A Tale of Two Sons

 

Luke 15:11-32

The Parable of Lost Sons

The Gospel Books depict the Pharisees and teachers of the law (scribe) as religious leaders in Jesus’ time. These people have hardened and self-righteous hearts. They despise sinners or anyone who does not conform to their behavioral standards. On the other hand, Jesus has the heart of the Father that loves the world and hope for sinners to repent.

In the preceding text 15:1-2, the Pharisees criticized Jesus, saying, “How can Jesus accept the sinner, and even dine with them?” (15:1-2)

So, in response, Jesus told them the Parable of the Lost Son/Prodigal Son.

The Younger Lost Son

There was a father, he had two sons. One day, the younger son came to the father and said, “Father, give me my share of the estate.”

In that ancient time, if this father died, two thirds of his property would be given to the older son; one third to the younger son. The oldest son would get double portion because he inherited the father’s responsibility of maintaining the integrity and status of the family.

Of course, the splitting of family estate only happened after the father passed away. When the younger son requested for his portion of the estate while the father was still alive, this basically meant he hoped his father died immediately.

The younger son wanted the father’s estate but not the father. He thought that after getting his father’s riches, he would be comfortable and free from the father’s supervision.

What’s surprising is that the father really gave the younger son his share of the inheritance. The younger son then went to a faraway place with the inheritance. He squandered his wealth on alcohol and women and soon he spent everything he had (prodigal means “recklessly lavish, having spent everything”. He was then in poverty and his life was a mess. He became a hired hand ho looked after pigs.

As he was lying in the mud and couldn’t even eat the pods that the pigs were eating, he realized that he was a fool. He came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I want to confess my guilt to my father.” He wanted to go home!

A home is not only a place of residence, but also a place of family relationships, a place of belonging, a place of acceptance and ultimately a place for the soul to find rest.

He knew that merely apologizing could not restore the life to what it was initially. He had broken social ethics and compensation had to be made. He wanted to tell his father, “Father, I do not wish to be a son anymore, I do not deserve it, nor am I worthy of it. I want to be a servant in order to make up for it, to repay my debts.”

So, he went home, and his father saw him from afar. If you were the father, and you saw the son who hurt your family and squandered your wealth, what would you do? Maybe you would show a stern expression and say, “You better act well enough and show that you are pitiful enough, and kneel and beg for forgiveness.”

But how does the story go?

The father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son. In ancient Middle East, children would run, teenagers would run, and women might run, but a father would never run. Running meant that you needed to lift up your robe and expose the feet/calf; this is a self-humiliating behavior. In spite of that, the father did it anyway. He let loose his emotions, ran towards his son, and kissed him.

At that moment, the younger son told his father his plan to compensate his father, but the father did not pay any heed to that. Instead, the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.”

The ring was a signet ring with the family’s seal on it. In that era, the way to sign a contract was not by putting a signature on it, but by placing the family seal that was on the signet ring. The father did not require the son to make up for his guilt. He restored his sonship without any compensation. This is the meaning of free grace. The father even had a feast and celebrated the return of his son. Luke often uses “feasting together inside the house” to signify acceptance, reunion and salvation in the Lord.

Some people are like this younger son who do not want God. They only want what God can give them. These people wish to be independent, live a life they want to live, believing that this will bring them happiness. But in the end, they stumble and fail just like the younger son.

In the parable, the father represents God the Father. Today, no matter who you are, no matter what terrible things you have done, if you go back to the Father’s house, God the Father will accept you, love you, and freely give you grace.

We might just be like the younger son, thinking that we are not worthy, trying to get home with our own methods. We might want to restore things/situations back to the way they were through our works, but the God in the Bible does not need that. He has endowed upon us the rights of a son: a status, identity, and guarantee. Just like that, we are accepted by God through salvation in Christ.

At the end of the first scene, everything seems to be back to normal. The conflict was resolved, the younger son was forgiven by the father, the family was reunited, happy ending, isn’t it?

