The Rich Fool
II. THE PARABLE OF
THE RICH FOOL
A. THE PARABLE
SUMMARIZED...
1. A rich man is richly
blessed with large crops
Luke 12:16-20
“And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain
rich man brought forth plentifully: 17And he thought
within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow
my fruits? 18And
he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and
there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19And I will say to
my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease,
eat, drink, and be merry. 20But God said unto
him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then
whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”
2. As he considers his
situation, he makes plans for the future
a. To build greater
barns to store his crops
b. To retire and enjoy
the fruits of his labors for many years
3. Yet God tells him he
is a fool!
a. Because that very
night he is to die, and his soul will be
required of him
b. And the things he had
provided, whose will they be?
B. THE PARABLE
ANALYZED...
1. The man assumes that
his life consists in the abundance of
things he possesses
a. The crops are his
b. They will provide for
his soul for many years to come
2. The foolishness and
selfishness of the rich man is seen in
that...
a. He does not know
himself
1) He fails to realize
that his "body" is mortal, and will
not necessarily live on
for many years
2) He does not consider
that his riches really can't
satisfy his
"soul"!
b. He does not consider
the needs of others
1) The needs of the poor
are not even taken into
consideration
2) He thinks only of
self (note the "I's" and "my's")
c. Nor does he thank and
glorify God
1) For all practical
purposes, he is an atheist
2) One who truly
believes in God would respond like the
Psalmist in
“What shall I
render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?”
C. THE PARABLE
APPLIED...
1. Jesus makes the
application in
“So is
he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
2. Those who lay up
treasure for themselves, and are not rich
toward God, are like
this rich fool!
3. If your plans for the
future focus on self, and not on God and
others, you are no
different than the rich fool
-- This ought to
encourage serious reflection in those planning
their retirement!
[Not that it is wrong to
plan for the future, but we need to keep in
mind the brevity of
life, and the will of the Lord
“Go to now,
ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue
there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know
not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is
even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For
that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or
that. 16But
now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”
How can we be sure that
we who may be rich in this life are also rich
toward God?]
III. BEING RICH
TOWARD GOD
A. BEING IN CHRIST IS
CERTAINLY REQUIRED...
1. For all spiritual
blessings come through Him
“Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
2. The exceeding riches
of God's grace will be shown only through
Christ
“But God, who is
rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are
saved;) 6And
hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus: 7That in the
ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his
kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
B. BUT PROPER USE OF
MATERIAL RICHES CAN HELP...
1. Notice the words of
Jesus, spoken soon after this parable
“Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
a. He tells them to sell
what they have and give alms
b. To provide a treasure
in heaven that does not fail
2. Helping the poor is
often connected with "laying up treasure
in heaven"
a. As Jesus counseled the rich young ruler
“21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”
C. NOTICE HOW JESUS
ENCOURAGED HIS DISCIPLES IN THIS MATTER...
1. He followed the
parable with a reminder of God's loving care
“And he said
unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life,
what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23The
life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24Consider
the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor
barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25And
which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26If
ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for
the rest? 27Consider
the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you,
that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If
then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is
cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little
faith? 29And
seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of
doubtful mind. 30For
all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father
knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek
ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32Fear
not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom.33Sell
that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a
treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither
moth corrupteth.”
2. The key is to make
the kingdom (or rule) of God the focus of
our life
3. For then God will do two things:
a. Provide "all
these things" (i.e., things necessary for life
and body)
b. Give you "the
kingdom" (i.e., things necessary for the
soul)
4. So they are exhorted
to give alms and provide for treasure in
heaven!
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