Iniquity on autopilot
This week is on Luke 16:19-31:
This week is a story about a selfish rich man who wants to reengineer salvation such that we're not responsible for answering God's call. Throughout his life, the rich man was used to getting what he wanted, and being able to order others around. It was only after death that he realized how small he really was, and that he'd been living a wicked lifestyle. He tried blaming his situation on ignorance, and begged to be released from his punishment. When that failed, he tried to call in a favor to get his family special treatment. But he wasn't a rich powerful man anymore.
Jesus told the story because it describes a danger we all face. If you are reading this on a computer, chances are you live in greater luxury than most people alive today, and better than everyone in Jesus' time. It's easy to get wrapped up in that, and to forget the less fortunate people, or even that there's a God.
The rich man was so busy being rich, that he never stopped to be compassionate to Lazarus. He never found out what was involved in knowing God and being obedient to His commandments. He was on autopilot, and when it flew him into the side of a mountain, he blamed everyone but himself.
If God calls you, it's your responsibility to show up. You can't be like the rich man, and blame God for not wrestling you down and dragging you into his kingdom. It is our responsibility, as individuals, to accept the call of salvation and join the body of Christ. We can't have someone else do it on our behalf, and we can't do it retroactively after we die. This is for us, right now, today.
God has done everything he can to woo us. He gave us the Bible. He gave us contact with Christians. He sends people back from near death experiences to tell us what they saw. He sent Jesus to his death and back. At this point, it's our move.
“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 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.’
“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.’
“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.’”
This week is a story about a selfish rich man who wants to reengineer salvation such that we're not responsible for answering God's call. Throughout his life, the rich man was used to getting what he wanted, and being able to order others around. It was only after death that he realized how small he really was, and that he'd been living a wicked lifestyle. He tried blaming his situation on ignorance, and begged to be released from his punishment. When that failed, he tried to call in a favor to get his family special treatment. But he wasn't a rich powerful man anymore.
Jesus told the story because it describes a danger we all face. If you are reading this on a computer, chances are you live in greater luxury than most people alive today, and better than everyone in Jesus' time. It's easy to get wrapped up in that, and to forget the less fortunate people, or even that there's a God.
The rich man was so busy being rich, that he never stopped to be compassionate to Lazarus. He never found out what was involved in knowing God and being obedient to His commandments. He was on autopilot, and when it flew him into the side of a mountain, he blamed everyone but himself.
If God calls you, it's your responsibility to show up. You can't be like the rich man, and blame God for not wrestling you down and dragging you into his kingdom. It is our responsibility, as individuals, to accept the call of salvation and join the body of Christ. We can't have someone else do it on our behalf, and we can't do it retroactively after we die. This is for us, right now, today.
God has done everything he can to woo us. He gave us the Bible. He gave us contact with Christians. He sends people back from near death experiences to tell us what they saw. He sent Jesus to his death and back. At this point, it's our move.
Comments
Post a Comment