Am I Blind? - Luke 16:19-31 - Sixteenth Week after Pentecost

 

Luke 16:19-31 NIV

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. ²⁰ At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ 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.’

²⁵ “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. ²⁶ 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.’

²⁷ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “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.’”

 

Am I Blind?

First off, all of these words are from Jesus. Secondly, remember that this Parable of Jesus is not meant to be theology. It’s not a study of the nature of God and religious belief. It is a parable. A parable is defined as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus used parables to teach.

Now let’s deal with some of the names. The rich man is commonly named Dives. Dives means wealthy. That name makes sense. Dives wealth was not due to divine favor. After all Dives did not care for the poor beggar at his gate. Like discussed in last weeks reflection, Dives was not a prudent Steward of his age, in that he didn’t really have compassion for the poor beggar. Dives failed to use the gifts God had given to him to love the weak, the poor, the sick, the migrant, the homeless or even the marginalized. Implied in this Parable is a selfish life of the rich and famous.  Dives wore nice clothes and lived in luxury.

Now, Lazarus means, God helps. Again, this makes sense. As we look through this Parable, we see how God has helped and saved Lazarus. Lazarus was helped by God in an eternal sense.

Secondly let’s deal with Paradise verses Hades. Hades is a place that the lost have chosen to be. They have chosen to turn away from God’s gift of life and salvation in this life. The lost make this choice on their own, on purpose, in the face of God. God turned to the lost to offer salvation, but the lost turned away from God to pursue their own ways. Contrast, Paradise, where the gift of life and salvation is accepted. As God gives life and salvation, those destined for Paradise can’t help but to respond in love towards God and by extension to all those God gives to them in life. You know, their neighbors.

And then you have those who don’t even bother to respond to the gift of life and salvation. Well, no response to God’s gift of life and salvation, is a response.

It’s kind of like Law and Gospel all wrapped together.

So, we have Dives with the nice clothes, living in luxury in the here and now, contrasted by Lazarus, who is hungry, needy and begs.

Dives didn’t even notice Lazarus. Dives was too focused on himself to see Lazarus. And it’s at this point I can learn a teaching of Jesus.

So, both men die. And the scene changes from this world to the next, so to speak.

Dives, even while he was in Hades, treats Lazarus, in Paradise, as a slave to be sent out to meet his own need of water. The arrogance of Dives astounds me. Dives was still absorbed with self.

So, for me? Dives, do we see? To make this a bit personal, do I ignore what I do in this time and in this place? Do I ignore what I do? Do I consider how my actions, my views, my projects, my selfish motives, impact the lives of those on my doorstep, that are now in need due to what I have done to bring comfort to myself, here and now?

Or, will I wait until too much time has passed?

My time, like Dives time of empathy and compassion for the Lazarus’s in my life may just pass by, if I don’t heed God’s call to action and respond to the love God has shown me through salvation.

Yet, even in Hades, Dives has the audacity to attempt to control Dives in Paradise, with a plea to send Lazarus to warn Dive’s own brothers still alive on earth.

Yet, we know, that the Scriptures are sufficient to give and build all the faith we need. Faith freely given to us so that we can’t help but to believe and respond to the love, forgiveness, and gifts God freely gives to us, by loving all those God gives to us each and every day, here and now.

What do my blind heart and my open eyes see? I see the chasms in my life. I see how things can get turned upside down if I don’t open my eyes to the Word. The Word of God in Christ Jesus. The Word God freely gives. It’s time for me to stop and listen and see Jesus’ example. To stop and listen to Jesus’ teaching. This is an important teaching. It’s vital to open my eyes, ears and heart to ALL the people God loves. God loves more than just me.

Selfishness makes hell on earth for the Lazarus’s in my life. If I live without empathy and compassion; a great chasm divides myself from others in need and a great chasm divides me from God as well.

