The Parables of Christ # 3

                                        WHO CAN GET TO GO TO HEAVEN?

                                              The Story of Rich Man and Lazarus 

            The contrast between super rich and poor people is more stark in India than in many Western nations. Wilma and I raised our family in Hyderabad, India, which has diverse demographics. Mahendra Hills is a relatively wealthy neighborhood. The rich live in huge mansions with several bedrooms, bathrooms, and swimming pools. They often drive expensive cars, reflecting their lavish, comfortable, luxurious lifestyles. 

             On the contrary, just below their buildings, upon the rocks, lived poor stone cutters and tribal families. They only had a small hut, no running water, and no electricity. Their lives were exposed to the elements under the open sky. They would eat boiled rice and vegetables and rarely some meat. The contrast may be seen as unjust and unfair for first-time visitors from the USA.         The wealthy in India would justify the contrast by saying, It is Karma! In Hinduism, karma is the Law of cause and effect that describes the relationship between a person’s actions and consequences. The belief is that if you do good in this life, in the next life, you will be born as a rich person. You will be born poor or a beggar if you do bad things.

            How would Jesus have reacted if he had seen such socioeconomic injustices and discrepancies in his day? The fact is that Jesus saw those injustices and reacted sharply. He even shared a story to address those disparities of His time. His response would not fit any of our normal responses toward these injustices. We find this in Luke 16:19-31.

            Jesus shared a string of parables, such as the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son, to explain God’s love, compassion, and relentless pursuit of lost sinners. After that, he gave additional teachings and shared the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus parable. In Luke 16:16, Jesus told how the Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John the Baptist. Then He said, “Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.”

            What does“forcing their way into it mean?” The meaning is disputed, but it probably speaks of the fierce earnestness of people responding to the Gospel of the Kingdom. The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus shows the stark contrast between the Rich and the Poor, gives us a glimpse into what Hell would be like, and explores who can get into Heaven.

I. The Contrast between the Rich and the Poor.

            In verses 19-21, we read, “There was a rich man 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.

            This story begins by exposing the extremes of rich and poor during Jesus’ time. One was living in absolute wealth and luxury, and the other in abject poverty and with physical ailment. The rich man was dressed in purple, a color of royalty, and fine linen, a fabric only afforded by the wealthy. Only a few of the wealthiest people would have fit this criterion of the rich man.

            Beggars were more common in Israel. The way Lazarus was laid at the gate suggests that he was crippled. He was impoverished and longed to eat the crumbs from the rich man’s table. On top of that, he was full of sores, like the plight of Job in the OT. Unlike the friendly pet dogs in our culture, the scavenger dogs licked Lazarus’s soars, increasing his torment even more.

             Interestingly, in this parable, Jesus gives a name to a character. Therefore, some think it is not a fictitious story but a real account. Craig notes in his book, “There is probably a quite different reason that Lazarus is named here. Lazarus is the Greek equivalent of Eleazar (Abraham’s servant), which means “God helps.”[1]

            Later, we read about how Abraham functioned as God as he talked to the rich man. Jewish audience of Jesus would have linked Abraham and Lazarus and assumed that Jesus implied the purity of the poor man. The story continues in 22-26.

II. What is the end of life for all people?

            The contrast between the rich and poor may be stark in this life. No matter who you are, whether young or old, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, the end of life for us all is the same. The scripture says we all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death. We all will die. Then comes Eternity! The question is, where will we spend our Eternity? We will find an answer in Vs. 22.

            “The beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man died and was buried in Hades.” With this explanation, Jesus reversed the conventional expectation of who winds up in Heaven and Hell. Craig notes, “Jesus used the language and imagery of essential strands of conventional Jewish folklore. Thus, these verses should not be treated as if they were meant to teach doctrine in detail in the last days or the life to come.”[2] However, we can sneak peek into what it would be like for those who might wind up in Hell.

III. A Sneak Peek Into Hell.

            What is your view of Hell? If Heaven is vastly misunderstood thanks to misconceptions and falsehoods perpetuated by myth and popular culture, the realities of Hell are all the more misunderstood. Westerners take a very casual and dismissive approach when it comes to Hell. This was what one of the sons of former president Ronald Reagan said, “I am Ron Reagan, lifelong atheist, not afraid of burning in hell.” According to the Bible, Hell is real (Mk 9:43), it is where sinners are punished (Matt 5:22), it is a place of torment (Rev14:11), and it is eternal (Mk 9:48). Hell was initially created for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

            Vs. 23-26, give us a sneak peek into Hell. Unlike popular culture’s explanation, in Hell, the rich man still experienced all the human body’s five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch). He said he was in agony in this fire and called it a place of torment.

            On the final judgment day, all those whose names were not written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev 5:15). Not only that, the Devil who deceived people will also be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur and will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Rev 15:10). Once you enter Hell, there is no turnaround, exit, or let up.          

