Full Barns, Empty Soul

[0:00] Making our way through the gospel of Luke, Jesus and His mission.! Jesus is on a mission, and His mission is to seek and to save that which was lost. And when He comes, He shows us how to live our life as well.

[0:11] That we're to be on mission for Him, that we're to share the gospel with others, and He's kind of showing us the way that we should live our own life. And so we're going to see that again here this morning. And we found our place there in Luke chapter number 12.

[0:23] We'll begin reading in verse number 13. The Bible says this, And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

[0:37] And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness. For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. And he spake a parable unto them, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.

[0:53] And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. And he said, This will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater.

[1:04] And there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, Eat, drink, and be merry.

[1:15] But God said unto him, Thou fool, This night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?

[1:29] So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, And is not rich toward God. Maybe in your Bible it has a little heading, The rich fool. You think, Well, it doesn't apply to me because I'm not rich.

[1:41] It's much more than just possessions. It's the spirit that we see here. Because it is possible to have full barns and an empty soul.

[1:54] And that's what this man's problem was. He spent his whole life trying to live for himself And to get what the world said you have to have And missed the one thing that mattered. And Jesus wants us to make sure that we don't follow that same path.

[2:06] And so that's what we're going to look at this morning. Full barns, empty souls. So let's go to the Lord in prayer and ask his blessing on our time. Father, thank you for this time that we can't open up the word. Lord, I'm so thankful you've given us the word of God To help us live our life the way that you intend for it to be And to be designed to live.

[2:23] What I do pray is we've already prayed once That if there's somebody here today that's trying to be a good person, Trying to do the right thing, That maybe their faith and trust is in that, But you would make it clear that it needs to be in you And your work on the cross of Calvary.

[2:37] Lord, that we wouldn't live our life just accumulating a bunch of things And miss the one thing that matters. Lord, I pray you'd be with me now. You would empty me of self. You would cleanse me of sin. You'd fill me with your spirit.

[2:48] Lord, I need you. I need your words. I need your help. Lord, I pray that you would just Help this be a blessing to your people today. And we ask it in Christ's name. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

[2:58] I heard a story about a man who died, And he was known as a compulsive hoarder. I'm not coming after you. Anybody like to collect things?

[3:10] I like the show American Pickers. Anybody ever watch that show American Pickers? Like I wish my grandpa had a barn. His barn is not full of cool stuff. It's full of a bunch of stuff we're going to have to throw away one day. You know, but I watch that show and they walk in there and they're like, Oh, it's a Model T that's never been driven.

[3:25] You know, like that's a cool way to hoard. But this gentleman in this particular story was not that way. When he passed away, he really didn't have much family. And so the workers went to his house and began cleaning it out.

[3:35] And they found newspapers from decades ago. And, you know, boxes are kind of piled to the ceiling. Broken appliances everywhere. His clothes that were in the closet that had never been worn.

[3:48] Really, room after room was filled with things that he had just collected and stored. But as the workers made their way through the house, they soon began to discover something kind of shocking.

[4:01] Hidden in the bottom of boxes and in certain areas and closets, there was envelopes full of cash. Full of savings bonds.

[4:11] And they started collecting all of them. They counted. And when they counted, it was over a million dollars of cash just scattered around this house. Now, I'm about that. That's what I would like to find.

[4:23] But that's not how he lived. When neighbors found out that they had found over a million dollars in the house, they said, we didn't see this one coming. He wore the same old worn out clothes every day.

[4:35] He refused to turn the heat on in the house because he didn't want to pay for it. He ate the cheapest food he could find. This man had wealth all around him but never enjoyed it.

[4:47] He had all the money. He had all the property that he lived on. All the possessions. And everything he spent his life storing up and saving and collecting went to somebody else.

[5:00] And I'm sure you've heard stories like this. And if you're like me, I think, man, what a waste. Man, if I had that money, we start thinking about, if I had this, then I would do this. And we think, how could somebody live like that?

[5:12] But as we come to our text here this morning in Luke's gospel, Jesus says something even more sobering than maybe a fictional story like that. He reminds us that it is possible to spend your entire life accumulating and saving and storing and collecting and end up when it's all said and done with nothing to show for it.

