Rich in Good Works

Over the last several weeks, I've been asking the Lord what He would have me teach this morning, as Pastor Pat had asked if I would teach while he's on vacation. As I thought about it and considered different passages, this passage in Luke 16 continued to come to mind, and I believe the Lord has a word for us from it.

This last Friday at sundown began a holy day in Israel called Rosh Hashanah. This day is celebrated as their spiritual new year. They have several different times throughout the calendar year that they recognize as new years. It's somewhat similar to how our January 1st is the new year of years, but we also have a new fiscal year in September for different businesses, and the new school year starts in September as well. There are various times when we acknowledge new beginnings.

In Israel, Rosh Hashanah is known as the head of years. It began at sundown on Friday evening and continued until sundown last night, Saturday evening. In the Jewish calendar, we have now begun the year 5767. Not only did Rosh Hashanah mark the start of the new year, but it also initiated a time for Israel known as the Days of Awe or the Days of Repentance. This is a ten-day period that lasts until October 2nd.

During these ten days, the people of Israel reflect on all the things they have done in the past year, considering the ways they have fallen short and their sins. They contemplate these matters on Rosh Hashanah in a manner similar to how we reflect on the past year on December 31st. We think about the events of the last year and resolve to do better in the new year, don’t we? People make various resolutions, which is why, as the new year approaches, we see more commercials for 24-Hour Fitness and LA Fitness. They know that many people will be resolving to improve themselves, and many will purchase memberships and commit to doing better for a few days.

In Israel, it is the same. At the beginning of their year, 5767, they reflect on their past deeds from the last year during this significant time period.

The first of Tishri, the month of Tishri, is significant for the Jewish people. The tenth day, which is coming up next Monday, a week from tomorrow, is called Yom Kippur. It is a time for them to remember their sins because Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement.

On this day, one man, once a year, during the time of Christ and even before, when the temple was in Jerusalem, would enter the Holy of Holies to bring the blood of the sacrifice before God to atone for the sins of the nation of Israel. This ten-day period from the first of Tishri to the tenth of Tishri is a time for reflection on their sins and a time of repentance. At sundown on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, they would blow the trumpet, the shofar, which is a ram's horn. This sound served as a call to the people to repent and turn away from actions that were against God and not in line with His law and commands.

Considering this, I have been reflecting on Luke chapter 16, verse 19, where we read about a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. There was also a beggar named Lazarus who was laid at his gate, full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.

It came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom, being comforted. The rich man cried out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame."

But Abraham said, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted, and you are tormented. Besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us." Then the rich man said, "I pray thee therefore, Father, that you would send him to my father's house."

For I have five brothers that he may testify unto them, lest they also come to this place of torment. And Abraham said unto him, "They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them." He replied, "No, Father Abraham, but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent." Abraham responded, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."

Let's pray. Father, we ask that You would be here this morning and that You would speak through Your Word as we have before us this story. It's read in our Bibles, and many of us know that it's the words that You speak, Jesus. We ask, Lord, that You would speak these things to our hearts, that You'd give us understanding and help us to learn of You. Holy Spirit, we pray that You would guide us in all truth and teach us all things, for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

I've read this passage over and over again this week. It's been heavy upon my heart, and I believe the Lord has been speaking to me through it. Not only have I read this passage this week, but also, maybe some of you saw that Forbes Magazine released their annual list of the 400 richest people in America. Topping the list, I don't know if anybody can guess who is at the top, is William Henry Gates III with $53 billion. Right behind Bill Gates is a man by the name of Warren Edward Buffett, with $46 billion.

They went on to list various details, but the interesting thing about this list is found in the very first paragraph of the article. Forbes Magazine stated that a nine-figure fortune won't get you much mention these days, at least not here. This year, for the first time, everyone in the Forbes 400 has at least $1 billion. The collective net worth of the nation's wealthiest climbed $120 billion to $1.25 trillion this year.

Considering all the riches that people have amassed here in America, the second person on the list, Warren Buffett, committed $30.7 billion of his money to the charitable foundation headed by Bill and Melinda Gates. He gave $30.7 billion, committing it to them for various research and different initiatives.

He quoted on that day, saying that this was one of the largest sums anyone had ever given. He stated, "There is more than one way to get to heaven, but this is a good way." Warren Buffett said this as he donated $30.7 billion to that foundation in June of this year.

