WEBVTT

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 My name is Brian Wandel. It is very good to be with all of you here. As Dan said, I'm

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 a pastoral intern at Church of the Resurrection. I've been a member there for quite some time.

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 Many of you know, most of you probably know, that our churches have a kind of intermingled

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 history together. Three quarters of a decade ago, a group from Church of the Resurrection

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 came over to this neighborhood to start this church. And not only do we have shared roots,

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 but we've had many shared fruits as well. The Easter Vigil has often been a collaboration

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 between our churches, many ministries and friendships and help between us. And most recently, the

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 mission in the Brooklyn neighborhood, which I've been a part of along with quite a number

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 of you. So it's so good to be here with you and to share these things in person because

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 we have this unique sisterhood and brotherhood with each other. We today have this parable

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 in front of us, the rich man and Lazarus. Perhaps you're familiar with this one, perhaps you're

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 not. It's a favorite of Christian paintings. Other than that, it's actually not very commonly

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 taught on. So I hope that we'll get something from it. I love this parable. I think this is

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 fascinating. There are a lot of unique things going on in this parable that are unlike almost any of

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 the other parables that Jesus says. First of all, if you can believe it, this is the only parable

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 that Jesus spoke in which one of his stock characters, so you know, like he talks about a rich man or a

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 poor man or a son or a father. This is the only parable where one of them is given a name, the name

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 of Lazarus. This is also unique in that a historical figure is present in the parable, Abraham. And

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 finally, the most fascinating part is that it's set in the afterlife. It's amazing. You have these

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 different characters talking to each other after they're dead, and it has us wondering what's going

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 on. You could throw purgatory in between. This would be basically Dante that we're going through

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 here. It's so interesting. However, I want to start out by pointing out tonight that this is a

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 parable. This is a story. This is a story that Jesus taught. And because of that, there are a lot

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 of questions here about the afterlife that are not going to get answered because that's actually not

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 the point of the parable. That's the setting of the parable, but the point is to teach us

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 how we should live right now. The Bible actually has a very rich history, sorry, a rich set of teachings

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 about what happens after death. It talks about the resurrection of the dead. It talks about

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 judgment and vindication. It talks about the convergence of heaven and earth as Jesus makes

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 all things new. But this is not that. This is not those things. That's some of the setting for this

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 parable, but it's not the teaching. So if you have questions on what the afterlife is like, that's a

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 great conversation to have on the back porch with some whiskey with some friends. And if you do have

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 that, I suggest you call the pastoral staff as soon as possible because they would love to join you.

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 So we're going to learn a few things tonight, and here's what we're going to get. We're going to learn

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 something in the story from each of the three characters. First, so we have the rich man, we have

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 the poor man, Lazarus, and we have Abraham. First, the rich man will teach us that injustice is fun,

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 but God will not let it pass. Injustice is fun, but God will not let it pass. And second, Lazarus,

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 the poor man, will teach us that trust in God is hard, but it is worth it. Trust in God is hard,

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 but it is worth it. And finally, Abraham, the third character in the parable, he'll teach us that,

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 he'll teach us about the particular kind of trust that Lazarus had that was so important,

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 and we'll see that Jesus became an even better Abraham. So let's walk through this thing here.

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 We'll start with the rich man. Like I said, this is the only parable where one of the characters is

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 given a name, and that's kind of fun. You can almost imagine Jesus having some fun with this,

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 and the early church saw this too. Whenever the early church wrote about or talked about this

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 parable, they frequently threw in a name for the other guy. If you can give a name to the poor man,

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 why not for the rich man? So they gave him all kinds of names, most of which are in ancient

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 Near Eastern languages that we don't understand. But we can see a little something of what they're

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 doing if you try to throw it in yourself. So who's a rich man? What kind of a rich man name

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 could you throw in there? Maybe Bill Gates or Elon Musk or Donald Trump? And you could throw it in

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 there. There was a rich man, Donald Trump, who was clothed in purple and fine linen,

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 and who feasted sumptuously every day. And we can do that, but it focuses a little too heavily

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 on throwing the character of the rich man farther from us. If we want to get more details about this

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 rich man, we need to know who this parable is addressed to. So if you're in your Bibles here,

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 sorry, what page are we on here? We're on page, well, you guys don't have a few Bibles, but Luke 16,

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 chapter 16, verse 14 is where the section actually begins. Before Jesus starts teaching,

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 Luke 16, verse 14, it says,

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 the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard these things, and they ridiculed him, and then Jesus spoke

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 to them. The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, ridiculed them, and then he spoke to them. So this

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 is who Jesus is talking to. This is his set of subjects. The Pharisees, who were lovers of money.

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 Who here is a lover of money? I'll tell you who. This guy right here. Anyone else? Lovers of money.

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 In fact, I think we all feast so sumptuously that

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 we have trouble. It takes disciplined effort to keep the weight off.

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 And furthermore, this story is addressed to the religious leaders,

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 the Pharisees, right? These are the guys who went to church and prayed.

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 So we have the churchgoers,

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 we have people who are eating well, and who love money.

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 I don't know about you, but I feel like most of the people in this room

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 have just been selected for the character of the rich man.

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 So we're going to go forward with that in mind.

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 There was a rich man,

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 you and me, clothed in purple

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 and fine linen, who feasted

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 sumptuously. That's a great word. Sumptuously

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 every day. And at his gate was laid

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 a poor man named

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 Lazarus, covered with sores.

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 At his gate was laid a poor man.

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 He was laid there because he couldn't get there

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 himself. Someone laid him there.

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 Someone could no longer take care of him.

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 He was at the very end.

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 And I guess if you're going to be laid anywhere,

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 it might as well be at the gate of a rich man.

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 And so this was Lazarus' best shot,

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 and this was his last shot.

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 This is all he's got.

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 Here's a crippled and deformed

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 and infected homeless man

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 who slouches in front of the rich man's house,

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 and he just stays there.

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 It says the dogs were with him.

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 The dogs licked his sores,

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 but please understand that in this part of the world,

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 dogs are not exactly man's best friend.

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 Even in the Middle East today,

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 if you walk through a city

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 and you see the wild dogs running through the streets,

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 about a 30% chance those dogs have rabies.

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 So these are dirty,

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 disease-ridden,

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 despised animals.

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 We might imagine pigeons or rats

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 running through his clothes

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 between his legs.

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 So this Lazarus,

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 it says he desired to be fed

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 with what fell from the rich man's table.

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 And of course,

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 Lazarus is at the gate,

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 not the table.

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 So if he's not there,

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 and that's what he wants,

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 someone's going to have to take the food to him

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 or at least throw it somewhere in his vicinity.

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 Instead,

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 the rich man,

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 his guests,

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 his family,

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 knowingly discarded the food,

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 probably to the dogs,

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 and then walked out right past Lazarus.

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 So,

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 we have some pretty bad injustice here,

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 don't we?

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 This is pretty ridiculous.

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 This is terrible.

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 And I know you might be thinking,

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 I do help homeless people.

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 I would not do that in that situation.

