Luke 16:19-31
(sermon note: 03-30(1) sermon note)
[Jesus said,] ‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ’
This morning’s reading reminds me of the one about a preacher who was an avid golfer.
(I’d like to say that preacher was me but what preacher has the time to fall in that category of an “avid” golfer?!?) But every chance this preacher could get, he would be on the golf course swinging away. It was an obsession. One Sunday was a picture-perfect day for golfing. The sun was out, no clouds were in the sky, and the temperature was just right. The preacher was in a quandary as to what to do, and shortly, the urge to play golf overcame him. He called an assistant to tell him that he was sick and could not do church, packed the car up, and drove three hours to a golf course where no one would recognize him. Happily, he began to play the course. An angel up above was watching the preacher and was quite perturbed. He went to God and said, “Look at the preacher. He should be punished for what he is doing. He lied to get out of doing your work on a Sunday!” God nodded in agreement. The preacher teed up on the first hole. He swung at the ball, and it sailed effortlessly through the air and landed right in the cup 250 yards away. A picture-perfect hole-in-one. He was amazed and excited. The angel was a little shocked. He turned to God and said, “I beg your pardon, but I thought you were going to punish him!” God smiled. “Think about it–who can he tell?”
There’s no one like God who knows justice and how to dole out adequate justice. Sure, that preacher had quite an experience but for a price. He could tell people about it, but shame would inevitably be thrown at him for skipping out on his Sunday morning responsibilities. So he was forced to keep his experience to himself lest he wanted to experience shame as well. And speaking as a preacher myself, there’s no greater punishment than shame for the deeds we do and the words we say. I guess it’s the whole being held to a higher standard that can be both a blessing and a curse…
But justice is at the core of our reading for this week. Jesus’ parable has us reflect on the actions of the rich man and their consequences. It’s a simplified parable. Two men, one having plenty and one having nothing, and the one with plenty doesn’t share with the one who has nothing and suffers the consequences for it. Now then, I say it’s a simplified parable because we’re left to believe that it’s because the rich man didn’t share that he suffers. But it seems like an awfully harsh punishment to be cast into hell for all of eternity for not helping someone in need. Do we always help all those in need? I imagine not. So are we all destined for hell in the afterlife? Hmmm…I doubt it. It’s easy to overlook or forget the needs of others. We can get caught up in satisfying our own needs or the needs of those who rely on us, our loved ones. We don’t mean to overlook the needs of others. Our attention is simply elsewhere. The rich man’s attention simply may have been elsewhere every day he passed by Lazarus at the gate. Did he deserve eternal damnation for being distracted? No, I imagine not. What I do imagine is that he was suffering for how he lived his life when he wasn’t helping others in need. We can’t rightly attribute his suffering for not helping Lazarus as the simplified parable would have us do.
I don’t think that was Jesus’ intent with the parable either. Yes, Jesus has a soft spot for the poor and downtrodden and yes, he himself believes it is his responsibility to bring the mighty and powerful down and keep them in check, but I don’t think this parable was meant to illustrate these truths. No, the rich man had personality flaws that needed correcting. In his suffering, did he ever convey a sense of shame or sorrow for the way he had lived his life? Did he ever reconsider how he had lived his life, that maybe it hadn’t been in a God-fearing and God-pleasing way? Not necessarily. He simply wanted a little ease for his suffering and mercy for his loved ones. At no point did that rich man repent for his sins, known and unknown. Perhaps that was the cause of his suffering, not whether he had helped Lazarus or not.
For a few weeks now, we’ve been reflecting on passages in scripture that have repentance at their core. Jesus called for the people of Jerusalem to repent for their sins. Jesus justified his seeking out penitent sinners with his three parables of lost items. Jesus rejoices over penitent sinners! And the rich men continued in his suffering because he wasn’t a penitent man. Friends, we are called to be penitent in this season of Lent and at all times. We are all sinners, and we all need God’s gracious forgiveness. We all need to walk humbly in this life. We all need to heed Micah’s words that tell us “to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with [our] God.” (6:8) The rich man failed to do this and for that reason he suffered.
God’s justice is absolute and perfect and difficult to do in our own lives. But we can work towards it by heeding the wisdom of scripture. Isaiah tells us, “learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” (1:17) And of course, the wisdom of Proverbs is powerful and always applicable. In ch. 31 we are told, “speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (31:9) If only we listen to these words! And we don’t listen to them or distracted by other words, let us be penitent and seek forgiveness. I think God’s justice is accomplished through heeding scripture AND a penitent heart. And God’s justice is good, friends…good for everyone!
As we continue on our Lenten journey, let us heed God’s word at all times and seek forgiveness when we fail to. God’s word and justice are good for us. Again, Proverbs tells us, “when justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous, but dismay to evildoers.” (21:15) Let us rejoice and give thanks. Thanks be to God!
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
