Luke 16:19-31 (Devotion)

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS - "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.’"

It has been said, "What we do in life echoes in eternity," and no greater example is found in the Bible than the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It is a sobering reminder of how dangerous selfishness can be in the heart of someone who is monetarily rich, yet spiritually bankrupt. In certain ways, it convicts our desire to acquire fortune because the consequences of selfish behavior are magnified by our wealth management. In other words, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required" (Luke 12:48b). God provides an allotment of resources spanning varying degrees of accumulation (or lack thereof) to test how responsible we are, how deep selfishness resides in our hearts, and whether we manipulate life in our favor at the expense of His glory. Make no mistake, the further we delve into the mind of the rich man, the more convicted we should become to heed the warning Jesus gives to help gauge our spiritual tempterature. For Scripture reminds us, "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds" (Jeremiah 17:10). Therefore, identifying with Lazarus should not consume our attention because very few of us have or will ever experience extreme poverty like he did. Rather, what we must discern is simply whether we love our neighbor enough to sacrifice ourselves and our resources for his/her betterment at the expense of our own. And that is why (for example) military, law enforcement, firemen, first responders, etc., deserve our utmost respect and admiration, because they risk their lives every day to preserve and protect the freedoms and privileges we claim as citizens. "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

In contrast, the rich man had no desire to protect those less fortunate than himself because God provided countless opportunities for him to help Lazarus and he declined. Day after day, Lazarus laid at the gate of his mansion needing no more than the absolute minimum to survive, and remained there disheveled, stricken, malnourished, and assaulted by wild dogs until the day he died. In contrast, the rich man lived in lavish splendor with elaborate material possessions and countless resources. He feasted sumptuously, which conveys that the most luxurious and expansive smorgasbord of food and beverage awaited his consuming pleasure each day. He lacked nothing whatsoever except the desire to help those less fortunate than himself, and eventually God repaid him for his hardheartedness when his day of reckoning arrived. What we must ask ourselves as we consider the rich man's plight is this: "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). Let us first clarify that wisdom is vital to discern how to help someone in need. For example, it would not be wise to blindly give money to those who are begging for help without first taking time to understand exactly what they need. It is a matter of discernment, not avoidance, because accountability is required if for no reason but to protect others from further hurting themselves or others if they struggle with addiction. That is why providing specific resources according to genuine need always trumps monetary handouts to avoid being inconvenienced or convicted. In other words, see a need—meet a need! And if we're worried about giving money to those who are panhandling, let us instead attempt to discern and wisely meet their need without enabling potential destructive behavior. "Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother" (Romans 14:13).

Scripture exhorts, "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10). As self-proclaimed Christians, we are tasked by the authority of Almighty God to cast off fear and passivity, and embrace opportunities which stretch our comfort levels. The ultimate goal is expanding our capacity to love others by humbling ourselves. Jesus set the stage for us at the last supper when He washed His disciples' feet. "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:15–17). The minute we think more highly of ourselves than we ought, the more we fall victim to the rich man's pride. Though "religious" enough to affiliate himself with father Abraham, the rich man felt no compulsion to share a fraction of his wealth, even as a sacrificial testimony to his faith. He was blinded by love of self and status, and could not fathom himself having any interaction with Lazarus whatsoever. However, what is most convicting is that he purposely ignored Lazarus' needs. This was not a case of not knowing Lazarus was in need because he beckoned Abraham for Lazarus to help quench his thirst while he anguished in hell. This is a powerful revelation we cannot miss! The rich man knew Lazarus by name. The problem is he assumed he knew who Lazarus was according to his appearance and labeled him a filthy beggar, undeserving of grace and mercy. He judged Lazarus according to his own personal bias and preconceived notion, and thus ruled in favor of enabling his starvation unto death by remaining idle and indifferent toward his needs without the slightest remorse.

