Pentecost 19 [Luke 16:19-31] (29 September 2013)

This sermon was preached at Trinity Lutheran, Tailem Bend (9 am).  

Intro: Where is money a problem? Is it a problem in your Super, where you don't know how it will perform over time? Is it a problem in your wallet, where it burns a hole right through? Is it a problem when it's in someone else's wallet and not yours? Or is it a problem in your heart? And if it's a problem in your heart, what's the prescription?

1. Money is a matter of the heart. The world doesn't understand this. That's easy to prove:
   1. Bible misquote #471: Money is the root of all evil. Bible correct quote: The love of money. . . (“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” – Paul links this heart problem to false faith – faith that rejects the Christian faith). It's not the money, or else why have a 7^th commandment, which exposes the abuse and misuse of money and possessions and defines the right use.
   2. [Money is a common idol] The love of money is very common, common enough that the (self-)righteous Pharisees had it: “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.”; it's a common sin, not a really difficult sin like international diamond thief. It's so easy and common that it's a problem for hearts who have money, and hearts that don't have so much money. And yet the rich man shows this idol in a difficult way – everyday a feast: “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.”. Reading along in Luke, feasts are for weddings and occasions as big or bigger (when the father receives back the prodigal son). They're not for everyday.
   3. Idols are idols in the heart.
      1. As silly as the rich man being damned by being rich is as silly as a rich person being saved by being rich – Abraham was rich, but he's in heaven, and Lazarus was poor and he's in heaven too “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.”. It's not about money, it's about the faith and trust of the heart.
      2. (Luther calls money one of the most common idols in the world) Idols are a source of comfort in place of the one true God. That makes money only one of the most common, but the list is as long as your arm.
         1. That makes the key to this reading v 25: “But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.” - the rich man found all the comfort he wanted in his lifestyle, but by faith Lazarus could find no comfort on earth.
         2. The commandment that forbids idols (the 1^st commandment) is the commandment that exposes idols of the heart.

Transition: So your heart doesn't need idols. They're helpless, as Lazarus was helpless, but believed that his only help and comfort was from God.

2. Your heart needs God's Word of Law and Gospel to trust in the true God for eternal life.
   1. The heart needs the Word, because the heart loves idols and doesn't want to break them – so God sends his Word because his Word alone both breaks idols and replaces idols.
      1. He wants to be your only comfort, so he converts what you want. He converts your will that wants to trust in money or works or anything that is less trustworthy than him (and nothing is more trustworthy than the true God).
      2. That is very clear when we baptize babies. They can't make an act of the will, but they receive this great gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation in Holy Baptism. And that is how helpless you are in salvation, and so we read of Jesus and the little children even when adults are baptized: “for to such belong the kingdom of God.”
   2. The word takes away all false comfort and gives only Jesus.
      1. The word of God gives Jesus in such a way that it gives the Father who sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit who brings Jesus through the Word. The word of God gives Jesus in such a way that there is no comfort outside of the forgiveness of sins in his name.
      2. Refuse to be comforted to hear “give your life to God”. Say “No! Only if Christ Jesus has given his life to give me life will I be comforted”. Don't accept your work in place of Christ's.
      3. Refuse to be comforted to hear “God loves you”. Say, “No! Only if Jesus has died for me do I know that I have a God who loves me.”
   3. To believe in Jesus is to have the same faith as Abraham – believing that God's Word does what it says.
      1. This is a contrast to the rich man, because he asks that for his brothers to repent, they be sent Lazarus back from the dead. In asking, he thinks the Word of God isn't enough to bring repentance. But Abraham (in Genesis) hears the Word and it is enough to be his only comfort.
      2. So when God's Word is your comfort, money isn't a problem in your heart, and it's not a problem for your neighbor in need either.
   4. The Bible does what it says when the Scripture speaks of the One who was crucified and is risen and brings you to the heavenly feast. When you hear Abraham say, “even if someone is raised from the dead”, you think “I know someone who is raised from the dead. Jesus.” Amazingly, his word is no less important than his resurrection.
      1. When it speaks of your sin, it shows you your sin more clearly than you could see it on your own, and when it speaks Jesus to those who have sin, they have Jesus.
      2. Paul responds to the uncertainty of riches with the hope of eternal life : “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, ¹⁹ thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”.
      3. To have Jesus is to know that you will feast in heaven. And if Jesus hosts a table in heaven, then he can host a heavenly table here that he may give you here the forgiveness of sins that is his to give, in the way he says he gives it. It is his body and blood because of his word.

Money is a matter of the heart which needs God's Word to trust in the risen Jesus alone for eternal life.

And if you have money and a heart, then you need this Word, because you need Jesus and the eternal life he gives.

Conclusion: Money is a problem in the heart when the heart is the problem. And the heart is the problem because sin is the problem. But the solution is what God's Word does to hearts, because God's Word gives sinners the crucified and risen Jesus. And Jesus is the only comfort of the heart, and the only way to eternal life. Amen.