August 27, 2010
WHERE IS YOUR HEART?
Luke 12:13-34
Robert Murchison
Central Truth
Life is not found in the abundance of our possessions or worrying about them, but in relationship with God and others. If God cares for the least of His creation (ravens and grass), how much more will He care for His greatest creation: mankind?
Key Verse | Luke 12:34
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:34)
Luke 12:13-34
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 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “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, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘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 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 for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Be Anxious
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 1 12:25 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 2 12:27 Some manuscripts Consider the lilies; they neither spin nor weave yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his 3 12:31 Some manuscripts God's kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Dive Deeper | Luke 12:13-34
If God asked, would you be willing to sell your possessions and give the profit to charity? Possessions are not the problem; they are amoral. The problem is the value we put on our possessions. We believe that we can find peace and satisfaction if we just have this or that. In our plenty, we can become comfortable, proud, and self-reliant. If we are poor, we can become envious, covetous, and jealous. In either case, we risk misplacing our spiritual priorities.
In this parable the rich man’s attitude is that he has everything he will ever need. In his pride he is driven by greed and pleasure. His wealth becomes an idol. Jesus considers him a fool because he has set his heart on this world rather than on God. Life does not exist in the abundance of our possessions; it is found in Jesus Christ.
While wealth is meaningless in God’s economy, it is important in the world, and God desires faithful stewards to manage His resources (Matthew 25:14-30). What must we do to be faithful stewards?
1. Seek His kingdom. God is creator, owner, and provider of everything. In Him we find peace and satisfaction. Seeking Him and His purposes is our highest ambition in life.
2. Be rich toward God through giving and good deeds. In the world’s economy, money is powerful. Harness its power for the kingdom through sacrificial giving (giving until it hurts) and service. Only that which we give to God is ours forever.
3. Be content. We must cast our cares on God and trust Him for our every need. Be content with what we have rather than discontented with what we don’t.
The extent of the rich man’s possessions was not his problem. His problem was the place his possessions assumed in his heart. Our hearts can tell us if we are anxious, and our wallets can tell us if we are generous. God is jealous. He demands all of us and all that we have. If we have misplaced priorities, God tells us to deal radically with the source of our idolatry.
Discussion Questions
1. Where is your treasure? Is it in what you have? Is it in what you don’t have? Or is it in God?
2. Have you ever thought that if you just had a certain car, a dream house, or a beautiful new outfit that you would be content and satisfied?
3. In your anxiety about your personal finances, have you ever become envious, covetous, or jealous? What was the result?
4. Are you in community with an individual or a group that holds you financially accountable? How transparent is your community regarding finances?
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Ask your children to give you a list of three or four things that they need. How many things they listed are really "needs," or are they just "wants"?
2. Discuss the difference between a need and a want. What are some ways that our Heavenly Father provides for our needs? (For example, He made air we can breathe, water to drink, and food to eat.)