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 And you may not.

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 Thank you.

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 That's fantastic.

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 But I think it's clear here

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 that we have some principles

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 by which to search our hearts

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 a little bit further,

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 to go a little bit deeper than this,

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 because we do love money,

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 but we have further problems than that.

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 Our riches extend beyond our bank accounts

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 and beyond our meals.

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 Perhaps your gifts are intelligence.

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 Perhaps you are socially skilled.

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 Perhaps you have a good group of friends.

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 All of us tend to cluster

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 in similarly gifted groups of people

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 rather than using our blessings

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 for the sake of others.

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 Our Old Testament lesson tonight

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 was from Genesis.

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 Part of it was from Genesis 12,

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 when God is making promises to Abraham,

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 and Abraham is trusting God.

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 And part of these foundational promises,

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 one of the foundational promises,

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 this is what God said to Abraham,

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 in you, all the families of the earth

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 shall be blessed.

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 God's purpose for our gifts

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 was that they would be a blessing to others.

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 And so every day,

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 this rich man had a moral question open to him.

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 Is the comfort of this man,

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 whether he is unintelligent or annoying

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 or just not part of my social crew,

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 was this man worth the smell

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 or the contamination or the time?

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 Every day he ignored it.

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 He said no.

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 And so the scene shifts now.

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 We're going to shift the scene

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 in verse 22 here.

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 The scene shifts,

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 as in all the best jokes,

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 to the afterlife.

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 And Jesus does not tell us here.

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 He does not tell us,

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 and then the rich man was judged

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 for his crimes.

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 No, it's just assumed, isn't it?

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 You saw it coming during the story.

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 You knew what he acted like.

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 And when Jesus says,

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 in Hades or in hell,

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 being in torment,

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 it doesn't take Thomas Aquinas

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 to figure out what's going on here.

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 The first thing that we learn

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 from the rich man tonight

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 is that Jesus tells us

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 there is cosmic justice in the universe.

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 There is recompense.

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 There is a balancing of the scales.

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 And maybe it feels like a cop-out

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 to say that accounts

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 are only settled in the afterlife.

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 I know it can feel like that.

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 And now it is true

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 that justice in the Bible

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 is sometimes a long justice,

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 but it is a real justice

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 because wickedness really does

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 consume us eventually.

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 Because it really did matter

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 that the rich man's heart

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 was having such a good time

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 that he couldn't be bothered

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 by someone else's problem.

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 And it really matters

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 when white people prefer white people

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 and black people prefer black people

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 and straight people prefer

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 to think that gay people

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 were not around.

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 And it really matters

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 because when I prefer to think

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 that a certain person

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 just wasn't part of my life

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 and was not worth my time,

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 when we do that,

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 we turn our backs

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 on the God who made them.

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 And because that same God

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 is the God who made me,

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 my own heart dies

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 a little bit more.

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 And so the cancer spreads

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 a little bit farther.

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 And it's a long process.

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 It does take time,

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 but the cosmic order

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 of the universe catches up

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 and the cancer kills.

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 Before we move on,

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 let's note something further.

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 Let's notice how even after

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 the death of this rich man,

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 he just doesn't get it.

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 Verses 24 to 31,

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 the rest of the parable here,

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 this guy just keeps on jabbering.

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 So he's talking with Abraham,

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 Father Abraham,

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 have mercy on me

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 and send Lazarus.

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 And Abraham responds,

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 verse 27,

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 I beg you, Father,

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 to send him to my father's house

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 to help my brothers.

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 Abraham responds,

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 they have Moses and the prophets.

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 And he says again,

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 no, Father Abraham,

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 no, he just,

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 he can't give up.

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 No, if they have someone else

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 goes to them,

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 then they will repent.

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 Now, I realize that

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 that you and I

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 might begin to feel

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 a little bit sorry for this guy.

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 We don't like the finality

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 that is applied

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 to this bargaining dead man.

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 It almost sounds like

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 he's trying to find a way out.

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 Now, clearly,

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 he wants to save himself

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 from a little pain,

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 obviously.

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 But is he changing at all?

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 Did you notice how

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 he is still Lazarus' boss?

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 Verse 24 there,

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 send Lazarus,

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 send Lazarus to do it.

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 Verse 27,

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 send him to my father's house.

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 Send Lazarus,

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 send Lazarus

00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:50.220
 to my father's house.

00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:53.220
 He knows that Abraham

00:12:53.220 --> 00:12:54.279
 is the head honcho,

00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:55.439
 the guy he needs to talk to.

00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:56.559
 And he knows how

00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:57.439
 one rich man

00:12:57.439 --> 00:12:58.419
 needs to talk to

00:12:58.419 --> 00:12:59.259
 another rich man.

00:12:59.899 --> 00:13:00.860
 But Lazarus

00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:02.080
 is still his little minion.

00:13:02.539 --> 00:13:03.439
 Nothing has changed at all.

00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:04.120
 On the surface,

00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:04.960
 it looks like he's trying

00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:05.740
 to find a way out,

00:13:05.820 --> 00:13:06.740
 kind of like a repentance.

00:13:07.460 --> 00:13:08.379
 But the rich man

00:13:08.379 --> 00:13:08.939
 wants it

00:13:08.939 --> 00:13:09.820
 on his own

00:13:09.820 --> 00:13:11.299
 cancer-hearted terms.

00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:13.019
 Honor the rich guy,

00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:14.460
 trample the poor guy.

00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:16.279
 This is a bargainer.

00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:18.360
 The rich man's

00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:19.100
 fake repentance

00:13:19.100 --> 00:13:19.899
 should be a reminder

00:13:19.899 --> 00:13:20.720
 to all of us

00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:21.860
 because you and I

00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:22.980
 don't need a bargain

00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:24.559
 on our own terms.

00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:25.919
 We need real repentance.

00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:28.319
 Abraham said to him here,

00:13:29.079 --> 00:13:29.740
 they have Moses,

00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:30.379
 he's speaking about

00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:30.980
 the man's brothers,

00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:31.799
 they have Moses

00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:32.419
 and the prophets,

00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:33.899
 let them hear them.

00:13:34.079 --> 00:13:34.959
 Moses and the prophets,

00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:36.620
 that's a code word

00:13:36.620 --> 00:13:37.139
 for the scriptures.

00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:38.139
 They have the scriptures,

00:13:38.839 --> 00:13:39.579
 let them hear them.

00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:40.539
 Jesus teaches

00:13:40.539 --> 00:13:42.059
 that repentance

00:13:42.059 --> 00:13:42.919
 needs to be

00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:44.439
 on the Bible's terms.

00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:45.000
 There's no way

00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:45.559
 around that.

00:13:46.779 --> 00:13:48.120
 So let's sum up here.

00:13:48.319 --> 00:13:49.259
 Let's take a subtotal

00:13:49.259 --> 00:13:49.919
 of where we're at

00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:51.539
 with the rich man.

00:13:52.220 --> 00:13:52.500
 First,

00:13:53.500 --> 00:13:54.779
 injustice is fun,

00:13:54.980 --> 00:13:55.899
 but it will catch up.

