Luke 16:19-31

Is today’s gospel reading good or bad news? If you are a poor beggar with oozing sores you get into heaven and are comforted eternally. Well who wants to be a beggar with oozing sores? If you are a rich man you dine with the best foods and in the best conditions that this world can offer but you end up in eternal torment. Who wants to be in eternal torment? What are we as neither rich folks nor beggars to do with this parable?
Let’s break it down a little.
“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, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table.” The rich man wore purple and fine linens.” In the Roman culture only royalty wore purple. The dye for purple came from Egypt and was very expensive and fine linen was just as expansive and only worn by the extremely wealthy. He had gates in front of his house; hence he was very important and sought to keep out the riff raff like this poor beggar Lazarus.
In stark contrast we have Lazarus; a poor beggar, with oozing sores. YUK! Not a pretty picture. Who desired to be fed, χορτάζω,v \{khor-tad'-zo} 1) to feed with herbs, grass, hay, to fill, satisfy with food, to fatten 1a) of animals. Jesus is showing how lowly this man was by using the Greek word khor-tad-zo which is the word reserved to describe the feeding of animals. He was viewed as an animal. Not only that the dogs came and licked his sores. He is an animal among the dogs. Dogs were not pets in this time; rather they were viewed as scavengers, filthy animals that ate from the garbage. You see Lazarus desired to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. What fell from his table were not crumbs nor scraps but pieces of bread. Rich folks in that time used bread to wipe the grease from their fingers and from their plates and threw it on the ground knowing that the filthy dogs would eat it. Lazarus wasn’t even daring to dream of eating at the rich man’s table he just wanted to eat the dirty bread that fell from it; a very low self esteem indeed.
Lazarus, this is the only parable that Jesus tells us the name of the person in the parable. Lazarus is short for Eleazar which means “God helps.” We gather three pieces of information from the naming of the beggar. 1. God is going to help him and he does as the angels carry him to heaven to eternal comfort. 2. This is not simply a parable told to illustrate a point this event really happened, scary huh. 3. This man’s story will have something to do with the man Lazarus that Jesus raises from the dead.
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abrahams’ side, literally bosom. This vision of Lazarus reclining on Abraham is a picture of the heavenly feast. Lazarus is receiving the eternal reward promised to Abraham and his offspring because of his and their faith in God; remember Abraham was counted righteous because God made him a promise and he believed God. And since Lazarus is reclining at the table with the host, Lazarus is the guest sitting in the seat of honor. Much like John was at the last supper.
The rich man dies, is buried, an honor that wasn’t given poor Lazarus, but the rich man goes to hell and is in eternal torment. The rich man sees this beggar in heaven, perhaps part of the torment, and calls out to Abraham, “Father.” He is playing the “I am your descendant” card by calling Abraham Father. “And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.” He seeks mercy when he was unwilling to give it himself. What’s more he knows Lazarus’ name. This shows that he knew Lazarus, so when Lazarus was at his gates begging back on earth the rich man intentionally ignored Lazarus and his needs, He INTENTIONALLY REFURSED TO EXTEND MERCY to Lazarus; the rich man didn’t just mistakenly over look him.
Oh but it gets better! Not only does he know Lazarus he expects Abraham to show mercy to him by having Lazarus serve him and administer to HIS needs. As Clarence Jordan is quoted, “Lazarus aint gonna run no mo’ yo’ errands, rich man!”
Abraham has no mercy for this false humility and is insulted that this man would ask for Lazarus to relieve his suffering after he never gave Lazarus as much as a greasy hand wipe on earth.
“But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.”
First Abraham calls the rich man child confirming that he is in fact one of Abraham’s descendants. Why is this significant? Not all of Abraham’s descendants get into heaven. It takes more than being born into the proper family to receive the rewards of the covenant God made with Abraham.
Abraham then goes on to explain that the rich man received his blessing, his reward on earth and he, like the prodigal son, and the dishonest manager from last weeks sermon, squandered this inheritance by using in only on themselves and for their comfort and ignored the needs of their neighbors; especially the one sitting right outside his gates. Lazarus was not blessed on earth so he receives his reward now.
The great chasm between the rich man and Abraham’s feast is impossible to cross. Once you are dead there is no second, third or fourth chance.
“And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers —so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” Oh ho oh! The rich man now shows all of his cards. Send him to my father’s house, the rich man doesn’t really consider Abraham as his father his concern is still for what would benefit him on earth. And still seeks Lazarus to serve him and his family. Does this jerk just not get it?
“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And 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 hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” Abraham is saying that salvation comes from faith in the proclaimed Word of God. Proclaimed by the prophets, Moses, and now the Word has been made flesh as Jesus Christ. And even is a man rises from the dead they will not believe. This is our allusion to the Lazarus that Jesus resurrects and to Christ Himself. Some just won’t believe and therefore will be condemned.
What does this mean for us? Should we be beggars with sores instead of seeking to live comfortably? All rich people go to hell? Not at all! God is saying that the promise of eternal life have been made to you. At your baptism you were given the faith that saves, but you must now preserver and not lose that faith by being generous to those who have less. By not being selfish and squandering your riches rather use them to help others in need. Abraham was a rich man and he didn’t go to hell, so that fact that the man in today’s story was rich was not what condemned him rather it was how he used his wealth or more to the point didn’t use it that condemned him.
Jesus is telling this parable to His disciples and the Pharisees. It is no different than last week; those who have here on earth aren’t necessarily blessed by God. The blessing comes from how they use their wealth.
So get your go going and go into the world, show mercy, love you neighbor, and use your worldly possessions for the benefit of others as well as yourself. Amen.