The Older Lost Son

When the father held the feast, a new conflict arose. The older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So, he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. The servant replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.”

The older son became angry and refused to go in. Now it was his turn to sully the honor of the family. He said, “I would not want to be a part of this family. I am the only heir and I do not wish to live under the same roof with that prodigal son.”

This forced the father to go out and plead with him, but he still refused to go in. He told his father in a rough manner, “Look!” Take note that he did not call “father”, and he continued to say, “All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him. I’m not going in!”

He did not refer to the younger son as “my brother”, he did not even refer to him as “your son”, but instead he said “this son of yours”. He did not admit that he and his younger brother were family.

The older brother was furious, especially resentful about the expenses of the feast. In that era, people did not have meat with every meal. Meat was a delicacy, and the most luxurious meat was the fattened calf. When the father killed the fattened calf, this meant that the whole village was invited to participate in this expensive banquet.

The older son realized that this was the most important day in his father’s life, but he did not care. What he only saw was his father using his portion of the inheritance in the way that he himself is unwilling to use. He was very concerned about the expenditure, the fattened calf, and his father’s property. He was not concerned about his father’s heart. And of course, he despised his young brother.

When the father went out to persuade the older son, he said, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”

This statement is indeed true. When the father distributed the inheritance to his two sons, the younger son already took his portion and spent all of it. Now, the older son was going to inherit all that the father had left. He was the sole heir, everything was his. And now that the younger son is back, his portion had decreased. He was furious, did not give face to his father, causing his father to leave the banquet to clear the truth with him.

The father gently replied his son, “My son, I still wish that you attend this banquet.”

Just when we are anxious about what happened next, Jesus ended this parable. He did not tell us the ending. Why?

Both Sons are Lost though in Different Ways

The older son complained to the father, “I’ve never disobeyed your orders.”

The key is here. He refused to go into the house, causing him to be distanced from his father, not because he had done an obvious sin, but because of his own sense of goodness and self-righteousness.

The younger son cut off and controlled his father by leaving the house while the older son cut off and controlled his father through obedience and staying at home. The younger son obtained the father’s estate through breaking all the rules while the older son through observing all the rules.

Jesus is showing us that both of them are lost, they did not build a relationship with their father; they were cut off from their father.

Humans can get away from God by living a moral and religious life, just like getting away from God through an immoral and non-religious life. Many Christians are like the older son. If you say in your heart, “I am very hardworking, I do my best to obey, I go to church, I pray, I serve Jesus, therefore God owes me salvation and blessing; He must listen to my prayers, give me a comfortable life. When I die, He must bring me to heaven.”

If this is what your heart says, then Jesus is only a model or your employer. He is not regarded as your Savior. You are working to be your own savior. The moral values and religious practices that you do are just to compel God to give you what you want, but not giving God what He desires. On the other hand, a Christian who truly believes in the Gospel and trusts the Lord Jesus obeys and serves God because he loves God, wants God, wants to know God, wants to imitate Christ and find rest, joy and satisfaction in God alone.

The two sons in the parable got lost in their attempt to control their father and obtain the father’s estate, causing them to be separated from God the Father. Whether we are the younger son or the older son, Jesus calls us to come home. Jesus did not tell us the ending of the story because He hopes that we will see ourselves in the story and desire to come home. So, then, how do we come home?

Jesus is the True Older Brother who Redeems Us Home

In chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus actually told three parables of the lost. The first parable is the lost sheep. A sheep was lost, and the shepherd went to search for it and brought it home. The second parable is about the lost coin. A woman went into the house, sweep the house and search carefully for it until she finds it. The third story is the parable of the lost son. However, nobody went out to look for the son to bring him home. Why?

Jesus did this on purpose to make us ask the question: who should go out and search for the son?

