|
Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 20 - Rich Fool
Rich Fool
Luke 12:13-15
13 And [de] one [tis] of [ek] the company [ochlos] said [epo] unto him [autos] , Master [didaskalos] , speak [epo] to my [mou] brother [adelphos] , that he divide [merizo] the inheritance [kleronomia] with [meta] me [emou] .
14 And [de] he said [epo] unto him [autos] , Man [anthropos] , who [tis] made [kathistemi] me [me] a judge [dikastes] or [e] a divider [meristes] over [epi] you [humas] ?
15 And [de] he said [epo] unto [pros] them [autos] , Take heed [horao] , and [kai] beware [phulasso] of [apo] covetousness [pleonexia] : for [hoti] a man's [tis] [autos] life [zoe] consisteth [esti] not [ou] in [en] the abundance [perisseuo] of [ek] the things which he [autos] possesseth [huparchonta] . KJV-Interlinear
13 And someone in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14 But He said to him, "Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbiter over you?" 15 And He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." NASB
Jesus Christ has been teaching on spiritual subjects. There was a pause in His discourse, and a man approached and asked Him to settle a dispute related to a secular matter - the dividing up of an inheritance between two sons following the death of their father.
Jesus has been speaking to the disciples as well as to many others who were nearby and listening to His words of instruction. One might think that this man was not paying attention. Just as you would correct a little child, when you give Him instructions and then he comes out of left field with a question which is totally unrelated and totally irrelevant to the subject.
For example the child wants a toy. You don't have the money for the toy, and you explain money and where it comes from and what you have to do with the money you do have. Then the child comes back with the same request again as though he never heard a word you were saying.
This man has been present during the prior discourse of Jesus, but his mind was on his own inheritance, or his perceived inequity of it. Whether he received his rightful share or not was irrelevant. The subjects on which Jesus was teaching were spiritual in nature and not of this world.
We have to first look to why we are here in the first place, and then we can get our worldly priorities in order. If you have already decided that your worldly things are your priority, then you will most likely not pay attention to spiritual instruction. But you will simply flutter from chapter to chapter in your life, never getting anywhere.
First we are born into this world. God gave us bodies of flesh and bone. Our bodies are not eternal, but temporary at best. Some of us have great bodies, others of us have lousy bodies. But that too is irrelevant, because our physical body is not the true us. Our soul is the true us. We are a living soul. Not an animal of flesh.
If God had intended for us to live on this planet forever, then He would have given us better physical bodies. Adam and Eve would still be alive and living in retirement in Florida probably. But God did not give us super bodies. He gave us these problem and limited bags of flesh and bones together with all the problems that accompany them.
Therefore to focus on our personal comfort in this world to the exclusion of our spiritual preparation is a fools decision. What we wear, eat, do in this life are unimportant. Our physical appearance, our physical ability (or lack of it), our handicaps too are all irrelevant. Why? Because these bodies are going to be thrown away sooner or later. For some that day will come at a young age. For others it might come at an older age. Even your age is irrelevant because God will give to each one of us the necessary time we need in order to get our act together spiritually.
Jesus Christ did not come here to balance out our physical concerns in this world. He came here to attend to our spiritual needs, and to help us prepare for all of eternity. What we are or have in this life is of no consequence.
God gave us all three capital assets with which to invest - time, volition, and doctrine. What we do with those is of the greatest importance in our life because they affect our entire eternal future. As for this life, God gave each one of us the mechanisms to survive in this life so that we can learn His Word and grow up spiritually. This physical life is merely the logistics supporting our existence here on earth so that we can invest those three assets wisely.
The wise person will pursue that advice and attend to his spiritual investments. The fool will squander this life with greed, worry, poor me attitudes. And whatever God does to keep you here so you can grow up spiritually will sooner or later come to an end.
Our parable thus begins with the person focusing on the physical aspects of life rather than focusing on the spiritual side of life. Too often people focus on the physical even though the spiritual is all around them. They just refuse see it.
End of Lesson |
|
 |
Table of Contents
|
 |
Previous Page |
|
Next Page |
text-indent: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;">
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
If You Wish To Support This Bible Study,
Please Make Your Donation Here
Go To Home Page
|
|
