金錢買不到救恩
路加福音十六章19至24節
19有一個財主，穿著紫色袍和細麻布衣服，天天奢華宴樂。
20又有一個討飯的，名叫拉撒路，渾身生瘡，被人放在財主門口，
21要得財主桌子上掉下來的零碎充飢，並且狗來舔他的瘡。
22後來那討飯的死了，被天使帶去放在亞伯拉罕的懷裡。財主也死了，並且埋葬了。
23他在陰間受痛苦，舉目遠遠地望見亞伯拉罕，又望見拉撒路在他懷裡，
24就喊著說：‘我祖亞伯拉罕哪，可憐我吧！打發拉撒路來，用指頭尖蘸點水，涼涼我的舌頭，因為我在這火焰裡，極其痛苦。’
信息分享
拉撒路的人生卻是天壤之別。他是一個跛足的乞丐，且在病痛中，非常需要幫助，每天吃別人丟棄的飯菜充飢。然而，他卻擁有一樣東西，是財主所沒有的，那就是他對神的信心，相信神憐憫他。
從人的角度來看，我們可能感到費解。神為何不解救拉撒路？讓他的身體得著醫治，讓他可以不必如此悽慘地度過一生？我們不知道當時的具體情況，但我們卻知道拉撒路愛神，深深仰賴神的慈愛和憐憫。
拉撒路的內心曾經有怨忿和埋怨嗎？我們不知道，但我們卻知道神認識拉撒路，故事的結果將證明這點。
兩人除了生前的生活非常懸殊之外，原來死後的結局也有天壤之別。似乎拉撒路先死，經文沒有記述他的喪禮，但他應該有幾個朋友來安葬他。然而，別人怎樣處理他的遺體並不重要，因為他已走完他在世上的路；如今，他已活在一個充滿光明和喜樂的地方。
財主也死了。他當然被風光厚葬，許多親友都前來哀悼。然而，他們如果知道財主將要往哪裡去，恐怕更要悲傷、難過了。
人怎樣在世上活一生，便決定了他的永恆終局。拉撒路堅定信靠神，神便看重他的信心，他死後便得以永遠與神同在。但財主在世的時候卻無暇理會神，於是在他死後，神便按照他的選擇，永遠與他分開。
YOU CANNOT BUY SALVATION
Luke 16:19-24
19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.
20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,
21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’
Message
Lazarus was the opposite in every thing. He was a beggar, apparently lame, weak in body, desperately in need, almost living on garbage. But Lazarus had something the rich man didn't have. He had faith in the mercy of God.
But surely something was wrong. Couldn't God have provided better for Lazarus? Yes, he could but then we don't know all the circumstances. We only know he must have loved God and counted on his mercy.
Was there no bitterness, no rebellion in his heart? We don't know, but we do know the Lord knew his name and the rest of the story proves this.
Now comes the contrast in their deaths. It seems the beggar died first. There is no record of his funeral, even though he must have had a few friends. What happened to his body doesn't matter. He had finished with it and was living in a new sphere of light and joy.
The rich man died and no doubt had a lavish funeral with plenty of mourners. They would really have mourned if they had known where the rich man had gone.
The eternal destiny of every human soul is determined here on earth. Lazarus believed in God here. God honoured his faith. The rich man had no time for God. Then God could only allow him to go on into eternity along that same path - isolated from God.