August 5 Sermon: Luke 12:13-21
Is the ‘rich fool’ prudent or foolish?
Seek the things that are above,
not the things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2
One of the reasons we come to church, read the Bible, is to “wise up”,
to “lift up our hearts” and focus on God – to again hear the difference between
the ways of God and the ways of the world.
Maybe it’s a surprise for some that Jesus looks at things differently
than we do. Jesus sets before us the way
of wisdom and sometimes it makes our way appear foolish, at least in his eyes.
The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he
thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?'
Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones,
and there I will store all my goods.
By our standards, that man seems prudent. He’s worked diligently, he is a long term
thinker and planner – and he saves his possessions instead of squandering them.
But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your
life is being demanded of you. '
Luke 12:16-20
God calls him a “fool”.
Why does he just seem prudent to us?
Maybe it’s that his behavior is exactly what our culture encourages us
to think is the way to live. We’re
saturated with advertisements that tell us that real security is to be found in
accumulating – by buying stuff, that the ads say will make our lives
better. Having more than you need seems
to us like a good plan for a comfortable, secure future.
That’s what the culture around us keeps telling us – strive for more –
but Jesus warns;
"Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of
greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Luke 12:15
*
Deal or No Deal is a TV hit show about luck and playing the odds. Contestants are faced with 26 suitcases held
by 26 models. Each case has a hidden
value ranging from a penny to more than a million. As the game progresses and cases are
eliminated, a contestant weighs the chances – the odds – of getting a bigger
prize against a lesser offer by the show’s bank.
The producer of the show explained its popularity. “I think the simplicity of the game is what
makes it successful. It taps into the
most basic human
emotion:
Greed – a desire to get-rich-quick.
Greed – it’s something we can all relate to.”
Greed is a basic human emotion – and one of the seven deadly sins.
*
A pastor was attending a conference on “Saving the American Family”,
and he was disappointed with the topics covered. So when they asked for questions, he said;
“… I’ve seen dozens of families
and marriages devastated by nothing more than simple greed – working to many
hours, buying too much, getting too deep in debt. If you want to save the American family, then
do something about greed.”
As Jesus says: Take care!
Be on your guard against all kinds of greed…
Jesus knows the appetite for more is subtle, so He says, be intentional
in looking out for it. Don’t be swept
away by the trends of our consumer society.
Don’t focus on the earthly portion of your future, grasping at material
things as way of achieving security, for one's life does not consist in the
abundance of possessions.
*
A stingy old man, who was really attached to his money, was diagnosed
with a terminal illness. But he was
determined to prove wrong the saying, “You can’t take it with you.”
After much thought, he figured out how to take some of his money with
him when he died. He told his wife to go
to the bank and get enough cash to fill two pillow cases. Then we she got home he said “put these bags
of money in the attic, directly above my bed.”
Then when he passed away, he would reach down and grab the money bags on
his way to heaven.
Several weeks after the funeral, his widow was up in the attic and came
upon the two forgotten pillow cases filled with cash.
“That old fool. I knew he should have had me
put the money in the basement.”
So it is with those who store up treasures
for themselves, Jesus
warns, but are
not rich toward God.
Luke 12:21
+
What attitude toward money and possessions is Jesus condemning?
The rich man actually thought he could secure his life on the basis of
his stuff. Get your stuff piled high
enough, deep enough, and it’s a barrier against death and misfortune. He places
all his faith and trust in his wealth, making it an idol.
That in which we put our ultimate trust is our god. If it’s money, it’s an idol.
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil
desire, and greed (which is idolatry).
Colossians 3:5
We trust in God for our security.
-
The man’s success came from his work, and also from good soil and
favorable weather. But he didn’t make
the soil rich nor control the weather.
Does he thank God for his blessings?
Do we forget that all that we have comes from God? – that
He has richly blessed us? A well-fed,
affluent life style can lead us away from being rich toward God.
Be thankful to God for all His many blessings.
+
Listen to what the fool says as he plans.
'What should I do, for I have no place to store my
crops... I will do this: I will pull down my barns and
build larger ones, and there I will store all my goods. And I will say to my
soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be
merry.' Luke 12:17-19
In just three sentences, he uses the personal pronoun “I” six times. The possessive pronoun “my” occurs five times. That
shows his self-centeredness – “it’s all about me” is his attitude.
+
Did he work that land and harvest the crops all by himself? No.
But, now that he has more than he needs, does he think of those farm
workers? Does he think of sharing some
of that excess with those who are less fortunate?
He has been richly blessed, so what does he do?
Keep it for himself. Remember the parables about the lost sheep
and the lost coin – and how in each the main characters “call together” all
their ‘friends and neighbors” to rejoice with them.
Not this selfish fool - he’ll keep it all for himself, so God
said: “You fool,
tonight your soul is required”
“Stupid, if you’re going to take all I’ve given you
and just keep it for yourself to eat, drink and be merry, you’ve missed the point
- I’m turning all that you have
over to someone else.”
We are blessed that we might be a blessing to others - Be generous and
willing to share.
*
A college professor who teaches at a secular university offers a course
in the New Testament as literature. He
says “I often have the opportunity to introduce them to the teachings of Jesus
for the very first time, for many of them have never gone to church or read the
bible. When we study Jesus’ Sermon on
the Mount, I look forward to the reactions from the students who are reading
Jesus’ famous message without any comments or interpretations by teachers or
preachers. I ask them, with their fresh
and un-churched minds, what they find most surprising or provocative about it?
What do you think is the most surprising part of Jesus’ teaching for
someone who’s never heard it?
The most common answer: “You cannot serve God and wealth.”
Apparently their Christian friends had never shared that part of Jesus’
teaching with them – that there could possibly be a conflict between trying to
have a lot of money and being a follower of Jesus.
+
Jesus sets before us the way of wisdom, but it’s
counter to the ways of the world. We
consider it wise – and prudent – to accumulate possessions – to hoard and plan
and secure our lives through our stuff.
But Jesus says “One’s life does not consist of having an abundance of
things.”
This parable Jesus told is about faith - where do you really put your
faith - your trust - in
God or in things?
Jesus teaches us how to be rich toward God:
We are blessed so that we might be a blessing to others
We are given to – so that we may give to others;
We are loved – so that we may love;
We are forgiven - so that we may be forgiven;
We are reconciled – so that we may reconcile.
The problem with greed is that rich fools – then and now – forget that
blessings are intended to be used to bless others.
Leave the bigger barns to the fool in the parable and commit to being
better at sharing than at storing. The
antidote to greed is generosity.
Seek wealth before God – treasure in heaven –
Put the
“Where your treasure is there will be your heart
also.”