Text: Luke 12:13-21

The Parable of the Rich Fool

¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

¹⁶ And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

²⁰ “But 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?’

²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Sermon:

Good evening, dear friends and family in Christ. Tonight, we delve into a passage from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 12, verses 13 to 21, where Jesus tells us the Parable of the Rich Fool. This parable, nestled amidst teachings on worry, fear, and material possessions, invites us to reflect deeply on our relationship with wealth, life, and ultimately, with God.

The Context: Jesus was speaking to a crowd, teaching about the kingdom of God, when someone from the audience interrupted, asking Him to act as a mediator in a family dispute over inheritance. Jesus, discerning the heart’s true issue, uses this moment to teach a broader lesson.

The Parable: Jesus begins, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” He then tells the story of a rich man whose land produced plentifully. This man, contemplating his wealth, thought to himself, “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?” His solution? Tear down his barns and build larger ones to store all his goods and enjoy years of leisurely living.

But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” Jesus concludes, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

The Message: This parable is not merely about the dangers of wealth but about the folly of a life centered on self. Here are three profound insights:

1. The Danger of Greed: Jesus warns against covetousness. Greed is not just about wanting more; it’s about seeing possessions as the measure of life’s worth. In our consumer-driven society, this message resonates deeply. How often do we equate success with accumulation?
2. The Illusion of Security: The rich man thought he had secured his future by amassing wealth. But Jesus highlights the fragility of life. No amount of wealth can buy more time when our time is up. True security lies not in what we hoard but in our relationship with God.
3. The True Wealth: Being “rich toward God” means investing in things that have eternal value—love, generosity, faith, and service. The rich man was rich in material terms but poor in spirit, lacking generosity, foresight, and wisdom.

Application for Us:

• Reassess Our Values: Are we like the rich fool, planning only for comfort and security in material terms, or are we building our lives on the rock of faith in God?
• Generosity Over Accumulation: Let us consider how we can be rich toward God by being generous with our time, talents, and treasures. Our wealth is not just for our comfort but for the common good.
• Live with an Eternal Perspective: Every decision we make, every penny we spend or save, should be viewed through the lens of eternity. What will matter at the end of our days? Not the size of our bank account, but the impact of our love and service.

Conclusion: The Parable of the Rich Fool isn’t a call to poverty but a call to wisdom. It challenges us to look beyond the temporal to the eternal, from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. May we be wise not in the eyes of the world but in the sight of God, storing up treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys.

Let us pray for the grace to be rich in faith, rich in love, and rich in good deeds, for in these, we find true wealth and wisdom. Amen.