© Rev. Lance Carrithers, all rights reserved.  Permission required to copy any portion of this message by any means. Email for permission: lance@firstchurchdc.com

A SIGN FOR MY BROTHERS!

Luke 16:19-31

            Well then, the lectionary up and delivers this wonderful passage from the Gospel of Luke--again, only the gospel of Luke has this story.  Won’t find it anywhere else in the New Testament.  It’s a story about heaven and ....hell.   So, I thought it would be best to talk about hell today.

            Now, I reckon most sermons on hell sort of follow the same  design.  Hell is a pretty horrible place to end up.  Fire.  Foul smelling, belching gas.  An eternity of damnation, suffering and pain.   So, most preachers, I guess would sum up their sermons on Hell by basically telling you to stay away from it.  Sort of like staying away from a hot oven.

            Don’t touch that!  It’ll burn ya!   Hell.  Yep, I’d say generally, we’re agin it.

            This is a touchy story--the rich man and Lazarus.  Lazarus, the beggar lived a life of tragic suffering on this earth, but gains the rewards of the Kingdom of Heaven for all of eternity.  The rich man, who lived a life of sumptuous pleasure and self-indulgence in this life, is consigned to spend eternity where thirst and temperature torment and inflict pain.

            It’s a touchy story, because the sermon can quickly turn to judgment between the rich and the poor.   The poor go to heaven, the rich go to hell.   There is a theology that has grown up around God’s preferential treatment of the poor.  The  flip side would be God’s judgment of the rich.  I’m not going to tread those waters today--mind you.  But, we can’t completely get off of that hook, either.  Those of us with plenty of resources,  those of us, (I’m including myself in the group) who have enough to indulge ourselves ought to be carefully aware of the needs of those who do not have enough.  Those who, in this culture, perhaps do not lay begging at our gates but who go wanting for adequate food, shelter, and health care.

            In the news recently are the new Census Bureau statistics regarding poverty and health care:

            WASHINGTON -- The number of poor Americans grew by 1.3 million last year, according to a sobering and politically sensitive Census Bureau report issued Thursday.

The increase marks the third straight year the impoverished population has grown. An estimated 35.9 million U.S. residents were living in poverty in 2003.

     Children are bearing a particularly heavy burden, as their poverty rate jumped last year to 17.6% from 16.7%. It exceeds that of adults and senior citizens.

     Nearly 45 million people lacked health insurance nationwide, or 15.6% of the population. That was up from 43.5 million in 2002, when 15.2% of the population was without coverage.

            This parable, of the rich man and Lazarus, is heard differently depending whether you are one of the haves, or one of the have-nots, doesn’t it?  Perspective is everything.  Reminds me of the story of the man who walked forward in church to give his testimony.

            “It’s all God - that’s why I’m a millionaire," he said.  "I attribute it all to the rich blessings of God in my life. Why, I remember the turning point in my life:  As a young man, I went to a church service one night, to hear a missionary speaker tell about his work.  I knew I only had one lone dollar bill in my pocket and had to either give it all to God’s work or nothing at all.  So at that moment I decided to give my whole dollar-everything I had-to God.   And God blessed that decision, yes He did.  He allowed me to become a multi-millionaire, because I learned to give my all to him."

          There was an awed silence as the man moved toward his seat. As he sat down, a little old lady sitting in the same pew poked him in the side and said, "I dare you to do it again."

            I’m sure the man thought it was hell sitting next to that woman that morning in church.   But as I said, I’m not going to pursue the wealthy this morning with the hounds of hell.  No, Todd has made me think this might be a good opportunity to talk a bit about hell.   I’m going to begin by reading once again this great parable, and I want you to listen for some very surprising things that occur in Hell.

            Listen to part of the story again.

            ²²“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.”

Of course, it can’t be done because of this great chasm, ..a canyon separating heaven and hell.  So then the rich man says,

 ²⁷"Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, ²⁸for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
²⁹"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
³⁰" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
³¹"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

             Someone smarter than me  found five surprising things that occur in hell in this parable.  In fact, so surprising, that we would expect these things to be a part of the Kingdom, rather than hell.   I would even go so far as to say these five characteristics would be characteristics we would expect to find in any good Christian--any good disciple of Jesus Christ.

            The first surprise in hell is that we have a man in hell who is looking up and out--rather than being consumed by his own situation.   We’ll call this surprise “Farsightedness”

            You find it in verse 23.  “ In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.”

            The rich man is looking far away, for an answer to his problem.   Too often, people in despair lose their ability to raise up their heads and look around.  Their eyes drop and they begin to melt inward and collapse emotionally.   But here, in Hell of all places, we have this condemned soul looking up and out, far away, and there he sees Father Abraham and Lazarus in the Kingdom.

            This brings us to the second surprise we find here in hell.   The Rich Man, upon seeing the Kingdom from his tormented position in hell, calls out for help from those in the Kingdom!  Read it in verse 24.  ^“So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.”

            Amazing.  When some of us who profess to be a part of the Kingdom don’t always call out for help from God and God’s agents, here, in hell (remember?) the condemned man does just that.  Believes that his help is in the hands of God and God’s own who reside in the Kingdom.

