Luke 12:13-34: Trust God More Than You Trust Your Stuff

Introduction

https://nypost.com/2023/08/23/mn-teen-connor-halsa-catches-wallet-while-fishing-returns-to-iowa-farmer/ Honest teen! Wouldn’t $2,000 help you? Wouldn’t it be nice to have just a little more?

The pursuit of more. Who doesn’t want more? Who doesn’t want a raise? Who doesn’t want a bigger house? A nicer car? A more luxurious vacation? We have all bought the lie that more is better…

BUT… the more stuff you have the more problems you tend to have… And, the more you tend to worry about what you have or what you don’t have.

Jesus has very practical words for those of us who are consumed with worry over what we have or don’t have. Jesus wants you to know that real wealth is not tied to what you have in this life. Instead, real wealth is tied to what you have in Christ. And, if you live life thinking that real wealth is tied to what you have, it’s evidence of a greedy heart.

God wants us to trust Him more than we trust our stuff. Three truths you need to know if you are going to trust God more than your stuff.

Living with greed is a foolish way to live.

Last few chapters: bold teaching on what it means to follow Jesus and bold words towards those who oppose Jesus.

Immediate context: Jesus just told His disciples to make a bold confession of faith trusting the Spirit to empower them when they feel the heat.

So much in the last couple of chapters about discipleship makes the request of this man seem out of place: “Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me” (Luke 12:13). Had this man not been listening to anything Jesus had been saying? No… hard to listen to Jesus when you’re consumed with worry over stuff. Why would you listen to Jesus talk about discipleship when all you can think about is the money you either have or don’t have? (Maybe you’re having a hard time listening this morning because your mind is consumed with worries over something else…)

Jesus’ pointed response: “I’m not here to settle small claims court kind of stuff.” A legal process existed for these kinds of disputes. This man saw Jesus as a wise spiritual leader/rabbi who could settle the dispute, but that’s not why Jesus came! He is the judge of human hearts to whom we must all give an account, not Judge Judy over petty disputes.

The ONE who judges hearts sees right into the heart of this man… “Watch out and be on guard against all greed… Life is not in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:14).

A simple parable with a simple point (vs. 16-20): A rich man’s land produces much - so much that he doesn’t know what to do with the crops. He could have shared his wealth, but probably worked so much, that he didn’t have friends and family to share with. Could have been generous and given to the poor, but his heart was full of greed. So, he builds bigger barns to store his grain.

Vs. 19 - The rich man’s desire is the desire of many people: “Take it easy. Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” Isn’t that why we tend to be obsessed with wealth and possessions? “If I can just get enough money, stuff, etc. I can take it easy.” Seems like the goal of life for many is an easy life.

vs. 20 - “You fool… Your life is demanded of you tonight...” Foolish - to spend a lifetime living for stuff when your life can be taken away in a moment - then what good is your stuff? vs. 21 - store up treasure for yourself and you are obviously not rich toward God.

Jesus pointed warning to the person with the greedy heart - It’s foolish to have a greedy heart that lives to gain everything because there’s not lasting satisfaction in the pursuit of possessions. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

How do you know if you are foolishly living with a greedy heart?

Always thinking about what you don’t have and how you can get it.

Always comparing your possessions with the possessions of others. (I see your elaborate vacations, and I’m stuck going to New Orleans…)

Always putting the material before the relational. (You know how to work hard to provide experiences for your family, but you don’t know how to communicate with your family. Trying to give family a better life by giving more stuff rather than giving Jesus.)

Your biggest goals are stuff oriented. (Saving for that big vacation, new truck, retirement, etc. vs goal to grow in Christ.)

You’re constantly worried about your lack of what you think you need. (Greed produces worry.)

Do you have a greedy heart?

Georgia football - WANT MORE CHAMPIONSHIPS - never enough

Living with worry is a debilitating way to live.

Next verses intimately connected with the previous. We all have a tendency to worry about something: our health, our family, our grades at school, etc. BUT, Jesus talking about something very specific: worrying about what you have.

A greedy heart is a worrying heart because you’re always worried about what you have or don’t have.

Reminder: Jesus NOT teaching us to not work hard, make money, and provide for our families. Jesus NOT telling us it’s wrong to have money/wealth. Jesus is telling us that it’s sinful to put our trust in what we have and worry over it.

