In A Word: Enough | Paul Benjamin [November 9, 2025]

There is a deep longing in every human heart to find “enough”—to know that we are secure, satisfied, and at peace. Yet, in our world, the question of “how much is enough?” is elusive and ever-shifting. Sometimes, it’s as simple as needing four eggs for a recipe and only having two. But when it comes to money, possessions, and our sense of security, the answer is far less clear. We live in a culture that constantly tells us to consume more, to accumulate, to measure our worth and safety by what we own. The result is a restless striving, a sense that we never quite have enough, and a subtle but powerful pressure to define our lives by abundance.

Jesus’ words in Luke 12 cut through this confusion. When confronted by a man demanding his share of an inheritance, Jesus refuses to be drawn into the dispute and instead warns against all forms of greed. He tells a parable of a rich man who, after a windfall harvest, decides to store up his abundance for himself, seeking security and satisfaction in his possessions. But God calls him a fool, not because he was successful, but because he left God out of his plans and trusted in wealth to provide what only God can give.

The heart of the issue is not how much we have, but where we look for “enough.” The rich man’s error was not in having abundance, but in believing that abundance could replace God as his source of security, control, and joy. True “enough” is found not in stockpiling resources, but in trusting God, who has already given us the kingdom. When we root our lives in God’s love and provision, we are freed to live generously, to see ourselves as stewards rather than owners, and to participate in God’s work of blessing others.

Generosity is not about the size of our gift, but about the posture of our hearts. Whether it’s a goat given by a poor church in Nigeria or a family dedicating their wealth to create a place of spiritual retreat, the call is the same: to be rich toward God by loving our neighbor and using what we have to bring God’s kingdom to earth. Each of us is uniquely equipped by God to do good works, and as we trust Him to be our “enough,” we are invited into a life of joyful, open-handed participation in His purposes.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Guard Against the Subtlety of Greed Greed is not always obvious; it often disguises itself as prudence or planning for the future. Jesus warns us to be on our guard because greed is stealthy, deceptive, and ultimately destructive. It can erode relationships, distort our priorities, and quietly draw our hearts away from God. The call is to vigilance, to regularly examine our motives and desires, and to resist the cultural tide that equates life with possessions. [41:26]
• 2. True Security Is Found in God, Not Possessions The rich man in Jesus’ parable sought security in his abundance, but God reminds us that our lives are not guaranteed by what we own. Real security comes from trusting in God’s provision and presence. When we look to money or possessions to give us control or peace, we are building on a foundation that cannot last. Instead, we are invited to rest in the sufficiency of God, who knows our needs and delights to give us the kingdom. [48:58]
• 3. Generosity Flows from Knowing We Have Enough in Christ When we believe that God is our “enough,” we are freed from the anxiety of scarcity and the compulsion to hoard. Generosity becomes a natural response, not a duty. Whether we have much or little, we can participate in God’s work by sharing what we have, blessing others, and being “rich toward God.” Our unique resources and opportunities are invitations to join in God’s kingdom purposes, bringing hope and grace to those around us. [51:32]
• 4. Our Identity as Stewards, Not Owners The world tells us to pursue ownership, but the gospel calls us to stewardship. Everything we have is entrusted to us by God for a purpose beyond ourselves. Embracing this identity shifts our focus from accumulation to faithful management, from self-centeredness to service. As stewards, we are empowered to use our time, talents, and treasures for the good works God has prepared for us, finding joy and fulfillment in His mission. [53:29]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [21:23] - Worship: There Is None Like You
• [22:09] - Worship: I Exalt Thee
• [23:26] - Prayer and Introduction
• [24:49] - Introducing Paul Benjamin
• [26:07] - Scripture Reading: Luke 12:13-21
• [28:16] - What Is “Enough”?
• [30:10] - The Uncertainty of “Enough”
• [32:00] - Stockpiling and Cultural Pressures
• [33:50] - Stewardship vs. Ownership
• [35:39] - Elon Musk and Modern Abundance
• [37:01] - Context of Luke 12
• [40:07] - Jesus Judges the Heart
• [41:26] - The Dangers of Greed
• [44:27] - The Parable of the Rich Fool
• [48:58] - True Security and God’s Sufficiency
• [50:54] - Being Rich Toward God
• [53:29] - Unique Generosity and Good Works
• [55:23] - Stories of Generosity
• [59:10] - Living Generously with Enough
• [61:44] - Closing Song: Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me

Bible Reading

Luke 12:13-21 (ESV) —
> 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.”

Observation Questions

1. What was the man in the crowd asking Jesus to do, and how did Jesus respond to his request? ([26:07])
2. In the parable, what did the rich man decide to do with his unexpected abundance? ([44:27])
3. According to Jesus, what is the real danger of greed or covetousness? ([41:26])
4. What does Jesus say about what life truly consists of, and how does this challenge the rich man’s thinking? ([40:07])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus refused to get involved in the inheritance dispute and instead addressed the issue of greed? What does this reveal about what Jesus sees as most important? ([40:07])
2. The rich man’s plans focused entirely on himself and his own comfort. What does this self-focus reveal about his relationship with God and others? ([47:02])
3. Jesus calls the man a “fool.” According to the sermon, what makes someone a fool in God’s eyes, and how is this different from how the world might define success? ([45:47])
4. The sermon mentions that greed is “stealthy, deceptive, and destructive.” In what ways can greed quietly affect our lives and relationships without us noticing? ([41:26])

Application Questions

1. The sermon described how our culture constantly tells us to consume more and measure our worth by what we own. Can you think of a recent time when you felt pressure to have “more” or felt like you didn’t have “enough”? How did you respond? ([32:37])
2. Jesus warns us to “be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” What are some practical ways you can regularly examine your motives and desires when it comes to money or possessions? ([41:26])
3. The rich man in the parable left God out of his plans. Are there areas in your life where you tend to leave God out when making decisions about your resources, time, or future? What would it look like to invite God into those areas? ([47:02])
4. The sermon shared stories of generosity from both people with little and people with much. What is one unique way you could use what you have—big or small—to bless someone else this month? ([55:23])
5. The idea of being a “steward” rather than an “owner” was highlighted. How does thinking of yourself as a steward change the way you view your money, possessions, or even your talents? ([33:50])
6. The sermon said, “True ‘enough’ is found not in stockpiling resources, but in trusting God, who has already given us the kingdom.” What helps you remember that God is your “enough” when you feel anxious about the future? ([52:12])
7. Is there a specific step you feel prompted to take this week to be “rich toward God”—whether that’s through generosity, serving, or simply trusting Him more deeply? ([50:17])