This review is brought
to you by the Hope Temple Church of God in Christ Sunday School
Department.
St.
Luke 16:19-31 | King James Version (KJV)
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full
of sores,
21
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table:
moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into
Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his bosom.
24
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that
he may dip the tip of his
finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame.
25
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good
things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art
tormented.
26
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that
they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us,
that would come from thence.
27
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my
father's house:
28
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come
into this place of torment.
29
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they
will repent.
31 And he said unto
him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded,
though one rose from the dead.
As we dive into this
week’s lesson, the text in Luke 16 can be looked at from several points of
view. Many sermons have used this exact text to serve as the crux of their
evangelistic petitions for sinners to be saved, or experience an eternity of torture
in hell, like the rich man here. However, the Sunday School lesson is asking us
to hone in on the message of Jesus, as He teaches about compassion for the
poor. So, while the other areas may be touched upon, we’ll give a large focus
on just that.
To help us gain our
bearings, it’s always good to think about the verses which come before where we
are studying today. Jesus, in Luke 16: 1-15, just prior to the verses today,
teaches on being a good stewards (both naturally, with our riches, and
spiritually, with sharing The Word of God). So, He’s basically telling us to
share.
So, here we have a
rich man. This man doesn't have a name here from Jesus’ description; this man
was representative of a Jew. We know that the Jews were God’s chosen people of
this time. They were blessed with God’s knowledge, and the Plan of Salvation
was delivered through their lineage. They received the covenant from God.
(Roman 9:4) In fact, thanks to the Jews (who took care of and preserved the
Bible over the course of history) we have the Bibles we study from today. We
can also see that it is in the Jewish character to pray to “Father Abraham”, as
we find this rich man doing in this passage.
The rich man had
purple linen. Jesus is painting the picture here for us. He wasn't just rich,
he was loaded! The rich man was SO rich, he lived in a home (probably a mansion),
because it was gated. It is on the other side of this gate, we find a man in
sever need. In looking at the other character, Lazarus, we see that he does
have a relationship with God. The name “Lazarus” means “God has helped”.
Lazarus was sick and sore from head to toe. This passages mentions dogs being
on the scene. In studying the Bible, we find that dogs are considered unclean
animals, reference upon reference. Some passages suggest that dogs served as
guardians and watch dogs. This could possibly be why the dogs are out at the
Rich man’s gate, guarding the property. Lazarus must have known that the Rich
man was throwing out the table scraps to the dogs, so he positioned himself at
the gate. The rich man fed those dogs the scraps that Lazarus wanted. Watch
dogs aren't usually kind. So, for these wild animals to show compassion and
come to comfort Lazarus, when the Rich man had no empathy for him at all,
really gives us a glimpse into the Rich man’s heart and character.
Side note: It’s
amazing where we find help. Sometimes, when we are in a bind, we think help
will come from a well-to-do family member or a prominent organization. We can
look here and see that, although Lazarus was in constant discomfort…he received
a little TLC as DOGS came to help him. You never know where God will send help,
but, He will send it, just to let you know He is thinking of you. Some time
ago, when our family built our first home, we struggled at the very end,
because we were $4500 short of the down payment. We decided to ask around, that
really wasn't THAT much money…was it? Apparently, it was! We asked our well-off
family members. They said, “we don’t have it”. We asked the clergy folk, they
said, “we’ll pray for you”. God put us in the position, to F.R.O.G. (fully rely
on God). So, in His amazing timing, God stirred a woman’s heart (who we only
met in passing) and she said, “Here’s the money you need!” 1 hour and 34 minutes BEFORE the closing. Never underestimate who
God has provided to comfort you and meet your needs. When help comes, be sure
to take it.
Jesus goes on to
share that Lazarus and the Rich man died. The Rich man had a funeral. Since he
was rich, it was probably an elaborate affair. However, Lazarus did not. He
body may have lay in the streets, or carried away to the nearest dump.
Side note: While we all experience this life at
different places (rich, poor, sick, healthy), the one thing we can all depend
on is death. No matter whom we are or where we are, everyone must die. Death is
the great leveler. Benjamin Franklin said, "The only things certain in
life are death and taxes." Ben was preaching!
