Getting to Know Jesus Even Better #14

Jesus wraps up His rebuke of the Pharisees concerning their poor stewardship with one last parable:

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 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. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 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, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called 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.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘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. 26 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.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 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.’”

This is one of the rare glimpses we have into life after death.  The rich man had invested his hope and his life into the things of this world: pleasure, possessions, prestige and power, while ignoring the needs right at his front door.  He had also ignored the call of the prophets and Jesus to repent, and to live out justice and mercy.  That never ends well. Lazarus was the exact opposite: he was satisfied with little and was living in hope of God's promises.  Things ended very well for him.  As the story ends, we see that even after a taste of death, the rich man has not changed: he expects Lazarus to serve him, and he is still only concerned about a small group of relatives. He is unwilling to repent and receive the heart of God.