The Rich Man And Poor Beggar
Preaching
Preaching the Parables
Series II, Cycle C
Object:
19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine
linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate
lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even
the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22The poor man died and
was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man
also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was being
tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by
his side. 24He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me,
and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool
my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' 25But Abraham
said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received
your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now
he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26Besides all this,
between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those
who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one
can cross from there to us.' 27He said, 'Then, father, I beg you
to send him to my father's house-- 28for I have five brothers--
that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this
place of torment.' 29Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the
prophets; they should listen to them.' 30He said, 'No, father
Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will
repent.' 31He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and
the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone
rises from the dead.' "
Walk down the streets of certain sections of most major cities and you are most likely to be accosted by a person asking for money to buy a cup of coffee or a sandwich. For many that is a problem. They feel some compassion for the street people who look as though they have need. Nevertheless, they wonder if giving money is really helping the person since they suspect that the money will be used for buying cheap wine rather than for food or coffee.
In some cities a group has arranged to provide "chits" which can be purchased. They can then be given to such beggars who can redeem them at a restaurant only for food or a nonalcoholic beverage. Some people who have frequent occasion to be in such areas carry cards with the name and address where needy persons can get a meal and a bed, or perhaps help from a social welfare agency.
Persons familiar with the parable in today's lesson are probably uneasy with any answer to the appeal from such persons. They don't want to be like the rich man, but they also don't want to perpetuate a problem which a handout will aggravate rather than solve.
Context
Context of Luke 16
Luke has Jesus' reactions to the Pharisees who loved wealth. The chapter begins with the parable of the manager who takes advantage of his power to gain friends by rewriting contracts favorable to debtors. That leads into teachings about the use of money for kingdom purposes. The chapter concludes with the parable of the rich man and his treatment of a poor beggar which is the focus of this chapter.
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15) Jeremiah was called to prophecy when Jerusalem was under siege by Nebuchad- nezzar, king of Babylon, during the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. Jeremiah's cousin Hanamel came to him, wanting him to buy land in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. Because of family connections Jeremiah had the right to redeem the land by purchase. It seemed like an exercise in futility while under the occupation by the Babylonians. Jeremiah bought the land and gave instructions for the deed to be placed in a secure place. It was an acted prophecy of his faith that the Lord would keep his people when buying and selling of land would again be a normal activity.
The Second Lesson. (1 Timothy 6:6-19) Timothy is admonished to find contentment in his attitude toward money. He is not to put his faith in such riches. He is warned against those who are trapped by their incessant preoccupation with the desire for riches. Included is the often misquoted saying about the love of money (not money itself necessarily) being the source of many evils. The writer goes on to urge the seeking of spiritual values that are immortal rather than money which belongs only to the present age.
Gospel. (Luke 16:19-31) The parable of the rich man and the poor beggar is told. It contrasts the reversal of roles between those who misuse wealth in this life and the state when considered from an eternal point of view.
Psalm. (Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16) The psalm is a statement that those who trust in God will be vindicated. Despite all the dangers and difficulties of life, God will preserve those who trust in the Lord. When they call for help, they will be protected. They are assured of long life and salvation.
Context of Related Scriptures
Isaiah 13:14 -- Persons unable to live with everlasting flames.
Isaiah 16:24 -- A fire that cannot be quenched.
Matthew 3:9 -- John the Baptist calls people not to say "Abraham is our father."
Matthew 10:42 -- Giving a cup of water in the name of a disciple.
Matthew 15:26-27 -- Dogs eating crumbs.
Luke 3:8 -- People are not to appeal to Abraham as their father.
Luke 6:21, 25 -- Blessed are those who hunger, woe to the rich.
John 5:45-47 -- The people's accuser is Moses.
John 8:39 -- The people claim Abraham as their father.
John 11:1-44 -- The raising of Lazarus.
Acts 3:1-10 -- Peter and John heal the lame beggar as better than giving silver or gold.
Acts 15:21 -- Moses had been proclaimed in the synagogues.
Revelation 20:14-15 -- A lake of fire.
Content
Precis of the Parable
The parable takes place in two scenes. The first is while a royally clad rich man enjoys a banquet. At the gate of his house lies a poor beggar named Lazarus. He is covered with sores and his deplorable state is emphasized by the picture of dogs licking his sores. He lives on the bread that is tossed from the table by the rich man. Both men die.
