The Cure For Greed Series

2nd – These brothers were willing to sacrifice their relationship with each other… for the sake of possessions and money.

And 3rd - They were putting their trust in riches rather than God.

Jesus diagnosed their problem

And then He told a little parable to describe what caused this kind of greed.

The parable was about a successful businessman.

He was a farmer whose fields were so productive that he had way more than usual. He had barns to store his crops in… but they weren’t big enough, so he decided to tear them down. But why do that? Why not just leave those barns and build others?

One scholar explained about these barns that “They were commonly made, by the ancients, underground, where grain could be kept a long time more safe from thieves and from vermin. If it be asked why he did not let the old ones remain and build new ones, it may be answered that it would be easier to enlarge those already excavated in the earth than to dig new ones.”

(Barnes Notes)

His crops were so plentiful, that not only did he make his barns larger - he began to think about his future. He said to himself: “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” Luke 12:19

Now… what’s wrong with that?

I mean, how many of you wouldn’t like to have enough money to retire and enjoy life? How many of us haven’t dreamed of being independently wealthy? Well, I have!

I realize money isn’t everything, but as one guy said:

“All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy." (Spike Milligan)

But Jesus condemned the wealthy man, NOT because he was wealthy (there are many wealthy people in Scripture), but because he wasn’t rich toward God.

"God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God." Luke 12:20-21

Not rich toward God?

What could that mean?

It meant that wealthy people tend to cut God out of the picture.

They can be rich enough to pay all their bills, buy a car right off the lot, purchase a home just by writing a check. Anything they want, they can get. So if they can supply all their own needs why do they need Him?

The writer of Proverbs 30:8-9 said it this way: “give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.”

You see, Jesus isn’t condemning wealthy people per se.

• Abraham was a wealthy man with flocks of sheep and herds of cattle

• Jacob had a multitude of sheep and cattle and camels.

• David was a wealthy King. All you need to do read how much money he set aside for the building of the Temple.

• But even David couldn’t match the wealth of his son. 1 Kings 10:23 says that Solomon was even richer than he was. “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.”