Please don't misunderstand me as I read these quotes while we consider this passage this morning. I'm not reading these to cast an evil eye upon Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, or the 398 others on the list. I'm not reading these so that we would, in some way, covet the riches they have. I'm reading this because I believe it gives us a little bit of insight into where we, as a nation, the United States of America, are today in the year 2006.

In the sixth century BC, nearly 2,600 years ago, the Babylonians came and sacked Jerusalem, taking the children of Israel captive into Babylon. Prior to their captivity, the children of Israel had many prophets of God who came and spoke to them. Oftentimes, these prophets would call them to repentance, particularly surrounding idolatry. They would tell the children of Israel to depart from the worship of Baal, Ashtoreth, Molech, and other false deities that they bowed down to.

However, when the children of Israel went into Babylon, it was as if they entered a place filled with idols for 70 years. It was like a hometown buffet of gods. Imagine if we were to go to a hometown buffet this afternoon and ate from 1 o'clock until 5:30, sitting there completely full. That is how the children of Israel were after their 70 years in Babylon. They were filled with idol worship to the point where it seemed to cure them of their idolatry.

When they returned to Jerusalem and began to rebuild their homes, the wall, and the temple, prophets came and spoke to them, but they didn't focus so much on idolatry anymore. Instead, they began to address their riches. They pointed out that while they spent all this time beautifying their houses, the house of God lay in ruin.

And God would speak to His people and say, "The silver is Mine, the gold is Mine." Although they were seeking so much after these things, when you come to the New Testament and begin to read the different words of Jesus, you see that many times He spoke of riches. That's what we see here in Luke chapter 16 this morning. He speaks of another rich man, telling a story which was not rare; Jesus told many stories to His disciples. However, this story is a little bit different, and we're going to get to that in a moment. He spoke to them concerning their riches, and it's a very powerful story. I believe the Lord wants to speak to us from it.

As we look at verse 19, where we read, "There was a certain rich man," Luke chapter 16 verse 19 states that he was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. This verse is very shocking to me. One man once said, "Nothing educates like a shock." This brings to mind something that took place a few years ago when Pastor Richard was moving into his new house, the house he lives in now. Our old worship leader, Matt Dotson, and I were there helping him replace the electrical outlets in his house. I'm sure Richard remembers this.

As we were doing it, I remember a very nice big white spark issuing forth at one point in time. Nothing educates like a shock, and we learned very quickly a new lesson about breakers and checking them maybe a second time. Nothing educates like a shock, and this verse stands as a shock to me. Why? Well, we've already read through the story, and we know a little bit about this rich man. What was this rich man's final destination? He was in hell.

Now, the thing that shocks me about verse 19 is not that he was rich, not that he was living a really great life, or that he fared sumptuously every day, and not that he ended up in hell. The thing that stands out to me is where it says he was clothed in purple and fine linen. You see, purple during that time was a very expensive fabric. Only the most rich and wealthy people of the nation of Israel would have this purple clothing. Not just the rich and wealthy, but it was also dedicated in many ways to the royalty of the nation of Israel. In fact, if you were to wear purple in that day, you would have been on the Forbes 400 list in Israel.

Not just purple, though; it also mentions fine linen, which throughout the Scriptures is often associated with which group of people in Israel? The priests. Here we have a man clothed in purple and fine linen—a very rich man, a very wealthy man. He has the garments of royalty and the garments of the priesthood. It is very plausible, very possible that this man was from a royal priesthood, maybe even the chief priests.

When I consider that royal priesthood, it immediately reminds me of a passage over in 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9. There, Peter says, "You, church," speaking to the church, "are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood." You're a chosen generation and a royal priesthood. In much the same way that this man was clothed in purple, royalty, and fine linen, the priesthood, he fared sumptuously every single day.

Now again, as we begin to speak about these riches, I don't want to cast some sort of shadow upon this and say that if you're rich, you're in the wrong, because that's not what the Scriptures say. I remember one time having a very wealthy man who is a friend of my family. He is also a very secular man, not a believer. We were talking one day about his business. He was the head of a multi-level marketing company. He didn't just work in the multi-level marketing structure; he was the head of the company and had made a lot of money from it.

During our conversation, he said, "Miles, remember, even the Bible says that money is not evil." The Scripture says that the love of money is the root of all evil, and he is right. As we look at that passage in 1 Timothy, chapter 6, an important passage that I want to read at the very onset of this, Paul writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy, chapter 6, verse 9. He says, "But they that will or desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

So, the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Paul goes on to tell Timothy in verse 17, speaking again of riches and those who are...

