Shalom,
It has been one year that we have been blessed with a series of sermons taken from the Gospel of Luke. We are constantly reminded that as people who received salvation, we must perform works of faith, namely good deeds. But do good deeds really save? No. We are saved by faith (Ephesians 2:6).
Why can’t man receive salvation from their good works? The act of faith of the saved person was described by Jesus through two stories: a servant who cannot serve two masters; the rich man and the poor Lazarus.
At that time Jesus was talking to His disciples about devotion to two masters – God or Mammon – and His conversation was heard by the Pharisees, the servants of money (Luke 16:13-14).
Then Jesus changed to another topic of the rich man and the poor Lazarus (vv. 19-31). What happened to them? Both of them died but were taken to different places: the poor Lazarus was brought by an angel into Abraham's bosom (in Paradise) while the rich man was suffering in hell (Hades). Who are Lazarus and the rich man referring to? Lazarus describes the ordinary congregation, and the rich man, a Pharisee, a spiritual leader or servant of God.
Did you know that since Adam and Eve fell into sin, men created in the image of God have been corrupted but at the same time have been trying to find God as the source of their souls? Unfortunately all their efforts did not succeed. Example: Cain failed to offer a sacrifice that was acceptable to God. Nimrod failed to build the tower of Babel which reached its peak to the heavens to meet God. In Noah's time, men became increasingly evil and only Noah and his family survived the flood. By faith, Abraham was favored by God. He was justified before being circumcised; in other words circumcision did not save his life. He had faith even before the Law existed. The Israelites failed to interpret the Law. And to this day there are still servants of God and those who claim to be Christians think that salvation is obtained because of their proficiency in carrying out God's law.
It is proven that all people starting from those living in the Old Testament up to the New Testament era, including the Pharisees, God's servants, and Christians today, have been desiring and striving to obtain salvation.
There are many kinds of religions in this world including Christianity that teach us that salvation is obtained by faith. However, many servants of God and congregations still think that they must do good works in order to obtain salvation. Therefore, Jesus straightened out this mindset and what He said was heard by the Pharisees. From these two stories, what did Jesus want to teach?
- Salvation is related to devotion.
The work of salvation is not just a ritual or liturgy but it’s related to devotion, love, and faithfulness.
It turns out that the Pharisees ignored the devotion because they served two masters, namely God and mammon – money. They carried out their ministries merely to comply with their position and duty as spiritual leaders (servants of God). And they used (master) mammon to get as much profit as possible. That's why Jesus alluded to them for having strayed from their devotion. Watch out for spiritual leaders who are actually slaves to money!
The devotion referred by Jesus is not about the relationship between a servant and a master that is bond by law concerning the salary. It’s rather a unique devotion that is accompanied by a sense of love and respect like married couples. The husband devotes to his wife without fear and burden but works hard to please the wife he loves. Likewise, the wife serves her husband with respect, not like a servant to her master. There is an element of love and respect in a husband-wife relationship as experienced by Abraham-Sarah. Sarah indeed called her husband “master” (1 Peter 3:6), but this does not mean she was positioning herself as a servant to her master. Rather, she showed how a holy woman should dress herself and submit to her husband (v. 5).
On one occasion when Sarah overheard one of the “guests” telling Abraham that the following year she would have a son, she laughed in her heart and said, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure (in Hebrew, eden: pleasure, delight), my lord being old also?” (Genesis 18:12). Eden → Garden of Eden which was made up for the newlyweds Adam-Eve. Apparently, their intimate relationship was timeless. Sarah continued to "dress up" for her husband and it was proven that Isaac was born the following year.
Application: Husband-wife relationship must be characterized by timeless love and respect. Wives dress up for husbands and husbands are loyal to wives. The older the age of the marriage, the wiser and closer to God the husband and wife should become. Each of them must work out their salvation by having a close relationship with God. In so doing, they will embody the healthy relationship between the church (the wife) and Christ as the Heavenly Bridegroom (the husband).
