Lifestyles of the Rich and Faithful ~ Luke 12:13-21

This past week, the world was shocked by the tragic death of Steve Jobs, the founder and CEO of Apple Computer.

Here was a man who dropped out of college, and started up a technology company in his parents’ garage that would grow into one of the world’s most successful corporations.

Jobs is being celebrated for his genius, his innovation, his persistence, his tenacity.  He’s being remembered as a man who set out to change the world and had the talent to do precisely that.  And not only is he the nation’s most celebrated business leader, he’s also one of the world’s richest men.

He will live on as the Great American Success story; a prime example of what you accomplish with hard work, creativity, and determination. 

I’d be inclined to think of the farmer in Jesus’ parable as I would Steve Jobs.  Here is someone with the skill, innovation, and sheer luck to reap a tremendous harvest; a harvest so great and so vast that he had to raze his barns and build new and bigger ones to store up his wealth.

But Jesus has no words of praise for him.  God calls him a fool.  And there are two reasons for that.  1) He kept his harvest for himself.  He gives no thought to those who are in need, nor does he give any thought to the fact that there could be a famine in the future, and he could feed hundreds if not thousands of people from his fortune.  2) He celebrates the fact that he’s completely self-reliant.  He’s got it made.  Since he has everything he could ever need or want, he has no need for God.

Now there’s nothing wrong with being successful.  It is truly awesome do be able to do what you love and succeed.  And success is a blessing from God, it is something to be celebrated. 

And I’m sure there’s no one here who hasn’t dreamed of being successful and rich and powerful.  We’d all love to be able to live the good life.  After all, with no money troubles, what is there to worry about?  A life in the lap of luxury without a care in the world…

But the truth is that those kinds of fantasies are just that—fantasies.  Life is fragile—even if you happen to be one of the great American giants of business. 

And Jesus teaches today that all of the success in the world means absolutely nothing if we fail to acknowledge God as the giver of all good things—regardless of whether we lead simple, ordinary lives—or rise to become the wealthiest person on earth.  Earthly riches count for nothing in the next life.  What truly counts in light of eternity is that we are rich toward God. 

But God’s riches aren’t accumulated; they aren’t earned through sweat and hard work and innovation.  God’s riches are received.

A person who’s rich towards God is one who looks to God for their daily bread.  It is seeing God’s presence in every good gift they receive; every single meal on the table; the clothing we wear; the homes that keep us safe and warm; and the people who love and care for us. 

As great as it is to not have to live with the uncertainty of not knowing whether you’ll have food and a place to live in the future, a lifestyle of dependence on God is a blessing.  A person who’s dependent on God sees God’s hand providing.  They experience God carrying them through desperate times.  These are the ones who are truly blessed—because there can be little doubt that they would have made it through without God.  This is a life of true faith.  The ones who cry out to God and cast upon God all their cares; even those who struggle to go on believing—these are the ones who are rich towards God. 

And finally, we become rich towards God not in the blessings that we keep, but in those we give away.  Giving and sharing are our duties—but they are not burdens.  We enjoy God’s gifts more fully when we share them.  We grow in our walk with Jesus, who gave for us his everything—by giving to others.  We celebrate God’s goodness by sharing.

It may be cool to be wealthy and successful, but it’s truly beautiful to live by faith; to trust in Jesus through every season and time of uncertainty.  And best of all, God’s riches are not just for a fortunate few, but for all.  We receive them before we even ask. 

So in this time of harvest, let us give thanks to God for our blessings.

Let us celebrate God’s blessings by giving and sharing. 

Let us place our trust in God through the coming winter.

Let us put our hope in God for the coming year—not knowing what the future may bring, but assured of the promise that God will be our provider.