[5:35] In fact, something worse than that, to be spiritually bankrupt, to have a soul that is neglected. You can have full barns and an empty soul. So here in Luke chapter number 12, Jesus tells us a story about a man like the one in our story that had all these things and really he was doing very well on the outside.

[5:55] I mean, he had a booming business. The harvest was abundant in his case and really his future looks secure. But we read that verse there in verse number 20, when God spoke up, here's what he said, you're a fool.

[6:10] Wow. And the question that Jesus wants his listeners then, and I believe he wants us today to wrestle with is this, is how does somebody end up there? With a man that had all the goods of life and how does a person who appears successful and seems secure and really has more than enough end up to a place where at the end of his life, God says, thou fool.

[6:35] And really in this parable, Jesus walks us step by step down the road this man took so we don't travel the same road. Because here's the reality. You don't wake up one day and suddenly have an empty soul.

[6:48] No, no, no, it's a gradual process. It's little decisions. It's mixed up priorities. It's one misplaced treasure at a time.

[7:01] And an empty soul, it begins with a selfish heart. It grows into a covetous spirit. And what that does is it really shapes a self-centered life.

[7:12] And at the end, you're bankrupt. And that's where this man is. So if you're taking notes today, we could summarize it like this. The path to an empty soul. The path to an empty soul.

[7:23] And the first step down this road begins with something we see in the crowd before he even gets to the story. Number one, a selfish heart. Jesus is here and he's, and if you've been with us for the past few weeks, I mean he's teaching some really great eternal principles.

[7:41] He's really been leaning into not being a hypocrite. Because the Pharisees and the religious crowd, they would have been in that situation where they looked really good on the outside. I mean they look like this man in the story.

[7:52] Everything looks like they have it together. But in the inside, they were dead and they were just putting on a facade. And Jesus began to teach that to those that were following, listen, you don't need to fear man.

[8:07] You need to fear God. Because they were living in fear of keeping all of these rules and not running into the Pharisees. And really, Jesus says, you've got to make sure who your allegiance lies to.

[8:18] That it's either man or it's to God. And in the middle of all of this, when he's dealing with matters of eternal importance, a man interrupts the sermon. And he's like, hey Jesus, make my brother give me my inheritance.

[8:33] You think, what is the deal here? I mean you talk about a selfish request. This man kind of seems way off. He's not saying, Lord, teach us something spiritual. He's like, Lord, give me my money.

[8:45] I mean that's what's going on right here. Kind of in the middle of Jesus' sermon. Because if your Bible's like mine, there's a bunch of red letters. And then there's this guy asking a really dumb question. And just write this down. There is such things as a dumb question.

[8:57] You know, there is. This is one of them. But I'm glad he asked, because Jesus is going to use this opportunity to teach us a great principle. Because we notice this man's tone when he says, Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me.

[9:13] He doesn't ask Jesus to evaluate the situation. He doesn't ask Jesus for wisdom. No, I think you see there, he demands it.

[9:24] You know, that's kind of how my kids do sometimes. Tell them to be nice. Tell them this is not theirs. Anybody else's kids like that? Just mine? Okay, I thought so. You know, we do it the same way. You go to your boss, tell them that this is mine, you know.

[9:37] We still have that. But here's really what he's saying in verse number 13. Jesus, take my side. That's what he's wanting. He's wanting somebody with a little bit of clout.

[9:47] Somebody that has some authority to tell his brother he's wrong. That I want what I want. And really, he's so consumed with what he believes belongs to him that he interrupts Jesus when he's teaching about the importance of these eternal matters.

[10:05] And while speaking about the soul, this man's worried about his estate that he feels like he's getting gypped on. And that's kind of where he's at. And I love Jesus' response.

[10:16] He doesn't say, hey man, he didn't say, you're a great guy. He said, who do you think you are? And that's verse 14. When he said, man. This wasn't a kind tone.

[10:28] This wasn't a normal greeting. He was kind of putting this man in his place. He's saying, man, who made me a judge? This is not what I'm here for. This is not my mission is what Jesus says.

