|
 |
 |
Faith Comes from Hearing Text:
Luke 16:19-31 You know the story of the Rich Man and poor Lazarus well, do you not? Is it a parable? Or is it a mysterious peek into a true happening in eternity reported by the only One who could see into eternal things? Either way Jesus was speaking to his disciples about riches and their relationship to money and possessions when the Pharisees, “who were lovers of money,” were found to be eavesdropping and began ridiculing Jesus. So this story was for their ears. And as we eavesdrop on this story we too are confronted with the issue of the struggle, even warfare between serving God and Mammon or money. But the bigger issue is mercy. In our hearing we are to identify, first, with the rich man (and the Pharisees) and hear Jesus' call to confess all our own sins of greed, selfishness and neglect of those in need of mercy around us. But then we are invited also to identify with poor Lazarus to inspire us to rely all the more on the mercy of God alone to endure the apparent inequities, unfairness and sufferings that mark our days in this fallen world.
It is well for us to dwell on and identify our sins of greed and the love of money especially in our consumerist age and society as well as our Pharisaical ability to cover, massage, cosmetically conceal, “justify” and excuse our sin of greed to be something it is not. That's what the Pharisees were so expert at. After all, they believed, are not material blessings evidence of a life pleasing to God? And we hear that message today too, and not just among our modern TV preachers. Remember that the Pharisees were popularly esteemed and esteemed themselves pillars of righteousness, paragons of virtue fulfilling their responsibilities toward the care of their own homes and standing in the community, giving the tithe, ten-percent of their income to the temple and their priests. It then followed, logically, that if material wealth signals the blessing of God then poverty must be a sign of God's judgment, the result of some sin, either obvious or hidden. “Poor Lazarus,” we might say with the Rich Man. Of the homeless, the “victims” of social circumstances, we say with benign sympathy, “If only ‘they' would get their act together, become godly, productive members of society and church, certainly God would bless them.” Hypocrisy, when it is done well, is a hard nut to crack.
Is it possible, however, for us to see ourselves, then, at all in poor Lazarus? For until we can, we will never hear how these words proclaim the mercy of God for us. But how are we like Lazarus? Are we alone and penniless? Not many of us. Do we not have houses and families? Most of us do. Have we been reduced to beg, unable to find employment, to pick ourselves up by our own bootstraps and earn a living? Few can identify. And when was the last time you had bed-sores and no medical coverage to treat your aches and pains, your wounds or illnesses not to mention allergies, high cholesterol, blood pressure or near-sightedness? The hospital's name may be “Mercy” but we know that only Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medicare grants us access.
It is only because of the rest of the story, the great reversal of the final destination of each that we can discover that the Rich Man was actually the poor one and poor Lazarus rich in spiritual things, namely, faith in the mercy of God. While the Rich Man (like the Pharisees!) put on a good show, still, there was always poor Lazarus right on his door step, the judgment of the God of mercy, the evidence of the man's lack of care and concern, the sign of his neglect of mercy. On the other hand, while even the poor can be as guilty of greed and love of money as any, we are to conclude that poor Lazarus spent his days not complaining but humbly, patiently trusting is God's mercy.
For both died, we are told. And you know that the Rich Man was given a fitting funeral (especially as the heirs hurried together to see what each might get). And you can imagine that Lazarus' dead, diseased body was interred in the commoner's cemetery with no fanfare or ceremony at all. The Great Reversal was on the other side as Lazarus was carried gently by a rejoicing procession of angels to Abraham's bosom, that is, to heaven, and the Rich Man by other “angels” to Hell—not a little town in Michigan but that place of eternal anguish and despair and total hopelessness and separation from God.
The dramatic dialogue that follows between the damned Rich Man and Abraham would and could never really take place. There is no bargaining beyond the grave, much less any awareness of anything across the “great chasm fixed” between heaven and hell. But it is to further reveal the depth of the Rich Man's poverty of mercy, his pride and even contempt toward God that this conversation takes place. Even in death he speaks of blessed Lazarus like he is a slave. The Rich Man finally realizes his need of mercy. So he demands that Abraham should “send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.” Too bad! By the way, isn't it interesting that the Rich Man never does plead for release from his awful condition but only for a momentary reprieve from his suffering? Having spent his life merely covering over his sin, cooling only the symptoms of his real need, it was now too late…too late to be relieved, to be forgiven, to be saved.
