Happy New Year to every one. The discussion today is the story of the rich man and Lazarus, let us read the Bible verse before the discussion. Luke 16:19-31New International Version (NIV)
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

SERMON
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is argued by many to be a true life story, because unlike others a character was named. There are several lessons to be learned from this wonderful story told by Our Lord and they include the following:
1. MATERIAL WEALTH IS NOT ALWAYS A SIGN THAT YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH OF SALVATION : contrary to claims of some prosperity preachers, this story comes to show that you being wealthy does not mean you are on the right path with God. The Pharisees of Jesus' time were money loving people who believed been wealthy was a sign your worship was acceptable to God. Wealth does not only come from God, you can get money from the devil, you can get money from cheating others , you can get from falsifying your scales, but good wealth come from God and more important to him is what you do with it, for to whom more is given, more is expected. Hence,stop envying those around you who are rich without following the way of the Father,for what lies ahead of them you do not Know and might not wish to partake in it, stop questioning God when you see a poor righteous man, for what lies ahead of him is the greatest that can happen to any mortal,remember the earth and its wealth is not our home, we all will leave here one day. BEEN POOR DOES NOT MEAN GOD HATES YOU.

2. THE SIN OF THE RICH MAN
The sin of the rich man was not loving his neighbor like himself. Your neighbor is any one around you, whether rich or poor, male or female, believer or non-believer. Show all love and help all in need. Jesus did not accuse him of not helping anyone at all, he was accused of not helping the Beggar at his gate. So many of us today do the most abominable things to those who we feel are not in our social status around us, look around in churches and you can easily spot who the house girl is in a family, some rich families make their house helps sleep on the bare floor and eat spoilt food. O how vile the fruit we bear are! A tree is known by its fruit, does who produce sweet fruits are good and bad fruits are bad. So ask your yourself what sort of fruit do I produce? Start by using the litmus test of how you treat does who cannot pay you back. Do you throw feasts for your rich friends and ignore your parents need?, do you throw feasts and ignore the plea of a friend in need of a loan?

IS THIS ONLY ABOUT MATERIAL WEALTH?
No, it is whatever you are blessed with. You are blessed with the gift of preaching,you preach far and wide but you do not preach to your children, siblings to change from their sinful ways. In whatever measure you have, give to the poor (those who don't have) for the Good Lord is a friend and lover of the poor.

THE BROTHERS OF THE RICH MAN
these are doubting Thomas. Those who have hardened their hearts and minds against life after death. They see themselves to be intelligent simply because they seem to differ. The live as though they will live forever. They say to themselves, look at all the money I have through my hard work yet this believer who claims his Bible told him he will be given all he asks for is poor. This is the ideology of the Rich man's brothers that is why the rich man requested for a dead man to go back to them because it is only then they would believe. To all who doubt the existence of an after life, we pray to God for their hearts to be open before it is too late.
Thanks for reading this,kindly share your contribution
Cc Lalasticlala

all this your long talk sef.

that rich man passes HIS GATE at all times and must have seen Lazarus there and did nothing.

Good one

Good question

irynterri:
SERMON
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is argued by many to be a true life story, because unlike others a character was named. There are several lessons to be learned from this wonderful story told by Our Lord and they include the following:
1. MATERIAL WEALTH IS NOT ALWAYS A SIGN THAT YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH OF SALVATION : contrary to claims of some prosperity preachers, this story comes to show that you being wealthy does not mean you are on the right path with God. The Pharisees of Jesus' time were money loving people who believed been wealthy was a sign your worship was acceptable to God. Wealth does not only come from God, you can get money from the devil, you can get money from cheating others , you can get from falsifying your scales, but good wealth come from God and more important to him is what you do with it, for to whom more is given, more is expected. Hence,stop envying those around you who are rich without following the way of the Father,for what lies ahead of them you do not Know and might not wish to partake in it, stop questioning God when you see a poor righteous man, for what lies ahead of him is the greatest that can happen to any mortal,remember the earth and its wealth is not our home, we all will leave here one day. BEEN POOR DOES NOT MEAN GOD HATES YOU.

