“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”

— John 15:4-5

This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)

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.”

Jesus talked about many topics – the kingdom of God, love and ethics, faith, repentance, forgiveness, etc. What surprises many people is that he talked quite often about money, wealth, and possessions. Usually, when he talked about money and possessions it was accompanied by a warning about the spiritual dangers of wealth. Our passage for today is no exception.

Jesus was approached by a man with a request, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Instinctively and very wisely, Jesus initially distanced himself: “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” In other words, “Don’t drag me into this!” But since the man asked the question, Jesus decided to take things a different direction. It was time for a lesson in stewardship. Jesus began the lesson with a simple statement, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Then he told him what has become known as the “Parable of the Rich Fool”.

It's worth noting that the “rich fool” did not accumulate his abundance of crops by unethical means. The reason God called him a fool was not because of his abundance but because of his apparent focus on himself and storing up his crops for himself with no regard for others. The word “fool” in Greek implies someone who is morally and spiritually senseless. So, in effect, by telling this story Jesus is implying that persons who think only of themselves when it comes to money/possessions are not just missing the mark of being created for generosity but are morally on the wrong track.

The last verse of our text Jesus mentioned the phrase “being rich toward God”. That is a great concept for all of us to consider today. In what ways are we “rich toward God”? We can be rich toward God in many ways, not the least of which is sharing the resources we have received from God in the first place. In I Corinthians 4:7, Paul asked the church at Corinth, “What do you have that you did not receive?” What a great question for all of us!

Take some time this week to list everything about your life (relationships, possessions, skills, etc.) and consider what you have that you did not receive. When we finish such a list it is common that we land in a great place – gratitude. And gratitude leads to generosity.

Prayer:

Generous God, we know that generosity and self-giving love are a major part of you and your love for us. Help us understand our lives as stewards of all that you have given us, and not as owners seeking to control and manipulate. Amen.

QUESTION FOR REFLECTION:

What do you have that you did not receive?
When have you been a “fool” with money?
Do you see yourself as an owner of your possessions and your life in general, or as a steward caring for that which God has given you?
Recall a time when someone shared his or her resources with you in sacrificial love. What impact did that have on you and your willingness to do the same with others?

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