There are many facets to stewardship than merely money. There’s stewardship of time. What receives priority in your schedule? There’s also stewardship of talent. What do you do with the talents and abilities with which God has blessed you? How do you put them to work in His kingdom?
Our Lord’s account of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke chapter sixteen gives us a look at what happens when you refuse to be a steward of both His time and His treasure. The treasure Jesus talks about here is your everlasting salvation that He has earned for you. Jesus’ words about the rich man show us that much can get in the way of that treasure. Earthly treasures especially like to cloud our vision of the heavenly treasure. Earthly treasure in and of itself does not obscure heavenly treasure. What our sinful nature believes about heavenly treasure skews the priority of fearing, loving, and trusting God above all things.
Jesus says the rich man was clothed in purple and fine linen. He feasted sumptuously every day. It is not sinful to wear expensive clothes and eat the best food. It is sinful, however, when what you wear and what you eat receive priority over hearing what the One Who gives you these things says to you in His Word. It is sinful when high fashion and Epicurean dining become your god at the expense of putting these things to use in furthering God’s kingdom among us, including helping those who have less.
Lazarus has less. He desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Lazarus’ only help seems to be dog spit. The rich man is in a position to care for Lazarus. Purple clothing and fine dining shows us that he could provide physical care for Lazarus. The rich man’s stewardship is lacking. He seems to steward only himself, especially as he sees Lazarus daily laying at his gate. Scripture is silent as to whether or not the two men had passing knowledge of each other. Scripture is not silent about their eventual futures.
Both men die. One lies at Abraham’s side. The other is in torment in Hades. Which man is the rich man now? Lazarus. Lazarus has always been the rich man. That’s what Jesus is telling us. Though our Lord doesn’t come right out and say it, we can use context clues to see that Lazarus is the true rich man in our Lord’s story. The rich man now comes to realize that he has neglected what was given to him. His purple clothes and sumptuous fare does him no good in eternal torment.
The rich man still thinks he has the advantage. He pleads to Abraham to send Lazarus to him. He begs Abraham to send Lazarus back to his brothers. Lazarus’ appearance before them will certainly change their minds about their lack of stewardship. All the rich man’s bossing around of Abraham and Lazarus is futile. Lazarus has his comfort. The rich man has his torment. There can be no passing between the two realms. There can be no going back to where you came to warn family members. The rich man had every opportunity to steward true riches among his family and friends. He had the opportunity to help Lazarus, who lay right outside his gate. Those opportunities are over.
Those opportunities are still there for you and me. We still have Moses and the prophets. Moses teaches us in the Third Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. The Sabbath day is kept holy when we do not misuse preaching and God’s Word but gladly hear it, learn from it, and hearken to it. That means we don’t let anything get in the way of God working on us in preaching, in baptism, in absolution, and in Holy Communion.
The rich man built his wall of affluence around Moses and the prophets. You and I build our wall of affluence around preaching and God’s Word. The proclamation of Moses is the proclamation of breaking down our walls of affluence and, perhaps the greatest enemy of Christians today, indifference.
You heard Vicar say a few weeks ago that atheism isn’t so much Christ’s enemy as indifference. Jesus shed His blood for me? Meh. Jesus meets me in the Divine Service with forgiveness and joy? Whatever. Now if I could see some signs and wonders, that might turn my meh into wow. The signs and wonders many seek are found in Moses and the prophets. Listen to them. Don’t discount their words, for they are spirit and truth. They show you Jesus, the priceless treasure Whose death and resurrection gives you a place at Abraham’s side for eternity.
Blessed are you, for you have riches beyond measure. You have Jesus. You have His Word. You are an heir of His treasure of eternal life. Money, possessions, and all our heavenly Father gives you will fall into place, for eternal treasure is a Christian’s greatest treasure.
Media Vita In Morte Sumus 