The Poor Man's Heaven

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

Luke 16:19–31 NASB95

“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Psalm 91:14–16 NASB95

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. “With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation.”

1 Timothy 6:6–19 NASB95

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

1 Timothy 6:6-19

Introduction:

One of my all time favorite Christmas tales is that of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Allow me to share a little of the back story to this tale.

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. A Christmas Carol recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.

Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol during a period when the British were exploring and re-evaluating past Christmas traditions, including carols and newer customs such as Christmas trees. He was influenced by the experiences of his own youth and by the Christmas stories of other authors including Washington Irving and Douglas Jerrold. Dickens had written three Christmas stories prior to the novella, and was inspired following a visit to the Field Lane Ragged School, one of several establishments for London's street children. The treatment of the poor and the ability of a selfish man to redeem himself by transforming into a more sympathetic character are the key themes of the story. There is discussion among academics as to whether this was a fully secular story, or if it is a Christian allegory.

Published on 19 December, the first edition sold out by Christmas Eve; by the end of 1844 thirteen editions had been released. Most critics reviewed the novella favourably. The story was illicitly copied in January 1844; Dickens took legal action against the publishers, who went bankrupt, further reducing Dickens's small profits from the publication. He went on to write four other Christmas stories in subsequent years. In 1849 he began public readings of the story which proved so successful he undertook 127 further performances until 1870, the year of his death. A Christmas Carol has never been out of print and has been translated into several languages; the story has been adapted many times for film, stage, opera and other media.

A Christmas Carol captured the zeitgeist of the mid-Victorian revival of the Christmas holiday. Dickens had acknowledged the influence of the modern Western observance of Christmas and later inspired several aspects of Christmas, including family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, dancing, games and a festive generosity of spirit.

(Wikepedia)

I cannot help but think that today’s passage of scripture had something to do with Charles Dickens inspiration for this tale. However, we will see that there is not as happy and ending in the story found in scripture.

Prayer

Background:

Last week we found Jesus teaching His disciples about stewardship in the Parable of the Shrewd Manager. However, the disciples were not the only ones listening. The Pharisees were always hanging around to hear what Jesus would say next and to try to find a way to trap Him. They did not like Jesus. They were content with the way things were. They taught that wealth was evidence of God’s blessing in someone’s life. They marked their own righteousness by two things; their attention to the law (righteousness by works) and their money (according to them this showed God’s approval of them). They had prestige and approval of men (though I am sure it was somewhat grudgingly). Now Jesus keeps revealing their hypocrisy. Their popularity with the people is being torn down by the teachings of Jesus. The regular person who was without funds had no hope of righteousness based on the Pharisee model, but now they find they can have the blessings of God through faith.

No wonder the Pharisees hated Him so. And hated is the true word for it, so much so that they were even at this moment conspiring to have Him killed. So much for their righteousness!

Luke 16:14-1

So Jesus is teaching His disciples about wise stewardship. We saw it last week. Wealth is not to be used for personal gain as much as to be used to provide for the care of others. We are to use our excess funds strategically, not only to aid people with their troubles here on earth, but also to be able to share about their spiritual need to provide for their future in heaven.

Now the Pharisees hearing this began to make fun of Jesus. Back up a few verses with me to vv 14 & 15.

Luke 16:14–15 NASB95

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Luke 16:14 NASB95

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.

The last thing Jesus had said prior to this is, “You cannot serve two masters...You cannot serve both God and money.” Here are the Pharisees who preach that their wealth is a sign of God’s blessing upon them and their righteousness and Jesus says this is not so. Can you imagine how livid they were at this. In fact, we see all through scripture that they have a very poor attitude toward people and a very selfish attitude about their money. They in no way honored God in the use of their funds, but instead lorded it over the poor to show they were better than others.

Then Jesus lays the foundation for the parable He is about to share.

Luke 16:14 NASB95

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.

Luke 16:15 NASB95

And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Luke 16:14

Woe, those are fighting words. But Jesus does not stop there. He goes on...

Luke 16:16–18 NASB95

“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail. “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.

Luke

God has shown the path for His people from the beginning. In the Old Testament, God gave them the Law and the Prophets to lead them. However, the religious leaders did not follow them. Even the Pharisees, as religious leaders knew the teachings of the prophets, yet they disobeyed. Instead of living the Law, they twisted the Law to fit their own desires. They had a love/hate relationship with the prophets. They were proud of their prophets because it showed God was with them, yet they were never willing to accept the word of the prophets. Eventually, the prophets died away and God was silent for some 200 years.

I. A Tale of Two Men

Now God is speaking again. It began with John the Baptist and continues with Jesus. Many are pushing their way in to hear and receive the words of Jesus, yet the Pharisees continue to deny the truth. They disobey the Laws. They divorce for their own pleasure and purpose with no concern for the women they use.

To make clear what the Pharisees are risking, Jesus tells...