2. THE SIN OF THE RICH MAN
The sin of the rich man was not loving his neighbor like himself. Your neighbor is any one around you, whether rich or poor, male or female, believer or non-believer. Show all love and help all in need. Jesus did not accuse him of not helping anyone at all, he was accused of not helping the Beggar at his gate. So many of us today do the most abominable things to those who we feel are not in our social status around us, look around in churches and you can easily spot who the house girl is in a family, some rich families make their house helps sleep on the bare floor and eat spoilt food. O how vile the fruit we bear are! A tree is known by its fruit, does who produce sweet fruits are good and bad fruits are bad. So ask your yourself what sort of fruit do I produce? Start by using the litmus test of how you treat does who cannot pay you back. Do you throw feasts for your rich friends and ignore your parents need?, do you throw feasts and ignore the plea of a friend in need of a loan?

IS THIS ONLY ABOUT MATERIAL WEALTH?
No, it is whatever you are blessed with. You are blessed with the gift of preaching,you preach far and wide but you do not preach to your children, siblings to change from their sinful ways. In whatever measure you have, give to the poor (those who don't have) for the Good Lord is a friend and lover of the poor.

THE BROTHERS OF THE RICH MAN
these are doubting Thomas. Those who have hardened their hearts and minds against life after death. They see themselves to be intelligent simply because they seem to differ. The live as though they will live forever. They say to themselves, look at all the money I have through my hard work yet this believer who claims his Bible told him he will be given all he asks for is poor. This is the ideology of the Rich man's brothers that is why the rich man requested for a dead man to go back to them because it is only then they would believe. To all who doubt the existence of an after life, we pray to God for their hearts to be open before it is too late.
Thanks for reading this,kindly share your contribution
Cc Lalasticlala

Good sermon, thank you very much. BUT, your sermon seem to dwell on monetary wealth only.

Wealth is not necessarily the cash one has or poverty the lack of it. They are very wealthy people who are not as rich monetarily and they are very wealth men who do not have cash.

In the Kingdom of God, things are not the way they are in the secular world.

If you ask me, i'd say, the Rich man didn't end up in hell or Hades because he didn't feed Lazarus, Yes, he should have, but that was not his only fault. What was his motive for not doing it? Motive is what YHWH will primarily use to judge us. Why did you do it?

I'd say, he didn't do it because of his PRIDE OR HAUGHTINESS.

When you consider yourself better than the next person, then you have a problem with YHWH. If it were just a matter of giving, am sure if a man or woman of his status showed up in his house while at table, he'll insist that the person joins him. But, Pride was his undoing.

The Issue is Pride. His condescending attitude did not allow him consider that Lazarus was human just as he was.

And, Listen, when you stand preaching the Gospel but take a position to condemn another preacher, you invalidate your position. because, you are not called into that ministry by the master. Anyone who stands on others to be seen, will eventually fall.

If you take time to listen to the so called Prosperity preachers, you'd understand that, they try to go beyond 'the life of Jesus' which was offered as a propitiation for us, to the PRINCIPLES OF JESUS which he taught us what to do and how to do it to occupy this earth until his return.

If you decides to end at 'the Life of Jesus' without applying 'the Principles of Jesus', then be okay with that, instead of criticizing those who goes further.

The Rich man didn't go to hell because he was Rich and Lazarus didn't end up in the Bossom of Abraham because he was poor. All of them had attitudes which propelled their actions while alive, and that determined where they both ended.

As much as Jesus said 'The Poor shall not cease in our midst', we as Christians are also enjoined to work with our own hands. The Bible says 'A lazy man should not be given food. He that does no work, shd not eat.

Why was Lazarus poor? Was he sick hence, could not work with his hands or just lazy? I believe in Lazarus's case he was sick, so can be excused. But if not, he had no right to go to the rich man's house to beg.

Bottomline, poverty is not a mark of Holiness, for poverty is a spirit and it is evil. Jesus said, 'Let the poor say i am rich'. Why is that?

Again, Riches or wealth is not a mark of Sin. Anyone who workd hard will be wealthy. A believer or an unbeliever. Sowing and reaping happens to both.

