Title: Who Do You Love? (Encompasses “what” we love, as in inordinate affections for, devotion to and obsessions with things and/or people. What we love reflects who we love.)
Text: Luke 12:13-21
Thesis: How we think of ourselves is a reflection of how we think of God and others.
Sub-Points: Greed is a spiritual disease. It is idolatry. Idolatry evidences itself in many ways… we might think of those ways as side effects.
Introduction
Jesus condemned the Pharisees’ self-righteous hypocrisy because it blinded them from seeing their own need for repentance and a Savior.
Many Pharisees prided themselves in their strict avoidance of obvious, outward sin. They were quick to make observations and judgments about the sins of others, which is perhaps the primary evidence of Pharisaical behavior. They refused to look inside themselves and acknowledge the presence of inner sin that didn’t fall within the boundaries of their man-made rules. Jesus knew that in spite of their obsession with outward perfection, they were not at all interested in facing up to their own sin and need for grace. (Reference Jesus’ teaching on the cup clean on the outside but filthy on the inside…)
The fact that Jesus pointed this out to them did not settle well. They were quick to dish it out but were not very good at taking it. They were so upset with Jesus that at the end of Luke 11 they had become outright hostile toward Jesus and were bent on trying to bait him into saying something they could use against him. In that context Jesus tells the gathered crowds,
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear!” Jesus went on to speak of the love of God and invited the people to consider matters of faith and make a decision to affirm their faith in the Son of God. Luke 12:4-10
In the context of Jesus speaking of matters of life and death in 12:1-12, a man in the crowd wants to talk about his father’s estate. The man who spoke was more concerned about his estate than his relationship to God or his own brother, so Jesus nailed him.
I. A person who is greedy lets money adversely affect his relationships.
(One side effect of greed is that it adversely affects our relationships.)
Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” 12:13
Interestingly, the context in which Jesus taught the parable of the Rich Fool, the person who instigated the discussion was a poor person who wanted some money. And the parable itself is about a rich person who wanted more mnoney. So it would seem that greed is a spiritual malady that cuts across socio-economic lines. So we may all participate in this story. We may identify with the man who had none and wanted some or we may indentify with the man who had a lot and wanted even more.
The teaching from this parable will likely make everyone in this room squirm a bit.
A. It is unlikely that any of us would like to have less.
Who goes to their employer and says, “Hey! I could really use a good cut in pay.”? Who among us gives no thought to the rise in cost of living and how it whittles away at our bottom line? Who among us is calling up his congressmen suggesting they enact legislation to reduce Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Benefits? (We may wish to cut someone else’s benefits but not our own!)
The man in our story did not want anything less than what was rightfully his. Who wouldn’t?
B. It is likely that we all appear greedy to someone else.
Of course there are those of us who will never inherit a dime and so we roll our eyes at those who fight over an estate. Over the years I have seen just about everything when it comes to in-fighting over an estate.
I have found that just about always, wherever there is a will there will be a war. If there is no war I can assure you there are hard feelings. And it is especially true whenever an estate is used to reward and/or punish the heirs. He got too much. She did not deserve to be included in the will. Daddy must have loved my brother more than me.
My favorite estate story is about a man who had three children. All three children loved their father. But one daughter was especially attentive and able to take her father to the doctor and lived nearby so she could drop in more often than the others. Before he died he named that daughter the executor of his estate and left his entire estate to that daughter… because she had been most attentive to his needs. That daughter, very graciously and without any prompting, acted quickly to divide the estate equally with her brother and sister.
In her mind and in her heart she valued her relationships with her brother and sister more than the thousands of dollars she could have banked. With that kind of generous spirit there is no haggling or ill-will between family members. But that was not the case for the man in our story. He had a legitimate concern.
The problem with the man in our story is that he was totally off the wall in bringing up his inheritance as he did, “Jesus, make my brother give me my share of the estate,” he wanted his money more than he wanted a good relationship with his brother. Greed is also a reflection of one’s distorted sense of values.
II. A person who is greedy has a distorted sense of values.
(One side effect of greed is that it distorts our sense of values.)
“Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” Luke 12:14-15
Jesus said that greed is not even close to what is most important in life. However for some people having a lot of stuff is a really big deal so Jesus warns us about the power of greed.
A. Greed is something to be guarded against.
In Florida there is a “Stand Your Ground” law that works pretty well for the guy with a gun but not so well for the unarmed guy who also wishes to stand his ground. Here in Colorado we have a “Make My Day” law which urges a person feeling threatened to retreat in the face of danger… but if a threatening person is breaking into your home you have the legal right to defend yourself. We understand the principle of being watchful, protecting and defending yourself.
Jesus says that greed is something we need to see as a threat to our spiritual well-being. We need to stand guard as a sentinel stands guard to make sure greed does not break into our lives. In the mind of Christ, greed is not a good thing.
B. Greed comes in many forms.
Our images of greedy people never look like ourselves but Jesus made a point of specifying the necessity of being on guard against every kind of greed. Here at a few examples:
Fear or Worry Greed. There is a worrisome kind of greed that is obsessed with making sure one’s own needs are met… which likely include a few wants. Giving to others and giving to God is painful and if given… given reluctantly
Envy Greed. There is a kind of greed that wants what others have. I wish I could afford a house like that. I wish I could afford to go on a cruise like that. I wish I could…. At the moment I envy (not really… this is an illustration) those who have that new Samsung Galaxy s4 Smart Phone – the one that will make your life richer, simpler and more fun.
Status Greed: One of my favorite forms of greed is appearance greed. I am always looking for a good deal. Years ago I needed to buy a car and found a late model Ford. It was a really great car and much nicer than I normally would buy but it was cheap! It had some hail damage. A man in our congregation heard I was looking at a car with hail damage and came to see me. He did not want his preacher driving around in a hail damaged car. He was not concerned about what I could afford – he was concerned about how it would reflect on him and the church … sometimes appearances drive us to buy more than we really need. But the bottom line is this: We all want to live the good life. We prefer looking good to bad. We want to be successful. We want to acquire and keep enough to live well in our retirement.
However, the want for things generally exceeds our need for things and almost always impedes our willingness to be generous with others and toward God!
The essence of greed is not only that it is a distorted value – it is idolatry.
At the very onset, in the Ten Commandments God said, “I am the Lord your God… you must have not have any god but me.” Exodus 20:2-3
The Bible teaches in Colossians 3:5, “So put to death sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” Perhaps the primary reason greed is akin to idolatry is the inordinate desire greedy persons have for more.
III. A person who is greedy has an insatiable appetite for more.
(One side effect of greed is that it creates an insatiable appetite for more.)
“A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops. I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger barns. Then I’ll have room to store all my wheat and other goods.’” Luke 12:18
One of my all-time favorite golden oldie songs is from the old Rolling Stones, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” A healthy person understands that and is grateful to God that one’s needs are met. However, when a person has an insatiable appetite for more that person is never satisfied, even when his every need is absolutely met.
We live in a culture that seems to admire greed… in fact some say greed is a good thing.
In the movie Wall Street, Gordon Gekko is a business tycoon bent on success at any price. During his takeover bid at a paper company's stockholder meeting, he lays out his perspective.
"The point is, ladies and gentlemen, is that greed, for lack of a better word, and is good. Greed is right. Greed works." It works especially well for the greedy person. (Wall Street (20th Century Fox, 1987) written by Stanley Weiser and Oliver Stone and directed by Oliver Stone. PreachingToday.com)
The fact that a greedy person wants more is a reflection of that person’s self-absorption.
IV. A person who is greedy is completely self-absorbed. (The “I”, “Me” and “My” Syndrome)
(One side effect of greed is self-absorption.)
“And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’” Luke 12:19
He was self-centered, gave himself credit for his prosperity (it was the land that prospered) and was inattentive to the needs of others. Consequently there is a presence of greed and the absence of gratitude and generosity.
A. No thought of gratitude to God.
What the man failed to realize is that the harvest he enjoys doesn’t come from his own efforts. Only God makes the crops grow! The man is so focused on his greed that he can’t see that God has blessed him in the first place.
