May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 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.' "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. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' "He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' "Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' ", No, father Abraham,' he said;‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' "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.'" (Luke 16:19-31)

In Christ's name and to his glory, dear friends: The Lord is certainly giving us a wonderful fall, isn't he? I love the fall; it is my favorite season. When we lived out West where there is very little other than pines, I found myself missing the bright colors of orange and red, the crunch of dry leaves under foot, and that smell of fall when the leaves on the ground get wet. I love how God lets us pass from one season to the next here, and this is one of my favorite times of the year.

Jesus pointed to the passing of the seasons as a vivid reminder that time is pressing on for us all. It happened to be spring so he said: Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near (Luke 21). If it were fall and he had lived in our area, he may have said, Look at the colors, time is passing on; even so, you know that our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed (Romans 13:11). And what the seasons teach us, God's revealed Word, especially this little gospel, does all the more clearly for our believing hearts to hear. It calls on us, reminds us, urges us, to prepare for what is certainly coming. Let us listen. Today Jesus says PREPARE!

The time is now. So simply and matter-of-factly Jesus says in his parable: The time came when the beggar died...The rich man also died and was buried. This happens to every soul. No one knows when God will end our time on earth or when God will end the time for the whole earth once and for all. So whether we are 1 or 11 or 21 or 51 or 91, now is the time to prepare. In one of his letters the Apostle Paul writes: As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6). There are no second chances. When the rich man wakes up in hell and then asks for God's help, it was too late.

Right now, today and each of the limited days we have here, is the time to prepare. It is sometimes called our time of grace. God gives us life as the time to find his grace in Christ, to enjoy his grace in Christ, and to share his grace in Christ.

You are here where his Word calls out to you, so you have found his grace again today. He has made it easy for anyone and everyone to find it. But Satan still prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Jesus knows how cunning and strong Satan is, how on earth is not his equal, so he took time today to remind us, lest we forget. Thank you, Jesus. Never let me ignore your warning!

Right now is the time to enjoy God's grace in Christ. It is so easy for us to forget and to think and live as if God has given us very little reason to be happy. A day a few decades ago I and my classmates trudged into Hebrew class. Prof. Eickman gave his usual, cheerful "voker-tov" which means "good morning" in Hebrew. A few of us grunted back the same. He stood silent looking at us for what seemed to be minutes until we were all looking at him. Then he said: Men, if you are going to let a few clouds rob you of the Lord's goodness-shame on you and I pity you. I never forgot that. Ah, how weak we are! We let what God denies us cloud over what he lavishes on us. We picture God as the rich man-as if he were denying us even the crumbs. Forgive us, Lord, our thanklessness. Thank you, Jesus, for telling us this parable to remind us that those whom angels will someday carry to heaven have every reason to rejoice in the Lord always.

Right now is the time to share the grace in Christ we enjoy. God won't be sending out any missionaries from hell nor does he call on those in heaven to share grace. You and I, now, while we are living here are God's lights. You will be my witnesses, he says to each generation on earth. We don't have to sign up. When God claimed us as his own, we were automatically enlisted. Lord, forgive me my forgetting that. And we don't have to go on some big search to find someone with whom to share grace. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus. Who put him there?-his friends, yes. But more, God placed him there. Lazarus was for the nameless rich man both a message to ponder and an opportunity help. There is laid before us the work of the Lord-opportunities to love and to love by serving. Lord, do not let us passes these by.

But, if now is the time, how can we prepare? This too Jesus tells us in this little gospel.

The word is how. They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them! So simple, so profound are Jesus' words. People go on great quests and pilgrimages thinking something as great as eternal life must surely demand much from us. Well, that sinners could live with holy God certainly does not come easy. So difficult is it, in fact, that God took it upon himself to accomplish it. I will crush Satan's head...I will destroy his work that has separated people from, says our God in his good news Scriptures. This he did. God's grace to us had a price...you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1) Being rich in money won't make you go to hell nor will being sick and poor like Lazarus earn you heaven. Only Christ and his atoning sacrifice saves. And Christ has made you and me ready, prepared, forgiven, saints in God's family.

And the Gospel in Word and Sacrament convey Christ and all he is and has to us. That's why Jesus points us to Moses and the prophets, to his Word. It is able to make us wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:16)...gives us Spirit and life (John 6:63)...and gives us the new birth of faith (1 Peter 1:23). Jesus' will for us, what he wants, is for us to be ever listening to that Word. And so today Jesus tightens his hold on you and me by telling us that the Bible is all we need to prepare. Only, Lord, never let me forget. And let us support every effort to put people in contact with the Word! For in doing so we will be part of the Lord preparing others.   Amen.