Luke 16:19-26
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-If you would, please turn in your Bibles...
...back to Luke 16.
I’m probably happier than you are...
...that we’re finally moving on from Verse 18.
(That was a tough study)
(Necessary… but tough)
This morning, we’ve come to Verse 19...
And we’ve come back to...
...a couple of themes that have been fairly prominent...
...in the last couple of chapters:
The dangers of Greed and Materialism (with self-centeredness)
The blessings of Contentment and Faith (Christ-centeredness)
And to illustrate those points, this time...
...Jesus, once again, employs a story...
(a very familiar story to most of us)
...one that most people refer to as...
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
(though some would say that...
...the fact that Jesus uses the man’s name...
...indicates that its actually a true story)
(We’ll talk about that more later...
...but let me say up front, that...
...I don’t think it matters at all...
...to the central themes and purposes of the passage...
I think that’s only going to affect...
...some of the eschatological (last things) points...
...that are often made from it).
(Again, we’ll talk about that later)
-For now, let’s read the whole “story” . . .
...and ask for the Lord’s help in understand it...
...and then we’ll jump back in at the beginning...
...and try to make our way through...
...those first three verses.
(I’m assuming that this will be...
...a multi part sermon)
-Alright, Luke 16, beginning in Verse 19.
This is the inerrant Word of God.
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,
23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
24 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.’
25 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.
26 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.’
27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—
28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 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.’ ”
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Pray
-So, back at the beginning of chapter 15...
...Jesus had told those three “lost” parables.
And he had done that, remember...
...as a rebuke to the scribes and Pharisees...
...for their self-righteous condemnation of Jesus...
...because he was receiving penitent sinners.
Through those stories He was showing them...
… that their hearts didn’t align with...
...the heart of the God they professed to serve.
He told them:
7 ...I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
-Then, at the beginning of the next chapter...
He told his disciples...
...the “Parable of the Unjust Steward”. . .
...from which he had made multiple applications...
...the chief of which, being...
...what he had said in Verse 13:
13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Then… Luke told us this… in Verse 14:
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.
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And he began responding to them again...
...in the next verse.
-So, as far as I can tell...
Jesus is still directing his comments to the Pharisees...
...as we enter into Verse 19.
And that’s probably going to...
...help us to understand...
...what Jesus is getting at...
...by telling this story.
-Look at with me again:
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
If we consider what Verse 19...
...means to the rest of this story...
...it’s actually a pretty important verse.
-First of all, notice that the man it introduces...
...is not given any name...
He’s simply described as… “a rich man.”
But he wasn’t just regular rich...
He was, as we say today… “filthy rich!”
(That’s the idea that Jesus seems to be conveying)
He wore the most expensive clothing available
He ate the very best foods
“Every day” he lived a life of luxury and extravagance!
He had everything the world had to offer.
(That seems to be the picture being painted)
And, I’m imagining, that...
...in the eyes of the Pharisees...
...so far, this man would have been seen as...
...a pious man, who was...
… “blessed and highly favored” by God.
Why?
Well, giving them the benefit of the doubt:
1 “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
Granted, this was a corporate and collective promise to the nation
It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch...
...for people to individualize its promises.
2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.
3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field....
6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
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So, here’s this man...
The wealthiest of the wealthy
He's living the abundant life!
Surely, he must be a godly man, right?
Well, we’ll have to wait and see.
But, we won’t have to wait very long, because...
...we see his piety being put to the test...
...in the very next verse!
20 And at his gate...
The gate of his house
The entrance to a walled-off estate
The place of mediation with the outside world
20 And at his gate was laid a poor man...
So, presumably, the man couldn’t even walk on his own.
He had to be carried there by others...
And set out so he could beg for food...
...from the rich man and his friends/family.
And, not only that...
...Jesus described him as being...
20...a poor man . . . covered with sores,
So, not only was he broke and crippled...
He was incurably sick, as well.
-What kind of man would...
...the Pharisees have assumed him to be?
Well, I can’t say for sure...
...but Deuteronomy 28 goes on to say this:
15 “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments . . . then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.
16 Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field...
19 Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.
20 “The Lord will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your deeds...
And then even goes on to say:
35 The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous boils of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.
So, I’m just assuming that this would be...
...where their minds would have gone.
-Let’s read on for now...
...and we’ll come back to the issue of the name.
So, He was:
20 ...a poor man . . . covered with sores,
21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table...
Those were particular table scraps...
...that they fed to the dogs:
Dog Food!
But that still isn’t even the worst of it:
21 ...Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
This could be taken in one of two ways:
1.) Not only did he not get the dogs’ food...
...he became food for the dogs.
2.) Those wild dogs are being presented...
...as having more compassion on the man...
...than those “blessed and highly favored” Jewish people...
...partying it up on the other side of the wall.
Or, it could be both?
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Either way, the man is quite pitiful...
...in the truest sense of the word.