When his request is rejected the Rich Man, probably for the first time ever, entertains a thought of mercy and compassion and requests that “Father” Abraham resurrect Lazarus from the dead and send him to warn his five brothers “lest they also come into this place of torment.” Again, the man's real spiritual malady comes to light only too late. Then the only real answer—for him, for his five brothers, for you and me and the whole world: “They have Moses and the Prophets,” God's clear word and warning and invitation in the Holy Scriptures, “let them hear them.”
“Let them hear them!” “No, father Abraham,” objects the former Rich Man from the grave. And there is our problem, too. We are here told that it is to the droning sermons of the preacher, the same old Bible, liturgy, sacraments, catechism and hymns that we are to listen and attend. “No!” screams the teenager (or the Baby Boomer!) who complains that church is just plain boring. “No!” advises the church growth guru who demands that the church change to become more relevant to the surrounding culture. Call it what it is. This is nothing but undisciplined, rash unbelief! The problem is not the preaching, the liturgy or creeds but our awareness of our true needs.
There are precious few times when we are shocked into realizing our weakness and need so that we will possibly hear, really hear the Word of God. The Rich Man never did until it was too late. Almost five years ago on September 11, 2001 most of us were shocked as our nation came under an attack like only unto December 7, 1941, the day of infamy at Pearl Harbor. Over fifty people streamed into this sanctuary for an unannounced, unplanned service of the Word. And we listened for some Divine Word that could comfort and deliver us. Almost fifteen years ago on November 18, 1991 the sanctuary of Trinity Lutheran Church in Jackson was filled to overflowing for the funeral of 14-year-old Aaron and his brother 16-year-old Nathan Gorzen, young teens who died in a tragic auto accident. Most of the people at the funeral were junior high and high school kids who knew them, who had come in hopes of some Divine Word that could make sense of the tragedy, that could deliver them from the pain and fear. (Those kids in attendance that day are today nearly thirty years old!) On that day the Divine Word they heard was from the Gospel of Mark, the words of Jesus, saying, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” [Mark 13:31 (ESV)]. The Gospel called them to the one answer to all brokenness, despair and fear of death, namely, Jesus Christ.
Isn't that the Rich Man's problem, and ours? “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” [Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)]. Those words of the Book of Hebrews are intended to give confidence and stability to faith, a refuge in times of trouble. Jesus Christ cannot be anything but “the same” in regard to everyone's universal need of salvation. The only question is whether the faith of individuals also remains the same, grows stronger and lives or weaker and dies.
The last shot in our text is the best. In rejecting the Rich Man's plea to send Lazarus back from the dead Abraham says, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” This is no theoretical proposition. It has been proven time and time again. For how many remain unconvinced either of their need or of the mercy of God even though Someone has risen from the dead, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ! Even with the solid, eyewitness testimony of the apostles and the Holy Church throughout the world of every age and place, still, it is only by means of faith inspired and created through the hearing of the Word of God that repentance and faith happens, that the mercy of God is realized and given.
By the mercy of God a person is enabled to stop playing the dangerous and damning game of self-righteousness and cover up. By the mercy of God alone can a person become merciful according to the Beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” [Matthew 5:7 (ESV)]. This Divine mercy can be found and discovered only here in the Divine Word faithfully preached, heard and empowered by the Holy Spirit Who works faith when and where it pleases God in those who hear the Gospel; here where the God of mercy comes to us in baptismal water and eucharistic bread and wine.
The mercy of God is for both the rich and the poor, for all who despair of their own righteousness, who are aware of their sin and need of salvation. And here it is for you again today. That mercy means the difference between humble confidence in the prospect of being carried gently by the angels of God into heaven or the proud ignorance at the prospect of being forever cast into the depths of hell.
May this Divine Word in our hearing today move us, like Lazarus, to discover and rely upon the great mercy of God. According to the ancient prayer of the church at Christian funerals, we pray for one another: May the Angels conduct you to Paradise: And at your coming may the Martyrs receive you. May they lead you to the holy City of Jerusalem. May a choir of Angels receive you. And may you, with Larzarus—once a poor man—possess eternal peace.____________________
| |
