THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL

Passage: Luke 12:13-21

Key verse: 15

NIV

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”(A)

16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool!(B) This very night your life will be demanded from you.(C) Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’(D)

21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”(E)

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ESV

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 (A)Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, (B)“Man, (C)who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, (D)“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, (E)“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, (F)‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my (G)barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up (H)for many years; relax, (I)eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, (J)‘Fool! (K)This night (L)your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, (M)whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one (N)who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Be on guard against greed (13-19)

A man in the crowd asked Jesus to make his brother share the inheritance. He thought he had not been treated fairly. Jesus never accepts a victim mentality, nor does he want material things to separate brothers. He rebuked the man for being greedy, and told him a parable about greed. A certain rich man had a bumper crop and he didn't know what to do with the surplus. He decided to tear down his barn and build a bigger one. He would retire and sit down and take it easy. He didn't think of sharing with those in need.

2. You fool! (2

-21)

God called this man a fool--and with good reason, for that very night the life he had intended to enjoy was taken from him. He had prepared for an easy life in this world, but spiritually he was bankrupt. Someone else would enjoy the material things he had prepared for himself, and he would suffer throughout eternity. Wise men store their riches in heaven.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be generous, not greedy. Help me to seek your kingdom first and to be rich toward you.

One Word: Guard against greed