In order to grasp the true magnitude of Jesus' parable, we must take inventory of all we have been given. Salvation alone should drive us to live each day with gratitude words cannot express, but faith is not measured by empty words. Faith must produce application, otherwise it is void and meaningless. That is why Scripture affirms, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Yet in many cases, we allow ourselves to be deceived. We assume others are more capable and/or equipped to help others, so we profess our innocence and justify passivity in an attempt to appease our conscience. The truth of the matter is that a man's deeds are on full display for the Lord's judgment. Any man naive enough to think he can exploit a loophole in God's Word, whereby he can avoid accountability, is foolish enough to assume he is guaranteed eternity regardless of his actions. Jesus taught, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Keep in mind, God allots each one of us provisions which have the ability to either draw us closer to Him or provide opportunity for the flesh. That is the essence of free will. God does not force our hand but loves us enough to let us choose our own path. However, His Word warns, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Galatians 5:13–14). Therefore, yes we are free indeed, but our freedom comes at an immeasurable cost and an expectation that we live our faith out in application, not simply by the might of our words.

The Bible teaches, "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways" (Proverbs 28:6). Righteousness in God's economy has absolutely nothing to do with economic fortune or status. If anything, favorable wealth presents greater temptation for failure than simply not having any to begin with. The rich man learned this lesson the hard way without the ability to repent for his actions or warn those he loved from committing the same mistakes. In desperation, he attempted to convince Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his former household, but Abraham responded with the same rationale we are faced with today. We live in a day and age where we have immeasurable access to God's Word. Truthfully, many of us have multiple copies of the Bible at our disposal in our homes which far more resemble a paper weight or dust catcher than a worn and tattered treasure map. Think about it. If we believed there was a treasure to be discovered and we had THE map to lead us to its whereabouts, we would exhaust all time, energy and resources necessary studying it till we memorized every detail. Yet what many of us fail to realize is that God has freely given us the greatest treasure map known to man, which inevitably leads to eternal life. All we have to do is read it, study it, and apply its knowledge unto righteousness, and the treasure is ours! Therefore, how different would our outlook on life be if our attitude and perspective toward God's Word reflected the heart of the psalmist? "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7–11).

In the end, it makes no difference what we say we believe if our actions do not testify to heart change. Make no mistake, the rich man was presumably a "religious" man, but his heart did not bear witness to the faith he likely proclaimed. Rather, he allowed his heart and mind to be consumed with selfishness and suffered the ultimate price, eternity in Hades (Hell), because saving faith never took root in his heart to begin with. That is the danger with "religion" because it provides false security that eternity in heaven is guaranteed when specific man-made rules are followed. What religion lacks is a relationship by grace through faith with God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our salvation, and the Holy Spirit who illuminates the application of our faith unto righteousness. Therefore, what our response to this parable must entail begins with ensuring we are not misled by religion, but grounded in personal relationship and intimate communion by faith with God. Only then can we begin taking inventory of our attitudes toward those in need and assess how willing we are to get our hands dirty, meeting their needs as the Spirit prompts. For Scripture is clear that ignoring the needs we see all around us, knowing full well we have the ability to make a difference, is as powerful a litmus test we could ever find to gauge how "Christian" we truly are. "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:14–17). Therefore, how will we respond to the treasure we've been given? Will the sacrificial love Jesus has shown inspire us to love our neighbor unconditionally? Perhaps if we examine our heart just as the attached testimonial below does, conviction will produce not only a desire to meet the needs of those around us, but the courage to step out in faith and literally be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world desperately in need of salvation.

"Apathy" by Trip Lee

Sometimes I'm hurtin' and I'm burdened when I'm gazin' inside—

Cause I ain't concerned with other persons, the foundation in pride—

Feel like a fake and a lie—

It's the comforts of my Lord cause I be raisin' Him high—

Until the day that I die, I surely struggle with this apathy invading—

I try to front, like I'm Mr. Compassionate and my ratings are high—

And meanwhile these folks is hurtin everyplace, I should cry—

But I lose sight like bullets grazin' my eyes, what should I do now?—

When I drive through my city, and I see these folks' hurtin'—

Yea, I'm certain that I care till' I'm home and close the curtain—

It's like they ain't even there, man my heart is so disturbin'—

I should be prayin for em, findin' ways that I can serve em—

The bottom line, Lord I'm praying that I'll be on the grind—

Pursuing service, never out of sight, out of mind—

Preaching truth and trying to model my Lord 

till He's back and them knees hit the floor—

I'm waitin!

