Luke 12:13-21 "Value of Possessions"

When Kim and I were poor college students, engaged to be married in a year, we decided to buy a used car together. Her dad had sold her car to help with tuition and I had also sold my motorcycle. We were tired of borrowing a car every time we wanted to go somewhere. It was 1983. 

So we were looking around and suddenly saw this beam of heavenly glory shining down from the sky toward this little car lot in Springfield, Illinois. It was like following the Star of Bethlehem. We went toward the glorious light and found a 1969 VW Microbus glowing in the spotlight. Love at first sight.

Well, that’s how I saw it. Kim saw an old Volkswagon van parked between other junky cars at a sketchy used car dealership. I don’t think it was love at first sight for her but she thought it was really cool, too.

It fit our budget (that should have been a warning sign) we asked to take it for a test drive.

I got in the driver's seat, Kim climbed in the passenger side. It was a stick shift. Manual transmission. I had never driven stick. I understood the concept because I had ridden a motorcycle for a few years but… It wasn’t going to be pretty. I put my foot on the brake and turned the key—yep. Van jerked forward. Car salesman came walking up with a very concerned look on his face. 

Clutch. Got it. Start it up. Sounded like a lawnmower. It kinda was a lawnmower. I grinded it into first gear—look at the salesman again—released the clutch. Killed the engine with a violent jerk. Anyone else ever driven a stick for the first time?

I tried again. This time slower. Now we’re moving, I turn left out into the street. Both Kim and the car salesman are yelling at me. I was going the wrong way down a one-way street. I should have seen this as an omen.

We bought it. I loved that thing. Installed a Bose audio system and Jenson cassette player. I found the speakers at a garage sale—they were big wooden boxes and I mounted them in the back corners. Rock and roll! Got the seats reupholstered—blue velvet! Tossed in a couple of bean bag chairs.

I mean, we were styling. This was the coolest ride ever! 

It had a top speed of 60 miles an hour. Which was plenty because the speed limit was 55 back then. Unless we were going up hills, then we’d slow down to 35 in third gear. Downhill was a different story—might hit 75—and feel like the bolts were all coming loose! Couldn’t really slow down though because also—no brakes. Sometimes. Every now and then the brake pedal would just go all the way to the floor and I’d be left down-shifting and looking for something soft to run into. Like some bushes in front of a shop that fixes brakes. So you didn’t want to overstress the brake system when going down hills. Just hold on to the seat. Because it didn’t have seatbelts either.

Also there was no AC. The engine was an air-cooled engine (like a lawnmower) and it was in the very back—so no heat either. Haha.

I loved that van but it didn’t love me back. I have so many stories. 

I think it’s a really good metaphor to help us understand how to look at our possessions the way God sees them. It’s dangerous to give our heart to our possessions. They’ll take us the wrong way if we’re not careful—and it can be almost impossible to stop. 

Luke 12, verse 13… 

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Luke 12:13-14

Jesus is teaching an enormous crowd, when He showed up they were trampling on each other to get a seat close enough to hear Him. The disciples are in the front row—you know, like all good followers of Jesus always are. Some guy pushes his way close enough to interrupt and tell Jesus to do something for him.

“Hey, Jesus! Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me!”

“Hey, Jesus! Make me a sandwich! Dance for me, monkey!”

The people are pressing in to hear everything Jesus has to say—He’s the smartest, wisest person in the world. Whatever He has to say, on any subject, is the best advice, the best way to look at something, the words of truth and life. If He’s talking, we should be listening.

And this guy butts in, interrupting Jesus like a heckler at a comedy club.

We don’t know if his brother was keeping all the inheritance for himself, or if he had been cut out of the will, or if he was in the right or in the wrong. We assume, since he’s going to Jesus, that his dad had died and the older brother was cheating him according to the law.

So, he comes to Jesus, tattles on his brother, and wants him to make it right. He accuses his brother of being a sinner and wants to use the power and authority of Jesus to get the money from his brother.

Jesus doesn’t reward the tattletale. I think people misunderstand Jesus’ role in the courtroom drama situations. He’s not the prosecuting attorney. He’s not the D.A. He knows the law. He even knows everyone is guilty. But He’s the defense attorney. He’s there to get the bad guy off the hook.

If you think it’s your job to go around accusing people of their sin, you’re not on team Jesus—you’re working for the prosecution. His name is Luis Cypher, with Satan Devilstein and associates. The devil is the accuser. Jesus is the public defender.

So, Jesus tells the guy that’s not his job. But it did remind Him of something else He wanted to talk about. 

Verse 15…

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

The guy’s still standing there. He had just told Jesus to make his brother give him some of the inheritance—insinuating that his brother was a greedy sinner. Jesus looks at the crowd, who just heard the whole thing, and says, “You all need to be careful. Coveting what your brother has is a trap. Your worth isn’t about how much money you have—how many valuable things you own. Your worth is completely dependent on how valuable you are to God.”

And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ Luke 12:16-17

I can’t help but wonder if he’s telling the story of the complaining guy’s dad.