The second scene shows the rich man in the place of torment. He sees Lazarus across a gulf in the bosom of Abraham. He appeals for Lazarus to come and put some water on his lips to relieve his agony. Abraham tells him that Lazarus cannot bridge the gulf that lies between them. The rich man then pleads that his five brothers be warned of the consequences of their lifestyle. He argues that if someone comes from the dead they will believe. That argument is refuted with the observation that they have had plenty of warning in the law and the prophets. If they do not believe them, even a messenger from the dead will not convince them.
Thesis: A person whose life is invested in self-indulgence cannot achieve eternal blessing.
Theme: Riches, if not used to meet human needs, are a false basis for life.
Key Words in the Passage
1. "A Rich Man." (v. 19) While the beggar is given a name, the rich man is not named, allowing the hearer to identify with him. He is traditionally called Dives, which comes from the Latin word for "rich."
2. "Dressed in Purple." (v. 19) Purple was the color of royalty. It is a color that is hard to get right but has a rich tone if at its best.
3. "Fine Linen." (v. 19) Linen probably came from Egypt. It indicates sumptuous living. Ordinary people could not afford such expensive imported clothes.
4. "Lazarus." (v. 20) The name is the Greek form of the Hebrew "Eleasar." It means "God helps" or "One who God has helped." It is the only instance in a parable where Jesus gives a name to one of the characters.
5. "The Dogs." (v. 21) For the Jews, dogs were not man's best friend. They were viewed as an unclean animal. Lazarus' deplorable situation is indicated when only dogs ministered to his sores.
6. "To Be with Abraham." (v. 22) The Greek says that Lazarus was in the bosom of Abraham. That signifies that he was included in the covenant God had made with Abraham. It was a state of blessing.
7. "Died and was Buried." (v. 22) The rich man had people to give him a proper burial. That contrasts with Lazarus. He had to be carried in death by the angels. He had no family or friends to bury him.
8. "In Hades." (v. 23) Hades increasingly became understood by the Jews as the abode of the dead who did not enjoy the blessing of God. It was frequently identified with the valley of Gehenna on the outskirts of Jerusalem. It became the trash dump. It burned constantly with flames and acrid smoke that offended the nostrils Thus Hades became the trash dump of history.
9. "A Great Chasm." (v. 26) Just as in life Lazarus was outside the gate, so in eternity the two men were separated by a chasm that could not be crossed. The state of being of those who are self-indulgent separates them from the needs of the world. That determines their state eternally.
10. "They Have Moses and the Prophets." (vv. 29, 31) The guide for understanding the covenant with God was found in the law and the books of the prophets. If persons did not understand and live in faithfulness to their instructions about God and relationship to their neighbor, they lacked the spiritual sensitivity to respond even to a miracle of resurrection.
Contemplation
Issues and Insights
1. The Nature of Hell. A recent survey of Methodist ministers indicated that not many of them preach about Hell as a place of fire, brimstone, and acrid sulfuric smoke. The survey of Methodist ministers also revealed that the most typical belief about the consequences in the afterlife for those whose lives were evil and were unrepentant was annihilation or non-existence.
The Church of England (Episcopal) was also recently reported to have rejected what it describes as a sadistic view of Hell with fire and torment. While offering a belief in Hell, they would deem it better to be viewed as annihilation of those who have so distanced themselves from God by choosing to oppose absolutely and irrevocably that which is of God that they no longer have eternal being.
A check of a Sunday school class also showed that no member present could recall any recent sermon preached describing the nature of Hell in graphic terms of fire and physical torment.
In this parable Jesus seems to accept a state of conscious existence in the afterlife both for the person whose life is primarily spent in self-indulgence and for the person who suffered in this life blessing.
Is Jesus just using metaphor to describe the spiritual state of being, or does he propose an actual physical place of fire and torment?
2. Riches as a Curse. The parable would suggest that riches and the opulent life are themselves a curse. The parable does not indicate that the rich man gained his wealth in any evil or unjust way. Nothing is said about his doing anything bad, such as robbing, stealing, or murder. His fault seemed to be only in his enjoyment of pleasures and his ignoring of the human need at his own gate.
Are riches inherently a curse, or is it the way the riches are acquired or used that causes guilt? Do riches, regardless of how acquired, tend to lead to the kind of self-indulgent life portrayed in the parable? Is it almost inevitable that people who have riches will become addicted to a lifestyle that leads them to be insulated, if not alienated and isolated, from the needs of the world around them?
