DID YOU MISS LAZARUS?
LUKE 16:19-25
INTRODUCTION
I once lived beside a retired pastor and his family. His wife worked at the Department of Social Services. There were many poor people in the county, and she was very familiar with many of them since her line of work often took her to their homes or gave her the opportunity to talk with them at the office. She was also involved in running the Cheese and Cracker Box in the local town. This was a place where indigent people could come to get clothes and food. Each Christmas, her family and others would sponsor a drive to collect Christmas items for families who otherwise would have no Christmas. We had a van ministry in our church, and most of the kids we picked up came from such homes. She was able to tell us about their family situations because her job had taken her into their homes or she had been in contact with the parents in some other capacity. She was conscious of many opportunities to help those who had needs. She would speak often in her Sunday School class of these needs. She was not afraid to speak out about our responsibility as Christians to help. She often referred to one gentleman in her class who would ask, "Well where are all the poor people?" He lived in his own little secluded world. He was around others, but for some reason did not see the opportunities to help that surrounded him.
The rich man Jesus speaks of was like that. The opportunity to help someone in need was right in his doorstep, but he did not see it as an opportunity or did not care. This is a very challenging parable that Jesus tells about a rich and poor man. It is not meant to teach that it is a sin to be rich or that all poor people will be saved in the end. It demonstrates in graphic language the two opposite extremes in society. It is a severe rebuke against our complacency when it comes to meeting the needs of others God gives us opportunity to meet.
Seen in this light, Lazarus is an opportunity. There was a man and an opportunity lying at the rich man's gate. He virtually ignored the man and at the same time allowed the opportunity to pass. It was only after his earthly life ended that he realized his mistake. Of course, then it was too late. While he knew great comforts in life, his eternity was quite different. While Lazarus, the poor beggar, had known a wretched life, his eternity was bright.
And, so as the question, "Did you miss Lazarus," is asked, it is actually considering whether an opportunity to help was missed. That help may come by giving spiritually, financially, mentally or emotionally. It is amazing the opportunities that almost slap us in the face, but we let them go by because of our busyness or lack of concern.
Today, I want us to think about some things that can cause us to miss our Lazarus.
I. SELFISHNESS LEADS TO MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
The parable makes it very evident that the rich man was selfish. Jesus did not teach that being wealthy was wrong, but he designed the parable to illustrate the solemn peril of the selfish use of wealth. The sin of the rich man was not in how he acquired his wealth or that he possessed great wealth. He had not breached any moral law that we know of. His sin was living in selfish luxury while one poor beggar lay unrelieved at his very door.
Jesus says of the rich man that he dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. Purple was the color of the expensive outer garment worn by royalty. Originally, it designated the dye used to manufacture such cloth. His inner garment was made of fine linen.
The condition of the rich man was quite different from that of Lazarus. Lazarus was a beggar. Since he lay at the rich man's gate, we can infer that he was crippled or made helpless by his disease. Sores covered him. This was a condition not unusual in people who subsist on a deficient diet and live in unsanitary conditions.
Lazarus longed to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Bread served as napkins in these days. After being used, it was thrown under the table. Lazarus had established himself in this place in hopes of getting some of that bread. He was so pitiful that he could not fend off the dogs that roamed the city streets and aggravated his sores by licking them.
What else but selfishness could lead the rich man to turn his eyes from such an opportunity that lay at his very door. Here was an opportunity for him to share what God had blessed him with. Here was his chance to use his wealth to help a fellow human being and one of God's children. His selfishness blinded him to the opportunity. There is no other conclusion we can draw. He had so much that he could not see the one who had so little.
Many times we let opportunities go by, but usually when one virtually slaps us in the face, we may grab it. The rich man did not. We do not have to be wealthy to be selfish. We can be poor and selfish. We can use our lack to justify not helping others just as the wealthy can use their wealth to speak in a derogative manner of those who have little, often not realizing that their situation is not of their own making. We have so many chances to speak a kind word, do a kind deed, and in so doing share what being a Christian is all about, but selfishness, being wrapped up in ourselves, in our own little world, can cause us to let these opportunities go by unnoticed.
The great English lawyer, Gladstone, said of selfishness that it was "the greatest curse of the human race."
Scientists have learned that a flock of geese can travel up to 71 percent faster when they fly in the V formation. The goose on the point has the greatest challenge, resulting from the greater wind resistance. Thus that lead position is rotated every few minutes. This permits the flock to fly long distances without rest. The easiest flight is experienced at the two rear sections of the formation. The geese allow the young, weak and old birds to occupy these positions. It is even believed that the honking is an encouragement by the stronger birds to the laggards. If a bird becomes too tired or ill and has to abandon the flock, the flock will not abandon him. A healthy bird will follow the ailing bird to the ground and wait with him until he can continue the flight. What a wonderful example of selflessness.