The atmosphere of Eden like this is what God wants. Unfortunately, it often happens that over time what the spouse does for their mate becomes merely a habit. The husband would focus on his responsibility to work hard to provide for his family, neglecting the need of his wife to be loved. Likewise, the wife is so busy preparing food, clothing, and other necessities that she forgets giving respect to her husband by asking him first before making any decision. The same is true with our relationship with God. We should worship Him with respect without diminishing our love for Him. If we do not love our God, our relationship with Him will crack because it is done as a habit without any improvement. Regarding love and respect, the Pharisees did not love God but took advantage of Him.
Please note that salvation is not taking but giving.
Although Jesus narrated the rich and the poor Lazarus in a metaphorical form, He was actually focusing on the Pharisee, the servant of money. For them, following Jesus was to get something (taking) and Jesus wanted to overturn their erroneous thoughts. They served God with false respect and without true love. For them, the salvation they sought by doing the law was a bridge for taking, not an opportunity for giving.
Lesson learned: The root of erroneous thoughts or perversion in the lives of God's children is mostly due to the wrong perspective of worship. We must work out our salvation by giving. Obedience to God is about giving and our worship is also giving. Without realizing it, the spirit of getting something (at least a blessing) has been embedded in the hearts and minds of the pastors and congregations. An example of a high spiritual value is giving our life because salvation cannot be replaced by anything. Indeed we come to God with struggles and problems, but the motivation behind our approaching Him should be the expression of gratitude for the salvation He has given. If we receive a physical blessing, it is the sovereignty of God who cares for us, and is a bonus from Him. But the Pharisees did not do such a thing.
- Salvation is connected to eternal life. Therefore, our lives today will be accounted against because there is inevitable judgment that is evidenced by Jesus’ story about the rich who was put in Hades (waiting place of hell) while Lazarus was in Paradise (heavenly atmosphere). Why did Jesus subsequently talk about three topics: serving two masters, divorce and adultery, and the rich man and the poor Lazarus? They seem to be unrelated to one The Pharisees hated adultery (in theory) and were most eager to find anyone who committed adultery. They even arrested a woman who was caught red-handed committing an adultery (John 8:3). Ironically, in Jesus' eyes the Pharisees had cheated God because their hearts were tied to mammon. They worshipped God not on the basis of love and faithfulness but only as a ritual. This means they had committed adultery with money. Doesn't this show that they were toying with fornication?
What is their attitude? Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.”
Rich man refers to the Pharisees who always dressed themselves in purple robes → like to wear branded clothes and fine fabrics → following fashion trend and rejoice in luxury every day → always have a party.
Are there clergy and servants of God who serve Him with a luxurious lifestyle and like posting stories in social media, showing off how they are blessed in their ministry? Remember, we must be accountable to God for all our attitudes and actions (Romans 14:12).
When the rich man was still alive he ignored Lazarus, whose body was full of ulcers and who was starving, laying at his gate. He even took advantage of poor Lazarus by letting the dogs lick his ulcers. It depicts a classy servant of God who turns a blind eye to his poor and sick congregation.
Introspection: Have we cared for and helped those who are living in difficulty, especially during this pandemic? Or do we exploit the widows’ and orphans’ names to get ourselves money? The insatiable appetite for money at any cost must not be gratified! Remember, judgment is real! The proof is that after they both died, the rich man (the priest) entered Hades while the poor Lazarus was taken to Paradise. In what area are we often tempted to do unholy things? In a holy place! Then, who is the most effective person to mislead and destroy the congregation? The priest!
It is further narrated that this rich man cried in pain and thirst in Hades and then asked Abraham to tell Lazarus to remind his five brothers who were still alive on earth so that they would not enter the same place of suffering as him. Abraham asserted that if they did not listen to the testimony of Moses and the prophets, they would not be convinced even by those who rose from the dead.
The number five is often associated with the Pentateuch (five Books of Moses), meaning: There are still many people outside who know God's Word but do not do it. They need to be reminded not to imitate the mentality and lifestyle of the Pharisees.
Application: The books of the Old Testament and the New Testament must be preached in church. We need strong teaching to mature our spirituality and to repair broken marriages. Miracles and wonders cannot bring people to salvation.
God has given salvation to those who believe in Him. For that, we must work on our salvation by doing good deeds – extending help to those in hardships – with devotion, love, and faithfulness. Everything we do will be accounted for on the judgment day. Therefore, do not live recklessly but pursue holiness until we find favor with God. Amen.