00:13:56.179 --> 00:13:57.139
 Not just like

00:13:57.139 --> 00:13:58.240
 catching up with you

00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:58.879
 from behind

00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:00.959
 and grabbing a hold of you,

00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:02.139
 but from the inside

00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:03.439
 as the cancer spreads

00:14:03.439 --> 00:14:04.259
 in our own hearts

00:14:04.259 --> 00:14:05.539
 and there is no good flesh

00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:05.939
 remaining.

00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:07.519
 Second,

00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:09.019
 the way out

00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:09.879
 is through repentance,

00:14:10.179 --> 00:14:10.779
 but bargaining

00:14:10.779 --> 00:14:12.039
 is not repentance.

00:14:12.699 --> 00:14:13.360
 More likely,

00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:14.079
 it's the same

00:14:14.079 --> 00:14:15.120
 old manipulation.

00:14:16.659 --> 00:14:17.059
 Manipulation

00:14:17.059 --> 00:14:18.120
 is on our own terms,

00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:18.839
 but repentance

00:14:18.839 --> 00:14:20.699
 is on someone else's.

00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:21.939
 That is,

00:14:22.059 --> 00:14:22.620
 on the terms

00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:23.199
 of the scriptures

00:14:23.199 --> 00:14:24.419
 which we believe

00:14:24.419 --> 00:14:25.259
 have come from God.

00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:27.339
 So there's the rich man.

00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:29.159
 Let's move on to Lazarus.

00:14:29.259 --> 00:14:30.019
 It's easy to forget

00:14:30.019 --> 00:14:30.860
 about Lazarus,

00:14:30.939 --> 00:14:31.740
 this poor guy,

00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:32.740
 because he doesn't actually

00:14:32.740 --> 00:14:34.059
 say anything in the parable.

00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:34.480
 In fact,

00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:35.639
 he barely does anything.

00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:37.360
 We actually don't have

00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:38.159
 a whole lot of reasons

00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:39.240
 to know why

00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.399
 he's in heaven here.

00:14:40.439 --> 00:14:40.919
 He just goes.

00:14:40.919 --> 00:14:42.959
 It says in verse 22 there,

00:14:43.379 --> 00:14:44.459
 the poor man died

00:14:44.459 --> 00:14:45.199
 and was carried

00:14:45.199 --> 00:14:47.179
 by the angels

00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:48.319
 to Abraham's side.

00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:50.500
 What we do have here

00:14:50.500 --> 00:14:51.299
 is that he was poor,

00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:51.819
 right?

00:14:52.479 --> 00:14:53.399
 So let's unpack that

00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:53.779
 for a bit.

00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:55.879
 Each of the gospels

00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:56.479
 has their own

00:14:56.479 --> 00:14:58.139
 kind of unique flavor

00:14:58.139 --> 00:14:58.679
 to it,

00:14:58.719 --> 00:14:59.659
 their own unique way

00:14:59.659 --> 00:15:00.839
 of telling the story

00:15:00.839 --> 00:15:01.360
 of Jesus.

00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:02.939
 And Luke's gospel,

00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:03.719
 the gospel of Luke

00:15:03.719 --> 00:15:04.279
 that we're reading

00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:04.839
 from here,

00:15:05.099 --> 00:15:05.740
 has its own

00:15:05.740 --> 00:15:07.279
 kind of special seasoning,

00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:07.899
 its own, you know,

00:15:07.959 --> 00:15:08.959
 something, you know?

00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:10.379
 It has its own thing

00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:11.759
 and what Luke likes to do

00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:12.340
 is emphasize

00:15:12.340 --> 00:15:13.860
 the great reversal.

00:15:14.420 --> 00:15:15.519
 What is the great reversal?

00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:16.940
 The great reversal,

00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:17.440
 this is the way

00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:18.360
 that Jesus put it.

00:15:18.900 --> 00:15:19.540
 Some of those

00:15:19.540 --> 00:15:20.480
 who are last

00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:21.820
 shall be first

00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:23.080
 and some of those

00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:23.960
 who are first

00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:25.259
 shall be last.

00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:26.060
 This is a theme

00:15:26.060 --> 00:15:27.000
 that Luke likes to use

00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:27.560
 to bring out

00:15:27.560 --> 00:15:28.180
 certain colors

00:15:28.180 --> 00:15:28.780
 in the gospel.

00:15:30.180 --> 00:15:31.040
 In one of the first

00:15:31.040 --> 00:15:32.160
 Christmas carols

00:15:32.160 --> 00:15:34.019
 that Mary,

00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:34.759
 the mother of Jesus,

00:15:34.920 --> 00:15:37.300
 sang before he was born,

00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:38.740
 this is how she sang

00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:39.620
 about what her child

00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:40.180
 would become.

00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:41.080
 She said,

00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:42.680
 he has filled the hungry

00:15:42.680 --> 00:15:43.799
 with good things,

00:15:44.100 --> 00:15:44.820
 but the rich

00:15:44.820 --> 00:15:46.120
 he has sent away empty.

00:15:46.659 --> 00:15:47.860
 He has filled the hungry

00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:49.019
 with good things,

00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:50.000
 and the rich

00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.039
 he has sent away empty.

00:15:51.299 --> 00:15:52.820
 That's the great reversal here.

00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:54.360
 Now, it's not

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.539
 a one-to-one ratio, right?

00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:57.200
 Abraham was rich

00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:58.000
 and there he is in heaven,

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:58.539
 so it's not

00:15:58.539 --> 00:15:59.279
 every rich person

00:15:59.279 --> 00:15:59.779
 goes to hell

00:15:59.779 --> 00:16:01.580
 and every poor person

00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:02.480
 goes to heaven,

00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:04.860
 but it does show off

00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:05.740
 something great

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:06.639
 about the gospel.

00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:08.639
 Something really cool

00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:09.120
 about the way

00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:09.860
 the gospel works,

00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:10.879
 and what it shows us

00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.100
 is that the stuff

00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:13.080
 that we love

00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:13.860
 and admire

00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:15.799
 counts for jack squat

00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:17.379
 compared to what

00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:18.779
 Jesus loves

00:16:18.779 --> 00:16:19.699
 and admires.

00:16:20.759 --> 00:16:21.620
 So we've got this

00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:22.319
 contrast here,

00:16:22.539 --> 00:16:23.360
 is what we're working with.

00:16:23.899 --> 00:16:24.600
 The contrast,

00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:25.720
 that Lazarus,

00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:27.240
 the symbol of the poor guy

00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:28.879
 who's on God's good side,

00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:30.159
 in comparison

00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:32.259
 with the Armani-wearing,

00:16:32.700 --> 00:16:34.319
 hybrid SUV-driving,

00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.060
 nice hair,

00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:38.140
 goes to church every week,

00:16:38.500 --> 00:16:39.220
 rich man,

00:16:39.800 --> 00:16:40.580
 who winds up

00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:41.160
 as the butt

00:16:41.160 --> 00:16:41.860
 of the Bible's

00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:43.360
 only afterlife joke.

