Timeless Truths: What Christians believe about… #4-The Resurrection (Part 3)
14. What Christians believe about… #4-The Resurrection (Part 3)
April 14, 2016
All Scripture quotations are from the NIV.
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 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.’ 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. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
Luke 16:19-31
There is some debate over what type of story this is. It’s often referred to as a parable. But, in the parables Jesus told, there are no names provided. For example, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, “a man was attacked by thieves…”
In this story, the main character is named and Abraham, the first Hebrew patriarch, provides answers to the rich man’s questions.
So, is this a true story? Is it a parable? Is it allegorical?
I brought up this situation to point out the difference in this story and Jesus’ parables. I do think that Jesus used this format for this story for a reason. But, I don’t think whether it’s a parable or not is of critical importance.
What is important is what the story says and what we do with the timeless truth in brings us.
And now we begin…
In verse 20, we are introduced to Lazarus. This is not the Lazarus resurrected by Jesus from his tomb outside Bethany. This man is so poor that he sits at the gate of the estate of a rich man.
Lazarus is there every day. Hoping to experience human compassion from the rich man.
Every day, the rich man passes him by. We learn that this rich man knows the prophets—he was a learned man who knew God’s Word. But, this rich man does not do what one who knows Scripture should do.
The rich man dies and finds himself in agonizing torment. (More on the afterlife in #5 of this What Christians believe about… series.) He is concerned
- For his own plight. Abraham explains that he had his chance on Earth. Lazarus is experiencing what he’s found comfort.
- For his brothers who are as callous as he was. Abraham explains that the brothers have enough information to avoid the rich man’s fate.
The rich man’s final plea is to send “someone from the dead”(v30) to speak to them. Abraham’s answer is discomforting.
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (v31)
That single sentence by Abraham has been proven true throughout the millennia after Christ’s resurrection.
All of life matters. Here. Today. What we do today influences what the next life looks like—where we ultimately spend eternity. If we die in Christ, we join Lazarus after our resurrection.
The underlying truth in this lesson is this:
The instincts of our hearts need to be servant-oriented if our resurrection is to lead to spending our everlasting life with God.
Thanks to Rev. Beverly Stanton Cook for the central teachings used in this blog.
Next Thursday's Timeless Truths Series: What Christians believe about… #5 - The Afterlife (Part 1)
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