During Jesus’ time, the people understood well that it was the older son’s responsibility. Why did the eldest son get the largest portion of the inheritance? It was to preserve the unity of the family, to make sure the family estate remains complete. His responsibility was to make the family look like a family.

Therefore, in this story, a good eldest brother will come to the father and say, “Father, my younger brother left and now his life in in shambles. But I want to go and search for him. I will find him and do everything I can to bring him back, even if it’s at my great expense.”

When the younger son depleted his share of the inheritance, this meant that the older brother will inherit all that the father had left. Every robe, every ring, every shoe and fatten calf belongs to the older brother. When the father welcomed the son home, he spent the older son’s property. Of course, to the younger son, there is no price to pay for coming home; all these are grace freely given. But to the older son, this is extremely expensive for he paid a great price.

We all need a true eldest brother. God cannot allow us to go home just like that. Unless God sacrifices a true eldest brother, God cannot adopt us, accept us, and provide us with food and clothing.

The younger brother in the story unfortunately had an oldest brother who is like a Pharisee, but our oldest brother is different. We have a true oldest brother, who loves and obeys the father. He is Jesus. Jesus is God’s only son; he left his heavenly home and came to this world to bring us home.

Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that me might receive adoption to sonship.”

Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Jesus is the eldest brother who loves God with all his heart, soul, strength and mind, and loves others as he loves himself. He is the eldest brother that has won everything. He won the robe, the ring, the sandals… but what do we see when his life ended? He did not have the robe; he was stripped naked. He did not have the fattened calf; he drank the vinegar. He did not have the ring of glory; he had the crown of thorns.

Today, this true eldest brother is coming to us and telling us, “I did all these for you. I was stripped, or else you cannot be worn; I lost the robe, ring and sandals, otherwise you would not get them. I have won everything, these things are mine, and I give them freely to you.”

Salvation is absolutely free, but to Jesus, it is unbelievably expensive. Jesus Christ’s inclusion of a bad older brother in the story is so that we may desire for a good older brother. We need an older brother who is willing to lay down his life as a price. Jesus sacrificed his own life on the cross to pay for our sins. Deep in our hearts, we know that this is a debt we owe. He died on the cross for our trespasses and self-righteousness so that he can bring us home.

Tim Keller describes God as a “prodigal God” for He had lavishly spent all (free grace) – having Christ died on the cross in order to save sinners.

Are you moved by the sacrifice that Jesus made to bring you home? If you are moved by him, it will transform the way you treat God, according to the degree that you have been moved. You would not simply become an ethical person, you would not simply want self-actualization or self-fulfillment, but you will become a true Christian.

A true Christian will happily go into the feast of salvation with a grateful heart. He will not make a fuss over any and every little thing, nor will he be annoyed and anxious. He will love others even if there is a price to pay. He will not lose hope even if he lost some wealth or is criticized. He knows that he is merely a sinner who received grace; he knows he will be in the feast with God the Father in the heavenly home. He has already been accepted by God, given the status of sonship and is very grateful, satisfied, no more bitterness, no more worries.

Altar Call and Prayer

Where do you find security and purpose of life? How do you satisfy your heart’s desire and purpose?

I don’t know your answer, but whatever it is, if it’s not God, although it might be something good, it’s not a true home for your soul! It cannot bear all the burdens and longings of your soul.

Our true eldest brother, Jesus, is calling and inviting us to go home and into the banquet of salvation, to find rest in the presence of God, and to have our hearts’ deepest desires fulfilled. Come home, all who are heavy laden by accepting Jesus as your savior!

God's Surprising Kingdom

 

Matthew 13:1-23

The Parable of the Sower  

Jesus observed the work of a farmer, so he told this “The Parable of the Sower” to the people. The parable reveals that there were four kinds of responses people had after hearing the sermon of Jesus, just like four types of grounds, i.e., along the path, rocky places, thorns, and good soil.

