A Radical Reversal

Scripture Reading

Luke 16:19–31 NIV84

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Introduction

As we come to our text this morning, the context is once again important.

Specifically, Jesus has been dealing with wordlly wealth. He has applied that to those who would claim to be in right relationship with God.

Through the parable He emphasized this through the parable of the shrewd manager, who knew very well how to use his resources in this world to prepare for a coming day where he knew that he would be in need. Jesus urged his disciples through this parable to use all their worldly resources to prepare for a far more important time that was coming.

Christ emphasized that His disciples ought to be using their worldly possessions, abilities, gifts etc. for the purpose of glorifying God, so demonstrating a true relationship with Him through Christ, and therefore obtaining the inheritance to which He called them.

The important emphasis through that was that what we do with what God has given to us, and how we steward that, is a good indicator of our hearts, and where our affections lie.

When Jesus taught these things, the Pharisees sneered at him. Literally, they stuck up their noses at him in disgust.

The reason? They loved money. They loved the things of the world. They loved the praises of man. They loved to receive now, rather than to wait for their reward.

And so he addressed them, and reall touched on the fact that they were relying on completely the wrong place for their hope and salvation.

They relied on their obedience to the Law, whereas they failed to recognise and appreciate that they fell dismally short of the standards of the law.

It’s that context that leads Jesus to tell this account of the rich man and Lazarus.

1. Two Different Journeys (vv.19-21)

In this account that Jesus relays to the religious leaders, he tells of very different men living in similar place, but on two different journeys. The first man is outlined in verse 19.

1.1. The Journey of a Rich Man

Luke 16:19 NIV84

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.

Here was a man who by all accounts had made it in this world. Everything about this man indicated that he was a great success in life. In fact, the descriptions that are given in this account seem to indicate that he lived like a king!

We see that this man was dressed in purple. Note the NASB: “habitually dressed...” This was something ongoing, and that marked his life as a consistent pattern.

“Purple” in that day was an expensive colour to use in the dying process, and was thus reserved for the wealthy, and very often royalty.

He was also wearing “Fine linen” speaks about the quality of this man’s clothing - specifically referring to his undergarment.

Here was a man who in worldly terms had it made. He had all that a man could want in the world.

As he was journeying through life in this world, he was comfortable and satisfied. Furthermore, he would have been highly regarded by people around him as being…

Successful...

Business Savvy…

Probably many would have considered him to be blessed by God.

1.2. The Journey of Poor Lazarus

Jesus now draws a stark contrast bewteen the man who has life going for him, the man who has it all, and a man on a very different life journey.

Luke 16:20 NIV84

20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores

Luke 16:21 NIV84

21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

You could scarcely imagine a more pitiful picture.

This poor man was living on the streets. He was laid at the gate of the rich man. Take note that the Greek term that is used here for “gate” refers to the kind of ornamental gate that you would normally find at the entrance to a palace. It’s another indicator of the extent of the wealth of the rich man.

Lazarus, we are told was a beggar. He could not provide anything for himself. From the way in which he’s described, he was probably unable to walk. He had been laid down at the gate.

Here was a man who was extremely poor… and extremely unwell.

Apart from not being able to walk, he was covered with sores all of his body. That may partly have been because he was not being washed and cared for properly. He was mal-nourished. He couldn’t move around because he was unable to walk.

Furthermore, he was very, very hungry. We read in v.21 that he longed to eat the crumbs off of this rich man’s table. Even the crumbs would have been sufficient for him. He was starving!

We should not miss the fact that he obviously was not eating anything from the rich man’s table, not even the crumbs. In other words, the rich man was providing no care whatsoever for this man Lazarus. He didn’t send out any food to the man, not even the scraps from the table.

So sad was the situation of Lazarus that we find that even the dogs were coming to him in order to lick his sores. Keep in mind that the dogs of the society of that day were not our idea of dogs. They were not cute domesticated puppies. They were filthy, pesky, animals. They were unclean animals.

