Don't Be No Fool | Body Builders, Pt. 4
I hope today that you will hear this clarion call from the Lord and respond in obedience. - Pastor Charlie Dates
Luke 12:13-21
Now someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “You there—who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over the two of you?” But He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.”
And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began thinking to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will store all my grain and my goods there. And I will say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is demanded of you; and as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’ Such is the one who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich in relation to God.”
A man touring a barn noticed the owner stored his crops on the upper level, not on the floor. When asked why, the owner said his father taught him to keep crops elevated to protect them from damage.
Where Is Your Treasure Stored?
Many of us lose the abundance God gives us by "keeping it down here." Treasures stored on earth spoil, while treasures invested in God’s work endure. Our money reflects our priorities: food, education, entertainment—yet how valuable is the spread of the Gospel to us?
The parable in today's passage is about how we deal with what God has given us. If the Gospel and the work of the church are important to you, you will move your money from down here to up there.
The word Jesus uses in verse 15 for beware means to stop sleeping and open your eyes because greed will sneak up on you like a prowling lion. You won't know what hit you.
Jesus senses the bother's greed in his request. What Jesus is saying to the man is that money can buy you a lot of stuff, but it can't buy you what you're really looking for.
Money can buy you a good date night, but it won't buy you love.
Money can buy you books, but it can't buy you intelligence.
Money can buy you a church, but it can't buy you a relationship with God.
Money can buy you a cross, but it can't buy you a Savior.
Chasing life’s meaning through material things leads you away from what life is truly about. When your hope isn't in your possessions, you can transcend life's circumstances.
A fool, in Jesus's eyes:
1. Looks for security in insecure places
All the wealth in the world can’t shield you from life’s unpredictability. A foolish person thinks that their material possessions can protect them against life.
You will never have enough.
2. Mixes merit with mercy
In the parable, the rich man missed the grace of God's generosity. He started speaking about the crops as his: my crops, my barns, my grain, my goods.
If the rich man actually thought about what it takes to grow crops, he would realize his mistake. It takes good soil, sunshine, and rain (they didn't have the water transportation systems we do).
The same thing goes for our lives and greatest accomplishments. A lot of things completely out of our control have to go right.
Those things are evidence of God's mercy.
God's mercies are so inexhaustible that when you woke up this morning he gave you brand new ones (Lamentations 3:22-23).
3. Keeps everything for themselves
The rich man in the parable's problem was trying to keep everything to himself for himself.
But, he didn't even own his own soul. Jesus says that his soul was required of him. His soul was on loan.
His life was even a gift.
The surest way to live an empty life is to be so blessed by God that you don't take what God has blessed you with and give it to bless other people.
Don't be a fool. Don't wait to be generous with God. Your life and resources are gifts—don’t waste them on what can’t last.
Reflection Questions
What specific forms of greed have you noticed in your own life, and how do they impact your relationships and faith?
How do you perceive the relationship between your possessions and your identity in Christ?
Reflect on the idea that your blessings are gifts from God. How does this change your perspective on generosity?