Luke 12:13-21

BE RICH TOWARDS GOD

Keywords 12:15

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

1. Guard against greed (13-15)

A man felt cheated by his brother of their father’s inheritance. He wanted Jesus to arbitrate the dispute hoping to get a larger share of the inheritance. But Jesus rebuked the man. Jesus would not be judge or arbiter over their dispute. Nor does life consist of an abundance of wealth, nor in the pursuit of it. There are much more important things—like seeking God.



2. The parable of the rich man (16-21)

Jesus told a parable to illustrate his point. A rich farmer brought in an abundance of crops. He wondered where he could store it all. He decided to tear down his smaller barn and build much bigger ones so he could hoard his grain and take it easy for many years. He was greedy and selfish. But God called him a fool. His life would be taken from him that night. His hoarded wealth would do him no good. We feel secure when we store up for our future. But we should also remember to be generous towards God (our offering) and toward others.

Prayer Lord, help me not to be stingy, but to be rich towards you and others.

One Word Be on your guard against greed