Jeremiah 17:5-10
Luke 16:19-31
Today’s Gospel of the Rich Man and Lazarus is part of a sequence of Luke’s exposition of Kingdom values. We meet the familiar theme of a reversal of the world’s ways. Grace and favour come to those whom the world forgets. The Rich Man is desperate for his own suffering to be eased. Abraham pays no heed and we hear some of the most chilling words in Luke’s Gospel:
‘…between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to stop anyone, if he wanted to, crossing from our side to yours, and to stop any crossing from your side to ours.’
The Rich Man hopes to protect his family from a similar fate.
Hearing this text in Lent sharpens the focus for us. Lent gives us the chance to examine our hearts and ask God to show us where the great gulfs are in our own lives.
How does this story speak to you today?
Where are the gulfs in your own life?