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First
Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.
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O
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GOD, the
strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our
prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no
good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy
commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
Today’s text is about two men of opposite character. In actuality,
it is about three men – the Rich Man, Lazarus and Abraham. Only the names of
two is mentioned – Abraham and Lazarus – because they are the only names of
eternal worth transcribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The Rich Man has no need
of a name in Hell.
Though this parable (and perhaps a real event in reality) is meant
for all of us, Jesus primarily aimed it at the rich and powerful preachers of
His day who coveted MONEY. Do you believe any nature of man’s heart has changed
from that day to this! Jesus had just told a parable about another rich steward
who used his money to satisfy mammon by sharing the wealth. The Pharisees stood
about and jeered Him: “14 And the Pharisees also,
who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.” Luke
16:14 So Jesus related this parable. How many churches can you enter today
without hearing an over-abundant plea for MONEY?
The Holy Bible has much to say about riches, and Jesus Christ, who
is the Word Incarnate, adds to the volume of commentary on riches:
Matthew 6:19-21
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Proverbs 30:8
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give
me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest
I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be
poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Matthew 19:23-26 (After Rich Young Ruler):
Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly
enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say
unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for
a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25 When
his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can
be saved? 26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto
them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
In describing another rich man, Christ refers to Zaccheus: And Jesus entered
and passed through Jericho. 2 And, behold, there was a
man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. Luke
19:1-2 But Zaccheus also was saved in his riches while Dives (the
Rich man in today’s text) was condemned.
Our Sermon text for today comes from the 16th chapter
of the Gospel of St Luke, beginning at the 16th verse, giving
us a picture of the reward of those who consider only riches of worth, and a
poor beggar who places his trust in God alone; however, the chapter begins with
another rich man:
Luke 16:1
1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain
rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had
wasted his goods.
The sermon text:
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T
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here 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. (Luke 19:16)
Christ paints for us a real life scene of two different lifestyles
– both on the same canvas:
1.
He first sketches the contrast between Dives and Lazarus in life,
a contrast the more impressive because the painter does not bring his two
figures together from the opposite ends of the earth, or even from east and
west of the same city only. Lazarus gasping in the shadow of the gateway, and
the purple drapery of Dives moving behind the blossom and leafage of the
courtyard in the hall beyond, might have been seen by the passer-by from the
same point of view; so it is no outburst of eccentric idealism that leads the
painter to put two such figures on one canvas.
2.
Christ now paints another contrast, a contrast dealing not with
the things that are seen and temporal, but with the things that are unseen and
eternal. The contrast is resumed beyond the grave, but the figures are
transposed. The next world has its contrasts as well as this.
3.
A contrast of character underlies this picture. Little is told us
of the beggar beyond the contrast in character implied in the name chosen to
describe him; Lazarus or 'God my helper'. The rich man's life was turned away
from God, and turned towards himself; the beggar's was turned away from himself
and turned towards God.
Note the truths illustrated herein:
- A common experience awaits all – rich and poor – the
experience of death!
- When death takes us from this life, we carry no riches or
acclaim.
- A difference in destinies await the a) lost and b)
those who trust in God.
- Our Names (or identities) are only important in God.
- There is a difference in honor and love of those who die in
Christ
- We all are aware of our conditions in the afterlife.
- Those in heaven cannot see Hell.
- Those in Hell can see Heaven
- There can be no conveyance between Heaven and Hell.
- If we believe not the full counsel of God, we cannot come to
God.
What lesson do we learn from this Parable of our Lord?
a)
What seems most valuable in this life may be the least valuable,
or of no value at all.
b)
We must love one another: Matthew 22:36-39 – Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like
unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
John
13: 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love
one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
c)
We can take no riches from this world.
d)
we must deposit our riches in love, obedience, and Godliness in
God’s Bank.
e)
We must make our salvation certain while life remains. John 6:
1 We then, as workers together with
him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 (For
he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation
have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the
day of salvation.)
f)
Miracles are not what convinces: “….though one return from the
dead…”
g)
Failure to decide this day and hour, we may be lost as the rich
man and find our graves in hell.
Matthew 11
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon
you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest
unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.
When? NOW!
Why? REST!
What? Eternal Life! John 6:53 – Our Holy Communion in Art:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh
of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the
last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood
is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my
blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living
Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he
shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from
heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this
bread shall live for ever. 59 These things said he in the
synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
Whose bread do you eat? The Bread of Heaven, or the molded and
decayed bread the world offers?
Now is the Time….AMEN!
