The Rich Man and Lazarus. Lesson brought to you by our brother Petras
SUBJECT: Covetousness – eager or excessive desire, especially for wealth or possessions: Social media so often encourages us to compare ourselves to others, inspiring covetousness and insecurity.
PROPOSITION: To study the story of the rich man and Lazarus and notice: 1) The characters, 2) The circumstances, 3) The cries of the rich man, 4) The conclusions of the story.
OBJECTIVES ARE: Each listener should be able to understand the story, repeat it, and explain it.
Aim is to present everyone with this story and teach its lessons so as not to fall into similar circumstances as the rich man.
1. Read: Luke 16:19-23 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.” “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.”
2. About the Text:
1) Context starts in Luke 16:13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
2) Contrast between serving God and money/mammon (v.13).
3) Covetous Pharisees overhead (v.14) – The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.).
4) They justified themselves before men…
a. They rejected John the baptizer.
b. They rejected the testimony of the law.
c. They acted lawlessly in regard to their marriages.
5) Here is the context in which the story begins.
3. NOTE: Is this just a parable?
1) Jesus names a real person in this story (Lazarus). That’s not characteristic of parables.
2) Parables are “earthy stories with heavenly meanings.” This is a heavenly story with a spiritual warning.
3) The story speaks of Abraham being alive which Jesus affirms as reality to the Sadducees (Matthew 22:32) – ”I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”.
4) If the results of the story are not real, then what is the point?
a. Rob the story of its great impact.
b. The story contains great warning regarding eternal death.
5) What’s the motivation for taking it as merely a parable?
6) However, even assuming it is a parable, that would not necessarily mitigate against the truth of the content. Parables were based upon TRUE and REAL situations, not fiction.
DISCUSSION:
I. The Characters
1. Rich Man
1) Described as rich
a. Independent.
b. Self satisfied.
2) Clothed in purple.
a. Purple was the color of the wealthy and royalty
b. Lydia sold purple garments (Acts 16:14) -One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
c. Jesus was robed in one prior to crucifixion (John 19:2) The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe.
3) Fine linen.
a. This was also clothing of the rich.
b. Gen. 41:42 – Joseph (Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck..
c. 1 Chron.15:27 Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.) – David upon bearing the ark back to Israel.
4) Fared sumptuously.
a. Healthy, robust individual.
b. Fine dining.
c. All of the indulgences of life.
2. Lazarus
1) Beggar
a. Dependent upon charity for food.
b. Depended upon others for everything.
2) Laid at a gate.
a. Indicates that someone put him there.
b. Could not get himself around physically.
3) Full of sores.
a. Indicates physical health.
b. He was in poor health.
4) Desired crumbs.
a. Only wanted the leftovers.
b. Just the meager portions to sustain his life.
c. Does not indicate a desire to be other than hungry.
5) Dogs licked his sores.
a. Indicates his helplessness.
b. No one else gave him medical attention.
c. These were his only companions.
II. The Circumstances
1. Lazarus died.
1) He was carried by angels.
a. He who had no one to care for him in life received preeminent care in death.
b. No longer was he lonely.
2) He ended up in Abraham’s bosom.
a. Expression represents one who has entered paradise.
b. Abraham in Matt. 8:11 -used to indicate salvation. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
3) He was now comforted (vs.25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
2. Rich man died.
1) Says he was “buried.”
a. An elaborate funeral perhaps.
b. It was all he received at death.
2) He found himself in “hell” or “hades.”
a. This is the realm of the unseen.
b. The place of the dead.
3) The rich man was in a place of torments.
a. Says he was tormented in flame (vs.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.’
b. He looks up to see Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom.
III. The Cry for Self
1. Notice that the cries come only from the rich man.
1) Lazarus cried out for help during life.
2) But now Lazarus makes no cry.
2. The rich man’s cry is for self.
1) He said, “have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” (vs.24).