So, in my arrogance and blindness to those in need around me and at my doorstep of life; I need to watch out! Respect all at my doorstep. See and love Lazarus today in a respectable way. And, praise God for the forgiveness, salvation and eternal life offered for Lazarus and myself… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen

I leave you with this YouTube Music Video that speaks to this reflection

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZjKgX9vbUA&list=RD_ZjKgX9vbUA&start_radio=1

The Man at the Gate

How To Be Rich and Famous - Luke 16:1-15 - Fifteenth Week after Pentecost

 

Luke 16:1-15 NIV

16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. ² So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

³ “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— ⁴ I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

⁵ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

⁶ “‘Nine hundred gallons^[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

⁷ “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels^[b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. ⁹ I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

¹⁰ “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹ So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ¹² And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

¹³ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. ¹⁵ He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

How To Be Rich and Famous

What is Jesus trying to say here? Jesus tells a parable about a Shrewd Dude.

This Shrewd Dude knew how to make money work for him. And the money wasn’t even his own money. This Shrewd Dude was said to me incompetent by his manager. He was accused of wasting the possessions of his own manager. But, this Shrewd Dude, ended with some BOLD dishonesty.

So, what do we make of this? Well, the Shrewd Dude does teach us to be prudent. He was wily but also smart. So, how does this apply to the words of Jesus to his own disciples?

I think, Jesus is telling the disciples to be smart with the gifts God gives them, and by extension us as well.

Yes, these words of Jesus were at first addressed to His disciples, maybe, sort of. It seems by the end of this parable, Jesus wanted or at least permitted others, especially the Pharisees to listen in on the telling of this parable by Jesus.

So, let’s dig in. I called this guy a shrewd dude, but Jesus refers to him as a steward. In my research I came across the original meaning of steward during the time of this parable. A Steward was thought to be the keeper of pigs, or in other words the Keeper of the pig sty.

We too are stewards. We are not owners. Not one of us is better than the other. We are just stewards of different pig sties. And in this we deal with gifts. We don’t really have any possessions. So, the question becomes, how do we deal with these gifts?

Who gives us the gifts? All we have we don’t deserve. God gives us all we need. I’ve mentioned this before in the Fourth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer… remember? Give us this day our daily bread. Well in just a few words, all we have comes from God. God gives us everything. We deserve nothing, no matter how hard you worked for whatever you have, it was a gift from God. God either gave it to you straight out, or gave you the ability to work for it. In any case, God gives us everything.

So, in our own little pig sty of gifts from God, we need to deal with the gifts God has given us. We need to keep the pig sty.

In the parable, the Shrewd Dude was not accused of dishonesty. That in itself seemed a little odd to me. He sure seemed to be taking some pretty sketchy actions.

But this Shrewd Dude knew that he couldn’t save himself. He couldn’t save himself with another form of work, he couldn’t save himself with savings accounts, or pensions, or insurance or anything else. He had fallen face first into the stench of his own pig sty. I can identify with this too.

So, the Shrewd Dude came up with a plan. He went to his master’s debtors to work some favors and maybe be rescued by the debtors in the end. Did he honestly just subtract his own commission due from the debtors? Maybe, but probably not. One thing for sure was that he did know how to use money to gain favor. Even if it wasn’t his own money.

Like I said before, Jesus didn’t say the Shrewd Dude’s dishonesty was a good thing or a good action. But the Shrewd Dude’s prudence was good.

Here is where this parable leads us to a deeper meaning.

Many think today that success equals money. Yet, if we use this money to help the poor, the marginalized, the needy, THEN we live in the compassion and love of eternity.

Why?

God loves the needy, the poor and the marginalized, and welcomes their friends into the Kingdom of God. The wealthy can help the needy in the here and now. In our chronological time of today. Yet, the poor, the needy and the marginalized can help the wealthy in God’s Kairos time. Or in another words God’s eternal time. The needy can testify to the love of the wealthy in the Kingdom of God. And after all, anyway, God can see our actions and motives. Are we caring? Are we compassionate? Are we empathetic? Do we love our neighbor, no matter who are neighbor may be? Do we receive the gifts God gives to us to give those gifts in love to those God gives to us?