-But, what might be...
...the most important point, so far...
...is the direct and intentional...
...juxtaposition that Jesus is making...
...between these two men.
The first was:
Wealthy
Well fed
Covered in fine clothing
Could do anything he wanted
Experienced every earthly pleasure
The latter was:
Poor
Sick
Starving
Covered in sores
Had to be carried everywhere he went
His only creature comfort...
...came from the tongues of wild dogs!
Could these two men be any more different?
Yes! … Actually!
We haven’t even touched on...
...the biggest difference between them yet.
It was back up in Verse 20:
The...
20...poor man named Lazarus...
Do you know what that means?
It’s the Greek form of the Hebrew name Eliezer...
Which means:
“he whom God helps”
(That seems to be ONE of two reasons...
...why his name is included in the story)
(The other seems to be down in verse 24...
...where it lets us know that the Rich Man...
...knew who Lazarus was...
...and was thus, aware of his situation)
Now, what does the meaning of his name...
...communicate to us?
Probably more than we recognize at first.
You see, he was carried and laid...
...at the gate of a rich Jewish man’s estate.
Why?
Because, not only did that man...
...have the means to help him...
...he was under covenant obligation...
...to do so!
Remember the many ways...
...that God commanded the Nation of Israel...
...to help the poor and destitute:
For example:
7 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor . . . you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother,
8 but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.
And God even attached his blessing to it:
17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
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So, who SHOULD have been helping poor Lazarus?
The Rich Man
But, who refused to do so?
The Rich Man
Who refused to give up his gold...
...in obedience to his Lord?
The Rich Man
Do you see how this illustrates the warning of...
13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
I think that...
...the Pharisees are being represented in this story...
...by the Rich Man.
Like this Rich man, they too...
Had money and power
Turned a blind eye to the destitute...
Unless…
Helping them would get them the praise of men!
Why do I say that?
Well, remember two passages from before:
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled...
3 ...they preach, but do not practice.
4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others...
Their desire (for the most part) was for their own glory.
They had no real desire for the glory of God
They had no real desire to help others in need.
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Are you with me so far?
-So Lazarus, had no help from his fellow Israelites.
And so, I think that his name...
...was meant to convey the idea...
...that he had rested his hope elsewhere...
In the One who...
8 ...raises up the poor from the dust . . . lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor...
And in the One who will...
9 ...guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness...
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Lazarus… was “he whom God helps”
And we’re going to see that...
...in its ultimate sense...
...in the verses that follow...
But, let’s not overlook what that means...
...for his earthly situation...
...and for the rich man’s earthly situation:
It means:
The Rich Man’s good life on earth...
...WASN’T a gift from the Lord!
Sometimes, brethren...
Earthly fame and fortune...
...are the judgment of God!
Why?
Think about it:
23. . . “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
Why is that?
Because it has such a hold on your affections.
And because:
No one can serve two masters.
Remember Paul’s warnings:
9 ...those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
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You may be thinking:
“why do you harp on this so much?”
Because the Bible does!
It warns about this...
...more than it does just about any other sin!
That tells me that it’s really serious.
I wouldn’t be being faithful...
...to you OR Christ...
...to not relay the message to you (and myself).
-Now, what’s the preventative to that danger?
Is it to...
Sell everything you have...
...and take a vow of poverty?
God may call some of us to that...
But, for the majority of his people...
...that is not the case at all.
The solution is simply this:
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
We won’t see it today...
...but that is, indeed, one of...
...the primary lessons of this story.
Live for eternity
It’s a really long time.
-Now, on the other hand...
...our parable is telling us, that, sometimes...
....earthly trials and tribulations...
...are a sign of the Lord’s blessing upon you.
Think about this:
19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Why?
Because this is the reality...
...that has been experienced...
...by so many of our brethren:
Paul said, of Christ’s very apostles:
11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,
12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;
13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
Elsewhere, he wrote:
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed...
11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake...
How could that be God’s blessing?
17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Here’s the glorious promise that we have:
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom...
-So, what does all of this mean for us...
...by way of application and command?
It means that we ought to do this:
33...seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness...
What’s the first step in doing that?
Here it is:
Turning from your sin
Putting your faith in Jesus Christ.
(That’s all one step, by the way)
(That’s all one and the same act)
(Repentance and Faith)
And let me be clear:
Selling everything that you own...
And giving it all to the poor...
And Starving yourself to death...
...will do NOTHING for you...
...to absolve you of your sin.
Only Christ can take that away...
...through his work of substitution.
He is your “Eliezer”
He is your “help”
His righteousness is your covering.
So, flee to him for forgiveness...
And in so doing...
Submit yourself to his absolute authority over your life.
Live the rest of your life...
Trusting and depending on Him
Seeking his face
Delighting in him
Striving to do his will.
That’s repentance.
That’s what it means...
...to be in the Kingdom of God.
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Let’s pray