It seems that the majority of the people were unfruitful because out of the four types of audience, there were three types that were unfruitful, and only one type was bearing fruits. This parable of Kingdom unveils a frustrating fact which we may be uncomfortable with, that is among the people who hear the Word of God, those who really receive life are the minority, for “many are invited but few are chosen.”

Jesus Himself explained such a parable: the Sower is the Lord Himself, who can be likened to God’s servants this day. The seed is the Word of the Kingdom, and it is the Way of Life, not some worldly common truth. The soil or the different grounds are the different heart conditions of men.

The kind of soil which is “along the path” is akin to those who hear the Word and forget it immediately, and there is no root for those that fall on the “rocky soil”. The bird is akin to the devil, and the sun represents trials, and thorns are things that hinder the growth of the people.

Let’s consider these four types of heart-soil:

1.      Those that Fall Along the Path

This type of people can’t understand what they have heard, and they don’t bother about it. The devil comes and steal whatever words that are in their hearts.

There is a difference between hearing the Word and hearing a speech. When one hears the Word, there is an evil one who is peeping around. It is as though a farmer is sowing his seeds on the small paths in his field, and the birds of the air see it and they come and eat up all these seeds. In fact, this parable reminds us that the devil is paying extreme attention each time we draw near to God, and he will snatch away whatever we have received from God.　　　

Many times, we are very forgetful, especially towards the Word we hear. We forget it as soon as we leave our room. However, we can remember clearly every detail of people’s gossip. No doubt, when people are getting older, their memory will fail gradually. But we need to beware of the devil, who is peeping at us when we are hearing the Word of God, and will eat up the Word once it is sowed.

Therefore, our hearts cannot be like those little paths in a field, which are only to be beaten by the passerby. This kind of heart is not suitable for germination and growth of the seed.

However, the hearts of people sometimes are wider than those little paths, they are like the main roads that allow all vehicles to pass through and they can accommodate so many other things but not the Word. Such people just feel bored with the Word. Neither can they understand, nor can they take in the Word. This is the first type of heart.

O Holy Spirit, come and open our eyes! Help us to understand, appreciate and love the Word of God. For God’s word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path (Psalm 115:105)

2.      Those that Fall on the Rocky Place

In fact, it is very blessed to have opportunity to hear the Word of God. Though the disciples of Jesus were fishermen and unschooled folks, they, later, became great men who would turn the Roman Empire upside down, not because they possessed a high education and status, but because they had received the Word of Life.

We must intently prepare our hearts to hear the Word of Life, and we have to hear it with a respectful mindset, so that this Word will have chances of growing in our hearts and producing fruits later which will change the world and surprise many.　

Verb 5 says that, “Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.”

Jesus explained Himself and said, “Some hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.”

When seeds are sowed on the rocky ground, they spring up very fast, but there are no roots because there are stones below them. It is like people who will easily get excited when they hear the Word.  They become on fire very fast and their fervency goes down very fast also. Once persecution or difficulties arise, those seed will wither immediately.

They either face opposition from their family members or they might have some problems in their lives after they have come to believe in Jesus, and they fall away immediately because of these. Opposition is supposed to strengthen one’s faith, but if this person’s faith does not take root, his faith will die off even with a bit of persecution.

The Covid pandemic has lasted more than two years. For a long period, we could not hold physical meetings, nor could we lead a community lifestyle like we used to. How are we getting on spiritually these days? Let’s ask for God’s mercy, to help the whole congregation to be connected to God and to each other continuously. Don’t ever allow the pandemic which is a tool of Satan, to cause us to backslide in our faith.

Jesus is here to remind us that we must allow the Word of Life to work in our hearts, until it reaches a stage where the Word can take root in our hearts, then can it be effective in us, and when persecution and difficulty come, our faith will not be shaken or rooted out. 

The purpose for us to listen to the Word of God every Sunday Worship and in other setting, is to have God’s Word taking some effect in our hearts. It will cause new life to grow eventually and it shall replace the old life. God’s Word is powerful, for when He speak out the Word, new creation started!