[10:41] He's telling this guy, listen, I didn't come here to be a probate judge. He's like, this isn't on my docket. I'm not here to settle family estates. Now as we walk through the Gospel of Luke, we realize this.

[10:54] Jesus came to deal with something far more important. Our heart. That's what he's searching for. That's what he's desiring. That's what he wants from all of us. And the problem with this man's heart, it was in the wrong place.

[11:08] Now don't misunderstand, and we'll kind of walk through it here in a minute, but the real issue is not the inheritance. Like, you know, if you want to put me in your inheritance, go ahead. I'm cool with that. I mean, yeah, just write me in there.

[11:21] Listen, there's nothing wrong with an inheritance. Some of you have received some. But here's the problem with this man, his obsession with it. He wants it. He wants it now. He's got, he needs more of it because he needs all the things because no doubt, maybe he's already bought the things that he's going to buy with an inheritance and now the collectors come and do for it.

[11:41] That's maybe where he's at. He's like, hey, I need this money kind of like right now because I put the jet ski on layaway. I don't know if they had jet skis back then, but probably so. See, money and possessions really have a way of revealing what we truly value.

[11:56] I mean, they expose our heart. They really expose our priorities, our desires. They expose our idols. We don't like to think about it like that, but they do.

[12:07] Money is a way of bringing out the worst in people. And this situation wasn't unique to the first century Israel. I think we see it in everyday life. You probably have seen it around you that families that have gotten along for years suddenly fracture when an inheritance is involved.

[12:26] And it becomes this messy situation and siblings stop speaking to each other and arguments erupt over houses and land and furniture and money and Jesus is saying, listen, this is not an illegal dispute.

[12:37] It's a spiritual problem. It's about where our heart is because where our treasure is is where our heart is also. Jesus told us that in the Sermon on the Mount.

[12:47] He's going to tell us in a few sermons later as we move through the Gospel of Luke the same truth. And before we move on and kind of get into the actual parable that Jesus gives, I think it's worth stopping and asking ourselves an honest question.

[13:02] What does money tend to surface in our own life? when it comes up and there's a situation about what we feel like we deserve and what we need.

[13:13] It might not look like interrupting Jesus in the middle of a sermon but it might look like a constant preoccupation with financial gain. Listen, God doesn't want you to go to work and be the worst employee ever.

[13:26] It's not, it's not, Jesus is not saying, well, don't go for a raise, go for a demotion. It's not what it's saying. But what's your focus? Is your focus just more and more and more?

[13:38] How many of you have ever gotten a raise in your life? Only two people? Wow. Y'all are the worst workers ever, I guess. Hypothetically, you got a raise.

[13:49] Let's say you got a raise last year and your boss says, hey, I want to give you a raise. No, I'm good. I don't think anybody in this room, gas prices, you're going to need one soon. I'm like, what in the world?

[14:01] There's nothing wrong with those things. But is that your constant preoccupation? Is that what drives you? Maybe there's anxiety in your life that every time, it rises every time that money gets tight.

[14:15] And listen, I understand that. We've all been in situations like that. Maybe it's frustration when somebody else seems to get what you think you deserve. And that should have been your promotion. That should have been your raise.

[14:26] That should have been your job. And maybe it's this quiet resentment when it just feels like life isn't fair and you're trying to do the right thing and you're trying to serve the Lord and you're trying to give and you're trying to go and it just seems like nothing's working out for you.

[14:40] And sometimes the most revealing thing about our hearts when it comes to the things of money is not what we say in church and nod to a sermon but what occupies our thoughts throughout the week. And Jesus wants to address that.

[14:52] Because this request right here, it exposed what mattered most to this man. It's like he's sitting there in this sermon and Jesus is teaching all this life-changing truth and he's thinking I'm going to wait until he pauses and I'm going to ask my question.

[15:07] I mean that's kind of how it is. I mean as soon as you, Jesus, I mean he was ready to go. And it just showed where his heart was. And Jesus responds to him we saw in verse 14 but he didn't say okay I'll settle the argument.