Worry is a natural response to the troubles/problems of life. You WILL have moments of anxiety. Jesus teaching us what to do with that anxiety - specifically what to do with the anxieties we have over our financial condition.

Jesus NOT talking to wealthy people in this passage. He’s talking to people who were far less financially fit than most of us. I know in this room, some of you are in difficult financial situations. In first century Judea, under Roman oppression and heavily taxed, the average person struggled and wondered how they would make ends meet. Jesus’ instruction: Don’t worry.

While worry is a natural response to trouble/hardship, to live in a constant state of worry is debilitating and NOT God’s will for your life. Consider the realities of constant worry:

Worry steals your rest. How many sleepless nights have you had because you were worried about something? Or, you can’t focus on your work because your mind is consumed with worry.

Worry steals your health. How many of us have struggled with stress related health issues that stem from a worrying heart? How many of us tend to overeat or under-eat when we’re worried?

Worry steals your obedience. How many of you are having a hard time listening to the voice of God this morning because you are worried about something? And… because you have a hard time listening to God, you’re going to have a hard time obeying God. You’re going to fail to trust Him and walk in obedience because of your constant worry.

Worry steals your hope. When you’re consumed with worry, you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Your days our hopeless. You can’t see a way out of your stress.

Worry can be absolutely debilitating. Is there a way out of your worry?

Living with trust is the God-honoring way to live.

Jesus’ solution to a worry filled life: trust God. NOT seven steps to overcome worry. Not helpful advice, cute sayings, etc. BUT… Instead of putting your eyes on that thing that consumes your heart and mind with worry, put your eyes on God.

Trust that there’s more to life than the things you have. “Life is more...” (vs. 23) We’re told that the more is in what you have, but Jesus says that the more is in who you know.

Trust that God cares for you and knows how to provide for you. Two examples: Consider the ravens. God feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than the ravens? Consider the flowers of the field. Look at their beauty. Who cares for the flowers? Not even Solomon adorned like the flowers. Adorned flowers are here today and gone tomorrow - thrown in the furnace, but look at how it grows. A lesser to greater argument: If God cares for the lesser things of this world, then certainly He cares for the people that He made in His image. (Similar to Luke 12:6-7.) vs. 29-30 - God knows what you need. He may choose to give you an abundance. He may choose to give you little. But, your God knows how to provide for you so that you might accomplish His purpose with your life. And - what can you add to your life by worrying about what you have/don’t have? (vs. 25-26)

Trust that God knows why He chooses to bless people differently. It’s hard to trust God when you look around and see how all of our financial situations are different. This person has a lot, this person doesn’t. This person works hard and seems to never get ahead. This person doesn’t seem to work much at all, but seems to get everything he wants. Instead of comparing financial situations, trust that God knows what He is doing in your life. He chooses to bless people differently for reasons only know to Him. Don’t worry about someone else. Instead, focus on your walk with the Lord and your obedience to God’s call on your life. (e.g., Parable of the talents.)

Trust that God’s Kingdom is where contentment is found. Seek first His Kingdom (vs. 31). What a promise! Seek first the Kingdom and these things will be provided… DOES not mean that cash is going to show up at your door step, but it DOES mean that as you make Christ the priority of your life, you can also trust that He will place you where He wants, and He will give you the means that you need to provide for your family. He will give you contentment with whatever it is He chooses for you and your family because His goal is not to make you rich in this world but rich in Him. He wants to give you a greater Kingdom than the Kingdom of this world.

Trust that the more you give the more you gain. (vs. 33-34) Real joy is found when you open up your hands and say, “Whatever I have is a gift from God for the sake of His kingdom.” vs. 34 - When you get in the habit of giving, it has a way of transforming your heart. Giving doesn’t come natural, but when you discipline yourself to trust God’s Word and give as God leads, you can be assured that God will show you real treasure.

Trust Jesus because of what Jesus has given for you. This ONE who calls us to live open-handed lives live open-handedly for us. This ONE who says seek His Kingdom went to the cross and died and rose again for you so you could inherit His kingdom. He is the way, the truth, and the life who invites you into a better way to live than a life consumed with the worries of this world. Today, turn from your sins and turn to Him by faith.

Follower of Jesus, what are you trusting in? Your stuff or your Savior? This morning, repent of greed. Repent of worry. Ask God to teach you to trust Him, and this morning take steps of faith that give evidence of your trust in Christ.