            In the story, the rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his family of five brothers to warn them about the dangers of Hell so that they could avoid the place of torment. Abraham responded to that request by saying they had Moses and the Prophets (implying the gospel). Let them listen to them. The rich man argued, No, Father Abraham, if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. Abraham said, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

IV. Who Can Get To Heaven?

            Who can get to Heaven? Some believe I am a good and generous person, and therefore, I will go to Heaven when I die. Universalists believe that all people will eventually be saved and reconciled with God and enter Heaven through the grace of Jesus Christ. Both premises are wrong. Unlike the popular belief, not everyone will eventually wind up in Heaven.

            There is only one way to Heaven, through Jesus Christ. In John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Our good works will not get us to Heaven, but our faith in Jesus and His redemptive work on the Cross will.

 

            Whatever your understanding of Hell may have been, you don’t want to end up in that horrible place. C. S. Lewis, in his book “The Great Divorce, explains, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.” Which one of the two will you be? Hell will be populated by people who choose to be there. You can decide where you want to spend your Eternity. If you confess and repent your sins and believe in Jesus, you will be saved and on your way to your eternal home, Heaven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

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[1] Craig L. Blomberg,  Preaching the Parables. Page 48

[2] Craig L. Blomberg,  Preaching the Parables. Page 48

The Parables of Christ # 2

The Story of Two Sons and Their Father

 

      Jim Cymbala, Brooklyn Tabernacle’s pastor, shares their oldest daughter’s story. “Chrissy had been a model child growing up. But around age sixteen, she started to stray. Chrissy not only drew away from us but from God and eventually left our home.” While all that was going on, Pastor Cymbala kept preaching and leading the Church but was agonizing before God for their daughter to return home. In one of the Tuesday prayer meetings, the congregation rallied around the pastor and the family and earnestly prayed to the Lord for Chrissy’s homecoming.

Thirty-two hours later, on a Thursday morning, while the pastor was shaving, his wife told him to go down. Chrissy was waiting to see him. “My heart was pounding. As I came around the corner, I saw my daughter on the kitchen floor, rocking on her hands and knees, sobbing. Cautiously, I called her Chrissy. She grabbed my leg and began pouring out her anguish. 

Daddy, I’ve sinned against God. I’ve sinned against you, Mommy, and myself. Please forgive me. Then she said, Daddy, who was praying for me on Tuesday night? She continued, “In the middle of the night, God woke me and showed me I was heading toward this abyss. There was no bottom to it- it scared me to death. I was so frightened. I realized how hard I’ve been, how wrong, how rebellious. She asked again who prayed for me. We know the answer. The Church prevailed in prayer.[1] Let’s pray for our prodigal sons and daughters to come home.

In Luke 15:1-2, The tax collectors and sinners gathered to listen to Jesus. But the Pharisees were unhappy, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them. To teach a lesson to the Pharisees, Jesus told this parable known as the Parable of the Lost Son. It would be more appropriate to say, The Parable of The Prodigal Sons and Their Father. Luke 15:11-32. This parable teaches us three lessons as we read it through the eyes of the three main characters.

I. The Departure and the Return of the Younger Son: (11-24)

The parable of the prodigal sons and their Father is one of the most well-known parables of all of Jesus’ stories. The famous Dutch painter Rembrandt painted the Return of the Prodigal Son in 1669, which is now part of the Hermitage Museum collection in St. Petersburg.

Looking at a photo frame of this beautiful painting on the wall of my office, I am reminded of my homecoming to God. Here is the story: A wealthy Jewish man has two sons. The younger son demanded that his Father give him his share of the estate. Once he got his wealth, the younger son packed his bags and went to a foreign country to enjoy his life with wild parties.  

There is a side of the younger son in all of us. By nature, we want to enjoy every sinful pleasure which is contrary to God’s will for us. At times, we would be fooled and even lured by the devil who offers us heaven and leads us to hell. When all the money was gone, the younger son hit rock bottom and began to starve. He hired himself to feed the pigs.

      A Jewish boy couldn’t go any lower than that. He was in a pit of despair. He returned to his senses as he talked to himself. What kind of self-talk do you engage in when you end up in a pit of discouragement? Do you curse God and blame your situation and everyone else except for taking responsibility for yourself? Listen to the self-talk of the younger son.

He remembered the good life in his Father’s house; even the hired servants had plenty of food to spare. He looked at his miserable state and decided to return to his Father’s home. He would tell his Father that he had sinned against God and him and was no longer worthy to be called his son again. After all he did, he thought he only now deserved to be a slave of his Father.

Upon reaching home, the reception he received was beyond his expectations. The critical point in the younger son’s departure and homecoming is that repentance is always possible for those who want to return to God. No matter how far you have gone away from home or how wildly you may have been living, you can always return to God. He is patiently and longingly waiting for you to return home.

