What is our responsibility to the poor, those who, for whatever reason, truly cannot help themselves? That was Lazarus’ situation. Verse 20 says he “was laid” at the rich man’s house, which implies that he couldn’t walk there himself. And whatever disease he had was obvious, as he had sores all over his body. Surely, if there was anyone who needed help, it was Lazarus.

But at the same time, he wasn’t one of those people demanding assistance or asserting that he somehow deserved it. No, all he wanted was to eat what fell from the rich man’s table – or as we might say, table scraps. He wasn’t asking for much – he just wanted to have what was usually given to the dogs. And since he was right outside the rich man’s gate, it would literally have been no trouble for the rich man to have wrapped up some leftovers and given them to him.

So, why was the rich man’s spirit in torment? Not because he had a lot of good things in life, but because he refused to share them with those who were truly needy. In short, he had not done what the Law of Moses and the Prophets had told him to do: “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land (Deuteronomy 15:11).’”

And what about us Christians? We confess that we were the most helpless, the neediest of all, dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). And we know that Jesus loved us enough to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), still undeserving rebels against His righteous rule. So shouldn’t we, like Jesus, take pity on the helpless?

In today’s passage, Abraham told the rich man that even sending someone back from the dead wouldn’t convince callous people like him to do what the Bible says. We know Jesus has come back from the dead, meeting our greatest need – eternal life. So, shouldn’t we do all we can to help others, not just speaking of God’s love for them, but showing it the way Jesus showed it to us?

Luke 16:19-31 (ESV)

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,
23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’
27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house–
28 for I have five brothers– so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'”