When God Is With Us In a Poverty Oddyssey

September 25 2016 Psalm 91.1-6, 14-16; Luke 16.19-31, “When God Is With Us in a Poverty Odyssey” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Jesus said to his disciples there was a rich man who looked every bit the part. He not only looked like a rich man, he talked like a rich man, he smelled like a rich man, he stood like a rich man, he ate like a rich man. He was a rich man. [slide # 1 rich man]

Interestingly enough, Jesus did not say that this rich man was dishonest like the dishonest manager was in last week’s parable. Jesus did not say that this rich man was greedy like the rich young ruler who walked away sadly when Jesus asked him to give to the poor. This was a rich man who probably got up early with a big smile on his face, free as air, happy to handle big affairs and enjoy the day. [slide # 2 feet up]

Somewhere, way back in this rich man’s mind every now and then, he may have thought to begin the day with prayers of thanksgiving but he was not necessarily the most devout person ever. At family gatherings he might have been happy to be reminded of his family’s spiritual roots with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. One could guess that generally, he had as much interest in talking to God as he seemed to have in talking to Lazarus [slide # 3 poor man] that dirt-poor guy, covered with sores who hung out at his gate, perhaps looking for kind attention. (This was not the Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead.)

One day the rich man found himself in Hades – in the Greek the word is - hah'-dace. It sounds hot because it was hot. It is another name for “hell.”  It was intense. It was something you rather not go through. We have all lived moments, even seasons that we describe as being as miserable as what we imagine a living hell is like.[slide # 4 hell/heaven]

I thought a lot about hell through a bible study we did here using the book entitled Divine Revelation of Hell written by a woman who said she went to Hell in a type of trance and she emerged with a vivid description of what Hell was like.

The story is told of an army chaplain who reported to a new duty station. Upon arrival some of the men came to see him and asked him this question; Do you believe in a literal hell? He replied that he did not. The men asked him to resign and he asked them why. Their response to him was; ‘ If there is no Hell then we don’t need you and if there is a Hell we don’t want you to lead us astray.”

Whatever you believe about hell or heaven, why take a chance. What’s the sense in going to hell over it? [Slide # 5 sinking war ship]

To remember how we are all human, someone said if you have ever been in love, you have thought about murder. If you have never thought of murder, you have never been in love. We constantly have the opportunity to make the right choice.  

I learned how serious hell was when I tried to be funny one day referring to a Christian man who had made some serious mistakes that caused enormous problems for lots of people – I referred to him as the “husband from hell”. I immediately felt the presence of God rebuking me, warning me not to say such an evil thing about this child of God. I understood that Hell is no laughing matter. Hell is real and the thought of us choosing hell breaks God’s heart. [slide # 6 broken heart] 

Jesus tells us that a certain rich man found himself in hell. He was used to being in charge, but this was a moment when his will was not being done. Just like on earth, he was not close to Lazarus. He could only see him from a distance and that was fine with him, as he probably felt he was superior to Lazarus. As was his habit, instead of asking Lazarus to help him, he called out orders to Abraham, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus [slide # 7 Send Lazarus] to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue;…” It is kind of radical that he looked for poor Lazarus to help him.

There is a Lazarus in each of our lives. Poverty – or not having what we need - is linear in that - poverty ranges from bad to worse. Poverty makes a line from a beginning to an end, and even when the economy is doing wonderfully, there is always someone in the front of the line and there is always someone at the end. That is why Jesus said the poor you have with you always. There is always one who is willing to use force to take or keep something that rightfully belongs to another. [slide # 8 thief]

Lazarus can be found wherever there is a desperate need of water, food, and shelter. Lazarus is found wherever there is physical pain or emotional heartbreak of any kind.

Lazarus is often accompanied by dogs, [slide # 9 dogs] animals void of human discretion who feast off of others pain and desperation. There are scavengers exhibiting savage behavior who get as close to Lazarus as they possibly can to delight in another’s woundedness. Is there a Lazarus somewhere in your life?