II. NOT SEEING PEOPLE’S INNER POTENTIAL LEADS TO MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
The rich man obviously did not give Lazarus the chance to be anything other than what he was, a beggar. Had he chosen to let go of his selfishness and help Lazarus, Lazarus' life might have been radically different.
It is easy for improper attitudes to keep us from seeing the inner potential of people. It is easy to stereotype people and then use this as an excuse not to help. A classic example of this is the person on welfare. The traditional stereotype is thinking all people on welfare want to be there, that they are lazy and do not want to help themselves. Many believe this in spite of studies showing the fallacy of these conclusions. But many use it as a reason not to help. We fail to see the inner potential of people.
We can think of those in prison. We can be guilty of thinking only that they deserve what they got. They are living it up there. If we let them out, they will just commit the same crime again. In turn, we do nothing to help their life improve. I once spoke with a young woman who had been recently paroled, and she told of the great need for someone to help them when they get out so that they do not find themselves back in again.
There is a story recorded in Acts of Ananias' meeting with Saul, the persecutor of the church. Saul had met the risen Lord on the Damascus Road and had his life transformed. The experience temporarily blinded him, and he had to be led into the city. The word of God then went to Ananias, a disciple, telling him to go to Saul. He was to restore his sight. Ananias did not particularly want to obey. He had heard of how Saul persecuted Christians and probably feared for his own life. Yet, he went after God convinced him that Saul was a chosen instrument. He never imagined the inner potential of this persecutor of the church.
When we fail to see the inner potential of people when used by God, we can miss our Lazarus. The outside of people cannot so overcome us that we fail to see what God can do on the inside to change their outside.
III. NOT HAVING TIME FOR OTHERS LEADS TO MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
The rich man obviously did not have time for the poor beggar at his gate. His own lifestyle consumed him. He had it made. He probably had everything he wanted in life. He lived in luxury every day. He could not help this poor beggar because it would inconvenience him. Having made good clothes and good food his goals in life, he enjoyed them both in abundant measure. His life was a closed circle in which was money, food, clothes, good times, etc. But he had no time for God and no time for this poor beggar. He was like the unjust judge in another of Jesus’ parables who ignored the cries of a helpless widow.
Though he had no time for Lazarus in life, he sure wanted his help after he died. Both men died. Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom, or heaven, and the rich man went to hell. Their situations in life were completely reversed in death. The rich man pleaded with Abraham to let Lazarus come and touch his tongue with some cool water. He was refused because there was a great chasm that separated them. The rich man had dug this chasm. What he had not bargained for was that God was on the side of the man he never had time for. By shutting out Lazarus, he had unknowingly shut out God. He overlooked the angel of opportunity that lay near him.
Jesus teaches that the way we serve him is by serving others, so we must make time for others. Many people will not listen to our message about God's love until we make time for them.
In a story I once wrote for the Baptist Courier I heard this same truth. The Master's Mission is a outreach endeavor to the people in Ukraine, a former Soviet republic. The men I talked with told of how the people in Ukraine were often skeptical of evangelical Christians, especially Baptists, because they often came just to tell them about Jesus but did nothing else. This caused many of the Ukrainians to associate Christianity with Communism: many promises but nothing more.
We must make time for people and their needs, otherwise we will miss our Lazarus.
CONCLUSION
I suppose each one can think of opportunities we have missed-Lazarus' that passed us by. Think for a moment how many times you missed sharing the love of Christ or even inviting someone to church. Think back over the years to the times when you knew someone who needed your help, but you were too busy. Think of the times when you could have helped the church more, but you were over committed. Think of those you have failed to help because you were guilty of stereotyping. They were no good. You failed to see their inner potential.
Bev Hulsizer tells of the time her mother came to visit. She wanted to go shopping because she needed a new dress. Bev did not normally enjoy shopping with other people, but she went with her mother anyway. They visited many stores, and her mother rejected dresses in every one. Finally, at the last stop, her mother found a dress she liked. Bev went to the dressing room with her mother, and watched as those hands crippled with arthritis tried to tie the bow at the neckline of the dress. Immediately, a wave of compassion overcame her impatience. She turned to hide her tears, then turned to help her mother tie that bow. For the rest of the day, her mind kept returning to that moment. Those hands were the hands that had fed her, bathed her, dressed her, caressed her and comforted her. Later in the evening, she went to her mother's room, took those hands in hers, kissed them and told her mother that they were the most beautiful hands in the world. Suddenly, she had eyes to see an opportunity she had never seen before.
We can and do miss our Lazarus' on a regular basis. Selflessness, seeing people's inner potential and having time for others can and will lead us to take advantage of our Lazarus’.
