The Rich Man

The Rich Man

Scripture Lessons

Ecclesiastes 1:2,12-14; 2:18-26

Psalm 100:1-5

Colossians 3:1-11

Luke 12:13-21

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Thus began our Old Testament lesson from Ecclesiastes. King Solomon imparted wisdom, encouraging that all people receive with joy the gifts that God gives. This means recognizing all that you have, life, possessions, breath, and so forth as a gift from God.

Do no be puffed up, imagining that you have done all this for yourself. Even the wherewithal to make a living is a gift from God. You were blessed with your talents, abilities, opportunities, support of family, and so forth.

On a practical level, it is sound advice and I encourage all of you to listen to God’s wisdom expressed through King Solomon.

²⁴ There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, ²⁵ for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ²⁶ For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

It is often misstated that ‘money is the root of all evil.’ This is not the teaching of Scripture. In fact, the Scripture says, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” 1 Timothy 6:10. Tis not the money, but the love of money, the idolizing of money that is a sin and root of all kinds of evils. When you heed Godly wisdom, you will look for joy in all gifts that God has given you and will give thanks to him.

The gospel lesson carries the heading, “The Parable of the Rich Fool.” This is very appropriate. Why was the man a fool? Because he sought after riches? Not really, at least that’s not what Jesus said.

The account of this parable was a request from a man in the crowd to adjudicate the division of an inheritance with the man’s brother. Jesus responded, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” It was not unusual for a rabbi or teacher of the people to judge matters like this. Moses did so. But in His response, Jesus was saying that He did not come to adjudicate earthly matters, but rather to reconcile God and man through the forgiveness of sins. (Note: The Greek words for “arbitrator/divider” and “reconciler” sound similar and it may have been a play on words.)

The question prompted this warning from Jesus: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” In other words, you may have an abundance of possessions, but your life is not found in them. In our country people are very wealthy by the standards of human history. Nevertheless, we have epic levels of dissatisfaction. Why? Because we are covetous sinners. We have perpetual stick envy, always wanting what others have, and resenting what we “lack.” Jesus says, “be on your guard!”

Notice some key elements from the parable. “The land of a rich man produced plentifully.” Notice that it was the land that produced. It was not the man that produced, but the land. It was God who provided this man’s wealth. The man took counsel from himself…after all, he has been successful in life, so he probably has all the best answers…“he thought to himself…[tear down my barns and build bigger ones]…And I will say to my soul,” again with the inner dialogue he counsels himself, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” No thought for others. No need to use his wealth to care for the needy among him. No need to invest his wealth in some enterprise that may serve his neighbor. No need to go on working. In his ideal retirement he will “relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

He did not recognize the source of his gifts. He did not recognize any duty or obligation toward his neighbors. He thought only of himself…not just in providing for himself, but he thought only of himself as being the one who gained all these possessions. “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Indeed his life was not protected by his great possessions. God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” Your “soul” means the entirety of your existence. In this case, the man died that night and what good was all that wealth to him?

Listen, this isn’t all about money. The fool, “is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” The fool is the one who toils, striving after the wind. You can’t take earthly wealth with you and it serves a purpose here and now that reflects your relationship with God. Steward those gifts that God gives you wisely.

Now, more importantly, and listen carefully. How can you be rich toward God? By giving everything you have to the poor? No, that’s not good stewardship. Perhaps by starving yourself, fasting, living a life of poverty. No, that’s not living with thankfulness for the gifts that God gives you. Perhaps being rich toward God means always giving thanks for what we have and not coveting what others have. That is pious indeed and let me ask you, how are you doing with that? Is it only the pious who are rich toward God? What about the rest of us poor miserable sinners?

Those of you who despair of your poverty toward God, confessing honestly that you fall short of His perfect standard, may feel poor indeed. And yet, in Christ Jesus you have abundant life. Contrary to being poor before God, you are rich before God. You are blessed to have received baptism. You were washed with water and the Word and are made clean, perfect, holy, and righteous before God. None of this is due to your own striving, but completely and totally a gift from God! Give thanks to God you beggarly poor sinners, for Jesus has claimed you as His own and you are actually rich beyond all measure before God the Father.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.