[15:21] No he does something far more important. He exposes the heart behind the request. Because the real danger wasn't with the inheritance dispute. It was with the covetous spirit that was driving it.

[15:34] That's where the problem lies and that's why Jesus gives us a warning here in verse number 15 that applies to every one of us. He says listen the path to an empty soul it starts with a selfish heart but it ends up turning into a covetous spirit.

[15:50] Look at the very first part of number 15. Verse 15. And he said unto them this is everybody listening so this man addresses Jesus but Jesus addresses the crowd. Take heed and beware of covetousness.

[16:05] So Jesus really is exposing the deeper problem. You know I feel like Jesus would have been very stern in this situation. Anybody's dad ever used their their dad voice on you?

[16:18] You know my dad yeah yeah yeah that's what I'm talking about. I mean he knows what's up. And I know you know my dad was a pretty easy going guy but when the dad voice came out you better check yourself before you wreck yourself is kind of what what happened.

[16:35] You know it's because hey we're not gonna do that oh my goodness. We when dad used a certain voice we knew he was serious and that's exactly what Jesus is doing here.

[16:48] I just want to remind us that Jesus is not sometimes who we think he is based on some paintings we've seen from the renaissance. Jesus didn't mess around here. He's not saying well let's all be kind and get along.

[17:01] No here's what he says take heed beware. He's showing the seriousness of the issue of the heart problem. That word take heed means this hey pay attention.

[17:12] Don't miss this. He because apparently this man has missed everything else. He said listen I need you to pay attention right here. I need you to take heed.

[17:23] I need you to beware. Here's what he's saying. You got to guard your heart. Because this man wasn't guarding his heart. He had let all these things in and this selfishness is really coming to the surface.

[17:36] And these are strong words. Jesus isn't casually offering some financial advice. He's issuing a warning. We ask ourselves why such a serious warning?

[17:48] I mean it's just a request that a lot of people in the crowd probably had. I think the warning is so serious because covetousness is a serious sin. Jesus looks at it that way.

[18:02] So what is covetousness? It's not a word we go around using all the time but the idea is it refers to this boundless desire to have more. More money.

[18:14] More possessions. More success. More security. It's a spirit in our life that constantly whispers if I just had a little bit more then I'd be happy.

[18:27] If I just got that raise, if I just did this, if I just got rid of that, then I would be happy. But that's not how it works. Because we all in this room have gotten that raise and gotten that promotion and bought that car and did all those things and guess what?

[18:41] You're thinking, well, I guess I just need that then. I guess I just need that next thing. I just need that other thing and it's that constant reminder that it will never satisfy us.

[18:55] I mean, you try to take care of your new things. You get a new car and nobody's allowed to eat in it. And I mention this all the time, I bet your car smells like french fries right now. You know, because it's like, well, I'll get a new one sooner or later.

[19:09] Listen, the Bible calls us to deal with the spirit of covetousness drastically. Here's what Paul tells the Colossians in Colossians 3, 5. Mortify, which means kill it.

[19:20] Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concubinance, and covetousness. See, we wouldn't maybe put covetousness in a category with some of these other sins, but the word of God does.

[19:38] And he says, here's the problem, all of these things, which is idolatry? That it replaces God in our life. And the reason covetousness is dangerous is because it convinces us that life can be secured without God.

[19:53] And that we can find satisfaction apart from Jesus. That's impossible. There is no satisfaction in life outside of Christ. That job may satisfy for a while, but it can be gone like that.

[20:06] Your health might be good right now, but it can be gone like that. Listen, we've got to be careful where we're placing our trust and we're looking for satisfaction because other than Christ, it will all fail. And Jesus reminds us of that.

[20:18] And really, the Bible warns us of this danger over and over and over. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, did some dumb things and he learned from it. And he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes.

[20:29] And he said in Ecclesiastes 5.10, He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This is also vanity.

[20:40] He said it's empty. And we're talking about a man that had more money than he knew what to do with. He had so much money, he just started overlaying everything with gold. He said it doesn't satisfy. He kept looking and he kept searching.

[20:54] Paul told Timothy, for the love of money is the root of all evil. Listen, money in and of itself is not evil. It's not. We can use it for good and we can use it for evil.