"Apathy" - Audio Version

Luke 9:57-62 (Devotion)

THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS - "As they were going along the road, someone said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.' To another he said, 'Follow me.' But he said, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.' And Jesus said to him, 'Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Yet another said, 'I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.' Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'"

Excuses. We all have them—some good, some bad. They represent the choices we make by justifying the reasons behind our actions. More often than not, we view excuses in a negative light, but they can be positive as well. Here in Luke 9:57-62, we are faced with the dilemma of how reasonable excuses are challenged by Jesus for their superficial nature because they mask true heart desire. In each of the three examples provided, we see potential Christ-followers blinded by fear, insecurity, and lack of understanding. The Bible does not disclose their final outcome. It only focuses on their initial gut reaction because what comes to mind first typically exposes the heart. Scripture reminds us, "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man" (Proverbs 27:19). Therefore, we are wise to quickly discern what our true heart reflects in order to discern whether we fall victim to rationalizing our lack of Biblical application, or whether we have learned to die to excuses and obey the teachings of our Lord and Savior. "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?'" (Matthew 16:24-26). Make no mistake, the path of righteousness is a hard and narrow road. But to the one who is willing to trust in God's sovereignty, heart-transformation is both possible and probable to ensure we answer, "Yes, Lord," by faith rather than default to excuses which bind our hearts and reveal our lack of trust in Jesus.

The challenge many have with Luke 9:57-62 is that it feels abrasive, cold and unloving. On the surface, all three excuses are relatively reasonable and provide just enough temptation to quickly brush past them without the slightest consideration. Yet when we dig deeper into Jesus' response to each potential follower, we realize we are similarly guilty of rationalizing our own behaviors in order to sidestep personal responsibility and sacrifice. In no way were the superficial desires of these followers' hearts disingenuous. It would appear they sincerely desired to follow Jesus. However, their superficiality became front and center when Jesus abruptly confronted them with not so much ultimatums, but accountability. Keep in mind, "The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out" (Proverbs 20:5). Jesus is that man of understanding in the lives of those who call upon His name for salvation. However, we must also recognize that "many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?" (Proverbs 20:6). Push comes to shove when our excuses are confronted with truth. The real question is to what extent are we willing to embrace truth enough to lay down our pride, selfishness, fears and insecurities, and subsequently deny our flesh, take up our cross, and follow Jesus no matter the cost? The true mark of a disciple is found in our willingness to die to self for the sake of the Gospel. Paul reminds us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). Our minds will never be renewed if they are cut off from hearing the truth of God's Word, because excuses flourish in an environment where accountability is absent.

Perhaps some of us have spoken the same words, "I will follow you wherever you go" (Luke 9:57), that the first potential Christ-follower did. It sounds like the right answer—proclaiming our ending love and willingness to fulfill Matthew 16:23-26. But is that completely true? The rebuke Jesus gives paints quite the picture of what true discipleship entails, which is a willingness to embrace poverty, hardship and persecution (just as He did) if that is what God wills. In other words, comfort is no guarantee—quite the contrary! Passages like this are certainly not popular in churches where prosperity doctrine is falsely taught, because Jesus is essentially challenging how we view health and wealth. That is not to say those of us who have wealth should feel guilty for the blessings God has given. But when push comes to shove, are we willing to relinquish control of our personal resources if the Lord asks us to? In other words, how tight a grip do we hold on our bank accounts? How comfortable is our standard of living? Do we seek opportunities each day to give and serve others, or do we discreetly funnel life circumstances for our benefit at the expense of others? "Thus says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD'" (Jeremiah 17:5). It is sobering to realize how self-protecting we truly are when faced with adversity and/or held accountable to God's Word, but accountability is a blessing if we embrace it unto application. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14). Therefore, before we proclaim our willingness to follow Jesus wherever He would go, we are wise to count the cost of what it means to be a disciple of Christ and then compare that to the price Jesus paid on the cross for our sins. Perhaps then we will realize how priceless a gift we have been given for no other reason except love. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

Concerning the second potential Christ-follower, we are faced with the dilemma of loyalty and allegiance. Again, the excuse provided is not unreasonable: "Lord, let me first go and bury my father" (Luke 9:59). In fact, many would argue this is indeed a Biblical responsibility reserved for the eldest son. How then could Jesus rebuke a man who prioritizes family obligations? Are we not called to love, protect, serve and provide for our families? Yes, of course, but we are challenged to sift through the reactionary layers of our hearts in order to uncover the true message Jesus is driving at. In no way is Jesus contradicting Biblical obligations regarding the family unit. But if our family becomes an idol in our hearts drawing us away from loving God first and foremost, we must address our priorities. God must always come before our spouses, and our spouses before our children (because they are the offspring of marriage). That is why when Jesus was confronted with the question of where heart allegiance must be prioritized, He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). In no way is Jesus being insensitive to this potential follower's desire to bury his father, but there is also no timetable given regarding this man's reasoning either (not that it ultimately matters). Prolonging or putting off a decision to follow Christ assumes we will have life and breath in the future to make such a decision. In many ways it exposes our arrogance to presume we can predict the future, but also reveals who comes first in our hearts, eternally-speaking. Make no mistake, priorities become easily complicated because many of us assume our family comes first, but we must realize that placing anything or anyone BEFORE God will always become a divisive wedge in our faith walk if we allow it.

