I grew up hearing the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (you know the one, in Luke 16:19-31) and being told that once you’re dead, that’s it. You can’t go back and change your life. So, the moral of the story is: get saved while you have the chance, and then tell everybody else. Now, while that interpretation is great for five-year-olds who aren’t saved yet, and third graders who need to start understanding that they can share the Gospel too, by the time we reach high school, we’re pretty much done with the story, aren’t we?
This happens a lot with parables or any other familiar story: we hear it a million times, with the same application, and then when we read it we don’t ask the Holy Spirit to illumine our minds and teach us something we need to know or learn or apply in our lives.
The Pharisees’ Quest for Signs
Did you ever think about just how powerful this parable is? It’s incredible. But before you can understand just how awesome it is, you have to understand what’s going on. Jesus had just finished teaching about being faithful in money matters, and how you can’t serve both God and money. Check out verse 14: “And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.” That basically means they turned up their noses, they rolled their eyes, they laughed behind their beards.
You know about the Pharisees, of course. They were ones who sincerely believed they were the guiding lights and perfect examples of the Word of God. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, they pestered Him for a sign, a more dramatic indication that He was Who He claimed to be. After they “derided” Him because they were probably convicted of being greedy, Jesus turns to them and declares that they justified themselves before men, preferring the esteem of men above that of God (Luke 16:15).
The Sufficiency of Scripture
Then He reminds them of the Law (verses 16-18), and then He tells them this story about a rich man who enjoyed riches while he lived, but had to endure God’s punishment when he was dead. When the rich man learns he’s stuck, of course he doesn’t want his brothers to end up here, so he begs someone to rise from the dead to tell them about…what, what’s coming? The futility of riches, perhaps? The end of those who are selfish? I can’t say for sure since the passage doesn’t actually specify what he wants Lazarus to “testify” about, but Abraham’s response kinda helps: “Let them listen to Moses and the prophets.”
This is so ironic, actually, what the rich man says next: “Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent” (Lk. 16:30). Do you realize what he just said? Basically, “God’s Word isn’t enough.” He would know, I guess, since it wasn’t enough for him when he was living. He was all about that money and that prestige. Just like the Pharisees, who went around looking for a sign from God all the time (Matt. 16:1), and completely ignoring the one sign that was single defining sign of all — the “sign of Jonah” (Matt. 16:4), which we understand to be Jesus’ own death and resurrection.
So check out the passage from Luke again. Jesus, through the character Abraham, says, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Lk. 16:31). Now, maybe you’re not like me and things like this don’t fascinate you. But I find it super interesting that Someone did rise from the dead, and yet the Pharisees still refused to believe.
Modern-Day Excuses and Doubts
Humans like to talk big, don’t they? Just listen to those Pharisees, saying they’d believe, “if” God would show them something. Shall we be honest, my friends? We do the same thing. “If I had godly parents, I’d serve God.” “If I went to a Christian school, I’d serve God.” “If I was smarter… if I was prettier… if I was on the soccer team… if I had money…” If God loved You, if He cared, if He understood, etc. etc….
He does!! He gave His Son to die for you! Stop trying to find excuses why you won’t release your doubt and just trust Him, for crying out loud! If you don’t want to serve Him, don’t try to make up a petty excuse why not — just tell the plain honest truth that you don’t want to! Oh, but just so you know, God’s better than any plan you have for your own life. He won’t touch your life if you walk away from Him, so the only person you have to blame for messing it up will be yourself. God doesn’t mess up lives. He fulfills them.
Embracing Faith Without Demands
Some of you refuse to listen to the Word God has already given. You blame God for being silent when your Bible isn’t even open. You complain about not understanding the messages given in Sunday School or service when you were thinking about sports scores, wondering if the other girls noticed your new shoes, or what your mom was fixing for lunch. Just like the Pharisees, you seek money, friends, or prestige. Don’t you think it’s about time you started to seek the Lord? You know where He’s found: in the Bible and in times of vulnerability and honesty before Him. There’s no shortcut to spirituality. Stop seeking a sign and start seeking the Savior, and you’ll find a Life worth living, every single moment.
Victoria White is a graduate of Baptist College of Ministry and a member of Falls Baptist Church in Menomonee Falls, WI. She has a burden for young people to understand the Bible and to live for God in this world. She has 6 siblings and lives in Germantown, WI.
