Great Mistakes of Your Heart and Soul (Luke 12:13-21)

Great Mistakes of Your Heart and Soul (12:13-21)

(Temple 12/30/2018) I hope each of you had a Merry Christmas. We’ve had quite an emphasis this year with four weeks on for the Christmas season.

But now, Christmas has come and gone. The presents have been opened. The pictures have been taken. The wrapping paper and boxes have been taken up. Some of us have already taken down the Christmas tree and decorations. Leftovers still haunt the refrigerator. My belt has shrunk an extra notch from all the holiday dinners.

Christmas for 2018 has passed. Well now, what do we need to hear from the Lord after such a festive month of celebrations? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could meditate exclusively on the love, peace, and joy from the birth of the Lord every worship service? We can and ought to express the love, peace, and joy of God in every service and every day, but in this sin-sick world, we must also consider the whole counsel of God. Reality faces the goodness of God yet also the badness of sin. The Bible exposes reality.

Our passage today begins at . So far, in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus has been preparing His followers for true discipleship. He has shown them, both in teaching and setting the example, what following Him in faith is like. Despite this intense training, some followers still do not understand what following Jesus really means. In this passage, one follower reveals grave mistakes of his heart and soul.

Luke 12:13–21 AV

And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

In this passage we find a great mistake of the heart and a great mistake of the soul.

A Great Mistake of Heart: Misidentifying Jesus

Let’s get the picture here. In the previous verses Jesus warned of hypocrisy, fear of the world, blasphemy, and self-reliance in the place of faith in God. As if his follower did not hear a word He said, this man comes up to Jesus and asks that He arbitrate the inheritance of this man and his brother.

The world would love for Jesus to remain a baby. The Christmas story has a charm that the world can accept. The account of Jesus’ birth has peace, joy, love, and a sense of wonder, all positive themes to a troubled world.

Last Sunday we observed the Lord’s Supper to remind us that we celebrate the Christmas season for more than a babe in a manger. We celebrate our Savior and the life that He offers through faith in Him. We remember the blood of the Son of God which was shed on the cross of Calvary for us and the body that was given so that we could be born again.

A significant majority of people in the world make the great mistake of misidentifying Jesus. Many will say He was a good man. Many will say He did some good things. Some will say a lot of His teachings were good. More than a few lost people try to live by the Golden Rule, as if that would qualify them for heaven.

Church members make a great mistake of misidentifying Jesus. Notice that it wasn’t a Pharisee or scribe who asked Jesus to intervene in this family dispute. It was one of the company, a follower! His mistake of the heart was thinking of Jesus as His servant, as the One to serve his selfish purposes.

This mistake is not so much a mistake of the mind as it is of the heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 AV

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? The heart deceives the mind. The world thinks that some things are so because the heart wants it to be so. Confusion about gender is a problem of the heart. Lost people latch on to a lie because their hearts want the lie to be true, when logic and common sense plainly exposes the lie.

The heart deceives the mind. The world thinks that some things are so because the heart wants it to be so. Confusion about gender is a problem of the heart. Lost people latch on to a lie because their hearts want the lie to be true, when logic and common sense plainly exposes the lie.

This man in our passage tried to put Jesus in the middle of his dispute. In chapter 10 of Luke’s Gospel, Martha had previously tried to put Jesus in the middle of her dispute with her sister, Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus instead of helping Martha in the kitchen. Jesus rebuked Martha instead of Mary. The passage implies that Martha was more overwhelmed than envious, but her heart was still not right. Jesus corrected her.

Here in chapter 12 is another family squabble. I hope your family doesn’t have issues like this man’s family and Martha’s family. Like Martha, the follower’s heart is not right. Again, Jesus corrects him.

Jesus is not a genie in a bottle or one to grant wishes for selfish purposes. He is not Santa Claus. Yet even church members think of Him that way.

Psalm 37:4 AV

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Some church members interpret this verse to mean that if they follow Jesus, He will give them a big bank account, a large house, and (to quote The Price Is Right game show) A NEW CAR! They think of Jesus as the means to attaining their selfish desires.

Some church members interpret this verse to mean that if they follow Jesus, He will give them a big bank account, a large house, and (to quote The Price Is Right game show) A NEW CAR! They think of Jesus as the means to attaining their selfish desires.

Some church members interpret this verse to mean that if they follow Jesus, He will give them a big bank account, a large house, and (to quote The Price Is Right game show) A NEW CAR! They think of Jesus as the means to attaining their selfish desires.

That is not the real Jesus! The real Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords! The real Jesus is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace! Do any of those titles give you a sense of entitlement to make selfish demands? Do you know who you are talking to when you ask for things with selfish reasons?

Jesus responded, “Who made me your judge or arbitrator?” He could have likewise said, “Who do you think I am asking such a thing?” Jesus knew the man’s heart. He knew the man’s mind. And He knew the man’s soul and went on to confront the great mistake in the man’s soul.

