Can you hear it?

Luke 16:19-31 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. ²⁰ A beggar named Lazarus had been laid at his gate. Lazarus was covered with sores and ²¹ longed to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Besides this, the dogs also came and licked his sores. ²² Eventually the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In hell, where he was in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus at his side. ²⁴ He called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in misery in this flame.’

²⁵ “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in misery. ²⁶ Besides all this, a great chasm has been set in place between us and you, so that those who want to cross from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷ “He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s home, ²⁸ because I have five brothers—to warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham said, ‘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 “Abraham replied to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Paul and his wife loved to take walks in the woods. Since their property bordered one, it was convenient to go out every night. One evening, just before dusk, Jean stopped abruptly. She became very quiet and urged her husband to do the same. In a hushed voice she asked Paul, "Can you hear it?" At first Paul joked. "What, are you hearing voices?" The sharp, quick glance told Paul this wasn't the time for humor, so he honored his wife's request. As they both listened attentively they began to hear a hushed sound which began to grow in volume. Soon they were privileged to hear an incredible symphony. Birds and insects joined in a splendid chorus, and graced them with a song of unmatched beauty. On the way home, both remarked how easy it would have been to miss this wonderful experience.

Every day we need to sort through all sorts of sounds. The voices of your parents giving you jobs to do around the house. The music you listen to while you are doing those jobs. Your grandma talking to you on the phone. The neighbors’ little dog yipping at the window whenever you walk by their house. The YMCA counselors giving you instructions on how to safely go boating, climb the tower, and shoot arrows.

Some sounds are important. Some are sweet. Some are harsh. Some are warning. Some are comforting. Some can be ignored. Personally, there are times when I long for silence.

In this parable, Jesus catches our attention. He asks, “Can you hear it?” He is not concerned with the sounds of nature, with the voices of people, or even with the "siren" song of the world. He wants you to listen to His Word. At various times, that Word is called Moses and the Prophets, the Old and New Testaments, the Holy Bible or the Sacred Scriptures. They are all the same thing. God’s Word is the Holy Spirit-inspired words given to God’s prophets and apostles for us to read and hear. We need to listen to it.

There are often so many sounds pounding into our ears that we cannot hear everything. Still, there is only one message that is sweet and soothing to our ears. We do not need someone to return from the dead to tell us to believe in Jesus. That’s already happened. Jesus Himself has returned from the dead. Let’s listen to Him. His message of hope and peace. It brings joy and comfort. It delivers from death and the power of the devil. It assures us of forgiveness and eternal life. That message is the good news about Jesus in the Bible.

It is a message that makes us like Lazarus. Though the world saw him one way, with the eyes and ears of faith, we can see and hear him the way Jesus made him to be through faith in Jesus’ words:

·       Our eyes see Lazarus as a poor beggar, but our ears hear him as a man rich with the Father's grace.

·       Our eyes see Lazarus in rags, but our ears hear him decked out in the righteousness of Christ.

·       Our eyes see him starving, but our ears hear him feasting sumptuously every day on the bread that came down from heaven.

·       Our eyes see him a man without friends, but our ears hear him as the friend of God, the companion of angels.

Sola Scriptura – Scriptura alone – this is what changed Lazarus into the heavenly wealthy man at Abraham’s side in heaven. Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone – this is what changes us. This is the message we need to hear, listen to, and apply to our lives. That’s why we spend so much time in Scripture while at Training Camp – morning devotions, daily Bible studies, and evening devotions.

We cannot ignore it. We cannot reject it. We cannot consider it unimportant. That’s how we end up like the rich man and his brothers. When we listen to it and believe it, then we end up being carried by the angels to the sides of Abraham and Lazarus.

Ask yourself this morning, “Can you hear it?” Then say to Jesus, “Speak, O Lord.” Amen.