This sermon was preached at St Peter's Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Public Schools Club, Adelaide, 9am.
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer: May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
Today we read a wonderful passage from the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus tells us about the rich man and Lazarus. In the Gospels, we read many parables of Jesus; however, this particular text is not called a parable, and it’s not entirely clear whether Jesus is telling us a story or he is telling us something that actually happened, which only he, as true God, would actually know about. Anyway, this passage is extremely important, and teaches us about many different things: Jesus teaches us about salvation, about the next life, and about heaven and hell, he teaches us about being rich and being poor, he teaches us about the Scripture and the importance of listening to it while we have the opportunity.
So let’s begin by looking at the first part of the reading, where the earthly lives of these two men are described. We read: There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
In the Old Testament, we read a wonderful passage about when the prophet Samuel went to the house of Jesse, and chose his David to be anointed as king. Samuel said on that occasion: Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. In the first place, Jesus tells us about the outward appearance of these two men. What do we think of them? Well, it looks like the rich man is blessed, and the poor man is cursed. And it’s true, to have money and possessions and wealth is a blessing from God. On the other hand, to go without, to be hungry, to be sick, all these things come about in our life because of the fall into sin.
However, even though wealth is a blessing from God, it can still be a curse for us. St Paul says that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It’s not money itself that is evil, but the love of it. And this rich man in our reading, we read dressed himself in purple and fine linen. Purple, in those days, was a very expensive cloth, made out of a dye which they collected from sea snails. And usually, it was only kings and royalty that wore purple. However, in our reading, this rich man, who was not a king, dressed himself in purple.
There is always a temptation for people who are rich to think that, because they are rich, they are now kings. Now that they have money, they can have influence. But they have to be careful, because they are not kings. Also, we read that he feasted sumptuously every day. He didn’t just eat, but he went overboard, he feasted on the best food, the finest food, he fed in excess, and had lots of it, more than what he needed.
On the other hand, there was a poor man, called Lazarus, laid at his gate. Lazarus was desperate, and was suffering tremendously. Someone, who might have been a friend of Lazarus, knew that this man was rich, and might be in a position to help him. When the rich man went in and out of his house, and passed by his gate, he would have seen Lazarus. When the rich man was speaking to Abraham later in our reading, he certainly knew Lazarus by name and recognised him. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, we read where the man poured oil and wine on the man’s wounds. Wine was used in those days for an antiseptic, because of the alcohol content, and then oil was used to soothe the wound. The rich man certainly would have had a little wine and oil for the poor man’s sores, and also he would have had plenty of excess food, which he could have given to Lazarus. In fact, if he had done these things for Lazarus, it would have probably been no great sacrifice for him. It would have been easy for him to do it. He probably could have even paid someone to go and do the job for him, if he didn’t want to get his hands dirty and do it himself. But he didn’t. That’s the point that Jesus is telling us here: the rich man didn’t help him. He was a man who was hardened to human need, who was blind to human suffering right on his doorstep, and didn’t realise that before God, rich and poor are all alike, and that God shows no partiality. No matter where we’re from, or what privileges we have in life, or what important or unimportant families we’re from—we are all the same human race, and when people need help, we should make whatever effort we can to help them.
Now, what happens to these two men? We read: The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
Think about the funerals that these two men must have had. The rich man probably had a rich, lavish funeral, at great expense, with great pomp and ceremony. The poor man, Lazarus, was probably rolled up and put in a mass grave with a whole lot of other poor people. However, when we think of our life and about our death, the most important thing is not the funeral that people put on for us, but which God puts on for us. It’s not important when we die, whether we have hundreds of cars following the funeral car to the cemetery, with the police stopping the traffic, with large bunches of flowers. The most important thing is not the funeral procession which is arranged for our body, but the funeral procession for our soul.