A Great Mistake of Soul: Misguided Priorities

Desire, like anger, can be good. I already mentioned , which also deals with good desire. Another related verse is

Proverbs 11:23 AV

The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. Desire, even strong desire, for righteousness and the glory of God is good. We call that zeal and zeal for the Name of Christ is good. The desire for prayers on your behalf is good. You have heard people say that they covet our prayers. They sincerely desire our prayers. Nothing wrong with that, especially if we are seeking to glorify God.

Desire, even strong desire, for righteousness and the glory of God is good. We call that zeal and zeal for the Name of Christ is good. The desire for prayers on your behalf is good. You have heard people say that they covet our prayers. They sincerely desire our prayers. Nothing wrong with that, especially if we are seeking to glorify God.

Desire, even strong desire, for righteousness and the glory of God is good. We call that zeal and zeal for the Name of Christ is good. The desire for prayers on your behalf is good. You have heard people say that they covet our prayers. They sincerely desire our prayers. Nothing wrong with that, especially if we are seeking to glorify God.

Desire that becomes self-centered becomes unrighteous covetousness. We see covetousness in small children. Just this past Christmas, did some child want the present that another child got? Or did the child want to play with the toys of others instead of his or her own toys? Haven’t you seen it? I don’t mean your children or grandchildren. Yours aren’t anything like that! I’m talking about those other children and grandchildren! If you haven’t seen it, maybe you ought to sign up for the nursery sometime and just watch children play. Covetousness creeps in even while we are young.

We see covetousness in adults. Physically mature but spiritually immature people want what others have. I’m not talking about wanting to buy what someone is selling. That’s not covetousness. Covetousness is the desire to take from someone because you want it. Covetousness is the heart motivation for stealing. Covetousness is the foundation for many worldly philosophies and politics. The whole premise of socialism is built upon taking from some to give to others. That’s unrighteous covetousness. It is found in both children and adults.

Covetousness is the sin that condemned Saul of Tarsus. He testifies in

Romans 7:7–9 AV

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. God’s Word revealed the sin of covetousness in Saul of Tarsus. This same Word reveals covetousness in our hearts, also.

God’s Word revealed the sin of covetousness in Saul of Tarsus. This same Word reveals covetousness in our hearts, also.

Paul is referring to the tenth commandment:

Exodus 20:17 CSB

Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s. The way I remember it as the tenth commandment is by opening and closing my fingers and thumbs as if I’m taking what belongs to another. While most of the other commandments are acts (bowing to idols, using the Lord’s Name in vain, murder, adultery, stealing, lying), this commandment is a sin of the heart.

The way I remember it as the tenth commandment is by opening and closing my fingers and thumbs as if I’m taking what belongs to another. While most of the other commandments are acts (bowing to idols, using the Lord’s Name in vain, murder, adultery, stealing, lying), this commandment is a sin of the heart.

The tenth commandment is the most distinctive of the commandments. It is distinctive because there is no parallel in the annals of law. You will find laws prohibiting murder, theft, perjury, adultery, blue laws concerning Sunday, and even laws in history regarding worship of God. But you will not find a law on the books outlawing covetousness. Some so-called scholars theorize that the Hebrews borrowed the Mosaic Law from the Canaanites, but they have yet to prove that anyone else outlawed covetousness. Why? Because these commandments came from God Himself! They came from the One who knows our hearts and wants to change our hearts from a stony heart to a heart of flesh. It is distinctive because it can be concealed in the heart. It is distinctive because, although concealed in the heart, it is a problem of the heart. As we shall see, this commandment has led to the breaking of the other commandments. It is distinctive because, while there is no action in and of itself, except for looking and desiring, it is often the root cause of breaking other Commandments.

The Apostle Paul who recognized that his unrighteous covetousness was contemptible also recognized that his righteous covetousness for the salvation of Israel was commendable.

Romans 9:1–3 AV

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Another misguided priority of the heart is self-satisfaction from attainment. It creates a false sense of security. A person trusts his treasures when he ought to trust the Lord. He is more interested in comforts than the Comforter.

A lot of people got a lot of stuff for Christmas this year. Now they need a place to put the extra stuff! Just like the rich man in the parable above, they need more storage space for their stuff. Jesus has more to say on these topics in the verses ahead, so we will continue them soon, Lord willing.

We see from this Word of God that even a holiday of cheer and good will toward others like we just had can reveal problems of the heart and soul. We see how easily we can limit the real Jesus in our hearts or create a false image of Him. We see how easily we can get our priorities out of whack by dwelling on things instead of the One who came and dwelled with us.

Before the new year begins, let us rid our hearts of a false identification of Jesus. Let us see Jesus as He really is and repent for trying to make Him somebody He is not. Also let us align our priorities with those of Christ and repent of any covetousness or false security in materialism. May we end the year strong in the Lord by setting aside mistakes and pressing on in righteousness.