Title: The true gift of the kingdom is not in this life!
Text: Luke 16:19-31
29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
James Packer writes in his book Your Father Loves You:
The New Testament always conceives of eternal punishment as consisting of an agonizing knowledge of one's own ill desert, of God's displeasure, of the good that one has lost, and of the irrevocable fixed state in which one now finds oneself. The doctrine of eternal punishment was taught in the synagogue even before our Lord took it up and enforced it in the Gospels. All the language that strikes terror into our hearts -- weeping and gnashing of teeth, outer darkness, the worm, the fire, gehenna, the great gulf fixed -- is all directly taken from our Lord's teaching. It is from Jesus Christ that we learn the doctrine of eternal punishment.
James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986.
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
The story that Jesus begins to tell picks up on the theme from last week that you can’t serve both God and money – where you will love the one and hate the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other - and also the week before where we learned that Jesus is the Good Shepherd that seeks the lost sheep leaving the 99 and that joy in heaven that is found when one sinner repents.
We see here a rich man, or one who has the blessings of this life and lives in an opulent manner and to the point that Jesus says that this he does every day. Contrasted with this we find:
20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table.
Not a good life here.
Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
The contrast of wealth and opulence and the poor and lowly of the world is not lost on the Pharisees, Scribes and teachers of the Law as Jesus said:
15 … “are those who justify yourselves before men, [the rich man] but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
The true gift of the kingdom is not in this life!
It is not in this life – wealth, riches and temporal gifts but it is given in this life. Christ made known by the power of the Holy Spirit in the word of the Gospel and connected to the waters of Holy Baptism where God washes away our sin marking us his child.
Jesus continues the story abruptly,
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment,
Both dead but two very different results; one carried to Abraham’s side the other in torment and a gulf (chasm) fixed between them.
Ill.
A story is told of:
A pig who ate his fill of acorns under an oak tree and then started to root around the tree. A crow remarked, "You shouldn’t do this. If you lay bare the roots, the tree will wither and die." "Let it die," said the pig. "Who cares as long as [I have] acorns?"
Bits & Pieces, February, 1990, p. 24.
It is interesting that Lazarus is called by name and that God knows him personally but a certain man neither knows God, nor is known by him, as a loving father knows a child. We at times can’t see the tree and the blessings of God that the acorns are, given as a gift. Just as the wealth and riches of this life are given and received from God, the true giver of life who gives all in Christ, in service to our neighbor and the needs of the body.
The call goes forth.
‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
The result of trusting in Christ versus trusting in riches is made clear. The temporal blessings of this age are for … but a time … but God’s eternal blessings given as a gift are forever. But also, the result of falling away into trusting those “idols” that draw us away from Christ.
A few weeks ago Jesus said:
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
That even family can and does draw us away from the savior.
Two weeks ago it was:
’7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Repentant and forgiveness are God’s work through the Holy Spirit working through the word.
Last week it was Jesus speaking to the Pharisees who were lovers of money:
14 … “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
Today it is the consequence of a life apart from God.
1. Eternal torment as opposed to eternal life: both are real and both are forever.
2. Good and bad: The good can at times draw us away from Christ trusting in the things of this world where keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus can get us through the trials of this life with the focus of the blessings and riches in heaven.
3. A chasm [gulf] fixed: In some way the torment of hell is the knowledge of a life wasted not in service to God and neighbor but only to self. There is even the knowledge of those by name – Lazarus - who we could have helped but didn’t. Who is the Lazarus in your life?
4. The reality of those left behind: The desire of the rich man here is to awaken his brothers to the reality and importance of repentance and faith in Christ given for the forgiveness of sins and time still for a turning to God.
5. Moses and the Prophets: The means to faith is given and revealed in God’s means of word and sacraments. Moses and the Prophets, Law and Gospel, heard and received by the Holy Spirit or connected to the waters of Holy Baptism by the power of the holy Spirit. [Little Rose Pietrzak]
6. Sending Lazarus back from the dead:
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:8-10
The good news is that Christ Jesus died for you! Moses and the prophets testify to this so you and I are without excuse. We heed the working of the Holy Spirit who calls us to repentance or we continue to live as if it doesn’t matter. There will be no excuses or second chances in the life to come, but there will be weeping, and gnashing of teeth as the reality of a life rejecting faith in Christ tears at the very fabric of those in eternal torment ... for eternity.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
For you dear friends Christ calls, comforts and brings to faith by his Spirit. Just as in baptism you were made his. May this be your joy now and forever.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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