Your Money Or Your Life
Preaching
What Jesus Did:
The Answer To WWJD
As with other parables of Jesus, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is best understood in its wider context. Luke 16 as a whole addresses the issue of proper use of financial resources. The chapter begins with a parable about a dishonest manager. Jesus' point of the parable is his statement in Luke 16:9: "And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes" (NRSV). We make friends by using our money to help others, especially those in need.
• How wise are we being with the resources God has given us?
Jesus then addresses the topic of riches and the proper attitude toward money. Verses 10-13 bring up the issue of faithfulness, as we discussed in the parable of the talents. Next Jesus warns against making idols of money and material things, and the Pharisees scoff at his remarks. I'm afraid too many in America are imitating those Pharisees. In verse 15, Jesus warns them and us that God knows what is in our hearts. God knows whether Jesus is really first or not.
Jesus then switches topics to the importance of the Law. "It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law" (Luke 16:17 NIV). While at first glance it may look out of place, it is relevant to the interpretation of the parable in its context. Jesus concludes by saying that people attempt to enter the kingdom by force. Curious method, trying to force your way into heaven. Bet it won't work.
People today try to force their way into heaven by ignoring the Scriptures and using human-made theologies as a substitute.
• God loves everybody; he won't send anybody to hell.
• Jesus died for everybody; we're all going to heaven, no matter what.
• If you try to live a good life, God will understand and let you into heaven.
• Just get in touch with your spiritual guide and you will be guided into eternal life.
• I know I'm not perfect, but I'm not as bad as other people. God will understand.
• All religions are but different paths to the same God.
• What other ways can you think of how people try to force their way into the kingdom?
This kind of force will not work. God has already set the standards for getting into the kingdom. They were first established by the Law and Prophets and they will not pass away. The Good News of the New Testament is not a replacement or an annulment of the Law and Prophets but a fulfillment of them. Whether under the Old Covenant or the New Covenant, obedience to God's will as revealed in God's Word is essential to salvation. In reference to all the human-made theologies listed above, none of them find support in the Bible.
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus ties these three themes -- wealth, the Scriptures, and obedience -- together. Jesus was countering the prevailing thought of the day that rich people are automatically saved because they are rich. At one point the disciples wondered if being rich is no guarantee to heaven, how could anyone be saved (Luke 18:16). In this parable, Jesus emphasizes how all people are saved, regardless of economic status. He also describes the terrible consequences of disobedience.
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores."
-- Luke 16:19-21 (NIV)
Some question whether this is a parable or a true story. I'm not convinced it matters. Jesus told it to give us some lessons about godly living and divine judgment. The rich man, traditionally named Dives (from the Latin for rich), is opulently rich. Purple was an extremely difficult dye to obtain. Only the rich could afford it. Fine linen contrasted with the everyday cloth of the common person. The rich man lived in luxury every day. He didn't need to work. He was so rich that food fell from his table, in an amount that evidently would sustain Lazarus. He was extravagant in every way and blind to the people in need around him.
• If you became very wealthy, what would you do with your money?
Lazarus is at the exact opposite on the socioeconomic scale. Lazarus' name means "God helps." He is a beggar. He has no job. He is homeless. He has to be laid at the rich man's door, which leads us to believe he is physically handicapped and suffering. He had to depend on others to move him, and once in a place, he was stuck there. He is in need of medical attention because he is covered with sores. In Jewish thought, running sores made you unclean and were a sign that God's judgment was upon you. Lazarus would long for some of the table scraps, but there is no mention that he received any. The dogs are probably the rich man's hunting dogs or watch dogs. They get the table scraps, then come to lick Lazarus' wounds. Lazarus is so helpless, he cannot even stop the dogs.
• If you suddenly lost everything, what would you do?
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried" (Luke 16:22 NIV). Judging from this statement, we begin to see the role reversal coming. Lazarus dies and, if he is buried at all, is buried in an unmarked pauper's grave. There is no mention of a proper service or mourners at his death. The rich man is buried. Implied is a proper burial, with many mourners. He probably had a nice tomb as well. We also see the difference in Lazarus being carried by angels and the rich man simply being buried. One goes up, the other goes down.
