True Treasure: Trusting God Over Worldly Wealth

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound teachings of Jesus from Luke 12:13-34, focusing on the parable of the rich fool. This parable serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers of greed and the futility of placing our trust in worldly possessions. Reflecting on my own life before Christ, I realized how much I was consumed by the pursuit of material wealth and self-gratification. It was only through losing these things that I discovered the true value of a relationship with God.

Jesus warns us against the deceitfulness of riches, emphasizing that life is not measured by the abundance of possessions. The rich fool in the parable believed that his wealth could secure his future, but he failed to recognize the transient nature of earthly treasures. His focus was solely on himself, neglecting the eternal perspective and the call to be rich toward God.

We are reminded that everything we have belongs to God, and we are merely stewards of His resources. Our possessions should not define us, nor should they become idols in our lives. Instead, we are called to seek God's kingdom and trust in His provision. Jesus assures us that God knows our needs and will provide for us, just as He cares for the ravens and clothes the lilies of the field.

The key to overcoming greed and worry lies in having a heart fully devoted to God. When we fix our hearts on Him, we find peace and contentment, knowing that our true treasure is in heaven. We are encouraged to invest in eternal riches by being generous, serving others, and using our time, talents, and treasures for God's glory.

As we reflect on these teachings, let us examine our hearts and consider where our true treasure lies. Are we living for the temporal or the eternal? May we place our trust in God, knowing that He is our ultimate provider and that our lives are secure in His hands.

Key Takeaways:

- The pursuit of worldly possessions can blind us to the true value of a relationship with God. It is often through losing these things that we gain a clearer perspective on what truly matters. Our lives should be centered on God, not on accumulating wealth. [39:25]

- Wealth is not inherently sinful, but it becomes a problem when it takes the place of God in our lives. The rich fool's mistake was not his wealth but his self-centeredness and lack of gratitude toward God. We must recognize that all we have is from God and use it to bless others. [51:26]

- True stewardship involves recognizing that everything belongs to God. Our role is to manage His resources wisely, using them to glorify Him. This perspective shifts our focus from ownership to stewardship, leading us to live generously and selflessly. [54:27]

- Worrying about material needs distracts us from our spiritual priorities. Jesus teaches us to trust in God's provision, as He cares for us more than we can imagine. By seeking God's kingdom first, we align our hearts with His will and experience His peace. [01:02:22]

- A heart fully devoted to God is the antidote to greed and worry. When we place our trust in Him, we find contentment and security. Our focus shifts from earthly treasures to eternal ones, and we become rich toward God by investing in His kingdom. [01:10:08]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [39:25] - Personal Reflection and Transformation
- [42:55] - Introduction to the Parable
- [44:28] - The Rich Fool's Mistake
- [45:27] - The Heart of the Problem
- [49:58] - The Deceitfulness of Riches
- [50:40] - Wealth and Self-Centeredness
- [51:26] - Wealth vs. Godliness
- [52:42] - The Love of Money
- [53:20] - Stewardship vs. Ownership
- [54:27] - Our Role as Stewards
- [55:58] - The Illusion of Security
- [56:30] - Life Beyond Possessions
- [57:09] - Generosity and Selfishness
- [01:02:22] - Trusting in God's Provision
- [01:10:08] - A Heart Fixed on God

