Luke 16:19-26
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
As you read the first half of this parable in Luke 16:19-26, keep in mind that Jesus has been drawing a contrast between the temporal things of the world and the eternal riches of God’s Kingdom.
The nature of God’s Kingdom is shalom, and shalom is more than just the absence of conflict. In God’s Kingdom, peace is woven into every aspect of every relationship. Humans are at peace with God having been brought back under the authority of King Jesus, and people are at peace with each other because everyone is concerned with the well-being of everyone else. In God’s Kingdom there is no scarcity because there is no greed.
As Jesus begins the story of the rich man and Lazarus, he paints a picture of the “way of the world.” The sick and hungry beggar, Lazarus, lies just outside the gates of a rich man’s home which holds an excess of resources. But though the rich man must pass Lazarus to leave his house, he never stops to ease the beggar’s pain by sharing even a small portion of all that he has.
Stop for a moment and center yourself on the presence of Jesus. When you feel still, think about the people you may be passing on a regular basis without really seeing. Try to think beyond the obvious to those people you may just not be noticing.
Share your thoughts, frustrations, and questions about this openly and honestly with Jesus.
Read the first half of the parable in Luke 16:19-26 again.
Often when Jesus describes the final condition of someone who refuses to turn back to God, he refers to “gnashing of teeth.” As we have seen before, this indicates intensely deep and painful regret as someone realizes that they have chosen the wrong path. In this parable Jesus refers to the “torment” of the rich man as he catches a far-off glimpse of Abraham alive and well with Lazarus seated by him at the “heavenly banquet.”
And though the once-rich man pleads for even a tiny bit of what Lazarus now enjoys in God’s Kingdom, the chasm is too wide to cross.
Return to silence for a moment and listen to Jesus.
What might Jesus be inviting you to rethink or do today?
How do you plan to respond?
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