The Rich Man and Lazarus

LUKE 16

19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20 And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.

22 Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’

Jesus' account of the rich man and Lazarus reminds us why sharing Christ is so urgent. The rich man lived in luxury while Lazarus suffered at his gate. Both eventually died, and after death the rich man found himself in torment. Jesus' teaching reminds us that life does not end at death and eternity is real.

27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

The rich man then became concerned about his five brothers and pleaded with Abraham to send someone to warn them so that they would not come to the same place of torment. Notice that during his earthly life, the rich man seemed primarily concerned with himself, but after death he suddenly understood the importance of others knowing the truth.

29 But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

The rich man thought that if someone came back from the dead, his brothers would believe. But Abraham said that if they would not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they would not be persuaded even if someone rose from the dead. This points us to the sufficiency and importance of God's Word. Miracles alone do not transform the human heart. People need to hear God's truth and respond to His grace. This passage should give urgency to our witness because eternity matters. People around us have only one life, and we do not know how much time they have. Therefore, while there is still opportunity, we should lovingly share Christ with them.

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