[21:08] Here's the problem with money, when you love it. When it's your desire. When it's your force behind it. When the Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 6, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

[21:24] See, money promises satisfaction, but it never delivers. Book of Proverbs says it gets wings and flies away. Anybody's bank can't work like that? You know, I just tried this new thing.

[21:35] Don't look at the bank and you won't be disappointed. You know, that doesn't work either, by the way. Joking. So Jesus says, hey, take heed, pay attention, beware.

[21:46] I want you to see this. Why? Because he tells us in the end of verse 15, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.

[21:58] You can have all the toys in the world and have an empty soul. I mean, your house can be full of possessions with nothing to show.

[22:10] I mean, we see it in our world all the time. We see celebrities that have all these things and they end up wrecking their life, they end up taking their life, and you think, man, if I had all those things, I'd be happy. No, you wouldn't.

[22:21] No, you wouldn't. Because those things don't satisfy. The things in your life don't satisfy. The only place that true life is found, satisfaction and joy that cannot be touched, is in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

[22:36] That's where joy is found. Read John chapter 15. When we abide in him, we will experience joy. And we just can't assume that we're immune to this. Listen, covetousness, it slips in quietly to everyday life.

[22:52] You say, what does it look like? Well, it can look like constant comparison. We think we're fine. But every time a really nice car drives by, I'm like, ooh, don't act like you don't do that.

[23:06] I mean, I was driving down, we were kind of in Fort Worth, I guess they were having some sort of car show, and they had, at the racetrack, they had all kinds of hot rods. I was like, Lord, if you really loved me, I would take a 57 Chevy.

[23:19] I mean, I would. For you, of course, I'd put a Central Baptist sticker on it. Follow me to Central Baptist, you know. But I look at people and I'm like, why do they have that?

[23:33] Like, I wish I had that. And I kind of begin to compare my life, and maybe we measure success sometimes by what we have. We live in a culture that the world looks and says, well, they're successful because look at their house, look at their car, look at this, look at that.

[23:49] I think we all know this in the room. We still fall prey to it, but we know, that doesn't mean you're successful. It's going to shock us when we get to heaven one day, and the people the Lord gives all the crowns to, there's going to be somebody you've probably never even heard of.

[24:04] Some little old widow lady that nobody even knew about, but she may have been the most faithful prayer that anybody's ever known. It's not based on worldly success, and maybe we think that we look at this and it creeps into our life, this covetous spirit, because we think one more purchase will satisfy.

[24:21] Maybe you're saving up. I'm not here to, listen, God's not against things, but he is against things having you. And maybe the thing that you're trying to get and you're pushing towards and you're working overtime is not really what he wants you to have.

[24:34] It's not really what he's calling you to do. And maybe it creeps in our life by believing life will feel a little bit more secure when we reach that financial goal. You should have financial goals.

[24:45] The Bible tells us the ants prepare for winter. There's a good in that, but that's not what your life is about. That's what this man's life was about. That's what Jesus is showing. And to make sure that no one misses this warning, he tells a parable, a story that they would have understood to kind of bring it to life.

[25:04] And this parable is about a man who had everything the world said he needed. I mean, he had the house, he had the cars, he had the jet ski, he had all the stuff. But in the end, he lost what mattered.

[25:15] And so we see a path to an empty soul. It starts with this selfish heart and a covetous spirit, and it creates a self-centered life. A self-centered life.

[25:26] See, what started as something that kind of was just under the surface, now is shaping how this man lives. Look in verse number 16. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.

[25:42] And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do? Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. Now what we know about this man from these first few verses is this, he was prosperous.

[25:53] He had an abundant harvest. And from the outside, he looked like an absolute success story. The world would look around and say, man, I don't know what he's putting on his field, but it's growing.

[26:05] I mean, he's got the best food at the market, and we want to be involved with him. We want to invest here, and his investments are paying off, and he's got all the things that he wants. But I think when we read through these verses, and we won't take down to read the rest of them, Jesus is inviting us to see something.

