Rich man and Lazarus

Intro

Difficult subject - Hell - often avoided

many do not believe in hell - no prob with heaven - why?

we don’t realize the depth of our sin - depravity

we avoid it - scary - we sugar coat - we don’t want to put folks off

But Jesus spoke more about it.....

If we are faithful.... we must...

Luke 16:19 “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.[f] 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.’”

First - This is the first and longest teaching on hell in the Bible. OT talks about Sheol… but nothing like this.

other cultures - no teaching like this.

so we should sit up and ask - why? why did the rich man go to hell?

WHY?

because he was rich?

Job, Abraham, Barnabas - all rich. GOD is rich (cattle on a thousand)

wealth is talked about as a blessing of the covenant.

we lay up treasure in heaven.

we are to leave an inheritance for our grandchildren.

but riches CAN be a snare - a magnifying glass

there is a risk … thats why Jesus says its harder for a rich man to go to heaven than a camel to go through the eye of a needle

but he concludes with _with God all things are possible.”

Deut 8:17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth

(wealth can cause spiritual amnesia)

psalm 18:11 A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.

(it causes a false sense of security. The crash of 2008 taught many people how fragile our economic situation is here in the states but as i look out at the scene now, it seems many have already forgotten)

It can preoccupy you - take up your time - you gotta plan, invest, strategize. maybe become obsessed with growing it.

“BUT I thought the Bible was always rebuking the rich”

no - but as Jesus got closer to Jerusalem....

imagine if he were here and getting closer to DC...

remember - wealth is a magnifying glass.

It’s not that the rich man is rich - it’s that his riches don’t serve the KINGDOM

and look back at the beginning of the parable… remember the real problem.

oppulent dress - ruled by his appetite - consuming everything

It’s not because the rich man is rich

it’s because he’s forgotten the proper order of the world.

EVERYTHING exists for the glory of God, his kingdom, and his will.

every square inch - all of Christ all of life

God put man in the garden to work, keep, expand it… and what does that mean? That mankind will aquire wealth in that process.

because we are EXPANDING - GROWING - STEWARDING God’s resources.

this doesn’t mean you take every dollar that you make and give it to the church and THEN it’s gods (you should tithe, you should give freewill offerings)

It’s Gods now - it’s always God’s - everythingn is his.

BUT this doesn’t mean that now we are without...

ten apples. God doesn’t need to eat… he doesn’t NEED at all...

you see? they are for him… and for us simultaneously.

this is called “harmony of interest”

If you are seeking the kingdom first - your needs are met.

and NOT just yours - but your neighbors as well.

so in the case of the rich man - IF HE HAD maintained proper order - there would be enough for him AND LAZARUS.

but instead...

So it’s not that he’s rich - or that he’s a glutton - or that he’s dressed foolishly.

he is out of sync with the way the universe is made to works.

he is not in submission to the God who made it.

he is opposed to him.

WHEN A PERSON REPENTS

their MIND is changed. They no longer oppose God.

They shift - to submission. to his Kingdom will. To his Glory.

THEY MAY BE RICH - BUT their riches have a new goal. God’s goal. Kingdom purposes. A higher calling.

AND this affects everything

the way we dress, the way we eat, EVERYTHING.

If you think otherwise, then you hate God, you consider yourself a rival God.

BUT HAVEN”T WE ALL DONE THIS?

worshiped creation rather than creator.

BUT the offer is free. Free salvation. If we would just believe.

And wasn’t this the difference? Laz believed.

v31 - what was the defining moment? Did they believe moses and the prophets or not?

So - do you?

Or are you pretending to be God? neglecting the poor?

refusing to submit?

THERE WAS A MAN WHO CAME -