He says to charge those who are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy. They should do good, be rich in good works, ready to distribute, and willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life. Paul says to charge those who are rich.

As I look upon this room, I realize that it's very likely—I'm going to go out on a limb here—that none of you are on the Forbes 400 list this year. I'm pretty sure. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me after the service. But I'm confident that none of us in this room are on the Forbes 400 list. Even if we're not, we still sit amongst the richest of the rich in the world. Every single one of you in this room is in the top at least 5%, and I would go as far as to say even 1% of those who are rich in the world when you look at the world altogether.

In the United States of America, we have been blessed with great abundance, great wealth, and great riches. We look around this room and we truly all have to admit that, at the end of the day, yes, we are rich. Now, you may think, "Well, I don't have a mansion; I don't drive a Ferrari or anything," but still, we are rich. We've been blessed with these great riches. So Paul says to charge those who are rich in the world. This is a word for us. Speak to those who are rich in the world, that they be not high-minded. They shouldn't think, "I've pulled myself up by my own bootstraps, and here I go."

Not only that, but they should not trust in uncertain riches; they should put their trust in the living God who gives all richly to enjoy. He is the one who has given us all of these things, right down to the very breath that we breathe. Paul also says to charge those who are rich in this world that they do good works and are ready to distribute, willing to communicate with others. They should lay up for themselves a good foundation against the time that is to come.

Yes, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. To have riches is not an evil thing, but God would speak to those who are rich and say, "Make sure that you're also rich in good works." We have here before us this man who I believe is a picture for us because he was...

Clothed in purple and fine linen of a royal priesthood, as are we this day, the rich man was very rich, just as we are today. God has a word for us from this passage. It says in verse 20 of Luke chapter 16 that there was a certain beggar named Lazarus who was laid at his gate, full of sores.

As I mentioned earlier, Jesus told many stories throughout his ministry, didn't he? However, I believe this one is a bit different. When you read the parables of Jesus—these fictional stories that he tells to convey some sort of truth—never in any of the other parables did he mention a person by name. Therefore, there is good reason to say this morning that this is not a fictional parable, but very likely an actual case that took place. Many Bible teachers have noted that he actually names this beggar and calls him Lazarus.

He says that there was a certain rich man clothed in purple and fine linen, and Lazarus, this beggar, was laid at his gate, full of sores. Lazarus desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, dogs came and licked his sores. This Lazarus, laid at the foot of this man's house, spent his time searching through the trash can, trying to find something to eat from the crumbs that came from the rich man's table. All the while, this rich man, as he came in and went out in his nice clothing and enjoyed all his good things, passed by without glancing at this man to help him.

Despite having his religious duties and all the different things he did as a possible priest in the nation, he ignored the poor man, this beggar, with all his sores. But in verse 22, Jesus says, "And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died and was buried."

This opens an interesting topic for us. When we read about Abraham's bosom, I mention it, and most of you probably just go...

What in the world is that? Perhaps a little explanation about what we're seeing here is needed. In Ephesians chapter 4, we read about Jesus. Before He ascended into heaven, it says in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 8, "Wherefore, He says, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men."

Now, this that He ascended, what is it? Also, that He first descended into the lower parts of the earth? And He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. You may say, "What?" It states that Jesus, before He ascended into heaven, which we read of in Acts chapter 1, first descended into the lower parts of the earth. He set the captives free and led captivity captive before He ascended into heaven.

What is this? When Jesus was asked to give a sign in the Gospels, He said one time, "No sign shall be given unto this wicked and perverse generation except the sign of Jonah." Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

It is believed that upon Jesus' death on the cross, as He was buried in the tomb, His body was in the tomb, but His spirit went down into a place called Abraham's bosom, which is spoken of in Luke chapter 16. It is also mentioned in Ephesians chapter 4, that before He ascended into heaven, He first descended to the lower parts of the earth. This is further referenced in 1 Peter chapter 3, verses 18 and 19, where Peter says that Jesus preached to those who were in prison in this place, in the lower parts of the earth.