There's no father of faith who was poor and a begger. Is it Abraham, or Jacob? ot Joseph, or who?

Stop preaching a wrong gospel pls.

If we work hard, especially if you are rightly planted and in a good soil, doing what pleases God, He'll prosper you and you'd leave substance for your offspring.

Poverty is sin.

Shalom.

Rich without SALVATION... Got him in Hell

He did not share?

A lesson well learnt...

hmmmm

.

At least he allowed his dogs take care of the pooor man's wound, init?
The rich mans sin was simply being rich. Jesus was mostly against rich people...He always wanted them to sell their properties and give all to the poor.

Notice the apostles folllowed that same pattern. Everybody sold whatever they had and gave to the poor.

But today, an oyedepo or one of those charlatans would take from the poor and build schools and hotels and tell you "Job was the richestman in the east"..

SMH

Following

The sin of self
Chikena!

Ego.


Neglecting the poor and needy

Because god created someone poor and that was god’s will for the poor man, but the rich man did help the poor man because he didn’t want to tamper with god’s will for the poor man. God now sent him to hell

The rich man is like our modern day politicians, very self centered, and greedy..

The Bible, made us to understand that love your neighbors, as thy self.

But the rich man didn't do that.

He was wicked.... he never cared for the poor... he looked down on people

Judging by the comments that means that a lot of Nigerian pastors would go to hell

Even if the dead comes to life to warn.. They will still not believe.. They will say its fake ...

Also even though he was in hell he was still sending Lazarus. Imagine he still no know[i][/i] say Lazarus level done change. Pride na wah ala

Emmanystone:

Good sermon, thank you very much. BUT, your sermon seem to dwell on monetary wealth only.

Wealth is not necessarily the cash one has or poverty the lack of it. They are very wealthy people who are not as rich monetarily and they are very wealth men who do not have cash.

In the Kingdom of God, things are not the way they are in the secular world.

If you ask me, i'd say, the Rich man didn't end up in hell or Hades because he didn't feed Lazarus, Yes, he should have, but that was not his only fault. What was his motive for not doing it? Motive is what YHWH will primarily use to judge us. Why did you do it?

I'd say, he didn't do it because of his PRIDE OR HAUGHTINESS.

When you consider yourself better than the next person, then you have a problem with YHWH. If it were just a matter of giving, am sure if a man or woman of his status showed up in his house while at table, he'll insist that the person joins him. But, Pride was his undoing.

The Issue is Pride. His condescending attitude did not allow him consider that Lazarus was human just as he was.

And, Listen, when you stand preaching the Gospel but take a position to condemn another preacher, you invalidate your position. because, you are not called into that ministry by the master. Anyone who stands on others to be seen, will eventually fall.

If you take time to listen to the so called Prosperity preachers, you'd understand that, they try to go beyond 'the life of Jesus' which was offered as a propitiation for us, to the PRINCIPLES OF JESUS which he taught us what to do and how to do it to occupy this earth until his return.

If you decides to end at 'the Life of Jesus' without applying 'the Principles of Jesus', then be okay with that, instead of criticizing those who goes further.

The Rich man didn't go to hell because he was Rich and Lazarus didn't end up in the Bossom of Abraham because he was poor. All of them had attitudes which propelled their actions while alive, and that determined where they both ended.

As much as Jesus said 'The Poor shall not cease in our midst', we as Christians are also enjoined to work with our own hands. The Bible says 'A lazy man should not be given food. He that does no work, shd not eat.

Why was Lazarus poor? Was he sick hence, could not work with his hands or just lazy? I believe in Lazarus's case he was sick, so can be excused. But if not, he had no right to go to the rich man's house to beg.

Bottomline, poverty is not a mark of Holiness, for poverty is a spirit and it is evil. Jesus said, 'Let the poor say i am rich'. Why is that?

Again, Riches or wealth is not a mark of Sin. Anyone who workd hard will be wealthy. A believer or an unbeliever. Sowing and reaping happens to both.

There's no father of faith who was poor and a begger. Is it Abraham, or Jacob? ot Joseph, or who?

Stop preaching a wrong gospel pls.

