The Gospel of Luke: Money with No Name | Need | Greed - Audio

Sermon notes: April 12, 2026 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called 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.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 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.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And 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 hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”Luke 16: 19-31 Jesus tells this parable to the Pharisees who use their position to justify their greed and love of money. Note the contrast between Lazarus and the rich man.. The rich man lives sumptuously. Lazarus lives in poverty, wishing only to quell his hunger with scraps from the rich man’s table.Lazarus is denied food every day. At death, the rich man is in hell and torment, but Lazarus is in heaven and finally at peace. Notice the role that the dogs play in the story: their care for Lazarus contrasts with the rich man's denial of Lazarus's worth. Also note that Jesus gives the poor man a name: “Lazarus.” It means “the one who God helps.” That is the only thing we need to know about this man. The rich man instead is known only for his money and his status and security. We must ask ourselves what name we have written on our heart. When the characters die, Lazarus “who God helps” is now helped by God into heaven. But the rich man has no one to help him. None of His possessions and wealth and status can save him when he leaves this world. The rich man asks for two things: 1)Mercy from his suffering, which is denied. Hell is what happens when the provider of life is no longer there to sustain it. This man is not in hell because he was rich, but because he trusted in his riches to keep him safe. The man even says “send Lazarus” to provide me relief. He knows the man’s name. He knew him and still ignored him. And we are shown the audacity of his pride, to ask Abraham to order Lazarus to help him. He still sees Lazarus as a servant. His heart is still prideful, even in his suffering. Make no mistake that in life, Lazarus was at the rich man’s gate - a barrier between them. And now, there is still a gate between them. 2)The second thing the rich man asks for is a warning for his family. But he’s still asking Abraham to order Lazarus! And Abraham’s answer is striking! If your family won’t believe what the forefathers said to do, they wouldn’t believe someone coming back from the dead either! We get examples of that in Jesus's ministry and even via Jesus himself. The Pharisees still reject the sign Jesus shows them, when he resurrected Lazarus during His time. And their fate is the same of everyone in our time who rejects Jesus’s own resurrection. We should identify ourselves with Lazarus - the “one who God helps.” Recognize the help you need today is not with what is in your bank account. But your greatest need is Christ Jesus, in whom we have everything we need. Don’t wait until you are on the other side, to see those around you as God sees them. By then, it’s too late.