This spiritual growth and maturity of life is for the life of Christ to grow inside of us, so that our lives will be more and more like Christ.

May we ask God to help us to be alert and of sober mind in trials, and to trust in the Lord firmly by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that the Life of the Word of the Lord shall be planted in us and grow in us. In the end, we will be greatly surprised how we could overcome all kinds of adversities.

3.      Those that Fall among the Thorns

In verse 7, it says, “Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.”

The Bible refers to thorns as worries of this life, temptation of money and all kinds of selfish desires.

Some people are not able to withstand persecutions or they cannot handle too many worldly worries and concerns. As a result, they are choked by all these “thorns”, and hence, they are unable to be joyful and bear fruits in their lives. They keep on talking about and busy with own struggles but hardly think of fulfilling God’s desire and serving others’ needs.

Paul encouraged us and said, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

May I know what are those things that you have been thinking of most of the times? Are they things above or things on earth? Are they only your personal things, or things of God’s kingdom? We only need to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. God will add unto us the rest of the other things. We can lead our lives easily with joy.

I often see people who are quick to believe in Jesus but refuse to commit their lives to Jesus. Some even refuse to get baptized. They want to follow Christ from afar, because commitment to Christ entails the cost which includes: attending meetings, or giving up something that will cause changes in their family lives, and encountering pressures and difficulties from people around.

Are these worries and fear founded? Not necessary!

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, it says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Many times, our problems are self-imagined. When we stand firm and trust in Jesus, God will help change our surrounding and environment, and cause our opponents to accept us. God even uses our faith expression to witness about His faithfulness and goodness. At the end we are able to sail through by God’s grace.

If we were to wait for all our problems to be solved before we decide to believe in Jesus, or get baptized, then most likely we do not have the chance to do it forever.

Problems in life are endless: studying, starting our business or career, getting married, raising children, sickness and etc. And after our children have grown up, they will get married and raise their own children too, and we might have to take care of our grandchildren….and it will be endless forever!

Don’t allow all these worries and fear in lives choke our life, that we do not have space for God. We should believe in Christ right now, and go through baptism, and serve God fervently. God will surely add unto us strength that we need to overcome all our problems.

We must allow the Word of God to prune us inwardly and help remove whatever things that hinder its growth.

4.      Those that Fall on the Good Soil　

Jesus explained and said, “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. “

The Lord Jesus asked us to receive the Word of God with a good and persevering heart. In James 1:21, it says, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Here, it refers to the mindset of hearing the Word, and this Word is known as “the planted Word”, for God likes to plant the Word in our hearts, and the Word can take root there. Therefore, our hearts need to be plowed and softened, so that the Word of God can grow in them.

“Get rid of all moral filth and the evil” is eliminating the mindset that goes against God. The devil has put the spirit of resisting God in our hearts, and unknowingly we have produced thoughts that doubt and resist God and doubt God. We must get rid of these negative thoughts, and instead receive the Word planted in us with a gentle and good heart.

By doing so, the Word will produce an effect in our lives. We must also need to persevere through all kinds of suffering, not just hearing the Word, but paying our price to put the word into actions. And then we will surely witness may surprise changes taking place as we move on in faith!

Conclusion

Subsequently, Jesus says, “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Matthew 13:12)

What makes the disciples different from others is that they have faith while others don’t have. Whoever has shall be given more, and whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

If we hear and do God’s words by faith, we shall receive even more. God’s kingdom is full of surprises. The more we progress, the more we know how to receive and the more we will grow. And God shall live in our lives and He shall be with us and lead us through any impacts in life. People around us shall see God’s reality in our lives, and they shall come and believe in Jesus.

