Parables -
Parables of the Rich Man and Lazarus
Luke 16:19-31
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Dear Ann Landers:
The letter from the woman married to the tightwad -- she couldn't get an extra quarter out of him -- reminded me of my wonderful aunt who was beautifully warmhearted and had a great sense of humor.
Aunt "Emma" was married to a tightwad who was also a little strange. He made a good salary, but they lived frugally because he insisted on putting 20 percent of his paycheck under the mattress. (The man didn't trust banks.) The money, he said, was going to come in handy in their old age.
When "Uncle Ollie" was 60, he was stricken with cancer. Toward the end, he made Aunt Em promise, in the presence of his brothers, that she would put the money he had stashed away in his coffin so he could buy his way into heaven if he had to.
They all knew he was a little odd, but this was clearly a crazy request. Aunt Em did promise, however, and assured Uncle Ollie's brothers that she was a woman of her word and would do as he asked.
The following morning she took the money (about $26,000) to the bank and deposited it. She then wrote a check and put it in the casket four days later.
This is a true story and our family has laughed about it ever since.
What I have is not mine to own.
Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:
· What factors cause us to count our wealth only in material holdings instead of also the “coin of God’s kingdom.”
· What are the facts about the poor in America today?
· How do you feel when you are stopped in public and asked for money?
The Rich Man and Lazarus — Luke 16:19-31
19“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
31“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
· What is the main point of this parable?
Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will
1. What feelings motivate us to be selfish and money grabbing?
2. What mistakes did the rich man make?
3. How do the lives of the rich man and Lazarus compare on earth (vv. 19-21)? After death (vv. 22-24)?
4. What determines who enters heaven? Why does this poor man qualify while the rich man is kept-out?
5. What does this story teach about comfort? Suffering? Why is it so difficult for people to be convinced of God's ways? How is verse 31 prophetic?
6. Jesus quotes Abraham as saying that if one will not listen to the testimony of Scripture, he would not heed a warning from the dead. Why is that true?
7. What does this passage teach about the afterlife?
8. Why will many people be surprised to find themselves in hell?
9. What should we do with our lives on earth?
Reflective Questions — Live it today.
1. What are some questions we should ask ourselves to avoid selfishness?
2. On a scale of 1 (the rich man and his brothers) to 10 (Lazarus), where do you stand? Why there?
3. Since lack of knowledge is not the brothers' problem, what is?
4. Why is it important to love ourselves in order to love others as God commanded?
5. To what extent should we place the good of others before our own good?
What are some of the last generation's luxuries that have become today's "necessities"?
What are some of the last generation's luxuries that have become today's "necessities"?
6. In what ways are you/we being selfish.
7. Selfishness is sly and deceptive. How does selfishness deceive you most often?
8. What do you feel Satan has whispered in your ear recently to temp you toward selfishness?
9. Suppose you were able to totally eliminate any form of selfishness from your life, and you became completely selfless. What would your life become?
10. With what, other than money, are you most selfish? How can that be overcome?
Selfishness demonstrates a misunderstanding about the true ownership of my possessions here on earth. They are not mine to own; they are only on loan to manage fro the Master.
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