各位弟兄姊妹平安，我們今天要來讀的是《路加福音》第16章的下半段。
昨天我們分享了上半段，耶穌講到了關於錢財的觀念、不義的管家，以及「一個人不能侍奉兩個主」的重要提醒。
而今天的經文，耶穌要告訴我們另一個很深刻的比喻故事——財主與拉撒路的故事。
這是一段強烈對比的敘述，讓我們來看看，耶穌到底透過這個故事要教導我們什麼？
首先，耶穌在第14節開始，提到法利賽人其實是貪愛錢財的。他們的觀念是這樣的：有錢＝蒙上帝祝福。所以當他們聽到耶穌說「不能侍奉神又侍奉瑪門」的時候，他們怎麼反應呢？聖經說——他們就嗤笑耶穌，覺得耶穌講的是胡言亂語，太天真了。
這也反映出他們當時的價值觀：誰有錢，誰就蒙福；誰貧窮，誰就是被咒詛。這一整套思維其實已經完全扭曲了神對於人心與義的標準。
耶穌對他們說得很直接：
「你們在人前自稱為義，神卻知道你們的心；因為人所尊貴的，是神看為可憎惡的。」（路加福音 16:15）
也就是說，你們在人前裝得很敬虔、很成功、很有錢，但神看的不是你們的外表，而是你們的內心。你們也許在人眼中很有地位，但在神眼中卻是可憎的。
接著，耶穌講了一段重要的神學觀點：
「律法和先知到施洗約翰為止，從此神國的福音傳開了，人人努力要進去。」（16:16）
也就是說，先知的時代到了施洗約翰就結束了，因為彌賽亞——耶穌自己，已經親自來到了人間。在耶穌的身上，神對人類的啟示來到了最高峰，這是歷史上最重要的真理、最終極的啟示。
再也沒有比耶穌更高、更清楚、更直接的神的啟示了。
接下來，耶穌就用一個非常強烈的比喻來說明這整件事情。
故事裡面有兩個主角：一個是財主——穿著紫色袍子、細麻衣，每天過著奢華宴樂的生活；另一個，是一個乞丐，名字叫拉撒路，他的身上滿是瘡，連行動都困難，只能被放在財主的門口，想吃點掉下來的麵包碎屑果腹。聖經還說，連狗都來舔他的瘡，這是多麼淒涼的一個畫面！
這是一個極端對比：一邊是富麗堂皇、紙醉金迷，一邊是貧病交加、毫無尊嚴。
然而，轉折發生了——這兩個人都死了。
死後，他們的位置完全顛倒過來。那個曾經天天享樂的財主，在陰間受苦、極度痛苦；而那個乞丐拉撒路，卻在亞伯拉罕的懷裡，得著安慰。
財主在陰間，看到了拉撒路遠遠地坐在亞伯拉罕懷裡，他就開始哀求：「父親亞伯拉罕啊，可不可以叫拉撒路來幫我沾點水涼涼我的舌頭？我太痛苦了！」
但亞伯拉罕怎麼回答呢？
「孩子，你要記得你在世的時候，享盡了好處；拉撒路在世的時候受盡苦楚。如今他在這裡得安慰，你卻受痛苦。」
這句話非常震撼。
首先，我們要說明一件事：耶穌並不是說「有錢人就會下地獄」，不是這個意思。財主的問題不是因為他有錢，而是——他冷漠。
他每天都從拉撒路身邊經過，看見他窮困潦倒、病痛纏身，卻從來沒有做任何一件事幫助他。
有一句話關於罪是這樣說的：「罪不只是做了不該做的事，更是沒有做那些你本該做的事。」財主的問題就在這裡。他選擇視而不見，他選擇沉浸在自己的享樂與財富中，卻忽略了神放在他眼前的，別人的需要。
這不是單單關於金錢的問題，這是關於我們的心態與責任的問題。
當財主知道自己已經無法改變結局，他轉而懇求亞伯拉罕說：
「那你可不可以派拉撒路回到我的父家，去警告我的五個弟兄？讓他們不要像我一樣落到這樣的痛苦裡面來！」
但亞伯拉罕的回應非常關鍵，他說的是：
「他們有摩西和先知的話可以聽。」
意思是什麼？也就是說，其實上帝早就透過摩西與先知，把真理講清楚了，世人不是沒有被警告過，不是沒有機會。只是他們不聽。
財主還是不死心，他說：
「不不不，如果有一個人從死裡復活，親自向他們說話，他們一定會悔改的！」
但亞伯拉罕回答的話，真的是非常震撼：
「如果他們不聽摩西和先知的話，就算有人從死裡復活，他們也不會信服。」
各位弟兄姊妹，這句話對我們今天也有很大的提醒。
很多人說：「如果我看到神蹟我就相信！如果耶穌今天真的出現在我面前我就信！如果我親眼看見死人復活，那我一定會悔改！」
但是，聖經已經告訴我們——不是神蹟不夠多，是人的心太剛硬。
神真正最大的神蹟，就是耶穌基督自己，祂已經為我們來到世界上，並且從死裡復活；神真正最寶貴的啟示，就是聖經，這是祂的話語，是生命的糧。
如果我們不聽從聖經，那我們就算親眼看見神蹟，也不會有真正的悔改。
因為信心，不是從「眼見」來的，乃是從「聽道」來的；悔改，不是因為震撼，而是因為真理光照了我們的心。親愛的弟兄姊妹，不要等到地獄的火焰才想起悔改，也不要等到最後一刻才想相信耶穌。
今天就是悔改的日子；現在就是相信的時候。
今天的屬靈反思：
上帝的話語已經臨到我們，我們願不願意現在就回應？
若不聽上帝的話，也沒有其他方法使人悔改了。
感謝各位的聆聽，我們明天繼續分享十七章的故事，願上帝祝福各位。
Peace to you, dear brothers and sisters.
