THE RICH MAN AND THE BEGGAR
(Luke 18,19)
The rich man did not go to hell because of his wealth but because he was selfish, refusing to feed Lazarus, take him in, or care for him. The rich man was hardhearted in spite of his great blessings. The amount of money we have is not as important as the way we use it. What is your attitude toward your money and possessions? Do you use them selfishly, or do you use them to help others?
The rich man thought that his five brothers would surely believe a messenger who had been raised from dead. But Jesus said that if they did not believe Moses and the prophets, who spoke constantly of the duty to care for the poor, not even a resurrection would convince them. Notice the irony in Jesus’ statement; on His way to Jerusalem to die, He was fully aware that even when He had risen from the dead, most of the religious leaders would not accept Him. They were set in their ways, and neither Scripture nor God’s Son himself would shake them loose.