Luke.16.19-31;
16th Sunday after Pentecost; September 29, 2019;
Life
in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;a
“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)
Grace
and peace to you from our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ.
My name
is Dives. I was very rich man. I guess you could say I was destined to be rich
and everyone knew it. My parents even gave me a name that means ‘rich.’ Dives
it means – ‘rich.’ But you probably know me as simply the ‘rich man’ from that
story that Jesus told: “The rich man and Lazarus.” Yep, that’s me, ‘the
rich man.’ Oh, how I wish that it wasn’t. But, everything is just as Jesus
said. Notice the story, how Jesus told it. Lazarus is mentioned by name. I’m
simply called ‘a certain rich man.’ You see, Lazarus’ name was written in the
book of life, just like yours, but mine is not.
I was
rich, living a life of luxury in my home. I had everything I wanted; fine
purple linens and great feasts, every day. Oh, what a life it was! I rarely
left home, I didn’t have to. I had everything I needed, right there. And
besides, someone had laid that beggar at my gate. For me to leave I’d have walk
by him and be reminded that he was there. Oh, I knew him well enough, I had
seen him, and I even knew his name, “Lazarus.” Just to hear it turns my
stomach. He was pathetic, lying there with sores all over his body… always
asking for food. One of my servants even had the nerve to offer him the table
scraps. I was infuriated, “What will my dogs eat! Let Lazarus feed himself.” I
just wanted him gone. I asked the house steward to open the gate and let out the
dogs. “Maybe,” I thought, “they’d scare him off.” It was the most pathetic
thing I’ve ever seen. The dogs didn’t attack him. They just went up to him and
licked his sores. Lazarus just lay there… Looking back, those dogs had more
compassion for Lazarus than I did.
I know
what you’re thinking. I’m a pretty vile human being. To treat poor Lazarus that
way… to not care about his pain and hunger… to care more about my dogs than
him… and your right, all of that is true. But, don’t forget, you and I are cut
from the same fabric. We come from the same source. I think more of myself than
anyone else… but let’s face it; it’s the common human condition. When was the
last time you saw someone you just wanted to avoid? Someone in dirty cloths?
Someone whose skin was a little darker than your own? How did you feel about
the person that sat down in the next booth at the restaurant? The person who
ruined your meal, the one you could smell the minute they walked in the door.
You know yourself, just like I know me. I just had the luxury of displaying my
feelings in purple.
I
couldn’t wait for Lazarus to die. Well finally, he was put out of my misery.
One morning I heard that Lazarus was dead. I didn’t usually need any reasons to
party, but I held a feast in his honor, or rather a feast in his absence. I
didn’t know that I would follow so closely after him. I didn’t know that death
would come for me so soon.
Do you
know what the name Lazarus means? It means: “The one whom God helps.” How
ironic it is that even though I was rich, he was the one favored by God. I was
sure that I was the one that God liked best. After all, I was given all those
blessings, money, food, and clothing. And so much of it! Remember the story?
Remember how Jesus describes Lazarus death. "The time came when the
beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side.” What a picture,
poor Lazarus carried off to Abraham’s side by the Holy Angels. It’s the kind of
thing I expected for me. I was treated so well in life; I should be treated
well in death. “The rich man also died and was buried.” Jesus said. That
was it. All my life amounted to, was a hole in the earth.
Don’t
get me wrong; my problems didn’t come because I was rich. My wealth was indeed
a blessing from God. In fact, there are many of God’s faithful people who are
even wealthier than I was. My problem was that I trusted the gifts rather than
the giver. I forgot that I didn’t deserve what I had been given. What I
deserved was to be lying there with Lazarus, sores and all. If it weren’t for
the promises of God, we’d all belong there with Lazarus. He trusted in the
promises of God and I didn’t. He was carried away by the angels to be in
fellowship with God. I was sent to torment.
I can’t
begin to describe my suffering. When I looked up and saw Lazarus there with
Abraham, all I wanted was some small portion of relief. If only I could have a
single drop of water… If only Abraham would send Lazarus here with it… Surely
Lazarus would have at least that much compassion. Surely, he could serve me in
that small way. “Father Abraham!” I cried out. “Sorry, my child.” He said.
