All Must be Forsaken

Introduction

Luke seemingly interrupting the thought he had been laying out in this passage so far gives us an account of Jesus telling the story of a foolish rich man . In the beginning this seems like an inconvenient time for this person to ask this question, but it actually fits into the theme of the next chapter.

Have you ever seen a moment in those cheesy comedy shows where one of the characters will say something unrelated to the topic that will be the solution to a current problem or have you had that moment yourself where something someone else is saying sheds new light on a situation. We see this in much the same way here in Luke where the question of someone in the crowd seems to be disconnected from what Jesus is teaching but rather connected. Let’s look at today’s passage together. Luke 12:13-21

Luke 12:13–21 NKJV

Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Setting the Stage

In this chapter a large congested crowd of people has gathered to listen to Jesus as he teaches the disciples about being weary of pharisees hypocrisy, Luke 12:1 “In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

Jesus then next began to teach the crowd and the disciples about how they should not fear and continue to acknowledge Christ. Luke 12:8 ““Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.”

Luke showed that Jesus’ message was sustainable because the same lessons that can be taught to the pharisees can be taught to the crowds.

In the midst of the teaching, Jesus is asked to weigh in in on a dispute about inheritance. It is noted by commentators that the Rabbi would often way in on such matters in Jesus’ day and that according to the law this guy would have been owed the inheritance, but that is not the issue Jesus focuses on. Instead of the issue of inheritance Jesus focuses on an issue that is very relevant to message of this passage in Luke.

Then following telling this story Jesus would later on tell the disciples about persecution.

Jesus’ purpose was not to judge human matters when on this earth.

Jesus’ ministry was to teach and show the truth of God not to gain authority.

Luke 12:14 NKJV

But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

a. Jesus mission was to do the will of God and teach the truth of God.

Jesus did not seek to impress the people but rather stayed focus on his mission to continue to teach the truth. I am sure that Jesus would have had some judgement or wise decision regarding this problem but that simply is not what He is here to do.

It would be weird if a home inspector starting fixing all the problems he saw in a house not because that wouldn’t be helpful but because it is not his Job. The Home inspector is simply there to observe the problems and to advice home owners and potential home buyers of problems.

One thing that is easy is to get distracted in side quests in ministry some questions are not profitable to spend much time on and you don’t always need to have a smart answer for every tough theological question about the Bible. It is certainly of the upmost importance that you understand and have knowledge of the scriptures but it is important to guard against side quests that may distract you from what God is calling you to do.

Which brings us to the next thing believers need to be aware of covetousness.

Beware of covetousness in your own life.

Covetousness is something that the Jews are commanded to avoid way back in the ten commandments Exodus 20:17. In verse fifteen of chapter 12 Jesus issues the same warning Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.””

What do you covet?

Financial security?

Nice Car or House?

A job?

Degree?

All of these things can be great but it is in the focus and all out pursuit of these things that man can get distracted from focusing on what really matters.

Folly’s of the Rich Man

Rich man focused on money and neglected to focus on his soul.

Luke 12:21 ““So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.””

The spiritual things can become out of focus when your focus is set on the things of this world. The old remark “you can’t take it with you rings uncomfortably true. Jesus here chastises those who do not show any concern for God, bit only concern for the comforts of life.

Rich man made plans in arragance.

James shares some wise words about making plans that we should observe.

James 4:13–17 NKJV

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

A big thing in today’s culture is saving for retirement. There is nothing wrong with saving for retirement but if you have more energy and time invested in saving for retirement than your spiritual walk “danger.”

A person’s value is not found in what they possess.

Humans all have value in the sense that they are created in the image of God. Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”” Humans are unique and more valuable than other creation Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

If we not need possessions to increase our value before God why have possessions?

Because they bring us pleasure?

Because they look cool?

Tell the illustration of Peterbilt trucks and lots of lights being pointless but looking cool.

These things are often aimed at ourselves or others in the world and that is the problem Jesus is trying to address in the this teaching and Luke is trying to address in locating this story here.

Observe the laziness of the rich man.

The rich man desired his gain so he could relax and enjoy life not for seemingly any purpose. This might seem like a small issue but diligence and hard work.

Proverbs 13:4 “The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.”

Colossians 3:23 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,”

Proverbs 21:25 “The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.”

In additions the Bible encourages us to share our excess with those in need and not save it up for ourselves.

Hebrews 13:16 “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

Be rich towards God.

Focus on God and seek to serve God.

When I make this point perhaps one verse in particular comes to mind Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

In fact in this very chapter Luke mentions a very similar if not the same quote from Jesus in Luke 12:31 “But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Jesus desires that we seek to give our all towards God and not to look to the world for adulation, pleasure, or fulfillment.

I know I talked about excess wealth today but this even implies that God comes before our needs and in fact there is another Bible verse to talk about this. Matthew 6:31–33 ““Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Seek the thing of God and focus on them in all aspects of life consider how God can be served in life do not worship the things of this world because no one can serve two masters

Matthew 6:24 ““No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Conclusion

In what seems like an interruption in the chapter we see a theme that actually very much fits with the chapter. The mission of the disciples and those who follow Jesus is to forsake all and follow Jesus. Not to focus on the opinions of men or as we looked at today money, bit rather to focus on God and the mission of God. Jesus is teaching us to forsake the world and follow him. Jesus goes on to tell the disciples about persecution in chapter 12 and persecutions will come. If we are beholden ed to the world then the world will wreck us but if we hold to Christ then we can weather the difficulty that will come.

Let’s pray.