Luke 16: The Power of the Word

At Fellowship Bible Church, one of our core values is an adherence to the Scriptures.  While we readily admit that we are imperfect and that our observation of Scripture is most often in the breach, we still see the Bible as our authority for faith and practice.  Asked to summarize in a phrase what makes our church different from many others, we would probably say "it's Bible believing."

Luke 16 reminds me why we are committed to the Scriptures as we are.  At the end of Luke 16, Jesus tells a story of Lazarus and the rich man.  In many ways, this story is tough to interpret.  Does the story represent the reality of the afterlife before judgment to heaven and hell?  Is Jesus merely using a conception of the afterlife from His culture to make a different point?  There is a lot to debate here.  But for all that isn't clear, there is much that is.

In the story, the rich man is trapped in a hell like place.  In the distance, he sees Abraham and next to him the beggar who used to sit at his gate.  Both men are in a heaven like place.  The rich man seeks some amelioration of his sorrow but is told this isn't possible.  So selflessly, the rich man asks if Lazarus might be resurrected to go to his brothers and to warn them of the agony that is to come.  What Abraham says in response to this is very interesting: "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them."  The rich man objects.  The Scriptures haven't been enough.  A sign like someone resurrected is what they need to believe.  Abraham replies: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." 

Abraham says to the rich man you are confused.  You think the resurrection is the more powerful sign, but you are wrong.  The Scriptures are the more powerful too.  If they won't believe the Word of God, they won't believe even if someone comes back to life.  Perhaps this is because the Scriptures provide the knowledge and insight to interpret the resurrection event.  It is interesting that at the end of Luke Jesus will appear to two men on the Emmaus road.  At first, they will not recognize Him.  And Jesus chooses not to immediately reveal Himself.  What does He do instead?  He teaches them from the Old Testament things concerning Himself.  Only after the Old Testament instruction do they see who is.  Certainly not every resurrection appearance is preceded by an Old Testament Bible lesson.  But it is interesting that there are times when it seems that acceptance of the Word is a prelude to true, saving belief.

Luke 16 reminds us to never sell short the power of the Word.  While we can debate what it means to be faithful to the Word and how the Word is to be used in our lives and churches, we must never forget that we as Christians are a people of the book.  And in that book is a power and wisdom that can't be replicated in signs or wonders or any other phenomenon.  We pay attention to the Scriptures because through them we have life.  And through them we also have power.