The Beggar At Your Gate (Lu. 16:19-1)

Read Luke 16:19-31.

Certainly the rich man had sufficient resources to at least make sure that Lazarus had more than occasional crumbs.  Certainly the rich man had abundant resources to guarantee that Lazarus had more than two pennies now and them. No, the rich man couldn't alleviate all the suffering of all the beggars, but he surely could've done more fore this one beggar.

Ignorance was no excuse.  Lazarus was placed at the rich man's gate.  Each time the rich man came in or went out, there was Lazarus.  Were there times the rich man walked across Lazarus in order to get to the market?

What is the situation at your "gate"?  Perhaps it isn't a beggar.  It could be another situation.  What keeps you aloof from it or hesitant about helping?

Here are three action points from today's Bible verses:

1. Let us be cognizant of and grateful for the overall blessed lives we live.  (How fitting, since Thanksgiving Day is only five days away.)
2. Let us be sensitive to the pain, shortage, injustice and humiliation that surrounds us.  I guarantee you that there is no shortage of need.
3. Let us give more than the minimum.  Most of us can do a whole lot more than what we say we're comfortable doing.

Insights From The Parable of The Rich Man And Lazarus (Lu. 16:19-31)

Read Luke 16:19-31.

1. Every person is going to die. 
2. Every person, regardless of his lot in life, continues existence after physical death.  There is no truth to the false teaching called annihilationism.
3. Today matters.  Choices made today, especially concerning salvation and holiness, affect your destination.  No one avoids Hell by convincing himself and others that he is a good person.  No one avoids Hell unless he walks the path of holiness!  There is no truth to the false teaching called universalism.
4. What a hindrance money can be.  Beware self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, etc.  A rich person in Hell suffers as much as a poor person!
5. God's Word, not your opinion or experience, is the ultimate witness.  Will that witness be for you or against you on Judgment Day?
6. There are at least fifteen things you will not find in Hell:  grace, mercy, second chance, erasure of memory, relief, adequate excuse, joy, peace, a party, satisfaction, inability to feel pain, loss of awareness, bargaining, silence, change of venue (moving from Hell to Heaven because the sentence has been altered).

If you are a pastor, you could develop a powerful evangelistic sermon from point #6.