The Rich Man and Lazarus
Bible Reading until 2:20
Introduction
We can all identify with this story
Young
Christians have a lot of compassion
Young people have a strong sense of justice
Jesus is giving a story about a rich man and a poor man
This passage has a lot to say about heaven and hell
The media today has a tremendous effect upon us in a way that other ages have not experienced
There are many anti-Christian messages
If we voice a different opinion we are called bigots
We need to be clear what the Bible teaches
Does this passage teach that rich people go to hell and poor people go to heaven?
The Rich Man
The passage is not dealing with this
Think of Abraham, Joseph of Arimethea, Barnabas
The passage is saying something about richness and poverty
The rich man was clothed in purple
This was very expensive in those days
Jesus was talking about a person in opulence
He fed sumptuously every day (v19)
He is a very callous man who does nothing to help the man lying on his steps (v20-21)
Example of a divorce settlement
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven”
Riches have a hold on you
The rich man can be saved if he bows the knee to Jesus
As you become employed, give and tithe right from the outset
What does Jesus say about rich people (v14-15)?
God sees the hearts
What is highly esteemed among man is an abomination before God
It shouldn’t surprise us that this rich man ends up in hell
Lazarus
What about the poor man?
He was paralysed and couldn’t get up
Can you imagine what it would be like in this situation?
Jesus does not focus on his suffering but his comfort
He was taken to heaven by the best transport possible – the Angels
He was taken up into the best company – with God, the Saints and Abraham
The bible is not saying that the poor go to heaven
God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith
It should not surprise us that many poor are flocking to Jesus
What was the state of the poor man and rich man after death?
We are told Lazarus’ name but not the Rich man’s name
Lazarus was precious in God’s sight and written in the book of Life
The rich man’s name perished
We are prone to judgement of others
Lazarus was in Abraham’s very bosom
God has mercy on him and he is comforted
The rich man had a proper burial but not the poor man
The angels were looking over Lazarus
The rich man was in hell
The idea of hell is rightly troubling
Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven
Jesus spoke challenging words about the need to avoid sin and hellfire
Jesus spoke about the worm and the fires that are not quenched
Have you thought about hell?
The metaphor speaks to a reality
If the metaphor is terrible than the reality is more terrible
The rich man was in torment
But he still felt in charge
He wanted Lazarus to come to him and go back to earth
There was no remorse and no repentance
There is no changing of our mind after death
There is no purgatory
It reminds us that God is God of justice
God must punish those who sin against Him
What does it say of those who are passing from this world?
The rich man was concerned with his family but not anybody else
Jesus speaks against the rich man’s request to send back Lazarus
Jesus says there is enough to point to Him
We have the word of God to point to Jesus
Even if someone rose from the dead they wouldn’t believe
What about us this evening – do we truly believe in Jesus and are we following Him?
This message is a call to deep compassion
The UK is very wealthy
Think of Haiti, India, Asia, African Sub-Saharan Countries
As a church we preach the Christian Gospel
This motivates us to the needs of the world
Closing Remarks
Where are you going?