Today, we are reading the second half of Luke chapter 16.
Yesterday, we shared from the first half of the chapter, where Jesus taught us important lessons about money, the parable of the dishonest manager, and the famous teaching:"No one can serve two masters."
Now in today’s passage, Jesus tells us another deeply moving parable —The Rich Man and Lazarus.
It’s a story filled with powerful contrasts. Let’s take a closer look at what Jesus is teaching us through it.
The Setting: The Pharisees and Their View of Wealth
Starting in verse 14, Jesus confronts the Pharisees, who were known to be lovers of money.They believed this:Wealth = God’s favor.
So when they heard Jesus say,“You cannot serve both God and money,”they laughed at Him. The Bible says they sneered at Jesus — they thought He was speaking nonsense, too idealistic.
This reveals their twisted value system:
If someone is rich, they must be blessed by God.
If someone is poor, they must be cursed or under judgment.
But this is far from God's heart.
So Jesus replies bluntly:“You justify yourselves before others, but God knows your hearts. What is exalted among men is detestable in God’s sight.”(Luke 16:15)
In other words, you may look spiritual and successful to the world, but God sees the heart.You may appear respected on the outside, but in God’s eyes, it could be utterly detestable.
A Turning Point in Revelation
Jesus then teaches an important theological point:
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached.” (v.16)
This means the era of the prophets ended with John the Baptist, because the Messiah — Jesus Himself — had now come.
In Jesus, God’s ultimate revelation has been given.There is no greater truth, no higher message, no more glorious sign.Jesus is the fullness of God’s revelation.
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
To illustrate this truth, Jesus tells a striking parable:
One man is a rich man, dressed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every single day.
The other is a beggar named Lazarus, covered in sores, laid at the rich man’s gate, hoping to eat crumbs from the table. Dogs come and lick his wounds. What a heartbreaking image.
An extreme contrast:
One lives in comfort and extravagance.
The other lives in suffering and shame.
But then comes the reversal — both men die.
After death, their roles are completely flipped:
The rich man ends up in torment in Hades.
Lazarus is carried to Abraham’s side, comforted and embraced.
The rich man, in agony, sees Lazarus far away and begs,“Father Abraham, have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue!”
Abraham replies:
“Son, remember that in your lifetime you received good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.”
This is sobering.
Let’s be clear — Jesus is not saying that being rich sends you to hell.
The problem with the rich man wasn’t his wealth —it was his cold-hearted indifference.
He walked past Lazarus every day, saw him sick and starving, and did nothing.He chose to live for himself, ignore the suffering at his doorstep, and indulge in his own comfort.
As one theologian put it:
"Sin isn’t just doing the wrong thing — it’s also failing to do the right thing."
That was the rich man’s sin:He didn’t see, didn’t act, didn’t care.
A Plea from the Dead
Realizing his fate is sealed, the rich man begs Abraham:
“Then please, send Lazarus back to my father’s house to warn my five brothers!”
Abraham answers:
“They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.”
What does that mean?
It means God had already spoken through the Scriptures —through Moses and the prophets.People aren’t lacking in warning — they’re just not listening.
Still, the rich man argues:“But if someone rises from the dead and tells them, they will repent!”
And Abraham’s final reply is powerful:
“If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
The True Miracle Has Already Come
Dear brothers and sisters, this is such a profound warning for us today.
How many people still say things like:
“If God showed me a miracle, then I’d believe.”
“If Jesus appeared to me, I’d repent.”
“If I saw someone rise from the dead, I’d never doubt again.”
But the truth is this:
The greatest miracle has already come — Jesus Christ.He came, died, and rose again.And His Word — the Bible — is the greatest gift and clearest revelation of God’s heart.
If we do not listen to God’s Word,even miracles won’t change our hearts.
Because faith does not come by sight — it comes by hearing the Word of God.And repentance doesn’t come from being amazed, but from being convicted by truth.
The Call Today
So dear friends, don’t wait until hell’s flames to remember repentance.Don’t wait for the last breath to start believing.
Today is the day of salvation.Now is the time to return to God.
God’s Word has already come to us.The question is — will we respond?
Because if we won’t listen to the Word,there is no other message that will save us.
Thank you for listening.Tomorrow, we will continue with Luke chapter 17.May the Lord bless you with wisdom, conviction, and peace.
Let me know if you'd like a visual description or image to go with this parable.
Comments