Dives...
Dives...
Faith Fellowship Church PO Box 1586 Broken Arrow, OK 74013 Terry
Dashner
Text: Luke 16: 19-31.
Introduction: This parable has a unique characteristic. No other
parable that Jesus uses names the characters involved, except
the parable of Dives (Dives is Latin for rich) and Lazarus
(Lazarus is the Latin form of Eleazar, meaning God is my help).
Whereas other parables use general titles to identify their
story characters--the "good Samaritan;" the "servants" who were
given talents of one, five, and ten; and etc.--this parable
names a character with a personal name. Why is that significant?
It is significant because, I believe, it's more than a sermon
illustration. I believe it is a true story that Jesus used to
convey three important spiritual truths.
I'd like to share these three truths with you in this document.
Body of document: The first truth is this. The Kingdom of God is
upside down. But that is normal. It is the world's system that
is askew. The way of the world is injustice, greed, deception,
favoritism, lust, arrogance, and "run over anybody getting to
the top." The way of the Kingdom of God--which is breaking into
the world's system with light--is love, joy, endurance,
longsuffering, forgiveness, service, and sometimes extreme
hardships.
In the parable under consideration, Dives is rich beyond words;
Lazarus is suffering and in abject poverty. Please don't
misunderstand me. Dives is not bad because he is rich, and
Lazarus is not righteous because he is poor and suffering. The
point of the two extreme life styles is this. Dives is satisfied
with the world's comforts in the here and now without
considering the Kingdom to come, and Lazarus--although in
misery--can look beyond sufferings in this present world because
of his faith in God. And he will one day share in the glory of
the resurrection of life.
The way for the Christian is "upside down" from the way of the
world. That's why Jesus says that it is better to be at the
end-of-the-line in this life than to be at the head. Why?
Because when the Kingdom of God swallows up this present world's
system, all roles will be reversed. When the Kingdom finishes
turning the world "right-side-up," the last shall be first. And
the first shall be last.
The second truth is this. Covert sins are worse than overt sins.
The sin of Dives was not that he was rich. It was not because of
what he did to Lazarus. He didn't remove Lazarus from his gate.
He didn't refuse Lazarus bread. He didn't kick Lazarus and call
him names. Dives' sin was this. He ignored Lazarus. Lazarus, as
William Barclay has written, was nothing more than a part of the
landscape. Lazarus was insignificant to the rich man. He felt
nothing in regards to Lazarus' plight; therefore, Dives is
judged harshly in the next life because of what he didn't do for
Lazarus and not what he did to him. The Believer can never turn
his or her back on the suffering and needy. To do so is a sin of
omission. The Bible clearly reads that for a Believer who knows
"to do good" but refuses, to him it is a sin.
The third truth is this. There is coming an "afterlife" of
either reward or punishment. Jesus certainly doesn't deny this.
In the Greek language in which the New Testament was written,
there are several Greek words used for "hell." Although they are
used in various places throughout the New Testament, the King
James Bible translates each listing as "hell." This confuses the
meaning.
The "hell" from which the rich man cries out in agony, is place
of torment. If the place did not exist, I doubt that Jesus would
have referred to it as much as He did. According to Jesus, it is
a place where worms do not die, and pain is inflicted on those
who enter there. In the parable under consideration, Jesus'
description of hell is vivid. It has compartments that are
separated by a "great gulf fixed." Across the expanse is
paradise. The rich man is tormented by flames, and he sees
across the way Lazarus being comforted by Father Abraham. He
makes a request to quench his thirst and to send someone from
the dead to warn his family who lives on earth. Both requests
are denied.
These three truths are repeated throughout Scripture. Believers
who suffer for the Gospel's sake are going to be rewarded in the
next life. God promises to wipe away tears, pain, and the former
knowledge of physical and emotional hurts. Believers are to help
all who are afflicted and, thus, can't help themselves.
Believers who have faith in Christ must display their faith by
doing what Christ has always been doing--touching the lowly.
And, finally, there is coming a place of reward. But there is
also coming a place of torment for those who refuse God's way of
escape--Jesus Christ.
If I ended the document here, I would be remiss in failing to
tell you how to avoid this place. You see, Jesus came to take
your death sentence and mine. He died a physical death to
satisfy the just demands of God the Father. God demands justice
for our sins against Him. Jesus paid the demands of sin's
penalty--death. We can now receive grace through faith in
Jesus--the innocent one who died for the guilty ones. If you
will accept Jesus as your Savior, He will save you and prepare a
place for you in Heaven. That is the Gospel truth.
Keep the faith. Stay the course. Jesus is coming soon.
Pastor T.