II. The Resentment of the Older Son: (25-30)

      While the celebrations continued at home, the older brother worked in the fields. The music he heard and the dances he saw upon returning home did not go well with him. He is furious when he finds out why his Father threw a party and refuses to go in. His answers to his Father’s plea exposed his resentment towards the younger son. The elder son saw himself as a slave instead of a son. We find older brothers and sisters in our homes and Churches.

When we see ourselves as slaves instead of sons and daughters of the most high God, we carry certain attitudes. We resent other Church family members instead of rejoicing with them in their salvation and victories. We judge others instead of loving and accepting them as they are.          We complain that we are the only ones working hard and others are having a good time in the Church. We become proud and critical of others and lose the joy of our salvation. God doesn’t want us to live as slaves but as his beloved sons and daughters. We must not resent His generosity for even the worst sinners, as we were once sinners, saved by God’s grace.

III. The lavishing love of the Father for both Sons (31-32)

      The unifying factor in this story is the lavishing love of the Father for both his sons. The younger son, in his rebellion, went away from home and became a slave to sin and pleasure. Father waited patiently for the return of his prodigal son one day. He did some unusual things that a wealthy Jewish elderly would never do. Upon seeing his son from a far distance, filled with compassion, he ran, threw his arms around, and kissed him.

The younger son thought he would beg his Father to accept him as one of his slaves. But the Father had something grand in his mind, and he hurriedly restored him to his sonship again and celebrated his homecoming with joy. He pleaded with his angry older son. He reassured him of his sonship and inheritance and encouraged him to rejoice instead of resenting others.

What can we learn from this familiar story of two sons and their Father? Throughout human history, there have been prodigals like the younger son in the story. Some of you might be like the younger son, who went far away from home and bent on enjoying the sinful pleasures of life. God is waiting, calling you home and assuring you, saying, “The door is always open.”    Remember, repentance is always available for those who want to return to God. Forgiveness is always possible. The only unforgivable sin in the Scripture is the sin of unbelief, committed by those who don’t want to repent and be saved and who never change their minds.    For those who change, God stands ready to run towards you to hug, welcome, and restore your sonship. The classic line from the film The Hiding Place, placed on the lips of the character playing Corrie Ten Boom, the Dutch Christian woman who harbored and protected many Jews during World War II, sums it up well: “No pit is so deep the God is not deeper still.”[2]

Some of you might be like that resentful older brother full of anger, contempt, and judgment. When God is treating you like his son and offering everything he has for you, you are behaving like a slave and not enjoying the relationship with Him. Like the older brother, you might be distancing yourself from fellow brothers and sisters in God’s family. The message for you is that God’s people ought not to resent God’s generosity for even the most wayward of sinners.

Whether you are like the younger or older son in the story, we all have sinned as the Scripture says and lost our way home. The good news is that we can never be too far from where God’s lavishing love cannot reach us. I John 3:1-2, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! As God’s beloved children who are forgiven, let’s be kind, loving, and merciful to other brothers and sisters in God’s family and to the wavered sinners who do not yet belong to the family of God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Jim Cymbala, “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, pages 59-66

[2] Craig L. Blomberg, Preaching the Parables,  Page 37

The Parables of Christ #1

                                          The Parable of the Sower and the Seed 

            There is a little fable in which a woman enters the town square and sees a store sign that reads “God’s Fruit Stand.” “Thank goodness,” she says to herself. “It’s about time they began selling some decent produce in the square.” She enters the store and says, “I would like a divine banana, a divine cantaloupe, and some divine strawberries and cherries.” God (who was behind the counter) says, “I’m very sorry, my dear woman, I only sell seeds.”
            This story illustrates that you must sow a divine seed to enjoy a heavenly fruit. The outcome of the fruit depends on the SEED. Sometimes, the seed may be the right kind, but it will not be effective if it is not planted in suitable soil. When people come to Church or attend a gospel meeting and hear the same God’s Word of God, they all respond differently when applying and living according to it. Where in lies the problem? Is it in the Word, the preacher of the Word, or the listener? To understand the underlying causes for a lack of bearing fruit, we will turn to one of the Parables of Christ: The Sower and the Seed.

            It has been said that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The Lord Jesus frequently used parables to illustrate profound, divine truths. Stories such as these are easily remembered, the characters bold, and the symbolism rich in meaning.

            Parables were a common form of teaching in Judaism. Before a certain point in His ministry, Jesus had employed many graphic analogies using everyday things that would be familiar to everyone (salt, bread, sheep, etc.), and their meaning was pretty clear in the context of His teaching. Parables required more explanation, and at one point in His ministry, Jesus taught using parables exclusively. We will look into some Parables of Christ for the next several weeks. Where was Jesus when He shared this parable? What kind of people was He talking to?

