16th Sunday after Pentecost
Text: Luke 16:19-31 and 1 Timothy 6:6-19
Pastor Jean M. Hansen
on’t Be Like the Rich Man, Be Like Jesus
I just read a parable, a story told by Jesus as a teaching tool, a way to make a point. All too often this parable has been seen as a description of eternity, and while a place of eternal joy and one of eternal suffering are mentioned, their existence is not the point of the story.
The context helps us understand what the point is; for weeks we’ve focused on the Gospel of Luke’s message that Jesus is concerned about, even has a preference for, the poor and the marginalized – the least, the last and the lowly. This parable continues that theme, so much so that one of its main characters is given a name by Jesus, and it’s not the rich one who is named. This is notable because this is the only time in Jesus’ parables that a name is attributed to someone in the story. It’s the poor man, Lazarus, and the message is that the poor are not faceless, nameless people with no history.
Lazarus has suffered, he has been hungry, he is unable to do anything but lie at the gate, attracting the dogs with his open wounds. This is the person who gets a name? On the other hand, the Rich Man lives in luxury; each meal is a sumptuous fest. Everything about him says “wealthy”, even his gate. Here’s an interesting detail; the Greek word for “gate” used here is the one for an impressive portal, a huge and heavy decorative gate that both inspires awe and keeps people out. (1)
So, one man lives in the heights of riches and the other in the depths of abject poverty. But when they both die, their roles are reversed; Lazarus could not have it better and the Rich Man could not have it worse. Surprisingly, they not only see each other, but the Rich Man recognizes Lazarus and knows his name. What does that imply? It implies that he purposely ignored Lazarus lying at his gate; he could have helped him, but he did not do so. He could have easily sent a servant down with the leftovers from one of those meals.
As commentator Chelsea Harman notes, “Listening to Jesus tell this story in all its ugly detail can’t help but make us wonder if the rich man enjoyed knowing that Lazarus was down there begging; like it made him feel even more superior and rich and justified – like he had earned it somehow and deserved to be treated better than others. He loved his money and his stuff so much that it calloused him to others.” (2)
She reminds us of Paul’s words in today’s second lesson, “But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
So it is that in the great reversal, the Rich Man is pierced with the pain of being brought low and Lazarus is lifted to the most honorable position in the Jewish religion – he rests with the patriarch Abraham.
Yet, what does the Rich Man do? Does he repent? NO! He asks that Lazarus serve him by bringing a drop of water to cool his tongue; he is in agony! When Abraham explains that this is not going to happen, that it’s neither fair nor possible, the Rich Man asks that Lazarus be sent to warn his brothers to change their ways.
But Abraham makes it clear that there is to be no Scrooge-like parade of ghostly spirits for this Rich Man’s brothers, as was the case in “A Christmas Carol.” They have Moses; they have the Prophets; the Holy Scripture is available to them. If they won’t listen to those voices, then they won’t hear Lazarus either, Abraham announces. (And, when you think about it, when it comes to treatment of the poor, no one with a Bible can claim not to know what Jesus asks of us, unless the book is just for show and has never been read.)
The message is this – we have what is needed to live as God desires, for our own sake and for others. Or, more specifically, do not be like the Rich Man and ignore the people in need at your door. Instead, be like Jesus, who has compassion for those who suffer and makes them a priority in his ministry.
That’s why we all should be aware of the 47 million people in the United States, 13 million of which are children, who struggle with food insecurity, which means they cannot access the food they need to live healthy lives. We should be concerned about the food deserts in Akron, about how reduction in government-funded support impacts especially children, about how increasing food costs harms those who are paid low wages and the need for economic opportunities that benefit those who struggle. We should be horrified at the consequences of conflict and extreme weather on food production and distribution, especially in places of famine like Gaza and Sudan.
Don’t you suppose that in today’s parable God’s intention was that Lazarus would be helped by the Rich Man? Instead, he refused to live as a servant of God. He ignored God’s calling to share with others; he failed to recognize that his riches were meant to be a source of loving righteousness, used to care for those in need.
Perhaps you have heard the story about a saint who was sent by God to visit both heaven and hell. As she approached hell she could hear the wailing, so was surprised to see banquet tables laden with food. The people there were clean, well dressed – there was no sign of a furnace. But they were strangely shaped. Each had long arms with no joint at the elbow. They could pick up the food from the table, but could not get the food to their mouths. So, they cried in anguish.
Then the saint was transported to heaven. She was alarmed to see a very similar scene. Banquet tables laden with food – people with long arms that they could not bend. But there were only songs and laughter, no cries of anguish. For here people reached across the table and fed each other. (3)
That’s the difference been heaven and hell in the here and now – how we treat each other.
The words from 1 Timothy ring clearly, “As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty …. They are to do good, be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that is really life.” (1 Timorthy 6:17a, 18-19) May it be so. AMEN
(1) “Sermon Commentary on Luke 16:19-31” by Scott Hoezee, September 29, 2019, www.cepreaching.org
(2) “Sermon Commentary on Luke 16:19-31” by Chelsey Harmon, September 28, 2025, www.cepreaching.org
(3) “Has Anyone Seen Lazarus” by Senior Minister John B. McCall, September 30, 2007, www.fccucc.org