Welcome to this new episode of the Gospel for the Nations podcast. This podcast has been brought to you by Pastor Kareem. Our desire is to open the Word of God with you and to speak in a way that is clear, simple, and full of grace. Wherever you are listening from, we pray that the Holy Spirit will touch your heart through his word, strengthen your faith, and draw you closer to Jesus.
SPEAKER_01So Parable 27. So the title of the parable today, it is the rich man and the poor man. It is in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 16, verse 19 to 31. So we continue the journey through the parables of Jesus. As he speaks and teaches his disciples again concerning the attitude of the Pharisees. We can see that there is something off. They were supposed to prepare the people of God. For what? For the coming of the Messiah, the King of Israel, and to represent him on earth. To represent God. But Jesus also confronted these religious leaders, but true scriptures. Because they were experts of the law and the prophets, yet they had not understood the important responsibility they had toward the people of God, which is to teach them the scriptures, but also to put them into practice. So Jesus was warning his disciples against those who speak about God, who live in a form of godliness, but who in reality do not know God personally and do not have a deep desire to follow Him through their actions. Their actions should fully confirm their priorities and their belonging to a merciful God, full of compassion toward those who are in need. We will also see Jesus exposing the Pharisees by showing a clear contrast between a man who was rich in appearance, but poor according to God. And also a poor man, Lazarus, who is not presented as righteous simply because he is poor, but as an example that brings out the attitude of the Pharisees. An appearance of godliness, but a hard and compassionate behavior toward those who suffer. Who are also God's creation, by the way. Those who take the first place, who think about their own stomach, says the Bible, and who judge according to their hearts, which are far from God. An important point is the coming of Jesus, which had been announced in the scripture, but which the Pharisees neither recognized nor believed. This is where the problem lies. Knowing God in the scriptures is one thing. But seeing the fulfillment of the scriptures through him is another. And to discern the times in which they were living. The time of the long-awaited Messiah had arrived. So God must also reveal himself around us through the way we represent the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ, our Savior in this world. Because through this we can recognize those who belong to him and preach the word of the gospel to them before his return. That is a great and clear and sober lesson revealed in his word for us, his church, for which he suffered, which he purchased at a great price through his precious blood, what we have seen today, on the cross of Calvary, in order to what? To give us an abundant life, and to use this life for his glory. Amen. So now let's read the passage. So we can go to Luke chapter 16, verse 19, but before that, I want to give you a small context, as usual, which is important to understand. Can you look at verse 14, which is a little bit upper? The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things and they ridiculed him. It is important to understand that Jesus is addressing the Pharisees because of a major problem. They were greedy. And this is why we have this parable about a rich man and a poor man. So greed is a sin according to God. It shows a condition of the heart that is entirely turned toward oneself while ignoring the condition of others in our immediate surroundings or directly within our field of vision, someone we know. So there is an absolute truth here. Generosity and compassion are two attributes of God. And for those who belong to Him, these things must be visible to the people around us. And then the Pharisees were also mocking Jesus because of what he was saying in his teaching. Certainly, an ignorant and codescending way toward Jesus. They were mocking him. Often, when a person has a heart that is closed or rebellious toward the truth, his first reaction can be to mock or reject what is being said, judging it at first, according to their own understanding. But the Bible tells us that we must judge by the Spirit. And that is through the scriptures that we are called to confirm. What comes from God and what is pleasing God. If the Pharisees had understood the scriptures, they certainly would not have had this attitude toward Jesus. But will instead have a complete conviction and reverence toward the Son of God. The physician who came to heal the sick from their sins, the souls whom the Father draws to Christ. That sin which separates us from the holiness of God. So this is the context. So now let's read the parable on itself. We will do verse by verse because it's a long passage. There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gates was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and leaked his sores. Amen. Here at the beginning of the parable, Jesus shows us a clear comparison: a rich man and a poor man. One dressed like a Lord, living a comfortable life, a peaceful life, and the other having a completely opposite life. In extreme physical and certainly emotional suffering. So the important thing is not to focus on the social condition of these two men, but rather to see what Jesus is telling us. The condition of the heart is central. Because everything comes from the heart. Our thoughts and our actions. Because he was laying at his gate. Certainly seeing laying on the ground, or even seeing the dogs coming to lick his sores. As for the poor man, Lazarus, he still desired that crabs fall from the rich