Good day dear friends.
We continue to affirm that Jesus is alive! And here is our Tuesday study guide to help us:
Tuesday: In Luke 16:19-31, there is a parable from Jesus about death and what happens afterwards. Please read that story and see what that story says to you. What were the sins of the rich man that caused him to end up where he did? What do you think of the suffering that was his in “the other place” when he asks for Lazarus to “dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,” when in real life he was so grossed out about the way Lazarus looked? What lessons can be drawn from this parable for our lives today?
Here is that passage in the RSV:19 "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' 27 And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"
The most obvious sin of the rich man, and please notice he's not even named, has to be that of selfishness. Guided by self-centeredness, he cared only about his clothes and his food. At his gate was a poor man, Lazarus, whose physical condition kept him from being too appealing to anyone, especially this rich man. The man cared nothing for Lazarus and did nothing to help him or feed him. This passage does not come out and say it directly, but we have to wonder, did Lazarus starve to death? Note the verse that said, he "desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table." It does not say that this ever happened. It could possibly be that the sin of selfishness led this other man to die. The rich man also died, though he went to Hades, and Lazarus to the Abraham's bosom. The man suffered much in torment there and he happened to glance up and see Abraham and Lazarus in his bosom. The rich man cries out asking for just a drop of water to cool his torment, but this was not allowed. What he asks for next shows a belated compassion, if not for everyone, at least for his five brothers. This too, is not necessarily denied, but the reality is shared: They have Moses (the Law) and the prophets (the writings), all geared to get people away from Hades. If they won't listent to these, then to whom will they listen?
Have you ever stopped to consider how selfish acts may kill someone else? This happens all the time in places you'd think would know better like the church. An action taken by the church council, not approved by everyone, leads some to hold back on their givings. While they may think they're making a point, what they're really doing is hurting themselves and possibly not helping the lives of others. Selfish acts kill. Selfish acts lead those doing them to places not desired.
The call from Christ is to love one another. This was a commandment of life. In it we find the positiveness of life, to get along, and to help others along. Nowhere in love do we find room to think only of ourselves and our desires. Love points us to God and to God's creatures.
PRAYER: Come, God of love to my heart. Fill me with that love that points me to you and to others. Let me be guided by knowing that I should be all about sharing and giving life, not death. Lead me to fulness of life through Jesus Christ, in Whose name I pray. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