2) Notice the irony of the rich man’s cry for self.
a. Lazarus cried out to the Rich man during his lifetime for help.
b. The rich man now cries out for Lazarus help.
c. Lazarus did not ask for much in his lifetime, just crumbs from the table.
d. The rich man was not asking for much now, just a drop of water.
e. None was given to Lazarus in life.
f. None was given to the rich man in death.
3. Notice Abraham’s answer.
1) “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”
a. Abraham called him “Son.” This was significant for the Jewish people.
b. The rich man was told to “remember.” That was his only comfort, if you could call it that.
c. The rich man was given no rest for his torment.
2) “And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”(vs.25, 26)
a. This great gulf is an impassable barrier.
b. This gulf indicative of the spiritual situation.
IV. The Cry for Family
1. The rich man cried, “I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” (vs.27, 28).
1) He asks to send Lazarus back to Lazarus’ life. Even in death, he continues to give no thought for poor Lazarus.
2) The rich man wanted Abraham to send Lazarus to his five brothers.
3) He wanted Lazarus to testify to them regarding this place of torment.
2. Notice Abraham’s answer: “Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.”
1) Abraham makes it clear that Moses and the prophets have the information that the Rich man wanted to be given to his brothers.
2) Abraham told the rich man that his brothers were responsible themselves to HEAR Moses and the prophets in their lifetime.
3. The rich man replies: “And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.”
1) The rich man in a last effort to save his earthly brothers says that one risen from the dead would be more convincing.
2) He says that his brothers would repent. This indicates that they needed to repent.
4. Abraham says, “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”
1) Moses and the prophets are all the information they needed.
2) One risen from the dead would not be persuasive to those who have no interest in spiritual matters.
V. Conclusions
1. Who do we find ourselves most like? The rich man, or Lazarus?
1) Remember that this story was told for the benefit of the covetous Pharisees.
2) Covetous is an evil against which we need to guard all of our days.
3) Luke 12:15 “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
2. Death comes to all men.
1) Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
2) The rich man felt the sting of death. 1 Cor. 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
3. There are only two final destinations for man.
1) One is either saved or lost.
2) Matthew 25:46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
4. The rich man traded a lifetime of “good things” for an eternity of “torment.”
1) What will we give for salvation?
2) Mat.16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
5. There will be no second chances after this life is over.
1) Rev. 21:27 “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
2) Rev. 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
6. Those who are lost do not want their relatives to be lost with them.
7. Those who are lost want us to tell others about the horrible place known as hell.
1) Jesus spoke more about hell than any other New Testament figure.
2) We must tell others of the horrors that await there today if they do not seek God.
8. Those who are lost want their lost relatives to repent.
1) One cannot be saved without repentance. Acts 17:30, 31 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
9. The scriptures were sufficient for the Rich Man’s brothers to be saved. So they are today.
1) We have everything we need for life and godliness through the word of God 2 Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”.
2) The scriptures are sufficient for us to be God’s workman 2 Timothy 3:16,17 – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
10. Those who do not accept the testimony of the scriptures would not even believe one risen from the dead. Today we have both!
1) We have the scriptures Romans 15:4 – For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
2) We have a resurrected Messiah (1 Cor. 15:1-11).
CONCLUSION:
1. Let us remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus.
1) The characters.
2) The circumstances.
3) The cries.
4) The conclusions.
2. Invitation
1) If you are a Christian but have fallen away
a. Who is your life most like?
b. Won’t you repent today.
2) For those that are not a Christians today…
a. They need to become one to avoid the circumstance of the rich man.
b. And heed the plan that it has for man’s salvation today!
a) They need to hear the word; Romans 10:17 “Faith comes by hearing…”
b) Believe with all their hearts; Hebrews 11:6 “For without faith it is impossible….”
c) Repent of their sins (Acts 17:30).
d) And confess Jesus as the Son of God (Matt. 16:16).
e) And be baptized for the remission of their sins (Mark 16:15,16).
