Luke 12

Greedy?  Who me?  Greed is only shown by the wealthy and power-seeking tycoons of the world, right?  Wrong!  God has warned all of us of the dangers of greed creeping into our lives.  Greed can come into our lives whether we are wealthy or poor in this world's goods.  Greed has to do with the attitude of our hearts.

In our passage today in Luke 12 a man approached Jesus with a greedy heart.  He expected Jesus to settle a quarrel he was having with his brother over an inheritance. Jesus said to him in Luke 12:15, "Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a mans's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Jesus warned us that there is extreme danger in depending on and running after the things of the world.  When people place their priorities and values in the things of the world, they will never be satisfied.  This kind of passion for things will only lead to a desire for more and more.  The things of the world will never satisfy.  A life lived in a relationship with the Lord is the only way to find joy and satisfaction.  Joy and peace is found only in the Lord.  Life is not about pursuing things, but life is about growing in our love relationship with the Lord.  Life is about serving the Lord and bringing honor to His name.

Greed is a form of idolatry.  Greed involves putting other things before our relationship with the Lord and before our desire to serve the Lord.  Greed can also lead to all kind of other sins.  Greed can lead to lying, cheating, stealing, and arrogance.  We must take heed of Jesus Christ's warning to "watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed."

In Luke chapter twelve starting in verse sixteen Jesus told a parable about a man who had much in terms of worldly wealth and possessions.  This man begin to think of himself as independent from God and self-reliant.  All this man's confidence was misplaced in his own perceived "wisdom" and abilities.  There was no acknowledgement of God and God's provision for him from this man.  The man made all his plans without regard to God's will for his life.  This man showed no fear of God or love for others.  His life consisted only in his selfish whims and pursuits.

God said to this man in Luke 12:20, "You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"  It is so meaningless to chase after temporal things, because our life on this earth is so temporal compared to eternity.  We can take nothing with us into eternity except our salvation and love for the Lord!

When people pursue a life style independent of the Lord and wrapped in themselves they will find only emptiness in their lives.  Life will have no joy or purpose.  Ecclesiastes chapter one verse two says of this kind of life, "Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless."  The writer of Ecclesiastes was speaking of a life outside the Lord and lived only for oneself.  Such a life is meaningless.  There is no meaning or joy to life outside of living it for the Lord!

There are no guarantees in this life in regards to our own provisions and careful planning for ourselves.  Life can change so quickly, and all our carefully laid plans for ourselves can fall apart and fail.  A child of God can rest in the Lord and in His provisions, however.  The Lord has always promised to provide for our needs, as we rest in Him and are faithful to Him.  We must be content with what He has given us.  We must be content with where He has placed us in this world.  A relationship with Him as His child and as His disciple is the only way to peace and security!
Luke 12:21 reminds us that we must not seek to "store up things" in this world.  That will lead to greed and all kinds of other sins.  It will also lead to emptiness and restlessness.  Rather we must seek to become "rich toward God."  This is the secret to joy!