Is it possible to overcome the tendencies of the misuse of riches by conscious effort and determined practices of staying in touch with the needy and the victims of injustices and oppression? How does the church help the rich to resist the pressures of riches that lead life to the wrong ends?
3. Moral and Spiritual Sensitivity. Jesus suggests that persons who have grown insensitive to moral and ethical requirements in life cannot be redeemed. Even a message from the grave will not change them. The parable says that the brothers who were presumably enjoying the rich life no longer were morally and spiritually responsive. They did not let the messages of Moses and the prophets affect them. Not even a person returning from the dead could alter their behavior.
Is the gate which kept Lazarus removed from the presence of the feasting symbolic of the way people set up barriers to keep the needs of others out of their awareness? Can anything be done to resensitize those who have become hardened to moral and spiritual sensitivities? Can it only be done by removing the riches and reducing such persons to poverty? Are preaching and teaching futile with such persons? Is parable a way to reach them?
4. The Finality of Death. Some people believe God is so loving and compassionate that even the most evil persons will be given opportunity to repent after death and achieve salvation. They believe in universal salvation eventually.
Others believe in an ultimate justice. Those who do not realize the blessings of life before death will receive it in the afterlife. Those who seem to have blessings in this life despite their evil deeds will be punished for them after death. If God is just and moral, retribution must be required either in this life or in the afterlife. Otherwise we do not live in a moral universe and anything is allowed.
It is my understanding that Mormons believe that they can perform a rite of baptism for the dead which affects the eternal salvation of persons. They are gathering genealogical records so that they can baptize as many persons as possible into salvation, even after death. Some people have objected to this practice without the permission of the living relatives of these people.
Can God be loving and righteous without requiring ultimate retribution for those who are unrepentant before death? Is the state of being determined finally by what is accomplished in this life only?
Homily Hints
1. By the Side of Abraham. (v. 21) Use the sermon to deal with what it means to covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as understood by Jesus.
A. Identified with the Poor. Jesus identified with Lazarus in his need, rather than with the rich man who ignored him. How do we do the same?
B. A God of Compassion. God suffers with those who suffer in the world. How do we share God's suffering and seek to alleviate it?
C. A God of Generosity. God provides a world of abundance, but people help to distribute it according to the needs of all people. What is our responsibility as agents of God?
2. The Great Chasm. (v. 26) What is it that divided the rich man from Lazarus?
A. The Rich Man's Choice. The rich man chose to ignore human need at this gate. Do we ignore such need also?
B. God's Choice. God chose the lowly beggar for blessing while the rich man alienated himself from God by his actions or lack of them.
C. Our Choice. The choice can be deliberate acts of evil or by default when human need is ignored or when it can be met by the abundance given a person.
3. The Failure of Scripture. (vv. 29-31)
A. Knowledge is Insufficient. People may be well versed and able to quote the law and the prophets and still fail to act.
B. Profession of Resurrection. It is not enough to profess the doctrine of resurrection, heaven, and hell. A life must accord with the reality of Christ as Lord in practice as well as in profession of belief.
C. Scripture Not Self-Authenticating. Scriptures do not automatically convince everyone, even though it is powerful for many. They must be made real and personal to people and appropriated into life as exemplified by Christ and others.
4. Reading Your Obituary. (vv. 22-31) How do people want their obituary to read?
A. Like Lazarus' Obituary. Will the obituary read that the person is carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham? If so, why? What would be important enough in eternity to matter?
B. Like the Rich Man's Obituary. Is all that can be said in an obituary that the person died and was buried?
C. A Meaningful Obituary. What kind of an obituary would provide a witness for the God of Abraham and a warning to those who survive?
5. From Beyond the Grave. (vv. 22-31) Why is the doctrine of resurrection important?
A. A Seal on Jesus' Life. It is not just that Jesus was resurrected. It confirms the life he led and the message he proclaimed.
B. The Conquest of Evil. It witnesses to the power of God to overcome the worst of evil in the world, even death itself.
C. The Eternity of Truth. Truth does not depend on the existence or defense of any person. God has built it into the very nature of being. No one can destroy it even if the purveyor of truth is killed.
Contact
Points of Contact
1. What Kind of Sign? What kind of signs do people need to convince them of the reality of the kingdom of heaven? Jesus in his lifetime carried on a ministry of teaching, of proclamation, and of healing. His preaching and teaching were not just academic exercises. He did not just intellectualize. He translated what he said into a life of servanthood. He ministered to the sick, the poor, the sinners, the bereaved, and the alienated. He showed compassion and love to those who were in need and receptive to his ministry.