“It’s impossible. You had it good in life. Lazarus didn’t. He was lying on your
doorstep; you could have helped him without even going out of your way. But now
it is impossible for him to help you, even if he wished to do so. God has fixed
a great chasm between us. No one can cross it. That was all there was to be
said. I knew I deserved my torment.
It was then, for
the first time ever; I began to think of other people. I had five brothers.
They too were as I was; selfish and not trusting in the promises of God. What
of them? Was there a way to save them? “Father Abraham!” I called out again.
“Send Lazarus to my brothers. They will listen to him. They knew of him; they
saw him lying there by my door. If he is
a witness, they will know.
“They
have already been told,” said Abraham. “They have God’s word through Moses and
the Prophets, they can listen to that.”
“No,” I
insisted. “It will take much more than that. They need someone to come back
from the dead. That will be enough of a sign for them. They will then turn from
their evil ways.”
“Hardly!”
he replied. “If they don’t believe Moses and the prophets, even a resurrection
will not be enough. If God’s word isn’t enough for them, nothing will be.”
That is
how the story goes. I hadn’t believed God’s word. I thought I was blessed by
God already. I hadn’t cared for the people God had placed before me to care
for. God laid Lazarus at my doorstep. I simply stepped over him. God had given me
brothers. I didn’t care for them until it was too late. My destination without
God is this fiery place of torment.
I want
you to think again about what Abraham said to me. 'If they do not listen to
Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from
the dead.' You see the point of this story isn’t about rich verses poor, or
blessings verses curses. It isn’t about what heaven and hell are like. It’s
about the word of God. You see what was true for my brothers, as also true for
me. I knew that they didn’t believe what Moses and the prophets had to say. I
didn’t believe it either. Jesus says that for those who don’t believe, even a
resurrection from the dead won’t be enough. No sign is enough. Jesus walked around the countryside providing proof
after proof, sign after sign, miracle after miracle, but still some refuse to
believe. Even when Jesus was raised from the dead, there were people who still
didn’t believe in him. Jesus used my story to convict the Pharisees and drive
them to repentance. But they had no faith. Just like me they wouldn’t repent.
As for
you, beloved children of God, you are blessed with faith, just like Lazarus.
You hear God’s word regularly and believe it. You gather together to celebrate
Jesus life, death and resurrection. The very same resurrection he talks about
in my story. You have the gift of faith to believe that God sent Jesus to be
your Savior, to suffer and die for you; to win for you forgiveness of your
sins. Jesus Christ took all of them, even the sins that you do that remind you
of me. Even those vile sins Jesus carries to death. On the cross he bears the
sins of the whole world; my sins, and your sins; the selfishness, the lies, and
the evil thoughts against people who are different; your ignoring those who God
has placed right in your way to help. Yes, all those sins go with Jesus into
the grave. In with His resurrection they are gone. You see, the resurrection of
Jesus Christ isn’t just proof of who he is, it’s proof that what he did, he did
for you and for me! Your joy is that your story is already different from mine.
I didn’t believe in God’s Word about Jesus. I didn’t believe that my sins were
forgiven, or even that they needed to be forgiven. I thought I was God’s favorite. As for you,
because of Jesus Christ, because of your faith in what he has done for you, you
will be carried off to Abraham’s side, just like Lazarus. Because of Jesus
Christ you are blessed with gifts that I can only gaze at across a deep and
wide chasm.
At least
you can learn from my story. There are people that God lays at your doorstep,
right in your way, just like He laid Lazarus at mine. There are people all
around you who need the love of God, in Christ Jesus. You know and believe what
God has done for you. You believe the word of Moses and the Prophets. You know
that Jesus died and rose for them too. God has given you many gifts, talents,
money, and time. Use them to reach out to them with his love. For you, God’s
love in Jesus Christ means salvation. Share that Good News with those around
you. Amen.
The
peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Jesus
Christ. Amen.
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