            He had been traveling from town to town and village to village, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. The twelve disciples followed Him, including several women cured of evil spirits and diseases. The list of women consists of Mary (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons were cast out, Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Susanna, and many others.

            These women were supporting Jesus’ ministry through their own means. Huge crowds, women, and the twelve disciples were gathered to hear Jesus teach about God’s Kingdom. Jesus told them the Parable of the Sower and the Seed to explain the importance of retaining and applying the teachings of God’s Kingdom in order to live a fulfilling life. Luke 8:5-15

I. God’s Word Comes to all of us. (Luke 8:5-15)

            The Sower and the Seed parable appears in the first three gospels: Matthew 13:18-23, Mark 4:13-20, and Luke 8:5-15. Our study will examine how the gospel writer Luke saw this parable. Let’s clarify certain words that appear in this parable. The Farmer: Jesus Christ. The Seeds – The Gospel of the kingdom-the Word of God. The Bird – The evil one. The Soil – Our hearts and minds are presented with the Gospel of God’s Kingdom.

            Vs. 5, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.” In this parable, the farmer (Jesus Christ)  sowed his Seed, God’s Word regarding the Kingdom. He preached the same Kingdom message to various people represented in the crowd. The Word landed on four kinds of soil representing people’s hearts and minds. Similarly, God’s Word comes to all of us at different places and stages in our lives. How we respond to it depends on how ready our hearts are to receive His Word.

            Let’s explore four soils that represent four categories of people. I would call them: 1. The Skeptic 2. The Exuberant 3. The Compromiser 4. The Implementer.

 

 I. The Skeptic:

            Vs. 5, “As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled, on the birds ate it up.” Along the path, people are the skeptics who hear the Gospel preached over and over again but never respond to believe and get saved because the Devil snatches the Word from their hearts.
            Have you wondered why, despite many excellent preachers preaching the Gospel and churches doing evangelistic outreaches, many remain unsaved by the Gospel? Even some who regularly attend Church and listen to inspiring messages every Sunday could remain unchanged.      The apostle Paul explains why, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “And even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Satan continues to have control over the minds of skeptics and unbelievers even today.

II THE EXUBERANT:
            Vs. 6, “Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. One thing we learned while gardening is that for plants to survive and bear fruit, their roots must go deep into the ground. If they are shallow, they will wither and die quickly. We see this in some people, who I call the Exuberant. When they hear the Gospel, they receive the Word with joy. Their excitement, however, doesn’t last long. They quickly “throw in the towel” and quit walking with God when encountering trouble or challenging times.

            When God’s Word comes to you, there is great joy and excitement initially, but you can not ride on those waves for long. To sustain that newfound joy of knowing God, you must let your roots go deeper into God’s Word through daily reading, meditating, and living accordingly.    During Jesu’s time, the crowds followed Jesus because they were excited about his miracles and message, but when he turned to them and explained the cost of discipleship by saying, “Unless you pick up your cross daily and follow me, you are not my disciple,” everyone left except the twelve disciples. They stayed back because they were willing to go deep with Christ. During my ministry, I have seen several people who excitedly responded to the Gospel but couldn’t continue with the Lord because they were unwilling to be discipled and disciplined.

III. THE COMPROMISERS: Vs. 7, “Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.” The seed that fell among thorns represents the compromisers. These people hear the truth, respond to it, and seem to grow, but they compromise with the truth along the way. As a result, they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures and do not become mature.

            When we let the worries of life, the love of money, and pleasures control our lives, they hinder our spiritual growth and render us immature. What worries and what pleasures are hindering your spiritual maturity? In Matthew 6:25-33, Jesus encouraged us not to worry about matters concerning our lives and instead to seek His Kingdom and righteousness first. Peter encourages believers to cast all their anxiety by resisting the Devil as we stand firm in our faith. When we earnestly seek Jesus as our only treasure, we will find Joy, Peace, and Hope in Him.
IV. THE IMPLEMENTOR: Vs. 8, “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop a hundred times more than was sown.” The seed that fell on the good soil represents the implementers. They hear, receive, retain, and implement the truth. Persevering under trials and testing produces a bumper crop. They don’t just hear the Word, but they act on it.

            After sharing the parable, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” When God’s Word is preached, we all hear it. Then why did Jesus emphasize, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear? In the Bible, the word “hear” is not simply hearing. It often calls for belief and obedience. What does this parable mean to us today? God’s Word is coming to you today.

            We will become fruit-bearing Christians when we receive it and live accordingly. What does a fruit-bearing Christian look like? I believe a fruit-bearing Christian will grow in three areas of love. They love their God with all their heart, soul, and mind. They love themselves and love their neighbors. God is the one who plants the seed of His truth. The Holy Spirit enables us to bear fruit. We will glorify God in our lives by growing in our love for God and others.