If we work hard, especially if you are rightly planted and in a good soil, doing what pleases God, He'll prosper you and you'd leave substance for your offspring.

Poverty is sin.

Shalom.

you spoke well but poverty is not sin. The poor must be found around us. Some poor people are righteous, likewise some rich people. How you live your life as a poor or rich person determines whether you're a sinner or not.

Pride, arrogance, envy, greed are the things God Almighty hate so much.

Emmanystone:

Good sermon, thank you very much. BUT, your sermon seem to dwell on monetary wealth only.

Wealth is not necessarily the cash one has or poverty the lack of it. They are very wealthy people who are not as rich monetarily and they are very wealth men who do not have cash.

In the Kingdom of God, things are not the way they are in the secular world.

If you ask me, i'd say, the Rich man didn't end up in hell or Hades because he didn't feed Lazarus, Yes, he should have, but that was not his only fault. What was his motive for not doing it? Motive is what YHWH will primarily use to judge us. Why did you do it?

I'd say, he didn't do it because of his PRIDE OR HAUGHTINESS.

When you consider yourself better than the next person, then you have a problem with YHWH. If it were just a matter of giving, am sure if a man or woman of his status showed up in his house while at table, he'll insist that the person joins him. But, Pride was his undoing.

The Issue is Pride. His condescending attitude did not allow him consider that Lazarus was human just as he was.

And, Listen, when you stand preaching the Gospel but take a position to condemn another preacher, you invalidate your position. because, you are not called into that ministry by the master. Anyone who stands on others to be seen, will eventually fall.

If you take time to listen to the so called Prosperity preachers, you'd understand that, they try to go beyond 'the life of Jesus' which was offered as a propitiation for us, to the PRINCIPLES OF JESUS which he taught us what to do and how to do it to occupy this earth until his return.

If you decides to end at 'the Life of Jesus' without applying 'the Principles of Jesus', then be okay with that, instead of criticizing those who goes further.

The Rich man didn't go to hell because he was Rich and Lazarus didn't end up in the Bossom of Abraham because he was poor. All of them had attitudes which propelled their actions while alive, and that determined where they both ended.

As much as Jesus said 'The Poor shall not cease in our midst', we as Christians are also enjoined to work with our own hands. The Bible says 'A lazy man should not be given food. He that does no work, shd not eat.

Why was Lazarus poor? Was he sick hence, could not work with his hands or just lazy? I believe in Lazarus's case he was sick, so can be excused. But if not, he had no right to go to the rich man's house to beg.

Bottomline, poverty is not a mark of Holiness, for poverty is a spirit and it is evil. Jesus said, 'Let the poor say i am rich'. Why is that?

Again, Riches or wealth is not a mark of Sin. Anyone who workd hard will be wealthy. A believer or an unbeliever. Sowing and reaping happens to both.

There's no father of faith who was poor and a begger. Is it Abraham, or Jacob? ot Joseph, or who?

Stop preaching a wrong gospel pls.

If we work hard, especially if you are rightly planted and in a good soil, doing what pleases God, He'll prosper you and you'd leave substance for your offspring.

Poverty is sin.

Shalom.

.
No doubt you're well rooted in the living words.
But I cease to believe poverty is a spirit,A close friend once said "The only time He will stop serving God is when He doesn't eat anything for a whole day without him fasting" the standard prayer by Jesus teach us to request for our daily bread,not for the week...
He's the Almighty God,He gives riches to both believers and non believer.
In my own assumption,I believe the difference between a Christian and non believer will be the eternal Life...
He will bless all of us according to his riches in glory Christians and pagans, but everlasting life will be the difference.
While on earth a Christian can be poor and he will pray till forever,no answer...why:The answer is not far fetch...He said as the heaven is from the Earth ,so is thought against ours...

If you're a billionaire and you send your kid to go buy Razor blade from aboki down the street, the kid got there and start calling you that He wants biscuits and chocomilo...you might choose not to answer him..because there are better biscuits and chocolate at home in excess,so in just your less than 2 minutes walk from Aboki store down here,you will not die without biscuits.