[26:23] This conversation is happening within his own head. He's talking to himself. He's preaching a sermon to himself. Yeah, he had a lot going for him, but what he doesn't have is that he doesn't ask God what he should do.

[26:40] God's the one blessing. Hey, the rain, it rains on the just and the unjust. He might have been a good farmer, but you know what he still needed? Rain. He still needed the right temperatures. He still needed the right season.

[26:51] He still needed a lot of things to work for him, but he doesn't ask God what he should do. He doesn't thank God for his harvest. He doesn't consider helping others. I mean, he has an overabundance.

[27:02] He can't even store it all. Instead of saying, hey, how can I help my neighbor around him? You know what I need? Bigger barns. Really, the idea is this. His only concern is what to do with his own abundance.

[27:15] My fruit, my barns, my goods. And in these few verses right here, 11 times the word I or my is mentioned. That's what it's about.

[27:25] God is never mentioned in his conversation. Eternity is never considered. Other people are way out of the question. And so he's preaching the sermon to himself and he has an epiphany, a little light bulb over his head in verse 18.

[27:38] This will I do. I'll just build bigger barns. You know, these barns are old anyways. I'll just get newer ones. And we look at it and say, well, that's just good business, preacher.

[27:51] I mean, he's just doing the right thing. I mean, it's good business planning. He's bigger barns and increase of storage. And really, he's just preparing for the future. What's wrong with that?

[28:03] Well, here's what's wrong. It's not about the barns. It's about the heart. That's what Jesus is showing us in this story. See, this man saw his prosperity as something to possess, not something to steward.

[28:19] Listen, we're just stewards. Everything we have, I'm pretty sure James told us every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. It comes from God. And we begin to think to ourselves if we're not careful like this, man, hey, I worked hard for this.

[28:34] This is my stuff. No, we're just the steward of all the blessings God has given us in our life. And he viewed it as, no, they're mine. He never considered the harvest was a gift from God.

[28:45] He never considered the abundance might come with responsibility. No, instead, we see in verse 19, he assumed that the blessings of his life existed purely for his own comfort.

[28:58] Eat, drink, and be merry because that's what life is all about. That's what he thought. And I would just tell you to look around outside this, in this world, that's what people still think life's about.

[29:12] And the reason this is such a serious warning is because it very easily creeps into our own life. We say things like this, well, I deserve this. Listen, I'm not, I'm not trying to be mean.

[29:23] I like going on trips. I like eating good food. I like stuff. God's not against that. But he wants our heart. And maybe some of the blessings that we have, God gave them to you and they weren't supposed to stop there.

[29:37] They were supposed to go there and go to somebody else. That God wants to use you. And here's this man's fatal assumption. He believed he controlled tomorrow. That's what he thought.

[29:48] James tells us that at the end of James chapter 4. He said, what? You're here now and you're gone. Your life's just a vapor. Like, we just assume we're going to be here tomorrow.

[30:00] I know this is not fun to think about, but we're not promised tomorrow. We don't control tomorrow. I mean, this man assumed he had many years ahead of him. He believed his wealth had completely secured his future, so he was done.

[30:14] He was retiring. This is not against retirement, but it's against living for yourself. Listen, you can retire and still be a blessing and a useful person in the kingdom of God.

[30:26] Sometimes people retire and they just kind of go off the rocker. No, no, we're supposed to still serve the Lord. All those blessings, the fact you can't retire is because God allowed that to happen. But he forgot that one truth that we must all remember, that life is fragile.

[30:41] See, a selfish heart and a covetous spirit and a self-centered life, it will always land you in spiritual bankruptcy. Verse number 20, But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee.

[30:58] Then who shall those things be which thou hast provided? See, up to this point in the parable, the only voice we've heard is the rich man talking to himself, patting himself on the back, encouraging himself.

[31:13] But now God speaks. And everybody around this man said, Wow, you're the best businessman I know. I mean, teach me your secrets, write a book on how to be a successful farmer.

[31:26] Ten steps to being a successful farmer. But when God evaluates this man's life, the verdict is shocking. He said, Thou fool. I want to remind us what scripture describes as a fool.