00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:45.800
 Some of those,

00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:46.800
 some of those

00:16:46.800 --> 00:16:47.660
 who are first

00:16:47.660 --> 00:16:48.740
 shall be last.

00:16:49.420 --> 00:16:52.420
 Because the hybrid SUVs

00:16:52.420 --> 00:16:53.520
 and the nice hair

00:16:53.520 --> 00:16:54.900
 and going to church,

00:16:54.980 --> 00:16:55.760
 they aren't anything

00:16:55.760 --> 00:16:57.100
 in and of themselves,

00:16:57.800 --> 00:16:58.820
 they're derivative,

00:16:59.160 --> 00:17:00.160
 secondary goods.

00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:02.219
 They are only good

00:17:02.219 --> 00:17:03.779
 if they are based

00:17:03.779 --> 00:17:04.379
 in the one

00:17:04.379 --> 00:17:05.599
 really good thing.

00:17:05.700 --> 00:17:06.619
 They're only good

00:17:06.619 --> 00:17:07.899
 if their purpose

00:17:07.899 --> 00:17:08.539
 is found

00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:09.180
 in the one

00:17:09.180 --> 00:17:10.279
 really good thing.

00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.420
 Trusting in Jesus

00:17:12.420 --> 00:17:13.680
 is what matters.

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:14.539
 Trusting in Jesus

00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:15.059
 is the one

00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:16.019
 really good thing

00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:17.519
 that these things

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.599
 can possibly root in.

00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:20.899
 So besides being poor,

00:17:21.180 --> 00:17:21.819
 there's one more thing

00:17:21.819 --> 00:17:22.960
 we can learn about Lazarus.

00:17:23.779 --> 00:17:24.799
 Very little information,

00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:25.740
 so here's what we have.

00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:26.619
 Jesus could have

00:17:26.619 --> 00:17:27.480
 picked any name,

00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:29.059
 and he gave one name

00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:29.679
 to this man.

00:17:30.159 --> 00:17:30.579
 Picked the name

00:17:30.579 --> 00:17:31.480
 of Lazarus.

00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.539
 The name Lazarus

00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:35.879
 means the Lord

00:17:35.879 --> 00:17:36.879
 is my help.

00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:38.619
 The Lord is my help.

00:17:39.879 --> 00:17:40.659
 Here's everything

00:17:40.659 --> 00:17:41.079
 that we know

00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:41.879
 about Lazarus.

00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:43.700
 He lived for a while,

00:17:44.419 --> 00:17:45.299
 and mostly sucked,

00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:46.359
 and then he died.

00:17:47.099 --> 00:17:48.419
 But, but,

00:17:48.879 --> 00:17:50.079
 in those years

00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.859
 for him,

00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:53.119
 the Lord was his help.

00:17:53.779 --> 00:17:54.379
 In those years

00:17:54.379 --> 00:17:54.759
 for him,

00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:55.779
 the Lord was his help.

00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:56.899
 Now, let me be,

00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:57.740
 as I talk about this,

00:17:57.799 --> 00:17:58.480
 let me be the first

00:17:58.480 --> 00:17:59.059
 to tell you.

00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:00.360
 Believing in Jesus

00:18:00.360 --> 00:18:01.480
 changes lives,

00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:02.660
 and it changes the world.

00:18:03.120 --> 00:18:04.259
 I have a story to tell

00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:04.940
 about how Jesus

00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:06.099
 has changed my life,

00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:07.339
 and many of you do too.

00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.160
 However,

00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:11.019
 there are a few times

00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:11.599
 in the Bible

00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:13.599
 when God asks us

00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:14.860
 a hard question.

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:17.140
 What if you didn't

00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:18.240
 have a story to tell

00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:18.700
 at all?

00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:21.200
 What if the things

00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:21.839
 in your life

00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:22.839
 were not turning around

00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:23.339
 for the better?

00:18:24.120 --> 00:18:25.799
 And what if this community thing

00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:27.240
 that's been awesome for us,

00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:28.079
 what if it's not

00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:28.759
 working out for you?

00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:30.759
 What if the sermon stunk?

00:18:31.559 --> 00:18:32.460
 Would the Lord

00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:34.059
 still be your help?

00:18:35.460 --> 00:18:36.200
 And what if you

00:18:36.200 --> 00:18:36.920
 lost your friends,

00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:38.779
 and you had a disfiguring,

00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:39.900
 maiming disease,

00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:41.460
 and you had no health care,

00:18:42.180 --> 00:18:43.380
 and the very person

00:18:43.380 --> 00:18:44.220
 who could do something

00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:44.759
 about it

00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:45.819
 preferred to think

00:18:45.819 --> 00:18:47.059
 that you did not exist?

00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:49.839
 For Lazarus,

00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:50.980
 the Lord

00:18:50.980 --> 00:18:51.980
 was still his help.

00:18:51.980 --> 00:18:54.500
 We identified

00:18:54.500 --> 00:18:55.779
 with the rich man

00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:56.160
 earlier.

00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:57.019
 We talked about that.

00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:57.660
 But,

00:18:57.839 --> 00:18:59.420
 even if we don't have it

00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:00.960
 as bad as Lazarus,

00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:02.180
 we can identify

00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:03.339
 with his need

00:19:03.339 --> 00:19:04.299
 for God's help.

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:06.620
 So let the Lord

00:19:06.620 --> 00:19:07.180
 be your help.

00:19:07.579 --> 00:19:08.759
 Because it can be hard

00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:10.019
 to trust in God,

00:19:10.099 --> 00:19:12.120
 but it is worth it.

00:19:13.019 --> 00:19:13.680
 Let's take another

00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:14.480
 subtotal now

00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:15.059
 of where we're at

00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:16.220
 with Lazarus this time.

00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:17.259
 No matter how bad

00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:17.799
 things get,

00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:19.000
 trusting God

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:20.180
 is still worth it.

00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:22.100
 Just like the rich man

00:19:22.100 --> 00:19:22.960
 showed us

00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:23.820
 that the scales

00:19:23.820 --> 00:19:24.759
 of injustice

00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:26.580
 eventually swing back

00:19:26.580 --> 00:19:27.960
 to crush the oppressor,

00:19:28.860 --> 00:19:29.820
 in the same way,

00:19:30.660 --> 00:19:31.560
 God's promises

00:19:31.560 --> 00:19:33.279
 to help those

00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:34.060
 who trust him

00:19:34.060 --> 00:19:35.360
 will be fulfilled,

00:19:36.299 --> 00:19:37.240
 and you will receive

00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:37.860
 comforts

00:19:37.860 --> 00:19:38.640
 when you are gathered

00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:39.360
 to your mothers

00:19:39.360 --> 00:19:40.539
 and fathers in the faith,

00:19:41.060 --> 00:19:42.200
 just like Lazarus did.

00:19:43.259 --> 00:19:44.080
 It can be hard

00:19:44.080 --> 00:19:45.080
 to trust in God,

00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:46.500
 but it is worth it.

