September 9, 2025

Today, we start exploring reasons we as a church practice giving as part of our public worship. Our lesson begins as Jesus teaches a large crowd about obstacles and reasons to give.  

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

Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 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.” 

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

“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. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 

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

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

Luke 12:13-21 NIV  

 

Jesus is asked to intervene in a dispute over an inheritance. Instead, Jesus exposes the deeper issue behind it: greed. Jesus sees the heart of this man, along with the hearts of all men and women, and warns everyone to watch out and guard against all kinds of greed. Why? Because life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.  

Jesus illustrates this point with a parable: a story with a lesson. Jesus tells about an already rich man whom God blesses with even more. Since his barns cannot contain his abundant harvest, the rich man builds bigger barns to store his grain, allowing him to retire early, take life easy, eat, drink, and be merry.  

Before we discuss what God thinks of this rich man, what do you think of someone who saves their earnings to retire early and enjoy life? I would probably say they are wise with their money. I might ask for advice on investing and determining what is needed for retirement. I may look with envy and say, “Now that’s the life!”  

In a direct affront to this man as well as our current cultural values and my own assessment, God calls this rich man a fool! He did not heed Jesus’ warning to be on guard against all kinds of greed. He mistakenly thought his life consisted in an abundance of possessions, so he stored up everything for himself and gave nothing to God. It is too late to correct his actions as his life is demanded of him. Others will get what he prepared for himself.  

Let’s allow God’s rebuke to sink in and invite the Holy Spirit to expose greed in our own hearts. It is not too late for us. Our liturgy of giving can demonstrate that, because of Jesus, our lives consist of far more than our possessions. Then we can “take hold of the life that is truly life,” as described by the Apostle Paul. 

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 

1 Timothy 6:17-19 

 Questions for reflection and discussion:  

  • How do you guard against greed?  
  • If life does not consist of possessions, what do you think it consists of?  
  • Are you storing up treasure for yourself or being rich toward God?  
  • Have you taken hold of “the life that is truly life”? 

 Church Reading Plan: 2 Samuel 3; 1 Corinthians 14