Untitled Sermon

Summary: Use God’s blessings to help God’s People

· Treasure God, not treasures

· Put God first – even before money

· People act funny – when it comes to money

· Our actions have eternal rewards – good or bad

the necessity of obeying God’s Law of charity and compassion

Context – continues the previous parables – rich young ruler?

Unjust steward

Luke 16:10 NLT

10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.

Luke 16:13 NLT

13 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

1 – The Two PERSONS – Rich Man, Poor Man

2 men - Worlds

Alive – same place – two circumstances (WORLDS)

· This is the Only parable not introduced as a parable

CERTAIN rich man – singled out

This parable involves a very wealthy man who has everything he could want, and by stark contrast, an impoverished beggar suffering just outside the man’s estate.

Luke 16:19 NLT

19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.

· Habitual = lifestyle of the rich and famous

Lap of “Luxury”

· Purple = expensive dye made from shellfish

· a wealthy man who has everything

· America has many millionaires – world’s richest country

· YouTube - $100 million mansion

2 coverings

Luke 16:20 NLT

20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores.

· Lazarus – only person named in any parable

Lazarus = “God is my help”

· nobody helps this man but God!

Laid – daily, habitual

Local loners

· At his gate – would have known –

· How many Lazarus’s are at YOUR gate?

o Haiti next to America - poorest nation in the western hemisphere

o Afghanistan was just designated the most dangerous country for Christians in the world by a leading persecution watch group. – ACLJ

o “What about people right here?” argument – well, if you are so concerned about your fellow man, what are YOU doing to help them? Probably nothing

o Abortion – most helpless of all

Luke 16:21 NLT

21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

Longing – for the basics of life

Same words as the Prodigal Son with the pigs

All people in this culture ate with their hands. The very wealthy used white bread to wipe their hands and then threw it on the floor[1]

Matthew 15:27 (NLT) She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”

· Rich man – wanted nothing

· Lazarus – Needed everything

Rich man = hypocritical believer – Had knowledge OF God but continually DISOBEYS God through his selfishness

· Modern application of western waste:

o Waste time – we spend up to 8 hours per day on smart phones while those around us (including the world) needs our attention

o Waste energy – we have energy for sports but not for missions

o Waste money - $10 billion on Halloween

o Waste food – 2/3 world go to bed hungry while America throws out tons of food

o World needs basic nutrition and medical care (vitamins), basic shelter, clothing and fresh water

It is ok to have things if we are helping others – EVERYONE can do SOMETHING

We live what we really believe!

Contrast in covering

· Rich – covered in silk

· Lazarus – covered in sores

Licked = compassionate outsiders

Church failed (few tithe, volunteer, 80/20 rule) = world stepped in (humanitarian groups) government programs – sad indictment

Dogs = gentiles – Good Samaritan

World has more pity than Church sometimes – personal testimony

Lacerations – Open Sores

Wounds come in all forms = emotional, physical, mental

Examples = abuse, neglect, attacks, PTSD,

2 – The Two PLACES – Paradise and Perdition

Luke 16:22 NLT

22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried,

Notice the contrasts in this verse:

1. one apparently unburied (by implication), one properly buried

2. one carried by the angels, one’s transportation unmentioned

3. one with Abraham in paradise, one in torment apart from Abraham

Notice the commonalities.

1. both die

2. both are conscious

Reason:

· how they used their wealth (or lack of it).

· Their spiritual lives were not revealed by the physical circumstances (cf. Deut. 28 vs. Job and Ps. 73).

· The rich man’s lack of concern for the poor illustrated his selfish, earthly priorities.

· One can learn the priorities of modern, western people by their checkbooks and calendars![2]

Who was the Rich man?

Earlier parable - the Rich fool

· Tore down barns

· Not rich toward God

· Died that very night

· If the Rich Fool was the Rich Man mentioned here – then Lazarus was at his gates daily.

Who was Lazarus?

· Common name, but could have been Jesus’ friend

· Was sick for days, and died

· In death, the two men’s roles are reversed, with the rich man suffering in Hades and Lazarus receiving comfort in heaven.

Luke 16:23 NLT

23 and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

· roles reversed

· One’s financial lot in this life is no indicator of spiritual status.

· In the course of time both the rich man and Lazarus die but find themselves in two drastically different places than they had been in life. Whereas the poor man was completely impoverished, he now enjoys comfort in the heavenly kingdom (“Abraham’s bosom”). On the other hand, the rich man is tormented in Hades and begs for relief in much the same way that Lazarus once begged outside his gate. All of this illustrates the common theme of reversal that has been found throughout Luke’s Gospel.

“Lifted up his eyes”

· – was in the lowest possible place

o He who exalts himself will be humbled

3 – The Two Prayers – Relief and Redemption

Luke 16:24 NLT

24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

Longing – for what was never given

God is not mocked – no seed, no harvest

· When the rich man asks for comfort for himself or a warning for his brothers, he is denied both.

· The Request, the refusal, the reason

Lamenting

Luke 16:25 NLT

25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.

Remember –

Rich man was most likely a Jew, so he was aware of God’s God.

Remember the Sermon on the Mount –

Blessed are the merciful – for they shall obtain mercy

Blessed are the poor in spirit – for theirs is the Kingdom of God

The Rich Man = Rich Young Ruler?

If so, he would have remembered having a private audience with the Son of God – about how th=o inherit eternal life…

Who LOOKED at him and LOVED on him, but the rich man turned away?

Remember the Eye of the needle!

Luke 16:26 NLT

26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’

16:25–26 The reversal theme continues as Abraham responds to the rich man’s request for relief by explaining that the situation was reversed during the man’s lifetime. Also, there is no way that one can go from heaven to hell or vice versa.

2nd Plea

Luke 16:27–28 NLT

27 “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’

16:27–28 Once the rich man realizes he cannot escape his doom, he requests that Lazarus be resurrected from the dead in order to warn his brothers of the consequences that await them in the afterlife.

Luke 16:29–31 NLT

29 “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ 30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ 31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Faith is based on Word, not Miracles

people do not need to have someone resurrected for them in order to believe, since they have the Scriptures. When the rich man insists that a resurrection will work, Abraham’s final words in 16:31 show that Lazarus’ resurrection will do nothing to convince them.

Who was Lazarus? – Died from sickness, but raised by Jesus!

Lazarus raised – Pharisees did not receive

· Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1–44.

· Not all who see Lazarus’ resurrection believe (John 11:45–57; 12:9–11).[3]

Jesus’ Resurrection – many still don’t believe

Jesus’ own resurrection and how even his victory over death failed to convince everyone.

· the living must trust the Scriptures. Some will not believe even after a resurrection.

· prophetic of Jesus’ own teachings. Those who would not believe his teachings and miracles would not believe even when he rose from the dead.[4]

[1]Utley, R. J. (2004). The Gospel according to Luke: Vol. Volume 3A(Lk 16:21). Bible Lessons International. [2]Utley, R. J. (2004). The Gospel according to Luke: Vol. Volume 3A(Lk 16:22). Bible Lessons International. [3]Mangum, D., ed. (2020). Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament (Lk 16:19–31). Lexham Press. [4]Losch, R. R. (2008). In All the People in the Bible: An A–Z Guide to the Saints, Scoundrels, and Other Characters in Scripture (p. 256). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.