“ARE YOU RICH TOWARD GOD?” Luke 12:13-21
FBCF – 10/6/24
Jon Daniels
INTRO – How much money do you need to make to be considered rich? Remember my first job – 14 yrs old - making minimum wage at $2.65 an hour - got a paycheck for $200. Didn’t know how I was going to spend all of that money back in 1979! But someone in Burundi or Somalia or Madagascar would be thrilled to get $200 today where the average salary in 2024 is under $500 a year – or about $42 a month.
So many people in our world are wearing themselves out striving to get rich.
- John D. Rockefeller’s formula for getting rich: 1) Go to work early. 2) Stay at work late. 3) Find oil.
While there’s nothing wrong w/ working hard to make a good living, lots of folks quickly lose their perspective on what’s really important in life. So many stories of people who burned the candle at both ends their entire careers to build a massive portfolio, but lost their family in the process are common in our society. People who have allowed money to become their god, an idol that they bow down to & worship on a daily basis. Remind you what Jesus said in Matthew 6:24:
- “You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one & love the other, or you will be loyal to one & not care about the other. You cannot serve God & Money at the same time.” (ERV)
They get to the end of their careers or their lives & realize how much they lost as they worked to gain more & more material possessions. Again, another stark reminder from Jesus – Mark 8:36:
- “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (NKJV)
In 1928 a group of the world's most successful financiers met at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. The following were present: The president of the largest utility company, The greatest wheat speculator, The president of the New York Stock Exchange, A member of the President's Cabinet, The greatest "bear" on Wall Street, The president of the Bank of International Settlements, The head of the world's greatest monopoly. Collectively, these tycoons controlled more wealth than there was in the U.S. Treasury, & for years newspapers & magazines had been printing their success stories & urging the youth of the nation to follow their examples. Twenty-five years later, this is what had happened to these men:
- The president of the largest independent steel company, Charles Schwab, lived on borrowed money the last five years of his life and died broke.
- The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cutten, died of a heart attack, in financial ruin.
- The president of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard Whitney, served a term in prison.
- The member of the President's Cabinet, Albert Fall, was pardoned from prison so he could die at home.
- The greatest "bear" in Wall Street, Jesse Livermore, committed suicide.
- The president of the Bank of International Settlements, Leon Fraser, committed suicide.
- The head of the world's greatest monopoly, Ivar Krueger, committed suicide.
All of these men had learned how to get rich, but not one of them had learned how to be rich toward God. And that’s what we are going to talk about today.
EXPLANATION – Luke 12:13-21 (p. 871)
Parable of the Rich Fool: Jesus’ ministry had become very well-known & popular w/ many people – v. 1 “…many thousands of people had gathered together…”, most of them wanting to see Him do another miracle or wanting Him to feed them as He fed the 5000. At the same time, there were many of the religious leaders who were opposing Him more & more & seeking ways to silence Him & eventually kill Him.
So, Jesus began to teach His disciples to prepare them for the eventual persecution that would come. All were martyred for their faith in Jesus, except John - exiled to the island of Patmos.
Most of this chapter is directed to His disciples as He encourages them not to be afraid when persecution comes – v. 6-7 – “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Also encourages them to stay strong when they are dragged in front of the authorities – v. 11-12 – “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Both of these are wonderful words of encouragement for us, too, as we strive to live for the Lord in this increasingly dangerous world where we as Christ-followers are being more & more ostracized & marginalized.
The parable: Random person in crowd, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance w/ me.” Not asking for Jesus’ wise counsel – he was selfishly ordering Jesus to do what he told him to do. That usually doesn’t work out too well!
Jesus’ response – v. 14 – “Do you think I’m Judge Judy?” His response was a strong refusal to answer the question, not b/c He couldn’t, but b/c He wouldn’t as it had nothing to do w/ His redemptive purpose. Then turned back to His disciples & began to teach them again w/ the parable of the rich fool, ending w/ the warning, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself & is not rich toward God.” That is a warning that we should heed, too.
APPLICATION – True satisfaction in life comes from being rich toward God.
What does it mean to be rich toward God?
WE RUTHLESSLY BATTLE COVETOUSNESS – v. 15 – First 2 words: “Take care” – Not a sweet farewell we say to others. Stern words – “Beware” – “Watch out” – Words of instruction to recognize that this is a dangerous situation.
