Scripture:
Luke 12:13-21 NKJV
[13] Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” [14] But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” [15] And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” [16] Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. [17] And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ [18] So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. [19] And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ [20] But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ [21] “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Observation:
Over the years of walking with GOD and trusting man to tell me what the Bible says, I have determined that the best way to find out what the LORD wants from you is to read the Bible yourselves and develop a personal relationship with GOD. So that’s always my goal in every SOAP. I want you to see what GOD is saying specifically to you, trusting someone else’s opinion or interpretation of the Bible can be dangerous. Because the deception of the enemy is real, and man’s heart is deceitful above all things. As I was reading this morning I thought about a church that I used to attend. It didn’t take long to discover that their god was not YAHWAH. It was something that they could not take with them. It honestly seems to be the issue in today’s world. Looking at the scripture to find the right path is truly the only way to go. The verses we are looking at this morning are written in red, so they are words spoken directly from the LORD, so let’s dive in. The first thing I see is that the one from the crowd was so upset with their brother and the fact that he would not divide the inheritance, that they felt it necessary to speak up in front of a crowd of people. They felt some kind of way about the fact that their brother had received everything and they got nothing. Bringing this issue to the LORD seemed to be the best way to get something done about it, but what they found was not what they had expected. A warning about covetousness was the response. Wanting to live GOD’S word to the best of my ability, I decided to look that word up, what I found was not really surprising, but it always served as very informative, so i wanted to share it with you: Excessive or jealous desire to possess something, especially property, wealth, or items that belong to another person. The person in the crowd had this issue. The fact that their brother had received all of the inheritance got all over them, and of course Jesus saw this as an opportunity to teach, not Jesus that person that mentioned the inheritance but all who were in the crowd. As usual HE goes right to the heart of the matter, which is always a matter of the heart. Teaching in the way that HE always does HE decided to tell a story about a man who had a blessing of provision over his life. He had purchased land that produced an abundance of grain, but his heart was out of position as well. His thoughts were only of himself. Having more than what was needed, in fact more than his barns could contain. He made a decision to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to hold more grain, therefore making his life easier. Little did he know that GOD had other plans. I believe it’s pretty easy to see the issue that is being dealt with here, and if not I will help…. It’s selfishness. The man had more than he could use, yet his decision was not to help those who were less fortunate, but to store up more for himself. Now this is where it gets a little tricky. Because as we look at what’s being taught the issue runs on both sides of this. Looking at verse 15 will open our eyes a little more, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” That statement is powerful. There is more to life than what you have. Looking at the one who was in the crowd and the one who was building bigger barns we can see both hearts out of position. One wanted what someone else had so much that it dominated their thoughts, the other was unwilling to share even though they had more than enough. The answer that Jesus Christ gave cut right through the fat of both sides, and as HE draws this story to an end not only did HE deal with the heart issues, but HE brings it all right to the point in verses 20 and 21, it wasn’t about the grain, it wasn’t about the person who wanted part of the inheritance, it was about the selfishness that was in both hearts, and GOD’S sovereignty. You see HE knew that both hearts were out of position. They were consumed with what they had and or didn’t have. It was all about self.
Application:
I know how easy it is to get caught up in what someone else has when you don’t seem to have what you feel like you need. Looking at someone who seems to have more than enough. It’s tempting to think why can’t they just help others, can’t they see the needs? I spent a lot of years living on the streets thinking exactly that, and honestly it seems to be the right way to think. But what I had overlooked was that GOD had provided everything that I needed. I wasn’t going hungry, now I may have been living out of a tent under a bridge. But in the same way that HE fed the sparrows, he provided food for me. There were those who had a heart for those who were less fortunate. What that did for my heart is a good thing, because rather than storing up for myself more than I need. My heart is for those who are in the same position I was in at that point. I know what it’s like to be hungry, and the last thing I want is to be sitting with a house full of stuff and not consider the needs of others. Storing up more than we need seems to be where we are as a society. Yet there are those who need and do not have. That’s not the way GOD has laid out this thing to work. I think about the foundation of the church that was laid out in the book of acts. A foundation that seems to get glanced over and not even considered anymore. Our hearts are not in the right place. I was thinking about it last night as a friend of mine was struggling. His new attempt to get clean and sober has left him sleeping in his car. Now I don’t have much but it hurts my heart that this is where he finds himself. I want to do whatever I can to help, so I have been praying about how to help without interfering with what GOD is doing in his life, I understand how the LORD will paint someone into a corner so that all they can do is look up, it’s how HE deals with us, giving us exactly what we need to motivate us to do the right thing. I’m not exactly sure why I felt it necessary to tell that story, except to ask you to help me pray for this individual, and hope my heart is in the right position. I want to help, and the LORD knows exactly what is needed. We always need HIS guidance in dealing with these kinds of things. I never want to be so self consumed that the needs of others go unnoticed, and I never want to be so focused on what I think I need that I forget that GOD knows exactly what I need and has already placed it right in front of me if I am willing to look to HIM. It’s all about HIM. Everything we have or don’t have is because HE knows exactly what we need to get us to look up. Paul says in Philippines chapter 4, that he has learned the secret of life is to be content in all our circumstances. Whether we have more than we need or seemingly not enough. GOD’S sovereignty is the point, HE knows more than we do, and if we will only let HIM do what we can’t we will see a life beyond anything we could picture, let go of what you know and grab ahold of GOD’S heart, seek HIS will, Not what you think you need.
Prayer:
Father. We just want to thank you for knowing us better than we do. You see and know exactly what we need. Your desire is for us to know you more, and honestly that’s our desire as well. We want more of you and less of us. We do not want to be mixed by our selfish desires. You have each of us right where we need to be in order for us to look up. We belong to you. This life is not about what we have or don’t have, it’s about you and what you know we need. We want to thank you for meeting every need that we have, in ways that we can’t see. What an amazing GOD you are. I am so grateful that you see me and know me. I pray that you will use me, use all of us for your glory. We just want our hearts in a surrendered position, willing to do what you ask period. Use us Father, that’s our heart’s desire. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.