Short Stories - Part 4: "The Rich Man and Lazarus"

Series: Short Stories

The rich man spent his life stepping over Lazarus as he laid by his door. After both of their deaths, the rich man called Abraham from his place of torment and asked for Lazarus to step over to his side and soothe his agony. Instead of using his earthly wealth to stopover and comfort, the rich man stepped over and disregarded. How does a person's wealth drive their actions relationally? The goal of this message is to contrast how God's gift of earthly wealth can be used to either reflectively stopover or absently step over.

Speaker: Sean O'Connell

June 23, 2022

Sean O'Connell

Associate Pastor

Follow Along with the Message

Short Stories

Part 4 – “The Rich Man and Lazarus”

June 26, 2022

Luke 16:19-21

^“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The Rich Man could stop for or step over Lazarus.

Luke 16:22-24

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So 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.’

Luke 16:25-26

“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. And 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.’

The good things you receive in this life won’t help you in the life to come.

Luke 16:27-31

“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

“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.’

Are you stopping for or stepping over the needy?

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We all look like Lazarus before God.