Read Luke 16:19-31
There will be many surprises beyond death. Some will be comforted in the arms of God’s mercy. Others who chose to invest in worldly pleasure while ignoring the need of others will find themselves in agony over their shortsightedness. But this teaching is much more than a picture of what heaven and hell look like. In fact Jesus was using this common belief of heaven and hell in his day as a way of turning the theology upside down. It was believed by most people that the rich must be blessed by God. And the poor and crippled must have done something to deserve the punishment of their ailments.
Jesus used this story to flip this common wisdom and reveal a better way to understand God. Look at Luke 16:14-15. In God’s Kingdom, it is the needy, humble, poor, lame, children, widows, admitted sinners, and outcasts who get a front row seat. However, living for this world on the backs of others results in missing the Kingdom altogether no matter what this world praises and admires.
Under this Jesus way of seeing reality it makes more sense to help the hurting and addicted, heal the sick, stand up for the widows and children, and welcome “sinners.” This is what Jesus’ ministry and the early church looked like, and it grew rapidly. There is no shortage of needy people. But there is a shortage of churches willing to become humble and reach them with the good news of the Kingdom.
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