LESSON 16: The Kind Path to Heaven

(Luke 16:19-31)

Have you ever wondered about heaven? What’s it like? How do we get there? These are big questions, and Jesus loved to share stories to help us understand. Today, we’ll hear a special story about two men and the choices they made.

Once upon a time, there was a very rich man who lived in a huge, fancy house. He wore shiny clothes, ate delicious meals, and had helpers who did everything for him. Every day felt like a party for him!

Right outside his gate lived a poor man named Lazarus. He was sick, with sores all over his body, and he lived in a tiny shack. Lazarus hoped to eat even the crumbs from the rich man’s table because he had so little. Sometimes, dogs would come and lick his sores, which made him feel even lonelier.

One day, Lazarus passed away. He had no family or friends to give him a big funeral. But guess what? God never forgets those who need help. When Lazarus died, sparkling angels swooped down from heaven and carried him to a cozy, joyful place with Abraham, a great friend of God. There, Lazarus was happy and safe forever.

Not long after, the rich man also died. Oh, what a big funeral he had! People came from far and wide, singing songs and talking about how important he was. But his soul didn’t go to heaven. Instead, he ended up in a place of sadness and pain called hell.

In heaven, there’s love, laughter, and peace. But in hell, there’s only sorrow. From far away, the rich man looked up and saw Lazarus smiling happily with Abraham. He was so thirsty and called out, “Please, Abraham, send Lazarus to bring me some water!”

But Abraham shook his head kindly and said, “When you were alive, you had everything you wanted, but you didn’t share with Lazarus, who had nothing. Now he’s happy here, and you’re in pain. Besides, there’s a big gap between us, so no one can cross over.”

So, Lazarus stayed in the warmth of heaven, while the rich man stayed in sadness. The rich man probably wished he had made different choices. He kept all his riches to himself and didn’t help anyone, not even Lazarus, who was right at his gate.

This story teaches us something important: God gives us so many good things, like food, toys, and love. When we share those gifts with others—especially people who don’t have much—God sees our kind hearts. That’s the path to heaven!