Summary
Most sermons on this passage in Luke offer the same basic interpretation, more or less. That basic interpretation runs something like this: Be generous with your wealth! Don’t be like the fool in this parable, who one day decided to hoard his bumper crops. But because he died that same night, he never got to enjoy his wealth. Poor man. Foolish man. Don’t be like him. Instead be generous. Be kind. Help other people.
We preachers have lots of ways to gussy up a sermon and make it sound more sophisticated than it really is. But usually we have one simple point we’re trying to get across. For this story in Luke 12, that simple point is to be generous. Act differently than the rich man. Open your hands and let your stuff go.
Today I offer you an alternate message, a different interpretation. It’s this. The rich man’s problem isn’t so much that he’s rich and hoards everything. Instead his problem is that he’s distracted. His wealth distracts him from God.
Bible References
- Luke 12:13 - 21
SERMON TEXT (PDF)
