We All Know Lazarus

Luke 16:19-31

“We All Know Lazarus”

We have all seen him.

He lies on a pile of newspapers outside a shop doorway, covered with a rough blanket.

Perhaps he has a dog with him for safety.

People walk past him or even step over him.

Maybe he occasionally rattles a few coins in a tin cup, asking for more.

As we see him, we may hear voices which have told us: “It’s his own fault.”

“He’s chosen it.”

“He should go and get a job.”

“If I give him money, he’ll only spend it on alcohol.”

“I don’t have time for him.”

“Stay-away—he might be violent.”

Sometimes, in some places, the police will move him on, exporting the problem somewhere else.

But he’ll be back.

People like him camp in tents in Oak Ridge and Knoxville.

Some live with their families in extended stay hotels.

Many of them have jobs, but they are minimum wage…

…not enough to get them out of where they are.

They are in debt, and it seems the debt will stay.

They live from one emergency to another.

Every day is hand-to-mouth.

So, we all know Lazarus.

He is our neighbor.

Some of us may be rich, well dressed, and well fed, and walk past him without even noticing…

…others of us may not be so rich, or so finely clothed or fed, but compared with Lazarus we’re well off!

Lazarus would be glad to trade places with us, and we would be horrified to have his life—even for a day!!!

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is not just a morality tale about riches and poverty—though, it should be read that way as well.

No, it goes much deeper than that.

It’s about indifference, selfishness, and what it really means to “Love God and love our neighbor as ourself” …

…which is THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT…

…everything else falls in line if that one is fulfilled!!!

In 1994, South African photojournalist Kevin Carter won the Pulitzer Prize for a photograph that depicted an emaciated Sudanese child crawling toward a feeding center—under the hard stare of a nearby vulture.

As you can imagine, the image, which so powerfully captured the horror of famine-stricken Sudan in the early 1990’s, drew international attention.

But with Carter’s acclaim came the questions.

People wanted to know—what had happened to the child?

After snapping the picture, what had Carter done to help the dying child?

Painfully, Carter admitted that after spending about 20 minutes framing the shot, he had simply walked away.

Within two months of receiving journalism’s most coveted award, the 33-year-old photojournalist took his own life.

We human beings were created by THE LOVING GOD to love and be loved!!!

And for our love to be real, it must reach out actively.

For our lives to be full and fulfilling we must help one another.

In Jesus’ parable, the rich man’s sin was not that he was rich, but that he did not take any notice or care for his neighbor in need.

He was too self-absorbed.

And thus, he created his own “hell.”

So, what are we, as Christ’s followers to do about this?

One of the most important things we can do is get involved in the mess and muck of life.

And we do this best, together, as the Church!!!

Jesus said, “Where two or three come together in my name, there I am also.”

As most of you know, we have a lot of ministries at this church which are aimed at reaching out to the Lazarus’ of this world.

The people involved in these ministries are taking an active role in helping their neighbors.

They are feeding the hungry through the Free Community Meal that takes place here every Wednesday evening.

And they could use more help.

They have recently had to stop feeding on the 5th Wednesday of the month due to a lack of volunteers.

But the people who do volunteer are happy, fulfilled, and making new friends and connections.

And best of all they are serving Christ…getting to know Christ by serving others.

In Matthew Chapter 25, the Parable of the sheep and goats describes a future judgment day where Jesus separates all nations into two groups, like a shepherd separates sheep from goats.

The “sheep” are those who showed mercy and cared for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, the naked, sick and imprisoned.

Jesus says that caring for these people is equal to caring for him…

…that is how “in solidarity” Jesus is with humans.

When we love and care and take care of one another we are, quite literally, taking care of Jesus himself.

And so, yes.

I experience Jesus.

I get to know Jesus best when I am serving others.

I think we all do.

And there are so many ministries in this church where we are interacting, helping, and quite literally serving Christ by serving our fellow human beings.