Lazaarus would have been scorned upon and frowned upon.

As society would behold him, what would their thoughts have been?

If we saw someone like this today, what would our thoughts be?

Probably along the lines of...

That man has wasted his life.

That man has been unwise in dealing with finances. At least his family has.

That man has squandered opportunities.

That man is under the judgment of God.

These are typical thoughts that would mark even average Christians in the church today.

This man’s life journey was one of abject poverty and hardship, pain and suffering.

But notice this… the man is named.

No other parable in the Scripture contains the name of a character / person within the parable. This is the only account. The rich man is not named. He’s simply identified as the rich man.

But Lazarus is named. In other words, Lazarus is known.... He is known by God, and God calls him by name! We’ll come back to his name in a little while.

In summary then, what we have here are two different people on two very different life journeys. One is on a life journey of abject poverty and suffering; the other is on a journey of oppulent wealth and comfort.

While these two men picture extremes, they are so presented by Jesus to make an important point to his hearers.

Each one of us here today is on some kind of journey through this life. Some may have plenty, some may have very little. Some may go through tremendous struggles and hardship. Some may go through life with very little trouble at all.

But we need to understand that the details of our journey through this life is not really the most important thing. Rather, the question is one of the destination towards which we are headed...

2. Two Different Destinations (vv.22-23)

As Jesus continues with this account / parable / story… he speaks about the place that each of these men arrive at once they have passed on from this life.

2.1. The Destination of Lazarus

Luke 16:22 (NIV84)

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side....

The life event that is common to every man arrived for both Lazarus and the rich man.

The first death that is recorded is that of the Lazarus, the beggar.

Notice here that there is no mention of a burial at all. He simply dies, and probably had his body cast away, perhaps thrown into a pit somewhere…

But the man himself - the spirit of the man - lived on into eternity. And notice the beautiful picture that is given here.

Angels come from the very presence of God, and they carry Lazarus away to a place of rest. Jesus says in this text that he went to Abraham’s side...

What is the implication of this? Keep in mind that Abraham was one of the revered patriarchs of the faith. He was the man to whom great promises had been given by God.

Also, we know from Scripture that Abraham is the father of all believers…

The idea behind this is not so much that heaven is where Abraham is, but rather that the audience to whom Jesus was speaking would recognise that Lazarus had gone to be in the place where the father of the faith was.

Furthermore, he received a place of honour in heaven. He is seated at the tables of heaven right next to Abraham, this respected father of the faith, and he even gets to rest his head in the bosom of Abraham, as John did with Jesus around the table.

Lazarus has been given a place of honour.

It’s a beautiful picture.

2.2. The destination of the rich man

This brings us to consider the rich man…

Luke 16:22b-23 (NIV84)

...The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

We must immediately see that death is the great equalizer (at least in terms of the economies of this world, this life).

At the end of the day, no matter what we achieve or become in this life, all of us go to the grave. No matter what the social status that we have in this life, we all end up in the grave. And we don’t take any of the physical accumulations of this life with us.

Solomon, in all his wisdom, recognised this…

Ecclesiastes 2:15–17 NIV84

15 Then I thought in my heart, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said in my heart, “This too is meaningless.” 16 For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die! 17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

In fact, Solomon even went on to compare man with animal in this sense, since people end up in the grave just like animals do…

Ecclesiastes 3:18–20 NIV84

18 I also thought, “As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.

The question is, do we recognise this in our own lives? Do we see that our life is ultimately, at least in certain respects, no different (at least in terms of worldly endeavours) than the next person?

In the words of Job...

Job 1:21 NIV84

21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

None of the goods that we obtain in this world and in this life can be taken with us beyond the grave. Therefore, we as Christians ought to live in this world as those preparing for the next, storing up treasures for the life to come.

We find that the rich man didn’t do this. Rather, his entire existence and life was bound up in this world. The last thing that the rich man got in this life that was better than Lazarus was a burial. There was some dignity.

