The Parables Of Jesus-Week 8--Sermon Only-The Rich Fool

Abundant Grace Community Church Sunday Worship Service LIVESTREAM
The Parables Of Jesus
The Rich Fool
Sunday, May 23rd 2024
Luke 12:13-21
Introduction
Guard Your Heart, Prosper and be Rich Toward God
I. Guard Your Heart
“Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”
“And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness (greed)…”
This warning is so necessary it is given with two commands both calling for continual obedience to fight the tendency of the flesh toward covetousness.
The first command: ‘Take care’ or ‘Beware’’ - means in this passage to "see to it, take care, take heed"
The second command: ‘Be on your guard’ - means to watch, to carry out the function as a military guard, to keep watch, to have one's eye upon lest one escape
“…for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
II. A Parable of Wisdom and Folly
And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
Fool - without understanding; lack of good judgment; it is folly in action
“The land of a rich man produced plentifully…” -
Greed blinds us to the God who is over all things!
Greed blinds us to the brevity of life and the reality of eternity!
‘This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?
III. Be Rich Toward God
“So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
“We can’t take money with you, but you can send it on ahead.” Randy Alcorn
“We may love money without having it, just as we may have money without loving it.”
JC Ryle
There is no bigger fool than he who does not prepare for the life to come!
The Bible says if our riches increase, we are not to set our hearts upon them
“Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.” Psalm 62:10
The Bible also says there is one who gives freely and grows all the richer
“One gives freely yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” Proverbs 11:24
The point is clear; if we honor God with what He has given us, He will bless with more so that we can honor Him with more.
“God prospers me not to raise my standard of living but to raise my standard of giving.” Randy Alcorn
Here are few questions to ask yourself:
(1) Do my thoughts more often run after material things than after God Himself?
(2) Do I ever compromise godly character in the pursuit of material gain?
(3) How do I respond when I lose material things?
IV. Conclusion