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.