I. A Tale of Two Men

Luke 16:19–31 NASB95

Luke 16:

It is unclear if this is just another parable or a true event. This is the only parable for which Jesus shares a name and some believe Jesus is sharing a true event that has taken place, an ongoing story if you will. We have no way of knowing if it is or not. However, it gives us a rare glimpse into the afterlife.

In this story, we find these men contrasted in life, death and in the eternal afterlife. Let us look at those.

A. A Contrast in Life ()

Luke 16:19–21 NASB95

Rich Man:

a. unnamed

b. dressed in purple - purple die was made from thousands of ground sea snails.

c. dressed in fine linen

d. joyously living in splendor

myth buster: Some rich people are happy, contrary to what we often teach.

2. Poor Man:

a. Lazarus = “One who God helps”

b. destitute - laid at gate of rich man hoping for some compassion

c. ill with visible, oozing sores

d. hungry

e. only compassion is coming from dogs

The details of these two men do not leave us with the same impression that it would have left on the Pharisees. Remember Jesus began by talking of their disobedience of the Law and prophets. If Israel had obeyed the Law, there would belittle or no poverty. God had provided for these with the sabbatical year and the Year of Jubilee. However, they had continued to disregard these practices that God had set forth. Here again is evidence that money was their god and not God. Instead of trusting God with their wealth, they horded it for their own purposes.

Notice that Jesus in His story does not condemn the rich man for his money. What Jesus is revealing is the man’s lack of compassion for the poor man at his gate. There is one credit we can give to the rich man, that is that he did not expel the poor man. Perhaps he thought he was doing the poor man a favor by allowing him to stay there. Perhaps he knew his friends sometimes tossed penny at the man as they came and went.

That does not change the fact that this man is living lavishly without no offer of aid to the poor man. (What would the Good Samaritan of done? I think he would have bathed the man, sought medical aid and provided for him to get back on his feet, perhaps even assisting in finding a job). However, this man lives in the lap of luxury and turns a blind eye to the needs of Lazarus.

Incredibly, they soon both die and we now see...

B. A Contrast in Death ()

B. A Contrast in Death (Luke 16:22)

Luke 16:22 NASB95

“Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.

1. The Poor Man:

a. carried by angels

b. Abraham’s bosom (Abraham’s side) = a prototype of heaven, not heaven, but a temporary shelter until heaven.

2. The Rich Man:

a. died and buried, probably with an expensive funeral

You cannot help but notice the care that is give by God to the poor man. Death was obviously a relief from all his suffering. He would have been buried, but Jewish law, but the expensive prep that was given many would have been bypassed due to lack of funds. Yet, Lazarus would not have cared. He was carried by God’s angels to be with the believers of the day, including people like Abraham, Moses, and King David. Can you imagine what a celebration that would be. Lazarus is in fine company now. Not heaven yet, but that is coming. I am sure he was enjoying the company of all these he had heard stories about all his life.

However, the rich man’s story just ends with being buried. There is no angelic aid. Just the thought of a dark, cold tomb.

At this point, we follow the story in the afterlife with...

C. A Contrast in Eternity ()

Luke 16:23–31 NASB95

“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

At this point in the story, our focus is mostly on the rich man. The only thing we see about Lazarus is that he is in a good place and being comforted. There is no evidence that he is even aware of the rich man at this point. However, the rich man is a different story. He is suffering. He is fully aware of the good things coming to Lazarus and he is envious, yet there is no change in his attitude toward Lazarus. He requests Lazarus come to him like a servant to meet his need. There is no, “I am sorry for what I did not do to Lazarus. Allow him to come so I can ask for forgiveness!” There is nothing like that. He just wants Lazarus to serve his need.

Now, before I continue, allow me to address where these two men are as there is much misunderstanding on this. Hades in some translations is changed to hell, but Hades is not hell. Hell is reserved for the time of the end of earthy things. Hades was a place of temporary holding for both the righteous and unrighteous. However, they were separated by “the chasm.” But there are some interesting things we learn about it.

1. Both are conscious of where they are at.

2. Lazarus is with others, yet the rich man is alone.

3. Lazarus is in place of comfort; while the rich man is in a place of agony.

Lazarus is with others, yet the rich man is alone.

Lazarus is in a place of comfort; while the rich man is in a place of agony.

4. They both are carrying on as they did in life.

Lazarus was a man of faith. In fact, some say that verse 28 implies that Lazarus had tried to warn the rich man. For the rich man, we see no earthly concern for Godly matters. He is too busy living the “good life.” Now in Hades there seems to be no real spiritual change in the rich man.

5. The pleasures of heaven and the torment of hell begin in Hades and continue after judgment day.

The rich man cries out for mercy, even though in life he never gave mercy to Lazarus. He understands the sad state he has come to, but there is no real change in his life. He still shows no concern for Lazarus, he does show concern for his brothers, yet there seems to be no concern for others beyond his brothers.

