True Riches and Lasting Poverty

True Riches and Lasting Poverty

The First Sunday after Trinity – June 4, 2026

Text: Luke 16:19-31

Rev. Dr. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion of 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 verses twenty-two and twenty-three which read as follows:

“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

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

Our Lord Jesus tells a striking parable this morning. He places before our eyes two men whose earthly circumstances could hardly have been more different. One was rich, clothed in purple and fine linen, feasting sumptuously every day. The other was poor, covered with sores,  who laid at the rich man's gate, longing for scraps from the table. One was honored by the world. The other was despised.

But when death came, everything was shown to be reversed. The rich man found himself in torment. Lazarus was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. Through this parable our Lord teaches us about stewardship, faith, heaven, hell, and the true riches that endure forever.

The rich man was a bad steward. Jesus does not condemn him merely because he possessed wealth. Scripture never teaches that money itself is evil. Rather, the rich man's problem was how he regarded the gifts God had entrusted to him. Everything he had came from God. His wealth, his food, his clothing, his position was all a gift entrusted to him for a purpose. Yet he used those gifts only for himself. Day after day he feasted while Lazarus suffered outside his gate. This was not a case of ignorance. Lazarus was not hidden in some distant land. Lazarus was right there on his front step. The rich man passed him every day. He saw him. He knew his condition. Yet he remained unmoved.

Good stewardship means using what God gives for what God would have us do. God entrusts us with time, abilities, possessions, and opportunities not merely for our own enjoyment but for His purposes. We support the preaching of the Gospel. We care for our neighbors. We show mercy to those in need, especially to those who are of the household of faith. We recognize that all we possess belongs ultimately to God. The rich man failed in this calling in a very fundamental way.

Even worse, His greed reflected something deeper than selfish behavior. It revealed his heart. He idolized wealth. His trust rested in earthly possessions rather than in God. He cared little for the things of God because his treasure was elsewhere.

From a worldly perspective, he appeared successful. People likely admired him. They may have envied him. He was wealthy, comfortable, and respected. Yet spiritually he was impoverished. He was unmerciful. He was greedy. Most importantly, he lacked faith. He did not fear, love, and trust in God above all things. Though rich in earthly goods, he was bankrupt before God.

Compare him to Lazarus. Lazarus was poor, miserable, and despised by society. He

A detail of a stained glass window depicting Lazarus and the rich man from the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

possessed none of the advantages enjoyed by the rich man. His body was afflicted. His stomach was empty. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. He was laid at the rich man's gate, apparently homeless.

But Lazarus was not there merely by lack of good fortune. God had put him there. Lazarus was not an unfortunate inconvenience to the rich man, he was his neighbor. He was the person whom God had placed directly before him to receive his mercy and service.

The same is true for us.

God does not merely command us to love humanity in the abstract. He places specific people into our lives. Family members, fellow Christians, friends, coworkers, and strangers in need are our neighbors. The people around us, especially those whom God places directly before us, are there for us to serve according to God’s design.

Lazarus was poor according to worldly standards, but he was  rich in the things that matter most. Jesus tells us that when he died, he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. This expression was a familiar Jewish description of heaven.[2] It depicts the blessed fellowship and comfort enjoyed by the faithful as they rest in God's presence. Lazarus possessed what the rich man lacked. He had faith in the promises of God. Though afflicted in this life, he belonged to the Lord.

But it was not his suffering that saved him. His poverty did not earn heaven. Rather, he trusted in God's mercy and promises. Therefore, when death came, the angels carried him into eternal comfort.

Because this parable deals with two men who died having lived different lives and who had different fates after, it also teaches us about heaven and hell. Jesus gives us a glimpse of what theologians often call the intermediate state. Before the resurrection of the body on the Last Day, the faithful are with the Lord, awaiting the resurrection and the new heavens and the new earth. The unbelieving are separated from God and await the final judgment.

Consequently, Lazarus is comforted. The rich man is in torment. The great chasm between them cannot be crossed. This is not because God delights in condemnation. Rather, hell is the eternal condition of those who desire to be apart from God. The rich man's life demonstrated precisely such a desire. He lived without faith. He ignored God's Word. He rejected the opportunities God gave him to love his neighbor. One of the more difficult things to accept about hell is that everyone who goes there wants to be there; desiring to be apart from God is the default of the human heart.  Even in torment, the rich man’s heart appears unchanged. He does not ask for forgiveness. He does not repent. Instead, he seeks relief while remaining separated from God. Even more, he seeks to use Lazarus rather than treat him like a brother. When he asks that Lazarus be sent to warn his brothers, Abraham points him to the only means by which faith is created. "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them."

The rich man thinks a miracle would be more convincing. Surely someone rising from the dead would produce faith. But Abraham answers, "If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead."

Faith does not come through spectacular signs. Faith comes through God's Word. As St. Paul says, faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. And indeed, One did rise from the dead. Jesus Christ Himself rose from the grave. Yet many still reject Him because they would not hear the Scriptures that testified about Him.

Dear friends, this parable is not merely about a rich man and a poor man. It is about greed and mercy, stewardship, and most importantly, repentance and faith. It calls us to examine our hearts. Do we trust in earthly things? Do we neglect our neighbors? Do we use God's gifts only for ourselves? Certainly, there are many shortcomings that can be pointed to in sinners such as us.

Unlike the rich man and even us, Jesus perfectly loved His neighbor. Though He possessed all the riches of heaven, He became poor for our sake. He took our sins upon Himself. He suffered, died, and rose again to save sinners. In Him there is forgiveness for selfishness, greed, and every failure of stewardship. And through faith in Him, we possess a treasure greater than all earthly wealth. We have the promise of eternal life. We have the comfort of God's forgiveness. We have the certainty that when we die, we belong to the Lord.

Dear saints in the Lord, let us use the gifts God has given us faithfully. Let us serve the neighbors He places before us. Let us support the preaching of His Gospel. And above all, let us cling to Christ, who became poor that we might become rich.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

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

[1] Luke 16:22-23 English Standard Version. All further quotations from the Holy Scriptures are from the ESV.

[2] Lenski, R.C.H, The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, Reprint 1961), 849.