Convinced

Convinced

The First Sunday after Trinity – 6/22/2025

Luke 16:19–31

Rev. Dr. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion from God’s holy Word for consideration this morning is our reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Luke in the sixteenth chapter, with special emphasis on verse thirty-one which reads as follows:

 “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

 Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Introduction

There’s an old saying: “Seeing is believing.” But in today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus flips that completely on its head. A man begs for a miracle from beyond the grave to convince his family to repent and Abraham says, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” In other words, if the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, won’t convince them, nothing will.

Jesus gives us this story not to alarm us with visions of the afterlife but to convince us now, in this life, of the truth: that God has given us everything we need in His Word, that is His Law and Gospel, to prepare us for eternity. And to ignore that Word is to risk eternal ruin, even condemnation

So today we listen to this teaching from our Lord with open ears not just to learn about heaven and hell, but to be convinced. Convinced of what? To be convinced of God’s purposes in giving us wealth, convinced that salvation comes by faith alone, and convinced that God’s Word is more powerful than even great miracles.

Wealth and the Reason God Gives It to Us

Jesus begins by painting two stark pictures. A rich man dressed in expensive purple and extravagant fine linen, feasting sumptuously every day. And a poor man named Lazarus, covered in sores, laid at the gate, longing for crumbs, whose clothing is in such tatters that all his sores and wounds are licked by the neighborhood dogs. It’s an extreme contrast, but that’s exactly the point.

The problem in the story is not that the man was rich. The Bible never says it is a sin to have money. Abraham, who speaks from heaven in this passage, was wealthy. King David was rich. Lydia in the New Testament was a businesswoman who helped fund Paul’s mission from her wealth. Wealth, in and of itself, is not the problem.

The problem is that the rich man used his great resources only for himself. His table was full, but he was empty in virtue and godliness. He failed to love his neighbor Lazarus. The wealth God gave him was meant to be used in love. That is to say, God gives all of us the things we have to bless others, to care for those in need, to serve the neighbor at his gate, and to provide for the preaching of the Gospel both in our local places and those far way. But the rich man ignored Lazarus, and in doing so, he showed that he was far from God.

There is danger in wealth, not because it is evil, but because it can dull the conscience and make us forget that all things are from God and meant for His purposes. The rich man’s wealth should have convinced him to be grateful to God and generous to others. But instead, it convinced him he had no need.

This is one of the driving motivations behind the Christian teaching on stewardship, that is, caring for those things that God has blessed us with. We cannot allow those things that God blesses us with to delude, that is mislead, us into thinking that we no longer have need of God’s blessings or mercies. If you are wealthy enough to travel, have a vacation home, or pay for your children to participate in traveling sports leagues, thank God! But if these things are keeping you from hearing God’s Word, then you are misusing your wealth just a surely as the rich man who did not reach out his hand to help Lazarus. More still, if you know someone who is hungry, homeless, cold, or naked and do not help him or her, then you are guilty of the very same sin as this rich man. God does not give us these things for our own sakes, but for the sakes of those in our care, such as children, our churches, and our neighbors. The rich man did not see or appreciate this. God forbid that we fail to see this as well.

Salvation by Faith: The Reward of Heaven

Lazarus, on the other hand, had nothing. No house. No food. No friends. His name literally means “God is my help,” and in the end, that’s all he had And, thankfully, that’s all he needed. When he died, the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. Not because he earned it. Not because he suffered enough to deserve heaven. But because he trusted in God. He believed the promises of Moses and the Prophets. He was convinced that God would help him, save him, raise him.

The rich man, by contrast, also died. And notice, there’s no mention of angels, no comfort, no honor. Just torment. Because though he had every earthly advantage, he had no faith. This is the great reversal of the Gospel. Jesus is not teaching salvation by poverty. He’s teaching salvation by faith. And faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. That’s what convinced Lazarus, and it’s what must convince us too.

The Power of the Word and the Folly of Miracles

In torment, the rich man still tries to give orders. He asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers so they don’t end up in the same place. But Abraham replies, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” The man objects, “No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!”

And now comes the punchline, though it is not very funny and, instead, is one of the most sobering lines in all of Scripture: “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” Jesus is teaching this lesson on His way to the cross. He will rise from the dead. And still, many will not believe. And for those who will not hear the Law, the Prophets, or the Apostles, even the greatest miracle in not enough to create faith.

We are tempted to think sometimes, “If only God would show me a sign. If only I could see a miracle. Then I’d believe or have certainty,.” But Jesus says, “You have the Word. You have the Scriptures. You have everything you need.”

Miracles might wow us. But only the Word can convince us. Only the Law can convict us of sin and the Gospel raise us to new life. Only the voice of Christ in the Scriptures can give faith to the dead heart and open the ears of the spiritually deaf.

Conclusion

So what are you convinced of today? Are you convinced that your money belongs to God, and is given not just for comfort but for compassion? Are you convinced that no amount of wealth or suffering determines your eternal future, but only faith in Christ? Are you convinced that the Word of God is sufficient, powerful, and life-giving? That in it, you hear the very voice of Jesus, risen from the dead?

If so, that’s what Jesus wants for you from this passage. That is to say, He wants you to be convinced of these things. Not by a ghost, not by a sign in the sky, but by the solid, unshakable foundation of His Word.

You already have Moses and the Prophets. You have the Gospels and the Epistles. You have the Church and the Sacraments. You have the voice of the crucified and risen Jesus who says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in Me.” You have all you need to be convinced.

In the Holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.