But in 50 years or 100 years when the buildings are renamed or torn down, will anyone really remember him? All of the millions of dollars that he donated will be forgotten.

What about you? Will you be remembered? Will you be remembered in 50 years? 100 years? 200 years? Will your name be remembered? I want to read a story in the Bible that Jesus told in Luke 16. Please notice that a couple of people in this story are named by their proper names. This is not a parable. Check the New Testament out; Jesus never gave a proper name to anyone that He talked about in His parables. So the story He tells here is not a parable. It is real.

Please read these words in Luke 16:19-31. 19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 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;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 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.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

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.

Please notice that Jesus names the beggar Lazarus and He names Abraham by name; both of whom are in Heaven. A place that is not a metaphor, not an idea, not a place in your mind, but a real place – Heaven. But the rich man, the one burning in Hell, the one in torments, the one who is now the beggar, the one who is now begging for just a drop of water from the tip of the finger of Lazarus, remains unnamed. The rich man who ignored God during his cushy life on earth, is now ignored by the great Creator. God’s mercy, God’s love, God’s goodness has been removed from the rich man.

The rich man says that he is tormented. He’s asking for a drop of water. Can you imagine how unfulfilling one drop of water would be? Doesn’t that show you how terrible Hell really is? The rich man is in so much pain that he’s begging for just a drop of water to cool his tongue. You and I would scoff at the offer of a mere drop of water.

Will you join the rich man some day? On the day that you die? It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Will you continue down the broad road to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14)? Will you continue loving your sins? Will you continue rebelling against almighty God? Will you die in your sins and suffer pain and agony forever and ever? Will you suffer eternal damnation (Matthew 18:8)? For what? For a little bit of worldly pleasures?

You will not be remembered in Hell. Only followers of Jesus Christ will be remembered. Only those who have repented from their sins by turning away from their sins will be remembered. Only those who have put their faith, their trust in Jesus Christ our Lord will be remembered. Will you be remembered? For eternity? Only those whose names are written in the Lambs book of life will be remembered (Revelation 20:11-15). Only those who are truly saved will be called friend by Jesus. If your name is not written down in the Lambs book of life, then on Judgment Day, Jesus will look at you and tell you “depart from Me, you worker of iniquity.” Then His angels will cast you into the lake of fire and brimstone where you will be forgotten.

But you won’t forget. You will be weeping and gnashing your teeth (Luke 13:28). You will cry out for death, but it will never come. You will beg for mercy, but mercy will never come. You will cry out for help, but no one will ever help you. You will beg for the words of God to leave you alone, for them to just stop for a moment, but they will not stop. God’s words of truth will never leave you alone. Every time that you have heard the Gospel truth will haunt you forever and ever.

You will suffer and suffer and suffer without any break, not for a single second (Revelation 14:11). You will be forgotten. You will remain nameless. You have no idea how horrible this fate will be. Have you ever been where it was so dark you could feel the darkness? That’s not even close to being where God is not present. Have you ever been in so much pain that all you could do is gnash your teeth together?

Even if you hate God today, God is merciful to you. God gives you every breath that you take. You live on God’s planet. You enjoy God’s wonderful provisions. You enjoy God’s great gifts, each and every moment. Yes, you are taking advantage of God’s goodness, even if you don’t acknowledge Him at this moment. But in Hell, you will have none of these things.

So will you continue rejecting the King of kings and the Lord of lords? Will you continue rebelling against the great God of Heaven and earth? Will you continue hardening your heart? Will you continue mocking and scoffing God? Will you die in your sins? If none of this bothers you today, just keep on walking on the broad road to destruction. Ignore the pleas to get right with God. But know that you have been warned. You will be without excuse on Judgment Day.

But if you have even a flicker of a conscience, if you have a tinge of guilt over your sins, if you recognize that you are a sinner who needs to be saved, then there is Good News. You can be saved and Jesus is the only Savior. Cry out to God to save you. Turn away from your sins and turn to Jesus. Put your faith in Jesus Christ. Do this today and be saved. Be saved today and your name will be written in the book of life, where your name will be remembered; where you will be known for ever. Choose life today, everlasting life. Spend eternity with our great Savior; King Jesus.