The Rich Man Could Have Had 6 Brothers: Sermon by Larry Fry

Based on Luke 16:19-31:
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

How do you define your family?

Families are like fudge only with more nuts. 

A bunch of people who don’t always agree but eat together more than another group. Family are those you call on when you have wasp, spider, or a mouse. A place we can look our worst and still be our best. 

Family is laughing together until you have tears in your eyes. Family is feasting, being honest, and trusting. Family makes you think of a fire in the fireplace and a good movie. Family are the people you buy gifts for -- knowing that you can get away with giving something that you would like to get for yourself. 

Leonard Sweet defines family as those who get our attention when it is not convenient or easy. Families are where the greatest moments of life happen, and also where the most painful moments happen as well. Falling in love creates families, and working at love preserves them. 

God created the church family to support and guide families. When families are in crisis, the church offers loving support. One of the reasons God made the church was to make families stronger and to be a larger extended family for all. Families come in all sizes, shapes, colors, races, nationalities, tribes, and orientations. And the more churches and synagogues and mosques have the opportunity to enjoy others, the better our world will be. 

Today we are blessed with Ghanian families, Kenyan families, Iranian families, Latino families. What a blessing that we have all of those today! Church is a family, and a global family is a great blessing. 

Missy Matthews told us about an experience in another United Methodist church in Texas. A woman came from the Congo and when she got her legal papers and enough money together, she was told that when she came to the US the government would give her an apartment, a car, and a job. When she arrived and discovered that none of that was true, she stayed for a while with the only person she knew. Her life turned into a giant struggle and she considered going back. Then she attended an event at First UMC in Hurst, Texas, and was treated with great respect and hospitality. Her dignity was restored and with some church help she was able to find a job as a tailor and an apartment. And to add to all of that, now there is a ministry at the Hurst church by and with African immigrants. The Sunday School class is French-speaking and a joyful new ministry for their church. 

We do not know if the man in this scripture is married or whether he has any family. He does care about his five brothers and wants to warn them, but that is not possible. The scripture urges us to do loving things with our families now and not wait. We never know what tomorrow holds. What the scripture says is that how we treat people who are struggling is a good indication of how we have responded to the love of God. How we use our resources should reflect the grace of God given to us. 

This man was rich -- really rich -- and yet not able to become all that God intended. This man has daily feasts and dresses in purple and fine linen. Not helping Lazarus enough was an expression of how little he understood about the grace of God. 

In my first read of this story, I was convinced that the scraps Lazarus got from his servants demonstrated his total lack of caring. But my second read was something else. At least this rich man allows Lazarus to stay there in a sheltered place, receiving food, and at least some comfort. But, here is where the story gets really personal. 

How many of us would allow this man to live on our property, in our garage or on our front porch? This rich man did something that endangered his religious status. He risked religious defilement that would have prevented his participation in worship. Actually he was doing quite a bit -- and Jesus’ story tells us that it is not enough. The Pharisees would have agreed that the rich man did not do enough. But they were shocked that Jesus would say that Lazarus made it with God’s love, and not the rich man. 

Jesus is telling them -- and us -- that God most wants relationships of care far beyond the rules and regulations of the Pharisees. There is much more to life than rules that label some defiled and others good. The world does not need walls of condemnation; we need bridges of understanding and compassion. 

This is a challenge from Jesus to make personal contacts. Instead of talking about the poor, we need to get involved and talk to the poor. Hiding from responsibility and the pain of others does not have a good outcome for us, or for our nation. Health care would have a great thing for Lazarus. At least the Samaritan got the man to health care. 

Heaven is an extension of a spiritual community where the needs of others are put in high priority. It is a place of respect and relationship. What the rich man missed is the heaven of knowing what a wonderful man Lazarus was. Behind the sores and health conditions and poverty and his rejection by many, he was an amazing man who knew that he was a child of God. 

The rich man could have discovered a sixth brother in his family. The rich man offered food and comfort but he offered nothing, absolutely nothing, of himself. The moment we offer ourselves, then things change. 

Yes, we have Shepherd’s Crossing and the Manhattan Emergency Shelter and Ogden Friendship House of Hope and Habitat for Humanity. But there is more. 

We can respond much more to the grace of God in Christ. We have a savior who touches hearts. And we can respond, using our resources to build relationships. Our building expansion will open our doors and, I pray, our hearts. 

It does not work well for people to sleep on our porch…not for them or for us. But what is better is that we welcome them into our hearts. That is heaven for them and for us. God became flesh in Jesus Christ in order to be our brother helping us to heaven. And Jesus came to bring heaven to earth.