A man lives a 100 years on earth is nothing compare to eternity.....
If you think I'm wrong let me know...I'm ready to learn.
Thank you.

Carelessness.

the story, just like other cock & bull stories that made up religious books, was fabricated to protect the rich elites and make the poor masses, servants, slaves and multitude of downtrodden religious followers to be happy with their downtrodden lot in life in the hope that the tables will be turned in the next life while the rich live in luxury.
By planting this false hope, the rich will be able to continue to enjoy the luxuries they have become accustomed to, while the poor remain willingly downtrodden with their sorry-life in false hope of something better after death.

Something as simple as showing love to everyone may seem simple but it's not easy when you are rich, because when you are rich you tend to only show love to people in your level and above. This the rich man failed to do.

His sin was not what he did, it's what he didn't do.

The main problem was lack of repentance. Check verse 30 of the scripture you quoted and you will see that the rich man mentioned it.

Iryneterri,
Thanks. Lesson well learnt. But how can we distinguish between genuine beggars and fake?. These days some give money to beggars and land themselves in ritual killers Den

Emmanystone:

Good sermon, thank you very much. BUT, your sermon seem to dwell on monetary wealth only.

Wealth is not necessarily the cash one has or poverty the lack of it. They are very wealthy people who are not as rich monetarily and they are very wealth men who do not have cash.

In the Kingdom of God, things are not the way they are in the secular world.

If you ask me, i'd say, the Rich man didn't end up in hell or Hades because he didn't feed Lazarus, Yes, he should have, but that was not his only fault. What was his motive for not doing it? Motive is what YHWH will primarily use to judge us. Why did you do it?

I'd say, he didn't do it because of his PRIDE OR HAUGHTINESS.

When you consider yourself better than the next person, then you have a problem with YHWH. If it were just a matter of giving, am sure if a man or woman of his status showed up in his house while at table, he'll insist that the person joins him. But, Pride was his undoing.

The Issue is Pride. His condescending attitude did not allow him consider that Lazarus was human just as he was.

And, Listen, when you stand preaching the Gospel but take a position to condemn another preacher, you invalidate your position. because, you are not called into that ministry by the master. Anyone who stands on others to be seen, will eventually fall.

If you take time to listen to the so called Prosperity preachers, you'd understand that, they try to go beyond 'the life of Jesus' which was offered as a propitiation for us, to the PRINCIPLES OF JESUS which he taught us what to do and how to do it to occupy this earth until his return.

If you decides to end at 'the Life of Jesus' without applying 'the Principles of Jesus', then be okay with that, instead of criticizing those who goes further.

The Rich man didn't go to hell because he was Rich and Lazarus didn't end up in the Bossom of Abraham because he was poor. All of them had attitudes which propelled their actions while alive, and that determined where they both ended.

As much as Jesus said 'The Poor shall not cease in our midst', we as Christians are also enjoined to work with our own hands. The Bible says 'A lazy man should not be given food. He that does no work, shd not eat.

Why was Lazarus poor? Was he sick hence, could not work with his hands or just lazy? I believe in Lazarus's case he was sick, so can be excused. But if not, he had no right to go to the rich man's house to beg.

Bottomline, poverty is not a mark of Holiness, for poverty is a spirit and it is evil. Jesus said, 'Let the poor say i am rich'. Why is that?

Again, Riches or wealth is not a mark of Sin. Anyone who workd hard will be wealthy. A believer or an unbeliever. Sowing and reaping happens to both.

There's no father of faith who was poor and a begger. Is it Abraham, or Jacob? ot Joseph, or who?

Stop preaching a wrong gospel pls.

If we work hard, especially if you are rightly planted and in a good soil, doing what pleases God, He'll prosper you and you'd leave substance for your offspring.

Poverty is sin.

Shalom.

"anyone who works hard will be wealthy" really,who taught you that,my guy it is by maximising your opportunity when it presents itself,there are many hardworking people earning peanuts.
what the passage teaches is to be wealthy and humble,have a good heart,respect and care for people regardless of their status.

bedspread:
Rich without SALVATION... Got him in Hell

You gat it right.
Rich Without Salvation.