A MAN WHO WAS RICH: THE RICH FOOL
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. A Man Who Was Rich
a) Luke records two parables that Jesus told about rich men. These two parables have the same subject — a man who was rich.
b) Both parables explore how the rich man was so wrapped up in himself that he thought neither about how he might help others less fortunate, nor about the state of his own soul after death. These parables encourage us not to trust in uncertain riches.
c) Both parables show the very great value of the kingdom of God, and that in God's kingdom those who appear weak and downtrodden in this world may have a high standing before God, whereas those who seem powerful may be despised by God, for God looks at the heart, not at the outward man. These truths are the latter of the the seven themes of the parables that Jesus told (Luke 12:13-21, Luke 16:19-31).
2. The Rich Fool
Luke 12:13-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
a) Luke 12:13-15 give the background to this parable. There was a demand from someone in the crowd who wanted Jesus to settle a dispute about an inheritance. Jesus perceived this person to be greedy and pointed out that life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. So he tells the parable of the rich fool.
b) Luke 12:16 says that the rich man's land was very productive — hinting of course that he was being blessed by God who gave the increase of his crops.
c) Luke 12:17-18 shows the man enjoying surplus produce far beyond what he had room in his barns to store. The rich man has to do something about all this surplus. He puts his mind to the matter. He asks himself, "What shall I do?"
d) We somehow rather fancy that Jesus might have paused there, and waited while his listeners thought of what the man might do. Jesus now makes the man say, "This shall I do..." and each listener waits to see if they guessed the rich man's solution. Maybe some listeners were expecting the rich man to say, "I shall give all my surplus to the poor for they have need of it whilst I do not because my barns are full." But instead he says something quite selfish and shocking. He will pull down his barns and build bigger ones and keep all his abundance for himself.
e) Luke 12:19 finishes the rich man's statement, "I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up to last for many years; eat, drink, and be merry'". This would be funny if it were not so serious. First of all, he talks to himself. Never mind about talking to God and asking wisdom in the matter. Then, of all things, he quotes scripture! "Eat, drink and be merry" (Ecclesiastes 8:15). Obviously he forgot the other version of that, "Eat and drink... for tomorrow we may die." (Isaiah 22:13).
f) We understand that "the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17-18). This man was wrapped up in himself and his own comfort. His soul had no mind for issues of justice, oppression, and the misery of poverty — things with which God's Spirit is concerned.
The End ...
1. A Man Who Was Rich a) Luke records two parables that Jesus told about rich men. These two parables have the same subject — a man who was rich.
b) Both parables explore how the rich man was so wrapped up in himself that he thought neither about how he might help others less fortunate, nor about the state of his own soul after death. These parables encourage us not to trust in uncertain riches.
c) Both parables show the very great value of the kingdom of God, and that in God's kingdom those who appear weak and downtrodden in this world may have a high standing before God, whereas those who seem powerful may be despised by God, for God looks at the heart, not at the outward man. These truths are the latter of the the seven themes of the parables that Jesus told (Luke 12:13-21, Luke 16:19-31).
2. The Rich Fool
Luke 12:13-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
a) Luke 12:13-15 give the background to this parable. There was a demand from someone in the crowd who wanted Jesus to settle a dispute about an inheritance. Jesus perceived this person to be greedy and pointed out that life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. So he tells the parable of the rich fool.
b) Luke 12:16 says that the rich man's land was very productive — hinting of course that he was being blessed by God who gave the increase of his crops.
c) Luke 12:17-18 shows the man enjoying surplus produce far beyond what he had room in his barns to store. The rich man has to do something about all this surplus. He puts his mind to the matter. He asks himself, "What shall I do?"
d) We somehow rather fancy that Jesus might have paused there, and waited while his listeners thought of what the man might do. Jesus now makes the man say, "This shall I do..." and each listener waits to see if they guessed the rich man's solution. Maybe some listeners were expecting the rich man to say, "I shall give all my surplus to the poor for they have need of it whilst I do not because my barns are full." But instead he says something quite selfish and shocking. He will pull down his barns and build bigger ones and keep all his abundance for himself.
e) Luke 12:19 finishes the rich man's statement, "I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up to last for many years; eat, drink, and be merry'". This would be funny if it were not so serious. First of all, he talks to himself. Never mind about talking to God and asking wisdom in the matter. Then, of all things, he quotes scripture! "Eat, drink and be merry" (Ecclesiastes 8:15). Obviously he forgot the other version of that, "Eat and drink... for tomorrow we may die." (Isaiah 22:13).
f) We understand that "the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17-18). This man was wrapped up in himself and his own comfort. His soul had no mind for issues of justice, oppression, and the misery of poverty — things with which God's Spirit is concerned.
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