But that is where the good things for him ended.

What happened beyond the grave?

Verse 23 begins with the words, “in hell, where he was in torment...”

Clearly, Christ is teaching here that beyond the grave, there is a place of torment. There is this place called hell, where there is great suffering and pain.

The reason that I pause to emphasize this is that there are many who would reject the very idea of suffering and torment in eternity. They refuse to believe in a place of eternal torment and suffering.

One man said that he believed that there was a heaven and a hell, but he just didn’t believe that anyone was in hell. He believed that God would rescue every person, and bring them into heaven, because he’s a God of love.

Jesus certainly didn’t believe that. He didn’t teach that. Jesus is teaching here that there is a destination beyond this life. And heavaen is not the only destination. There is a place of torment, and there are those who will be found there.

That’s where the rich man finds himself now.

We must see at this point that these two men who were on very different journeys through this life, ended up in two very different destinations.

But when you consider the journeys, and the apparent success of the one, and the failure of the other, you find in the destination that the complete opposite was true.

Every measure of success of man that marked the life of the rich man was removed from him in the next, and he ended up with absolutely nothing.

Every picture / evidence of the failure of the man Lazarus in this life, every aspect of lack that he experienced in this life, was reversed in the next life, and he became a man who had comfort and pleasure.

We must see this and take careful note of it.

We must allow this reality to sink carefully into our hearts and minds.

Christ has been very careful here to teach the Pharisees and teachers of the Law the importance of proper perspectives.

He’s been careful to teach the dangers of the things of this world that allure one. He’s been teaching that although things may appear one way in the eyes of man, the true spiritual realities may be vastly different.

Christ has been careful to teach his disciples that they must evaluate their positions and their hearts before God while in this life, because ultimately that is all that is of eternal worth and value.

Let me ask this question…

What is the spiritual condition of your heart and life right now?

Do you have a real and vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ? (The Scripture’s version of Jesus Christ)

Has the Gospel message - that Christ died for you personally - he has borne your sin upon himself - has that hit you… has it impacted you, so that your life is been radically transformed by the truth?

Are you abiding in Christ....

Is it a great delight for you to spend time with Christ, reading the word, meditating on that word?

Do you see fruit in your life? Spiritual fruit? Is that fruit growing?

Are you submitting to Christ as Lord?

Friends, we need to be honest with ourselves as we answer these questions.

It really doesn’t serve us any good purpose to lie to ourselves…

We just end up deceiving ourselves, going in the wrong direction.

We need to be honest so that we can deal now with those areas of our lives that are lacking.

These are very, very weighty questions… and they have very, very serious consequences. Eternal consequences.

We see something of that as we consider the third main point…

3. Two Different Cries (vv.24-31)

While Lazarus is resting delightfully in the bosom of Abraham, the rich man in his agony and torment begins to cry out. And he’s crying out for mercy in various forms.

We see firstly...

3.1. A Cry For Personal Mercies (vv.24-26)

The cry is found in verse 24…

Luke 16:24 NIV84

24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

Having lived a life of oppulence and having had everything a man could want, the rich man is now in utter agony, and is crying out for pity.

In this life, it was the rich man who had everything, while Lazarus was longing to receive just the crumbs from the rich man’s table. Lazarus longed for some reprieve in his suffering.

The tables have completely turned.

In this life, the rich man ought to have taken some food to Lazarus, or perhaps offered some medical assistance to help him with his sores and wounds, just to provide some measure of relief to Lazarus.

But he was too selfish. He ignored the need right at his gate.

But as Lazarus had longed for the crumbs that fell from the man’s table, so this rich man longs even for the tip of a finger dipped in water to cool his tongue.

It’s not even like he’s asking for a drink.... for a glass of water… Just the tip of a finger. The extent of the agony is clearly portrayed by Jesus.

But notice the reply…

Luke 16:25 NIV84

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.

