Things can get pretty hot here in Southern California. If you want it even hotter, you need only travel less than an hour away to get to Palm Springs. If you want to get to where some of the highest temperatures in the world get recorded, Death Valley is less than 4.5 hours away. There, brutally high temperatures over 115 degrees are normal for this time of year and it will get even hotter. If you go outside in such heat it is breath taking. Would you choose to go out to Death Valley in the hottest time of the year during the hottest part of the day, without fans or air conditioning? Probably not. You know that under the torment of the fiery sun, you will groan and become weak, thirsty, and your body cannot long withstand the torment of such brutal heat. It is dangerous; without something to quench and cool, the body will die.

In today's Gospel text we heard of a man who finds himself in a far greater heat and fiery torment. The one known in Christ's parable only as "the rich man" finds himself in Hell. This formerly rich man laments to Abraham that Hell is a place of torment and that he is "in anguish". He says," If only Abraham could send Lazarus to "dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue" it would be a merciful act, "for I am in anguish in this flame".

Hell is real. It is the place of judgement that so much of the world and even many who claim to be Christian "pooh-pooh" and try to ignore. They may say that hell exists but it's only for really bad people, such as Joseph Stalin or Adolf Hitler. The topic of an eternal place of torment and judgement makes them uncomfortable. It scares them, perhaps. Perhaps it makes them question their own life choices, their day to day sins, their failure to show mercy to their fellow men and women, that there may be a God who, though merciful, is also a just God, who will hold people liable for their sins and punish those who do not repent to Him but rather worship other gods.

Hell is real. It is not, however, like the cartoons where the Devil is the head administrator and greeter, where the devil torments those judged. No, the torment is "a fire that is never quenched and a worm that never dies" as written in Mark 9. In addition to that, it will be a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth in pain and anguish also because like "the formerly rich man" people will ultimately realize the Truth and that they had their whole life to repent but instead, ignored God, ignored His word of Law and Gospel, and now in Hell, they cannot escape. As Abraham in Jesus' parable points out: "between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us."

The still unrepentant "former rich man" who had never had to beg in life, begs one last time. This time for Lazarus, to do something again, this time to be sent to warn his brothers to turn from their ways, to prevent them from ending up in that place of torment. But what did Abraham tell him?: "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them." And he replied, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' Abraham said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'

The rich man, his brothers, and Lazarus all had the testimony of Moses and the Prophets. And standing there at the moment this parable was spoken was the greater testimony in Jesus Christ. We could almost excuse some of the ignorance of those around Jesus because Jesus had not yet died or risen from the dead as the fulfillment of the Old Testament testimonies. But even that ignorance is no excuse. 

What is our excuse? We have Moses, the prophets, the Psalms, and the testimony of the One who has risen from the dead yet look how many do not heed it. How often do we also take this testimony for granted or see it as relatively unimportant?
In Christ’s parable, we do not hear that the “rich man” was inherently evil nor that it was his status as “being rich” which condemned him to hell. Nor are we told that Lazarus was saved because of his poverty. Earthly riches and blessings or the lack thereof are not the measurement of salvation. Abraham was wealthy and yet was saved, even as many beggars at the time Jesus may not have been saved.
What is the benchmark for salvation? What had the rich man and his brothers done wrong? The rich man was a direct descendant of Abraham, yet he was not saved for the sake of his bloodline, a testimony even against the false doctrine today among many evangelicals that all “Jews will be saved”.

So, what was it? What was his damning sin? It was faith. Damning faith. Faith only in the things of this world. He sought enjoyment, happiness, indulgence, and praise in the things of this world only. He apparently did not use his blessings as a good steward out of joyful gratitude to the Lord either for the benefit of Lazarus or anyone else, if he did any good works at all. If he did, it was not done out of faith toward God, but for earthly praise.

Lazarus was not saved because of his perfection or poverty and sores. He may have struggled with coveting the rich man and others who did not have so many troubles and sufferings. He was a sinner, but it is quite likely that because of his helpless and miserable condition, he was forced to lean all the more upon faith outside himself unto God, trusting upon Him for every breath, every morsel not only of food, but for the hope of the life to come.

The main point of this parable seems to ask who and what your god is. What is a god? Luther, under the First Commandment in the Large Catechism, writes, “A god means that from which we are to expect all good and in which we are to take refuge in all distress. So, to have a god is nothing other than trusting and believing Him with the heart.”

We show who our god is by the decisions we make, by how we live our life, how we treat other people, and so on, but that doesn’t go far enough. Some of that is superficial. The why is the greater question. Why do you treat other people the way you do? Why are you making this decision or that? Is it to glorify God who is in heaven or to glorify yourself: either by impressing others who will glorify you or as a direct self-glorifying activity?

Are you giving thanks unto the Lord in your blessings as you take that trip, buy that boat, or are you just treating yourself? Do you make that investment, take that promotion because it will help you to provide for the church, your community, and family or for your own profit and pride? Will it cause you to be away from your church, your family, your community? Will you make excuses for not doing devotions and prayers or coming to where the true God is because you are too tired or occupied with that job, sports, or other priorities? If you have time to sit and watch television for half an hour, you have time to crack open the Bible for yourself and your family. If you cannot make time for God, then who is your god and where then is saving faith?

Repent of this while there is time. That is also the message in this parable. There is only so much time in this life. Hell is real; even as heaven most assuredly is. The way to heaven is narrow, but the way to hell is wide and many will pass through. Repent and be turned. Hear Moses and the Prophets, hear the voice of the one who has been raised from the dead, and be saved.

But lest you be confused. Salvation is not in going through the motions. Salvation is not in doing good works alone. Salvation is not in coming to church and volunteering, nor by giving away all your wealth. Those works which can be and are good are only good if the “why” they are happening is right.

Salvation only comes by faith in God’s grace. By recognizing that no matter if you are blessed with earthly wealth and riches or struggle from week to week, you are still blessed far beyond what you deserve. Salvation comes from admitting that you are a miserable beggar and sinner worthy of hell. You admit your sin not to excuse your sin, but to seek mercy and strength by the forgiveness of sin from the only true God who has created heaven and earth. You plead not your righteousness and goodness, but you plead in the name of Jesus Christ, for His righteousness’ sake.

Jesus, the Son of God showed forth the love, mercy and will of God to fulfill His own justice for those who repent even as His sacrifice was sufficient for all people. The Son of God set aside the full exercise of His Divine power and made Himself poor by attaching Himself to the flesh of human beggars. He took upon Himself even our sores. The festering sores of sin which deserved eternal everlasting torment of fire and anguish, these He took to the cross. He hung in agony and anguish in crucified death to beg and plead not for the sake of His own healing and survival, but for the healing, survival, and the gift of life eternal for you and me.

Now as those who have been baptized, repented, and forgiven, hear now and heed His voice in order to become the true children of Abraham by faith and thus true children of God through Christ. Awaken to the joy that is set for you in Christ. Let this gratitude be that which propels you to love and do good to your neighbor and live the life with all its blessings that He gives to you now.

In the midst of a sin sick world, there are and will be sores and times of trouble, doubt, and fear, but do not give up. Cast it upon the Lord. Look to the cross. Receive His life blood and eat the body of Jesus Christ and be filled with His Spirit and His strength. Repeat and rejoice and be made strong until His angels take you to be safe at His side in His eternal comfort for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas