Two Men, Two Roads, Two Results
“ Two Men, Two Roads, Two Results” Luke 16:19-31
In the last few weeks we have been working through the Gospel of Luke in the morning messages and we have discussed such things as Discipleship (“ Strive to enter through the narrow gate” 13:24), Counting the Cost as a Disciple and bearing our Cross (14:27), the Lost sheep, lost coin from Luke 15 and last Sunday the Parable of the Unjust Steward Luke 16 where we heard “ You cannot serve God and riches” 16:13 These have not been easy lessons . Today again we are focused on another story from Luke. I would think we should be careful if we call this a parable since it is more than that I believe. Parables are stories but in this story we have characters who are named. Be careful not to dismiss stories of Jesus either because in them we have the Word of the Gospel.
I subtitled this message years ago when I talked about it ----“ Taking a wrong turn in life” Today we are looking at two ways of living. I am not trying to identify anyone here as I talk about this. I am simply trying to discuss what is here and ask, “ Does this talk about me in some shape, manner or form?” If it does then we have to apply that to our own lives as the Spirit of God directs.
I find that the story here that Jesus tells is directed to the outwardly religious. Look at vs. 14 “ Now the Pharisees who were lovers of money…heard these things, and they derided Him.” So I believe Jesus directs this story to them, the religious leaders and rulers of the day. It has application to us as well for that is what we would call ourselves too. What is the thrust of this story?
I think that the thrust of this story is not just the bold parts that we often talk about…the picture of Hades, the place of torment, the reality of judgment and the call of the Scriptures , the Word to be enough to all here now. “ ….if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent….if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” 16:30-31 Now I do not want to diminish those parts for they are all important. As Christians we do believe in the reality of two places that we journey to after death. We do believe in the power of God to bring us to heaven and we do believe that for some who have rejected God and His path that there is no such reward.
Personally this story could not more drastically contrast two different men and their lives. One commentator says, “ It is teaching these people to see of how little value it is to show one’s self pious before men when one is reprobate before God.” One person lived very well materially as he was rich. There is no mention by Jesus of his sin or wickedness, but just that he lived very well in his dress and in his diet. (“ a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 16:19) Does this describe most of our culture today? Unfortunately we in the Church are just as susceptible to this kind of living. If we achieve a certain standard of living , enjoying our selves, what else is there to life? We are happy with that are we not. In some senses that is what we desire. So we live here and enjoy it. I am not saying that it is wrong to have money and be rich. God bless us for that. God has given us things to enjoy and we have these things because we have worked for them. We are enjoying the fruit of our labors. If that is all we are doing then we have missed the message of Jesus.
There is Lazarus who is named in this story. He is “ full of sores, who was laid at his gate (the rich man’s) desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table…”16:20 There are many like Lazarus for whatever reason. The real message of this story is that there is a right use of our privilege here. And it goes deeper than that if we follow the earlier messages Jesus gave on discipleship. Our Christian lives are not just about receiving eternal life ourselves. We as true Christians need to take a look around us and see how we can not only have an awareness of God but how that awareness of God leads us to not ignore His people and the needs of others.
The rich man had all the right words. He calls God “ Father Abraham” and God calls him son but that was no guarantee of eternal life. It is easy to play the part, dress the occasion and mouth the creed, but what have we done with our faith? The point is that the rich man never had faith at all. He was relying on a profession of faith without any possession of faith to get Him into heaven. That is no faith at all. It is just words. Can we ignore Lazarus? Sure. But if we do, we do it at the peril of our own eternal life. We cannot say we love God yet withhold His love from others.
That is why I call this message Two men, two roads and two results. Surely we cannot merit heaven by our lives. We know God in His grace and love overlooks much in our lives that we cannot excuse. We have choices as we hear the words of God in the Gospel. They enter our hearts and through the power of God’s Spirit bring forth good fruit. Yet at our eternal destruction we ignore His Word and live as they are just words. His Church which is His Body, the visible Kingdom of Jesus on earth requires not just our membership. He requires our love.
“Most High Omnipotent Good Lord, grant we your people grace gladly to renounce the vanities of this world; that following the Way of the Cross, we may for the love of You delight in your whole creation with perfect joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.”
