Luke 16:19-31
Grant O Lord, that as Your Son Jesus Christ
prayed for His enemies on the cross, so we may have grace to forgive those who
wrongfully or scornfully use us, that we ourselves may be able to receive Your
forgiveness. To that end, Lord Jesus, bless Thy Word that we may trust in Thee.
Amen.[1]
Jesus continues to explain to us what it means to be merciful. He shows us the gracious, generous heart of the Father who is kindhearted. Full of compassion.
As we
hear the parable of the rich man and Lazarus the words of the Magnificat; the
song of Mary, come to mind, “He has shown
strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their
hearts. He has sat down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the
lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent
empty away.” (Luke 1:46-55)
Paul
warns us concerning wealth. “Not to be
haughty, nor to set our hopes on the uncertainty of riches,” but “to do good, to be rich in good works, to be
generous and ready to share.” (1 Timothy 6:17–18). Covetous desire for what
God has not given is idolatry and “a root
of all kinds of evils.” (1 Timothy 6:10). Contentment belongs to faith. By
which the Christian has “great gain” in
godliness. (1 Timothy 6:6). Neither poverty nor riches are virtues! Your best
life now is an American religion.
A
certain rich man dressed in purple, living splendidly in fine linen feasts
lavishly every day. At his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus. A meager
beggar. Covered with sores. Lazarus finds himself at the rich man's gate. Lazarus
only desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table.
The
rich man's neglect of Lazarus signals his failure to "make friends for himself when the day of changed circumstances comes
and worldly wealth shall fail.” That critical day. When circumstances
change awaits us all. Lazarus is carried away to Abraham’s side. The rich man
too is buried.
The
Rich man now begs for what he did not give; mercy, care, relief from
suffering. He cried "Kyrie Eleison!
Lord, have mercy!" but did NOT receive it. He still thinks Lazarus is
there to serve him!
Note
the contrast. Lazarus is given a name. Which literally means, "He (whom) God helps." The rich man is simply plopped into the
ground.
‘Our
whole Christian life should be forgiving debts: money, sins, whatever. Some debts are small. Others huge! Some debts
we treat as only a trifle. Hardly a drop in the bucket. So insignificant we
scarcely and barely take notice. Others
leave scares, which last a lifetime.
There
is only one way forward. The debts of our enemies must be treated as the debts
of the poor. Our enemies will not have enough to pay us. If these debts cannot
be paid (and they can’t), then they can only be forgiven. And here we come to
the verse from Proverbs: “He who gives to
the poor makes a debtor of God.” The Scriptures add: “And He will pay him.”(Proverbs 19:17)’.
Lazarus.
Forsaken. Ignored. Forgotten. Reminds us of that One man, that certain One who,
“was despised and rejected by men, a man
of sorrows and acquainted with grief; Surely he has borne our grief’s and
carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and
afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our
iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his
wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:3-5
The
point of the parable is to warn the self-centered. And point to the Scriptures
as the only resource for planning
ahead. Worldly wealth failed, showing the need for a better, more lasting basis
of hope. Our only hope is in Christ. Who went to the cruel and bloody cross. And
then rose again from the dead.
The
written word of God. The law and the prophets. Are all we have. God's Word is
now available. It calls us to faith. It will not fail. It is Christ's testimony to the judgment and
salvation that He will work for you. His
Word abides when all fails. It is eternal. His promise of salvation creates
saving faith. His Word reveals His plan for eternity.
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