How God Helps

9.28.25 [Luke 16:19-30] River of Life (16th Sunday after Pentecost)

Two things I ask of you, Lord. Do not refuse me before I die. Keep falsehood and lies far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Amen. 

True or false: Money is the root of all evil. 

It sounds like the kind of assertion that comes from the Bible. That’s because it’s really close, at first glance. It’s like when you’re walking through the meat department and you see those Beyond Burgers. Money is the root of all evil is like Beyond Bible, or if you’re a margarine fan, call it I Can’t Believe It’s Not In the Bible. It has the right shape and form, but the content isn’t the real, honest-from-God truth. 

Here’s what the Bible actually asserts. 1 Tim. 6:9-10 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Being rich isn’t the problem. Being broke isn’t better. It isn’t the presence or absence of material wealth that matters, but the power material wealth wields in your heart and life. It isn’t about your net worth, but what captivates your heart. It isn’t about your take-home pay, but where your hope is found. 

Our assumption should not be that we don’t have this trouble so long as we are not in the top one-percent of earners. Our assumption must not be that this is only a problem for billionaires. It’s a problem for billions. Luther calls it “the most common idol on earth”. That’s why the writer to the Hebrews warns: Heb. 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money. That’s why Jesus begins this story by sounding a strange alarm: Lk. 16:13 You cannot serve both God and money.  

Then he tells us a story of a man who thought he had done both. He was a rich man. That’s how he liked to think of himself and liked others to think of him. He wore clothes fit for royalty—purple and fine linen—ate and lived like a king—living every day in gated luxury. Each day, he looked forward to doing as he pleased and enjoying the pleasures of life. His life was a gorgeous celebration of his own greatness.

Just outside his glamorous gate lay a man who didn’t have much. He wasn’t covered head to toe in fine clothes, but in festering wounds. He wasn’t attended to by many servants. He was pestered by mutts and mongrels, who licked the sores that covered his body. Each evening, he hoped for a few scraps from the feast inside the gate. But his longings were perpetually unfulfilled. His life was a grotesque reminder of how belly-up broke and unimportant he was to the world.  

Then one day, the beggar’s life came to an end, and he was whisked away by God’s holy servants to Abraham’s side. Lk. 16:22 The rich man also died and was buried. His day-to-day turned on a dime, too. Instead of living in luxury every day, he was in torment. Experiencing eternal agony in the fire whose flame does not go out. 

Then the man who showed no mercy begged for mercy. Lk. 16:24 Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. 

When Abraham denies him, and details why it can’t happen, the rich man quickly pivots to a new plea. Lk. 16:27-28 Send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them so that they will not also come to this place of torment. It seems like this selfish man finally has a breakthrough and actually thinks of someone else. But listen carefully. He’s making an accusation. I didn’t get enough of a warning. It gets louder when Abraham replies: Lk. 16:29 They have Moses and the Prophets, let them listen to them. and the rich man counters Lk. 16:30 No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. 

Abraham knows that’s not true. Lk. 16:31 If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead. It’s a final, foreboding word. 

It’s a striking story, isn't it? But what is the main message? No one who hears this story wants to end up like the rich man. But who wants to live like poor Lazarus in this life?

It’s wise to let Jesus speak for himself. Lk. 16:15 What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. God knows your hearts. 

In wealth and comfort, it’s easy to think you did this all on your own and to forget that you still desperately need God and to continue to rely upon his Word. In poverty and anguish, it’s easy to think that God has forgotten you and that his Word doesn’t have much power. If your life is ever going to change, you’ll have to take matters into your own hands. 

We think we aren’t trying to serve two masters, but our hearts are prone to love God only when he makes our lives lovely. We think we aren’t trying to serve two masters, but when trouble comes our way, we assume it is evidence that God has withdrawn rather than drawn near. 

God knows that if we could design and direct our lives in this world, they would look a lot closer to the rich man’s life than poor Lazarus. So throughout Moses and the Prophets, he offers words of warning and promise. He warns us that we are prone to selfishness, hoarding, and crippling anxiety about our ability to make ends meet. He rebukes our attempts at trying to justify wickedness like stealing and coveting. He reminds us that he has always been merciful and open-handedly generous. He blesses all creation with sunshine and rain—not just the good folks. He implores us to rest regularly and reflect on his Word and trust that he will continue to provide our daily bread. He exhorts us to show mercy and kindness to the poor and the needy as he has shown to us. He commands us to be content with what we have. 

But, despite all God has said and done, we tend to ignore his warnings & dismiss his promises as foolishness. We fall into traps & temptations. We give in to foolish and harmful desires. But for the mercy and grace of God, we would all plunge headlong into ruin and destruction. Left to our own devices, we all, like sheep, would wander from the faith, each of us going our own way, piercing ourselves with many griefs. 

Yes, one of the points of this story is don’t live like the rich man. But, recognize, that being rich wasn’t the problem and being broke isn’t better. God doesn’t audit your finances because he’s after your heart. Abraham was a man of great wealth. Lazarus was not. And yet they shared one thing in common. They listened to the Word of God. They were convicted and they were convinced. 

Abraham and Lazarus were convicted of their own sinfulness. They knew, despite drastically different circumstances, they were both poor, miserable sinners. God knew their hearts. Yet, each of them knew of God’s mercy—his willingness and ability to help. They were convinced that God would keep his promises to them and bless them and bring them to eternal comfort and joy. In wealth and comfort, Abraham still knew that he needed God’s help and trusted God would keep his promises. In poverty and anguish, Lazarus knew that the Lord had not forgotten him. 

I asked you before, who would want to live like poor Lazarus? None of us, right? But let me see if I could get you to sign up for such a life. 

What if God told us it was absolutely necessary? What if God said there was no other way to enjoy eternal comfort and joy? Then we would grit our teeth and bear it for a little while. Just to spare ourselves agony and torment. You would choose Lazarus’ life only if you knew it would save you from the place of torment.

Well God doesn’t say that. Because self-deprivation doesn’t have the power to save you any more than any other form of self-righteousness. You can’t do it. That’s what Moses & the Prophets said. 

But it is exactly what Jesus did for you. He crossed the great chasm between heaven and earth. He took on flesh and chose a life of humble poverty. Jesus was born to poor parents. He grew up in a modest home in an unremarkable town. Even though he is the King of kings, he never dressed like royalty. Even though he had the divine power to turn stones to bread and water to wine, he did not live in luxury or dine on fattened calves. He spent most of his days among the sick and the suffering. He sought out those who were spiritual mutts and mongrels. He had no place to lay his head, but God laid on him the sins of us all. Jesus was covered with the guilt and shame that makes us sore afraid. The only time he wore fine clothes was when the Roman soldiers were mocking him. On the cross, he was surrounded by wicked men, who treated him like a reviled criminal. The Roman soldiers cast lots for what remained of his clothes. The teachers of the law detested him and challenged God to save him if he valued him so highly. 

In this suffering and death, God helped his people. In this suffering and death, God brought comfort to those who were tormented by their guilt and shame. In this suffering and death, God fulfilled everything Moses and the Prophets predicted. But God wasn’t done helping in this suffering and death. Jesus did what the rich man begged for. He rose from the dead. Just like God promised. 

2 Cor. 8:9 You know the grace of God, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. And you are rich, no matter what your tax bracket might be. You are rich in righteousness. You are rich because you have the precious, priceless Word of God. You are rich because your hope is not found in what you have, but in the One who has you. Your hope is in God, who has 1 Tim. 6:17 richly provided you with everything you need for your enjoyment and to share with those in need. You are rich because God helped you. Amen.