00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:49.500
 Speaking of fathers

00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:50.160
 in the faith,

00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:50.980
 we come to Abraham,

00:19:51.160 --> 00:19:52.220
 our last character here,

00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:53.060
 Abraham,

00:19:53.580 --> 00:19:54.560
 and I hope this point

00:19:54.560 --> 00:19:55.720
 will flesh out for us

00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.539
 a little bit more

00:19:56.539 --> 00:19:57.759
 the kind of faith

00:19:57.759 --> 00:19:58.740
 that Lazarus had

00:19:58.740 --> 00:19:59.759
 that was so worthwhile,

00:20:00.120 --> 00:20:01.420
 and it will show us

00:20:01.420 --> 00:20:03.560
 that Jesus became

00:20:03.560 --> 00:20:04.620
 a better Abraham.

00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:08.799
 For Jews around this time

00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:09.700
 that Jesus was preaching,

00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:10.700
 in this part of the world,

00:20:10.860 --> 00:20:12.960
 in this particular religion,

00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:15.200
 Abraham was a symbol

00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.140
 for people trusting God

00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:19.500
 and for God helping people.

00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.779
 He was a symbol for that.

00:20:21.819 --> 00:20:22.880
 Abraham trusted

00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:24.339
 that God would help him,

00:20:24.700 --> 00:20:25.400
 and he trusted

00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:26.559
 that God would make him

00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:27.960
 a blessing to the world.

00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:28.960
 That was our reading again,

00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:30.039
 Genesis 12, 3.

00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:31.079
 In you,

00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:32.380
 all the families

00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:32.980
 of the earth

00:20:32.980 --> 00:20:33.680
 shall be blessed.

00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:35.720
 That was the foundational promise

00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:36.819
 which Abraham

00:20:36.819 --> 00:20:38.200
 passed on to his sons,

00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:39.579
 his sons passed on

00:20:39.579 --> 00:20:40.019
 to their sons,

00:20:40.059 --> 00:20:40.940
 and so on forever

00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:42.500
 until Lazarus.

00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:43.059
 Lazarus,

00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:44.339
 Lazarus knew

00:20:44.339 --> 00:20:46.019
 that the only trust

00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:46.779
 that could possibly

00:20:46.779 --> 00:20:47.559
 be worth it

00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:49.500
 was a trust like Abraham had,

00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:52.119
 one that carried faith

00:20:52.119 --> 00:20:53.059
 in God's promise,

00:20:54.019 --> 00:20:55.279
 God's promise to help,

00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:56.880
 and to make him a blessing,

00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:58.000
 and carried that

00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:59.019
 over many miles

00:20:59.019 --> 00:21:00.240
 and over many mountains.

00:21:00.819 --> 00:21:02.160
 That was the kind of faith

00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:03.180
 that Lazarus needed,

00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.440
 and that was the kind of faith

00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:05.079
 that he had

00:21:05.079 --> 00:21:06.259
 for God to help him.

00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:07.599
 And that was great,

00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:09.119
 but it was also easy

00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:10.139
 to see Abraham

00:21:10.139 --> 00:21:11.519
 as the way

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.859
 of salvation himself,

00:21:13.339 --> 00:21:14.480
 that by being born

00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:15.599
 a son of Abraham

00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:17.500
 that it would work out.

00:21:18.099 --> 00:21:18.659
 But Abraham

00:21:18.659 --> 00:21:19.619
 couldn't do that.

00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:20.459
 Abraham couldn't

00:21:20.459 --> 00:21:21.439
 affect that himself.

00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:22.740
 He was a model for faith,

00:21:23.159 --> 00:21:23.619
 but he could not

00:21:23.619 --> 00:21:24.579
 be the way himself.

00:21:25.939 --> 00:21:27.039
 The first mention

00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:27.519
 of Abraham

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:27.980
 that we have

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:28.500
 in this parable,

00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:29.259
 he plays a big role.

00:21:29.339 --> 00:21:30.199
 The first mention here

00:21:30.199 --> 00:21:31.399
 is in verse 22.

00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:32.719
 The poor man died

00:21:32.719 --> 00:21:33.939
 and was carried

00:21:33.939 --> 00:21:34.740
 by the angels

00:21:34.740 --> 00:21:36.899
 to Abraham's side.

00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:38.000
 Actually,

00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:38.779
 what it says there

00:21:38.779 --> 00:21:40.659
 is to Abraham's bosom.

00:21:41.619 --> 00:21:42.399
 Go ahead and laugh.

00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:43.939
 To Abraham's bosom.

00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:45.740
 It's a quaint old phrase,

00:21:46.199 --> 00:21:47.439
 but I like it.

00:21:47.699 --> 00:21:48.539
 I think it works.

00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:49.799
 I like that older translation

00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:50.699
 because I think

00:21:50.699 --> 00:21:51.659
 it gives a sense

00:21:51.659 --> 00:21:53.799
 like a bunch of chicks

00:21:53.799 --> 00:21:54.879
 being gathered together

00:21:54.879 --> 00:21:55.740
 to the mother hen

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:58.000
 or cubs being gathered

00:21:58.000 --> 00:21:59.500
 by the big mama bear.

00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:03.039
 But let me tell you,

00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:04.379
 just like Lazarus died,

00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:06.639
 coming to Jesus like this

00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:07.720
 will mean a kind of death

00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:08.620
 for us too.

00:22:08.900 --> 00:22:10.060
 If we are going to enter

00:22:10.060 --> 00:22:12.860
 into this portal,

00:22:13.080 --> 00:22:13.880
 this death portal

00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:14.960
 that Jesus had,

00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:19.240
 I'm sorry,

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:22.220
 the thing that Abraham

00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:22.860
 couldn't do

00:22:22.860 --> 00:22:24.040
 was make bad hearts good.

00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:25.360
 He couldn't cure the cancer

00:22:25.360 --> 00:22:26.220
 in people's hearts.

00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:28.300
 So Jesus fulfilled

00:22:28.300 --> 00:22:29.259
 that role for Abraham.

00:22:29.980 --> 00:22:31.580
 He pulled us into himself

00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:34.379
 and his way of death

00:22:34.379 --> 00:22:35.939
 became our way of life.

00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:36.460
 So I'm going to use

00:22:36.460 --> 00:22:37.379
 an illustration here

00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:38.259
 before we close.

00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:39.759
 My illustration

00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:41.019
 has to do with

00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:42.339
 a famous fire

00:22:42.339 --> 00:22:44.099
 from 1949.

00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:46.439
 It's a fire in Montana

00:22:46.439 --> 00:22:48.039
 in a place called

00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:48.839
 Mangulch.

00:22:48.879 --> 00:22:49.139
 It's called

00:22:49.139 --> 00:22:50.019
 the Mangulch Fire.

00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:50.799
 This is one of the greatest

00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:52.019
 tragedies

00:22:52.019 --> 00:22:53.799
 in the history

00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:54.980
 of the U.S. Forest Service.

