Sermon Tone Analysis

The Main Idea

When we put material above God then it distorts our vision of God and thus creates harmful consequences in our lives.

David E Garland said, “Pursuit of grater riches pose an even greater danger to life.”

ZECNT Luke, 520.

God told Moses what the desire for wealth and the attitude of greediness would do to people.

In Deut.

31:20, the text says:

What would they say?

The Israelites would say: Deut.

8:17

They forgot what the LORD has done for them; they forgot the blessing the LORD has poured in their lives.

Similar story here in Luke 12.

Let us look at the text.

The Setting Luke 12:13

This verse is the setting for what Jesus is about to teach to the people.

One man abruptly asked Jesus to do something.

He addressed Jesus as “Master.”

Meaning, he is giving Jesus some respect; he probably was listening to Jesus for a while, and/or came to know that Jesus was a great teacher!

The Issue: Inheritance Luke 12:13

What does it mean by inheritance?

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains (57.140 κληρονομία, ας)

57.140 κληρονομίαb, ας f: (derivative of κληρονομέωb ‘to inherit,’ 57.138) that which is received from a deceased person—‘inheritance.’ διδάσκαλε, εἰπὲ τῷ ἀδελφῷ μου μερίσασθαι μετ’ ἐμοῦ τὴν κληρονομίαν ‘teacher, tell my brother to divide with me the inheritance’ Lk 12:13.

In Lk 12:13 it may also be possible to render κληρονομία as ‘the property our father left us’ or ‘the property which our father said should be given to us.’

The Response: Master’s Response - Luke 12:14

Jesus address that person.

In fact, He says that this is not my business; you have courts to deal with these types of issues.

HOWEVER, Jesus uses this occasion to talk about greediness.

Do the audience of His time need to hear that?

Of course, and that was why Jesus was speaking of this parable.

The Warning: Beware!

Luke 12:15

Jesus gave two commands - Take heed!

And beware!

But specifically about the greediness.

Jesus then sums up life is not defined with what you have!

The Parable

Let us note several points here:

He spoke a parable - a story that requires the listeners to take action.

A certain man - not sure who it was, but used for making a point.

brought forth plentiful.

He either planned the crops, or he was simply blessed to receive that plentiful crops.

(I take the second view).

The Foolish Reasoning Luke 12:17-19

The Man’s Success - 16-17.

He had very good crops, but he forgot where he got those from.

I do not believe that this rich man planted the crop and worked so hard to earn the fruits of it in that plentiful way.

If he earned it by working hard, he wouldn’t tell his soul to be lazy.

In fact, God’s intension while creating man was never that man should be lazy, but to work.

The Man’s Selfishness vv 18-19

Notice how many personal pronouns are listed in this section; at least eleven times either “I” or “my” appeared.

He never helped others or nothing is said of him helping others.

Not a single verse on this man reaching out to help poor people.

He’s got no interest in God or spiritual things.

He forgot that all that he has was in fact giving by God; he took advantage of what God gave and was not thankful to God.

He forgot that God owns his soul.

He is the one who gained the entire world, but he lost his soul - took nothing with him.

Mark 8:36

Then we see the final results.

The Final Results vv 20-21

Point: Self-Reliance on materialism makes on foolish.

And it brings forth death v. 20 - Note that God calls him “fool.”

We cannot take material processions when we die; nor can we mail them to God before we die.

Look at 1 Tim.

6:7

God called him fool.

This also indicates that he has no desire or regard for God.

A fool says in his heart that there is no God.

Do we not see that this is the case with this rich person?

The rich fool?

No regard for God at all.

Therefore, God called him - fool.

Why?

Because it was God who gives all things.

Point: Jesus explains the end of such greedy people, and calls his audience to stay away from self-reliance to rely up on God, and to become rich toward God.

Barret comments:

The parable casts a spotlight on the values of our everyday life from the vantage point of eternity.

From there, covetousness looks foolish.

Those who invest only in themselves, their security, and their comfort and pleasure have made a bad investment in the end.

They are spiritually and morally bankrupt.

The paraphrase in The Message captures the idea beautifully, “That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God” (12:21).

The parable assumes that everyone must give a final accounting before God for how they have made use of God’s bounty.

Questions: Are you becoming rich toward God?

Is your life filled with greed?

Are you loosing your heart for God and gaining interest in material things?

Are you spending more time on things that will destroy you; things that will kill you; things that will separate you from God for eternity?

Do not be like the fool who forgot that God is the one who gave all things he has in his life.

Man thinks he planted the seed and he knows how the crop grows.

But in fact, he doesn’t.

Jesus says in Mark 4:26-29 that the seed grows “all by itself.”

This means that God is behind this growth.

Acknowledge God in your life and give your lives to God.