The Danger of Riches

Today, we return to Luke 12.  If you have your Bibles, please find Luke 12:13.  I want to share with you a message entitled, “The Danger of Riches.”

 

In today’s text, we are going to look at what has been known as the parable of the Rich Fool, and this parable is unique to Luke.  Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a spiritual or heavenly meaning. 

 

Simply put, Jesus’ warning for us can be found in verse 15.  Beware of covetousness.

 

Your translation may say greed.  This word means an unusual desire for riches.  Implied is a strong desire to acquire more and more material possessions beyond your needs.

 

I can remember dealing with covetousness as a teenager as well as early in my marriage.  First, when I was teenager, I remember only being willing to wear a certain brand of clothing. 

 

I was willing to wear these certain clothes multiple times a week.  I would just ask my mom to wash them again.

 

Consequently, I refused to wear clothes or even shop at certain stores.  Ironically, my entire wardrobe today is from that store that I refused to shop at as a teenager.

 

As an adult and early in our marriage, I developed a very unhealthy preoccupation with televisions, and I fell victim to football season every year.

 

Do you know what I mean?  Every August, all the televisions go on sale.  For about 4 or 5 years in a row, I bought a new television thinking I had to have newer and bigger than the year before.

 

I was guilty of covetousness.  I was guilty of greed.  I was actin a fool.

 

 

1. The Explanation to Flee Covetousness, Luke 12:13-15

13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”  14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” 

 

In Luke 11, Jesus was speaking to the crowds.  At the beginning of Luke 12, He narrowed His focus to His Disciples.

 

Verse 13 introduces an interruption from the crowd.  It was a brother asking Jesus to settle a dispute between brothers.

 

The brother who spoke addressed Jesus as Teacher or Rabbi.  It was common for Jewish religious leaders to settle disputes or even arbitrate conflicts.

 

Even though only who brother spoke, we can assume the other brother was close.  It seems to that it was the younger brother who was speaking.

 

In the Old Testament, the older brother would receive 2/3 of the family inheritance, and the younger brother would receive 1/3.  This younger brother may have been looking for half, and he didn’t want Jesus to arbitrate as much as he wanted Jesus to rule in his favor. 

 

However, Jesus’ mission wasn’t to settle disputes. His mission was save souls.  Therefore, in verse 14, He declined to get involved.

 

He declined to get involved in the dispute.  However, He took the opportunity to teach a lesson. 

 

He warned against covetousness. He went on to declare that life is more the accumulation of possessions. 

 

 

2. The Illustration of the Foolishness of Covetousness, Luke 12:16-20

16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

 

Jesus often used parables to illustrate His point.  That is true here. 

 

Remember, a parable is earthly story with a spiritual or heavenly meaning.  Jesus introduced this parable in verse 16 to illustrate how foolish coveting is.

 

The parable begins with a rich man.  It is important to remember that this man is already rich when the parable begins.

 

He is a farmer, and he had an exceptionally good year.  He had an abundance of crops on his hands.

 

Verse 17 reveals an inner conversation.  He had more crops that storage.  What should he do?

 

He could have given to the poor.  He could have given to the needy.  However, he decided to do otherwise.

 

To get a little foreshadowing of what was to come, notice the use of the first person pronoun “my:” my crops, my barns, my crops, my goods, and my soul.  Also, notice I: I do, I have, I will do, I will pull, I will store, and I will say.

 

He decided to tear down his existing barns.  In their place, he would build bigger barns to store all of his crops and goods. 

 

Then, thinking he had many years to live, he would take it easy.  He would eat, drink, and do whatever he felt like doing. 

 

BTW…It was true for this man, and it is true for us.  We aren’t in charge of how long we live.  God is, and we aren’t privy to God’s timetable. 

 

In verse 20, look at what God said to this man in response to his plans. He called him a fool, and told him that he would die this day.

 

He would have to give an account of his actions.  Consequently, his new barns and all his crops and goods would be of no value to him. 

 

He would leave them behind. You’ve never seen a funeral coach with a U-Haul in tow.

 

Proverbs 23:4-5, 4 Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!  5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not?  For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

 

 

3. The Application of Forsaking Covetousness and Honoring Chris, Luke 12:21

21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

 

Listen and listen closely. You are fool when seek after riches and material possessions at all costs because the danger of riches is that they cause you to forget God.

 

Deuteronomy 8:11-14, 11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

 

 

Conclusion

Instead, trust God to provide for your needs and seek after being rich toward God.  How do we do that?

 

First, prioritize Jesus first.  See Matthew 6:33.

 

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

 

Second, ask the Lord to help you be content.  See 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

 

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 

Third, use your material blessings to invest in eternity.  See Matthew 6:20.

 

20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.