August 5, 2007

How to be Content with your Barns

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

Luke 12:12-31

(Slide) Comparison of Spending and Values of Yankees and Brewers – Yankees want to build new stadium – Bigger Barn.

Rockefeller – asked how much money was enough – “Just a little more”

Today’s passage – perspective on wealth. What is most important in life?

(Slide) Luke says kingdom of God involves end of financial oppression of poor by rich.

Parable of Rich Fool talks about why riches are meaningless.

Parable introduced with story of man asking Jesus to arbitrate inheritance dispute.

Since inheritances are regulated in Torah, Rabbis often settled disputes. (Slide)

Jesus refuses to settle dispute. Implies the man asking him for a judgment is too focused on money to be disciple.

Life isn’t about having lots of things.

Parable of Rich Fool – Farmer had good year. Barns already full.

Had more crops than storage. Could have donated to the poor.

Decides to tear down old barns and build bigger barns. Thinks larger barns full of crops will make his life even better.

God comes to him in a dream – tells him this is the last day of his life. What will happen to his possessions?

Treasure on earth but not rich with God. Luke contrasts earthly riches with treasure in heaven.

Money is vastly important – can become more important than relationships, than values, than faith. Focus on money disrupts marriages, parental relationships, etc.

Three things when thinking about money: (Slides)

First: Life should not be focused on getting more stuff.

We are all going to die, and our stuff will go to someone else.

Second: The pursuit of stuff gets in the way of pursuing godliness.

Affects our ability to love our neighbor as ourselves. Pursuit of stuff involves

destroying environment,
underpaying and undervaluing workers
endless cycle of trying to get more stuff.

Third: Pursuit of stuff does not bring more happiness after all. Rich fool had barns full of food. Wasn’t satisfied.

Burmese couple: “We are rich.”

We are rich. None of us is starving.

Passage encourages us to store up treasure in heaven: treat people kindly, give to the needy, work for justice, etc.

Someday God will come to all of us and say our life is required of us. None of the things we have will matter. God will evaluate us on how we have lived our life.