There have always been hardworking people. Hopefully one of the benefits of working hard is some kind of reward for one’s efforts. The man in our story was a savvy business man. He undoubtedly worked hard and managed his business wisely. He prospered. And he prospered legitimately.
The bible says that “every good and perfect gift comes to us from God who created heaven and earth.” James 1:17 In the epistles Paul spoke of how we till the soil and we plant the soil but it is God who gives the harvest.
Jesus tells this parable in a way that reflects a striking lack of gratitude toward God on the part of the Rich Fool.
Not only is his lack of gratitude striking… so is his lack of thought of others.
B. No thought of sharing with the poor or others.
Greed has a way of narrowing our focus… instead of thinking, “I have a little or a lot extra… I wonder who I could help?” he is only concerned about his own pleasure.
In Luke 16:19ff there is the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus… The Rich Man lived well while a homeless man lived just outside his gate. Lazarus was his name and every day Lazarus lay there, poor,
Both rich men were feel-good hedonists and hedonism trumps generosity. Greed maximizes one’s own good while minimizing the good of others.
The early Church Fathers had plenty to say on the subject of greed…
• Ambrose (theologian and church leader, 4th century) wrote: "There is your brother, naked and crying! And you stand confused over the choice of an attractive floor covering."
• Basil the Great (theologian and bishop in modern-day Turkey, 4th century) wrote, "The bread you do not use is the bread of the hungry. The garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of the person who is naked. The shoes you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot. The money you keep locked away is the money of the poor."
• John Chrysostom (theologian and pastor, 4th century) said, "The almsgiver is a harbor for those in necessity: a harbor receives all who have encountered shipwreck, and frees them from danger; whether they are bad or good. … he escorts them into his own shelter. So you likewise, when you see on earth the man who has encountered the shipwreck of poverty, do not judge him, do not seek an account of his life, but free him from his misfortune." (PreachingToday.com, Submitted by Kevin Miller, Wheaton, Illinois)
While I have focused most recently on the effect of greed on others, greed has a horrible affect on the greedy person himself.
V. A person who is greedy may be temporally wealthy but eternally bankrupt.
(One side effect of greed is foolishness that results in spiritual bankruptcy.)
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’” “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Luke 12:20-21
A. The rich fool did not see beyond himself…
B. The rich fool did not see beyond this life…
Referencing the story in Luke 16 of the Rich Man and Lazarus again… this is a truth sadly learned too late. In the story the Rich Man looks from his place in hell across a wide chasm to where he sees Lazarus, the poor beggar who lived outside his gate, with Abraham. He called to Abraham to send Lazarus over to touch his tongue with just a drop of water. He begs Abraham to send someone to warn his brothers against his terrible fate. But Abraham said, “Remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted and Lazarus had nothing. Now he is here being comforted and you are in anguish.” Luke 16:25
Foolishness consists of thinking that living well and securing one’s own economic future is what is most important. The man in the parable planned for his life but not for his death.
Conclusion
Stories like this one bother us because our immediate reaction is to justify the way we live and the way we take care of ourselves. But whenever I find myself wanting to justify myself it is because who I am and what I do isn’t all that justifiable. There is something in this parable for everyone in this room.
What did the rich man do that was so terrible? What did he do to provoke God to actually be an actor in this parable? Did he murder anyone? Was he deceitful? Did he fail to honor his word? Was he a drunken sot? Did he run off with another man’s wife? Did he benefit from insider trading?
• He was completely self-absorbed
• He ignored God.
• He was insensitive to needs of others.
• He foolishly planned for his life but not for his death.
• He incurred the judgment of God.
What can we learn from this parable?
The first and most obvious thing is earthly wealth without a rich relationship with God is foolish! “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?” Matthew 16:26
The second speaks to the title of this message, “Who do you love?” Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. And equally important, Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39
How we think of ourselves is a reflection of how we think of God and others. A selfish person thinks only of himself. A grateful person is thankful toward God and generous toward others.
So we end with the question with which we began: Who do you love?