• What kind of funeral do you want to have when you die?
"In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He 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.' "
-- Luke 16:23-24 (NRSV)
Hades is a place of torment and is generally considered an intermediate state and a foretaste of the eternal punishment to come. The opposite side, where Abraham resides, defines that place as tranquil blessedness and a foretaste of the eternal blessedness to come.
There is much to ponder here. The man knows who Abraham is and who Lazarus is. Because he calls to "Father Abraham," most commentators conclude that this man was Jewish. The request to send Lazarus poses a host of questions. Did the rich man know who Lazarus was in earthly life? If so, why had he neglected him? By asking for Lazarus to come to him with water, was the rich man continuing in his attitude that the poor exist only to serve the rich? He does not ask to be released from his suffering; does he feel he is getting what he deserved? Or will his next request be for release?
• Are the rich man and Lazarus each getting what they deserve?
Jesus gives us in this story one of the clearest depictions of the fate of the unsaved. Notice all the horrible elements: torment, flame and fire, thirst, agony. There are human-made theologies that say that hell does not exist. The rich man would probably not agree with this view.
"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' "
-- Luke 16:25-26 (NIV)
Abraham's command is awesome: "Remember." Will there be memories in hell? Every sin. Every rejection of Christ. Every foul deed. We should not see this as an automatic reversal for every rich and poor person. Rather the contrast is the life of the rich man then and the life of Lazarus now. A righting of the balances would not put the rich man in punishment. He would just be poor in heaven. So there is more going on. The implication is that the rich man squandered all his good things on himself and did not share them with those in need to make their life easier. Now a great chasm has been fixed and no one can cross in either direction. The chasm shows that people are sent to their places based on God's will, not human theology. It also shows the permanent nature of our eternal destiny. Once you are in one place, you can't get to the other.
"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
-- Luke 16:27-31 (NIV)
The rich man now sees the need to warn others about this terrible place. He doesn't want anyone to be where he is, especially his family. Even so, he still sees Lazarus as a servant. The plea for a warning to his family shows that the rich man knows he is responsible for his fate and should have acted differently. Abraham refuses. Why? Because the brothers have plenty of warning from the Law and the Prophets.
• Do you consider the Bible plenty of warning, or do you think more people will believe if there were some kind of spectacular miracle?
Now we see Jesus tying these themes together. The Law and the Prophets are God's will revealed. They tell us how to live for God. The Law and the Prophets tell us how to treat other people, especially the disadvantaged. The Old Testament warns about making riches an idol, or living only for oneself. As Christians, we can add to the Old Testament Scriptures the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament all of which clearly tell us how to live for God. How can we avoid going to hell? Confess our sins, repent, ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, and live a life in obedience to him. The life of obedience is the outward proof of the inward faith.
The rich man was a Jew. He believed in God. He probably had the best seat in the local synagogue. He may have been a major giver to the synagogue (but current statistics show that rich people don't give very much). The rich man in the parable did not live out his faith by showing love, compassion, sympathy, mercy, ministry. He did not share the blessings that God had given him. He ignored Lazarus who was right under his nose.
• If God were to use only your checkbook to determine the quality of your faith, what would he find?
The rich man protests that the brothers won't read the Scriptures, but that a resurrection miracle would convince them. Abraham disagrees. How often have we seen that? Many Americans have heard the gospel. They have heard about the resurrection of Jesus. But they continue to scoff at the Scriptures and refuse to repent. Jesus rose from the dead, and it doesn't change these people. The majority of the Sanhedrin of Jesus' day did not repent. We must mix our reading of the Scriptures with faith, and our faith with obedience. Even though Jesus rose from the dead, there are still people who don't believe the Scriptures and who refuse to change their lifestyle.
The moral of the story is: Whether rich or poor, faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sin is the only way to heaven. That is the testimony of both the Old and New Testaments. We must be about our mission of evangelism, to warn others about that terrible place called hell. We must tell them about Jesus, and what the Scriptures say about obedience. We must also be living examples of obedience ourselves. Lazarus did not rise from the dead, but Jesus did. We have the resurrection of Jesus confirming that his words are truth. What decision will you make today?
