The Parable of the Rich Fool

Opening Comments:

Please meet me in your copy of God’s word in Luke 12:13-21. If you’re using one of our church Bibles, you can find your place on pg number 818. This is the Word of the Lord.

Luke 12:13–21 ESV

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Prayer:

"Dear Heavenly Father,

As we gather today, we come acknowledging our own struggles with priorities and possessions. Help us, Lord, to see beyond the temporary allure of earthly riches and to fix our eyes on the eternal treasure of knowing You. As we explore the Parable of the Rich Fool, may Your Spirit guide us to reevaluate our priorities and to desire Your presence more than any earthly possession.

We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen."

Introduction:

From the beginning of chapter 12 we have seen Jesus warning a very hostile crowd against the dangers of religious hypocrisy. As Jesus finishes making his points about hypocritical false religion and warning against blaspheming the Holy Spirit he is interrupted by someone shouting out from the crowd.

Luke 12:13 ESV

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

Think about this, you’ve just heard a warning about a profound biblical truth and all you can focus on is fulfilling a selfish desire for more. While this man’s timing couldn’t have been any worse, it was not an entirely uncommon event.

Notice he addresses Jesus as “Teacher”, he was acknowledging Jesus as rabbi and Jewish rabbi’s routinely arbitrated civil and family disputes according to Jewish laws. The fact that he asked Jesus to “tell my brother” means that his brother must have been present there as well. We don’t know if the man’s gripe was legitimate or not, all we know is he wanted Jesus to arbitrarily rule in his favor.

He wanted material wealth be it money or property. Rather that property and money was legitimately his and had been stolen or he just felt slighted we don’t really know.

Jesus refused to to intervene and responded sternly to the man

Luke 12:14 ESV

14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”

Though this man was present to hear Jesus teaching, he had not actually heard the message. He was far too preoccupied with the thoughts of his inheritance to really hear and receive the message.

Jesus uses this man’s interjection to teach the crowd about covetousness and greed.

He does so through the use of a parable about a Rich Fool

What is a parable:

A parable, as told by Jesus in the New Testament, is an instructive story containing symbolic significance[1][2]. C.H. Dodd defines it as "a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its application to tease it into active thought"[1][2]. Parables can encompass a broad range of forms, including full narrative stories, proverbs, riddles, and one-liners[1][2]. They are teaching tools that use real-life scenarios to illustrate spiritual truths[3]. Parables were a distinctive feature of Jesus' teaching style, rarely used to the same extent before or after His time[4].

[1] Jeffrey E. Miller, “Jesus, Parables of,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

[2] Jeffrey E. Miller, “Jesus, Parables of,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Concise Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2021).

[3] Ron Rhodes, A Popular Survey of Apologetics for Today: Fast Facts Every Christian Should Know (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2023), 225.

[4] Stephen Miller, The Jesus of the Bible (Barbour Publishing, 2009), 200.

Why did Jesus use parables?

Jesus used parables for multiple purposes, primarily as a means of revealing truths about the Kingdom of God to his followers while concealing them from those who were not receptive[1][2]. Contrary to the common belief that parables were simple illustrations to make teachings clearer, they were often intentionally obscure[1][3]. This approach served to encourage deeper thinking and curiosity among those genuinely interested in Jesus' message[2][4]. The use of parables also allowed Jesus to continue preaching while avoiding direct confrontation with his opponents[1]. Some scholars suggest that parables were reserved for times of judgment, as evidenced in Old Testament examples[1]. Ultimately, parables served as a way to engage audiences, provoke thought, and reveal truths about God's kingdom to those who were open to receiving them[2][4][5].

[1] Mark Horne, The Victory according to Mark: An Exposition of the Second Gospel (Moscow, ID: Canon Press, 2003), 87.

[2] Donald K. Campbell, “Foreword,” in Basic Bible Interpretation: A Practical Guide to Discovering Biblical Truth, ed. Craig Bubeck Sr. (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1991), 197.

[3] Charles W. Hedrick, Unmasking Biblical Faiths: The Marginal Relevance of the Bible for Contemporary Religious Faith (Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2019).

[4] Sandy Silverthorne, Kids’ Big Questions for God: 101 Things You Want to Know (Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 2023), 92.

[5] Kenneth Schenck, God’s Plan Fulfilled: A Guide for Understanding the New Testament (Indianapolis, IN: WPH, 2009), 120.

From this parable of Jesus in response to the covetous and greedy man’s interruption we learn three very valuable lessons as it relates to materialism in a persons life.

Those three applications are:

Life does not consist of things. (v.15-19)

A persons life may be required at any moment. (v.20)

Material wealth is not truly permanent. (v.21)

1. )Life does not consist of things. (v.15-19)

A.) Admonition (v.15)

Following this man’s request and Jesus rebuttal, the Lord offers a double admonition in v.15.

