The Fool Rich Man - Luke 12:16-21

 

Luke 12:16-21

[16]  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 

[17]  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 

[18]  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 

[19]  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 

[20]  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 

[21]  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 

This verse is one of the parables of Jesus. A parable is not a true story but it has a spiritual lesson that a Christian must apply to themselves.

This Parable is all about a rich man who owns a big portion of land, his land bearing plentifully that its fruit is not fitted on his barn. 

This rich man-made solution for the problem he is facing. 

First, he plans for a new barn.

Secondly, he destroys the old barn

Thirdly, he built a new improved barn. Much larger than the old one.

What happens next? He did what he planned and after he said to himself: Luke 12:19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 

What the rich man deed did not give pleased to the Lord. As a consequence of what he did the Lord made a judgment for this man. Luke 12:20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 

NOW, LETS FACE THE REALITY

We cannot deny the fact that the riches here on earth are good and fascinating in the eyes. Riches is one of the tactics of the devil. Hence, the devil always has its victory because many Christians and non-Christians eyes are fix\set on the riches of this world.

The rich man in the parable is a representation of men who are lovers of riches.

Believe it or not, This parable is not only preached by Jesus because he just wants this to share with people but because even in His days here on earth He already showed all people are lovers of riches. 

In this was verified by Apostle Paul to Pastor Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

Covetous in this verse means a lover of money, and greedy to money. Money is considered as riches. If you have plenty of money or if someone has a wage that is bigger than the normal wage people think and says that man is lucky and rich. Do you also think that way?

If in the days of Jesus, covetousness is publicly express and manifested, in these last days this spirit is more manifested and publicly shown in the life of all men. 

Disclaimer: I am not against who has a job, I am not against those who work for their family, I am not against them who has work to provide the needs of their family. (If it is your excuse to me.)

But... 

People today are choosing to work every Sunday rather than to serve the Lord. Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

People today are not giving their best offering and tithes which is 10% of their salary. Malachi 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 

Do ask your friends for example today, and try them who they gonna choose "God or Work?". (Work that leads them to have tons of money). What do you think will be their answer?

I've asked many people of the same question above, and they frequently answered without hesitation is "Work" why? Firstly: Because for them God will understand that they have needs. Secondly: Because God gave the job to do their best to have money to buy their needs and wants. Thirdly: There are still many opportunities - days that they are able to come to God.

I don't know if these people who are having such excuses know when and how they going to die. To think the opportunities that God gives to men are unlimited. 

Think about this, work was given by God not to be a curse for us that God wants to hinder us to come with Him but rather God gave a work or a job because He wants to bless us and to continue to come with Him. Wherefore a work or a job is given to be a blessing for us but we choose curse by not allowing God to be our priority. 

Secondly, God gives men a job or work that we don't have the reasons not to thank Him, and doing our best in our job or work is not a bad thing. Remember God said, in all things DO IT IN THE NAME OF JESUS! But, doing it and forgetting the Lord is a big mistake made by all men. God remembers you when you need a work or job in this case you should remember the Lord who gave you those blessings. 

Thirdly, A opportunity comes just once when exceeded it won't come back again! We don't know when the opportunity will end right? We don't even know when our time will end, right? People are very confident what tomorrow brings, but the Bible said: Proverbs 27:1  Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. - Don't ever boast for tomorrow for you don't know if there is still an opportunity that God gave for you to come to Him.

Are you dreaming to be rich? Having all riches will lead you to think "I can do anything I want to do!"?, like what the man did in Parable?

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT RICHES?

1 Timothy 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

Matthew 6:20-21  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 

[21]  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 

Matthew 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

Mark 4:19  And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 

Brethren

Do you love riches? if you will answer me "NO", what do you do right now? Or what do you do for the whole day? Did you remember the Lord?

Do you know that the man in the parable has three things that he made God be angry, So what are those:

1. He never remembers God.

2. He never considers the Lord in his plans.

3. He never glorifies the Lord but rather choose to glorify his own soul.

These three things God declares His judgment to this man Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 

God kills the man in this parable.

Did you consider the Lord in all of your plans? Did you consider glorifying the Lord in your plan?

If not. Think of these things, Riches of this world is not able to save you and to remain the love of the Father in you. 1 John 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

If God kills the man in the parable if even the parable is not a true story, God wants to show us that He can do that no matter who we are, as long as He didn't glorify in our life in what we have.

Think many times why do you work today, it is for the riches of this world or because there are needs that need to be met? Your work today determines what's in your heart. 

Do not do what the rich man did, but do the opposite in which the Lord can be glorified.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Letter for my Brethren

I pray that your heart be filled with the treasure that comes to the Lord. I plead the blood of Jesus to cover you in Jesus' name, Amen.