We are called to make it eternal. We are called to give to the poor. The money or things we have in this time and place do us no good in eternity.

The biggest and the best of this world does not equal “good” in the next world.

What does?

Well, it’s not the size of your actions but how noble you are in the end. A liar may reach the throne in this world, but what’s greater by far, is a person of truth, even if that person is poor and in rags. Money does not spend in heaven. How great you think you may be on earth does not rank you in heaven. The really only treasure in heaven is God. And God’s gifts of faith, hope, love, forgiveness and salvation are the Christian’s only possessions. All gifts given.

No, Jesus does not honor dishonesty here in this parable.

Earthly wealth is unrighteous when we think it’s our own. It’s a dream.

Yet, Heavenly wealth is our taking in the gift of God’s righteousness offered through the life, death, resurrection and forgiveness that Jesus freely gives us.

Earthly wealth IS NOT OURS. It’s a loan to be withdrawn and given away to the poor, the orphan, the sick, the migrant and to ALL God’s children as needed. It’s NOT yours and won’t do you any good in the eternal Kingdom of God.

So, think about it. In the midst of your own pig sty, ponder this. Is it wealth, or power, or prestige, or honor? … or do you choose God? Can you walk both east and west at once? NO! Choose God! Show all loyalty to God alone.

 Exodus 20:3-4 NIV

³ “You shall have no other gods before^[a] me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

 

God’s gifts are to be used. Wealth, money, power, prestige, won’t draw you into the presence of God. But, using God’s gifts to accomplish God’s plan does.

God doesn’t forget the deeds of those who oppress the poor and the needy. God takes care of the poor and the needy and the weak. You see, Jesus wants everyone to be saved, not just those who think they deserve salvation because of what they think they have all done on their own.

So, manage and give away the gifts given to you. Even if you live life in a pig sty here and now, there is much more to come.

Thanks be to God!

I leave you with this YouTube Music Video that speaks to this message…

“I Give Myself Away”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy_XJWzI-a0&list=RDvy_XJWzI-a0&start_radio=1

I Give Myself Away

Lost and Found - Luke 15:1-10 - Fourteenth Week after Pentecost

 

Luke 15:1-10 NIV

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins^[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Lost and Found

I had it made. I always had food and water and even treats all times of the day. I had a wonderful yard to roam about and my special places that I could go to do my dirty deeds. Once back inside, I had heat and cooling and people would make over me and pet me and call me a good boy. There were soft comfy places to just take a break and snooze or sleep for long hours. Every once in a while, she would take me for a ride and let me hang my head out the window so I could lap up the cool air into my mouth. As we sat a stop lights, I had a blast barking and growling at the folks next to us. And then, even better, she would gather up a little sack and take me for long walks. Yep, I had it made.

But then it happened. One day, I blew it. She left the gate open in the back yard. Well, as I was going from one spot to another, enjoying all the smells and picking up my toys, I forgot what was going on. I was having so much fun. I wandered through that open gate to enjoy new smells. I moved about from spot to spot and met people I didn’t even know existed. I even saw some of my friends on the way, we sniffed each other’s butts and moved along. This was a special time for me. A new adventure that I couldn’t help but take.

I had to be careful though. As I ventured along there were some scary sounds and huge objects speeding by. But I just kept on going, really enjoying my life. As I ventured along, I came to this really BIG BIG thing that made a really loud noise. Then I crossed over some kind of large metal rails.

And before you know it, I found a whole bunch of new friends. They were on the rough side, and many of them would growl and threaten me with their teeth. But some of them were just like me, wandering around from one smell to another, having a good ol time.