[31:40] A fool is not somebody, we may say fool like they lack intelligence. That's not what a fool is in the Bible. It's not somebody that lacks intelligence. A fool is somebody who lives as if God doesn't matter or he doesn't exist.

[31:57] Psalm 14, The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. That's what a fool is. This man may have not verbally denied God, but he lived as if God had nothing to do with his life.

[32:13] He planned his future without God. He measured his success without God. He built all the security that he had without God. And he was planning and building and drawing up the blueprints for all these bigger barns because he thought he had all these years and God said, You got one night.

[32:31] And that's it. In a single moment, all the plans collapsed. All the barns meant nothing. All the stored grain meant nothing.

[32:43] All the financial security meant nothing. Because while he gathered and he stored and he accumulated all these things throughout his life, he neglected the only thing that mattered, his soul.

[32:58] And Jesus gives us the final warning there in verse 21. He says, So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Notice Jesus doesn't condemn wealth.

[33:13] Nowhere in this parable. Even in the final warning. The sin wasn't that this man was rich. The sin was that he was rich towards himself and poor towards God.

[33:26] That's the sin. That he thought, you know, as long as I'm a good person, as long as I'm doing good things, then hey, God's going to just let me in. But if you go back to the Sermon on the Mount, the very first thing Jesus says is, Blessed are the poor in spirit.

[33:42] You know what that, you know what he's saying? Blessed are those that realize they're spiritually bankrupt. Because when you realize you're spiritually bankrupt, here's what you do. You cry out to God. That's what changes your life.

[33:53] That's where true wealth is found. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. See, this man had it all backwards. As long as I get everything, God's got to let me in. He's got to, you know, he wouldn't turn me away.

[34:05] I'm successful. I do all the right things in the world's standards. Listen, he had invested everything in the earth and nothing in eternity. And that is a dangerous place to be.

[34:19] See, here's the big idea. The success in the eyes of the world doesn't guarantee success in the eyes of God. this man that interrupted was so worried about all his possessions, all his inheritance.

[34:33] He needed it. Jesus, tell him to give me what's mine. But you can have full barns or a full bank account, a full retirement plan, and still stand before God with an empty soul.

[34:47] And the tragedy was that was true in this man's life. That his soul was empty. And Jesus said, I came to seek and to save that which was lost.

[34:58] But when you place your trust in the wrong things, you don't think you're lost because, I have this and this. And if I have good things, then God has to love me. Listen, God's love isn't based on your material blessings. Just because you have things doesn't mean God loves you.

[35:13] That's a biblical principle. And the reason he found himself there is because he let that selfish heart morph into a covetous spirit.

[35:23] And it shaped the way he lived his life. His life wasn't about other people. It was about himself. That's not how Jesus lived. Jesus came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

[35:42] And if we're going to live on mission like Jesus did, you know what we should do? Minister. Serve. Maybe God's blessed you financially. God's blessed you in other areas. You know what he wants you to do?

[35:53] Share it. Help others. Point others to Christ. And Jesus tells us this story right here so none of us end up where this man was. So as you go into this week, I want you to remember this simple truth.

[36:07] The question is not how full your barns are. The question is, are you rich towards God or rich towards yourself? What's your trust in? Where's your security?

[36:20] Is it in all the abundance of things you have? Well, guess what? You can't take those with you. We've all heard a little saying, you've never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul. You don't take it. All the Egyptian pharaohs, they thought, I'm going to take all this stuff with me.

[36:35] Still sitting in those tombs over there. People just steal it. That's not what matters. And Jesus is going to get into this here in a minute. He's going to show us the same truths in the Sermon on the Mount in these next few sermons. That where our treasure is, there where our heart be also.

[36:47] Brother Garrett preached it last Sunday. So the real question is, what are you living for? Have you prepared for eternity? Are you thinking, man, I've got plenty of time.

[36:59] I'm living my life. Eat, drink, and be merry. I mean, I've got so many things. I'll worry about that later. Now Jesus says, you need to worry about it right now. That's what matters. Would you stand with your heads bowed and with your eyes closed?

[37:12] Amen. Amen. Amen.