Rich Toward God: Investing in Eternal Treasures

Luke 12 sets Jesus in front of a crowd so big that people are trampling one another, but Jesus still aims at followers, not fans. Jesus speaks about heavy things, like persecution, hell, confessing him before men, and trusting the Holy Spirit when dragged before authorities. The sparrows preach their own little sermon, because not one of them falls forgotten before God, and people made in God’s image are worth far more than birds. The warning lands with weight: no enemy can take anything lasting from the person who has Jesus.

The man in the crowd misses the moment. His inheritance issue may even be fair and real, but his heart cannot get past what is happening in his personal life. Jesus refuses to become his judge and arbitrator, because the deeper issue is not paperwork, family money, or estate planning. Covetousness has gotten hold of him, and Jesus says life does not consist in the abundance of things possessed.

The parable of the rich fool shows a man with a great harvest, bigger plans, bigger barns, and a very small soul. The rich man keeps saying “I,” “my,” and “my soul,” and nobody else seems to enter his decision making. God is not against work, ambition, planning, or leaving an inheritance, but the man is selfish and shortsighted. His dream is ease, comfort, eating, drinking, and being merry, but God calls him a fool.

God’s question cuts through everything: “This night your soul will be required of you. Then whose will those things be?” The question is not really about who gets the stuff after death. The question asks what earthly energy has produced that can live past earth. A life spent remodeling a hotel room is ridiculous when checkout is coming, and earthly life is just that small compared to eternity.

Being rich toward God means counting God as greater riches than anything the world has to offer. Earthly gifts, houses, cars, money, talents, and time are meant to be used for his kingdom, not just stored in bigger barns. Heaven and earth do not use the same currency, and a suitcase of gold in heaven would just be “more pavement.” Christ’s worth becomes visible when a Christian treasures him above all else, builds on rock instead of sand, and lives for the Father rather than for the hotel room.

---

Key Takeaways

• 1. Life is bigger than stuff Possessions become dangerous when they stop being tools and start becoming masters. Jesus does not shame a person for having things, but he does expose the lie that more stuff can make a soul whole. The good life cannot be measured by barns, bank accounts, or what can be stored away for many years. [37:17]
• 2. Covetousness wants God’s throne Covetousness is not just wanting something badly. It is saying, “If I just had this, then satisfaction would finally come.” That “this” can become an idol because it takes the place that only God has the right to occupy in the heart. [37:36]
• 3. Comfort can make souls shrink Ease, leisure, and comfort can look like blessing while quietly teaching the soul to avoid sacrifice. Human souls do not thrive on luxury; they thrive when poured out for God and others. Jesus did not spend his last free night demanding rest, but picked up a towel and washed feet. [42:24]
• 4. Tomorrow is not owed The next breath is on loan from the Lord, which makes every breath accountable to him. The rich fool planned many years while God spoke of that very night. Numbering days creates wisdom because it forces eternal things back into their proper place. [43:50]
• 5. Rich toward God lasts Being rich toward God means using temporary gifts for eternal purposes. Money, time, talent, homes, and influence can become seed for the kingdom instead of padding for a private kingdom. Treasure sent ahead is not gold bars, but people, gospel work, sacrifice, and worship that echo in eternity. [47:38]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [26:23] - Why Jesus Asked Questions
• [26:48] - Whose Will These Things Be?
• [28:16] - Fear God, Not Persecutors
• [32:20] - Sparrows Preach God’s Care
• [34:10] - Missing the Point in the Crowd
• [37:03] - Beware of Covetousness
• [39:33] - The Rich Man’s Bigger Barns
• [40:44] - Selfish and Shortsighted Planning
• [42:24] - Souls Thrive on Sacrifice
• [43:50] - Life Is a Vapor
• [47:38] - What Rich Toward God Means
• [50:05] - Heaven Uses Different Currency
• [52:29] - Treasure Christ Above All

Bible Reading
Luke 12:13-21 (ESV)
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 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.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 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. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

---

Observation Questions

1. In the parable (Luke 12:16-20), the rich man repeatedly uses the words “I,” “my,” and “myself.” What does this pattern reveal about his priorities? [41:15]
2. How does Jesus contrast the value of sparrows with the value of humans in Luke 12:6-7, and why does this matter for understanding God’s care?
3. The sermon compares earthly life to “remodeling a hotel room” that you’ll eventually leave. What specific examples were given to illustrate this analogy? [27:25]
4. What two key flaws does Jesus highlight in the rich man’s mindset (selfishness and shortsightedness)?

---

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus call the rich man a “fool” (Luke 12:20), and how does this challenge cultural definitions of success?
2. The sermon states, “Covetousness is not just wanting something badly—it’s saying, ‘If I just had this, then satisfaction would finally come.’” How does this redefine covetousness as idolatry? [37:36]
3. What does the parable imply about the relationship between earthly possessions and eternal purpose? How does God’s question (“Whose will these things be?”) reframe our understanding of ownership?
4. The sermon warns that “comfort can make souls shrink.” How does Jesus’ example of washing feet (John 13:1-17) contrast with the rich man’s pursuit of ease? [42:24]

---

Application Questions

1. What “hotel room” (temporary focus) are you most tempted to invest time or energy into remodeling right now? What practical step could you take this week to shift that focus toward eternal priorities? [27:25]
2. The rich man’s language (“I,” “my”) reveals self-centeredness. In what area of your life (finances, time, relationships) do you struggle most with making decisions without considering others or God?
3. The sermon says, “Human souls thrive on sacrifice, not luxury.” What is one way you could intentionally “pour out” your time, talent, or resources for someone else this month? [42:43]
4. If you knew your life could end “this night” (Luke 12:20), what unresolved relationship, unshared truth about Jesus, or unrepentant habit would you address immediately?
5. How could you reorient your daily planning (career, finances, family) to include God’s priorities first, rather than asking Him to “bless your plans”? [46:26]
6. What is one possession, goal, or comfort you’ve treated as a “this” (idol) that promises satisfaction apart from God? How can you actively replace its place in your heart with Christ? [38:20]