- Right now in NC & other places – “Beware of dangerous roads. Watch out for deadly situations.”
“Be on guard” – Military term – “Be ready to defend yourself against the enemy’s attack.”
What’s so serious that Jesus would use this strong terminology – “Beware!” – “Watch out!” – “Be on guard!”? The seriousness of the threat of covetousness is what prompted Him to use these words. He cared for His disciples & knew the deadly danger of covetousness.
We tend to blow off coveting as not that big a deal in the Christian life – not one of the BIG sins like murder or stealing or adultery. And yet covetousness IS as deadly as murder. It will kill your love for the Lord. It WILL cause you to desire to steal from others b/c you have an inordinate lust for what they have that you don’t have. And just like adultery, it WILL kill a marriage. It will cause you to spend so much of your time & energy going after those things you covet that you neglect your spouse more & more & more.
- This is why God included it in 10 Commandments – Exodus 20:17 – “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”
- This is why Paul included it in his list of things to put to death in his letter to the Colossians – “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, & covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5)
- H.B. Charles: “Covetousness is more than envy or jealousy. It is greed – a desire for more. Col. 3:5 calls is ‘idolatry.’ Covetousness is ‘thing-worship.’”
- Ephesians 5:5 – A covetous man is an idolater.
If we are going to be rich toward God, we are going to have to continually & ruthlessly battle covetousness.
WE RELINQUISH OUR CONTROL – v. 16-19 – The rich man in parable shows us what NOT to do if we want to be rich toward God. Here’s the scenario:
- A delightful dilemma – v. 16-17
- The wrong response – v. 18 – “Get all you can. Can all you get. Then sit on the can.”
- Revealed his selfish soul – v. 19
The wealthy farmer obviously blessed by God. But instead of acknowledging those blessings & opening up his hands to bless others who were in need, he tightened his hands around his possessions so he could kick up his feet & relax for “many years.” Look at all the pronouns he used – 11 in 3 verses:
- V. 17 – “I”… “my”…
- V. 18 – “I”… “my”…
- V. 19 – “I”… “my”…
- “I’M in control…These are MY crops, MY barns, MY future.”
- One commentator: “The rich man had a business mtg w/ his board of directors: My, Myself, & I.” (https://hbcharlesjr.com/resource-library/sermon-outlines/the-rich-fool-luke-1213-21-2/)
He seemed to forget these words from Scripture:
- Psalm 24:1 – “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord.” (CSB)
- Deuteronomy 8:17-18 – “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…”
- Haggai 2:8 – “‘The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts.”
- 1 Timothy 6:17 – “Give this command to those who are rich with the things of this world. Tell them not to be proud. Tell them to hope in God, not their money. Money cannot be trusted, but God takes care of us richly. He gives us everything to enjoy.” (ERV)
To be rich toward God means that we will remember & live out the truth that WE are not in control – GOD is in control!
- We don’t own anything – God owns everything.
- “Jesus is Lord” – When you made that confession when you got saved, you agreed w/ God (the meaning of “confess”) that EVERY area of your life – including your money – would be controlled by Him. HE would call the shots. HE has the right to tell us what to do w/ everything in our lives. And what HE says, we will do.
WE RECOGNIZE THE CONSEQUENCES – v. 20-21 – Of all the things you want to hear God say, you DON’T want to hear Him call you a “Fool!” A fool is someone who has no spiritual wisdom.
- Psalm 14:1 – “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
A fool is someone who only operates on worldly wisdom, working for worldly success, worldly accolades, worldly possessions. And in the world’s eyes, this rich farmer had it made.
- What a success story!
- What a smart businessman!
- What a mover & shaker!
But it doesn’t matter what the world calls you if GOD calls you a fool! And Jesus makes it clear that, if your heart is set only on the riches of the world & not on the riches of Jesus Christ & all that He offers to you, you are lost in your sin & need to be saved! All the riches in the world can’t stop death from coming to your door. All the riches in the world can’t guarantee you a home in heaven.
CONCLUSION - 3 closing questions:
- Are you ruthlessly battling covetousness? Remember: it’s a deadly sin!
- Are you continually relinquishing control of your life & possessions to the Lord? He must be Lord of EVERY area of your life!
- Are you recognizing the consequences of not doing these things? A life that is not rich toward God is a life that is dead to Him. Confess your spiritual bankruptcy & run to Him today!
