April 14, 2024
We’re in the second week of our sermon series, “Chasing Carrots,” about chasing things we can’t quite get enough of. Last week we talked about chasing fame. We want to be noticed, for people to see us, to get credit for all we do. But chasing fame leaves us feeling empty and alone. The cure is to be on team Jesus, encourage each other, and know God sees and blesses us for all we do. So, we give glory to God! Next week we’re chasing perfection, the following week we’re chasing approval, and finally, chasing comfort.
Today we’re talking about something that probably affects most of us. I know it affects me. We’re talking about chasing money and the material stuff of this world. If you could help me, I am going to ask you a few questions. How many of you would not mind being rich? Raise your hand. And how many of you would say that you know someone who is rich? Have you ever thought someone who was rich didn’t do it right? They are dumb rich, where if I were rich, I would be smart rich! How many of you are really, really rich? Here’s what I know. Most of you say you are not rich, but you would like to be rich. You continue to pursue, to long for more money and more stuff. If I could just have a little more.
Gallop did a poll to find out, if you want to be rich, how much money will make you rich? They asked people, and their answers varied. People who made $30,000 a year, their average response was, if I had $74,000 a year, I would be rich. Those of you who make $74,000 would say, it sure doesn’t feel like I’m rich. In this poll, people who made $50,000 a year said it would take $100,000 a year for them to feel rich. Then you ask the people who make $100,000 a year who have kids and a mortgage and payments on their vehicles, and they’d say, $100,000 a year doesn’t really feel rich to me. The poll asked people who made higher, six figure incomes, what would it take to be rich? They said they would need to have 5 million dollars in assets to be rich. So, if you are that unfortunate person with only 2 million dollars in assets, you don’t feel rich because you need 5 million dollars. It’s a moving line. Wherever you are in terms of income, you don’t feel rich, but you want to be rich. What do you need to be happy, to be satisfied? The average person would say, I’m not quite sure how much is rich. But it’s always a little more.
Most of us want more money, but when we get more, we’re not satisfied. That’s why Jesus talked so much about a right perspective on money and things. In the reading today from Luke 12:15, Jesus says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Jesus says money and stuff is dangerous territory. Your life, the quality of your life, is not measured by how much stuff you have. Be very careful because everything in culture is shouting at you, you need more! The message from culture is, you don’t have what you need to be happy! If you finally get what you don’t have, THAT’S what’s missing. But Jesus says, your life does not consist in the abundance of stuff!
Jesus gave this warning because a man had come up to him and said, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus said no, I won’t, and warned against greed and the pull of trusting in possessions.
Then Jesus told a parable, which is a made-up story that he told to make a point. He says, there was a rich man who had a great harvest, a bumper crop! He was a farmer who had a record year. This rich man looked around and thought, what am I going to do with all this, where will I store my crops? He thinks, I know what I’ll do! I’ll tear down my barns and build new ones to hold the harvest. I’ll have enough grain to last many years! I’ll retire early, take it easy, and I’ll throw a lot of parties.
That sounds like a normal response, right? But here’s what the man didn’t do. He only asked himself what to do with his abundance. He didn’t ask God or consider that a neighbor might need his help. He thought only of himself. The things of this world had all his trust and all his attention.
God says to the rich man, “You fool!” He calls him a fool because he is greedy and doesn’t love God. The sad thing is the rich man will die that night. He doesn’t have time to change his ways, to turn to God, to ask God how he should steward his abundance. He trusted in riches, but his wealth wouldn’t prevent him from dying. God says to the rich man, “Now who will get what you prepared for yourself?” Jesus says in verse 21, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Ouch! I store up things for myself. That is a harsh story!
Jesus goes on in Luke 12:22-34 to paint a picture, give a vision, of a better way to live. He talks about the birds, how they don’t have storerooms or barns, but God provides all they need. And Jesus talks about the lilies of the field. God makes them beautiful! If God takes care of birds and lilies, how much more will he care for you! There’s no need to fear or worry. It’s the Father’s good pleasure to take care of his little flock. You can live, being generous, sharing, and trusting God to provide. There’s no need to be a Scrooge, counting your money all day and neglecting the needs of those around you. Jesus invites us to stop being obsessed with the things of this world. We can open our hands to our neighbor, and our hearts to God’s guidance. God is the one who gives the life that truly is life!
Here’s the good news and bad news about money and stuff. The good news is, you’re RICH! Maybe you don’t believe me, because you don’t FEEL rich. But think about what you have. In our world, there are 700 million people who live on $2 or less a day. Most of them are children, the poorest of the poor. If you have a car, you are among the luckiest 15% of people in the world! Most of the world doesn’t own a car. God has blessed us! Since God has blessed us, I want to be rich in a way that honors God. If you believe you are rich, let’s say out loud, “I’m rich!” Now let’s say it with some gratitude, like you’ve been really blessed by God. Say “I’m rich” with a smile on your face!
It came from God. It’s his gift to you of abundance. Say it like you mean it, like it came from God, and it is a blessing. My God has blessed me! The good news is you’re rich!
The bad news is: you’re rich! It really is and can be bad news. Being rich puts you at a spiritual disadvantage. Why? Because you already have a roof over your head. You’ve got plenty of food in your kitchen. Maybe you’ve never had the blessing of praying to God, literally asking for your daily bread. Culture shouts at us: what you don’t have is what you need: the newer phone, a better TV, a brand new purse, the shoes, the sunglasses, the wallet, the jacket, the flooring, the countertops, the furniture. We are tempted to trust in accumulating things for ourselves. But God is the one who gives the life that truly is life!
What we don’t need is more money. What we do need is more Jesus. I don’t want to be under the power of something of this world. I want to be living in the power, living under the blessings of the eternal world, living a life that truly honors God.
I have been so touched by people who I never expected to give and do for me. I worked in two homeless shelters in Seattle. A homeless woman at the shelter got free tickets to a TV show where they interviewed the guy who wrote the book, “When bad things happen to good people.” She invited me, I went and really enjoyed it! If I were homeless, I might think taking care of me was enough. Why bother getting a ticket for someone else? But she had something to share, and she did. I felt blessed!
There was a homeless guy I talked to sometimes. I told him I would be leaving and going to study to be a minister. He was so happy for me! The next time I saw him he brought me a gift: a glow in the dark, plastic rosary with a broken cross. I didn’t really need a rosary. But I was deeply touched! I felt so humbled by his generosity and joy for me. Those two homeless people were rich!
We all have the opportunity to be a blessing to others. We all have something to share! My challenge for you this week is to do or give. Be a blessing. The school district needs mentors. Or you can help at the food pantry. Since you are rich, you give more and do more for someone else.
We’re rich! That’s good news! God is good and blesses us with abundance. We’re rich! That’s bad news because we’re tempted to trust in money and stuff. Choose instead to trust in Him who richly provides. Because God is the one who gives the life that truly is life. Amen.
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