LUKE 16:19-31
The rich man would dress himself in fine
clothes and feast lavishly daily. Excess becomes a daily ritual. Addiction to
progressive ostentation.
Lazarus was left outside. He longed for
some offal from the table, but probably did not get it since the dogs came to
lick his sores. If the dogs had food, they probably would not lick his sores.
His desire and longing was also probably a daily ritual.
The rich man recognized the existence of
Lazarus only after his death.
The only reply he is given was from Abraham
who called him his son. This sonship pre existed during his life. But now all
he is asked to do is remember. Memories transcend death with us into eternity.
We will be asked to remember, even our daily feasts. We think what will be
remembered will be the good things we have done, but we will be provided with a
screening of our daily doings, and that memory will be the only solace we are
provided with if we are on the side of hell.
The rich man received all he had, but
probably never looked at his possessions that way. If he had done so, probably
Lazarus may have got more that he did at the gate.
Lazarus also received his lot, though we do
tend to justify his position at our gates by attributing it to laziness, or
slothfulness.
A great chasm has been fixed by God. God
fixed chasms in the universe. In Genesis we read how he fixed chasms for the
light and darkness, for the heavens above and the waters below. Nature does not
transgress those divisions. And in
eternity, this divide is eternally uncrossable.
An eternity of memories awaken emergent
concern for our loved ones on earth and a plea is made for evangelism of their
lives. Again, Abraham unmoved, only offers what they already have, Moses and
the prophets, or the law and the prophets. This knowledge was near every Jew.
It was in their mouths.
The rich man raises an If question. There
are so many ifs to our acceptance of salvation. If this happens, or that comes
about. Repentance is not conditional, it is regardless of circumstance.
However, we make it conditional for ourselves and others.
Even so, Jesus did come to them and has
risen from the dead. So now, we who live in this time, have both the law and
the prophets and also Jesus who was raised from the dead. What excuse do we
have not to believe?
Jesus came to cross the chasm, and permit
our translation from death to life
John 5:24 :
2 Cor 5:17
1 Peter 3:18
the
righteous for the unrighteous,
that
He might bring you to God,
after
being put to death in the fleshly realm
but
made alive in the spiritual realm
So for us who believe, we have already
crossed that chasm, and death for us is not a barrier to our communion with our
Father any more. It is a transition. What are we doing on this side of eternity
in preparation for the other side?
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