Let Them Hear

In Nomine Iesu
St. Luke 16:19-31
September 25, 2016
Proper 21C

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus~

Poor Lazarus. Poor Lazarus was poor and poverty-stricken beyond what any of us can imagine. He lived out his days lying

at the gate of a very rich man—kept alive by the crumbs and scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. The only medical care poor Lazarus received was when dogs came a licked his sores—dogs not like the noble, well-groomed pooches on the cover of the bulletin, but more likely mangy, flea-bitten, malnourished mutts—scavengers who lived on the streets. Poor Lazarus.

The day came when both men died—the rich man and poor Lazarus. Everybody dies, rich and poor alike. But then comes the big surprise. In death, everything gets turned upside down for both men. The rich man loses everything; the poor man gains everything. The rich man becomes the beggar; and the poor man becomes the rich man. The one who appeared to be blessed is now cursed; and the one who appeared to be cursed is now blessed.

And then things get really interesting. This is surely one of the most provocative parables Jesus ever told. It’s downright fascinating. The curtain that keeps heaven and hell hidden from us 24/7 is temporarily pulled opened; and we get something of a sneak peek. But this parable isn’t primarily about the sweet joys of heaven or about the horrors of hell. In fact, it’s not even about the dangers of wealth or the nobility of poverty. No, the real key to understanding this parable comes in the conversation between the rich man in Hades and Father Abraham in heaven.

In the torments of Hades, the rich man finally sees the futility of his faithless life. In Hades, all of his unbelief is gone. In hell, there are no atheists—not one. In endless anguish, the man’s thoughts turn to his five living brothers. They are at risk for ending up in agony like him. They must be warned. And who better to warn them than poor Lazarus? Surely a messenger from the dead would be the perfect solution—a spooky spirit to scare straight those five brothers—a word of warning from beyond the grave (and just in time for Halloween, we might add). But the key to understanding this whole scene comes in Abraham’s response to this proposal. What Abraham says—and what he doesn’t say—unlocks everything for us.

What Abraham says concerning the rich man’s five brothers traveling the wide road that leads to destruction is this: “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” Moses and the prophets was simply a shorthand way of describing the entire Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi. In other words, Abraham tells the rich man, “Your five brothers—the ones you’re so worried about—they’ve got God’s Word—they’ve got the Holy Scriptures preached and proclaimed every Sabbath day in the synagogue. Let them hear those Scriptures. Let them hear Moses and the Prophets—all of whom testify and bear witness to the Son of God, Jesus the Christ.” And to “hear” them in this context means to hear them in faith—to hear them and take them to heart—to order your life around the good news that flows from God’s Word, the Bible. Hold it sacred; gladly hear and learn it.

Now, to some people, those words might sound a little harsh. I mean, for once—perhaps for the first time ever—the singed and smoldering rich man is finally thinking of someone other than himself. He’s concerned about souls rather than shekels. He’s not asking anything for himself. He’s asking for whatever it takes to save his brothers. And isn’t it true that God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth? So why not go along with his request to send Lazarus to warn them?

In fact, let’s imagine what Abraham could have said, but didn’t. Let’s ponder the possibilities. I for one am really glad that when the man expressed his concern for his brothers that Abraham didn’t say this: “I’m so sorry, but those five guys are already predestined to join you in the flames of Hades. It’s too late for them.” I for one am also really glad that Abraham didn’t say this: “Don’t worry about your brothers; as long as they just do their best and try their hardest to be good people, they’ll earn their way to heaven eventually.” And I’m especially glad that Abraham didn’t say this: “That’s a great idea! I’ll be happy to send Lazarus from the dead to warn your five brothers. After all, the Lord loves to communicate with people through supernatural signs, spirits, séances, apparitions, ghosts, and other assorted figments of the imagination.”

What Abraham did say was this: “They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them.” It wasn’t riches that brought the rich man to hell; and it wasn’t poverty that brought poor Lazarus to heaven. It was, rather, that poor Lazarus listened—and the rich man did not. Poor Lazarus listened and heard and took to heart the Word of God—the simple, plain, unadulterated, centuries-old Word of God. And through those words, the Lord was at work to save poor Lazarus and make him rich—by grace alone, through faith alone, and not by works, but solely through the merits of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It’s not theoretical astro-physics or rocket science. It’s the Gospel! And it’s so simple that even little children can express it every time they sing, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Someday what happened to the rich man and Lazarus will happen to you. On a day known only to the Lord, you will leave this world to tread the crossroads of heaven and hell. And the path down which you will be ushered will depend completely on what God has revealed to you in His Word—and whether you have heard that word in faith. Between now and then, there will be no one appearing from the dead to scare you straight. Nor will you be given apparitions, visions, and special revelations to propel you along the narrow path that leads to life. For you already have all that you will ever need to depart this life in peace and joy, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. You have Moses and the Prophets. You have the inspired Word of God. And you have Jesus and the apostles and the evangelists—two testaments, old and new.

This is why the rich man’s proposal regarding his brothers was met by Abraham with a resounding “no.” This is why his request was denied outright. It was completely unnecessary. Everything that the Lord could possibly do to save you He has already done—and He is doing it right now in the Divine Service as the Word of the Lord pierces the darkness of our hearts with the glorious gospel that Jesus Christ has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. All of God’s power to love you—His power to save you—His power to deliver you from sin and death is found in the preaching and proclamation of His Word. “Faith,” we hear in Romans 10, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ” (v.17).

Are you hearing? Can you hear me now? Are you taking the Word of God to heart right now, or are you just taking up space and thinking about more important things? When did you last read the Scriptures at home? When did you last participate in a Bible class? When was the last time you shared something from the Word of God with someone in dire straits—with some poor, desperate person not unlike poor Lazarus in the parable?

The Word of God takes us to the crossroads of heaven and hell. And what you find standing there at the crossroads is Christ the crucified. His holy cross is the sure and certain sign that the way to eternal life has been opened for you—that your sins have all been forgiven in the cleansing blood of Jesus. Your heavenly Father loves you for Jesus’ sake. And He is waiting for you to take your place with all the other beggars—beggars now wearing white robes—beggars now gathered around the throne—beggars now fully satisfied, who have been given life to the full.

That full life comes to you in Holy Baptism, where God lovingly washed and healed all the stinging sores of your sin. That full life comes to you this morning—not as mere crumbs from the Master’s table—but in the bread that is Jesus’ body and in the wine that is Jesus’ blood. These good gifts—these sacraments—are referred to as the “visible word” in our Lutheran Confessions. Here the Word comes to us not only in audible ways, but in visible ways. In short, you lack nothing. You’ve been given everything you need to join with Lazarus at the Savior’s side in glory yet to be revealed.

But for now, “we are all beggars.” That’s what Martin Luther famously said as he himself was about to depart this life to be with Christ. We are all beggars. We are all Lazaruses—each of us—begging, hungry, helpless, sick, and sore. But Jesus Himself has joined us. That’s where you find him—among the beggars, the dogs, the outcasts, the losers. Jesus became a beggar to save the beggars—to make the beggars rich with His grace and forgiveness. You can hear all about it in the Word of God. So hear what Moses and the Prophets say. Hear what the Apostles and Evangelists are telling the church: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it. Blessed are you who are in Christ, for your sins are forgiven. Your death is undone. And hell has no power over you. Amen.