man's table so that he could eat them, being content with very little. So Jesus shows us that the Pharisees represented this attitude of the rich man. They were dressed in beautiful clothes, eating abundantly, and not going toward people considered unclean. So this rich man indeed had a physical barrier represented by this gate, the entrance to his home, which could keep people away from fellowship, isolating them, while ignoring the suffering of others in order to enjoy the pleasures of the world. This sharing is not giving in a moralistic tone, but rather to describe what Jesus is saying to his disciples through this parable. And therefore, to all those who belong to him, to care about the poor and needy, sick people, and those without hope. Jesus came to fulfill the moral law. He is the law, not only by teaching it, but also to live it perfectly before his disciples. He who is the living word of God showed them through his life and his ministry, the spiritual and practical conduct that those who belong to him should have. So we can see now both conditions after death. We can see that both men died. But the destination of these two men was different. The poor man was carried by angels into Abraham's side. Abraham, the patriarch of Israel, with whom God made an eternal covenant for his people, to bless all nations through all his descendants, through faith that produces sincere obedience. And the rich man also was buried. So one goes with the angels and the other one not. Two destinations: a separation, a reality that is written for us to show us this reality today. The time will come when all of us will have to face one day our physical death, but also our destiny after death. So for those who will be sheltered, like the poor Lazarus, in Abraham's side, that is the presence of God, there will be a reassuring and a comfortable reality, without torment and for eternity. This is indeed what the word of God tells us. Revelation 21:4, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. But while for those who will be buried, far from the presence of God, like the rich man, with his heart of stone, having enjoyed the pleasures of the world, without the love of God, and for God and for others, there will be another destination. Still in the realm of death, the destination of the soul, but in a place of torment and continual gnashing of teeth. The fact that the rich man could see Abraham and Lazarus clearly shows in this account the contrast between the two destinations and the separation that now exists between them and how great that separation is. But what could possibly separate them? Is it the fact that they are destined for this separation by a divine sovereign will of God? Or is their attitude the reason for this eternal judgment? All these questions are part of what we call the election by grace and the holy sovereignty of God in his holy Son, Jesus Christ. And it is through the attitude and the disposition of the heart that the belonging of the souls to God is revealed and confirmed. We can say also the fruits of the Spirit. The salvation of the souls does not depend on us. But because we cannot save ourselves, that's what the Bible says. It is a sovereign action decided by God, who has made us capable or qualified us and transferred us from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of light. Colossians 1, 12 and 13. However, by telling this parable, Jesus reveals the heart of this rich man far from reflecting compassion and generosity. Very far. So let's see what the rich man will ask to Abraham. And he called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and sent Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in anguish in this plain. This rich man tries at all cost to make himself heard by Abraham, crying from this place of torment. But his request is nevertheless interesting. He asked Abraham to send Lazarus to him, the one who had been at his gate, treated like a pest, with a still rather superior tone, like a master to other servant, so that he would send him to refresh him with a drop of water in his terribly burning and difficult place. Piety rather than repentance is not the subject of this rich man's request in the realm of the dead, because unfortunately, it is far too late. He is only asking to be relieved from his suffering. Asking that his tongue be refreshed with a drop of water. But God grants forgiveness to the souls and frees them from their suffering while they are still on earth. Once the souls enter the realm of the dead, it is finished. There is no possible way out. Roman Catholicism teaches in its doctrines that there is a place called purgatory, a place that received the souls, and that believers should pray for the souls of the dead, so that God may show his mercy toward them and they may be purified. Well, as you can see through this passage, we can see that this is not what Jesus and the word of God tells us. The doctrine of purgatory is not taught in the scriptures. Once we are dead, we are dead. If God forgives, it is only through faith in his son. By his grace and his will, in order to accomplish his purpose on earth through us. As good witnesses of his grace toward the people who are in need. Of salvation. See not merely religious people, but rather people in love, through which they represent God in his love for others. The rich man did not do anything for the poor man. Nothing. This reminds us what Jesus says addressing to the Pharisees in the Gospel of John. John 8, verse 39. The Pharisees says, Abraham is our father. And Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did. Isn't powerful? So let's see what Abraham is answering, the plea of the rich man. But Abraham said, Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now he is comforted here. And you are in anguish. And beside all things, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who