Immediately, both
Lazarus and the Rich man are swept away into eternity. Our Roman Catholics
believe that when people die, their souls are placed in “purgatory” to endure a
period of cleansing and purification, while being showered by the prayers of
people who are yet in the living. This scripture directly negates that, because
the Rich man went directly to hell, as the old adage says, “in a pair of
gasoline britches!” And Lazarus went to Abraham’s bosom, which represents
heaven.
So, now we see a role
reversal. The Rich man is looking up and begging. He can see Abraham and
recognizes Lazarus by name. “Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may
dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue.”
Side note: Are you serious? All this time, when he was
out there at the gate, having his sores licked by dogs, the Rich man never
acknowledged Lazarus. But, now when he see that Lazarus has been elevated and
placed in a position above his own status, the Rich man finally knows his name.
It lets you know that the Rich man consciously knew Lazarus, even while he was
on Earth. He probably received reports from his servants, “Who’s that guy
always out there at my gate begging?” to find out the beggars name was Lazarus.
When he had a chance to help, he ignored him and, even with an abundance of
resources at his disposal, greedy Rich man chose not to help. Looking at this
spiritually, remember, the Jews had been passed down the Word of God. Jesus
implies that the Jews hoarded God’s Word from the Gentiles (the dogs), choosing
not to share these spiritual riches either.
Abraham reminded the
Rich man of his character and actions on Earth. The Bible teaches in 2 Cor.
5:10, we will answer for the deeds done in our own body. How he enjoyed the best life, while Lazarus
was tortured. Now, he is on the receiving end of eternal torture. After that,
the Rich man asks if Abraham can send Abraham back to warn his brothers and the
rest of his family. Abraham disagreed with that and said, they’ll have Moses
and prophets to preach to them. If that’s not good enough for them, they’ll be
joining you soon! (Paraphrasing)
Side note: Some people aren't used to taking no for an
answer, are they. The Rich man KNEW that there were at least 5 other folks back
home that acted the same way as he had, and if they didn't straighten up their
act, they’d end up in a torturous situation as well. The Rich man is bargaining
with Abraham, even in torture. Jesus is giving us a glimpse into eternity.
There is no going back. There is no redoing, once you die. Do everything you’re
supposed to do while you are here. Or, like the Saints sing, “Get your time in,
payday is coming after ‘while.”
Although the Rich man
sees Lazarus, Jesus doesn't share Lazarus’ reaction, or if he can even see the
Rich man. Surely, if I were to see someone burning and being tortured, I would
feel saddened. Some theologians believe that since heaven is a happy place full
of joy and gladness, loved ones won’t remember these sad things. But, when two
believers reunite in heaven, they will know each other. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
That’s why, as Saints, we can say, “I’ll see you in the morning”, when
believers pass on to Glory. Or, as Paul puts it in I Corinthians 5:6-8: absent
from the body, but present with the Lord.
In recap, Jesus is
admonishing us to show compassion on those less fortunate. Simply ignoring and
neglecting people have never been characteristics of God. This does not mean
that we should allow ourselves to be taken advantage of by some who fraudulently
claim to be disabled and need help, without cause. The Holy Ghost leads us with
wisdom, in how to help the needy. For instance, I observed as one of the
Deacons interacted with a person who came to the doors of the church and asked
for money for food. Instead of simply giving the money directly to the needy
man, the Deacon said, “Where would you like to go to eat? I’ll buy you the
food.” The needy man was immediately angered. He walked away without accepting
the offer. This could have been because he never intended to use the money for
food, but for other untoward purposes. Wisdom is the principle thing here.
Although we may not
always have money, another bounteous resource all Believers can share is the
Word of God. Don’t hide it under a bushel. Don’t shy away from taking that
moment to speak out for the sake of Christ. A dying world is looking for you to
help them. The singing group, Casting Crowns, has a portion of their lyrics
that paints this picture, “under the shadows of our steeples are all the lost
and lonely people, looking for the hope that is tucked away in you and me”.
While we sit happily, and blessedly within our beautiful churches sharing God’s
Word with each other. Mother Romanetha Stallworth has encourages us to “Each
One, Reach One”, as a Body of Believers.
Don’t ignore who you
see struggling for relief in their marriages. Don’t turn away from those whom
you see struggling with addictions. Don’t turn a deaf ear to a child who lacks
self-esteems and needs guidance. In doing so, Jesus gives a glimpse and preview
of what we can expect, on the other side of this life. It’s enough to make you
want to just “gone and” live right!
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