Repentance and Character

The Rev’d Stephen E. Stults
St. Barnabas Anglican Church

The Third Sunday after Trinity

June 2, 2013

Repentance and Character

1^st  Sunday After Trinity 2013

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Today’s Gospel selection tells a story that is both comforting and chilling, at the same time. It is one that is filled with great hope for the disenfranchised of the world, while yielding a severe warning to those who have, or who are reaping, life’s benefits and luxuries.

Here we have the story of Lazarus, with which we are all familiar.  This man, reduced to beggary for whatever reason, is lying outside the gates of a great home. He is truly destitute, even desiring to be fed with the table scraps that fall from the rich man’s table, here called “crumbs”.  This always puzzled me as a boy when I listened to this particular Gospel selection. My thought was, “Even if he could get the “crumbs”, how could this keep a man alive?”  Well, a particularly astute rector clarified this for me.  He explained it was the practice of the very rich, while dining, to wipe their hands on a piece of bread, then discard it under their table, presumably to be picked up or given away, or whatever.  Imagine that a man would wipe sauce, or fat, or whatever, on the bread before throwing it away.  This could be quite a tasty treat for a beggar, if only he could access them.

Well, evidently, Lazarus was denied even this simple comfort, for in due time, after being covered with malnutrition sores, he dies of starvation and privation.  Now, our Lord tells us of the comfort of this man, for he is carried “into “Abraham’s bosom”, which is a symbol for Paradise. It is also particularly touching, for the imagery of the hereditary father of the Semites comforting this poor unfortunate is quite tender. This is the comfort of this passage, for we know that there will be ultimate mercy and justice for the poor of this world.

On the other hand, we also learn of the fate of the rich man, which is quite chilling and terrible… It is also quite succinct in its description, for we learn that “…in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,” The rich man, after having led a life of luxury and ease, is thrust into “torment”, in a place far different from where Lazarus is. Talk about a lifestyle change! After all his years of comfort and luxury on Earth, he is in a completely opposite situation, and this time, it’s forever. 

Let us make a point about riches and prosperity here.  God is certainly not against success or riches, or abundance. Far from it.   He is the Creator and Great Steward of all abundance. Note that the rich man is not in Hell for being rich.  He is in Hell because of his attitude towards riches.  They became his god, not the Lord.  He didn’t care about anything else except his own aggrandizement, as witnessed by Lazarus’ blatant suffering at his very doorstep! This is the reason for his predicament in perdition, so to speak.

A priest friend of mine once noted something about his own father.  The man, a successful attorney, was wealthy, which, as we’ve noted, is not a bad thing.  What is unfortunate is the statement made by his priest son.  He said that his father always worshipped money. His relationship with our Lord was nominal at best, and thus would yield nominal results to his spiritual well-being, in much the same way as our rich man in the parable.

Note also that the rich man is completely unrepentant, even in the flames of torment.  Instead of any sort of remorse or regret, he asks Abraham to “send Lazarus.”  Even in the midst of the fires of Hell, he still thinks he is better than the beggar, who is surrounded by unspeakable bliss, while he suffers.  He actually attempts to treat Lazarus like an employee or servant, something he didn’t even do when in life.  In fact, had he treated Lazarus like a servant, rather than completely ignoring him, he might not have ended up where he was. Servants, after all, do get fed and housed.

Abraham’s response is cool and gentle, yet very firm. He reminds the rich man that he had a life of complete ease, while Lazarus suffered. He had, in fact, “Received thy good things”, which became his focus of worship, while Lazarus received the evil cruelty of the World.

Yet, in the complete mercy and justice of God, the beggar is comforted, and the rich man is tormented. Once again, he is tormented not because he was rich, but because of his blatant disregard for the abject suffering around him, compounded by his complete self-absorption.

Abraham then reminds the man that his request is impossible anyway, because of the “great gulf” fixed between the blessed and the damned. Any sort of commerce or visitation between the two realms is impossible. One cannot cross over once one is in either state. This is a chilling thought.

Of course, the moral of the story for us is that we have our entire lives to repent and build a relationship with Almighty God, through His Son Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost.  God calls us, calls us, calls us, and calls us while we live. It is not his desire that any should be lost; yet in so many ways, He allows us to exercise our own free will.  Obviously, this can be to our own detriment or betterment, yet He allows us the free choice. The point, however, is that there will be a day when repentance is no longer possible, nor any sort of hiding from God.

Again, we have this lifetime to build and enjoy our relationship with God, or not…  In this case, the rich man is experiencing the “or not” aspect of eternity without God.

All of us have “Lazarus moments” and we have “rich man” moments, to greater or lesser degrees.  That is, all of us have, or had had moments of great poverty, physical, emotional, spiritual or otherwise.  Sometimes the forces of life threaten to overwhelm us and we experience the hurt of life.  Take comfort. Be of good cheer. We shall be comforted and consoled, to an immeasurable degree, someday.

On the other hand, watch out for so-called “rich man” moments, which we all have or have had, at one time or another. Be wary of those moments when we feel like the world is our oyster.  Maybe for a while….yet there will be a reckoning, when all are brought low before the piercing gaze of the Almighty.

Sometimes, our leveling may occur in this life, as a sign to repent and get right with God.  If so, give thanks, for your God cares enough about you that He will chastise you, in order to lead you to repentance. Or, unfortunately, He may leave one to one’s own devices, like the rich man, who has not the least amount of repentance, even in the fires of torment.

After failing to use Lazarus for himself, he seeks to make him his errand boy to save his (evidently) wicked brethren, of whom he has five. Abraham rebuffs this just as adroitly.  He reminds the rich man that his brothers have Moses and the prophets to guide them away from Hades.  Note here that the rich man knows his brothers too well.  He knows that they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, but pursue a path similar to his. He fears for their eternal destination, lest it be like unto his own.

In a stirring close to the conversation, Abraham tells him this tactic, too, is futile.  Obviously, the habit of sin is so ingrained in the brothers, and their obstinacy so strong, that even if one rose from the dead, it would not deter them.

Let us pause just a moment.  What does this sound like? Whose resurrection is being foreshadowed here? The answer is obvious….Christ!

Please note, too, the foreshadowing here of the reaction of many after Jesus’ resurrection.  For example the leaders of the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees had to bribe the temple guards into saying that while they slept, someone came and stole the body. There are still many, many, people in this world today who don’t believe Jesus rose from the dead, in fact, they scoff at the very idea. In effect, even though one (Christ) rose from the dead, they don’t believe.  What an amazing parallel with the parable!

Having disregarded the Word of God written, and the constant quiet calling of the Holy Spirit throughout their entire lives, they will go into judgment naked before God, without having on that all important wedding garment of Christ.

They will attempt to enter the eternal wedding supper of the Lamb, without Christ, which is impossible. Their fate, without Him, will be dreadful.

Thus, today, now, let us praise and bless God for our salvation. Let us give thanks for our eternal comfort like Lazarus, while we know that without Christ, we deserve the fate of the rich man… thank God we don’t get what we deserve!

Perhaps, our prayer should be that we deal wisely with our abundance, praying always that it never becomes a bar to Almighty God. After all, it is our attitude that really counts.

The thirteenth chapter of Hebrews, sixteenth verse, sums it up very well.  It says, “To do good, and to distribute, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

Amen and amen to that…