will pass from here to you may not be able. And none may cross from there to us. It is now Abraham's turn to answer the rich man. When Abraham calls this man his child, this shows us that he is aware that he is a descendant of Abraham, the patriarch of God's covenant in Israel. So this leads us to say that this rich man knew the promises made through the law of Moses and the prophets. He knew all of them. When Jesus tells us in the parable that the man received his good things during his lifetime, this shows us that he had benefited from the fruits and the gifts of the Jewish community, his community. But he did not practice good around him. This opportunity had been given to him. Yes. But Lazarus, on the other hand, received bad things. But apparently, his heart, the invisible part of man, must have been right in the eyes of God. Considering his destination in Abraham's arms. Because despite his calamities, in this passage, he doesn't deny God or consciously sin against God, is accepting his condition in the face of suffering. This reminds us of Job. Despite all suffering and the various attacks he experienced, kept his heart right toward God. Yes, he was right. So we can see that there is a reversal of situation. The roles have been reversed. One lived abundantly on earth and now suffers in the realm of the dead, while the other experienced suffering on earth, and now lives in comfort in the arms of Abraham. This shows us that despite our heartly condition, we do not know who will be in the arms of the eternal father. We don't know. However, we can see Christ in our works. Because of this, not a matter of salvation, since salvation cannot be purchased, but rather of the confirmation of our salvation and our belonging to Christ. Once again, we can say the fruits of the Spirit. So the great chasm describes here an image given to show us the great separation that God has placed between these two situations. God is omnipotent, He knows everything. Omniscient. He knows this separation. And it is also being willed by God. Yes? Proverbs 16:4 tells us. Hear this the Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. The parable tells us that one will be buried and the other will be taken by the angels. It is written and established by God. Not that God is unjust according to our human understanding, but according to his omniscience, his holiness, which separates us from his presence because of our sin, our sinful nature. We cannot pass from one side to another. Everything has been established and decided by God. So the rich man has another plea, but it is too late. And he said, Then I beg you, Father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment. So the rich man calls out to Abraham again and begs him, but this time asking him to send Lazarus to his brothers, so that he might they might avoid this terrible suffering that he is experiencing. Because of what? Because of this separation. Once again, the rich man thinks that Lazarus has the status of a servant doing something for him. But Lazarus now has a different status. He's a child of God. The rich man did not understand that Lazarus entered the kingdom of God and that he now had a new identity and co-air with Christ. But here the word warn takes a particular meaning. Why? Because this request is based only on carnal remorse. Not because he regrets his condition before God, but simply because he's suffering. But yet God's compassion had been manifested in Jesus Christ, of whom the scriptures bear witness. No one can testify these things except the scriptures. And the scriptures proclaimed by the various prophets throughout hundreds of years. The urgency of his request shows the complete despair of this man who was rich at that time, but who will now be poor forever. Because his riches could not save him, could not be taken with him. This late realization shows how important salvation is while we are still on earth, and how important it is to accomplish the works that accompany it. Not to do our own will, but the will of the Father. Because without this, we will not be anchored in our firm assurance that is given to us by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Let's continue. But Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. Here we see that there is a real dialogue between the rich man and Abraham. But unfortunately, it will lead nowhere. Despite all his supplications and requests, Abraham's answer is short and clear. They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. That's it. Yes, because there is a difference between hearing and listening. To hear is to perceive a word with our ear. We can hear someone without really paying attention. Yes? Without seeking to understand, or without necessarily acting upon what we hear. But listening is more deliberate. It means paying attention, seeking to understand and taking seriously what is being said. So when Abraham says, Let them hear them, this is an active command. They already have God's revelation through Moses and the prophets. The issue is not simply whether they will hear the words, but whether they will truly listen to them, believe them, and obey them. This is why scriptures are central in this passage. God has already spoken through his word, which testifies about him. But of course, Moses and the prophets are no longer alive. Are you aware of that? But the message remains through the word of God. It is given to us through the Holy Spirit, who inspired more than 40 authors during many centuries for guiding us, these people. So when the Holy Spirit saves and sets us apart, the believer, by the sovereign grace of God, is adopted by the Father and united with Christ in his death and resurrection. He can therefore understand Scripture as a lamp that shines on his heart and his path revealing the wisdom of God, so that he may