You see, when we die, our bodies are buried in the ground. But at death, there is a separation between body and soul. Our body, though, on the other hand, is not like a plastic packet, which is thrown away in the bin. On the last day, we also read, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and that for us who believe in Jesus, our souls and our bodies will be reunited and our bodies will transformed to be like Christ’s glorious body. In the Gospels, we read about when Christ was on the mountain with Moses and Elijah, and his body shone with wonderful divine light. St Paul says in Philippians, that Christ will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body. In the meantime, we also read that when we die, and leave this life, St Paul writes that we depart to be with Christ. Simeon, the old man, who blessed Mary and Joseph and Jesus in the temple, when Jesus was a baby, said: Let your servant depart in peace. This word, “depart”, that Simeon and Paul both use comes from shipping. It’s the same word you use to speak about a ship departing from a harbour. The question for us, which Jesus puts before us, is where will our little ship come to shore? Heaven or hell?
We see this question put before us too when Christ was on the cross, between two criminals who were crucified with him. One criminals mocks Jesus and says: Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us! But the other rebuke him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Even though Jesus body is buried in a tomb, even though this criminal’s body would have been thrown on the scrap heap, Jesus promises him the gift of Paradise, to be with Jesus, even on that very day. We learn here about the separation of the body and the soul at death. When Jesus rose from the dead, on Easter Sunday, he is not the last person who will rise from the dead. Rather, he is the first to rise from the dead, and many will follow. St Paul writes: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
So, in our reading, these two men, Lazarus and the rich man have fallen asleep. They have died. And both of these men have a funeral not just for their bodies, but for their souls. The rich man died and was buried and goes to hell, and is in torment. Lazarus died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. Actually, in Greek, the word there is properly, “Abraham’s bosom”. Lazarus doesn’t stand next to Abraham, but is embraced by him, held close to heart, as his child.
There is a temptation for us to look at this reading and to think that Jesus is teaching us that rich people are bad, poor people are good, or all rich people go to hell, and all poor people go to heaven. This is not the case. It’s true that Jesus does say that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. But, still, there are rich people who are disciples of Jesus, and some of them are very special and wonderful people, especially because we know that Jesus tells us that it’s not easy for rich people to come to God. For example, in the Gospels, we read about Zacchaeus, who was a rich man. When Jesus comes to his house, he says: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. What a wonderful thing this was! He wanted to share his wealth with those who needed it. Perhaps whoever put Lazarus at the rich man’s gate, thought that maybe this rich man was like Zacchaeus.
But also, Lazarus goes to Abraham’s bosom. If all rich people go to hell, what was Abraham doing in heaven? We read in Genesis, that Abraham had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. On one occasion, Abraham was given as a gift a thousand pieces of silver. He was certainly a rich man.
So how was Lazarus saved? Well, first of all, we learn something from our reading today. Later, when the rich man talks to Abraham, he says: If someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. The rich man realises that his brothers need to repent, and he recognises that he is there in hell because he himself did not repent. The same goes for us: we must realise while we still have the chance that our human hearts are full of sin. We are full of sin, and we sin much, and we need to repent while we have the chance, before it’s too late for us. But also, when we recognise our sin, when we realise we are lost and condemned, what hope do we have? Then, we need to learn something about Abraham. In Genesis 15, we read: [Abraham] believed in the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Jesus promises eternal life to all who believe in him, because Jesus has offered his life and his blood in our place as the one true and perfect sacrifice for sin. When we believe in Christ, when we trust in this blood and this sacrifice of this man, God sees this faith, and he counts it to us as righteousness. It’s like if we go to a very expensive restaurant and get a bill, and we realise that we can’t pay. The debt of our sin is too great. Jesus takes our bill, and looks at it, and he sees all the things that need to be paid, and then he takes his blood, wipes it all out, and gives it back to us with a stamp on the bottom that says: Paid in full.
Abraham trusted in the Lord, and so did Lazarus. In fact, this faith and trust in the promises of God is what Lazarus and Abraham actually had in common, despite the fact that one was rich in this life and the other was poor. This faith and trust in God’s promises was what made Abraham welcome him into heaven as his child.
