The Rich Man And Lazarus

LUKE 16:19-26
“”There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
”‭‭Luke‬ ‭16:19-26‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/luk.16.19-26.nkj

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My beloved, what goes around comes around; we cannot be like the rich man who had every opportunity to repent but rebelliously refused; we cannot make excuses by justifying our selfish actions, but rather, we must follow the example of Jesus Christ who came to selflessly serve (PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8).
My beloved, we believers are called to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (ROMANS 12:1-2), and do good by helping the helpless and serve (PSALM 37:3-4).
If you are blessed with money, give! Help the needy, support your church and good charitable organisations like orphanages, and the elderly, needy and widows.
We cannot take our money with us, we shall leave this world like the rich man, naked and empty handed as we came into the world on the day we were born (ECCLESIASTES 5:13-16).
Maybe you don't have money, but you may have some spare time; you can give some of your time by helping out in church or local orphanage or other good organizations.
Your time is as good a money-maybe better.
But whatever you give or do, do it with wisdom by the leading of the Holy Spirit in you. Only God knows people’s real needs and motives.
The selfishness of the rich man took him to a very dark place, and he came to realise that his life of comfort here on earth was short lived. Sadly, now he remains in anguish and torment in the place of hades.
My brethren, his riches profited him nothing, but rather dragged him into a false place of safety and pride; his attitude toward Lazuras hadn’t changed, he was still prideful, looking down upon him, asking Abraham to send Lazuras to serve him even in the place of hades.
Furthermore, his anguish isn't just about himself; he realised that his family was heading in the same direction, and even though he actually cared about them, it was too late; their was absolutely nothing he can do to warn them. (LUKE 16:27-31).
I’m not saying you can earn your salvation by being a giver; salvation comes by faith alone. But rather obey the first two and great commandments; “Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37, 39-40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Love isn’t just a feeling or an emotion; it is a choice and an action, a duty of care to all people, to care enough to feed someone when he or she is hungry; to help when someone needs help; just as you care for yourself, caring enough for others, not just your loved ones, but even our enemies (MATHEW 5:43-48) enough to at least to pray for them.
God is love (1 JOHN 4:7-8) and a way of life-Jesus way; and if everyone obeyed these two great commandments, this world would soon become a better place to live.
Whilst living on this earth, we have an opportunity to be an example for Christ, to shine for Him; to show our children, our family and loved ones and unbelievers the joy of living in Christ; we have opportunities to tell them the Good News and to encourage them that they in time may submit to God and be spared a future of anguish and torment.
My beloved, don’t let those opportunities be waisted. Live your lives as true children of God, not in man’s church, but by being a part of the body of Christ, with one aim, one purpose and one mindset, working together with wisdom like a well oiled machine within the five fold ministry of Christ. “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
If it’s not the five fold ministry of Christ, it may sound and feel good; but it will profit you nothing.
My beloved, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31‬-‭33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.