Jesus was so convinced of the truth of his message and of his trust in the God he professed that he faced death confident that his faith would be vindicated. The cross is a sign to people not just because he died and was buried. Others died on crosses for their convictions, but they died because they were committed to nationalism and to self-interest. The innocent death of Jesus stirs people to his message because his life vindicated it and his death crowned it.
The witness of a person's life should transcend death. Persons should show a conviction of the reality of spiritual existence in such a manner as to be convincing to others.
2. Poverty and Plenty. Poverty is not necessarily a sign that God has rejected the poor persons. Poverty may be a sign that something is wrong with the system. It may be a result of people using the abundance of creation so that not enough is available for everyone. If some acquire to excess and others do not have enough, the system of rewards and distribution needs adjustment.
Poverty may also be a sign of waste. People may use up more than their fair share needed to sustain life. That does not leave enough for others of the present or future generations. History gives plenty of evidence of destructive practices in the past which make the earth unproductive today. Christians should practice stewardship of resources, not just for immediate needs. They need to look to the future as well.
Poverty may be a sign of opportunity. The poverty of others presents people with occasions for learning the meaning of service in love. People can only be sure that their love is real when it costs them something to serve someone who cannot return anything to the giver. Otherwise our serving may only be a disguised form of serving ourselves. It is not then the kind of divine love that gives without expecting or requiring something in return.
3. Separation from God. Hell is an existence separated from God. Hell is not a state arrived at only after death. It is the state persons choose when they have opportunities to live in fellowship with and obedience to God.
Heaven is living a life that is given meaning and value by taking on the characteristics of God as demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ. It is also not a state of being that is only realized after death. It is experienced already in the present life.
Christians who are already living in the kingdom of heaven know that they would be unhappy and dissatisfied if they lived in any other way. They witness and invite others to find the same meaningful life. They testify to their belief that life adds up to exactly zero unless it is lived in faithful service to God and to the needs of others. That is also the warning they have heard that comes from life and not from death.
Points to Ponder
1. "Trickle-Down" Economics. The rich man's help to Lazarus represented a kind of trickle-down program at the local level. The rich people used bread to wipe their fingers as they ate at a sumptuous banquet. Lazarus fed on the bread that was discarded. That practice was probably also the allusion the Canaanite woman made when she told Jesus, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table" (Matthew 15:27).
Is the trickle-down way of trying to help the poor a Christian way to deal with the problem? Should only our cast- offs be the way to help the poor? Should more direct methods of helping them to meet their needs be sought in Christian economics?
2. Pharisees and Wealth. In the introduction to the parable Luke says that the Pharisees were lovers of money and ridiculed Jesus for his teachings about wealth (Luke 16:14). The parable is a condemnation of their preoccupation with riches while missing the attitude which they should have toward the poor.
What are the modern equivalents to the poor that may be found in our society? Does the church take a different view with regard to welfare and other programs to meet the needs of the poor? Some politicians suggest that the needs of the poor should be left to the charitable actions of the churches. Can the Christian churches meet all such needs? What should be the church's and the Christian's role in calling the larger society to exercise compassion toward people in need?
Illustrative Materials
1. Self-Indulgence. A person wrapped in self is too small a package for eternity. Christians choose God over gold and all it represents as the first priority in life.
2. Extreme Poverty. Each morning the bodies of poor who died overnight on the streets of Calcutta are gathered to be disposed of.
One of the first victims of the frigid Arctic air that blanketed much of the Unites States in late January and early February of 1996 was a homeless man who froze to death on a city street.
3. Learning Poverty. Some Christian young people have been sent to Skid Row in Chicago to learn what it means to live on the street. They are only given enough money to make a phone call if they are really in desperate straits or cannot persist through several days. They have agreed to live that way for a short period of time to find out what life is like for such people. Many of them report a kind of camaraderie there. They report that they can never treat the people who ask for a handout the same again.
Do we need such experiences to learn compassion for the Lazaruses of our day?
4. The Plight of Children. The Children's Defense Fund reports that in America every 98 minutes a child is shot and killed; every day more than 8,000 children are reported abused or neglected; and every year nearly 35,000 infants die before their first birthday.
The Fund also reports that ten million American children have no health insurance; fourteen million low-income children suffer hunger; and 100,000 children go to bed homeless every night.