What kind of heart-soil are you indeed? Let’s trust God by preparing our hearts to be the good soil in order to receive God’s Word. We have to listen and do the Word of God under all circumstances. God will surely prosper us in all things for the ultimate goal of His glory, and we will be more than overcomers in His surprising Kingdom.

The Right View of Life

 

Luke 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

Jesus began the story by giving a name to the beggar. He calls him “Lazarus,” which means “God is my help.” But He did not give the rich man a name. So, Jesus cares for the poor and helpless. He knows their names and elevates their position. The rich man, however, was suppressed although he was well-known in his community.

The story does not say that the rich man was a treacherous person or a murderer or anything like that. So, what was wrong with him?

Verse 19 depicts the rich man as wealthy, powerful, dressed up exquisite clothing, (purple robe and fine linen are equivalent to today’s designer brands), and feasting every day. In those days, the rich would hold sumptuous feasts to establish patronage to display their wealth, and do net working with other rich and famous people.

In verses 20-21, we find Lazarus, the poor beggar, at the rich man’s gate. In contrast to the rich man’s splendid apparel, Lazarus was covered with sores and filth. So, we observe many contrasts here.

The rich man is depicted as being “active,” constantly throwing feasts. Lazarus is depicted as being “passive,” helplessly laid at the rich man’s gate in order to pick up the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table.

Anyhow, the nameless rich man ignored Lazarus. He did not inquire of Lazarus’ situation nor did he invite Lazarus to any of his feasts. The dogs, deemed unclean by the Jews, however, came to lick Lazarus’ sores. This scene emphasises the poverty, marginalisation, and misery of Lazarus.

The Scripture is silent on whether Lazarus was a godly person or whether he did good deeds. Additionally, Lazarus was not given a single line of dialogue in the story. This shows that Lazarus was only a supporting role. In contrast, the rich man talked a lot. He is the protagonist; we shall focus on him.

Three verses 19,20,21, pass quickly and, 22-23 tell us that the rich man and Lazarus were both dead. Lazarus was carried by angels to be placed in Abraham’s bosom. Before, he was placed at the rich man’s gate. The rich man, on the other hand, received a proper burial but found himself suffering in Hades!

While they were alive, there was much inequality between the two. Death was the great equaliser and great turning point, launching a reversal of one’s life!

An overview of the story shows that the emphasis is on the fleeting nature of the rich man’s glory in the present life. We know this because the story allocates only three verses to this part (vv. 19-21). In comparison, the story spends ten verses on the eternal blessings enjoyed by Lazarus in the afterlife (vv. 22-31).

The rich man’s purple fine linen was symbolic of his material glamour. But his days of seemingly endless splendour and feasts passed away rather quickly. Now, he discovers that he does not occupy a special place with God.

Lazarus was hungry when he was alive on the earth. Now, he finds himself enjoying a feast in the bosom of Abraham. In the past, Lazarus was marginalised and lonely. Now, he is seated next to the great Abraham. In the past, Lazarus was in a humble state. Now, he is distinguished.

Verses 24-26 also stress that the rich man was situated beyond a great chasm which no one can cross. He could only watch the feast from afar like an insignificant person. This echoes Lazarus being cut off beyond the rich man’s gate while they were alive!

The fates of the rich man and Lazarus are completely reversed! This reversal is even apparent in the order in which the characters are mentioned. In the present life, the rich man is mentioned first. But in the afterlife, Lazarus comes first. In the afterlife, Lazarus became prominent instead.  

When the rich man sees Abraham from afar and notices Lazarus in his bosom, he thinks that God will have mercy on him based on God’s covenantal relationship with Abraham. So, he calls out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame” (v. 24).

The rich man pleas for Abraham to take pity on him and show mercy but did the rich man take pity on the destitute and helpless while he was alive?

“Between us and you a great chasm has been fixed,” replies Abraham, “In order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us” (v. 26).