00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:56.139
 I'm going to read

00:22:56.139 --> 00:22:57.899
 in here a short passage

00:22:57.899 --> 00:22:59.059
 from a book called

00:22:59.059 --> 00:22:59.879
 Young Men and Fire

00:22:59.880 --> 00:23:00.680
 that details it

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.500
 by Norman McLean.

00:23:02.120 --> 00:23:03.720
 The way the situation

00:23:03.720 --> 00:23:04.680
 happened was this.

00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:07.120
 It was in Montana

00:23:07.120 --> 00:23:08.120
 outside of Missoula.

00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:09.140
 It was a hot August.

00:23:09.880 --> 00:23:11.180
 If you can imagine for me,

00:23:11.600 --> 00:23:13.020
 16th Street out here

00:23:13.020 --> 00:23:14.000
 is the Missouri River

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.360
 and this is a big gulch.

00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:17.820
 A gulch is like a valley

00:23:17.820 --> 00:23:20.020
 that kind of comes together

00:23:20.020 --> 00:23:20.540
 in the middle

00:23:20.540 --> 00:23:21.200
 and then goes up

00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:22.120
 on steep slopes

00:23:22.120 --> 00:23:22.700
 to the side.

00:23:22.800 --> 00:23:24.040
 It's about two miles long,

00:23:24.460 --> 00:23:25.720
 several hundred yards across.

00:23:26.840 --> 00:23:27.900
 There was a fire there

00:23:27.900 --> 00:23:29.160
 and so the Forest Service

00:23:29.160 --> 00:23:29.940
 sent their elite,

00:23:30.259 --> 00:23:31.019
 the smoke jumpers

00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:31.940
 who parachuted in.

00:23:32.040 --> 00:23:33.040
 15 jumped in

00:23:33.040 --> 00:23:34.120
 and within an hour

00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:35.100
 the fire became

00:23:35.100 --> 00:23:36.720
 what's known as a blow up

00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:38.500
 and it claimed 12 of them.

00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:40.720
 Two survived by pure luck

00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:42.640
 as they raced through the smoke

00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:44.019
 to find a rock formation

00:23:44.019 --> 00:23:45.620
 where they escaped

00:23:45.620 --> 00:23:46.500
 and the other survivor

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.400
 was Dodge

00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:48.720
 who was the leader of the crew.

00:23:50.100 --> 00:23:50.960
 So here's what happened.

00:23:51.360 --> 00:23:54.100
 The group parachuted in

00:23:54.100 --> 00:23:55.160
 to the top of the gulch

00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:56.279
 which led down

00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:57.880
 toward the Missouri River.

00:23:57.880 --> 00:23:59.220
 Near the mouth of the river,

00:23:59.640 --> 00:24:00.700
 near the mouth of the gulch

00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:01.520
 where the river was,

00:24:01.600 --> 00:24:02.980
 there was about a 60 acre fire

00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.620
 going on

00:24:03.620 --> 00:24:04.400
 and that's what they were

00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:05.220
 going to stop.

00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:07.120
 What happened

00:24:07.120 --> 00:24:08.020
 was that

00:24:08.020 --> 00:24:09.600
 one side of the gulch

00:24:09.600 --> 00:24:10.260
 was heavy,

00:24:10.600 --> 00:24:11.600
 heavily timbered

00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:12.880
 and good source

00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:13.620
 for fuel

00:24:13.620 --> 00:24:14.480
 to make a very,

00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:15.280
 very hot fire

00:24:15.280 --> 00:24:16.040
 and the other side

00:24:16.040 --> 00:24:16.600
 of the gulch

00:24:16.600 --> 00:24:18.420
 was mainly brush

00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:19.640
 and high grasses

00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:20.500
 which could spread

00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:21.660
 the fire very fast

00:24:21.660 --> 00:24:22.660
 and that's what happened

00:24:22.660 --> 00:24:23.680
 in the blow up phase

00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:24.380
 of this fire.

00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:25.980
 The one side

00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:26.600
 kind of egged

00:24:26.600 --> 00:24:27.280
 the other on

00:24:27.280 --> 00:24:29.060
 and what happened

00:24:29.060 --> 00:24:29.700
 was the winds

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:31.060
 blew the fire up

00:24:31.060 --> 00:24:32.120
 toward the top

00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:32.680
 of the gulch

00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:33.420
 and created these

00:24:33.420 --> 00:24:35.360
 kind of fire tornadoes

00:24:35.360 --> 00:24:36.680
 throwing the fire forward

00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:37.620
 almost at the speed

00:24:37.620 --> 00:24:38.220
 at which the wind

00:24:38.220 --> 00:24:38.800
 could push it.

00:24:40.280 --> 00:24:40.920
 So trees

00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:41.540
 and grass

00:24:41.540 --> 00:24:42.160
 caught fire

00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:43.200
 and in about 10 minutes

00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:44.300
 3,000 acres

00:24:44.300 --> 00:24:45.060
 were consumed.

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:46.500
 That's about 5 acres

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.040
 per second

00:24:47.040 --> 00:24:47.740
 in this 10 minute

00:24:47.740 --> 00:24:48.360
 time span.

00:24:49.320 --> 00:24:50.060
 So the leader

00:24:50.060 --> 00:24:50.820
 Dodge,

00:24:50.820 --> 00:24:51.420
 he has his crew

00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:51.900
 going down

00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:52.600
 toward the fire

00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:54.159
 and he sees

00:24:54.159 --> 00:24:54.779
 what happens

00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:55.559
 and he sees

00:24:55.559 --> 00:24:56.039
 what's happening

00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:56.539
 down there

00:24:56.539 --> 00:24:57.299
 so he has his men

00:24:57.299 --> 00:24:57.859
 turn around

00:24:57.859 --> 00:24:58.899
 and walk the other way

00:24:58.899 --> 00:25:00.619
 and then he has them run

00:25:00.619 --> 00:25:01.699
 and then he has them

00:25:01.699 --> 00:25:03.279
 drop all of their equipment

00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:04.919
 and save their lives

00:25:04.919 --> 00:25:06.359
 but he could see

00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:07.139
 they needed to get

00:25:07.139 --> 00:25:08.000
 to the top of the ridge

00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:08.839
 but he could see

00:25:08.839 --> 00:25:10.419
 that they weren't

00:25:10.419 --> 00:25:11.139
 going to make it

00:25:11.139 --> 00:25:12.439
 and so he did

00:25:12.439 --> 00:25:13.459
 something unusual

00:25:13.459 --> 00:25:14.919
 and something unprecedented

00:25:14.919 --> 00:25:16.139
 in the history

00:25:16.139 --> 00:25:17.079
 of the forest service

00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:17.980
 up to this point.