A man who was already rich had a really great crop—way more than he was expecting. More than he had room to store. More than he needed.

And he thought to himself, “Self, like they always say at church, ‘you have been blessed to be a blessing!”

Nah. That is absolutely not what he thought.

Verse 18…

And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” 
Luke 12:18-19

He understood the importance of speaking to his soul. Like when we sang earlier, “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” We need to speak to our soul, he got that part right. But he didn’t understand the reason we need to speak to our soul. We shouldn’t listen to our soul because it only has bad ideas. The heart of man is deceitfully wicked above all things. Do not listen to your heart—no matter what the love songs tell you. This man needed to tell his soul to bless The Lord, speak to it with the wisdom of God, instead he just let his soul have a nice little conversation with itself. 

“Hey self! You are so awesome. You’re smart and funny and handsome. We’re all very impressed with you. You’re a crop genius. You should write a book. “How to multiply your harvest and look amazing doing it.” Self, you’ve got it made! You’re all set for life. After we build our fancy new state-of-the-art barns, we can relax. Eat, drink, and be merry. Get an alarm system and hire some guards to keep our treasure safe. Soul, you are so wise. Good job!!

Verse 20…

But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:20-21

What would the tattletale guy be thinking about all this? You think the story might have stung a little?

I’ll bet he was feeling defensive. Especially if he really thought Jesus was talking about his dad.

He might have been wondering what’s wrong with having a great crop. What’s wrong with building bigger barns to keep it in? And more to the point, what’s wrong with wanting to have nice things?

You might be wondering the same things.

The rich man was congratulating himself on how smart he was. How wise and financially savvy. God calls him a fool.  That he has all these crops ready to be harvested—thinks he’s set for life! But he’s not even going to be around for the harvest. His plans are going to come to nothing. He’s a fool because he spent his whole life accumulating wealth, investing in his business—laying up treasure for himself—and not investing in God. Building his own kingdom and not building the kingdom of God. He’s a fool because when it comes to his wealth, he lives as though there is no God. 

He invested everything in his personal wealth, his pleasure, trying to make himself comfortable and secure—instead of using the blessings God had given him for the purpose they were given to him. To be rich toward God. Lay up treasures in heaven. To bless others.

Jesus said in another place that it’s easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into heaven. It’s easier for something impossible to happen than for rich people to enter the kingdom of God.

That should sting. Because you’re all rich. So am I.

And you might be thinking, “not me. I ain’t rich. I wish. Lots of people have more money than me.

Funny. You sound a lot like the guy comparing himself to his brother. Jesus calls that envy. Coveting. In case anyone forgot, it’s one of the big ten Commandments: do not covet. Heck, Lutherans think it's two of the big ten. 

Comparing what we have to what other people have only makes us greedy. It robs us of our joy. Keeps us from being thankful for what we have.

Any of you who think you’re not rich: More than half the people in the world survive on less than $5 a day. Do you make more than $150 a month? Well, look at you Richie Rich! 

And Jesus said it would be easier for a Texas Longhorn to squeeze through one of the holes in the top of a salt shaker than for a rich person to get into heaven. The disciples got His point: It doesn’t make sense and there’s no way in the world it’s going to happen.

Jesus waited for His point to sting a little before He said the next part, “But with God all things are possible.”

Your worth isn’t about how much money you have—or don’t have. Your worth is completely dependent on how valuable you are to God.

God wants His people to have nice things. He wants to give us all kinds of blessings. He loves for His people to have treasure—but He doesn’t want the treasure to have His people. 

What did the rich fool do wrong in the story? There was nothing wrong with planting a crop. There was nothing wrong with having an amazing yield. The dude was going to have a fantastic harvest! What a blessing.

There wasn’t even anything wrong with tearing down the old barns to build bigger ones. There’s nothing wrong with having a successful business.

So, what did he do wrong? What was the problem?

It was all for him. He hoarded his treasure like a dragon. I, Me, my, mine. 

He thought to himself, what shall I do, I have nowhere to store my crops… I will do… I will build… I will store… all MY grain and MY goods… I will say to MY soul… it’s all for me.”

Where’s God? Where’s his neighbor? Bless the Lord, o my soul!

God also said to the rich fool, “All your wealth—who’s going to get it when you die?” Maybe the brother who was complaining about his inheritance was still standing there. Maybe Jesus made eye contact with him when He said, “who’s going to get it?”

You know what they say, “The one who dies with the most toys—still dies.”

How does Jesus want us to look at our money?

The same way we look at everything: Worship God. Love people. 

My brother is recently retired from law enforcement. He’s 54 and has a full salary and benefits. I’m already feeling my heart start to turn black with envy. He lives on a ten-acre paradise with his wife and four children who are all amazing and above average in every way. It’s practically Lake Wobegon. 

He decided to build a retirement center for himself. That’s what I call it—from the crusty blackness of my covetous heart—He calls it The Chapel. 