Is rich America headed for the destiny that the rich man suffered for ignoring Lazarus' need?
5. Disparities of Wealth. In the United States the disparity between the rich and poor has increased dramatically. It has been reported that from 1975 to 1992 the poorest ten percent of Americans had an eleven percent drop in real income. At the same time the richest ten percent gained an eighteen percent increase.
Walk down the streets of certain sections of most major cities and you are most likely to be accosted by a person asking for money to buy a cup of coffee or a sandwich. For many that is a problem. They feel some compassion for the street people who look as though they have need. Nevertheless, they wonder if giving money is really helping the person since they suspect that the money will be used for buying cheap wine rather than for food or coffee.
In some cities a group has arranged to provide "chits" which can be purchased. They can then be given to such beggars who can redeem them at a restaurant only for food or a nonalcoholic beverage. Some people who have frequent occasion to be in such areas carry cards with the name and address where needy persons can get a meal and a bed, or perhaps help from a social welfare agency.
Persons familiar with the parable in today's lesson are probably uneasy with any answer to the appeal from such persons. They don't want to be like the rich man, but they also don't want to perpetuate a problem which a handout will aggravate rather than solve.
Context
Context of Luke 16
Luke has Jesus' reactions to the Pharisees who loved wealth. The chapter begins with the parable of the manager who takes advantage of his power to gain friends by rewriting contracts favorable to debtors. That leads into teachings about the use of money for kingdom purposes. The chapter concludes with the parable of the rich man and his treatment of a poor beggar which is the focus of this chapter.
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15) Jeremiah was called to prophecy when Jerusalem was under siege by Nebuchad- nezzar, king of Babylon, during the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. Jeremiah's cousin Hanamel came to him, wanting him to buy land in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. Because of family connections Jeremiah had the right to redeem the land by purchase. It seemed like an exercise in futility while under the occupation by the Babylonians. Jeremiah bought the land and gave instructions for the deed to be placed in a secure place. It was an acted prophecy of his faith that the Lord would keep his people when buying and selling of land would again be a normal activity.
The Second Lesson. (1 Timothy 6:6-19) Timothy is admonished to find contentment in his attitude toward money. He is not to put his faith in such riches. He is warned against those who are trapped by their incessant preoccupation with the desire for riches. Included is the often misquoted saying about the love of money (not money itself necessarily) being the source of many evils. The writer goes on to urge the seeking of spiritual values that are immortal rather than money which belongs only to the present age.
Gospel. (Luke 16:19-31) The parable of the rich man and the poor beggar is told. It contrasts the reversal of roles between those who misuse wealth in this life and the state when considered from an eternal point of view.
Psalm. (Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16) The psalm is a statement that those who trust in God will be vindicated. Despite all the dangers and difficulties of life, God will preserve those who trust in the Lord. When they call for help, they will be protected. They are assured of long life and salvation.
Context of Related Scriptures
Isaiah 13:14 -- Persons unable to live with everlasting flames.
Isaiah 16:24 -- A fire that cannot be quenched.
Matthew 3:9 -- John the Baptist calls people not to say "Abraham is our father."
Matthew 10:42 -- Giving a cup of water in the name of a disciple.
Matthew 15:26-27 -- Dogs eating crumbs.
Luke 3:8 -- People are not to appeal to Abraham as their father.
Luke 6:21, 25 -- Blessed are those who hunger, woe to the rich.
John 5:45-47 -- The people's accuser is Moses.
John 8:39 -- The people claim Abraham as their father.
John 11:1-44 -- The raising of Lazarus.
Acts 3:1-10 -- Peter and John heal the lame beggar as better than giving silver or gold.
Acts 15:21 -- Moses had been proclaimed in the synagogues.
Revelation 20:14-15 -- A lake of fire.
Content
Precis of the Parable
The parable takes place in two scenes. The first is while a royally clad rich man enjoys a banquet. At the gate of his house lies a poor beggar named Lazarus. He is covered with sores and his deplorable state is emphasized by the picture of dogs licking his sores. He lives on the bread that is tossed from the table by the rich man. Both men die.
The second scene shows the rich man in the place of torment. He sees Lazarus across a gulf in the bosom of Abraham. He appeals for Lazarus to come and put some water on his lips to relieve his agony. Abraham tells him that Lazarus cannot bridge the gulf that lies between them. The rich man then pleads that his five brothers be warned of the consequences of their lifestyle. He argues that if someone comes from the dead they will believe. That argument is refuted with the observation that they have had plenty of warning in the law and the prophets. If they do not believe them, even a messenger from the dead will not convince them.