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Luke 12:13-34

#### Observation Questions
1. What was the request made to Jesus by someone in the crowd, and how did Jesus respond to it? [42:55]
2. In the parable of the rich fool, what was the rich man's plan for his abundant crops, and what was God's response to him? [43:52]
3. How does Jesus illustrate God's provision using ravens and lilies in Luke 12:24-28? [44:28]
4. What does Jesus say about where our treasure should be, and how does it relate to our hearts? [01:09:20]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the parable of the rich fool illustrate the dangers of greed and self-centeredness? [51:26]
2. What does it mean to be "rich toward God," and how does this contrast with the rich fool's attitude? [56:30]
3. How does Jesus' teaching on worry and God's provision challenge common societal values about wealth and security? [01:02:22]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our understanding of stewardship versus ownership can impact our spiritual lives? [54:27]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you prioritized material possessions over your relationship with God. How did that affect your spiritual life, and what changes can you make to avoid this in the future? [39:25]
2. Consider your current financial resources. How can you use them to be "rich toward God" and bless others in your community? [51:26]
3. Identify an area of your life where worry about material needs distracts you from spiritual priorities. What steps can you take to trust more in God's provision? [01:02:22]
4. How can you shift your perspective from ownership to stewardship in your daily life? What practical actions can you take to manage God's resources wisely? [54:27]
5. Think about a specific possession or resource you have. How can you use it to serve others and invest in eternal treasures? [57:09]
6. Reflect on your current pursuits. Are they more aligned with worldly desires or with seeking God's kingdom? What changes can you make to focus more on eternal treasures? [01:08:29]
7. How can you cultivate a heart fully devoted to God to overcome greed and worry? What spiritual practices can help you maintain this focus? [01:10:08]

Devotional

Day 1: The Illusion of Material Security
Reflecting on the parable of the rich fool, we are reminded of the dangers of placing our trust in worldly possessions. The rich fool believed that his wealth could secure his future, but he failed to recognize the transient nature of earthly treasures. His focus was solely on himself, neglecting the eternal perspective and the call to be rich toward God. This parable serves as a powerful reminder that life is not measured by the abundance of possessions. Instead, we are called to seek God's kingdom and trust in His provision. [39:25]

"Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven." (Proverbs 23:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: What is one possession or pursuit in your life that you have placed too much trust in for your security? How can you begin to shift your trust to God instead?


Day 2: Wealth as a Tool, Not an Idol
Wealth is not inherently sinful, but it becomes a problem when it takes the place of God in our lives. The rich fool's mistake was not his wealth but his self-centeredness and lack of gratitude toward God. We must recognize that all we have is from God and use it to bless others. This perspective shifts our focus from ownership to stewardship, leading us to live generously and selflessly. By acknowledging that everything belongs to God, we can manage His resources wisely and use them to glorify Him. [51:26]

"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." (1 Timothy 6:17, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you use your resources to bless others this week? Identify one specific action you can take to practice generosity.


Day 3: The Call to Stewardship
True stewardship involves recognizing that everything belongs to God. Our role is to manage His resources wisely, using them to glorify Him. This perspective shifts our focus from ownership to stewardship, leading us to live generously and selflessly. When we understand that we are merely stewards of God's resources, we can find peace and contentment, knowing that our true treasure is in heaven. By investing in eternal riches, we align our hearts with God's will and experience His peace. [54:27]

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can practice better stewardship? How can you use your time, talents, or treasures to serve others and glorify God?


Day 4: Trusting in God's Provision
Worrying about material needs distracts us from our spiritual priorities. Jesus teaches us to trust in God's provision, as He cares for us more than we can imagine. By seeking God's kingdom first, we align our hearts with His will and experience His peace. When we fix our hearts on Him, we find peace and contentment, knowing that our true treasure is in heaven. This trust in God's provision allows us to overcome greed and worry, focusing instead on eternal treasures. [01:02:22]

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25, ESV)

Reflection: What is one material need or worry that you can surrender to God today? How can you actively seek His kingdom in this area of your life?


Day 5: A Heart Devoted to God
A heart fully devoted to God is the antidote to greed and worry. When we place our trust in Him, we find contentment and security. Our focus shifts from earthly treasures to eternal ones, and we become rich toward God by investing in His kingdom. This devotion to God allows us to live generously, serving others and using our time, talents, and treasures for His glory. As we reflect on these teachings, let us examine our hearts and consider where our true treasure lies. [01:10:08]

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take to devote your heart more fully to God this week? How can this step help you focus on eternal treasures rather than earthly ones?