Luke 12:15 ESV

15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Take care- to take special notice of something, with the implication of concerning oneself—‘to take notice of, to consider, to pay attention to, to concern oneself with.

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 354.

Be on your guard- to protect by taking careful measures, guard, protect. The NKJV uses the word “beware”.

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1068.

The thing we are to “take care’ and “be on guard” against is a sin that all of us a susceptible too- Covetousness. Which was the interrupters sin.

Covetousness can be defined as a craving or desire for more. It is greediness and dissatisfaction with what is enough. Desiring and snatching at something which belongs to others. A love of having more.

It is a lust that can take root so deeply that it finds happiness in things instead of God. It causes an intense appetite for gain and a passion for pleasure that can only be satiated by more things.

It is a sin so great that God included it as one of the 10 commandments.

Exodus 20:17 ESV

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Colossians 3:5–6 ESV

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

The constant desire for more and more is a sin that plagues the entirety of humanity, but hear me this morning; Your happiness and comfort do not depend on what you have.

Life does not consist of possessions.

B.) The Parable (v.16-19)

Jesus get’s right at the center of this man’s covetousness by sharing a parable about a Rich fool.

A rich man whose land produced an abundant harvest[1][2]. The man, faced with the problem of insufficient storage for his crops, decides to tear down his existing barns and build larger ones to store all his grain and goods[1][2]. He then congratulates himself, thinking he has ample provisions for many years and can now relax, eat, drink, and be merry[1][2]. However, God intervenes, calling the man a fool and informing him that his life will be demanded from him that very night[2].

[1] Charles R. Swindoll, Luke, vol. 3, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017), 360. [2] David Murray, Luke: Stories of Mission and Mercy, StoryChanger Devotional (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2022), 100.

The man in this parable was incredibly self centered. In just three verses describing this man’s thoughts the Lord Jesus uses the word “I” six times and “my” five times. His attention was only on himself and no one else.

This man was blessed materially but he did not thank God for his blessing. He thought his soul belonged to him along with all the crops God had given. He became so prideful of his accomplishment that all he could see was how to make himself bigger and better so he could live a life of ease.

He thought only of himself and gave no thought of helping others. But notice something, he only thought these things, he never actually did them.

Deuteronomy 8:11–18 ESV

11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. 17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

The problem with his retirement plan was that he left out the Lord and his commands.

His plan was a one way ticket to life of hedonism (The pursuit of pleasure). Living only for yourself is unbiblical and immoral.

There is nothing wrong with preparing for the future, that is just good stewardship, but we can’t forget the Lord’s commands to honor him with our increase and to care for those in need.

Retiring to a life of self-indulgence does not find any favor with the Lord.

2.) A persons life may be required at any moment. (v.20)

Luke 12:20 ESV

20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

This man thought he had the rest of his life figured out, but God called him a fool.

Fool- Someone who is mindless, lacks sense, ignorant, destitute of knowledge and truth.

This man had foolishly forgotten the Lord in all of his planning.

Psalm 14:1 ESV

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

Psalm 53:1 ESV

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

Friends, when we leave God out of our plans, it is the height of foolishness.

This man in all of his planning for the future had never stopped to consider that his life did not belong to him. He gave no thought to eternity only the here and now.

Friend, you have no guarantee of tomorrow.

James 4:13–16 ESV

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

Better to seek the Lord today before it is too late.

Give the Gospel.

There is no bigger fool than the person who does not prepare for eternity.

3.) Material wealth is not truly permanent. (v.21)

Luke 12:21 ESV

21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Material wealth is not permanent. It has well been said that “he who dies with the most, still dies.” Eventually, your life will be required by the Lord and someone else will get everything you’ve acquired.

The man in Jesus parable, breathed his last breath and left every penny behind. He took nothing with him into eternity.

1 Timothy 6:7 ESV

7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

Better to be rich before the Lord then rich in the eyes of men.

How do we do that?

Invest in Christ church and the lives of his people!

You can spend your entire life buying the best toys, the fanciest cars, and the nicest house. You can build the biggest 401K and Roth IRA’a imaginable. You can play the stock market and rack up millions.You can acquire and acquire and acquire then hoard it all up and become the richest man alive only to discover at the end of your life you have nothing and are a fool in the eyes of God.

Or, we can be rich toward God because we gave and we gave and we gave.

The antidote to foolish and sinful materialism is to use what God has given us for his glory and the benefit of others.

Speak of missions, upcoming building projects, the hungry, the unwanted pregnancy, etc.

Conclusion:

Wealth is not sinful, it is a gift from the Lord for your good but also for his glory. Prepare for the future, absolutely, use what God has given you. But, also put what God has given you to work for the furtherment of his kingdom.

What am I prioritizing in your life?

Am I storing up treasures in heaven or hoarding them on earth?

Am I living only with this life in view or am I living for eternities sake?