Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-05-14
LESSON FOR MAY II
THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.


THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.
LESSON TExT-Luke 16:l4-15: 1881
GOLDEN TExT-"Whoso stoppeth his
ears at the cry Of the POOR, he shall
also cry. but shall not bs heard" Prov
21:1s
Verses IA and Is link this parable
with the teaching of Jesus about cove
tousness and stewardship. Verse 10
is most heart-searching one. 1t de-
mands that we look we'll to the stan
dards by which we measure our con-
duct, | Sam 1877. That the teaching
of Jesus was effective is evidenced by
the statement of verse IA. These
Pharisees were naturally cool. cynical,
calculating and their scoffing shows
that Jesus had probed them deeply.
Their love of money--service OF man.
mon-made them unfaithful in their
professed stewardship. In the inter-
vening verses t16-18) Jesus condemns
their attitude of seeking to justify
themselves in the sight of men, de-
claring such an attempt to be useless
in the sight of God. The methods men
exalt are an abomination to him. No
jot or title OF the law can fail. This
he emphasizes by an illustration about
the binding nature OF the marriage re-
lationship. We get our suggested two
fold division Of this lesson from Tim.
4:8.
Why He Is Condemned
l. The Life That Now Is, w. 1922.
The revised version for verse 10, now
there was certain rich man"--indi-
Gates even stronger than the King
James version that this is the story OF
a historical incident Jesus did not
mention the rich mans name, nor
does he enumerate his moral delin-
quencies. Even morality cannot save
man from punishment in the next
life. Nor is this rich man condemned
because he is rich. He is condemned
because he sought to enjoy his pleas
ures in this life, sduandering his time
and his money upon sensual pleas
ures, ignoring the need Of those at his
door. Jesus had just told these Phari-
sees how to use money ". 81, see /
Tim 6:17-19. A wrong use OF money
damns a man. A few pa1try charities
or even larger gifts given for ostenta-
tious display will not suffice. There
was, however, no real Joy to the rich
man In his life as he sought sensual
satisfaction, Feel. IS. Lazarus lying
at the door was a living rebuke to his
self-indulgence. Here is another Of
those vivid pictures that not alone re-
veals the misery but makes an indeli-
BILE impression on the mind. 1t is bet
ter, however, to be beggar, sore and
hungry in this life and go to heaven
hereafter, than to enjoy the pleasures
of sin for a season and be forever in
torment in the life to come The name
Lazarus means God his help and is
an indication Of his character. 1t did
not look as though God was mindful
of his own" but the sequel abundantly
corrects such an idea.
Positions Reversed.
II. The Life Which ls to Come, w.
1881. Unconscious of the need Of 9TH
ers here the rich man is very much
conscious of his own need in hades
when subject to torment and anguish.
There is noSneed of trying to minimize
or to explain" nor to deny these
words of Jesus Hell is for the viii
fully disobedient, and was never pre-
pared for man Matt 25;4I. On
earth he saw Lazarus "at his gate"
now with Abraham, resting Sin his
BOSOM" Their positions are reversed,
the petitioner is now the rich man
who begs for mercy" though in life
he showed none at all His plea swas
for his tongue; that organ had been
pampered in life but now it Is In mis-
cry, because deprived of earthly salts
faction. The solemnity of this lesson
is very great. AS we have suggested
Luke does not call this parable. 1t
is possible that Jesus auditors knew
the very people of whom he was speak
ing, some VIGOROUSLY wealthy citi-
zen recently deceased, and some we'll
known alms-seeker. For a moment
our Lord withdraws the curtain to
let those about him read the story.
catch, for an instant. glimpse He
shows us that the attitudes of today
determine the destinies of tomorrow
The experience of life beyond death is
determined by the use OF the life that
now is" The gate of heaven is without
our self-centered life and often takes
the form of a beggar. To wrongly en-
ploy our wealth, to live within the
gate of selfishness will shut the gate
Of heaven in our own faces If we
pass without that gate Of selfishness
and minister, presently we find we
have made friend in the life beyond
Il is not the crumbs we give the beg
gar, that which we do not miss, it
must be self-emptying service.
This lesson raises the question, "are
the ruling desires of our lives such as
shall develop qualification and salts
faction in the life to Gomez If not.
we do well to heed this story, Col. 81