Luke 16: 19-21(KJV)
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Church of God in Christ Spring Retreat 2005
Seoul, South Korea
BIG IDEA: How we use our finances to care for the sick, hungry, and the less fortunate in this life - determines where we spend eternity hereafter.
REFERENCES:
Movie: TRADING PLACES (starting Eddie Murphy) was a 1983 comedy of high finace about a homeless con artist who becomes a Wall Street baron. All because of an argument beteen super-rich siblings : Lazarus and The Rich Man: Luke 16:19-31 (KJV); Genesis 15:2: Eliezer was a SERVANT OF ABRAHAM; 1 Tim 6:17-19 (KJV): Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life; Deut 15:10-11 (KJV) The Seventh Year Release of the Poor - Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. 11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.; Luke 12:48 (KJV) For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more; Proverbs 19:17 -KJV ( He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again); Psalms 41:1 – KJV (Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble); Quote: The tragedy of life and the world is not that man don’t know God; The tragedy is after knowing God, they still insist on going their own way. – Christianity Today.
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Deuteronomy 15:10-11; Luke 16:19-21 (KJV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Deuteronomy 15:10-11 (KJV); Luke 16:19-21
III. READ THE TEXT: Deuteronomy 15:10-11 (KJV) - Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
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Luke 16:19-21 (KJV) - There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 2And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to use their personal finances to care for the POOR Lazaruses (the sick, hungry, and less fortunate in this life) in order to ensure their HEAVENLY destiny hereafter.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “The POOR Lazaruses”
INTRODUCTION:
… Who can ever forget Paul’s instructions to Timotheus - in 1 Tim 6:17-19 (KJV) -when he said:
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
Remind – the rich Paul says - that they should do good, that they should be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Laying up in store for themselves … a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
***********TAKE 5 BEATS*********
MOVE 1: Likewise, my brothers and sisters, it has been said that “charity is a human obligation.
a. Man owes CHARITY to his fellow-man as a brother.
b. For it is expected of all men … and toward all men who, by example …
c. … and precept, teaches charity … in "helping the poor and the feeble and sharing every gift of God with the NEEDY.
********TAKE 5 BEATS********
Move 2: Therefore, I submit to you this evening that Jesus has a special place in his heart for those …
a. … that are among the less fortunate of our church community; our city; our country; and OUR WORLD.
b. For don’t you remember, Our SAVIOR had a special sense of mission to poor and oppressed people.
c. At the outset of his ministry, which is sometimes referred to as Jesus’ Mission Statement, …
d. … Jesus STOOD UP IN THE SYNAGOGUE AT NAZARETH AND READ FROM THE PROPHET Isaiah:
e. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor…
f. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, …
g. … and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,…Luke 4:18 (KJV)
h. In other words, OUR SAVIOR IS AN ADVOCATE of the poor and less fortunate.
********TAKE 5 BEATS ********
MOVE 3: In the Book of Deuteronomy 15:10-11 (MSG) - the WORD OF GOD COMMANDS US TO BE GENEROUS TO THE poor.
a. In fact, God says … that we should give FREELY AND SPONTANEOUSLY.
b. HE (in Deuteronomy 15:10-11) warns us NOT TO have a Stingy heart. Because the way we handle matters like this triggers HIM.
c. My brothers and sisters … there are always going to be POOR and NEEDY people among us. So always be GENEROUS.
d. Open your wallets … give to your POOR & HUNGRY neighbors.
e. Because the LAST THING we need , as believers, is for the POOR people within our churches and community to COMPLAIN to GOD that we have intentionally MISTREATED them.
f. If that should ever HAPPEN; and we don’t repent – GOD WILL CONDEMN US!
g. Because … how we use our personal finaces to care for the sick, hungry, and less fortunate in our churches and communities DETERMINES WHERE we will spend eternity HEREAFTER.
h. In our Multicultural Gospel Service (in Taegu) we have a phrase we use; and I hope you embrace it: “LOVE AIN’T LOVE, UNTIL YOU GIVE IT AWAY” …!
***********TAKE 5 BEATS*********
Move 4: Someone once asked a Jewish Rabbi, “Why does your God, being the lover of the needy, not Himself provide for their support?
a. The Rabbi responded: “By CHARITY, wealth is to be made a means of salvation; …
b. … God, the Father of both the rich and the poor, wants the one to help the other, and thus to make “THE WORLD A HOUSE OF LOVE”.
c. My brothers and sisters … Believers that use their personal finances, in this life, to help the POOR Lazaruses of this world will be POSITIVELY rewarded in the life hereafter.
