June 5 Do You Hear?

Luke 16:19-31 “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 hell, 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 fixed, 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 father’s house, 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.’”
 
In Luke 14:35 and five other gospel teachings, Jesus concludes his lesson with, “He who has ears let him hear.” Are you hearing Jesus’ picture of hell? Do you hear, “where he was in torment”, “I am in agony in this fire”, “between us and you a great chasm has been fixed” and “they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
    The rich man was not in hell because he was rich on earth. He was in eternal agony because he had neglected the law and the Prophets, fulfilled in Jesus. He had justified himself. He refused to use his wealth for kingdom purposes such as helping the beggar Lazarus. Likely, too, he sneered at the poor and God’s commands. Surely he stored up as much as he could for his future.
    The rich man is the symbol of everything Jesus teaches us not to be. Hell is the reason Jesus came to open our ears to hear his truth, his mercy, his forgiveness and his love. Eternal torment over the great chasm is the reason Jesus died separated from the Father. Jesus’ death and resurrection causes the cross to become the bridge over the chasm. Jesus is the Living Water to quench your agonizing thirst.
    The next time you think, “Hell isn’t so bad.” Consider this parable. It is a sobering, fearful picture. This is Jesus’ urgent call to action. Listen. Hear. Repent. Speak confession. Proclaim good news. Pray that no soul you know will live in this conscious, eternal torture.
 
Prayer: Open the ears of my beloved ones who do not hear you, Lord. Amen.