Thesis: A person whose life is invested in self-indulgence cannot achieve eternal blessing.
Theme: Riches, if not used to meet human needs, are a false basis for life.
Key Words in the Passage
1. "A Rich Man." (v. 19) While the beggar is given a name, the rich man is not named, allowing the hearer to identify with him. He is traditionally called Dives, which comes from the Latin word for "rich."
2. "Dressed in Purple." (v. 19) Purple was the color of royalty. It is a color that is hard to get right but has a rich tone if at its best.
3. "Fine Linen." (v. 19) Linen probably came from Egypt. It indicates sumptuous living. Ordinary people could not afford such expensive imported clothes.
4. "Lazarus." (v. 20) The name is the Greek form of the Hebrew "Eleasar." It means "God helps" or "One who God has helped." It is the only instance in a parable where Jesus gives a name to one of the characters.
5. "The Dogs." (v. 21) For the Jews, dogs were not man's best friend. They were viewed as an unclean animal. Lazarus' deplorable situation is indicated when only dogs ministered to his sores.
6. "To Be with Abraham." (v. 22) The Greek says that Lazarus was in the bosom of Abraham. That signifies that he was included in the covenant God had made with Abraham. It was a state of blessing.
7. "Died and was Buried." (v. 22) The rich man had people to give him a proper burial. That contrasts with Lazarus. He had to be carried in death by the angels. He had no family or friends to bury him.
8. "In Hades." (v. 23) Hades increasingly became understood by the Jews as the abode of the dead who did not enjoy the blessing of God. It was frequently identified with the valley of Gehenna on the outskirts of Jerusalem. It became the trash dump. It burned constantly with flames and acrid smoke that offended the nostrils Thus Hades became the trash dump of history.
9. "A Great Chasm." (v. 26) Just as in life Lazarus was outside the gate, so in eternity the two men were separated by a chasm that could not be crossed. The state of being of those who are self-indulgent separates them from the needs of the world. That determines their state eternally.
10. "They Have Moses and the Prophets." (vv. 29, 31) The guide for understanding the covenant with God was found in the law and the books of the prophets. If persons did not understand and live in faithfulness to their instructions about God and relationship to their neighbor, they lacked the spiritual sensitivity to respond even to a miracle of resurrection.
Contemplation
Issues and Insights
1. The Nature of Hell. A recent survey of Methodist ministers indicated that not many of them preach about Hell as a place of fire, brimstone, and acrid sulfuric smoke. The survey of Methodist ministers also revealed that the most typical belief about the consequences in the afterlife for those whose lives were evil and were unrepentant was annihilation or non-existence.
The Church of England (Episcopal) was also recently reported to have rejected what it describes as a sadistic view of Hell with fire and torment. While offering a belief in Hell, they would deem it better to be viewed as annihilation of those who have so distanced themselves from God by choosing to oppose absolutely and irrevocably that which is of God that they no longer have eternal being.
A check of a Sunday school class also showed that no member present could recall any recent sermon preached describing the nature of Hell in graphic terms of fire and physical torment.
In this parable Jesus seems to accept a state of conscious existence in the afterlife both for the person whose life is primarily spent in self-indulgence and for the person who suffered in this life blessing.
Is Jesus just using metaphor to describe the spiritual state of being, or does he propose an actual physical place of fire and torment?
2. Riches as a Curse. The parable would suggest that riches and the opulent life are themselves a curse. The parable does not indicate that the rich man gained his wealth in any evil or unjust way. Nothing is said about his doing anything bad, such as robbing, stealing, or murder. His fault seemed to be only in his enjoyment of pleasures and his ignoring of the human need at his own gate.
Are riches inherently a curse, or is it the way the riches are acquired or used that causes guilt? Do riches, regardless of how acquired, tend to lead to the kind of self-indulgent life portrayed in the parable? Is it almost inevitable that people who have riches will become addicted to a lifestyle that leads them to be insulated, if not alienated and isolated, from the needs of the world around them?
Is it possible to overcome the tendencies of the misuse of riches by conscious effort and determined practices of staying in touch with the needy and the victims of injustices and oppression? How does the church help the rich to resist the pressures of riches that lead life to the wrong ends?
