Listening To Live
Fergus Buchanan
October 27, 2025
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Luke 16: 19-31 (NIVUK)
19 ‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 ‘The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.”
25 ‘But Abraham replied, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.”
27 ‘He answered, “Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.”
29 ‘Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.”
30 ‘“No, father Abraham,” he said, “but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.”
31 ‘He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”’
This parable is a dark tale. A man called Lazarus suffers poverty and disease until the end of his life, ignored except for the wild dogs that prey on him. Another man is trapped in an afterlife where he is denied even a drop of water to relieve his thirst and prevented from warning his loved ones of the fate that may await them. The fact that this man is not named indicates that he is an Everyman, symbolising the majority who are not listening to God.
This man’s problem is not that he did not know about God and what He had done for His people. Abraham assumes he is acquainted with ‘Moses and the prophets’. Listening to them and taking God’s story to heart is the way for his loved ones to avoid this tormented afterlife. Not even a spectacular miracle can have this impact.
It’s a reminder to us of the power of God’s story. Too often we pile a lot of activity into our witness and forget that the Church’s principle activity is to tell the story of Jesus and what that means to humanity. In telling that story we bring light to our world’s dark tale.
Prayer:
God our Father,
Thank you that we have a story to tell of how you have been working to bring the world out of darkness into the light of hope. A story centred on Your Son who in His life, death and resurrection has embodied the destiny of all those who love you. Keep us close to this great purpose as we keep company with you in prayer and focus on Your Word. Amen.
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