August 3, 2025 Text: Luke 12:13-21
Dear Friends in Christ,
In some parts of South Africa, farmers are frequently plagued by monkeys who destroy their corn crops in a very deliberate yet foolish way. These monkeys, similar to baboons, walk along the rows of corn and rip off a corncob, place it under one arm, and then proceed to the next corn plant. Again, they’ll rip its cob off, and this one they’ll place under the other arm. But they are not content with the two cobs they already have under their arms. They want more, and so they continue with their task at ripping off cobs and placing them under their arms, only to lose those they already have tucked away. One can imagine the chaos these monkeys leave behind with all the cobs lying scattered on the field – and for what?
Do we ever act like these monkeys? Do we ever amass things that we cannot keep? What we have are wonderful gifts from God. We are the most blessed people in the whole world. Look at the trillions of dollars that are going from one generation to another generation in the next twenty years. The world has never, ever seen anything like this. Today’s text is a prime opportunity to analyze how we look at what we have been given. In our use of possessions are we . . .
“PRUDENT OR POSSESIVE?”
Was the man in our text who asked Jesus to mediate the inheritance being prudent or possessive? Wasn’t he just trying to get what was rightfully his? Or did he want a bigger share that wasn’t fair? The way he phrases his question may give us a hint. “Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” (v. 13b). His desire is distracting him from the teaching of Jesus. Was this fella prudent or possessive?
He came by his wealth honestly. There needed to be a plan for the extra crops. Prudence demands that we plan for the future. Toni and I have started looking toward retirement and I know many of you have been through this as well. One question you get asked is phrased like this: “What is the goal for your money?” My answer was, “first class airfare to Australia.” It should have been “what can we give to the Lord.” When I have held my paycheck over the years to pay other church bills, I always want to make sure we have enough for our weekly offering. That’s it. It is really that simple. Is that how you see it? God wants you using your wisdom and interest rates, to be good stewards. But it must always start with the idea that is His money, not ours.
The first-person pronouns indicate the man’s desire. It was about himself. That is the huge danger for the average American. Listen to our speech. It is all first-person pronouns. Get a tax refund – “what can I do with it?” Get an inheritance – “What can I do with this money?” Our motives can be more possessive than prudent.
Jesus goes beyond the surface and takes it to a more frightening level. Is this rich fool not just possessive but possessed by his possessions? Are these things his god?
Why are gambling and e-trading and gold and crypto so big in our society? Because people always want more. Our consumer-oriented society slams it in our face. Do you remember the days when only the rich flew on airplanes? You can’t get on a plane today that isn’t full. In a financial roundtable that was watched this week, they said that salaries are up 40% since the days of Covid. Some of that is balanced out by higher inflation over the last five years. Prudent or possessive?
Well, you are not rich fools I pray, so you know the answer and where it is found. Jesus Christ. He gave up the riches of heaven and became poor, so that through His poverty we might become truly rich. That is foolishness to the world, but wisdom of God that has saved you and me.
You became Christ’s possession in your baptism. Adopted into His family. Clothed with His righteousness so that you can put God ahead of possessions. You receive the riches of His cross in the Lord’s Supper.
When we are possessed by Christ and His Gospel, then we begin to see all that we have as a gift. We use some for our pleasure – “eat, drink, and be merry” – but we also use it for God’s glory and in service to our neighbor. This is our mission – to “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Prudence or possessive? Prudence looks beyond possessions, where moth and rust destroy, to the riches of heaven. In Christ and through the Holy Spirit, we hang on to the real treasures of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. Christ has earned them for us. It is all from Him. Remember that and this part of life makes sense.
Amen.