1)13-14, (The Situation)
In the middle of a teaching Jesus is interrupted by a brother that is not content with his share of the family inheritance.
He appeals to a custom where Rabbi’s would take on the role of settling civil disputes among the people.
Jesus responds with a question to him about who He is?
Jesus responded this way in Luke 18:18-19 with the Rich Ruler. He approached Jesus as a “Good Teacher” and Jesus asked Why do you call me good?
I believe both of the responses with a question is similar to what we see in Matt. 16:13-16.
First Jesus ask His disciples who do others say that I am and then He makes it personal, who do you say that I am.
We have all had someone deal with us in a way that you realize they know nothing about you.
With the magnitude of the work that Jesus came to accomplish, He often dealt with people that had a very small view of what He was all about.
When you consider the words of Jesus in Luke 12:8-12, He is not talking about a trivial matter, He is talking about some of the most weighty topics for men to consider.
This line of questioning that the man proposes shows he is fairly oblivious to the grown up conversation that is going on and Who he is talking too.
Who is Jesus? Do you really know Him?
Remember how in Luke 5:21-26, we see the Pharisees struggle with the truth that only God can forgive sins. This was a 100% accurate theological statement.
The problem was not that they were theological wrong, but that they failed to realize Who it was that they were talking with. Jesus vaguely gives them a hint in vs 24, by saying “so that you know that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” He is identifying Himself as the Messiah at this point and they fail to recognize that the miracle He performed before their eyes was evidence that He is the one the scriptures pointed to as rescuing them.
2)15, (The Command)
10th Commandment, Do not Covet. Exodus 20:17
In John 14:15, Jesus says, If you love me you will keep my commandments.
In Matt. 28:20 Jesus says make disciples by teaching them to observe all that He has commanded.
Here we see, Him making a commandment base on the 10th commandment handed to Moses by God.
Be on guard against all tendencies of a covetousness nature.
He teaches to this commandment here saying that one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
As people seek to find value in their life, some inventory their worth by the abundance of possession they acquire in this life.
Jesus will use a parable here to teach to the perspective and importance of seeing the value of treasures in Heaven.
3)16-17, (When a Blessing comes your way!!!)
What do you do when a door is open before you?
When you have a great opportunity?
Do you consider how God wants you to handle or manage the opportunity?
The man in our parable has only thoughts of his own well being. He doesn’t think of anyone else.
He isn’t described as a person who would be mindful of others needs.
In comparison we can look to Gen. 41, where we see Joseph in a place to steward an unusual blessing of the Lord.
He is guided to lead the greatest nation of his day in the Lord’s direction so that many nations can be cared for.
It is revealed to him that there will be 7 years of prosperity and 7 years of famine.
He puts together a plan of stewardship that makes a way for others to be cared for throughout this time of famine.
4)18-19, (Do you inquire of the Lord???)
In 2 Chronicles 18, Two Kings. One like the rich fool is only mindful of his own prosperity. The other like Joseph considers what is God’s will in this matter?
The Rich Fool worries about where to store his stuff. He never considers sharing with others. He never considers he was blessed to be a blessing. He never comes to know there is treasure in helping others meet their needs and being a conduit for the Lord that feeds a soul greater than the meager rations of the physical life. There is a food that the eyes of the earthly body can’t perceive. But in obedience to the commands of Christ our eyes can be opened to some degree to a food and a treasure that can not be compared to the things of this life.
5)20-21, (Do your treasures join you to God or separate you from Him?)
Treasures in heaven are not a consolation prize. Denying things of this life in order to know more about the life to come is not a foolish choice.
Mark 8:36-37, says “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?
We may can buy temporary comforts in this life, but we can not buy our salvation. This is a much weightier topic for consideration than how we will retire in this life.
Jesus showed us how He handled this situation in Matthew 4:8-10 when tempted the 3rd time. The devil offers all the kingdoms to Jesus if He would bow down and worship Him.
Jesus could not be bought or bribed to misplace His worship.
John 1:3, Everything that exist was spoke into existence and has derived it’s being from God. All that we can perceive is from Him.
It is foolish for any of us to worship the creation over the creator Romans 1:25. The only practical way we fall in this trap is by being ignorant to Who God is Mark 4:41.
Our ability to walk in the light is foundationally established by knowing who He is John 3:18-21. All too many people try to earn their salvation by mustering up a measure of faith as a means to a desirable end, but faith is not something we muster up, but it is a result of truly knowing who God is. It is impossible to give all that we have away without knowing the God of the Bible Luke 18:24-27. But in knowing Him like we seen with Matthew Luke 5:28 or Zaccheus Luke 19:8 the tax collectors forsaking all is the wisest thing we could ever do.
We can try to acquire things, so that we don’t need God or we can learn to trust in the Lord to provide our needs.
Like the Rich Fool, we can comfort ourselves with our ability to acquire stuff in this life or we can inquire of the Lord to direct our steps.
In the book of Exodus, we do not see the people of God needs being overlooked. He meets all their needs. He protects and provides for them.
He gives them sunblock in the day by a cloud. He gives them warmth at night by a pillar of fire. He leads their steps in the moving of the cloud or pillar of fire Exodus 13:17.
He gives them food either by manna or doves Exodus 16. He gives them water from a rock Exodus 17. And even when the Egyptian army comes after them again, He defends them by fighting for them Exodus 14.
Some that were part of the Exodus journey was ready to go anywhere with God and others still longed to go back to Egypt.
So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God
In closing, take time to consider where you are at in regard to coveting? That is the key teaching here. That is what Jesus told the Parable for. Is your security found in your stuff or the creator of your stuff. Does your stuff have a hold on you? Are you willing to surrender your stuff for His will in and through you?
Overcoming a covetous desire puts you in a position to be a blessing to others. Joseph in Gen. 41, was not a slave to a covetous heart and because of that he was found to be the only one wise enough to manage God’s provisions for the people. In this his eyes were opened to a foretaste of the goodness of God to use him as a vessel of grace to meet the needs of others. Jesus said it best in John 4:32, “I have a food to eat that you do not know about.”
Philippians 4:11-13 “I have learned in whatever situation I am in to be content.”
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