caught in the whirlwind / dry as a bone

& i don't think that i can make it on my own

A sermon on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus:

He’d been a success his entire life. There wasn’t any deal he couldn’t close. 

And he put his skills to work building up his wealth. 

In fact, his life was a testament to his success. He was always dressed in the latest fashions, and he could usually be found at the trendiest restaurants, too. 

He was nothing like those louts who always seemed to be milling at the gates of his condominiums. Begging. He knew how to get along in this life…

But it turns out he did have something in common with all those folks; because like everyone else, he died. 

And there, in his death, all his success turns out to have counted for very little. None of his Italian suits or his reserved table at the 21 Club, can stave off death. 

Be he’s not to be deterred by a little thing like his death. So the rich man does what he does best. There in Hades, of all places, and with Abraham of all people he he wheels and deals…

“Father Abraham,” he says, flashing his secret society signet. “Do you think you could send… Oh, is that Lazarus? Could you send Lazarus down here with a Perrier? I’m parched!”

Abraham, however, is not about to be glad-handed. 

He lays it out. “All your life, you had butlers attending to your every whim. While Lazarus here had to fight with the dogs to pick his meals out of the trash. And this isn’t life we’re talking about anymore. We’re dealing with death here; and things are different when it comes to death.

And what’s more, even if I were to order Lazarus around. Which, why should I have to put our heart-to-heart on hold? But even if I were, there’s something between us. And as it stands, none of us can cross it.”

When it comes to Death, there are no deals to be made…

Now this isn’t the first hard-sell the rich man’s had thrown his way. Not by a long shot. So he tries another tack. 

“Okay. Well, how about this, Abe. Can I call you ‘Abe?’ Alright, Abe. Listen, I have five brothers. Five! And you don’t want to miss out on a good thing, do you? 

If you won’t to send Lazarus to me, fine. At least send him to my brothers, though. I’m telling you, once they get a load of him back from the dead, you’ll have five of the most influential tastemakers in your corner for life!”

Abraham is in no mood for negotiating, though. He’s curt even; “They have their Bible, they could crack their spins open.”

But the rich man isn’t put off so easily, either. He’s dealt with holdouts before. 

“No, Abe. Believe me, if they saw a bonafide spook, that’d do it. I know what sells. And that, that would sell!”

Still Abraham refuses to negotiate. 

He speaks frank with the rich man, “That isn’t your old life anymore. Things don’t work like that here. There are no deals to be made when it comes to death. 

Going on Good Morning, America! never convinced a single soul, and it’s not about to start now. If you don’t believe what the Bible has been telling you all along, no door-to-door singing telegram is going to make any difference. This ain’t Charles Dickens Christmas Carol! This is cold, hard Death.

And when it comes to Death, there are no deals to be made. No negotiating. 

If you don’t believe me, just take a long, hard look at yourself…”

If it had been the game of hearts, Lazarus just shot the moon and walked away with the win. To the rich man’s dismay, there are no re-deals, no rescheduling and no rematches.

The rich man, stumped but not defeated, goes back to his war room. Planing his next big pitch.

The irony that the rich man’s insistence on making a deal to avoid the fate he’s landed, turns out to be the very thing that’s sealed it and keeps it that way… 

And then, that’s it! Jesus doesn’t wrap up the parable. His last word hanging there, begging to be resolved…

Because parables, like sermons, are never self-contained…

This parable with pathetic Lazarus and the successful rich man, says something surprising. If you really want to get on, look not to the rich man, but the dead one.

So maybe we take a look at Lazarus and consider renouncing our possessions. For a hot second. Before long, we’re making our deals: Okay, how much do we have to part with to avoid the rich man’s fate? 

Let’s make a deal… 

…And for all our desire to avoid the rich man’s fate; we end up acting exactly like him. Even in the hell of trying to make a deal to part with as little to gain as much possible, we too try and bargain with Abraham.

But it never works.

It’s a losing proposition. For the life of us, though, we can’t imagine any alternative. 

So we make our deals…

But before you set your bottomline, let me ask a question.

Where does Jesus tell this parable? What’s he looking ahead to? Where’s his face set?

That’s right, Jerusalem. 

Jesus tells this parable as he heads to the face the fate none of us can escape; death. And he goes, not to make any deals, but to face Death head-on. Jesus tells this parable as he comes to take death itself and bend it to his will. (To answer your prayer, (thy will be done.’)) Jesus tells this parable on his way to the cross. The cross. 

Beloved, this is Lent. And in Lent -especially because we’re lutheran- we harp on the life-giving power of the cross. What Jesus did, not with life, but Death. 

So, you want to know what Lazarus does to walk away with the last minute buzzer-beater? Listen carefully, because he does something we all try not to; he dies. 

That’s it! He dies. Nothing else, just die!

In fact, Lazarus’ whole life is a testimony to his death. Before his body can decompose, he’s covered in soars. Before he can be worm food, the dogs are eyeing him down. 

Today we hear this parable and we wonder what he have to do to avoid the rich man’s fate. What deals do we have to make.

But don’t. 

Because Death makes no deals. 

What you need is not an agreement when you give up something and gain a little more. No just someone who comes back from the dead, but the one who goes to the cross to defeat it. The one who makes no compromises. 

I don’t know what Death you’re facing this morning. Maybe it’s Death, capital “D” death. Or maybe it’s one of the the myriad of death’s minions. A broken relationship. A bill you’re not sure how you’ll pay. An addiction. A job that isn’t going anywhere. A word you can’t take back, one you can’t forget. A hip with a hinge. A knee full of arthritis. 

But all of us, when we face Death; like the rich man, try and make a deal. 

But don’t. You never win.

In the end, Lazarus and the rich man; and you and me for that matter; we’re all no different. We’re all faced with death. The thing about the rich man is he won’t accept it. He refuses to believe God could work with Death. (Not familiar with his Bible stories)

And the thing about Lazarus is, he dies! Dies to all his pursuits, his own life even. And God handles the rest. 

That is your promise this Lent. That God can, that God does work with Death.

About now I want to wrap up this sermon for you. You know, seven-tips for successfully dying. 

But Jesus loves you too much to let that happen. The parable has done to your preacher, what I pray it does to you, end to all our efforts.

I stand here, paid to speak; speechless. Reduced to pointing. Pointing to the cross. To the one who goes there, for you. 

 As you face death; don’t negotiate. Don’t do anything, in fact. 

Jesus sets his face, not just to Jerusalem, but to you. To take your life and even your Death and work with it.

No longer is death to be negotiated with; Death has been defeated. There’s nothing more to do; Death has been defeated. 

And if you don’t believe me, just take a long, hard look at yourself.