00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.559
 There was a fire

00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:20.299
 behind them

00:25:20.299 --> 00:25:20.679
 that they were

00:25:20.679 --> 00:25:21.599
 running away from

00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:22.939
 and Dodge

00:25:22.939 --> 00:25:24.359
 lit a fire

00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:25.619
 in front of them

00:25:25.619 --> 00:25:26.579
 a small fire

00:25:26.579 --> 00:25:27.240
 to burn up

00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:28.219
 the dry ground

00:25:28.219 --> 00:25:29.339
 and to use up

00:25:29.339 --> 00:25:29.759
 the fuel

00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:30.339
 before this

00:25:30.339 --> 00:25:32.319
 2,000 degree blow up

00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:33.139
 main fire

00:25:33.139 --> 00:25:33.879
 could do so.

00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:36.279
 Here's the situation

00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:37.019
 as it unfolded

00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:37.459
 this is what one

00:25:37.459 --> 00:25:38.399
 of the survivors said

00:25:38.399 --> 00:25:39.819
 I saw Dodge

00:25:39.819 --> 00:25:40.500
 bend over

00:25:40.500 --> 00:25:41.299
 and light a fire

00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:42.019
 with a match

00:25:42.019 --> 00:25:43.019
 I thought

00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:43.839
 with the fire

00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:44.819
 almost on our back

00:25:44.819 --> 00:25:45.579
 what the hell

00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:46.480
 was the boss doing

00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:47.519
 lighting another fire

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.299
 in front of us?

00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:49.480
 The narrator

00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:50.159
 goes on here

00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:51.060
 it shouldn't be hard

00:25:51.060 --> 00:25:51.519
 to imagine

00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:52.320
 just what most

00:25:52.320 --> 00:25:52.840
 of the crew

00:25:52.840 --> 00:25:53.640
 must have thought

00:25:53.640 --> 00:25:54.660
 when they first

00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:55.420
 looked across

00:25:55.420 --> 00:25:56.519
 the open hillside

00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.960
 and saw their boss

00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:58.820
 seemingly playing

00:25:58.820 --> 00:25:59.640
 with a matchbook

00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:00.540
 and dry grass

00:26:00.540 --> 00:26:02.980
 this is the only fire

00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:04.100
 any member of the forest

00:26:04.100 --> 00:26:04.779
 had ever seen

00:26:04.779 --> 00:26:05.320
 or heard of

00:26:05.320 --> 00:26:06.100
 in which the foreman

00:26:06.100 --> 00:26:06.680
 got out

00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:07.620
 in front of the crew

00:26:07.620 --> 00:26:09.100
 only to light a fire

00:26:09.100 --> 00:26:09.940
 in advance

00:26:09.940 --> 00:26:10.860
 of the fire

00:26:10.860 --> 00:26:11.600
 that he and his crew

00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:12.620
 were trying to escape

00:26:12.620 --> 00:26:14.240
 in case I hadn't understood

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.320
 him the first time

00:26:15.320 --> 00:26:16.500
 the man repeated

00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:17.279
 we thought

00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:17.680
 he must have

00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:18.299
 gone nuts

00:26:18.299 --> 00:26:20.440
 a few minutes later

00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:21.359
 when Dodge's fire

00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:22.559
 became more spectacular

00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.160
 still

00:26:23.160 --> 00:26:24.799
 Sally

00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:25.299
 this man

00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:25.779
 having reached

00:26:25.779 --> 00:26:26.559
 the top of the ridge

00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:27.240
 looked back

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.160
 and saw the foreman

00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:29.380
 enter his own fire

00:26:29.380 --> 00:26:30.779
 and lie down

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.960
 in its hot ashes

00:26:31.960 --> 00:26:33.839
 to let the main fire

00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:34.819
 pass over

00:26:34.819 --> 00:26:36.640
 so Dodge

00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:37.160
 laid down

00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:37.819
 his fire

00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:39.079
 and a wall of fire

00:26:39.079 --> 00:26:40.180
 about a football field

00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:40.619
 deep

00:26:40.619 --> 00:26:41.640
 swept over him

00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:42.940
 destroying everything

00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:43.619
 in its path

00:26:43.619 --> 00:26:44.759
 except for the two men

00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:45.819
 who got lucky

00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:47.039
 and Dodge

00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:48.279
 in his escape fire

00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:51.200
 Dodge lit that escape fire

00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:51.799
 because it was

00:26:51.799 --> 00:26:53.180
 the only way out

00:26:53.180 --> 00:26:54.200
 his men

00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:54.900
 couldn't believe

00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:55.980
 that the way out

00:26:55.980 --> 00:26:56.720
 of fire

00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:58.200
 was fire

00:26:58.200 --> 00:26:59.680
 they couldn't believe

00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:00.400
 that the way out

00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:01.059
 of death

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:03.059
 was an apparent death

00:27:03.059 --> 00:27:05.460
 in fact

00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:07.099
 the fire's own strength

00:27:07.099 --> 00:27:08.039
 was used against it

00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:08.660
 again the author

00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:09.259
 says here

00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:10.859
 when the main fire

00:27:10.859 --> 00:27:11.980
 paused for a moment

00:27:11.980 --> 00:27:13.440
 in front of the escape fire

00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:14.700
 the red flames

00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:15.620
 crowded together

00:27:15.620 --> 00:27:16.740
 until they became

00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:18.460
 ravaging military monsters

00:27:18.460 --> 00:27:20.480
 enraged by the precocity

00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:21.180
 of the obstacle

00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:21.880
 in front of them

00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:22.799
 the escape fire

00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:24.100
 then for a moment

00:27:24.100 --> 00:27:24.860
 these deranged

00:27:24.860 --> 00:27:25.920
 military monsters

00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:27.140
 blocked in their advance

00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:28.680
 raged sideways

00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:29.840
 up and down the line

00:27:29.840 --> 00:27:30.600
 looking for a way

00:27:30.600 --> 00:27:31.259
 to pass

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:33.519
 Dodge yelled

00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:34.120
 to his men

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:34.759
 get in

00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:36.319
 and one by one

00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:37.080
 they ignored him

00:27:37.080 --> 00:27:38.580
 one man

00:27:38.580 --> 00:27:39.279
 near the front

00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:39.640
 said

00:27:39.640 --> 00:27:40.740
 to hell with that

00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:41.299
 I'm getting out

00:27:41.299 --> 00:27:41.640
 of here

00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:45.259
 in the same way

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:46.840
 in the great

00:27:46.840 --> 00:27:47.800
 conflagration

00:27:47.800 --> 00:27:48.660
 of the world

00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:50.520
 Jesus has given us

00:27:50.520 --> 00:27:51.660
 a safe place

00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:53.140
 by setting himself

00:27:53.140 --> 00:27:53.860
 on fire

00:27:53.860 --> 00:27:56.000
 he died to sin

00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:56.700
 and destruction

00:27:56.700 --> 00:27:58.220
 so that sin

00:27:58.220 --> 00:27:59.240
 and destruction

00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:00.660
 could not kill us

