“What’s the Point” – Sermon notes from Sept 29, 2013
September 29, 2013
Scripture: Luke 16: 19-31
Jesus continued teaching: There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out…Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’
The man cried out: “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” The Rich man argued, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” But Abraham said, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead.”
Sermon Notes: What’s the Point?
by Rev. Doreen Oughton
– Read a bit of Runaway Bunny. Who is this story for? What is the point of the story? Does it tell us anything about bunnies?
– An old man on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered his servants to bring in a bundle of sticks, and said to his eldest son: “Break it.” The son strained and strained, but with all his efforts was unable to break the bundle. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. “Untie the bundle,” said the father, “and each of you take a stick.” When they had done so, he called out to them: “Now, break,” and each stick was easily broken. What is the point of the story? Are we supposed to understand something about sticks? Who is this story for?
– Two roosters were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the farmyard. One at last put the other to flight. The losing skulked away and hid himself in a quiet corner, while the conqueror, flying up to a high wall, flapped his wings and crowed exultingly with all his might. An Eagle sailing through the air pounced upon him and carried him off in his talons. The rooster that lost the contest immediately came out of his corner, and ruled henceforth with undisputed mastery. Who is this story for? What is the point of the story? Do we learn something about roosters or eagles?
– Because the tea shop was crowded, a man took the other chair at her table and ordered tea. The woman [already seated there] was prepared for a leisurely time, so she began to read her paper. As she did so, she took a cookie from the package on the table, and noticed that the man across from her also took a cookie from the same package. This upset her greatly, but she ignored it and kept reading. After a while she took another cookie. And so did he! This unnerved her and she glared at the man. While she glared, he reached for the fifth and last cookie, smiled and offered her half of it. She was indignant. She paid her money and left in a great hurry, enraged at such a presumptuous man. She hurried to her bus stop just outside. She opened her purse to get her fare. And then she saw, much to her distress, that in her purse was her own package of cookies unopened. What is the point of the story? Who is this story for? Is it trying to tell us something about women, or about men, or about tea shops or cookies?
As you listened to these stories, did you concern yourself with whether or not they “really happened?”… Why do we tell stories about things that haven’t really happened? … Are stories good for communicating important truths anyway?
Jesus was a great storyteller, and in today’s gospel passage he tells one. “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores.” Who do you think this story is for? … This is part of a discourse Jesus has been given that starts back in chapter 15 – “Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling.” He tells stories of the lost sheep and the lost coin, about the prodigal son and the dishonest manager. Some of his teachings are directed towards his disciples, but the Pharisees overhear this and ridicule him. Luke says that the Pharisees were “lovers of money,” and Jesus takes them to task. He tells them, “God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.” And then he tells this story.
So who is this story for?…. (Pharisees, sinners and tax collectors, disciples, us?) Are we supposed to learn something about Abraham, about God, about rich men, about hell, about Lazarus?
Now maybe I am the only one, but I find myself analyzing nearly every scripture passage for what it is saying about God, and God’s relationship with people. I feel on guard against the idea of a vengeful, punishing God. I get my back up about threats of eternal damnation, about it ever being too late to be saved, about any notion that there is something we could possibly do that would drive God to abandon us forever. These ideas are not part of my theology, my understanding of the nature of God and God’s relationship with us, and I am determined to pick them apart when I preach. I looked back on what I preached about this passage 3 years ago, and it was all focused on that, on disputing this chasm, this hellfire that the rich man is in. I lamented that, according to this passage, I would be in that hellfire because of my comparative wealth.
But it struck me full force as I read this passage this time: IT’S A STORY! THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS AND ABRAHAM ARE CHARACTERS IN A STORY! That doesn’t mean there is no truth to the story, that there is no message there, but I am not to look for the message in the details of the story – in the burning flames or the chasm, though those details contribute to the story. The roosters and eagle paint a picture for that story better than flies and a bunny. The dying man and his sons give a more compelling message using sticks than a bunch of children playing in the yard might give with the same challenge. I have to ask who is the story for? What is the point of it? There is not just one right answer. It is fine to hear different messages. But there are wrong answers, there are answers, and questions, that miss the point.
– What are the messages of this story for the sinners and tax collectors,… for the Pharisees, … for the disciples, for us? Things are better for the poor in God’s kindom. (Lazarus is given a name by Jesus, but not the rich man) – Earthly wealth won’t mean squat in God’s kindom. – All people are seen, truly seen in God’s kindom. – We ought to try to see each other now as they are seen in the kindom, not as servants, not as objects to be manipu-lated, but as beloved. – There are many, many teachers who can help us to learn God’s ways. – If we are waiting for a special or different kind of message, we may just be blinded to the messages right in front of us.
– Stories might lead us to ask more Godly questions. What questions might come up for us? – Who am I not seeing? – Who is there, right outside my doorstep who yearns for a crumb from my table? – Am I ignoring clear messages from God because they are not what I want to hear? – What would it take to get me to listen? Do I feel hopeless that things will never get better for me? – Do I use people? – Have I put a chasm between me and God?
The bible is full of stories, some about the nature of God, some not; some about who Jesus Christ is and what he stood for; some – many about the nature of humankind. It is a rich resource that can talk to us about all kinds of important things. But it can be easy to miss the point, easy to get sidetracked by our own biases. So let’s help each other, let’s share our interpretations and our questions. Let’s wonder freely what all this has to do with us. I’m guessing we find that the point of it all is love. May it be so.
