Luke 16:16 - 31When is a time you got in trouble as a kid and you knew that you deserved it?
Read verses 16 – 18. According to Jesus, what is the relationship between what we call the Old Testament and the message of the good news that he proclaims and existentially represents? Why does Jesus focus on the particular laws surrounding divorce and remarriage in his continuing debate with the religious leaders? What are some parts of God’s law that you find inconvenient? What needs to change in your life to better fit God’s expectations of people?
Read dramatically verses 19 – 31. Why is Jesus telling this story in the context of his argument with the religious leaders? Imagine you are Lazarus at the gate of the rich man. Describe what your life is like beyond the basic description of the story. What emotions are you dealing with? What questions are you wrestling with? How are you coping with your situation? Contrast that with the life of the rich man. What are some clues in the text we receive about his opulent lifestyle? How often do you think the rich man thought of Lazarus? Why did he not do more to help Lazarus? Who is a Lazarus in your life? What could you do to help them more?
Compare and contrast the moment of death for the two men. What is similar and what is different? What patterns in the rich man’s life made his destiny obvious? What patterns in the poor man’s life demonstrated his destiny? What is your life showing you about your standing in eternity? Describe the experience the rich man is having in the after life. Why is he crying out for help to Abraham? What does this show us about his assumptions? What are the reasons Abraham gives for not being able to help him? What do you trust in to help you in the afterlife besides a life now transformed by God’s grace?
When the man realizes his agony cannot be eased, what is his next desire he expresses in verses 27ff? Why does he think sending Lazarus to his home will help his brothers to believe? Why does Abraham not think this would be of any help to the man’s household? How is Abraham’s answer related to verses 16 – 18? What is Jesus saying through Abraham in the story about the relationship between his good news and the Old Testament? How can we become more aware of the eternal consequences of our decisions in this life? How can we help others realize the importance of their decisions without coming across judgmental? How open do you find yourself to God’s message? What can we do to become more open to God’s direction in our lives?
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