Quotes


have to be playing multiple scenes from my life and all of these scenes were bow bc before christ you know god took me back to my late teens and in my early 20s so way back he was showing me you know what used to matter to me the most back then the things i was living for the things that i was pursuing at that time you know i wish i could stand up here and say you know my heart has always been for god but that wouldn't be the truth you see the things of the world back then they had their hooks in me i was seeking things that gratified my flesh that brought pleasure to me worldliness money power greed you i was an active participant and i was always trying to get more and more back then my heart was me focus i focused on obtaining obtaining earthly treasures for myself god was nowhere in my thoughts he was nowhere in how i spent my money or how i lived my life looking back i noticed how god had a way of removing things from my life that blocked my view of him all those great things that i couldn't live without do you know where they're at now me neither me neither my guess would be a junkyard a landfill or in someone else's possession everything i spent my money on back then it's gone and i have nothing to show for it all the things of the world that i've been living for i've been living for the world that i put my hope and my trust in they grew wings and they threw away and they flew away can anyone relate this morning oh yeah [00:39:25] (128 seconds)


I have learned over the years that situations or issues that bring worry, anxiety, they turn out a lot better when I include God in them. We have an advocate who can calm our hearts or give us the right words to say when issues arise. In today's text, it's a good eye -opener or it's a good reminder for all of us when it comes to our possessions and who or what we put our trust in. We have all lived, or we all have lived, like the rich fool in a parable today. [00:42:06] (42 seconds)


Then he said to him, Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. And he told them this parable. The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 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'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will live. I'll store in all my grain and all my goods. And I'll say to myself, You have plenty of good things 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 anyone who stores up things for himself, but is not rich toward God. [00:43:47] (61 seconds)


Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Consider the ravens. They do not sow or reap. They have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable are you than birds? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. [00:44:58] (35 seconds)


And Jesus uses this man's interruption to teach the crowd about greed and worldliness and how the conditions of our heart play a role in it. He uses this opportunity to warn his hearers against greed. He said, a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. This is against, really, what the world teaches us today. In just a few weeks, most of America will be glued to the television to watch the Super Bowl. Some of us, for the game, but a good majority of us watch it just for the commercials, right? Everybody loves the commercials. [00:49:21] (46 seconds)


It is not a sin to be wealthy, but it is a sin to make wealth your God. God has no pleasure in what you do. And the rich fool in the parable, he shows us that he has no need for God in his life, really as long as he has his stuff. His goal with his blessing was to take it easy, relax, eat, drink, be merry. At no point did he acknowledge God for blessing him with a great crop. [00:51:41] (31 seconds)


When we really look at it, whose stuff is it, church? Whose stuff is it? In Psalm 24 .1, the psalmist tells us, The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. In Deuteronomy 10 .14, it says, To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth, and everything in it. And in Job 41 .11, God says, Everything under heaven belongs. To me. So whose is it? Everything is God's. [00:53:35] (43 seconds)


And the things that God entrusts to us, we're to be good stewards of them. We are to be managers of God's resources. And our understanding of stewardship versus ownership will really... will really affect our understanding of material possessions. It's like this. The car I drove in here this morning? It's not mine. It's God's. The home I will go to after today's services? It's not mine. It's God's. The money I receive for my paycheck? It's not mine. It's God's. I'm called to be a good steward of these things. I'm called to take care of them and use them to glorify God as He directs me to do so. [00:54:27] (45 seconds)


He tells us that we're not to worry or have anxiety in our pursuit of worldly things, what we will eat or what we will wear. This type of worry is destructive, and it literally means to be torn apart or distracted. It takes our focus from where it should be, eternity. With Jesus, we can't stop something destructive unless we replace it with something that's productive, which leads us to our next point this morning. We are to reject worldly pursuits and seek the treasure of God. [01:02:32] (45 seconds)


When our hearts are fixed wholly on God, he will help us with the spiritual problem of greed and the spiritual problem of worry. That we have in our lives. It is a heart issue. You know, I mentioned earlier how when I was living in the world, I used to try to deal with my stuff and my worries and in my own strength, how I always needed to be in control. That heart, that way of thinking, it never worked out well for me. It wasn't until I put my faith and my trust in God that I was able to deal with it. I began to trust and my hope in Jesus and in his word that he began to help me in this area. [01:10:08] (48 seconds)


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Transcript
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