The Rich Man And Lazarus Series

Message

Luke 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

Let’s turn in the Scriptures to Luke 16:19-31

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With this parable fresh in our minds let’s start with some very important statements.

The rich man is not in hell just because he is rich.

The poor man is not at Abraham’s side just because he is poor.

Something else is going on here. The story starts at the gate where there is a poor crippled man called Lazarus. Everyday somebody, or a group of somebodies, bring Lazarus to the gate of the rich man.

Very few properties in Judah at the time had gates.

The temple. Palaces. Holding pens for sheep. They had gates.

Most houses just had a door that opened to the street. Most of the land was unfenced. If you had a gate it meant you had a mansion and you had great wealth. Behind the gate, inside his house, the rich man dresses daily in purple clothes – purple is the most expensive colour; it is the colour royalty and wealth wear. Behind the gate the rich man lives in self-indulgent luxurious living—every day.

The capacity of the “rich man” to help Lazarus … in fact his capacity to help many like Lazarus … is not in question. Indeed Lazarus isn’t asking for much – he would be happy to “eat what fell from the rich man’s table” (Luke 16:21). The rich man has the means to fill this longing, and so much more.

But the rich man chooses not to.

This choice is made every time the rich man walks through his gate past Lazarus.

Did you see that aspect of the parable? Later when the rich man calls across the chasm

He doesn’t say, “Father Abraham, have pity and send that guy who used to sit at my gate.”

He says, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus” (Luke 19:24).

The rich man knows Lazarus by name!

Constantly these two men—the rich man and Lazarus, who the rich man knows by name—meet at the gate. The needs of Lazarus are obvious, yet the rich man chooses to make Lazarus an unseen part of his life.

The obvious unseen

Let’s stop there for a moment and think about our lives. Because, as far as I know, none of us here fall into the category of “purple clothing, daily luxury, wealth”. Which brings the temptation to think, we can’t relate to the rich man in the parable. Yet there is a moment here for us to reflect on people who, to us, are “the obvious unseen”. Those people whom God so obviously has put into our path but, because we choose deliberately look away, they remain unseen to us.

A needy neighbour.

An annoying family member.

That person who is constantly in need.

A connection at work.

Someone who we have deliberately disconnected with.

We are not talking here about “helping the whole world” – but reflecting on the people who are in our world for whom we could easily be doing more. A person who is the “the obvious unseen”. The parable is calling us to take the time to make an assessment of our attitude here … because choosing to not see the obvious person has the potential to put us in the same place as the rich man.

Let’s go back down to the gate. Why is Lazarus put down at the gate? Some Scriptures will help us here.

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards them. Rather, be open-handed.

Deuteronomy 15:7-8

Share your food with the hungry … provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked clothe them … do not turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Isaiah 58:7

There are many passages like this in the Old Testament. Caring for the poor was what Scripture called for. So why is Lazarus at the gate? Because those who put him there knew the Scriptures. The Scriptures make it very obvious that those who have wealth and resources help the poor.

Well it is obvious to many people.

It isn’t obvious to the rich man.

In fact it seems that there is a whole family of wealthy people for whom the obvious truth has disappeared. “Father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them” (Luke 16:27-28). A whole family, who have been living life in such a way that what is obvious to so many others, is not seen by themselves.

The obvious unseen.

Those actions, characteristic, habits, attitudes, processes, collections, decisions, commitments, hobbies, pursuits, goals and decisions which – when put in place – make you act in a way that is contrary to the Scriptures.