Now, the rich man cannot even request for a drop of water to cool his tongue. At least, Lazarus had dogs licking his sores. Paradise and Hades are so near yet so far! Now only does the rich man see Lazarus. He did not see Lazarus while he was at his gate! The rich man chose to be separated from Lazarus in the present life; so, he must continue to be in this state of separation after death. This is an irony!

Then, the rich man remembers that he has five brothers who are still alive. So, he makes a second request to Abraham, asking him to send Lazarus to warn his brothers so that they will not suffer the same fate (vv. 27-28).

The rich man in this point of time still thinks of Lazarus as a lowly person whom he can just send around to serve his needs. The rich man has a hardened heart, not compassionate and gracious at all.

But Abraham says, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.”

The rich man does not concede the point. He insists that Abraham dispatch Lazarus to warn his brothers for resurrection of the dead Lazarus could impress his brothers to repent.

Abraham says to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”

How is it that nothing would change even if someone should rise from the dead?

If we return to verse 19-21, we will discover that the disparity in social classes. Apparently, the rich did not want to associate with people who are of a lower class or whom they consider to be unclean. And too, the rich man’s heart was hardened and merciless toward Lazarus. They did not notice Lazarus though he begged and even died at their gate. Thus, even if the beggar would rise from the dead, they would still not notice him.

Besides, the rich man and his family did not consider someone like Lazarus to be a truthful witness, since he is from the lowest strata of society. Lazarus was a person of no substance. A beggar who rose from the dead would still only be a beggar. The rich would not pay attention to him.

The fates of the rich man and Lazarus were completely reversed because the rich man was wealthy but merciless. He disregarded the Moses’ Law, lacked compassion and his heart was hardened. Thus, he was judged by God.

Moses and the Prophets taught the rich man to show love and compassion toward the poor (Deut. 15:1-11; Isa. 58:7). If the rich would obey Moses and the Prophets, they would not need Lazarus to rise from the dead. They would naturally approach the poor, build a relationship with them, and help them.

Given that Jesus himself had died and rose again, we can further understand this story with new insights.

Lazarus actually represents (being a type) Jesus Christ who came to suffered, be rejected by the rich and famous Jewish leaders. Jesus then died and rose again to provide salvation for those oppressed by sins and injustice of the world. Lazarus also represents all those who suffer in this life but yet awaiting redemption by God. There is glorious hope for them to be in God’s kingdom if they are reconciled with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

In the preceding text, Luke 16:14-15, tell us that this story was told by Jesus to the Pharisees. The rich man who did not pay heed to Moses and the Prophets actually represents the Pharisees who opposed Jesus. They did not care for the poor and needy, neither receive Jesus because they did not seriously listen to Moses and the Prophets.

Later, these religious leaders would not believe in Jesus even after He rose from the dead. They were deceived by the wealth, status, and power of the world. Jesus would rise from the dead and be exalted by the Father, but these religious leaders would be judged.

Jesus was warning them that if they did not repent and reset their priorities, which was to accept Jesus as Lord and Christ and to take care of the poor and needy, then they too would suffer the fate of the rich man. Purely being the descendants of Abraham would not help them in anyway.

The rich man and his family in this story had no hope because Lazarus did not rise from the dead to witness to them. Their hearts were hardened. However, we who are readers of this story today are full of hope.

Abraham rejected the rich man’s request but God answered ours by raising Jesus from the dead and He revealed the truth to us today. We also have the whole Bible to unveil the salvation and teaching of Jesus Christ. Thank God for such a blessing and privilege granted us today.

Application

Those who have not received Jesus Christ and have not placed your trust in Him are now presented with a golden opportunity to do so. Come, accept the free gift of salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross today. You will be saved, reconciled with God. You will inherit eternal life in God’s kingdom.

Besides, we should open up ourselves to reconcile with others around us and build a relationship with them regardless any class or racial differences. All of us are called by God to build relationships with others, live a life of fellowship, and put into practice the great commandment of loving God and loving our neighbours (Mark 12:28-34).