The reality is that no matter how much the rich man would cry out, he would not receive the comfort that he sought.

Abraham’s response indicates to him that he had received his full measure of comfort in his life in the world, and that there was no further comfort that would be extended to him.

This reminds us of the words of Jesus when the Pharisees were seeking the praises of man around them…

Matthew 6:1–4 NIV84

1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The same was said by Christ in the context of prayer, even of the religious leaders praying with wrong motives…

Matthew 6:5 NIV84

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

In this sense, the rich man had received all of his comforts in full during his life in the world.

On the opposite side, Lazarus had received his share of bad things, of trials and tribulations, while he lived in the world.

Having endured those trials, he was now enjoying the sweet rewards of of the life to come, in complete rest and contentment and joy, having all the comforts a man could wish for.

Now, there’s an important point that needs to be emphasized here.

We must not conclude from this parable by Jesus that the rich man went to hell because he was rich.

Neither should we conclude that the poor man Lazarus went to heaven because he was poor.

We need to understand this account from Jesus in light of the broader Gospel and teaching of Christ.

Christ has made it very clear that trust in God, trust in God’s chosen Messiah, repentance and faith, are absolutely essential for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

Christ has made it clear that a heart of faith in God, and humble submission before God is essential for entrance into this eternal rest.

Rather, the manner in which we live our lives here - in faith in God, or lacking that faith - will determine our destination. It’s helpful to note that the name that Jesus gives to this man, the name Lazarus, means “God is my helper.”

We must understand that despite his poor condition and his lack of physical goods in this world, Lazarus was a man who trusted in God. Although he was spiritually poor, he was physically rich.

The reversal that is seen in this account is due to the fact that Lazarus placed his trust in God in this life, while the rich man placed his hope and confidence in his abundance.

Notice what Abraham goes on to say…

Luke 16:26 NIV84

26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

Jesus adds this important detail to the parable… he could have left it out, but he doesn’t.

By that I don’t mean that there is literal chasm between heaven and hell. Rather, Jesus is conveying the truth that our final desintation is eternal, and there will be no opportunity to change it once you’ve arrived there.

Notice his words…

“Those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us...”

There is an eternality about our final destination…

Regarding those who reject Christ in this life, Paul writes…

2 Thessalonians 1:9 NIV84

9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power

This is where the rich man finds himself. In eternal destruction.

For those who live for Christ and His glory…

Galatians 6:8 NIV84

8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

We must see that once our destination is reached, once we’re into the next life, there will be no change.

The life that we live now has eternal consequences, either way.

This leads us to consider second cry....

3.2. A Cry for Family Mercies (vv.27-31)

As this rich man (who is now very poor indeed) realises that there is no hope for his situation to change, he suddenly seems to have a dash of concern for his family…

Luke 16:27–28 NIV84

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

The realisation that he had been living for the wrong reasons has sunk in, and now he wants show his concern to those who still have time.

Suddenly the outlook and priorities in the minds of the person changes. The concern for others is too late at this point however.

Notice the cry of the man - he wants Lazarus to go and warn his brothers.

In verse 30, the clear indication of what they needed to be warned of was the need for repentance.

Particularly, in the broader context here, that would have been a repentance from dead works for salvation, and and turning towards Christ, evidenced by the fruit of righteousness.

Abraham’s reply is in verse 29...

Luke 16:29 NIV84

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

Now, here is a striking statement! The point that is made by Jesus here is very clearly that Moses and the Prophets are sufficient to direct people in the way that they ought to go.

There are two things that the OT Scriptures pointed to that they ought to have heeded. One is the need for repentance, and the other is the importance of God’s concern for the poor, and how those who belong to him ought to show care and concern for the poor.

In Moses, we find various examples of this…

Exodus 22:22 NIV84

22 “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan.

Exodus 22:25 NIV84

25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest.

Leviticus 19:10 NIV84

10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God.