00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:01.600
 and I know

00:28:01.600 --> 00:28:02.759
 it sounds crazy

00:28:02.759 --> 00:28:03.660
 just like it sounded

00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:04.240
 crazy

00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.380
 to Dodge's men

00:28:05.380 --> 00:28:06.560
 but we must

00:28:06.560 --> 00:28:07.340
 jump into that

00:28:07.340 --> 00:28:08.220
 escape fire

00:28:08.220 --> 00:28:09.380
 of Jesus' death

00:28:09.380 --> 00:28:11.200
 we must die

00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:11.780
 with Jesus

00:28:11.780 --> 00:28:12.980
 to find life

00:28:12.980 --> 00:28:13.840
 and to be gathered

00:28:13.840 --> 00:28:15.100
 into his bosom

00:28:15.100 --> 00:28:15.680
 as it were

00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:17.520
 in the New Testament

00:28:17.520 --> 00:28:18.760
 that means

00:28:18.760 --> 00:28:19.820
 baptism

00:28:19.820 --> 00:28:20.640
 and repentance

00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:21.940
 which are consistently

00:28:21.940 --> 00:28:22.600
 described

00:28:22.600 --> 00:28:24.900
 as a kind of death

00:28:24.900 --> 00:28:26.340
 that avoids death

00:28:26.340 --> 00:28:28.160
 a death

00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:28.680
 that gets us

00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:29.500
 through to life

00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:31.320
 you remember

00:28:31.320 --> 00:28:32.140
 at the end

00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:33.000
 of the parable here

00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:34.280
 at the very end

00:28:34.280 --> 00:28:36.680
 the rich man says

00:28:36.680 --> 00:28:37.380
 Father Abraham

00:28:37.380 --> 00:28:37.840
 if someone

00:28:37.840 --> 00:28:38.940
 goes to them

00:28:38.940 --> 00:28:39.380
 his brothers

00:28:39.380 --> 00:28:40.000
 from the dead

00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:41.039
 they will repent

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:42.980
 but Abraham

00:28:42.980 --> 00:28:43.779
 didn't buy that

00:28:43.779 --> 00:28:44.160
 did he?

00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:45.779
 Abraham knew

00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:46.440
 that resurrection

00:28:46.440 --> 00:28:47.400
 from the dead

00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:48.360
 was not some

00:28:48.360 --> 00:28:49.320
 cheap trick

00:28:49.320 --> 00:28:50.380
 to make people

00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:51.180
 believe something

00:28:51.180 --> 00:28:51.840
 they didn't already

00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:52.200
 believe

00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:54.200
 it was a death

00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:55.100
 life portal

00:28:55.100 --> 00:28:56.039
 it was an escape

00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:56.500
 fire

00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:57.880
 that we need

00:28:57.880 --> 00:28:58.340
 to enter

00:28:58.340 --> 00:28:59.320
 through real

00:28:59.320 --> 00:28:59.860
 repentance

00:28:59.860 --> 00:29:01.740
 we trust

00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:02.279
 in Jesus'

00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:02.840
 death

00:29:02.840 --> 00:29:03.460
 and resurrection

00:29:03.460 --> 00:29:04.740
 because if we

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:05.500
 trust him

00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:06.519
 and enter it

00:29:06.519 --> 00:29:07.820
 he will make it

00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:08.480
 our death

00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:09.159
 and resurrection

00:29:09.159 --> 00:29:09.619
 too

00:29:09.619 --> 00:29:12.799
 in conclusion

00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:16.679
 this is a judgment

00:29:16.679 --> 00:29:17.159
 parable

00:29:17.159 --> 00:29:18.579
 it has a pretty

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:19.259
 simple message

00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:20.539
 avoid the judgment

00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:22.399
 but we've been able

00:29:22.399 --> 00:29:23.379
 to clear some ground

00:29:23.379 --> 00:29:24.519
 I know that sounds

00:29:24.519 --> 00:29:24.799
 simple

00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:25.240
 but we've

00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:26.259
 we've been able

00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:27.019
 to clear some ground

00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:27.859
 now and flesh that

00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:28.599
 out a little bit more

00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:30.279
 and so here's what

00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:30.519
 we've

00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:31.460
 here's how we've

00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:32.259
 stratified this

00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:34.159
 injustice may be fun

00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:35.840
 but it will eat

00:29:35.840 --> 00:29:36.560
 its own

00:29:36.560 --> 00:29:38.460
 on the other hand

00:29:38.460 --> 00:29:40.180
 the life of trust

00:29:40.180 --> 00:29:41.500
 and faith in God

00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:42.300
 can be tough

00:29:42.300 --> 00:29:44.160
 but it is worth it

00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:45.300
 just like it was

00:29:45.300 --> 00:29:46.040
 for Lazarus

00:29:46.040 --> 00:29:47.660
 and finally

00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:48.800
 that faith

00:29:48.800 --> 00:29:49.420
 is really

00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:50.540
 a trust in Jesus

00:29:50.540 --> 00:29:51.160
 to make

00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:52.240
 his death

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:53.100
 our death

00:29:53.100 --> 00:29:54.360
 through real

00:29:54.360 --> 00:29:54.880
 repentance

00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:56.279
 according to the

00:29:56.279 --> 00:29:56.880
 standards of the

00:29:56.880 --> 00:29:57.220
 Bible

00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:57.740
 just like

00:29:57.740 --> 00:29:59.140
 Abraham said there

00:29:59.140 --> 00:30:01.400
 to make his

00:30:01.400 --> 00:30:01.920
 resurrection

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.980
 our lives

00:30:02.980 --> 00:30:03.860
 that we can bless

00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:04.440
 the families

00:30:04.440 --> 00:30:05.039
 of the earth

00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:06.360
 just as

00:30:06.360 --> 00:30:07.240
 Lazarus

00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:07.740
 was drawn

00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:08.660
 into Abraham's

00:30:08.660 --> 00:30:08.980
 bosom

00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:09.599
 in the story

00:30:09.599 --> 00:30:09.900
 here

00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:11.160
 so may we

00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:11.740
 be drawn

00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:12.500
 into the bosom

00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:13.160
 of Jesus

00:30:13.160 --> 00:30:15.000
 who made himself

00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:16.079
 an escape fire

00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:17.640
 a way of healing

00:30:17.640 --> 00:30:18.880
 and safety

00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:20.559
 for all the Lazaruses

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:21.160
 out there

00:30:21.160 --> 00:30:23.140
 so may the Lord

00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:23.740
 be our help

00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:25.440
 let's pray

00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:30.559
 heavenly father

00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:31.299
 thank you

00:30:31.299 --> 00:30:32.399
 thank you

00:30:32.399 --> 00:30:32.519
 thank you that

00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:33.480
 you are just

00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:34.799
 but thank you

00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:35.639
 that trust

00:30:35.639 --> 00:30:36.720
 in you

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:37.980
 is so worth it

00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:39.119
 and thank you

00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:39.819
 that you have

00:30:39.819 --> 00:30:41.399
 provided a way

00:30:41.399 --> 00:30:43.279
 so that by trust

00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:44.940
 we can be with you

00:30:44.940 --> 00:30:45.899
 and you can bring us

00:30:45.899 --> 00:30:47.000
 from death to life

00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:48.440
 amen

00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:49.680
 amen

00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:51.259
 to heaven

00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:52.500
 amen