Heard of the parable of the rich fool? Do you remember the comment that prompted the parable?
The audience: "Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”" (Luke 12:13, NKJV)
Right in the middle of a serious sermon about proclamations, power, and persecution to a massive crowd (Luke 12:1-11), one man proves his mind is more focused on his family estate than his faith.
The admonishment: "But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”" (Luke 12:14, NKJV)
The teacher who had nowhere to lay his head (Luke 9:58) had just emphasized the value of a soul (Luke 12:6-7), and he obviously had no interest in catering to someone who valued their self-interest over their interest in him.
The awareness: "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.”" (Luke 12:15, NKJV)
Mindfulness of the cravings for worldly possessions is not optional. A failure to be content leads to appetites that confuse our self-worth with our net worth. Take heed lest our possessions possess us.
The amount: "Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully." (Luke 12:16, NKJV)
Already characterized as rich, the owner of the estate is blessed above and beyond the historical harvests that led to an existing fiscally healthy wallet.
The attitude: "And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’" (Luke 12:17)
No giving of thanks. No hints of charitable inclinations. The existing storage would become physically full, but the heart was already spiritually empty.
The action: "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." (Luke 12:18, NKJV)
The crop yield was amazing, rivaled only by the ability of the rich man to yield to self. Six times in one sentence he reminds himself of who owned what, and he wanted more of what he already had.
The assumption: "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.”" (Luke 12:19, NKJV)
A supposed success, security, and satisfaction. For years to come his life would be affected by this one-time harvest. He was confident that he would enjoy the reaping of what had been sown.
The accusation: "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?’" (Luke 12:20 NKJV)
His foresight had failed to see the eternal harvest for the temporary crops. His almanac proven false and left with only his soul, "rich" was no longer the word used to describe the man.
The application: "“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”" (Luke 12:21, NKJV)
The parable delivered, the application made plain – the man who went spiritually bankrupt stands as a warning to all of us who prioritize our own kingdom over the kingdom of God.
From the audience to the application, the comment that prompted a parable leads us to a question worth consideration for ourselves: "Why do we want Jesus to get involved in our life?"
“32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:32-34)
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