The Prophets…

There are plenty of examples of the call for repentance…

Jeremiah 8:6 NIV84

6 I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues his own course like a horse charging into battle.

Ezekiel 14:6 NASB95

6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations.

There are calls for caring for people in need…

Micah 6:8 NASB95

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

In addition to that, the Old Testament pointed forward to a coming Messiah that would emulate and practice these requirements.

Deuteronomy 18:15 NASB95

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.

Deuteronomy 18:18 NASB95

18 ‘I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

Isaiah 42:3 NASB95

3 “A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

The entirety of Isaiah 53…

The fact was that all of the Law and the Prophets were revealing the heart of God for His people.

God was a gracious and compassionate God, a redeeming God.... and yes, a jealous God, because He truly is the only God!

But in essence, Jesus is conveying to these Pharisees that they have missed the point, even of the law and the prophets. They had missed the very heart of God for His people.

We need to see this, even as Christians today. Too many who profess faith in Christ have very little concern for those around them. They can live very selfish and self-absorbed lives. This is not genuine Christianity.

James 1:27 NASB95

27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

God had revealed to Israel the manner in which they were to live, but the religious leaders had clearly missed the point. And the sad reality was that their hearts were still hard.

Listen to how Jesus says the rich man responds…

Luke 16:30 NIV84

30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

What he’s saying is, “God, your word (the Old Testament Scriptures at least) is not enough… they need something more…

Just send this man Lazarus, and with a man rising from the dead… then they’ll definitely believe...

It’s a common lie… something a little bit greater, something a little more evident… then we’ll have faith. Then this person will believe… then that person will turn. It’s not the case.

Luke 16:31 NIV84

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Here is the reality, dear friends. Those who would refuse to hear the Scriptures, the perfect revelation of God, will not be convinced even with signs and miracles. The hardness of the heart of man is the cause of this.

God’s revealed word is sufficient.

The question is, will we listen? Will we heed? Will we obey?

Application / Conclusion

A.1. Choose wisely in this world

I cannot emphasize this point enough.

Firstly, you need to heed the call to repentance from dead works and self-righteousness. You cannot save yourself through your good works.

This journey towards the destination of eternal rest and joy begins with confession of sin, and trust in Jesus Christ as the only hope of salvation. Have you started there?

Beyond that, if you have already done that… Let me ask you a question…

Do you ever pray to God, and say, I surrender myself fully to you, and I humbly submit to the authority of Jesus over my life, irrespective of the consequences?

Do you ever pray that God would use you in any way he chooses, irrespective of the cross, and really mean it?

Are you prepared to pray like that?

If we are fully convinced of our eternal rewards, eternal comforts through Christ, then such prayers should become a lot easier to pray… because we know that any sacrifice we may need to make now is only temporary.

A.2. Check your fruit

Keep in mind that Jesus was teaching this to the Pharisees, who were very religious, and nonetheless loved money.

The parable of the sheep and the goats.... giving a glass of water… feeding… caring for the needs of the poor and destitute.

The question is, do we ask God to so transform us, to so work in us that we grow in our realisation and appreciation of the Gospel, such that we are motivated out of love and through a response of our own recognition of the grace of God to love others selflessly, and to really care for the needs of those around us, as the Lord enables us…?

This is a challenging question!

However, our service to others shows something about our loyalty to God.

1 John 3:17 NASB95

17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

James 2:15–16 NASB95

15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

Check your fruit, and ask if you are living with a heart for others, and a deep desire to servce self-sacrificially.

And pray that the Lord would grant you a greater and deeper desire to love people and to serve others.

A.3. Live for Eternity

A final encouragement. Live for eternity, every day.

Don’t wait for tomorrow. Don’t wait until you’ve reached your next big achievement.

Live with your eyes fixed in eternity.

Live with your hope fully in Christ.

And do it with great joy and enthusiasm, but Christ truly is all-satisfying.

You will not be sorry.