be glorified through us. But the rich man will try once again to make one last request to Abraham. And he said, No, Father Abraham. But if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. This request is uh is like a kind of a last chance to save these brothers from the place of eternal torment and suffering. But first, you can see you say no. You say no to Abraham, and then he starts again by giving ideas to find a solution of his condition. He asked Abraham that someone from the dead should go to them so that they might repent and believe in God. What an attitude toward God, isn't it? Furthermore, repentance caused simply by seeing a miracle is not necessarily a sign of faith, but can rather be a reaction of fear, of superstition, because Jesus tells us that even demons perform miracles. It is not because someone has seen a dead person rise again or a miracle of God that will he will necessarily have faith in Jesus Christ. There are many examples in the Bible where Jesus performs miracles and people go away or wait for another one for their own needs. But their hearts are not changed by the conviction that Jesus is the Messiah and the Savior of the world. So when Jesus healed the ten lepers, only one returned to giving glory, which is ten percent one out of ten. This shows us that miracles, once performed, can be received without true recognition of the truth. Because the love of God is not necessarily in the hearts of those who want God for his miracles, but not because they love him and want to obey him. Waiting for a miracle or a sign in order to believe in God is not something that pleases God. Like Abraham was justified by God through faith, and we are all justified by faith, not by seeing some particular thing or wonders and signs. So this is the definition of the saving faith. The faith that saves, the faith that comes from the conviction of the truth. The apostle Paul says, So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10, 17. So let's see now, altogether, what is the last response from Abraham? And he said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither they will be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. First, Abraham gently tells him that if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, it is because their heart is somewhere else. And their attention and priorities are not turned toward eternal things, eternal perspective. They do not seek God, but rather temporal things. And second, they will not be persuaded because of their unbelief, their spiritual blindness, and their fleshly desires. The Apostle Paul tells us beautifully and truthfully, but the natural man does not receive the things of God's spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned. The natural man cannot receive the things of God because they are foolishness to him. So Jesus uses here a tone that is not ironic, but sadly true. Even if they saw a dead person rise again, they would not believe. This means that no outward sign can by itself produce true faith. In an unbelieving heart, if God does not draw the person to Himself by sovereign grace. So, what message should we retain from this parable and bring to those around us? What fundamental realities should we apply in our own lives and pass on to those around us? So, to conclude this message, first of all, true wealth is not the wealth that is visible, but the wealth that is invisible. The wealth that we have in our heart that comes from God. This parable calls us to have eternal perspective and not simply temporal ones, not to live in materialism, self-sufficiency, and the pursuit of the things of the world, but to seek the riches that have eternal value and consequences before God. It also reminds us the urgency of preaching and listening to the whole word of God. The Old and the New Testament, because the scriptures reveal God's plans of redemption through the work of Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ says here and now. So while we are on earth, that is why repentance is urgent. We have to repent before it is too late. And this true faith produces a transformation in our lives. So let us therefore allow the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts so that we put the word of God into practice. Loving God, loving our neighbor as ourselves, and not doing to others what we would not them to do to us. This is the golden rule from God. This parable reminds us of the reality, of the eternal consequences. There will be a final judgment for everyone. The righteous as well as the unrighteous. And finally, it brings us back to the authority and the sufficiency of the scriptures. We do not need a sign, another revelation, another manifestation in order to understand God's plan. We have his word which reveals Jesus Christ to us, his redemptive work, and the way of salvation. So while we are still here on earth, let us listen to the word of God. Believe in Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, and live for Him, so that our lives may truly testify to the grace of God that saved us and that we may share eternity with Christ. Amen. Let's pray. We thank you because you are a merciful and compassionate God. We ask you to continue your work in our lives, strengthen your church, and deepen our conviction of your truth. We surrender everything into your hands, trusting you completely and choosing to walk by faith. Keep us in the narrow path and continue to sanctify us and transform us into the likeness of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. We thank you for your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for listening today. If the Lord used this message to bless you, feel free to share it so others can also be encouraged and strengthened for the coming days. Keep seeking Him, keep reading His Word, and keep trusting His grace every single day.