But then I looked up from one telephone pole and it occurred to me. I’m lost! I have no idea where I am or who I’m with. That comfortable place that I had been at just a few hours ago, seems like a lifetime in the past. And then it got dark and cold and I was hungry for anything. I was so thirsty that I drank dirty water from a mud puddle. The only water near that I could see. I jumped into this big huge metal cage and ate some stinky food just to relieve my hunger pangs a bit.

I was scared. I was lost. I was sorry for what I had done but had no idea what to do about any of this. I needed some help. I needed her to come and find me and save me from all of this. Help!

---

Well, I let him out but forgot to shut the gate after mowing the lawn. Now he was gone! I hopped into the car and drove all around the neighborhood. Then I came back home to my other two dogs and the cat. I called my dearest friend and told her what had happened. It was getting dark and I knew just what I needed to do.

So, I slipped into my tennis shoes, put my slacks and blouse on and left the house. I would do anything to find him. I picked up my girlfriend and we rode all over the place. She watched me cry and watched me get out of the car. Later this is what she said about my search.

---

My friend jumped out of the car. She was frantic. She looked everywhere. She even went to the other side of the tracks where it was very dangerous. She took risk after risk. She was willing to risk her very own life just to find him. She asked some pretty sketchy people from the other side of the tracks if they had seen him. She went into some awfully dangerous places to ask questions. In a certain part of town, you could hear all sorts of yelling and gun shots and police sirens. But none of this stopped her. My friend was on a mission to save him. Even if it cost her life, she was determined to save him.

It got a little strange for her. She found dog after dog that was lost. She would even wander into the pack looking for him. These pack dogs became her friends as she gave them treats. She called a friend of hers to have these pack dogs rescued and cared for, but she kept on hunting for him.

And then she spotted him. Hiding behind a dumpster. She picked him up, even though he was filthy with oil and dirt, she kissed him and hugged him and you would have thought she had found heaven.

Running back to the car that I was sitting in, we drove home to the other dogs and the cat. We celebrated together with a feast like no dogs or cats had ever seen before. She was full of joy.

 

 

---

You know, it got rough. There I was all alone, afraid and I had no idea what to do. But then it happened. There she was! Oh, how I loved to see her. She ran up to me. I thought for sure I was in the most trouble of my life. But she didn’t care one bit what I thought. She snatched me into the air, kissing and hugging and screaming how she had finally found me! I couldn’t believe all that happened after that. It was wonderful.

---

Well, Billy… you’re not so much different from him… that is the dog. I wander off from God and seek the joys of life. I smell the alure of money, food, sensual pleasures and move from spot to spot until I’m lost and afraid and on the other side of the tracks. Instead of turning to God day after day and loving God for His eternal presence, I wander off.

But thanks be to God, he comes after me. He hunts me down. God comes down from heaven in flesh and blood to rescue me from myself. And what does God do? God washes me in the lovely cool baptismal waters, even buries me under that water, that I may be raised up to a new life with Him in eternity. Then God gifts me and calls me and sends me out.

Yep, He sends me out to the other side of the tracks, to speak of His grace that He has richly shown to me. It’s a bit fearful at first. It can be dangerous. Bad things just may happen to me, but I know that I have someone by my side to love me and care for me, to heal me and guide me and to take me home at the last to be with him forever and ever.

Oh YEA! It’s worth all the risk. Even if just one person hears His Word speaking in and through me that they too may come forth into those refreshing baptismal waters to be with Him in His Kingdom, now and forever.

Thanks be to God!

I leave you with this YouTube Music Video that reminded me of this week’s reflection…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9ZtP6db8AI&list=RDo9ZtP6db8AI&start_radio=1

Lost and Found

 

The Cost - Are You Ready? - Luke 14:25-35 - Thirteenth Week after Pentecost

 

Luke 14:25-35 NIV

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

³⁴ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? ³⁵ It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

The Cost – Are You Ready?