            You ever notice that people who are good church folks, who go to worship regularly, who are a part of a Sunday School class, who are part of the very fabric of the church....you ever notice that sometimes, those very same folks, when they find themselves in need--whether it’s illness, or financial trouble, or relationship problems.  Maybe they are struggling with their kids...whatever....you ever notice that those very same good church folks will not want anyone in the church to know about their need, let alone help with it.

            There’s a bit of pride at work, sometimes.  I know, because I too have it.  Pride that prevents us from calling out for help from God and God’s agents.   We prefer to struggle alone, don’t we, sometimes?  We prefer to keep it to ourselves.  Or we believe that after all, there’s nothing that God or God’s agents can do.

            But look at this man in Hell.  He’s in hell and pride is no longer an issue.  He’s calling out, getting Father Abraham’s attention, calling for Lazarus, this beggar he only knew as a lump of a human being begging by the gate to his home.  “Help me” he cries.  “Send one from the Kingdom to help me.”

            The third surprise for me, I think, is the complete lack of arrogance here.  This man has become pretty humbled.  I suppose hell can do that to a person.   The man, in complete humility, is in essence saying, “This is a problem I cannot handle myself--please help me.”

            It’s the sort of humility that is often the first step to healing.  Whether it’s admitting that the cough and cold you’ve been doctoring or some time isn’t getting better, to admitting that the addiction that has nearly swallowed you whole is out of your control.  12 Step Programs call it “Admitting you are powerless over your addiction.”  Which of course leads to the next step, “calling on a higher power.”

            The man in hell is working the steps!  Perhaps we can learn something from his actions!

            The fourth surprise in hell that catches my eye in this story is the rich man’s concern for others.  Look at verse 27 & 28.   "Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.”
            If his own suffering cannot be eased, then by all means, the man cries out, warn my brothers.  They are headed down the same path.  It’s too late for me, but have mercy on my brothers!   Does this surprise you?  That the rich man would be so concerned for someone else’s fate?

            Ah, that we should have the desire of the rich man to rescue those who are hell-bent on perishing.  Who are hell-bent to eternal separation from the Kingdom.  That we might have such a heart for those who may be on a path of destruction.

            The rich man discovers his own zeal to save others only after he himself is deposited in hell.   It’s surprising that he has such compassion for others, it is equally surprising that we often do not.

            Finally, the fifth surprise in hell.  Listen to verse 30 and 31.  “...but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
³¹"Abraham said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

            The fifth surprise in hell...is all this talk of resurrection. 

            You hear it?

            Of course, as Luke writes his account of Jesus telling this story, he’s remembering.  You see, Luke is writing this after the death and resurrection of Jesus.  In fact, it’s years later.  And Luke has had plenty of time to see for himself, those who found the resurrection of Jesus, from the dead, as little motivation to repent and follow the way of  Christ.   As Luke writes these words, and remembers Jesus little story, don’t you imagine how he must have found the words so ironic?   “They will not be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead.”

            Dr. Godbey wrote in his devotion posted on the website this week how miracles rarely move people to repent and make lasting change in behavior.  He writes: 

“But this parable reveals that at best the miraculous conveys minimal saving value. Salvation comes by the proclamation of the gospel truth rather than by the frightening or surprising manifestation of a miracle. Miracles neither save us nor deepen our spiritual growth.”

            Abraham reminds the rich man that those who do not respond to Holy Scripture--the law and the prophets, will not likely respond to anyone resurrected from the dead.  Dr. Godbey goes on to remind us how Israel’s history is liberally sprinkled with all sorts of miraculous signs.  Yet the people time and time again return to living in ways that are displeasing to the Lord.

The rich man wanted Abraham to send a sign to his brothers. To warn them to heed the needs of the poor. To quit living in self indulgence. To use the resources at their disposal for the needs of all of God’s children.   But a sign, Abraham insists, is not what the rich man’s brothers need. Only the truth of God’s word. Perhaps if the man had discovered in this life what he discovered in hell, he would have realized that Lazarus was his brother as surely as those who lived inside his father’s house.

Today, the rich man has other brothers and sisters as well.  Not only those who are in need, those in poverty who do not have the basic necessities of life, but also the rich brothers and sisters of this world, who live in self-indulgent ways while the poor go hungry and without.

Seems to me, in the end, the rich man gets his wish, a sign for his rich brothers and sisters today.   Isn’t that right?  The rich brothers and sisters today, just as Abraham had said, have the teachings of Moses.  They have the warnings of the prophets.  But today, we also have the gospel news of the resurrection of the Christ!  All to warn us that the resources we have are to be shared with those who do not have much, or any at all.  I pray Father Abraham was wrong.   Don’t you?  I pray that Father Abraham did not get it right—that those who have not only Moses and the prophets, but also One who has risen from the dead, will surely listen….will heed the warning.   The rich man in hell was sure that if the warning could get out, his rich siblings would heed the warning.  I pray that it is so.  After all, it should be no surprise what awaits, when we who have plenty neglect those who have little.  I mean, we’ve been warned, right?