Good morning, brothers and sisters. Today, we're going to dive deep into the words of Jesus found in Luke 16:19-31. I’m sure many of you are familiar with this parable, often referred to as the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It's a powerful tale that warns us about the danger of complacency, calls us to action, and spells out the consequences of neglect.
As A.W. Tozer once said, "Complacency is the deadly enemy of spiritual progress.” We must stir ourselves from the comfort of our lives and heed the call to action that Jesus presents us in this passage.
What is complacency? A dangerous state of being. It is a spiritual condition that can lead to a life of indifference and inaction. The rich man in the story was not necessarily evil, but he was complacent. He was comfortable in his wealth and luxury, and he failed to notice the suffering of Lazarus at his gate. This complacency, this indifference to the plight of others, was his downfall.
Blinds us to the needs of others: It makes us indifferent to the suffering around us. We become so wrapped up in our own comfort and well-being that we fail to see the needs of others. The rich man in the story was not necessarily a bad person, but he was indifferent to the suffering of Lazarus. He was so wrapped up in his own luxury and comfort that he failed to see the desperate need of the man at his gate.
A lack of action: The rich man did not do anything to help Lazarus. He did not offer him food or shelter. He did not even acknowledge his existence. This lack of action, this failure to help those in need, is a direct result of complacency. We become so comfortable in our own lives that we fail to take action to help others.
Failing to grow and develop as individuals and as followers of Christ: When we become complacent, we stop growing. We stop seeking to understand more about God and His will for our lives. We stop striving to become more like Christ. This is a dangerous state of being, for it leads to spiritual stagnation.
A sense of entitlement: The rich man in the story felt entitled to his wealth and luxury. He did not see it as a blessing to be shared with others, but as something that was rightfully his. This sense of entitlement can lead to a lack of gratitude and a lack of generosity. It can make us selfish and self-centered, and it can blind us to the blessings that we have been given.
Eternal torment: He had lived a life of luxury and comfort, but he had failed to help those in need. He had failed to grow and develop as a follower of Christ. He had become selfish and self-centered, and he had failed to acknowledge the blessings that he had been given. His complacency had led to his downfall.
Relevant today: We live in a world where it is easy to become complacent. We are surrounded by comfort and luxury, and it is easy to become indifferent to the suffering of others. It is easy to become wrapped up in our own lives and to fail to take action to help others. It is easy to stop growing and developing as followers of Christ. It is easy to become selfish and self-centered. But as the parable of the rich man and Lazarus shows us, complacency is a dangerous state of being. It can lead to our downfall.
Recognize the needs of others and to respond with compassion and generosity: The rich man in the story lived a life of luxury, but he was blind to the suffering of Lazarus at his gate ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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