It’s every man’s dream. It’s a 5,000-square-foot black metal building that looks like a church. Inside it’s filled with state-of-the-art tools to do all the things he likes to do. There’s a woodworking shop with a HEPA filtration system that eliminates sawdust. There’s a mechanic shop with a hydraulic lift and welding equipment. There’s a carwash and professional vacuum-balanced, dust-free paint booth. 

There’s also a conference room—that looks like a Starbucks—where he holds meetings that he calls “Man School.” He meets with a group of men and talks about what it means to be a man who follows Jesus and makes a difference in the world. Upstairs is a martial arts school where he teaches kids self-defense and discipline—as well as life lessons that come straight from the wisdom of the Gospel and God’s Word. 

I was talking with my brother about this morning’s message—the parable of the rich fool. Jeff said, “What’s the guy who built this fancy shop supposed to do with this lesson?”

I said, “I think you just made yourself a sermon illustration.” Ha 

Because he’s doing exactly what the Rich Fool should have done. God gave him all that stuff and Jeff isn’t keeping it for himself. He’s using it all toward God. At every point, he thinks, “How can I use all this blessing to bless someone else and use it for the purpose God gave it to me.”

The problem I have with it is that it looks exactly like what NewChurch should look like. Obviously, we’d do something different inside but good grief! I want one. Four acres and this building—we’d be in business! Come on!

Be still my coveting heart.

Jesus was the smartest, wisest, person who ever lived. On any subject, His advice was the best advice. Solid gold. Even about gold. Today we’re looking at something Jesus said about what to do with our possessions. We’re not going to get better advice from someone else. 

Let me stop there for a second. Do you believe that? Do you really believe Jesus knows what He’s talking about? That what He says about every area of life is the best advice? The best way to do things? In every way? Like, not just compartmentalized in some churchy, spiritual way, but for the way all of life really works? For your happiness and contentment as well as what’s best for your family and friends and — well, for the whole world.

Even with your possessions? Your treasure? Your money?

What would it actually look like if you did what God told you to do with your money?

Oh, I know, I stopped preaching and now I’m meddling. Probably how that guy felt when he asked Jesus to help with the inheritance. 

Nobody likes it when the preacher talks about money. I get it. Not even me. I don’t want to turn people off by making the church look greedy. The truth is, I probably don’t talk about money enough—I don’t really care about it. I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor but I’ve always had enough. I’ve always had whatever God needed me to have in order to do what He wanted me to do.

People say it’s smart to save money. It probably is, I have a little in savings—that’s fine. I’m not going to need to build a bigger barn to keep it all but I have a little savings.

God saves people. That’s where all His investments go. Into people.

He’s like, “I’m going to save that one! They’re going to be perfect for reaching these other people. And I’m going to save that one over there, they have exactly what it takes to do what I want to do over here…” He saved you. He called you out of the world for a purpose. For a reason. Do you know what that purpose is? He’s not a hoarder. He didn’t just save you to save you. He’s not like the rich fool. You’re His treasure and He’s going to bless someone with you.

Luther said the last part of a person to be converted is his wallet.

Jesus just got done busting on the Pharisees for being so careful to tithe on every little thing—which He said was right, they should be careful to tithe—but don’t ignore the greater commandments. Taking care of people, loving their neighbor.

Jesus also said, “Where your treasure is, that’s where you’ll find your heart.”

The Rich Fool in today’s story had his heart completely wrapped up in his wealth—his self. His pleasure and comfort and happiness—echoes of Ecclesiastes and the meaninglessness of that kind of thinking. None of his heart was toward God. None of his treasure was invested in what God’s doing in the world. None of the blessings that God had given him were being used for any of the purposes that God had in mind. 

How long do you think it would take us to afford a 5,000 square foot black metal building on a few acres if the people God gathered here at NewChurch gave an honest tithe? A year—without going into debt? How long do you think it would take to fill this room up if the people God gathered here told three people a week about something they love about following Jesus here? A few months? 

Every day I start my prayers with “Father, help me keep Your name holy, and help me be the person you called me out of the world to be.” 

How much of a dent do you think we could put in the devil’s plans if we all started doing that? Praying it but also really doing it?

We all need to look at our possessions the way God looks at them. They’re like my old VW Van. It’s too dangerous to give our hearts to our possessions. They’ll take us the wrong way down a one-way street—and it will be almost impossible to stop. There’s no brakes on greed. 

And. We need to look at our possessions the way God looks at them. As resources so we can do what He called us out of the world to do. So we can build His kingdom—not just build our own. So we can take care of the people God sends our way instead of only taking care of ourselves. 

We have to get out of this worldly way of looking at things. Our worth isn’t about how much money we have—how many valuable things we own. Our worth is completely dependent on how valuable we are to God.

God saved you and blessed you so you could be more generous than you ever thought possible. You’re a child of God. You will inherit like a firstborn son. You have absolutely no reason to be stingy or greedy or selfish. You’re set for life. You’re also completely forgiven for all the times you might have been more worried about filling up your barns than sharing your blessings. God knows your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Trust in Jesus, that He highly values you, that with Him all things are possible,  even for you, and be rich toward God. AMEN