In the Old Testament, there wasn't a complete understanding of the afterlife, but they did have this understanding: a place called Sheol. In the Old Testament, when you see the word "hell," it is the Hebrew word Sheol. As you begin to study through the Scriptures, you see that this Sheol was divided into two different places. The Scripture tells us it is in the center of the earth. One place was a place of torment, where the rich man in our story went, but another place was called Abraham's bosom, or paradise. This hopefully reminds us of when Jesus was on the cross, and the man next to Him said, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom."

What did Jesus say to him? "Today you shall be with me in Paradise." How did one person get into Paradise while the other went to a place of torment? Remember, it's called Abraham's bosom, or the place of Abraham's comfort, where Abraham, the father of faith, went, along with all those who were followers of the same faith.

What was Abraham's faith? What did he believe in? Hebrews chapter 11, known as the hall of faith, tells us about these great men and women who believed. The key aspect of their belief was the resurrection. These men and women of the Old Testament who believed in God had faith in the future resurrection. Hebrews chapter 11 states that Abraham believed that if he sacrificed his son Isaac, as God called him to do in Genesis 22, God was even able to raise him from the dead. Abraham believed in the coming resurrection. Because of his faith in the resurrection that comes from God, upon his death, Abraham went to this place in the center of the earth called Paradise.

Those who were unbelievers were taken to another place, Hades, a place of torment, which we see some information about in Luke chapter 16. Upon Jesus' death, as he was buried in the tomb, his spirit went into this place. The Scriptures tell us that he preached to those spirits that were in prison and led captivity captive. He went to those people whose souls and spirits were in Paradise. They had believed in the resurrection, and Jesus went and preached to them.

What did he preach? The people in the Old Testament who had faith in God believed in the resurrection. When Jesus was on earth, he spoke to Mary in John chapter 11, saying, "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" I believe this was very much the message that Jesus shared with those people in Paradise on that day. As he told the man on the cross next to him, "Today you will be with me in Paradise." And there he was, on that day in Paradise, in the center of the earth.

He spoke with those who were there and had believed in the resurrection, but the resurrection had not been made manifest. It had not been brought to light. They didn't completely understand what the resurrection was until Jesus came on the scene and said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this?" Upon His ascension into heaven, He took those people who were in this place of Paradise with Him. However, those who were unbelievers and were in the place of torment in hell continue there to this day.

The scripture declares that hell, Sheol, is in the center of the earth. Now, I don't know if hell is endothermic or exothermic, but at the current rate of many people dying and possibly going to hell for not believing in God, it may be expanding, and that might be why we have global warming. I don't know. But here's the thing: this place of Sheol is in the center of the earth. Revelation tells us of another place, a place called the Lake of Burning Fire. At the judgment, those who are in that place will be taken from there and cast into the Lake of Burning Fire, which is the New Testament hell, often referred to as Gehenna in Greek.

Currently, there is this place of Hades, this place of torment in the center of the earth. Those who do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ go to this place of torment. It should be a fearful thing for every single one of us, especially as we consider what the scripture has to say about this place. This passage from Luke chapter 16 really challenges me as a believer and especially as a pastor, as one who stands in the same place as one who is of a royal priesthood, as are all of you.

Here was a man who was of this royal priesthood, wearing purple and fine linen. Yet at the end of his life, where did he end up? In torment. There are some interesting things that we learn about this place of torment as we read on in Luke chapter 16. It says in verse 23, "And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments." Some people think that those who are bad, when they die, simply cease to exist. The scripture doesn't say that. It states that they will go to a place of eternal fire.

Torment, outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. This certain rich man that is spoken of here, while he was in hell, lifted up his eyes and was in torment. And do you know what he saw? He saw Abraham, the father of faith, a far off, and Lazarus, this poor beggar with all these sores, who was laid in front of his house day by day. He had seen him every single time he walked out of his gates and walked back in. There he was. He probably had disdain for him, thinking, "What is this guy doing here? Can't he just go away? Isn't there some trash to pick through on the other side of Jerusalem?"

Now, here he is in torment, in Hades. He lifts up his eyes and sees, on the other side of this gulf, some sort of expanse between this place of torment and the place of paradise. He could see with his eyes Lazarus and Abraham being comforted. He cried out and said, "Father Abraham." This was a Jewish man, and he calls Abraham his father. Many of the Jews in that day believed that just because of their birthright, they would eternally be with God. But here we see something different.

He cries out, "Father Abraham, have mercy upon me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in torment in this flame." This may be the first time ever in this man's existence, this rich man's existence, that he begged for anything. Here he is in torment, begging, pleading, crying out, "Abraham, please send this guy Lazarus. He knows who I am, so that he can dip his finger in some water and just put it on the tip of my tongue because I am in torment in this flame."

