"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

–Romans 3:23-24

The International Friends Ministry supports refugee families from the Congo and other African countries, many of whom spent years in refugee camps before coming to Madison. One of our key focuses is providing academic tutors for children and teens.

We are grateful for the ten IFM tutors who faithfully served this year. 

Benjamine and Aooh enjoy reading and playing games with their tutors, Jim and Ben. Benjamine shared that he felt proud of giving a class report after practicing with Jim. Jim said the best part of tutoring has been becoming friends with Benjamine and watching his reading skills steadily grow. He always leaves their sessions grateful that he volunteered and encourages others to give tutoring a try. 

Ben said his favorite part has been building a relationship with Aooh—learning his strengths, challenges, and goals. A highlight for him was seeing Aooh confidently complete math problems on his own. 

Thank you, Ben and Jim, and thank you to all our IF tutors for faithfully sharing your time and talents this year. Your dedication is making a real difference in your students’ lives! 

*If you want to get involved with International Friends, reach out to Pastor David!

LUKE: Cost of Discipleship

Luke 16:19-31

_____



We’re diving back into the Gospel of Luke. After nine chapters introducing us to Jesus and His call, Luke now takes us with Him on the road to Jerusalem (Luke 9-19). Along the way, we’ll hear some of Jesus’ most famous teachings and stories, as He shows us what it truly costs to follow Him and why following Him is worth everything.

WATCH: YouTube or Website

DOWNLOAD: Bible Discovery

The Big Idea

(What is the author's point?)

Luke 16:19-31 uses vivid contrast to highlight the weight of how we steward what we’ve been given and the reality of lasting separation from God. It tells the story of a life that ignored both God and others, and the irreversible consequences that follow. The passage invites us to respond while we still can, reinforcing earlier teaching to view our lives through an eternal lens and to recognize the permanence of what lies beyond this life.

Why It Matters

(Why is this relevant to us?)

This passage presses uncomfortably into how we live and what we do with what we’ve been given. It speaks to socioeconomic justice, reminding us that God cares how we steward our resources, our money, time, attention and influence, and whether we notice those right in front of us. Luke makes clear that our choices carry real consequences; ignoring God and His Word shapes us over time. Instead of forming us into His image, ignoring God, His Word and His commands deforms us. This passage invites us to reflect personally. “What would it look like for me to live today with an eternal perspective in mind?” This passage confronts us with the sobering reality that wealth, privilege and security may now be completely overturned by what lies ahead. Both joy and suffering beyond this life are real and enduring. Jesus invites us to take seriously that our response to God in this life carries lasting weight, shaping a future that cannot be reversed. And yet, even in this warning, there is hope: God has not left us. Through His Word and ultimately through Jesus, we are invited to listen, turn and trust Him now so that our future is marked not by separation, but by life with Him.

Good to Know

(What are some helpful insights into this passage?)

Since Luke 16:14, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees as His primary audience. 

Luke 16:19-31 is a capstone to many teachings on wealth and resources from an eternal perspective.

This passage is full of stark contrasts (vs. 19-23) that convey how different God’s perspective is from ours. These contrasts invite us to enter this story actively and take the truth seriously.

In verse 23, "tormented by fire" fits our understanding of eternal suffering and separation from God as the reality of hell.

What is not being said in verse 25 is a “for all time and situations” principle that all who are privileged will suffer and vice versa. That would be an overstep of the text. 

The great chasm in verse 26 is not a physical chasm but a representation of the fact that the division after death is permanent.

Group Guide

Following the series with your group? 

• Start with some icebreaker questions.
• Read the passage together before you dive in. 
• Share any insights from the message. Use the questions below to get your conversation started.

Conversation Starters

1. What is significant about the Pharisees being the audience here?  

2. What difference can we see between the rich man and Lazarus?  

3. While this is a weighty passage on separation, what hope does it also give us?  

4. In what ways do we need to shift our focus back to having an eternal perspective? What actions do we need to take?  

Prayer

Father, help us to never be so blind as to forget our need for you. Thank you for sending Jesus to close the gap between us. We love and adore you, amen.

Looking for more prayer opportunities?

Click here to be notified about ongoing DCC prayer needs.

Click here to send in a prayer request.