[Intro]
Our text today contains images that may be earthshaking, because it pictures our own mortality. Yes, we are all going to die, since “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). This is our fate. That is, unless Christ returns first.
In the meantime, during our days on earth, everyone receives blessings from God. Each person – Christian and non-Christian alike – receives blessings now. We all receive daily bread – our food, clothing, and shelter. Every good and perfect gift is from God. We all receive protection from God as He constantly shields all people from the full wickedness of Satan. Even in today’s reading, throughout their days on earth, the rich man and Lazarus both received blessings from God.
[The Life and Death of the Rich Man and Lazarus]
Jesus said: “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” (Luke 16:19-20a).
From the start, we see two men who couldn’t be any more different. One was exceedingly rich, the other was beyond dirt poor.
For this rich man, every day was a party. He wore the best money could buy. He lives in luxury. He spends his money like it’s burning a hole in his pocket. He was completely self-centered and heartless toward anyone but himself.
The other man lying outside his gate was a beggar named Lazarus. He was sick and crippled covered with sores and was starving. There he is lying at the gate day after day. He is a pitiful sight. His only hope is that someone – anyone cares! To make matters worse, Lazarus could see the rich man’s lavish lifestyle as he “desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table” (Luke 16:21a). All he desired were some bread crumbs that this rich man would just throw away.
It appears, the only ones who seemed to care for Lazarus were some stray dogs. They only showed him pity. They were his only friends. At least when they licked his sores, they relieved some of his pain. Jesus could hardly have pictured a man in a more pitiful condition as Lazarus.
Now, this rich man must have seen Lazarus at his gate every day. Yet, he did not lift a finger or spend a penny in order to relive this man’s pain or to satisfy his hunger. The sight of this utterly pitiful beggar aroused no pity in him. This nearly lifeless man had no effect on his conscience.
Up to this point, the rich man and Lazarus have been pictured as direct opposites as far as earthly prosperity is concerned. But then Lazarus died. Here is where things switch. When Lazarus died, he “was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side” (Luke 16:22a). Nothing is said about a fine funeral. For Lazarus, it appears, his body may have been unceremoniously placed in an unmarked grave with few, if any, people present to mourn for him. But that didn’t matter, since the angels carried him to Abraham’s side, or literally “Abraham’s bosom.” Here, we have the lovely picture of the believer being brought into the closest association with Abraham, just as a child is laid on the bosom of his mother and is embraced by her. This picture language tells us that to be with Abraham is to be in heaven.
Just as Jesus tells us that Lazarus died, the rich man also died and he was buried. Now, for this rich man, it is likely that he had a beautiful funeral with so many influential people to honor him. Yet, this rich man’s funeral was a poor funeral compared to Lazarus, since there were no angels to transport this rich man’s soul to heaven. Instead, he entered hell, since he had remained an unbeliever to his dying hour.
[The Conversation Between the Rich Man and Abraham]
These two men who had been opposites in their earthly life remain opposites even after death. Lazarus is escorted by angels immediately to heaven. Just as immediately, the rich man arrives in hell. Now, hell was first prepared for the devil and his angels. Hell was never prepared for people and that is a tragedy even to God.
In hell, this rich man is experiencing terrible torment. He is suffering. He is experiencing weeping and gnashing of teeth. He is experiencing extreme terror and horror as he has been cut off from all of God’s blessings. This rich man is forever separated from every good thing, since every good and perfect gift is from God. The devil gives nothing, but empty promises. Without God’s presence and protection, he is experiencing the real sufferings of hell.
Meanwhile, Lazarus is in heaven, the place of the eternally blessed. Now, Lazarus had his earthly lot of bad things, such as a long, painful illness, bitter poverty, humiliation, and degradation. But all the while, he endured those bad things. He endured because he possessed by faith the invisible treasures: assurance of pardon for the sake of the Messiah, the certainty of God’s love resting upon him, and the sure hope of eternal life in heaven. In fact, God had used those bad things in his life to refine and strengthen his faith.
While in heaven, Lazarus is “comforted.” He is receiving all the good things of heaven, its joy and bliss, its honor and glory, and all through faith.
