Luke 12 13-21 2007
Pentecost 10, Proper 13
Luke 12: 13-21
August 5, 2007
“The Rich Fool”
Introduction: Comedian Jack Benny, from TV’s Golden age, had a skit which illustrated how we place money ahead of everything. He is walking down the street when suddenly he is approached by an armed robber, "Your money or your life!" There is a long pause. Jack does nothing. The robber impatiently questioned him, "Well?" Jack replied, "Don't rush me, I'm thinking it over."
A fool and his money, are soon parted, right? Of course, this link between a fool and money (or possessions) goes back along way, all the way to our Gospel lesson. This morning I would like us to think a few moments about our money and our life. We need to ask ourselves, in light of what Jesus says, what we consider to be our treasure and to consider where are true treasure is to be found.
The background for our story is an incident that occurred in Galilee as Jesus was teaching to a large crowd. Some people estimate that there thousands of people present. Jesus, through Luke, the writer of this gospel, is not bashful about his feelings concerning our earthly and heavenly priorities. A young man called out from the crowd and said: Rabbi, tell my brother to divide the inheritance of our father.” Now, Jewish law clearly prescribed that at the death of a father, the elder son received 2/3 of the inheritance, and the young son received 1/3. Which son this is, we do not know. But whichever, this brother believes that he is unfairly being treated. However Jesus refused to get involved.
Right away this man shows his foolishness. Jesus had been proclaiming that He has come to bring salvation. Earlier Jesus tells the people how important they are to God, that if God cares for the sparrows that fly through the breeze, surely He cares for all people even more. He continues to explain to them that Gods care for people is shown in this, that He sent His only Son into the world, to die on the cross so that all who believe in Him will have eternal life. Jesus says, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angles of God [before God Himself].” The man that comes to Jesus, what is he concerned with? It is not the treasure of Heaven that stands before him. No, he is concerned with the mirage of treasure that this world offers…those things that spoil and fade, that rust and brake…that in the end, even if acquired are only handed on to someone else when God determines that death must come. Jesus was concerned, however, with the larger implications of human preoccupation with the things of this world. He said: Beware of greed, for life does not consist of things possessed. The sum total of a person’s life is more than what they own.
He then illustrated this point by telling a story. There was once a man who had an unbroken run of prosperity. He worked and His work was blessed by God. So prosperous was he that his barns could not hold all of his crops. Now, that’s a problem that some of us would like to have. His solution was to tear down these barns and build bigger and better barns. Then, with his financial security in hand, he could sit back and truly enjoy life. His philosophy was: work, eat, drink, and be merry.
The truth be told, when we hear this story we may find ourselves rather envious of this man. A financially successful man—we may see him as savvy and wise. After all he had apparently done everything right according to the measures of this world. Yet, Jesus concluded the story by saying that this man was a fool.
The issue before us this morning is this: what did this man do wrong? To answer that question we must understand that this is not a parable about money. It is not a parable aimed merely at the rich. Rich or poor, any person can play the part of the fool. This parable is about values and what is important in life. With that in mind, let me suggest four things that this man did that made him a fool.
First, he was a fool because he made the gifts and earthly blessings of God into God. He had full barns, but an empty heart. He was rich in man’s eyes; he was poor in God’s eyes. His restless pursuit of more pushed him over the edge so that he lost everything.
Jesus, before He tells this parable of the “Rich Fool”, uses this powerful word, “Beware” “Beware”. Now, what comes to mind for you when you hear that word? When I think about that word, I picture being on the top of a beautiful mountain. I picture watching the wondrous scenery all around me. I picture seeing one of the best views around, and as I walk up to it I see a sign that says, “Beware”. I see the beauty and then I see the sign. And why is the sign there? Because I better take the beauty in only so far, because one more step sends me down a steep mountain cliff and to certain death. The way Jesus tells this parable, it could be a beautiful picture…a hard working man, successful, and with more material success than he could handle. “Beware” But this man doesn’t stop and over the cliff he goes to certain death.
Leo Tolstoy once wrote a story about a successful peasant farmer who was not satisfied with his lot. He wanted more of everything. Here is how Tolstoy tells the story: One day a farmer received a novel offer. For 1000 rubles, he could buy all the land he could walk around in a day. The only catch in the deal was that he had to be back at his starting point by sundown. Early the next morning he started out walking at a fast pace. By midday he was very tired, but he kept going, covering more and more ground. Well into the afternoon he realized that his greed had taken him far from the starting point. He quickened his pace and as the sun began to sink low in the sky, he began to run, knowing that if he did not make it back by sundown the opportunity to become an even bigger landholder would be lost. As the sun began to sink below the horizon he came within sight of the finish line. Gasping for breath, his heart pounding, he called upon every bit of strength left in his body and staggered across the line just before the sun disappeared. He immediately collapsed, blood streaming from his mouth. In a few minutes he was dead. Afterwards, his servants dug a grave. It was not much over six feet long and three feet wide. The title of Tolstoy's story was: How Much Land Does a Man Need? (Adapted from Bits & Pieces, November, 1991.)
