The Chilling Story Of A Stingy Man Series

24 hour prayer today – next one is May 16/17, 2015 – you can sign up at http://www.nrhbc.org/24pray. Here’s our next series – “I Have a Friend Who…” We invite your questions. Today is I’m Not Ashamed Day – a day when many will publically identify with Jesus in baptism. You’ll also hear about how we are seeking to engage our community to make this a better place. You’ll be given an opportunity to baptize in a few short minutes – even if you didn’t bring clothes!

Parables were Jesus’ favorite method to teach. Over the course of four weeks, we’ve been examining some four parables of Jesus inside the gospel of Luke. Each of these represents a small story with a big truth.

Now, Jesus taught in parables to disarm his listeners, and by doing so He was able to penetrate any hardness of heart or resistance to what He is saying. Today’s story is rich and layered like a tall wedding cake. I call it a chilling story of a stingy rich man and I think you’ll quickly see why.

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 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.’ 25 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. 26 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.’ 27 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.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 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.’” (Luke 16:19-31)

In this one small story, Jesus speaks to four issues:

1) How you treat the poor in this life matters;

2) There’s consequences of being callous to the needs of the poor;

3) Judgment is permanent;

4) And take care to pay serious attention to Scripture.

Sermon Preview

Life on Earth

Life in Eternity

The Value of Scripture

And along the way, we’ll going to share with you how many in our church are making a difference in the lives of others through a year long emphasis we’re calling Love Loud. And invite you to join us.

1. Life on Earth (Luke 16:19-21)

In the beginning of this parable, we are introduced to two characters. And these two characters are obviously a study in violent contrast. One is extravagantly rich while the other is exceptionally poor. One is covered with luxurious garments while the other is covered with sores. One is feasting every day on the inside of a mansion while the other one is starving on the outside of the gate, longing for crumbs. Jesus says the poor man was so sick, that he couldn’t even move. Then we’re told the rich man had a funeral. He had a burial, but there’s no reference to a proper burial for the poor man. It probably means he died in the street and was thrown into the ground by strangers. Today, we put the poor in a pine box and place them in an unmarked grave. But back in Jesus’ day, the custom was to throw their bodies on the trash heap called, The Valley of Hinnom. It’s that valley that Jesus often references when He speaks of hell. Jesus places two people together so closely who are usually so far apart financially.

Jesus wasn’t the last one to do this…

A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, set in the later 1700s, tells the story of the French Revolution, often thought of as one of the most important events in past 500 years. You know Dickens’ novel by the words, “It was the best of times and the worst of times.” Dickens captures the essence of the French Revolution by giving us a memorable character, Monsignor St. Evrémonde. The handsome and wealthy aristocrat leaves his grand hotel in Paris, munching on chocolate with his usual break-neck pace. Evrémonde ordered his driver to drive his carriage and horses as if he was charging his enemies. His carriage runs through the streets with no care for the nearby people. Peasants scatter in terror but one small child isn’t quick enough – the carriage takes the life of a small child. The Monsignor shows no empathy when he sees the crushed body and his broken father beside the lifeless body just a few feet from the carriage. Instead of showing any humanity, any sympathy, Evrémonde asks if his horses are fine as if he had run over a common thing. He reaches into his pocket and flips a coin to the grieving father as if this compensated for his careless actions. And just as quickly as he came, the carriage resumes its breakneck speed on his way to his chateaux.