Attitudes On Wealth

The Rich Fool

Monday, March 14, 2011

2:57 PM

 
 

Luke 12:16-20 (New International Version, ©2011)

 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! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

 
 

Pasted from <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luk%2012:16-20&version=NIV>

 
 

• What are your first impressions of this saying of Jesus?
  

   
   

• Test Yourself Before We Begin
  

   
   

• What do you think Jesus meant by this saying?
  

1. Large harvests will make a person lazy and stupid.
   
2. Being a carpenter, He preferred smaller barns.
   
3. It is better to be poor than to be rich.
   
4. We should not become so focused on our work that we forget about God.
   

    
    

   Searching for Context
   

    
    

    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."
   

    
    

   Pasted from <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12&version=NIV>
   

    
    

• What happens in this passage?
  

   
   

• 
  It was a common practice of the rabbis of Jesus time to arbitrate disputes like this - why do you believe that Jesus shied from this?
  

   
   

• What does Jesus seem to say that the real root of the problem for these brothers was? When you go to a doctor would you prefer them to treat your symptoms or disease? Are you sure of your choice?
  

   
   

• Would conventional wisdom agree with Jesus in v15? Do we live in a society that values possessions or faith? Do you feel this makes us a happy or unhappy society?
  

   
   

• Why do you believe Jesus admonishes against greed?
  

   
   

   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! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
  

   
   

• Re-tell this parable in your own words
  

   
   

• Is it a bad thing to have an abundance? Is this what Jesus is preaching
  

   
   

• Describe the pronouns that the man uses? What's the problem with this?
  

   
   

• What happens to our world when we are self-centered?
  

   
   

• Where else could the man have focused his wealth
  

   
   

• What attitude does Christ seem to have toward possessions? Are they intended for our sole enjoyment?
  

   
   

• Does someone have to be wealthy to have this attitude toward wealth?
  

   
   

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

   
   

  Pasted from <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12&version=NIV>
  

   
   

• How does one accomplish being rich toward God?