Chasms
A Sermon for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 25, 2022
The Rev. Robin Teasley
Jesus said, "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' But Abraham said, `Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' He said, `Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers-- that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' He said, `No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" Luke 16:19-31
There was a rich man. Jesus is still talking about wealth, which is something he has a lot to say about in the Gospels, so perhaps we should take note. We haven’t even begun our stewardship season but thanks to the lectionary I’ve been preaching stewardship sermons for weeks now, and you didn’t even get a warning so that you could stay home and miss them!
In the time leading up to today’s parable, Jesus has been in some serious dialogue with the Pharisees. In Luke’s Gospel, it’s clear to Jesus that the Pharisees are seeking to justify themselves; they see prosperity as God’s reward for good conduct and poverty as deserved punishment for sin. Jesus doesn’t let the Pharisees or us off easy on this subject of wealth, and what we do with the gifts God has given to us.
This is a story filled with powerful imagery and contrast, about a rich man and what happens when he pays no attention to the poor man at his gate. In it we see wealth and poverty, heaven and hell, compassion and indifference. It’s a parable of judgment that can make us squirm in our seats, making us wonder where we are in God’s eyes. Of course, we all want to identify with Lazarus, to believe that we have suffered plenty and will be with God as our reward. But then comes the niggling doubt, because there is something uncomfortably familiar about the rich man’s behavior. The parable is working exactly as Jesus intends!
Jesus describes the rich man as dressed in purple and fine linen. We also hear that he feasted sumptuously every day. All of this, and the fact that his house was gated, indicates that this man lacked for nothing. In contrast, Lazarus was a poor man. Hungry and covered with sores, he lay at the gate of the rich man waiting in hope for the crumbs from the rich man’s table. Lazarus was helpless and hopeless, unclean by Judaic standards, dependent on others to provide for his needs.
Almost anywhere we go, we can find people on street corners, begging for handouts. I wonder if we really see them any more? It’s worth taking a moment to notice our initial reaction when we are in the turn lane of a busy intersection waiting for the light to change, and there is a beggar right outside of our car window.
What is our response to these modern day Lazaruses? Because if we are honest, our response could be the source of our discomfort. Are we to give indiscriminately to every beggar on the street when, let’s be honest, we assume they will just buy more drugs or alcohol? How do we know who is truly in need and who is scamming us? And are we called to be the judges, or do we leave that to God? What if the rich man in the Gospel assumed that Lazarus was a good for nothing panhandler, too lazy to work for a living? Nope, sorry, but Jesus has made it clear in this parable that it was the rich man who was in the wrong, turning the assumptions of his listeners upside down.
Before going to seminary, I worked with the county mental health agency, interacting on a daily basis with those who were truly poor in mind, body and spirit. Their life stories were the modern-day equivalent of the sores borne by Lazarus. When I began my work there, I was very cautious. It was easier to avoid eye contact, to limit my conversation, to not get involved. After all, what could I really do to help them beyond the basics of my job description? But I was kidding myself.
The truth is, I was half afraid of these indigent souls who were often suffering from addictions of every kind, and I was judging them. There was a chasm between us. I was afraid of the unknown, afraid of people who were not like me. I made judgments about how they came to be in the place they were in, relying on handouts to survive. But over time, an amazing thing happened as I really began to see them and listen to their stories. As I began to intentionally engage with each person, God’s presence with us became tangible. As we began to trust one another, relationships were formed and out of those relationships healing began to take place.
Could it be that this parable is less about money, and more about sharing whatever gifts God has given to us? The gifts may be money, though I suspect Jesus wants us to share our very selves, to be in relationship with people, especially those on the margins. I suspect Jesus is asking us to form relationships, not only by financial assistance, but also by sharing gifts of love, kindness, encouragement, or simply time spent with someone who is lonely. Who sits just outside our gate, going unnoticed because we are too busy, too complacent, too judgmental, or too afraid to really see them? How many chasms of indifference and good intentions have been made?
What are the chasms right outside our gate, right outside this church door. What and whom do we avoid or fear or judge because of our assumptions? There are chasms of fear and complacency everywhere.
I’ve recently learned that Immanuel provides a meal once a month to the Men’s Shelter at Home Again in downtown Richmond. We also collect food and Christmas gifts for the Cornerstone Community Development Center, which supplies food and other essential items to families in need. These are good things that we do for others. Even so, I wonder if we might be missing an opportunity to create relationships with those outside of our gate? We’ll talk more about this in an upcoming Adult Forum, but I pray we will begin to notice where the chasms are and think about how we might bridge them. As long as there are chasms there will be poverty, inequality, protests, violence, and suffering.
Perhaps this is why Jesus, our refuge and our stronghold, crosses over the great chasm again and again, offering us a way forward. A way of selflessness, a way of sacrifice, a way of losing our lives in order to gain them. This is the core meaning of stewardship – the generous offering to others out of all that God has given to us. This is not always easy, and it can make us fearful. Coincidentally, our stewardship theme this year is, “Be Not Afraid.”
All that we do at Immanuel is only possible through the generosity of each of us. All that we give of our time, talent, and treasure is what breaks down the gates and crosses the chasms so that the Good News of Jesus Christ can be made known.
Title Image: Lazarus and the Rich Man, James B. Janknegt, bcArtFarm.com
Used with permission from the artist
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