August 4, 2019 - Luke 12:13-21 "The Parable of the Rich Fool"

This past Sunday I preached over the verses found in the Gospel of Luke 12:13-21, best known as "The Parable of the Rich Fool".  One of the problems with these verses is that it's particularly easy to read them as a condemnation of the 'Wealthy' or even worse as deriding 'Farmers or Agriculture'.  This passage is most assuredly not meant to denigrate either of these parties.

The problem here is a lack of recognition that it is God's provision that has supported this man and he has completely forgotten about God.  He also seems to believe that he'll live forever and the scripture reminds him that such is not the case... none of us knows which day will be our last here on earth and we need to be certain to set ourselves right not only with God but with our loved ones each and every day.

I paused at the end of the sermon because I noticed the time and was trying to decide if I wanted to dive into the next segment of the sermon, I ultimately decided not to, as we were already running long with worship and I had at least another fifteen minutes of material (probably twenty to be honest).  Sometimes it's best not to try and make too many points, as it was everyone seemed to think I'd preached this sermon at them.  Perhaps that's a good thing... I'll just hold on to that last part for another day and perhaps we'll revisit this parable again before it rolls around in the Lectionary.

I will not be in the pulpit this Thursday or this coming Sunday as Gail and I are taking a few days of vacation.  We're planning to head to the "Irish Festival" up in Minnesota.  Both of us have a tiny bit of Irish blood but we both enjoy the music, dance, and culture.

I'll be back to blog again next week though I'll have to post about something other than the sermons I've preached.  It's been a while since I've done that and maybe it's time to just pull a blog post out of the climate of the world... we'll have to see where I find my inspiration.

Til then have a blessed week and as always...

Be a blessing to someone today!!

In His Grace,
Roy

Luke 12:13-21 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Parable of the Rich Fool

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, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” 16 Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull 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 ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”


James 4:13-15 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Boasting about Tomorrow
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.” 14 Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.”


Colossians 3:1-11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The New Life in Christ
3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.[b] 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.[c] 8 But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive[d] language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal[e] there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!

Footnotes:
a) Colossians 3:4 Other authorities read our
b) Colossians 3:6 Other ancient authorities lack on those who are disobedient (Gk the children of disobedience)
c) Colossians 3:7 Or living among such people
d) Colossians 3:8 Or filthy
e) Colossians 3:11 Gk its creator, 11 where

Psalm 49 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Folly of Trust in Riches
1 Hear this, all you peoples;
    give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high,
    rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;
    the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
    I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
    when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth
    and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life,[a]
    there is no price one can give to God for it.
8 For the ransom of life is costly,
    and can never suffice,
9 that one should live on forever
    and never see the grave.[b]

10 When we look at the wise, they die;
    fool and dolt perish together
    and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves[c] are their homes forever,
    their dwelling places to all generations,
    though they named lands their own.
12 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
    they are like the animals that perish.

13 Such is the fate of the foolhardy,
    the end of those[d] who are pleased with their lot.Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
    Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend,[e]
    and their form shall waste away;
    Sheol shall be their home.[f]
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
    for he will receive me.Selah

16 Do not be afraid when some become rich,
    when the wealth of their houses increases.
17 For when they die they will carry nothing away;
    their wealth will not go down after them.
18 Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy
    —for you are praised when you do well for yourself—
19 they[g] will go to the company of their ancestors,
    who will never again see the light.
20 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
    they are like the animals that perish.

Footnotes:
a) Psalm 49:7 Another reading is no one can ransom a brother
b) Psalm 49:9 Heb the pit
c) Psalm 49:11 Gk Syr Compare Tg: Heb their inward (thought)
d) Psalm 49:13 Tg: Heb after them
e) Psalm 49:14 Cn: Heb the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning
f) Psalm 49:14 Meaning of Heb uncertain
g) Psalm 49:19 Cn: Heb you