It is highly likely that there is a Lazarus inside each one of us! I attended a community meeting on Thursday that was declared to be a safe place for all to share what was deep inside our hearts. [slide # 10  x-ray heart]  held in the Spring City Library on Thursday. It was a safe place where we could look inside ourselves. It was an effort to discuss police communications and race relations and to determine what we could do about it. [slide # 11 community]

We explored together what our community could do to prepare or prevent the catastrophes that seem to be erupting overnight throughout this country and this world. Not surprisingly, most persons present at this meeting were religious, and the meeting began with prayer.

One of the leaders told an interesting story of a group of people of various cultures who were gathered for conversation. Some felt real hate and indifference in their hearts for one group or another. They all agreed to do DNA tests and have the results shared publicly among themselves.

Some were shocked to learn that according to the DNA results, they were not who they thought they were. Some found that the blood of the ancestors running through their veins was of the very people they hated. Arabs had the blood of Jewish ancestors and Europeans had the blood of Africans and vice versa. Some were shocked and humbled and moved to tears and hugs of repentance and reconciliation.

As the light of our world, for God’s sake, Jesus illuminates what is around us as well as what is inside of us. With enough light we can see that Lazarus shows up at our doorstep anywhere and anytime. Because Lazarus may be bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, we ought to be careful not to undercut, undervalue, overlook or avoid ANYONE, even in a roundabout way. Because Lazarus may be disguised as our beloved savior, we want to be careful not to bite the hand that saves us!

Lazarus is the only character in any of Jesus’ parables that has a name.   “Lazarus” is derived from a word meaning “God helps”. [ slide # 12 Lazarus means] It is a reminder to all of humanity that God helps us through whatever we are going through. Trouble can happen at the blink of an eye for anyone, but God helps.

At our lowest points, [ slide # 13 man bowed low] God is with us. God never leaves us or forsakes us. God has a purpose and a plan in every trial. Of course, sometimes we do not care how wonderful God is when we are miserable. We just want out. [slide # 14 mask of misery]

Nevertheless, if we are honest, we can say that there are always priceless perspectives and valuable lessons that we learn when we go through trouble, even if we would never want to go through it again. [slide # 15 light bulb!]

I heard a doctor say recently that once society gets a hold of an idea that is true, it takes nearly 13 years for it to be accepted. [slide #16 truth]

We learn that our attitude determines our altitude. We grow to understand that if we look at our situation as a glass half full rather than a glass half empty, we feel better and therefore do better. We understand that hope is HUGE and we know WE have the choice to rejoice.

Every day we have a choice to keep our covenant with God or to turn our back on God and those who need us. As Lazarus was at the rich man’s gate, hoping for someone to help him in his time of need – and we all have needs – I can imagine he might have sung a song like the one we sang last week: Lord you are more precious than silver. Lord you are more costly than gold. Lord you are more beautiful than diamonds and nothing I desire compares with you.

Then, even as he was waiting for the help he longed for with all of his heart, I can imagine he heard the love song God was singing for him to hear: Son, you are more precious than silver. Son, you are more costly than gold. Son, you are more beautiful than diamonds, and nothing I desire compares with you. [slide # 17  “I love you,” signed  God]

With such a love that reverberates to us throughout the universe, we cannot go wrong. Still, it is our choice to accept it.

One day, when Vice-President Calvin Coolidge was presiding over the Senate, one senator angrily told another senator to go “straight to hell.” The offended Senator complained to Coolidge as presiding officer, and Coolidge looked up from the book he had been leafing through while listening to the debate and wittily replied. “I’ve looked through the rule book,” he said, “You don’t have to go.” [slide # 18 heaven/hell]

Every day we each have a choice to live out our lives in the presence of God or without. As the days and years go by, we may be watching someone drifting away from God. They may be family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or someone we pass by every day at a distance. We can be confident that they have a Lazarus in their life or in their hearts. We can be sure that they have a choice to keep that conversation and covenant going with God or not.

Whoever it is that you are watching drifting farther and farther away from Heaven’s gate, whoever it is that is keeping their distance from God and the love God’s people have for them, keep them in your heart while putting them in God’s hands. Pray fervently and faithfully for them in their need and seek God’s wisdom as to how you can best be a blessing to those who are growing far away from God.

For such wisdom only comes from God! [slide # 19 wisdom]Amen. [slide # 20 green light bulb]