3. Moral and Spiritual Sensitivity. Jesus suggests that persons who have grown insensitive to moral and ethical requirements in life cannot be redeemed. Even a message from the grave will not change them. The parable says that the brothers who were presumably enjoying the rich life no longer were morally and spiritually responsive. They did not let the messages of Moses and the prophets affect them. Not even a person returning from the dead could alter their behavior.
Is the gate which kept Lazarus removed from the presence of the feasting symbolic of the way people set up barriers to keep the needs of others out of their awareness? Can anything be done to resensitize those who have become hardened to moral and spiritual sensitivities? Can it only be done by removing the riches and reducing such persons to poverty? Are preaching and teaching futile with such persons? Is parable a way to reach them?
4. The Finality of Death. Some people believe God is so loving and compassionate that even the most evil persons will be given opportunity to repent after death and achieve salvation. They believe in universal salvation eventually.
Others believe in an ultimate justice. Those who do not realize the blessings of life before death will receive it in the afterlife. Those who seem to have blessings in this life despite their evil deeds will be punished for them after death. If God is just and moral, retribution must be required either in this life or in the afterlife. Otherwise we do not live in a moral universe and anything is allowed.
It is my understanding that Mormons believe that they can perform a rite of baptism for the dead which affects the eternal salvation of persons. They are gathering genealogical records so that they can baptize as many persons as possible into salvation, even after death. Some people have objected to this practice without the permission of the living relatives of these people.
Can God be loving and righteous without requiring ultimate retribution for those who are unrepentant before death? Is the state of being determined finally by what is accomplished in this life only?
Homily Hints
1. By the Side of Abraham. (v. 21) Use the sermon to deal with what it means to covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as understood by Jesus.
A. Identified with the Poor. Jesus identified with Lazarus in his need, rather than with the rich man who ignored him. How do we do the same?
B. A God of Compassion. God suffers with those who suffer in the world. How do we share God's suffering and seek to alleviate it?
C. A God of Generosity. God provides a world of abundance, but people help to distribute it according to the needs of all people. What is our responsibility as agents of God?
2. The Great Chasm. (v. 26) What is it that divided the rich man from Lazarus?
A. The Rich Man's Choice. The rich man chose to ignore human need at this gate. Do we ignore such need also?
B. God's Choice. God chose the lowly beggar for blessing while the rich man alienated himself from God by his actions or lack of them.
C. Our Choice. The choice can be deliberate acts of evil or by default when human need is ignored or when it can be met by the abundance given a person.
3. The Failure of Scripture. (vv. 29-31)
A. Knowledge is Insufficient. People may be well versed and able to quote the law and the prophets and still fail to act.
B. Profession of Resurrection. It is not enough to profess the doctrine of resurrection, heaven, and hell. A life must accord with the reality of Christ as Lord in practice as well as in profession of belief.
C. Scripture Not Self-Authenticating. Scriptures do not automatically convince everyone, even though it is powerful for many. They must be made real and personal to people and appropriated into life as exemplified by Christ and others.
4. Reading Your Obituary. (vv. 22-31) How do people want their obituary to read?
A. Like Lazarus' Obituary. Will the obituary read that the person is carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham? If so, why? What would be important enough in eternity to matter?
B. Like the Rich Man's Obituary. Is all that can be said in an obituary that the person died and was buried?
C. A Meaningful Obituary. What kind of an obituary would provide a witness for the God of Abraham and a warning to those who survive?
5. From Beyond the Grave. (vv. 22-31) Why is the doctrine of resurrection important?
A. A Seal on Jesus' Life. It is not just that Jesus was resurrected. It confirms the life he led and the message he proclaimed.
B. The Conquest of Evil. It witnesses to the power of God to overcome the worst of evil in the world, even death itself.
C. The Eternity of Truth. Truth does not depend on the existence or defense of any person. God has built it into the very nature of being. No one can destroy it even if the purveyor of truth is killed.
Contact
Points of Contact
1. What Kind of Sign? What kind of signs do people need to convince them of the reality of the kingdom of heaven? Jesus in his lifetime carried on a ministry of teaching, of proclamation, and of healing. His preaching and teaching were not just academic exercises. He did not just intellectualize. He translated what he said into a life of servanthood. He ministered to the sick, the poor, the sinners, the bereaved, and the alienated. He showed compassion and love to those who were in need and receptive to his ministry.
Jesus was so convinced of the truth of his message and of his trust in the God he professed that he faced death confident that his faith would be vindicated. The cross is a sign to people not just because he died and was buried. Others died on crosses for their convictions, but they died because they were committed to nationalism and to self-interest. The innocent death of Jesus stirs people to his message because his life vindicated it and his death crowned it.
