LUKE 12:13-21 PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL 4-2-11
Let me say to begin with, that a parable is an earthly story to illustrate a heavenly truth, and we’re about to read the account of Jesus giving this parable to do with COVETOUSNESS to a great multitude of people that had gathered together, we’re told in verse 1
1In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another---and there was one in this great crowd that ask Jesus to intervene in a matter of inheritance between him and his brother, and because Jesus knows all things He knew that what the problem really was between this man and his brother was GREED.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
There are people who get paid one day and then go straight to the gambling place as soon as they leave their job hoping to take another persons pay check, some one always goes home just about broke, and because of this greed his wife and children will do with out the necessities they need.
Lucifer, who was cast out of heaven because he was not satisfied with being the high sheriff of heaven as he was close to God Himself, no, Lucifer wanted to be like God, he said in
Isaiah 14:12-15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
We notice Lucifer said (I WILL) 5 times, greed caused him to be cast from heaven and finally the lake of fire. Today he is Satan-the devil and many other names.
Ø Listen as I begin with verse 13
13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. —Let’s understand that Jesus didn’t come to earth the 1st time to be judge, He came to be Saviour, but the next time He comes He’s coming as Judge. Jesus knew that greed was the real motive here.
14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?**(the two brothers)
15 And he said unto them,**( the crowd) Take heed,**( listen up and understand) and beware (watch & avoid) of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
(Jesus is saying that the accumulation of wealth and worldly riches is not what is so important in this life.)
(covetousness) means -to have inordinate desire for what belongs to someone else--- it means desiring unjust gain—it means to be greedy, the desire for more and more.)
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Let me say that this little window of life that we’re looking through at this time will not be opened very long, our little time span on this earth should be used in preparation of eternal things, of obtaining everlasting life, to go to heaven and be with Jesus and then serve Him in what ever capacity He will allow us to here, and in the ages to come.
Job 7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, ---
Job 9:25-26 Now my days are swifter than a post:**(a swift running messenger) they flee away, they see no good. 26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
Ø Jesus said in
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
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There’s certainly nothing wrong with having riches as long as the riches does not have us.
Ø Paul tells us in—
1 Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,**(desires) (a longing (espec. for what is forbidden) which drown men in destruction and perdition. (damnation)
10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
(Notice; it’s the LOVE of money, not having a lot of it)-- just about any vice or crooked thing you can think of is to do with money, -(love of money is the root cause)—
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Ø In the N.T. there are more parables to do with money or riches than with any other subject.
Because if not used honestly and wisely will bring many snares and temptations.
The warning in this illustration, “this parable” is to be sure our priorities or in order, --not get all you can and can all you get—think of what’s really important, and realize that wealth and riches cannot take us to heaven.
Ø Listen again to what Paul said in
1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain** we can carry nothing out.
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Ø And so because of what one of two brothers ask Him to do in dividing an inheritance back in verse 13, Jesus is going to give this great crowd an illustration to do with money and riches.
16And he spake a parable unto them, saying,
The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Notice; Jesus didn’t say because this man was such a good farmer and knew all about zodiac planting that he had an abundant crop, Jesus said, “that the ground brought forth plentifully. This farmer should have praised and thank God for Gods blessings on the ground and the crop, God could have held back the rain, sent locust are any other number of insects and blight to destroy the crop.
I’m afraid that this is the way many of us are at many things we do, just because we might do a certain thing well we fell too remember that God gave us this ability.
So all this man thought of was “me-myself- and I”
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.
In verse 19 this man has obviously determined that he was going to be around for MANY YEARS,
-thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But the bible says;
Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
James said in
James 4:13-15 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
That’s the reason people should be saved now, while they have the mind to do so, its not a wise thing to do in putting off receiving Jesus as Lord and Saviour, one day we all will get out of our bed for the last time.
Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Our appointment with death is certain.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:--
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This man in the parable never realized that this very day as he was boasting about all that he had would be his last day.
Notice; he says my crops, my barns, and my goods. He never considered that all the land, and the good crop really belongs to God.
Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein
Psalm 50:12--- for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
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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.
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I want to point out here in this parable we see that “I” is used 6 times, 6 is the number of man, man is a prideful creature, me, myself and I.
“I” is the middle letter in SIN; it’s the middle letter in PRIDE 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?
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Ø This man only thought of himself, he was covetous, listen to this little poem I come across while putting this message together:
==ME, MYSELF AND I==
I had a little tea party-This afternoon at three.---Twas very small—Three guests in all-
Just I, Myself, and Me.-----Myself ate all the sandwiches,-While I drank up the tea.
’Twas also I who ate the pie-And passed the cake to Me.
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It would seem as though this man in this parable was a hard worker and that’s a good thing, but that’s about all his mind thought on, gaining more and more and putting it away in his barns, he had accumulated so much that he was thinking about tearing down his barns and building bigger ones to store his goods. And he certainly didn’t become prosperous by being lazy, he had to work and tend to his farm, so that’s also a good thing.
Galatians 6:7-- whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Abraham Lincoln said:
“Property is the fruit of labor; property is desirable; it is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. “
Another man said:
Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade and singing “Oh, how beautiful,” able bodied men are suppose to work.
Paul said in
2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
We would be amazed if we knew the number of people that are drawing government checks and nothing really wrong them, their dead beats, they think society owes them a living, Paul said if they don’t work they don’t eat.
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Proverbs 10:4-5 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. -----------------
Ø So this farmer was right in putting things away for what we some time say ”for a rainy day”.
But he didn’t think of God or what was ahead after death.
In all of his labor and planning he failed to consider the eternal.
Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
God said in:
Isaiah 1:-19 19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:--
Now we realize that He was saying this to His chosen people Israel, but we can glean from these great truths we find here, the things of God are more important than this few minutes we have here on this earth.
What is really important any way? If we were to have all kind of wealth and have not God in our lives we are really only paupers.
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What if preachers retired just because they have turned 65? “Well God as you well know, I’ve just turned 65 and so I’m gonna set down and take it easy, you’ll just have to try to find someone else to take my place”.
Let me say, God will have no problem replacing any one at any time, we don’t have to be 65 for God to replace us, and none of us could ever repay Him for what He has done for us.
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Ø But back to our text of the parable of the foolish rich man in LUKE 12:13-21.
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?
A fool is a person who leaves God out of any consideration.
Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart there is no God.”
This man is a fool because he has lived his life as if God did not exist. He is a fool in that he did not recognize that his material blessings came from God, nor did he recognize any obligation to God in the use of his possessions. Fools leave God out of their lives.
“George W. Truett, a pastor, was invited to dinner in the home of a very wealthy man in Texas. After the meal, the host led him to a place where they could get a good view of the surrounding area.
Pointing to the oil wells yonder a ways off, he boasted, “Twenty-five years ago I had nothing. Now, as far as you can see, it’s all mine.”
Looking in the opposite direction at his sprawling fields of grain, he said, “That’s all mine.” Turning east toward huge herds of cattle, he boasted, “They’re all mine.” Then pointing to the west to a beautiful forest, he bragged, “That too is all mine.”
He paused for a spell, expecting Dr. Truett to compliment him on his great success. But pastor Truett placed one hand on the man’s shoulder and pointing toward heaven with the other, said, “How much do you have in that direction?” The man hung his head and confessed, “I never thought of that.”
That was from the “our daily bread”
21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Riches are useless after death, the lost rich man that died in Luke 16: was in the same torments of hell as any lost pauper that’s ever lived.
God said this rich man in the parable was a fool, he never considered eternity or the things that are really important.—if only he had said as the Psalmist said
Psalm 31:14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.
