19 “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz’arus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz’arus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz’arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz’arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'”
信是什麼？引述亞巴郎的話，即使見到也未必相信。又或說，只在見到才相信，那就不是信了。
每年的四旬期，也是我們準備經歷耶穌死而復活的重要節期，理論上，我們也應與基督同死同埋葬同復活，值得一問再問：我們信祂的死而復活有多少？
這絕非只是理念的問題，是生命經驗與改變的問題。你信祂多少，促證祂真正影響你多少？沒有藉口，沒有討價還價的餘地。
耶穌說這番話，特別是提醒他的兩位門徒，雅各伯和若望，因為他們希望在耶穌王國內，一個坐在他的右邊，一個坐在他的左邊。那時，門徒們還未明白默西亞的國度不是屬於現世的，雖然耶穌已是第三次談及他的苦難。
耶穌第一次談及他的苦難時，伯多祿出來阻攔，但耶穌責難了他；今次，似乎雅各伯和若望這兩兄弟還未領略耶穌的心意，且希望將來在耶穌的國度裡，坐上重要的位置。
這也是這兩兄弟得著的地方：謙虛受教。
其實，不少耶穌的門徒已離開了他，因為覺得他的說話太生硬！
全然的犧牲，是耶穌留下來給我們服事他人的最高準則。