Now, this rich man was not in hell because he enjoyed the good things in life, and Lazarus was not in heaven because “he had it so bad” here on earth. No, that’s not why. Riches and poverty were not the cause. Unbelief and faith is the cause.
But even with this being the case, the rich man begins to plead with God through Abraham, saying: “Father Abraham, have mercy on me” (Luke 16:24). “This isn’t fair!” “Give me another chance!”
Even for us, we may think: “Why not give him another chance?” This may sound callous, but this is simply the way it is. So, when a person goes through life and perishes and does not believe in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior, this person must stand on their own merits. This person must receive exactly what their own merits deserve. Again, God is not vindictive, but this is simply the way it is. Indeed, God desires all people to be saved, but when people ignore God’s one way of salvation, this is the tragic result.
Now, when the rich man realizes that he has received what he deserved, he then attempts to find another way to save his five brothers who are on the path to hell. He said, “I beg you, father, to send [Abraham] 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” (Luke 16:27-28).
For the rich man, he figures that the only alternate way of salvation is a “shock treatment” method. He thinks that if someone would return from the dead to confront the wicked, God would get positive results. He believes the wicked would immediately repent. He believes that this would be a sure-fire method to scare the wicked away from hell and right into heaven. Here, he is not only contradicting God, but he is brazenly accusing God of injustice!
This, too, would never work. Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them” (Luke 16:29). The rich man said, “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent” (Luke 16:30). No, this will not work, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31).
The “shock treatment” will never work on people who have heard the Word of salvation again and again and again, but have kept on hardening themselves against it. They will not be convinced, or come to faith in God’s Messiah set forth in that Word, even though God should raise someone from the dead to denounce their unbelief, warn them against the fires of hell, and summon them to faith. Instead, they will attempt to prove that the resurrected person never died, or they will declare such a resurrection to be scientifically impossible. If the Word of God is irrelevant to them, they will never be convinced that someone is raised from the dead. You see, God’s Word is the means by which God turns hearts.
Now, you may wonder, “Will there be conversations between those in hell with God?” That answer is no. Though they may want to, they will not be able to. For they will have to bow before the will of the exalted Christ as proclaimed in Philippians 2:10: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” that is, hell. It is likely, Jesus is using this conversation for the sake of the story. In the end, every tongue will “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).
[The Gospel is Revealed in the All-Sufficient Scriptures]
With the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, how does God show mercy? Well, that answer is this: “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” Everything that the rich man wanted is revealed in Moses and the Prophets. Now, the phrase “Moses and the Prophets” summarizes the entirety of the Old Testament Scripture. This same Old Testament warns against this terrible torment known as hell. This same Old Testament warns everyone what happens to those who break God’s Commandments. But this same Old Testament also gives the wonderful promise of a Savior who would deliver them from torment.
So, if we don’t remember the Scriptures – the Old and New Testaments – and what these Scriptures teach that the Word of the Gospel is all-sufficient – if we don’t remember that – we will end up like the rich man.
We all have family and friends who do not remember the Scriptures. We all know some in our church family who have been missing. Instead of worrying about their salvation, give them a call or take them out to lunch and share with them in a friendly way the salvation you have received in Christ by taking to heart what is proclaimed by Moses and the Prophets.
So, we must take heed to what is proclaimed in the Divine Service and take it to heart. But today, you are listening to Moses and the Prophets. You have repented of your sins and by the Holy Spirit working in you, you will continue to repent of your sins. So, by listening to the Holy Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets as they proclaim Jesus, you are joining Lazarus by coming to the table this day as we receive a foretaste of heaven on earth in the Lord’s Supper.
We have been given the gift of Moses and the Prophets. Like the Emmaus disciples who at first doubted Christ’s resurrection, we have been given open eyes in the breaking of the bread, the risen One who comes to us at every Divine Service, as we are persuaded in how we have been given salvation in Christ. Thus, we live in Christ by telling others of our salvation in Christ, so that they too – through the Holy Spirit’s work – may be given mercy – just as we have received mercy – and all through Christ alone! Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +
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