Good Morning Friends,
Today’s text poses some heavy theological questions that Calvin might have considered in support of his view of the human condition. It can be read as being about getting into heaven but is as much about how we show up in the lives of others when they need us. The imagery in the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man is vivid. The contrast is striking. Divine Karma demonstrated. But as I think about the scripture and what I think I know of theology; I must wonder as I try to see through the tears, as I peel back the layers of the onion about this story, for it is not theology nor a guide in how to get to heaven. But in its reading, I wonder about how we have been blessed to believe in someone raised from the dead even though we have not always engaged beggars with a cool drink. Then I consider the reality in my life that grace has trumped justice. And so, as we go about fighting the good fight, we ponder a process question about conversion and belief. So, How Do We Take Hold Of What Is Eternal When We Are So Depraved?
Scripture: But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
1 Timothy 6:11-16 (NRSV)
Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, the notables of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel resorts! Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall; who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise on instruments of music; who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.
Amos 6:1a, 4-7 (NRSV)
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Luke 16:19-31 (NRSV)
Message: I think that a lot of people have a misconception regarding total depravity and what is required to enter the kingdom of God. We tend to misinterpret the term and fail to realize that we must be as little children with humble dependence on God. Total depravity does not mean that people are as evil and sinful as they can be, nor does it mean that people are without a conscience or any sense of right or wrong, nor that they cannot grow. Neither does it mean that people do not or cannot do things that seem to be good when viewed from a human perspective or measured against a human standard. It does not even mean that people cannot do things that seem to conform outwardly to the law of God. What the Bible does teach and what total depravity does recognize is that even the “good” things humans do are tainted by sin because they are not done totally for the glory of God and out of faith in Jesus. That is why trying to improve oneself apart from the work of the Holy Spirit and Christ is a worthless endeavor. The nature of humans is a sad view, and we may not like to embrace it and yet Paul seems to echo it when he says and I paraphrase, that there is none that does good, not a one, all is as filthy rags. And yet we have hope that though our sin reaches far, God’s grace reaches infinitely farther. The depravity of the rich man in today’s text is like that of humans in general. The thing is that despite it being an empirically verifiable reality it is at the same time the most intellectually resisted fact. Maybe that is why God sent forth his son. Maybe that is why Jesus descended into hell. Maybe that is why when we see and recognize and give dignity to the lives of others that might be considered outcastes, we somehow become connected to the righteousness of God.
And So, be careful about coming to the wrong conclusions in today’s parable. There is no clear reversal of values in the life to come. Abraham was very wealthy, and he is the one comforting Lazarus. That is the example. The test is the heart and contentment of our minds. The poor will not always be rewarded and the rich punished in the life to come. There is however a serious consideration, for there is a risk in the hoarding of wealth and a surprising blessing in poverty that teaches us a lesson about believing. First, we might learn that it takes some time to bridge the chasm between heaven and hell, rich and poor and between Christians and unbelievers. Here timing and what is important to people and what is important to God becomes very relevant. For what convinces us to believe is ultimately the carrot not the stick. We in life must have a love for those Christ loves, and that is open to everyone. Our exclusion of others misses the mark and is evidence we do not know Jesus as all.
Pray we realize that we cannot bring any good into this world, and especially convince others that Jesus saves us, unless we do it with the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray we realize that God judges the heart and that often we have sick hearts. Pray that we realize that we desperately need grace and healing. Pray we realize that salvation comes to us when God comes to us and we submit. Pray that we are not indifferent to the needs of the poor. Pray we engage the poor in conversation as a way of getting to know the priorities of Jesus. Pray we not deceive ourselves as to what God values. Pray we are willing to let God reorder our lives for the glory of the only thing that is good. Pray we realize that God is an expert of taking what is bad and turning it into something that is good. Pray we are willing to trust in Jesus and surrender everything to God. Pray for the people around us who are not Christians. Pray we live the godly life God called us to live as an example for others. Pray that we make the most of the opportunities that come our way to share our beliefs. Pray we trust that God will use us to bring others into his kingdom.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 