The Rich Fool - The Crowds

City Church Tulsa

THE CROWDS The Rich Fool 2-25-24 Luke 12: 13-21 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” True life is not found in what you own "Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is finding his place in it, while really it is finding it's place in him." CS Lewis - The Screwtape Letters Matthew 6:19-21 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 16:10-15 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” True life is not self-centered "The distinctive thing that money allows us- it's most seductive promise - abundance without dependence." Andy Crouch - The Life We're Looking For Radical generosity is the overflow of a heart that recognizes the extravagant love of God towards me. This life is not forever “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ The way we handle our money is a central practice, not a casual addition to our spiritual formation. 3 Guiding Questions • Am I fully trusting God with my finances and everything I own? • Am I actively practicing generosity in my life, church, and relationships? • Am I being a wise steward of what God has entrusted to me?