The Parable of the Rich Fool

Luke 12:13-21

Introduction

• Imagine your giving a serious public talk– It’s a subject you are passionate about– You are in the middle of the topic– You are building to a climax– Then someone interrupts and makes an off-

topic comment

• This parable will be Jesus’ response to such a circumstance

Setting

• Lk 12:1-3– Jesus teaching a large crowd–Warning about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees

• Lk 12:4-7– Teaching about fearing God

• Lk 12:8-12– Instruction about confessing Christ before men

A request

• Luke 12:13– A man asks Jesus to settle an inheritance

dispute– Shows where his thoughts have been while

Jesus talked• Not on spiritual matters

• But on how to get money from his brother

• Perhaps like some may be thinking about baseball or football during a sermon

Jesus’ response

• Luke 12:14– “Man” – Not as rude as it sounds in English• Used in Lk 5:20 (some translate it “friend”)

– Refuses to get involved in worldly things• The government already had means for settling

such questions

• His purpose was not to replace civil authority

• Religious teachers today would do well to follow Jesus’ example

Jesus’ response

• Luke 13:15– Addressed to all the audience– Greed (as demonstrated by the questioner) is a

sin almost everyone wrestles with• Greed is the desire for MORE

– Life is not about how many things you have• Even if you have a lot of things

• To illustrate, Jesus tells a parable

The Parable

• Luke 12:16-19– A rich man has a very good harvest– He must decide what to do with the excess• His current barns (adequate for all preceding

harvests) are not enough

• Decides to tear down those barns and build bigger barns

• Then he can retire and live off the income from selling the produce

“Modernizing” the parable

• Jesus’ parable was meant to step on toes, so we’ll try to get the same impact …

• There was a well-paid employee– He got a great promotion– He was blessed with a salary and benefits more

than he needed to live– He needed to decide what to do with the extra– He decided to invest it (IRA, 401k, stocks, etc)– Then he figured he could retire and live off the

income

Finishing the parable

• Lk 12:20– God calls him a fool (lit. “without a mind”)– The man would die that very night–Who would make use of those things he had

prepared?

Analyzing the parable

• The man assumes life consists of his possessions–What he has is his and is purely for his benefit– Fails to know when he has enough for himself• God not opposed to taking care of self and family

• Each needs to know when there is enough

– Fails to consider other uses for excess– Considers self to be the source of his blessing• A better response would be as in Ps 116:12

Applying the parable

• Luke 12:21– All who store riches for self and are not rich

toward God are in the same position– If your plans for the future focus on self and not

on God and others, then God would say you have lost your mind

– Should make us squirm when we consider our own visions of the future• Not that all plans are evil, but see James 4:13-17

How can we be rich toward God?

• 1 Tim 6:17-19– A willingness to be parted from the riches– Using what one has to help others

• 1 Timothy 6:6-12– Be content with food and clothing– Don’t want to be rich– Don’t love money– Rather flee from them and pursue

righteousness, godliness, faith, love, etc

How????

• Some may be thinking, “How? We have to live. The kids have to go to college. I may have medical bills. There may be a disaster….”

• Jesus answers all those questions– Luke 12:22-32• It’s a matter of faith and trust

• It’s a matter of priorities

How????

• Still having trouble with the idea?– Jesus has a radical solution– Luke 12:33-34– Get rid of the source of your problem• The same advice he gave to the rich young ruler–Matt 19:21

• If you get rid of the possessions, then they won’t be a concern

• You won’t “buy your way” into heaven, but it will show where your heart is

Conclusion

• One can store up vast amounts of treasure– But it will not make one rich toward God

• To be rich toward God– Our priorities must change (from self to God)– Our heart must be with the new priorities– Our actions must follow from that change of

heart

• Any less is simply unacceptable to God