Understanding of the sad end he has come to torments him and he cries for Abraham to send Lazarus to warn them also. He pleads that the presence of a resurrected Lazarus will convince them.

It is interesting how people always want something more. The pharisees called out to Jesus for a sign, yet Jesus was doing all kinds of miracles around them and they still didn’t believe. This rich man thinks if Lazarus comes back from the dead his brothers will believe, but we know that is not the case. Shortly after this event, Jesus raises his friend Lazarus from the dead and all they wanted to do was kill him! Not only that, but Jesus dies and is resurrected and they still didn’t believe Jesus even after that.

The rich man’s brothers had the teachings of Moses and the prophets. In fact, as rich men, they had even more opportunities to hear, learn and study than did Lazarus and yet they did not listen. The truth is, people will not believe unless they want to believe. They choose not to believe for selfish reason. Pride goeth before a fall as Proverbs says.

At this point you may be wondering, will we go to heaven or hades? That is a big question, but most believe that heaven was opened up upon Jesus ascension. “Lo, I go to prepare a place for you...”. There is a tough passage regarding Jesus death when it talks about how “He [Jesus]descended to the lower, earthly regions” and some believe this could mean Hades. They belief Jesus descended to share the good news with those “in Abraham’s bosom” and to bring them out from there. The truth is, no one knows or understands all this for sure. It is another area that we just need to trust He is providing the best for us and we see that with Lazarus even in Hades. The fact remains, Jesus told the thief on the cross next to Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” We place our trust in that promise.

Application:

It is important to understand that this is not a story about a rich man and a poor man. This is a story about a man who believed and another who refused to believe. Jesus is using the contrast of rich and poor to help the Pharisees see the truth since they put such high stock on wealth. However, wealth is not a instant door to hell. Abraham was with Lazarus and yet Abraham was an exceedingly wealthy man. The difference is that Abraham’s wealth was not his God. Abraham trusted God and was faithful in the use of his wealth, unlike the rich man in this story who used his wealth only to see to his own comfort. The Pharisees did not use their wealth to help their fellow man, but they used it to lord over their fellow men how righteous they were.

This story is a continuation of Jesus teachings on stewardship as he is continuing the idea that our excess is not expressly for our enjoyment, but meant to be used for the welfare of others. Remember, everything is measured by love. If we enjoy our wealth while our fellow men and women around us are suffering, we have no love. However, if we have the love of God, we have the desire to use our wealth to help others. But the true key to this passage is a matter of faith and obedience, or disobedience and self-indulgence.

Conclusion:

It boils down to this. Do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus is who He says He is? Do you believe what He taught? If so, it calls for action. Belief without works is dead! We are not saved by works, but a saving faith is accompanied by works. We are called to live a different kind of life. We are called to live by a different standard. If we do not do so, we are condemned.

This world does not like that word. We do not like sermons about hell. It is quite common to hear people say, “I do not believe a God of love would condemn people.” But in saying that, they prove two things; they do not understand love and they do not know the Bible.

God does not condemn people. People condemn themselves by not listening and obeying. One important truth is evident in this story. Death and the knowledge of what comes after does not change people’s hearts. The rich man showed no remorse for what he had done or not done. He only showed despair for his situation. How can God promise those who love Him heaven, if He allows people like this rich man to enter. Nothing would change for us. We would live the same kind of life we are living on earth. Even more than that, we could not live with God, because God cannot live in the presence of anything unholy. Our love for God allows Him to change us and make us what we need to be to be in His presence. However, God cannot or will not force anyone. I truly believe it is a case of cannot. I suppose God could force someone. Perhaps put them in Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth. However, people forced to due something will eventually rebel and then we would be back to the whole problem again.

On a final note, we do not like sermons about hell because they scare people. First, as Christians, we do not need to fear it. If anything, it should be a motivator to get ourselves in gear in saving people. In the second place, there is something to fear for those who have not given themselves to God. Jesus told this story to help the Pharisees to see what they were facing by their unbelief. Yes it is scary! If I had my druthers, I would prefer people gave their hearts to God out of love. However, the truth is many put their trust in God because they are scared of the consequences to come if they do not. What begins with fear often turns to love as they learn and grow in the faith. As they experience the love of God through the body of believers that surround them and they experience God’s love through His daily provision for them.

So here is the critical question of the day. Where are you in your faith? Have you put that faith in God? Do you believe Jesus came to die for your sins? Has your life changed with that knowledge? That is the key question. True faith promotes change in your life. If your life has not changed, then you have not truly put your faith in God. Do you see and experience God in wonderful ways in your life? Do you see Him answering prayers in your life? If the answer is no to any of these, then something isn’t as it should be and you need to discover why.

Perhaps you have never taken the time to commit your way to God. You believe there is a God, but you have never asked Him to come be a part of your life. Well now is a good time to do so. You do not want to wait, because you never know what will happen tomorrow. It is not about scaring you into doing something you don’t want to do, it is just acknowledging the truth of the matter.

Altar time

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