We are starting a new series for our new year called, Should’ve, Could’ve, Would’ve: Regrettable Decisions When Encountering Jesus. What we are going to study in this series are different people who were given the opportunity to speak to Jesus and consider their encounter and what we can learn from that discussion. Each week what I want us to do is put ourselves in the shoes of these people who have this amazing moment to walk up to the Savior and talk to him. Imagine if Jesus were to visit the town you were living in and you had the chance to see him. What would you say and what would you do? The encounter with Jesus that I want us to start with for this series is found in Luke 12:13-21.
We need to see the context to appreciate what is about to happen in this encounter. The beginning of Luke 12 gives us the setting. Notice in Luke 12:1 that we see that thousands have gathered to see Jesus. In fact, the crowd is so massive that the people are stepping on each other. The point that I want us to see is that there are many people in this moment and Jesus is using this moment to teach his disciples. But you can imagine that while Jesus is talking to the disciples, there are those who can hear what Jesus is saying. Scan your eyes through the text of the first 12 verses and you can see that Jesus is talking about the problem of hypocrisy and confessing Jesus before people. This prepares us for what is about to happen next.
The Question (Luke 12:13-14)
In verse 13 someone is this massive crowd is going to get the opportunity to speak to Jesus. In the moment Jesus has been telling his disciples about the need to confess him before all people. If you deny the Son of Man before people, then you will be denied before the angels of God (cf. Luke 12:8-9). But now someone in the crowd gets the chance to talk to Jesus. Notice what he has saved for his discussion with Jesus in verse 13. “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” This is your one question for Jesus? This is what was burning on your mind that you had to say to Jesus in the middle of the crowd while Jesus was teaching his disciples? Please think about all the things you could ask Jesus. Please think about all the things you could say to Jesus. In this one moment what is on this man’s mind is the inheritance that his brother is not dividing up properly so that he gets his portion.
Now to us this can be a really big deal. I have seen far too many family fights over an inheritance after someone passed away. I have seen far too many people, even those who claim to follow Jesus, try to be unfair, take more, or justify why they should have all of the inheritance and give none to anyone else. But the whole idea at this moment is that you are missing the greater point. Allow me to give a low-level illustration. Imagine if you were given the chance to go before the Supreme Court where all the judges were in session. So they are there in their robes ready to listen to any question you might have for them. But you one get one question because there is a great crowd there. Imagine in your moment you asked the Supreme Court of the United States to tell your neighbor to move his fence one foot off your property line. How do you think the Supreme Court would respond? I think the clear answer would be that we are far superior to the problem you are having. You do not know who you are talking to and you have wasted your opportunity. You will notice that this is the essence of Jesus’ response to this person in the crowd. “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Basically, you obviously do not know who you are talking to. You clearly do not understand what opportunity you just wasted. You were standing before Jesus and this is what you had to say! What a shame that this was your big concern!
The Message (Luke 12:15)
Jesus now uses this moment to teach this massive crowd that has been thronging around Jesus. Notice the simple teaching in verse 15. Be on your guard and watch out for all kinds of greed because life does not consist of the abundance of possessions. Jesus gives us a very strong warning. Watch out for greed! Be on guard against every form of greed! Now here is the thing: we do not think we are greedy. We just think we need more. “I’m not greedy! I just want some more things!” We have a funny way to get ourselves around the problem of greed and covetousness.
In our culture we are told that we should want more. We are told to never be satisfied with what we have. There is always more to have. There is always something better, something newer, something faster, or something bigger. We are told that we should not be content with anything. But Jesus is giving us a warning flag. Why do we want more? Why are we not happy with what we have? What is preventing contentment? Jesus is going to give us the key teaching in the rest of verse 15. “Life does not consist of the abundance of possessions.” Life is not about stuff. Life is not about having things. We get small glimpses of this in our society. We get these moments where we realize that love is far more important than things. We enjoy the holiday season because we remember that relationships are far more valuable to possessions. But, of course, the day after thanksgiving is all about stuff and Christmas season turns into getting a bunch a stuff. But for a moment we realize that life is not about the abundance of our possessions. But the point is even more than that. The point is also that we are not kept alive by our stuff. Notice the parable Jesus tells to make this point.