********TAKE 5 BEATS*******
Move 5: For who can ever forget the STORY of the Dishonest Steward WHERE Jesus points out IF YOU HELP THE POOR NOW; THEY WILL HELP YOU OUT LATER?
a. In other words, Jesus said … man must love God and
b. … use MONEY, instead of USING GOD and loving Money.
c. And it was this perspective in the Dishonest Steward STORY that VISIBLY angered THE PHARISEEs.
d. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, seeing the Pharisees angrily standing next to his disciples, Jesus said to them (in Luke 16: 15a - GW) You try to justify your actions in front of people.
e. YOU’RE GOOD AT COVERING UP.
f. But, God knows what’s in your hearts.
*********TAKE 5 BEATS *******
Move 6: For instance, … There was a rich RELIGIOUS man who wore expensive clothes.
a. His suits were tailored made in South Korea.
b. And his feet were beautifully covered with GATOR SKIN SHOES.
c. Everyday was NOTHING MORE THAN a party to him.
d. Now, there was also a beggar named Lazarus who was regularly brought to the gate of the rich man’s house.
e. He couldn’t afford the hospital care on the economy in South Korea.
*******TAKE 5 BEATS********
MOVE 7: 121st Hospital wouldn’t see him because he wasn’t a soldier, a family member or a retiree.
a. He was a POOR and PHYSICALLY ILL beggar, whose body was covered with pus-filled sores
b. He received pain relief medication, AND PUS treatment from the THICK saliva of the stray dogs … in the community …
c. … who by LICKING HIS SORES … soothe his skin and eased his pain.
d. Napkins didn’t exist in that day & time.
e. So, using his imagination, Lazarus imagined the RICH Religious MAN wiped his hand and mouth with SLICES OF BREAD.
e. Lazarus was POOR and sick … He would have GLADLY eaten any scraps that fell from the RICH MAN’S table
e. All he wanted was the scraps. But he was offered NOTHING.
********TAKE 5 BEATS******
MOVE 8: Then ONE DAY DEATH came: “the beggar died, and the angels carried him TO HEAVEN to be with Abraham.
a. Shortly thereafter, the rich man also died, and although his funeral was NATIONALLY BROADCAST on televisions around the world …
b. Life in the SPIRIT REALM had reversed: (i.e., TRADING PLACES – Dan Aykrd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis)
c. While man was remembering the RICH RELIGIOUS Man EXTERNAL Actions …
d. GOD WAS INSURING THAT THE RICH MAN was being tortured because he didn’t used his personal finances to CARE for The POOR LAZARUSES within HIS CHURCH and community.
e. So, he lifted his eyes in HELL … And, as he looked up, in the distance he saw Abraham and Lazarus.
f. When he saw them, He screamed …
*********TAKE 5 BEATS********
MOVE 9: ‘Father Abraham! Have mercy on me!
a. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue.
b. All I want is SOME WATER … (like Lazarus wanted crumbs)…
c. But, Abraham replied, ‘Remember, my child, that you had a life filled with good times, …
d. while Lazarus’ life was filled with misery.
e. Now, there has been a reversal … he has peace here, while you suffer.
**********TAKE 5 BEATS**********
CELEBRATION: Now … MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS … I’M NOT SURE …WHY GOD NAMED THE POOR MAN IN THIS PARABLE … LAZARUS.
BUT … BEFORE I TAKE MY SEAT … I WILL TELL YOU …
THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER NEW TESTATMENT BROTHER … THAT SHARED ….THAT SAME … NAME …
… AND THE BROTHER THAT SHARED THAT NAME HAD SISTERS … CALLED MARY AND MARTHA …
AGAIN … I’M NOT SURE WHY JESUS NAME THIS POOR MAN … LAZARUS …
BUT I WILL TELL YOU … THAT LAZARUS … WAS SOMEONE THAT JESUS LOVED …
FOR YOU SEE … THE GREEK NAME LAZARUS IS A CONTRACTION OF THE HEBREW … NAME … ELIEZER … (who was a SERVANT OF ABRAHAM in Genesis 15:2)
in HEBREW …LAZARUS IS PRONOUNCED ELIEZER
WHILE IN GREEK – ELIEZER IS PRONOUNCED LAZARUS
which means … GOD IS MY HELP …
In other words … EVEN THOUGH … I’m poor and I’m a beggar … GOD IS MY HELP …
Even though … I’m SICK in my body … GOD IS MY HELP ...
