Sermon Devotional: The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Scripture:  Luke 16:19-31 (ESV)


Today’s passage examines a well-known parable of Jesus—that of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, who is given no name and yet is the main character of this story, lives in comfort and luxury. He is described as wearing “purple and fine linen … every day” (v. 19). In a time when purple dye came from crushing large quantities of the murex shellfish that lived in the waters near Tyre, the man lived an extravagant life in every sense.  The rich man “lived each day in joyous splendor” (v. 19).

At the rich man’s gate lies a poor man, who is given the name Lazarus and yet has no speaking role in the story. Lazarus is a poor beggar with a physical disability who cannot care for himself. He cannot even fend off the local dogs, who lick his open sores. He longs to eat the scraps that fall from the rich man’s table (v. 21). By anyone’s standards, he is extremely lowly, an object of pity and fear. The rich man travels past him daily and ignores his plight.

Death comes for both of these men. The rich man is described as being “buried,” which suggests an elaborate ceremony that contrasts with what was likely a quiet, unnoticed passing of Lazarus. “The angels carried [Lazarus] to Abraham’s side” (v. 22) where all good Jewish people expected to be in death. The rich man, quite unexpectedly for this Jewish audience, goes to the realm of the dead in Hades, where he suffers tremendously in a fiery torment.

The rich man begs Abraham that Lazarus, whom he still conceives of as a kind of servant, be sent to bring a merciful taste of water. Abraham replies that the rich man is getting his just desserts for his callous treatment of Lazarus. Undaunted, the man continues to argue, begging that Lazarus be sent to the rich man’s family to warn them of the fiery fate to come. “They have Moses and the Prophets,” replies Abraham. “Let them listen to them” (v. 29). Portentously, Abraham adds that even a sign such as “someone being raised from the dead” (v. 31) would not convince the relatives of the rich man if the Scriptures had not.

The somber ending of this parable would have been startling to the original hearers. Unlike a similar rabbinic parable in which the rich sinner did get to heaven for doing just one good deed, this story raised the possibility that hell was filled with seemingly devout people. The audience at the time would have been filled with Pharisees. Many of them, we know from Scripture, were lovers of money who justified themselves in the eyes of others, with lives defined by self-indulgence and self-righteousness. It is easy to imagine the offended sniffs and angry mutters.

Consider –
╬    It’s not hard to imagine the mood of the crowd after Jesus told this startling story. How did Jesus engage with people afterward? What did they discuss? How did they connect? Are there any lessons for us?

╬    In life, the rich man ignored Lazarus, did not share the leftover scraps from his table, and refused to show mercy to those who had less than he did. What might it look like to be known for being a merciful person in your workplace or neighborhood?

╬    Lord, we are undeserving of your mercy. Thank you for the welcome that will be ours at the end. In the meantime, as we run the race, keep us from self-satisfaction and self-righteousness, and give us a loving, evangelistic zeal for our neighbors, relatives, colleagues, and classmates. In Jesus’ name, Amen.