The witness of a person's life should transcend death. Persons should show a conviction of the reality of spiritual existence in such a manner as to be convincing to others.
2. Poverty and Plenty. Poverty is not necessarily a sign that God has rejected the poor persons. Poverty may be a sign that something is wrong with the system. It may be a result of people using the abundance of creation so that not enough is available for everyone. If some acquire to excess and others do not have enough, the system of rewards and distribution needs adjustment.
Poverty may also be a sign of waste. People may use up more than their fair share needed to sustain life. That does not leave enough for others of the present or future generations. History gives plenty of evidence of destructive practices in the past which make the earth unproductive today. Christians should practice stewardship of resources, not just for immediate needs. They need to look to the future as well.
Poverty may be a sign of opportunity. The poverty of others presents people with occasions for learning the meaning of service in love. People can only be sure that their love is real when it costs them something to serve someone who cannot return anything to the giver. Otherwise our serving may only be a disguised form of serving ourselves. It is not then the kind of divine love that gives without expecting or requiring something in return.
3. Separation from God. Hell is an existence separated from God. Hell is not a state arrived at only after death. It is the state persons choose when they have opportunities to live in fellowship with and obedience to God.
Heaven is living a life that is given meaning and value by taking on the characteristics of God as demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ. It is also not a state of being that is only realized after death. It is experienced already in the present life.
Christians who are already living in the kingdom of heaven know that they would be unhappy and dissatisfied if they lived in any other way. They witness and invite others to find the same meaningful life. They testify to their belief that life adds up to exactly zero unless it is lived in faithful service to God and to the needs of others. That is also the warning they have heard that comes from life and not from death.
Points to Ponder
1. "Trickle-Down" Economics. The rich man's help to Lazarus represented a kind of trickle-down program at the local level. The rich people used bread to wipe their fingers as they ate at a sumptuous banquet. Lazarus fed on the bread that was discarded. That practice was probably also the allusion the Canaanite woman made when she told Jesus, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table" (Matthew 15:27).
Is the trickle-down way of trying to help the poor a Christian way to deal with the problem? Should only our cast- offs be the way to help the poor? Should more direct methods of helping them to meet their needs be sought in Christian economics?
2. Pharisees and Wealth. In the introduction to the parable Luke says that the Pharisees were lovers of money and ridiculed Jesus for his teachings about wealth (Luke 16:14). The parable is a condemnation of their preoccupation with riches while missing the attitude which they should have toward the poor.
What are the modern equivalents to the poor that may be found in our society? Does the church take a different view with regard to welfare and other programs to meet the needs of the poor? Some politicians suggest that the needs of the poor should be left to the charitable actions of the churches. Can the Christian churches meet all such needs? What should be the church's and the Christian's role in calling the larger society to exercise compassion toward people in need?
Illustrative Materials
1. Self-Indulgence. A person wrapped in self is too small a package for eternity. Christians choose God over gold and all it represents as the first priority in life.
2. Extreme Poverty. Each morning the bodies of poor who died overnight on the streets of Calcutta are gathered to be disposed of.
One of the first victims of the frigid Arctic air that blanketed much of the Unites States in late January and early February of 1996 was a homeless man who froze to death on a city street.
3. Learning Poverty. Some Christian young people have been sent to Skid Row in Chicago to learn what it means to live on the street. They are only given enough money to make a phone call if they are really in desperate straits or cannot persist through several days. They have agreed to live that way for a short period of time to find out what life is like for such people. Many of them report a kind of camaraderie there. They report that they can never treat the people who ask for a handout the same again.
Do we need such experiences to learn compassion for the Lazaruses of our day?
4. The Plight of Children. The Children's Defense Fund reports that in America every 98 minutes a child is shot and killed; every day more than 8,000 children are reported abused or neglected; and every year nearly 35,000 infants die before their first birthday.
The Fund also reports that ten million American children have no health insurance; fourteen million low-income children suffer hunger; and 100,000 children go to bed homeless every night.
Is rich America headed for the destiny that the rich man suffered for ignoring Lazarus' need?
5. Disparities of Wealth. In the United States the disparity between the rich and poor has increased dramatically. It has been reported that from 1975 to 1992 the poorest ten percent of Americans had an eleven percent drop in real income. At the same time the richest ten percent gained an eighteen percent increase.