This man, Lazarus, who was filled with sores throughout his life and who picked through the trash of the rich man, is now the one he is asking for help. The rich man says, "Just let him take his finger and give me water from that finger." But Abraham said, "Son, remember." Not only did this man call Abraham father, but Abraham called him son because he was of the Jewish people, this rich man who was now in torment in Hades.

Note this in verse 25; underline it where it says, "remember." This man who was in torment in hell...

The rich man had memory of his previous life upon the earth. Abraham said to him, "Remember that in your life you received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted, and you are tormented."

Please understand that the good things the rich man received in life were not a bad thing for him. It wasn't a bad thing that he had these riches; it wasn't a bad thing that he received these good things in life. However, it was a despicable and sad thing that he didn't minister those good things to a man such as Lazarus. That which he had, he did not give in any way to Lazarus, who lay at his gate.

Abraham continues in verse 26, "Beside all this, between us and you, there is this great gulf that is fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot, and neither can they pass to us that would come from thence." He explains that there is no way for them to get over to the rich man. There is a gulf between them; they cannot cross over to help him, and he cannot cross over to where they are.

The rich man begged, "Please send Lazarus to come and dip his finger in the water to cool my tongue." But Abraham said he cannot. While the rich man was upon the earth, he would not give to a man such as Lazarus. Now, at this point in the afterlife, in this place of torment, Lazarus could not help him. He was hindered from being able to help because of the gulf that was between them.

In verse 27, the rich man pleads again. He brings another time of begging and praying. He says, "I pray thee therefore, Father Abraham, that you would send him, Lazarus, to my father's house, for I have five brothers that he may testify unto them, lest they come also unto this place of torment." He continues, "Father Abraham, if you can't bring me some sort of water to ease my suffering here, then please send Lazarus back so that he can go tell my brothers, maybe those of the chief priests, not to come to this place, to tell them about this place of torment, so that they do not come here."

Please send him. I have five brothers, and I don't want them to come here. But in verse 29, Abraham said unto him, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." The rich man replied, "No, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, then they will repent. If one would only go to them from the dead, then surely they will repent." Abraham responded, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

It is interesting that here in this passage in Luke chapter 16, we read of a beggar by the name of Lazarus who died. He goes to this place of paradise, while there was also a rich man who had died but gone to the place of torment. The rich man pleads and begs that Lazarus be sent back to speak to his brothers and his household, so they wouldn't come to this place of torment.

In John, in the 11th chapter, we find where Jesus told Mary, "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" There in John chapter 11, we find the shortest verse of the Bible, verse 35: "Jesus wept." There you go; you memorized the verse today: "Jesus wept."

Why did he weep? Was it because his friend Lazarus had died? That was what was going on there; that's the context of it. Jesus had come to the tomb where Lazarus had been laying. Did Jesus cry that day because Lazarus was dead? Absolutely not, because Jesus knew exactly what he was going to do. And what was he going to do? He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead.

So Jesus wasn't crying because Lazarus was dead. He was weeping because of the unbelief of the people who did not believe that he was the resurrection and the life. "I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this?"

To prove it, in verse 43 of John chapter 11, after he had spoken these things, Jesus said, "Lazarus, come forth." It's a good thing he specified Lazarus that day.

Because who knows what would have come out of the tombs if He had just said, "Come forth"? But He says, "Lazarus, come forth." And Lazarus came forth with his grave clothes and everything, this friend of Jesus who had died.

It is very interesting that there is a Lazarus mentioned in Luke chapter 16 who also died. There was a petition from a rich man in Hades that Abraham would send this Lazarus back to speak to his brothers, maybe the chief priests. Now, we can't say for certain that this is the same Lazarus, but it is very interesting.

Consider for a moment the rich man who was in Hades in torment. He said, "If one would go from this place and tell my brethren, then they'd listen." What was the result of Lazarus' resurrection in John chapter 11? We see it in John chapter 12, because it says in verse 9, "Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He, Jesus, was there in this region." They came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead.

What was the result of his resurrection? In verse 10, we see that the chief priests, and it is possible that the rich man in Luke chapter 16 was among them, clothed in purple and fine linen, consulted together that they might put Lazarus to death. The rich man in Hades said, "Send Lazarus back, because if he goes back, I'm sure my brethren will see and they will believe."