The final would-be follower presents a completely different angle regarding excuses, which is perhaps most pervasive within our hearts. This justification centers around whose voice takes precedence in our decision-making. Again, the superficial request seems more than reasonable: "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home" (Luke 9:61). This man's commitment seems firm that He would follow Jesus. He merely needed a few minutes to say goodbye to his family first. In some ways we could argue that Jesus is confronting this man's hesitation in prioritizing His command. What seems even more apparent is Jesus knows that the more time this man has to essentially "reconsider" his decision, the more likely he will abandon his decision altogether due to the influence of those around him who do not share his beliefs, understand his rationale, nor approve of his decision. If we think of it logically, the likelihood this man's wife, father, mother or children talk him out of leaving, or at least challenge his decision in order to force him to reconsider, are extremely high. That is why Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). It is virtually impossible to plow a straight row while looking backward because the plow must be aligned with a target in focus to remain on track. Therefore, the likelihood we are tempted to compromise our commitment to Jesus if those we love do not approve or support our decision is probable. Let us be clear though: Jesus is not condemning our family commitments. Rather, He is challenging our priorities IF we allow anyone or anything to come before our commitment to love and serve Him unconditionally. It is a matter of trust, and we must decide whose voice we prioritize most to fulfill our needs.

The people of Israel struggled similarly. After spies returned from scouting the promised land, only Joshua and Caleb felt the inhabitants of Canaan could be conquered just as Lord had promised. However, the remaining spies spread fear and unbelief throughout the camp to the point where people considered returning to enslavement in Egypt rather than trusting the Lord, despite the countless miracles God performed on their behalf for continued survival. "And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, 'Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?' And they said to one another, 'Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt'" (Numbers 14:2-4). In a time where faith was needed most, Israel shuddered under the weight of uncertainty and fear rather than embrace the present freedom God provides to those who trust in His name. The real question we must ask ourselves is how tight a grip do we hold to our past which blinds us from looking forward? Are we struggling to forgive ourselves of past sins we have already repented for and sought reconciliation with God and those we sinned against? Has the death of a loved one crippled our desire to move on with our lives? Have we experienced pain or abuse we've never truly forgiven or received counseling for? Whatever the case may be, if we do not embrace the true freedom in Christ we have been given by grace, we will never experience the power of the Holy Spirit inspiring positive change and/or healing in our lives by breaking the chains of our past which bind and enslave us. For Scripture promises, "The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you" (Psalm 9:9-10).

Collectively, all three examples we are given in Luke 9:57-62 relate to the personal comforts of our homes and/or the responsibilities we have to our families. What we cannot miss in this passage is that Jesus is not condemning either. In other words, Jesus is not commanding us as men to walk out and abandon our families for the sake of the Gospel. That would not be consistent with Scripture which states, "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8). Rather, Jesus is testing to what extent our true allegiance lies just as He did with Abraham. "After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' He said, 'Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you'" (Genesis 22:1–2). In the end, God did not allow Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and neither would He expect us to do the same. However, it can be easy to misinterpret Luke 9:57-62 due to the stern rebuke Jesus gives His potential followers, but He does us an incredible favor in the process by not painting a misleading picture of what true Christianity looks like. The Christian faith requires dying to self, serving and forgiving others, enduring ridicule, suffering persecution, etc., all because the eternal benefits of following Jesus outweigh the temporary fears, risks, and personal sacrifices we assuredly endure on His behalf. The key is remembering the big picture of the Gospel, which keeps our eyes focused on the plow and our personal will submissive to the Lord's. Because if we allow idols to capture our hearts, we will never fully give God the glory He is due because we are preoccupied by our flesh. Therefore, we must be mindful "whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 John 4:15-16).