“Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.”1
Remember the story of Lazarus? The name Lazarus means "God has helped." “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day." At his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table, the dogs came and licked his sores. The rich man died and opened his eyes, being in anguish he cried out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me...” Do you find it interesting he calls Abraham father? And so is the response from Abraham, “Child, remember...” Also the poor man died and "was carried to Abraham's side." Truly, God heard his cry, he lives richly in the Kingdom of God.
“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.”5
Micro-managers manage down to the edge of the field, trying to save money some of these would leave nothing for the poor. The homeless alcoholic lying in his vomit, enslaved to his sin, some despise him, saying he is a burden to society itself. But what harm does he do? He has destroyed his life and if he has family these bear such a burden, but even so the saving arm of the Lord reaches deep. Some would say he is a burden to the health care system, but it is a system that is profitable to many. Some live in the best homes, drive the best cars, wear the best shoes, and eat at the best restaurants... they have the whole field but micro-managing the crumbs, denying the poor the edge. Some would do such to a brother, “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.”6
“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”2
It is difficult but not impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. We see in the parable of the wedding feast what it means to be a servant of all, to receive such his children. We see in the parable of the great banquet that unlike other forms of giving, which have earthly rewards, offerings to the poor have an eternal reward, “do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”Also in the parable of the great banquet the rich are invited but they make excuses, too busy with their earthly things, so the house is filled with the poor and crippled and blind and lame. It was Jesus who said “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”3 And who said He came for such a reason, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”4
“Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table.”7
So we see the Lazarus's, children of God, the poor and despised, often called evil, covered with sores, desiring to eat of the crumbs of a wealthy church.
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Remember the story of Lazarus? The name Lazarus means "God has helped." “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day." At his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table, the dogs came and licked his sores. The rich man died and opened his eyes, being in anguish he cried out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me...” Do you find it interesting he calls Abraham father? And so is the response from Abraham, “Child, remember...” Also the poor man died and "was carried to Abraham's side." Truly, God heard his cry, he lives richly in the Kingdom of God.
“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.”5
Micro-managers manage down to the edge of the field, trying to save money some of these would leave nothing for the poor. The homeless alcoholic lying in his vomit, enslaved to his sin, some despise him, saying he is a burden to society itself. But what harm does he do? He has destroyed his life and if he has family these bear such a burden, but even so the saving arm of the Lord reaches deep. Some would say he is a burden to the health care system, but it is a system that is profitable to many. Some live in the best homes, drive the best cars, wear the best shoes, and eat at the best restaurants... they have the whole field but micro-managing the crumbs, denying the poor the edge. Some would do such to a brother, “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.”6
“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”2
It is difficult but not impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. We see in the parable of the wedding feast what it means to be a servant of all, to receive such his children. We see in the parable of the great banquet that unlike other forms of giving, which have earthly rewards, offerings to the poor have an eternal reward, “do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”Also in the parable of the great banquet the rich are invited but they make excuses, too busy with their earthly things, so the house is filled with the poor and crippled and blind and lame. It was Jesus who said “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”3 And who said He came for such a reason, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”4
“Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table.”7
So we see the Lazarus's, children of God, the poor and despised, often called evil, covered with sores, desiring to eat of the crumbs of a wealthy church.
Home