WWJD -- Find a "Lazarus" and meet his/her need. Find a "rich man" and tell him/her about Jesus.
• How wise are we being with the resources God has given us?
Jesus then addresses the topic of riches and the proper attitude toward money. Verses 10-13 bring up the issue of faithfulness, as we discussed in the parable of the talents. Next Jesus warns against making idols of money and material things, and the Pharisees scoff at his remarks. I'm afraid too many in America are imitating those Pharisees. In verse 15, Jesus warns them and us that God knows what is in our hearts. God knows whether Jesus is really first or not.
Jesus then switches topics to the importance of the Law. "It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law" (Luke 16:17 NIV). While at first glance it may look out of place, it is relevant to the interpretation of the parable in its context. Jesus concludes by saying that people attempt to enter the kingdom by force. Curious method, trying to force your way into heaven. Bet it won't work.
People today try to force their way into heaven by ignoring the Scriptures and using human-made theologies as a substitute.
• God loves everybody; he won't send anybody to hell.
• Jesus died for everybody; we're all going to heaven, no matter what.
• If you try to live a good life, God will understand and let you into heaven.
• Just get in touch with your spiritual guide and you will be guided into eternal life.
• I know I'm not perfect, but I'm not as bad as other people. God will understand.
• All religions are but different paths to the same God.
• What other ways can you think of how people try to force their way into the kingdom?
This kind of force will not work. God has already set the standards for getting into the kingdom. They were first established by the Law and Prophets and they will not pass away. The Good News of the New Testament is not a replacement or an annulment of the Law and Prophets but a fulfillment of them. Whether under the Old Covenant or the New Covenant, obedience to God's will as revealed in God's Word is essential to salvation. In reference to all the human-made theologies listed above, none of them find support in the Bible.
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus ties these three themes -- wealth, the Scriptures, and obedience -- together. Jesus was countering the prevailing thought of the day that rich people are automatically saved because they are rich. At one point the disciples wondered if being rich is no guarantee to heaven, how could anyone be saved (Luke 18:16). In this parable, Jesus emphasizes how all people are saved, regardless of economic status. He also describes the terrible consequences of disobedience.
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores."
-- Luke 16:19-21 (NIV)
Some question whether this is a parable or a true story. I'm not convinced it matters. Jesus told it to give us some lessons about godly living and divine judgment. The rich man, traditionally named Dives (from the Latin for rich), is opulently rich. Purple was an extremely difficult dye to obtain. Only the rich could afford it. Fine linen contrasted with the everyday cloth of the common person. The rich man lived in luxury every day. He didn't need to work. He was so rich that food fell from his table, in an amount that evidently would sustain Lazarus. He was extravagant in every way and blind to the people in need around him.
• If you became very wealthy, what would you do with your money?
Lazarus is at the exact opposite on the socioeconomic scale. Lazarus' name means "God helps." He is a beggar. He has no job. He is homeless. He has to be laid at the rich man's door, which leads us to believe he is physically handicapped and suffering. He had to depend on others to move him, and once in a place, he was stuck there. He is in need of medical attention because he is covered with sores. In Jewish thought, running sores made you unclean and were a sign that God's judgment was upon you. Lazarus would long for some of the table scraps, but there is no mention that he received any. The dogs are probably the rich man's hunting dogs or watch dogs. They get the table scraps, then come to lick Lazarus' wounds. Lazarus is so helpless, he cannot even stop the dogs.
• If you suddenly lost everything, what would you do?
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried" (Luke 16:22 NIV). Judging from this statement, we begin to see the role reversal coming. Lazarus dies and, if he is buried at all, is buried in an unmarked pauper's grave. There is no mention of a proper service or mourners at his death. The rich man is buried. Implied is a proper burial, with many mourners. He probably had a nice tomb as well. We also see the difference in Lazarus being carried by angels and the rich man simply being buried. One goes up, the other goes down.
• What kind of funeral do you want to have when you die?