Now, in the second half of our reading, which we’ll read more briefly now because of time, tells about a conversation, a desperate conversation, between the rich man in hell and Abraham. And this conversation is very useful for us, because it takes away from us all the excuses about why we shouldn’t repent and turn to Christ now, while we have the chance.
We read: 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. 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. And besides all this, between us and you a 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.’
Now, first of all, we often don’t want to repent and turn to Christ, because we don’t think there is a hell. We could ask all kinds of philosophical questions, about God and his love, his judgment, and why there is a hell. Never mind that for now – there is one. The person who is telling this story to you in this Gospel reading has risen from the dead, and is true God himself, and he knows. We read here about the rich man’s anguish and torment. The rich man already enjoyed his good things – now it is time for Lazarus to enjoy some good things, which are much better and of far surpassing glory than anything that rich man ever had in his life.
But also, we read that there is a chasm between heaven and hell, so that no one can pass either way, back and forth. This means that the time to turn to God is now, and we should not leave it until later. There is no purgatory, as some people think, where you can go to a half-way place between heaven and hell, and eventually then get out. There is no promise that everyone will be saved, no matter what. There’s no Australian, “she’ll be right, mate!” We must keep this clear teaching of Jesus very much before our eyes, so that we understand this clearly.
Then the rich man says: ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into 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.’ 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.’
Here, the rich man begs Abraham that Lazarus should go back from the dead to visit his family. It will be no use. If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.
Often I have heard it said, “If God spoke to Moses in a burning bush, why doesn’t he come and speak to me out of a burning bush today?” Well, the reason why God spoke to Moses in a burning bush, is so that you would listen to Moses, not so that you would have some burning bush experience too. Many people want a miracle, but even if they had one, they probably wouldn’t even notice it.
But what about people going back from the dead? Sometimes, someone has a dream about someone who has died. It doesn’t convince them. Sometimes, people believe they have ghosts in their house. It doesn’t convince them. Some people even think that it’s cool and fun. People make money out of ghost tours of old buildings and gaols and cemeteries. It doesn’t convince them. Even King Saul went and visited a witch, a medium, and asked her to call up Samuel from the dead. It didn’t lead him to repent – in fact, it was quite the opposite. This action of King Saul was the height of his rebellion against God, and a reason for his rejection by God.
But even so, the central claim of Christianity is a simple historical and geographical fact that three days after Jesus died and was buried in a tomb, he stood up and walked out of the tomb. We believe that Jesus rose from the dead. But you know, many people are not convinced, because they don’t listen to the Word of God. As Abraham says: They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them. Actually, we have Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles and the Evangelists. And people still don’t listen. Even when the Apostles went out to tell the news of Jesus’ resurrection to Thomas, he didn’t want to listen. And Jesus said, Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. And just after we read these words in the Gospel of John, it says: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Do you see? Everything here in these little verses is exactly what we learn in our reading today. We are not saved by whether we are rich or poor. We are saved by faith. Jesus is the Saviour of sinners, he came to save the lost, he came to gather the lost sheep. By believing you may have life in his name. And the bible was written for a purpose. John says: These are written so that you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. As Abraham says: They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them. Yes, Moses and the Prophets point us forward to Jesus, the Apostles teach us about the life of Jesus and about life with Jesus.
So, let’s turn to him, place our sins into his hands, and receive from him his righteousness, his blood, his forgiveness. We place our wealth and our riches into hands. And we place our needs, our sicknesses, our troubles into his hands. And we pray that Jesus would also open our eyes, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to see those around us who need our help, and to show compassion to them, just as he has risen from the dead and shown his mercy and compassion to us. And we pray also that Jesus would also grant a wonderful funeral for our soul, and lead us to heaven on the wings of angels, so that when we depart from this life, we can be with Jesus, completely free and purified from every sin and trouble, in Paradise, and let down the anchor of our little ship with him, and rest in his harbour, and be at peace with him. Amen.
And the peace of God, which
passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
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