Remember, all along these past few months, we’ve been walking along with Jesus in these Gospel passages, as He travels toward Jerusalem, with His determination and face “set like flint” to go to His death and crucifixion on the cross. All to say, this is not what most people felt was His destination. Jesus has been teaching and challenging, His disciples, His followers, and the crowds now surrounding Him with a conviction and choices of Himself, God, or ourselves and this world.

Are you too, ready, to go all the way with Jesus to Jerusalem and to death?

To be a disciple of Jesus, means to be ready to place Jesus’ words above everything else in your life, above family, above self, even above death.

To love the Lord your God we are called to love Jesus. So, if any choice is needed, disciples MUST choose Jesus. So, there it is; an in-your-face decision to make. Yes, it’s true, God chooses you and gives you all you need. Likewise, you have a choice to choose God over everything, or choose yourself and this world and turn and run from what God has freely offered to you.

There is a shift in teaching here from Jesus. A shift from Jesus’ close followers and His disciples, toward a large crowd that has gathered before Jesus as he moves towards Jerusalem.

In this teaching of now even the large crowd, Jesus demands allegiance to Him. Jesus demands allegiance to God and no-one else. So, there it is. To the point.

Verse 26 even mentions hate. Hate in this case means to love less. To love less than others in your life. To love stuff and self, less than anything else. Let’s turn to Matthew 10:37, and read or hear Jesus own words, to get a hint of this idea, thought and definition…

Matthew 10:37 NIV

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

This “more than” gives us a hint at the “love less” meaning.

When our earthly desires come up against Jesus’ demands of the cross, and allegiance; we must crucify those desires of ours. Yet, to carry the cross in allegiance to Jesus IS the JOY of our lives.

Jesus’ death and resurrection, makes the cross, life’s victory. Disciples must be ready to take up the cross and follow Jesus. This IS the tough “stuff.”

The cross at the time of Jesus, was common and cruel. It was no crueler than today’s wars, neglect, and hatred that we demonstrate towards one another. Read the paper, look at the news, open your eyes and look around. The world is a hateful, deathly place. We treat one another with death on a cross all the time.

So, when we are called to be a disciple, we must look at the cost of following Jesus AND decide to follow, or run away, or watch from a distance, or just ignore it all.

Looking at Jesus’ words in verse 33, Jesus tells us that if we don’t give up everything, we cannot be His disciples. Jesus is harsh here and to the point. Here is a warning, YET and invitation as well. We, you or I, are able to be disciples of Jesus. This is an invitation wrapped in a warning.

As we read on, what is this “salt” stuff about?

In Jesus’ time, salt saved meat from spoil, AND, salt added taste to food. Through Jesus, we are blessed to be forgiven, AND, in our lives, as disciples, we add the “zing” of Jesus salvation to the world in which we live in. In this is the True Church, or followers of Jesus with the dual grace, forgiveness and salvation to live with God in God’s Kingdom for eternity.

So, in this salt, you too, as Jesus’ disciple are ready to sacrifice ALL your stuff FOR Jesus.

Why?

Jesus has ALL truth, through ALL time. However, if we don’t listen, how can we know this. SO, listen to the Word made flesh. Listen!

In this listening, Jesus is fulfilled, as the prophet of Isaiah foretold…

 

Isaiah 35:5-6 NIV

⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
⁶ Then will the lame leap like a deer,
    and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams in the desert.

 

So, there you have it. There is a cost to discipleship. Are you ready? Are you willing?

God freely chooses you, forgives you, gifts you with His Spirit, and calls you from your own selfish actions and life to be made free to love and serve God and neighbor.

 

God’s Law and, Jesus harsh challenges, WILL result in JOY. So, choose life, at a great cost. Are YOU Ready? Respond!

 

 I’ll leave you with this YouTube Music Video that came to mind this week as I reflected…

 

“Love the Lord”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAbeFfsqLdc&list=RDEAbeFfsqLdc&start_radio=1

 Love the Lord