This Lazarus in John chapter 11 is raised to life, and what was the result in the lives of the chief priests? They looked at that and desired to know how they could put him to death. Why? It says because many, by reason of him, many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus. So many people started to follow Jesus after seeing this great work that He had done. These Jewish leaders, these chief priests, were not too happy about that; people were leaving their leadership and going after Jesus.

Thus, they sought to put Lazarus to death after he was raised to life. I don't want to over-spiritualize this passage in Luke chapter 16 this morning, but we do have some definite spiritual principles.

We can draw from this because we are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood. We are the rich of this world. Before us is a man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, representing the royal priesthood. He was indeed the rich of the world during his time. However, laid at his gate were those in need, and he refused to help. He refused to do anything. As a result of having riches in wealth but not in good works, we see where he ended up in the end.

This challenges and convicts me because I know that I am fairly well off compared to the rest of the world. But am I rich towards God and in good works? Am I giving of what I have and distributing those things to those who are in need? That is what Scripture lays out for us. Abraham tells this rich man while he is in Hades that they have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

What do Moses and the prophets tell us? They speak a lot about practically taking care of those who are in need. Jesus said that if any of you give a cup of cold water to one of the least of these, you have done so unto Me. If you clothe that person who is naked, you have done so unto Me. If you visit that person who is in prison, you have done so unto Me.

We have this story of a man who, for all intents and purposes, was righteous. Clothed in purple and fine linen, he probably had a very good life and was an upstanding citizen. Yet, Jesus says in Matthew chapter 7 that there will be many in that day who say to Him, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? Cast out demons in Your name and done many marvelous works in Your name?" He will say, "Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness. I never knew you."

We are the richest of all the world, called to be those who give of what we have—our money, our time, and who we are. We have been called to do such things. There are times when we say, "Well, it's just too hard. I just don't have enough to give." Things are so expensive, and they are. Let's be honest about that; it's very true. Gas prices are all over the place.

But we read earlier in 1 Timothy chapter 6, "Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, thinking that they have provided this for themselves." Because God is the one who has given you the gifts to do the job that you have. He has given you the job that you have so that you can earn the money that you have. It is God who has provided you with the money that you have.

He has called us in the Scripture, and I know people don't really like to talk about this, but He has called us to give a tenth part of what He has given to us. He allows us to keep ninety and tells us to give a tenth. I'm not teaching this message so you'll tithe more; I'm not asking for that. However, I am saying this: the Scripture shows us a principle.

It's interesting that at this point, just about every year, I pay about 22% of my income. Most of you probably pay more than that towards taxes to the federal government. On top of that, there are sales taxes, gas taxes, and all these other taxes. At the end of the day, we spend all kinds of money. I don't know what Tax Freedom Day was this year, but it's probably sometime in June or May. This means that from January to that date, everything you earn goes towards taxes.

I'd be happy if the government said, "Just give me 10%." That would be great; I would do that in a heartbeat. God says, "I've given all these things to you," so charge them that are rich. They should not think that they are the ones who have gotten it, and they should not trust in uncertain riches.

What happened on September 12th, 2001? You all know what happened on September 11th, but September 12th, 2001? Well, NASDAQ went down. Wall Street, S&P 500—they all just crashed. Boom. The government then said, "Call Alan Greenspan, quick. Lower interest rates. Let's get the market going. Lower them again, lower them again, lower them again."

Okay, all right, everything's okay. Pull that choke out; we're okay. Everything's all right. Ooh, all right, starting to move again. Oh, wait, wait, wait. Hike up those interest rates a little bit; we don't want it to move too fast. Oh, we're back above 11,000. Awesome. Things are great. I've got my 401(k), my 403(b), my IRA, my mutual fund. This one's tax-deferred. Oh, yeah, it's all great.

You know, all these things, trying to get more and more, but we're told by Paul and from the Lord, "Do not put your trust in uncertain riches, but rather place your trust in the living God." Place your trust in the living God, the one who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Now, I think the Lord has given us great abundance, and yes, we can enjoy such things.

But note what he also says in 1 Timothy 6, verse 18: "Charge them that they do good and that they be rich in good works, ready to give, ready to distribute, and laying up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of eternal life."

You see, if you're seeking so hard to lay hold of a life here and now, storing up for yourselves riches upon the earth where moth and rust will destroy and a thief will come in and steal, you'll have no riches stored up in heaven. Jesus told us that the wise one is the one who places his riches in heaven.