"In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He 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.' "
-- Luke 16:23-24 (NRSV)
Hades is a place of torment and is generally considered an intermediate state and a foretaste of the eternal punishment to come. The opposite side, where Abraham resides, defines that place as tranquil blessedness and a foretaste of the eternal blessedness to come.
There is much to ponder here. The man knows who Abraham is and who Lazarus is. Because he calls to "Father Abraham," most commentators conclude that this man was Jewish. The request to send Lazarus poses a host of questions. Did the rich man know who Lazarus was in earthly life? If so, why had he neglected him? By asking for Lazarus to come to him with water, was the rich man continuing in his attitude that the poor exist only to serve the rich? He does not ask to be released from his suffering; does he feel he is getting what he deserved? Or will his next request be for release?
• Are the rich man and Lazarus each getting what they deserve?
Jesus gives us in this story one of the clearest depictions of the fate of the unsaved. Notice all the horrible elements: torment, flame and fire, thirst, agony. There are human-made theologies that say that hell does not exist. The rich man would probably not agree with this view.
"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' "
-- Luke 16:25-26 (NIV)
Abraham's command is awesome: "Remember." Will there be memories in hell? Every sin. Every rejection of Christ. Every foul deed. We should not see this as an automatic reversal for every rich and poor person. Rather the contrast is the life of the rich man then and the life of Lazarus now. A righting of the balances would not put the rich man in punishment. He would just be poor in heaven. So there is more going on. The implication is that the rich man squandered all his good things on himself and did not share them with those in need to make their life easier. Now a great chasm has been fixed and no one can cross in either direction. The chasm shows that people are sent to their places based on God's will, not human theology. It also shows the permanent nature of our eternal destiny. Once you are in one place, you can't get to the other.
"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
-- Luke 16:27-31 (NIV)
The rich man now sees the need to warn others about this terrible place. He doesn't want anyone to be where he is, especially his family. Even so, he still sees Lazarus as a servant. The plea for a warning to his family shows that the rich man knows he is responsible for his fate and should have acted differently. Abraham refuses. Why? Because the brothers have plenty of warning from the Law and the Prophets.
• Do you consider the Bible plenty of warning, or do you think more people will believe if there were some kind of spectacular miracle?
Now we see Jesus tying these themes together. The Law and the Prophets are God's will revealed. They tell us how to live for God. The Law and the Prophets tell us how to treat other people, especially the disadvantaged. The Old Testament warns about making riches an idol, or living only for oneself. As Christians, we can add to the Old Testament Scriptures the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament all of which clearly tell us how to live for God. How can we avoid going to hell? Confess our sins, repent, ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, and live a life in obedience to him. The life of obedience is the outward proof of the inward faith.
The rich man was a Jew. He believed in God. He probably had the best seat in the local synagogue. He may have been a major giver to the synagogue (but current statistics show that rich people don't give very much). The rich man in the parable did not live out his faith by showing love, compassion, sympathy, mercy, ministry. He did not share the blessings that God had given him. He ignored Lazarus who was right under his nose.
• If God were to use only your checkbook to determine the quality of your faith, what would he find?
The rich man protests that the brothers won't read the Scriptures, but that a resurrection miracle would convince them. Abraham disagrees. How often have we seen that? Many Americans have heard the gospel. They have heard about the resurrection of Jesus. But they continue to scoff at the Scriptures and refuse to repent. Jesus rose from the dead, and it doesn't change these people. The majority of the Sanhedrin of Jesus' day did not repent. We must mix our reading of the Scriptures with faith, and our faith with obedience. Even though Jesus rose from the dead, there are still people who don't believe the Scriptures and who refuse to change their lifestyle.
The moral of the story is: Whether rich or poor, faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sin is the only way to heaven. That is the testimony of both the Old and New Testaments. We must be about our mission of evangelism, to warn others about that terrible place called hell. We must tell them about Jesus, and what the Scriptures say about obedience. We must also be living examples of obedience ourselves. Lazarus did not rise from the dead, but Jesus did. We have the resurrection of Jesus confirming that his words are truth. What decision will you make today?
WWJD -- Find a "Lazarus" and meet his/her need. Find a "rich man" and tell him/her about Jesus.
