"They have Moses and the Prophets"

Monday musical meditations on God's good news

An opening prayer:

Lord, you I love with all my heart;

I pray you, ne’er from me depart;

With tender mercy cheer me.

Earth has no pleasure I would share,

Heaven itself were void and bare

If you, Lord, were not near me.

And should my heart for sorrow break,

My trust in you no one could shake.

You are the portion I have sought;

Your precious blood my soul has bought.

Lord Jesus Christ,

My God and Lord, my God and Lord,

Forsake me not! I trust your Word.

Lord God, ’twas your rich bounty gave

My body, soul, and all I have

In this poor life of labor.

Lord, grant that I in every place

May glorify your lavish grace

And serve and help my neighbor.

Let no false doctrine me beguile,

Let Satan not my soul defile.

Give strength and patience unto me

To bear my crosses patiently.

Lord Jesus Christ,

My God and Lord, my God and Lord,

Forsake me not! I trust your Word.

Lord, let at last your angels come,

To Abram’s bosom bear me home,

That I may die unfearing;

And in its narrow chamber keep

My body safe in peaceful sleep

Until your reappearing.

And then from death awaken me,

That my own eyes with joy may see,

O Son of God, your glorious face,

My Savior and my fount of grace.

Lord Jesus Christ,

My prayer attend, my prayer attend,

And I will praise you without end!

Luke 16:19–31

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At 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.’

Good news questions

Jesus has already told three stories (lost sheep, lost coin, lost sons, tricky slave). Now comes a fitting final fifth.
A decadently rich man ignores a poor man who seems helpless. But God is the true helper of the poor man. ("Eleazer," Hebrew for "Lazarus," means, "My God helps.")
And God turns all the tables.
What is the good news here for the lowliest believers?
Are you listening to Moses and the Prophets?

For others pray

That God spreads the good news of the kingdom of the Son he loves in Gambia

J.S. Bach's beautiful music for today

BWV 75 (YouTube, "The wretched will eat and be satisfied")
The cantata starts with Psalm 22:26.
"The humble will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise him. May your hearts live forever!"
"What use are purple robes?" we ask, in line with the rich man in Jesus's parable.
"They pass away."
Our royal/purple robe? Jesus's precious blood.

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