Jesus relates the following story in the gospel of Luke: "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house - for I have five brothers - so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" (Luke 16:19-31, ESV)
There are several important points in this story: (1) Lazarus didn't live across town; he was someone the rich man saw every day when he walked through the gate to his house. The rich man was aware of Lazarus but did nothing to help him. It's obvious he didn't do much to help anyone else since he was busy feasting sumptuously every day. (2) Notice the reversal of fortune when both men die: the rich man is tormented while Lazarus is comforted in the bosom of Abraham. Surely the rich man's selfish and uncaring attitude in this life was the reason for his agony in the next life (see Matthew 25:31-46). (3) Your place in the next life is fixed forever: there's no passing from heaven to hell or vice versa. Prayer or baptism for the dead is pointless; it won't affect their status in the next life. (4) If someone refuses to listen to Moses and the prophets, nothing will convince them to repent. Jesus is also making another point: many of the Jews rejected him as the Messiah, even though they had the writings of Moses and the prophets which clearly foretold his coming - not as an earthly king but as a suffering servant. Jesus is saying that since they refused to believe what Moses and the prophets said about him, they still won't believe he is the son of God even after his resurrection from the dead.
This story should make us all stop and think. Consider each of the four points above: (1) the average person in the USA lives more like the rich man than Lazarus. Many of our complaints are about "first world problems": taxes, traffic, politics, etc. The primary concern of most people in third world countries is having enough to eat. The poor and sick may not be lying at our gate, but we see them on TV so we know they exist. (2 & 3) Our actions determine our fate and it cannot be altered after we die. Therefore, now is the time for change. Don't say "I'll help the sick and the needy tomorrow" or "I'll start reading the Bible next week" or "I'll think about becoming a Christian at some point". You may not be here tomorrow. As the old saying goes, don't wait for six strong men (i.e. pallbearers) to carry you to church. (4) Jesus is the son of God whether men believe it or not. If someone refuses to accept the truth, does their refusal make it any less true? Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die." (John 11:25-26, NASB) Love it or hate it, that's the truth.