The Parable (Luke 12:16-21)
Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who had very productive land so that he had so many crops from an abundant harvest. This would be like getting a huge commission on a sale, or a life changing work bonus, or a major pay increase. This man was doing well but then his crops made his wealth go to the next level. Now this man is set. In verse 18 we see that he is going to build larger barns and store up all of his wealth there. He is in great shape now. His retirement is set. He does not have to work hard any more. He has everything he needs. Look at verse 19. He has so much stuff that he can relax for many years. He will take it easy, eat, drink, and enjoy himself. He achieved the American dream. Retire early, relax, eat, drink, and enjoy life. There was only one problem. The rich man died that night.
Possessions do not insulate us from life. Life is not about the abundance of possessions. All of our wealth does not change the fact that we could die tonight. All of our possessions do not keep us from the troubles of life. All of our planning is not strong enough to make those plans come to pass. All of this man’s planning in this parable did nothing for him. He did not achieve those goals, even though he did all he could to get to those plans. Our stuff and our riches are not what are keeping us alive. We do not control time. We do not control if our bodies will continue working tomorrow like they did today.
The reason this man in the parable is called a fool is because he was making the wrong plans. He was planning for his future. He was planning on how to use his wealth. He was planning on how he would save up his goods and grain. He was planning on how he was going to relax, eat, drink, and enjoy life. But he was not planning on meeting God tomorrow. Look at verse 21. Jesus said that this person was storing up treasures for himself rather than being rich toward God.
Rich Toward God
So we need to ask an important question. How do I know if I am storing up treasures for myself or if I am rich toward God? I want to leave the parable and think about the situation that caused Jesus to tell this parable to the crowds. Why did Jesus tell this parable? Jesus told this parable because a man came to him and the thing that was at the top of his mind was having his brother give him his portion of the inheritance. The man was more concerned about the physical than realizing that he was in the presence of the Savior. Here is how I want to frame this circumstance for us:
Am I missing my encounters with Jesus for the possessions of this world?
This is the question that sets off the whole of Luke 12. Jesus is going to talk about not be anxious and being ready for the Lord’s coming in the rest of Luke 12. It all centers around if we are missing our encounters with Jesus for the riches and cares of this world. Friends, being rich toward God is not found in making one big decision for the Lord. Being rich toward God is found in what are the seemingly small decisions. Every day we are making a decision to store up treasure for ourselves or to be rich toward God. Every decision is an investment in this life or an investment in eternity. Think about how often we miss an opportunity to be with Jesus because we are more focused on relaxing, eat, drinking, and trying to enjoy this life. The goal of the man in the parable was that: relax, eat, drink, and enjoy life. But he was not rich toward God. We quickly trade our opportunities to talk with the Lord and learn from him by wanting more relaxing, more eating, more drinking, and more enjoyment in this life.
Let me take Jesus’ teaching and ask it another way. What do you think we are supposed to be doing to be rich toward God? What decisions do you think Jesus is asking us to make so that we are rich toward God and not storing up for ourselves in this life? How many decisions do we make in a day that are an investment in this life, for this world, for this body, for our possessions, and for our wealth? How many decisions do we make in a day that are an investment for our future eternal life? Life does not consist of the abundance of possessions. Joy and satisfaction are not found in our stuff. Wealth is not the power that will give us a long life or control the outcome of how long we live. Life is not about relaxing, eating, drinking, and trying to enjoy everything in this world. Jesus is trying to teach us what David understood. Listen to what David said in Psalm 16.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” (Psalm 16:2 ESV)
In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:11 NASB)
The fullness of joy is not in having possessions or in pursuing wealth. The joy we are all looking for is in God alone. All good is from him. All joy is in him. All pleasures are with him. Do not miss your chance to be rich toward God. Make time to be with Jesus and invest in your eternal future.