In the end, Tolstoy suggests, all a man really owns is a 6 by 3 foot piece of earth, so we are better off putting our confidence elsewhere. Jesus, like Tolstoy, is warning us that we had better not put our trust in the promise of materialism; if we do we will be sadly disappointed. Jesus might have asked, “How much barn does a man need?” We might ask today, How much is enough for you?
The man in the parable was a fool because he banked on full barns. St. Jerome, writing about 400 A.D., mentioned in a letter a woman who “preferred to store her money in the stomachs of the needy than in her purse.” That is a nice idea. As the people of God, we must take heed, “Beware” of how we relate to the things of this earth and to always ask the question, “Do I own these things or do these things own me.” And, how should I use the blessing that God has given to me?
Secondly this man was a fool because he overestimated his own value in the scheme of things. Listen to how he talked: I will store my grain, I will build bigger barns, I will say to myself. In four short verses the rich man used the word “I” and “my” ten times. He did not see or recognize the source of his bounty. He did not consider God but saw himself as his own maker and the source of his own blessings. His error is not that he was a wealthy man. His error and foolishness was in his own ego.
A professor in agriculture and farming, said that by his estimate nature provides 95% of the energies necessary to produce a crop, while the farmer provides 5%. Is this true? I don’t know but it gives us something to think about. But the most important thing to remember is that it is God that gives us what we have. Because of this we need to beware of using them in ways that would please Him.
Third, this man was a fool because he forgot what life is really all about. This man thought that his life was his own, to do with as he pleased. He was a fool because he did not consider that he was cerated for a purpose. That purpose was to have a relationship and faith n God, respecting him, praising Him, honoring Him. The fool forgot that he was created with the purpose and intent of God to serve, help, and yes, love the people around him.
What is life about? It is not to be successful, though success may come; it is to be faithful. It is not to amass things, but to grow closer to God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. It is not to become rich in things, but to love people. That is what our life is about. But a fool will never grasp it.
Lastly, this man was a fool because he didn’t recognize that with God, he possessed all the treasures of the universe, possessed it all. That’s right, if we are right with God, we to possess it all, right now. But look at us. All of us, myself included, scurry around and worry about whether we have enough, enough for today, enough for tomorrow. Too often our focus is on the things of this life. We live like God won’t provide for us. This is nothing more than a lack of faith in God, a most grave sin. In this sin we are fools. Over and over God tells us that He will provide our daily bread. Yet we think that only God will provide only a refuge camp ration of bread and water. Now I ‘m not telling you that all of will be rich in this life…but some of us will be. I’m not telling you that all of us will be poor in this life…but some of us will be. I am telling you, as God’s beloved children you will have everything you need to serve God and to live out your purpose in this life. But I do have one guarantee. Ultimately, you possess it all.
Our gospel story began with the issue of inheritance. I believe all of us, if were honest have pondered the thoughts of what will I get. I hope, if these thoughts have come to you they have been accompanied with an icky feeling. This is as it should be. Sometimes people take these thoughts to far. I know a person that was waiting for his parents to die. Sounds horrible doesn’t it? He was waiting for them to die so that he could receive his inheritance, whatever that might be. Of course the problem with this, one of many problems, is that eventually, someone will be waiting for him to die as well. In the end, nobody gets to keep a thing.
For Christians, life is different. As I have told you before, I will tell you know again, you already posses it all. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Did you here that? Because of Jesus, God will give us all things. If you have it all, what is left to chase after. Over and over again, the writers of the New Testament and Jesus Himself use the word inheritance. Inheritance is given to a living person upon the death of another. You see, we have already received the inheritance of God. When Jesus died, through His death, through the forgiveness of our sins, by the grace of God and faith in all that Jesus has done, we inherit the kingdom of God. Our inheritance comes to us not from the labor of our own hands, but it is freely given to us. In the book of Revelation we have these words of our Lord, “…It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
Our loved ones, called home by God, that live in His presence having died with faith in Jesus Christ, have received their full inheritance except for the resurrection of the flesh which is still to come. For us, we only have a short wait. While we wait God calls us away from our foolishness. He calls us to live richly in His grace, holding fast to our Savior. He calls each one of us to live out our lives here on earth with a Godly purpose and storing up the riches of heaven. Amen. [i]
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[i] Sermon by Brett Blair and Staff