First Sunday after Trinity
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Grace Mercy and Peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ today we have in our Gospel lesson where Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Now it has been awhile since we have looked at a Parable and picked it apart as we have been focused intensely upon the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ over the last several months. So we want to remember what we are to look for in the parable. We want to know who the people are in the parable especially where is Jesus, what is expectation is being challenged, and what does Jesus want us to learn from this parable? What is Law is meant for us, and what Comfort in the Gospel?
We have quite the cast in this passage, there is a rich man, there is Lazarus, Abraham, and the rich man’s brothers.
First, we have the rich man, now this draws a connection with the Pharisees who were accused of being lovers of money just a few verses earlier. They use their wealth to benefit themselves and did not seek to serve their neighbors but sought only their own good. They even had laws in place so that they didn’t have to give money to help their parents.
This rich man is compared against a poor beggar by the name of Lazarus who is covered in sores, not a leper, but in a very bad state. He is hoping to eat what would fall from the rich’s man’s table. But his only comfort is that dogs, an unclean animal comes and licks his sores. Lazarus at the very basic level represents the poor who are in need of help.
When they die the poor man is brought to Abraham’s side, and this should be understood as though Jesus is saying that Lazarus was brought into the presence of God and into paradise. But the rich man ends up just being buried and taken down into hades, that is hell. A place of everlasting torment and punishment.
Finally we have his brothers, they are those who are like the rich man, and this represents all those who live and think like he does.
Now Jesus uses these figures for several reason. First, In the world there are those who believe that being wealthy, and in good health and having lots of friends as proof of God’s love for you. This is known as the prosperity Gospel. The world is full of people who believe these things, and they seek proof of God’s approval and love in earthly blessings. This is the natural religion of mankind, both rich and poor. It is that we often long for more money and believe that we will happy when we have enough. That’s why you don’t have to have a lot of money to be a lover of money, you just have to be dissatisfied with what you have. or like good health, you don’t have to be healthy to idolize good health.
The trouble with this worldly religion is shown in how the rich man treats Lazarus. That when we have good health, riches, and all things in abundance that we believe it is ours to use for our own benefit instead of the benefit of our neighbor. The issue is not that the man is rich. Abraham was rich, David was rich, Solomon was rich in this life, but they did not cling to the riches, Abraham clung to the promise of God, and used his goods for his neighbor. God gives to people material goods that they might help their neighbor. That is why God makes some rich and others poor. That we might learn to serve each other in our Vocations.
Jesus is condemning the Pharisees who neglect their neighbor that is right outside their door, instead of using their riches to cover their neighbors need. They are using their riches wrongly and sinning against God and their neighbor. However, don’t use their sin to justify sin within yourself, and be careful lest covetousness and bitterness infect your heart and you end up in hell with the rich man for just as God gave to the rich man wealth in material things, he has given you wealth in something to help others. If you neglect to help them, you sin against them and against God.
For look here at the end of this rich man as he is looking for comfort in hell. For there is nothing there but torment, but Abraham tells him his time of comfort is over. Those who seek pleasures and rewards here in this earthly life and misuse what they have for their own benefit are sinning and will suffer for it in the end.
The Rich man knowing that there is no hope for him, then asks that a Lazarus might be sent to his father’s house to tell his family what has happened lest they perish too. He finally cares about someone other than himself, that is good. So what does Abraham tell him? They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them.
The rich man, who is sitting in hell, then rebukes Abraham, saying no if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. If you have any doubts as to why this man is in hell, he thinks he knows better than those in paradise. But Abraham says once again, if they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.
Now this second part shows us where God saves people. Lazarus is not in heaven, because he was poor. The rich man is condemned because of his sin, but where is the hope of salvation to be found for his brothers? In the Word of God. The rich man is certain that his brothers will not give up their love of the world unless a dead man rises up. For they are not satisfied with the word of God but seek something greater than what God has spoken through Moses and the Prophets.
Now is this a bit ironic, for what were Moses and the prophets writing about, Jesus tells the pharisees in the Gospel of John that the Scriptures are about Him. If a person rejects the Scriptures, and will not hear the Word of God, then not even having a dead person will be enough for they are not satisfied with what God has spoken.
Here we find the place where God points all people to create faith, that whether you are rich or poor, healthy or sick, God creates faith in all people through the very same Word. God has revealed Himself to mankind through the exact same way in the Word of God. He doesn’t reveal himself in your riches, in your poverty, in your health, or sickness, but here in the Scriptures and so here is where God has given us salvation.
Now this may sound strange for who doesn’t want some big experience, or little god moments as proof that God cares about you and loves you. When people see these things they think that God must be with them, like the rich man and they are building their hope on a different foundation than Christ. Do you think the rich man considered himself blessed by God with all that He had? That is the first danger when a person builds their faith on wealth, health, and worldly things.
The other trouble is if you build on the sands of good times, when the pleasures go away, you wonder why God doesn’t love you. What happens when your life is filled with sadness, uncertainty, loss or doubt. When you look around and you see that others have more than you do? This is when bitterness and anger start to set in because we want to know why God hasn’t given to me what I think I need, or maybe want or what I think I deserve? Haven’t I been a good and faithful son unlike that prodigal?
This is why we as Lutherans have avoided the big tent testimonials or other spectacular moments that the world loves. That people go seeking miraculous cures, a visions of an angels or heaven, or a sign like speaking in tongues. It is tempting to look to earthly riches, to trust in our health, and our fame, and forget about the Words that God spoke through Moses, the Prophets, and the Apostles, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit that we might know what Christ has done for you. When we want proof that God loves us and cares about us and that it will not fade we look to the Word of God. For what does Jesus tell his disciples? Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away(Matt 24.35)
For what do you find in the Word? You find that God has blessed you and made you rich on account of His Son, Jesus Christ. For Jesus lived for you, Jesus shed his holy precious blood for you, that He suffered for you and died for you. He also rose for you, and ascended into heaven for you. As though that were not enough the Father and the Son wanted the You to know and not doubt, that you, no matter how vile and terrible a sinner you might be, no matter how long you have worshipped false idols like money, health, friends or family and but them before God that He has forgiven you. That He baptized You, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For Jesus wanted you to be His own and to live in his eternal kingdom as a child of God. That is why Abraham points the Rich man to Moses and the Prophets, they were writing all about Jesus.
But if this Word is not enough for you, if Baptism is not enough for you, if the Lord’s Supper is not enough for you, and you want riches and good health in a world that is passing away, then heaven’t isn’t enough for you. You will join that rich man in hell. So repent lest that be your end, for that is not what God wants for you, that is why He spoke these precious Words for you.
So my brothers and Sisters in Christ, dont’ cling to the world or you will perish along with it, rather listen to the Word of God, that by it you may be saved, be it that Word preached, joined with Water in Baptism, or joined with bread and wine that you may receive the Body and Blood of Christ which were given into death for you. In Jesus name. Amen.