In the last few weeks we have been working through the Gospel of Luke in the morning messages and we have discussed such things as Discipleship (“ Strive to enter through the narrow gate” 13:24), Counting the Cost as a Disciple and bearing our Cross (14:27), the Lost sheep, lost coin from Luke 15 and last Sunday the Parable of the Unjust Steward Luke 16 where we heard “ You cannot serve God and riches” 16:13 These have not been easy lessons . Today again we are focused on another story from Luke. I would think we should be careful if we call this a parable since it is more than that I believe. Parables are stories but in this story we have characters who are named. Be careful not to dismiss stories of Jesus either because in them we have the Word of the Gospel.
I subtitled this message years ago when I talked about it ----“ Taking a wrong turn in life” Today we are looking at two ways of living. I am not trying to identify anyone here as I talk about this. I am simply trying to discuss what is here and ask, “ Does this talk about me in some shape, manner or form?” If it does then we have to apply that to our own lives as the Spirit of God directs.
I find that the story here that Jesus tells is directed to the outwardly religious. Look at vs. 14 “ Now the Pharisees who were lovers of money…heard these things, and they derided Him.” So I believe Jesus directs this story to them, the religious leaders and rulers of the day. It has application to us as well for that is what we would call ourselves too. What is the thrust of this story?
I think that the thrust of this story is not just the bold parts that we often talk about…the picture of Hades, the place of torment, the reality of judgment and the call of the Scriptures , the Word to be enough to all here now. “ ….if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent….if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” 16:30-31 Now I do not want to diminish those parts for they are all important. As Christians we do believe in the reality of two places that we journey to after death. We do believe in the power of God to bring us to heaven and we do believe that for some who have rejected God and His path that there is no such reward.
Personally this story could not more drastically contrast two different men and their lives. One commentator says, “ It is teaching these people to see of how little value it is to show one’s self pious before men when one is reprobate before God.” One person lived very well materially as he was rich. There is no mention by Jesus of his sin or wickedness, but just that he lived very well in his dress and in his diet. (“ a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 16:19) Does this describe most of our culture today? Unfortunately we in the Church are just as susceptible to this kind of living. If we achieve a certain standard of living , enjoying our selves, what else is there to life? We are happy with that are we not. In some senses that is what we desire. So we live here and enjoy it. I am not saying that it is wrong to have money and be rich. God bless us for that. God has given us things to enjoy and we have these things because we have worked for them. We are enjoying the fruit of our labors. If that is all we are doing then we have missed the message of Jesus.
There is Lazarus who is named in this story. He is “ full of sores, who was laid at his gate (the rich man’s) desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table…”16:20 There are many like Lazarus for whatever reason. The real message of this story is that there is a right use of our privilege here. And it goes deeper than that if we follow the earlier messages Jesus gave on discipleship. Our Christian lives are not just about receiving eternal life ourselves. We as true Christians need to take a look around us and see how we can not only have an awareness of God but how that awareness of God leads us to not ignore His people and the needs of others.
The rich man had all the right words. He calls God “ Father Abraham” and God calls him son but that was no guarantee of eternal life. It is easy to play the part, dress the occasion and mouth the creed, but what have we done with our faith? The point is that the rich man never had faith at all. He was relying on a profession of faith without any possession of faith to get Him into heaven. That is no faith at all. It is just words. Can we ignore Lazarus? Sure. But if we do, we do it at the peril of our own eternal life. We cannot say we love God yet withhold His love from others.
That is why I call this message Two men, two roads and two results. Surely we cannot merit heaven by our lives. We know God in His grace and love overlooks much in our lives that we cannot excuse. We have choices as we hear the words of God in the Gospel. They enter our hearts and through the power of God’s Spirit bring forth good fruit. Yet at our eternal destruction we ignore His Word and live as they are just words. His Church which is His Body, the visible Kingdom of Jesus on earth requires not just our membership. He requires our love.
“Most High Omnipotent Good Lord, grant we your people grace gladly to renounce the vanities of this world; that following the Way of the Cross, we may for the love of You delight in your whole creation with perfect joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.”
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