The Testimony Of A Fool!

Reading: chapter 12 verses

Ill:

This week I read a little prayer that someone prayed…

• “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray my house, my home to keep.

• I pray my stocks are on the rise, and that my analyst is wise.

• That all the wine I sip is white, and that my hot tub’s watertight.

• The steak I eat will not be tough, that all my sushi’s fresh enough.

• I pray my mobile phone still works, that my career won’t lose its perks.

• My microwave won’t radiate, my caravan won’t depreciate.

• I pray my health club doesn’t close, and that my money market grows.

• If I go broke before I wake, I pray my Volvo they won’t take.”

• This funny little tongue-in-cheek prayer:

• Represents someone’s idea of what’s important in their life.

This uncomfortable little passage from Luke’s gospel:

• Forces us to look at our lives and ask ourselves that question;

• “What is really important in life?”

Our Bible passage this morning tells the story of a man who has plenty;

• In fact more than plenty;

• Everything in his garden is rosy! He is enjoying what we call ‘the good life!’

Need to pause here:

• Because some of you are saying; ‘lucky old him”.

• You may feel that this story does not apply to you this morning.

• After all, you may have a pile of bills that need paying;

• You may have a gig mortgage & a monthly wage that is in desperate need of an increase!

That might all be true;

• But this story can very much apply to you and me because we are actually very rich.

• We live in a country, with one of the highest living standards in the entire world.

• The life we enjoy is far above and beyond most of the world can hope for;

• They can only imagine what we so often take for granted!

Quote:

(a).

• If you have had an education and know how to read,

• Then you are more blessed that over two billion people in the world;

• That cannot read anything at all.

(b).

• If you woke up this morning with more health than illness,

• You are more blessed than the million people who won’t survive the week.

(c).

• If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back,

• A roof over your head and a place to sleep,

• You are richer than 75% of this world.

(d).

• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change lying in a dish,

• You are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.

(e).

• And if you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment,

• Arrest, torture, or death,

• You are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

It’s amazing how humbling this realization is;

• To know that the poorest of us in this room;

• Are richer than most of the rest of the world and yet so often we are still not content!

Quote:

• Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family wrote,

• “Though I can make no claim to wealth,

• I have tasted most of the things Americans hunger for;

• New cars, an attractive home, and gadgets and devices which promise to set us free.

• Looking at those materialistic possessions from the other side of the cash register,

• I can tell you that they don’t deliver the satisfaction they advertise!

• On the contrary, I have found great wisdom in the adage,

• ‘That which you own will eventually own you!’

• How true that is.

• So often when we surrender our hard earned pounds for a new object;

• We then become obligated to maintain and protect it;

• Instead of its contributing to my pleasure,

• I must spend my precious time, oiling it, mowing it, painting it, repairing it,

• Cleaning it, or calling up some charity to come and haul it off!

• The time I might have invested in worthwhile family activities;

• Is spent in slavery to a depreciating piece of junk.”

Ill:

Dad & coins.

• So often we sell ourselves short!

• Focus on what we assume is valuable instead of that which is truly valuable!

(1). AN INAPROPRIATE INTERUPTION (vs 13):

“Someone in the crowd said to him,

"Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

• Remember the context is Jesus teaching his disciples,

• There were many in the crowd (eavesdropping) listening in to what Jesus said.

• Suddenly Jesus is interrupted by a man;

• Who is not at all interested in learning about what Jesus was teaching,