05-08-01 Morston/Stiffkey
Sermon – Luke 12:13-21 – Shrouds don’t have pockets
Father, I pray that you will take my words this morning and use them to speak to us all from the Gospel reading. I ask this in Jesus Name. Amen.
Introduction
Story: An atheist was sitting under a tree one day smugly thinking:
"God, I know you don’t exist but if you do exist you must be really stupid.
Look at this huge oak tree. It’s got a little acorn on it. And look at this huge marrow carried by such a puny marrow plant.
Now, if I had been you, I’d have created the oak tree to carry the marrow and the marrow plant to carry the acorn.
While he was reflecting on his wisdom, suddenly an acorn fell and hit him on the head.
“Thank God that wasn’t a marrow!” he exclaimed.
Our thoughts are not God’s thoughts.
So it is with the man in the Parable of the Rich Fool in this morning’s Gospel reading.
Or should the parable be more appropriately entitled: Shrouds don’t have pockets!
Resume of the story:
There are three elements to the story
1. The abundant crop.
2. The rich man’s attitude and
3. God’s condemnation of that attitude.
1. The abundant crop
This parable would have been quite shocking to the 1st Century Jew. Because he would have equated a good crop with God’s blessing.
Wealth was seen as a gift from God.
We can see this idea - for example reflected in the book of Job. When Job has successfully gone through all the tests Satan put before him, and has stayed true to God - he is blessed with wealth. (see Job 42:10 onwards).
So when God in this parable says “You fool” – it must have really jarred the ears of Jesus’ hearers.
What could the man have done to lose God’s blessing.
I think the key is to be found in the rich man’s attitude.
2. The rich man’s attitude
In the parable, Jesus reveals the rich man’s thinking. His motivation was purely selfish – he was out to have a good time. The Rich Fool says:
“You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Eat drink and be merry”.
The whole focus of his life was greed.
The man thinks he has many days of ease ahead of him, when God says to him:
“You fool. This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”
A very sober question. It jars.
Shrouds don’t have pockets.
“So it will be” says Jesus “for anyone who stores up things for himself – but is not rich before God.” v.21
Death is the one great leveller in our society. Rich and poor alike will die one day.
Psalm 49 16 (in the Message) puts it well:
“So don’t be impressed with those who get rich and pile up fame and fortune. They can’t take it with them; fame and fortune all get left behind. Just when they think they have arrived and folk praise them because they have made good, they enter the family burial plot where they’ll never see sunshine again”
Story: I thought about this parable of the Rich Fool three years ago when I was considering whether or not to go into the ministry.
I was a patent agent at the time and I asked myself the question:
“When the last patent that I have written expires what will I have to show for my life? A great pension - but what have I achieved on the eternal scale? Yet if one person commits their life to the Lord through my responding to the call to the ministry – that is something eternal.”
I thought about this parable again earlier this year. My brother, Eddie had bought a wonderful house in Sutton about two years ago and was looking forward to enjoying it.
Yet on 23rd January 2001 this year at the age of 38, he died of a heart attack. And as I looked at his name on the crematorium board at 4 pm on Tuesday 30th January, I wondered what Eddie had to show for his life here on earth?
3. God’s condemnation
You might be tempted to think that this parable means that Jesus taught that wealth is evil. I don’t think it does.
Wealth – money is in itself neutral. There is nothing wrong with having wealth. We all store up things for a rainy day.
What is Jesus condemning then? He is condemning our attitude to what God has given us.
Jesus condemns those who are not rich in God’s sight. Those who live for themselves and not for God.
Our wealth is a gift from God and we are to use it wisely.
The Rich Fool in the parable had enough and wanted to hoard more - instead of sharing his good fortune with others. It is interesting to note that he did nothing to improve his lifestyle let alone the lifestyle of those around him with his extra wealth.
It is clear that money – wealth - was his god.
Jesus said in Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Money.
Paul said that it is “the love of money that is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10)
Note the love of money not money itself.
Story: The Great Evangelical Revival of the 18th and 19th Centuries was able to take root because of those who used their wealth to promote the Kingdom of God.
John Thornton, for example was one of the richest men in England. He prayed about how God would have him use his wealth and he responded to God - by sponsoring people to preach the Gospel. He used his wealth wisely.
4. Conclusion
I believe that is the challenge of the parable is a challenge to review our attitudes.
How do we use the blessings God has given us – and I am not just thinking of wealth. It could be any of the abilities God has given us, like cooking, playing a musical instrument, being a handyman. Or even simply giving our time in visiting those who are in need.
Do I see what God has given me as mine or as something God has entrusted to me.
God’s blessings are like an egg in your hand – squeeze it tightly and you will have yolk all over you.
Let it lie gently in your hand. Ask God how you should use it and respond to God’s leading. Then I believe, you will find yourself “rich before God too.” Amen