One of the other things that characterized the man of faith, Abraham, in Hebrews chapter 11, was that he was not a man looking for a city here on earth. He looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. He wasn't bound up in all the things that the world had to offer, but he placed his whole faith in who the Lord was and sought after such things because he knew that this was not all there is.

Giving, of course, is not the way that we're in any way going to receive eternal life. As we see with Warren Buffet when he says something like, "Hey, there's more than one way to get into heaven; this is a good way." Well, if that's truly his belief, on that day when he stands before the Lord, he's very likely going to hear, "Depart from me, I never knew you."

It comes down to this: the last word that God spoke to His people before He was silent for 400 years, the last word that He spoke through the prophets in Malachi chapter 3, is an important word for us in our day to consider. In Malachi chapter 3, God says to His people just before He closes the book and says no more to them for 400 years, "Will a man rob God?" He asks the question, "Will a man rob God? Yet you, Israel, have robbed me."

They say, "Well, how have we robbed you, God? We got the temple, we got all the stuff; what have we done, Lord? How did we do this? How have we robbed you?" And He says to them in Malachi chapter 3, verse 8, "This is how you robbed me: in your tithes and your offerings. And you were cursed with a curse, for you have robbed me, even this whole nation."

He says, "You've robbed me in your tithes and your offerings." The silver is mine, the gold is mine, God would speak through Haggai the prophet. Those things are mine; I've committed them unto you and I've called for you to give.

These tithes and these offerings, and yet you've withheld them from me. You have robbed me in this. In Malachi chapter 3, verse 10, you may want to underline this in your Bibles. He says, "Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith." This is one of only a couple of times in Scripture where God says, "Test me, test me in this."

Bring into the storehouse your tithes and your offerings, and test me in this, says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out upon you a blessing." Unfortunately, some have taken this and run with it, leading to the health and wealth doctrines of our day. That is not what Jesus or the Lord speaks of here in this passage. These people were cursed with a curse in verse 9, but He says you'll receive a blessing.

Many people throughout the church today say, "I can't fit it into my budget. I give, but I just can't fit it into my budget. When I make this much, then I'll give." No, you won't. If you're having a hard time with your budget, I have told you before that we, as the pastors and the leadership of this church, want to equip you. We want to help you. One of our elders, Mark Searle, would be happy to assist you with your budget if you have difficulty with that.

He has told me many times that he has met with a lot of different people in our church to help them with their budgets. He has mentioned that many times most of the people tell him, "Oh, I can't put that in there. We don't have enough money to do that." That is one of the common things they say about their tithes and their offerings. Yet, it is called the first fruits. The silver is mine. The gold is mine, God says.

He tells His people, the children of Israel in that day during the time of Malachi, "You have stolen from me." This reminds me of the passage in Ephesians chapter 4, where Paul the Apostle says in Ephesians 4:28, "Let him that stole steal no more. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may, note this, have to give to him that has need."

Let him who stole steal no more. I have to confess to you, this is probably one of the hardest messages.

I think I've stood up here to give a message because all week long I've thought about how people don't like to talk about this. I've wrestled with this passage and I've thought, "Lord, isn't there something nicer, maybe one of those really good passages about promises?" But the Lord has really spoken this to my heart.

Let him who stole steal no more; rather, let him labor, working with his hands for the purpose that he may have to give to him that has need. It's my prayer that the Lord would speak to each of our hearts in this area. Do understand that there will come a day when we will stand before God and give an answer for that which He has given unto us.

As there was in the parable of the talents, there came a day of reckoning when those who were given the talents that God had entrusted to them stood before their master. There was a reckoning, and he who had hoarded found himself to be a wicked servant. May God speak to our hearts as we consider the rich man and Lazarus.

Let's stand and let's pray. Lord, as we consider this passage before us, we recognize that there are many people in this world who could be considered Lazarus today—people we may walk by or turn a blind eye to. I pray that You would open our eyes to see as You see because You are the one who saw the multitudes. You are the one who saw the blind, the lepers, and the beggars on the sides of the road, and You ministered unto them.

Sometimes we, just like Peter and John, say, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give unto thee in the name of Jesus. Rise up and walk." Lord, that's a needful thing. I ask, Lord, that You would speak to our hearts and plant these truths in our hearts that we might not sin against You. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.