+ Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21C) – September 29th, 2019 +
Beautiful Savior Lutheran
Milton, WA
Series C: Amos 6:1-7; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Luke 16:19-31
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
These past Sundays we have heard how Jesus our Good Shepherd is the Steward of the Lost and Steward of the Heart, and how we are Stewards Under Our Good Shepherd.
Today’s Gospel reveals Jesus as the Steward of the Soul. Once again, Jesus tells us a story.
There were two men. One had it all; the other had nothing. One feasted sumptuously every day; the other could only hope for scraps and crumbs from the first. One wore clothes fit for a king; the other’s skin was so covered with sores that dogs licked them. They could not have been more different in life, but Jesus brings them together to show life in his kingdom goes.
Lazarus is poor. Pitiable. He had nothing. He was hungry. Unable to provide for himself. The best he could do was beg at the gate of a rich man. It’s hard to imagine a more miserable life; it had to have been hell on earth. But Lazarus had one thing going for him – he had the righteousness of faith. He was a child of Abraham in the truest sense; he believed in God and it was accounted to him as righteousness.
Jesus tells us when The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. This is an Old Testament way of saying Lazarus was in the resting place of God’s promised people, awaiting the fulfillment of the promised Savior and the resurrection of the dead. At long last, Lazarus was comforted.
The rich man, however, experienced something far different. His earthly wealth afforded him everything he wanted. A gated home, sumptuous food, and precious clothes – spared no expense. He’d had it so good that when people thought where to leave a poor and weak man to eke out his days off the crumbs from a rich man, they chose his house. It’s hard to imagine a more comfortable life than what the rich man enjoyed. And yet, he lacked one thing. He was a Jew – Abraham called him, ‘child’ – but only on the outside. He did not have the righteousness of faith; he did not believe God. The rich man died, was buried, and was tormented in hell.
Now, Jesus could have stopped the story there. Surely the parable would’ve grabbed the attention of the Pharisees listening to him and ridiculing him. Remember, Luke tells us they loved earthly riches and weren’t known for showing mercy toward people like Lazarus. The point is clear: Jesus is the Steward of the Soul. He judges the souls of these men righteously, and that is both a stern warning against unbelief and withholding mercy, and a strong encouragement to faith and charity. But Jesus had more to say.
The rich man lifted up his eyes and saw Lazarus with Abraham, and cried out, “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.”
Did you catch that? The rich man knew Lazarus’ name. But Luke never mentions the rich man’s name. Not even once. A not-so-subtle jab at money-loving, prideful Pharisees. For all his wealth and possessions in life, the rich man is forgotten in eternity. Nameless. Lazarus’ name, on the other hand, is written in the book of life.
Jesus’ story went on. Abraham replied to the rich man: And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ Request denied. It was impossible. Everyone was in their proper place in death – ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
But the rich man, not accustomed to rejection, had a further request, I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
This time Abraham dismissed his question. They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
‘No, father Abraham,’ he went on, ‘but if someone from the dead should journey to them, they will repent.’But Abraham responded, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
The rich man was used to having things his way. And he thought the kingdom of God worked the same way. Not so, says Jesus. “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
And here’s the heart of Jesus’ message to the Pharisees and to us. You have God’s Word. Believe it or don’t believe it; but there’s no other word.
Now, the point of all this isn’t to say, “Well, obviously it’s better to have nothing than everything in life.” But in the Kingdom of God, material wealth or poverty isn’t the deciding factor in judgment. Jesus’ warning is against ignoring His Word. Although these two men could not have been more different, both were Jews. Bothreceived the same richness from God in Moses and the prophets, but only one of them treasured it; only one repented; only one believed.
Everything we have is gift from Jesus our Good Shepherd. He’s the Steward of our Souls. When we consider all we do with everything the Lord has entrusted to us, nothing is more important than the stewardship of God’s Word in his church. Whatever else happens in our lives, nothing is more important than hearing his Word and receiving the gifts he gives through that Word, water, body and blood. Our highest callings as Christians is to treasure and believe that Word for the sake of our salvation, and to assure its proclamation. That’s why God has given us the time, skills, and earthly treasures we have. Those gifts exist, we exist, to receive God’s gracious gifts and proclaim God’s Word.
The Word made flesh in Jesus. Whose ministry was to rescue us and all mankind from sin, death, and the devil. To die and rise again for you. To rescue the lost, rescue our hearts, and rescue our souls. All this he did for you. Jesus did everything to rescue us from the end of the rich man, and to bring us with Lazarus into his arms forever.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Special thanks to Pastor Jonathan Bakker of Zion Lutheran, Mt. Pleasant, MI for use of his stewardship sermon theme.
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