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Streaming Audio: Click here after starting sermon audio to bring up PowerPoint slides and visual aides which go along with the sermon. [A new window will open and remain blank until fully loaded. It may take 1-5 minutes to open.] Once the first slide appears you can follow along with the message and use the arrow keys to advance the slides. HelpPlease help keep this ministry free by honoring our system:Click Here to recommend this sermon to others. [A new window will open. Scroll to the bottom to enter your vote or comments, then close.]Help spread the Word by casting your vote...it's a proven system that keeps this ministry free!Grace Notes Sermon Ministry: Affluenza
Parable
of the Rich Fool
Luke
12:16 Why is it that when life is
going the best and we have the most, that we act the most foolishly?
When supplies are ample, or we are celebrating a great victory, or
someone praises us—we take such opportunity to show what we’re really made
of. Why do we show our
foolishness at such inappropriate times?
We’re sinners. Meanwhile,
God is perfect. He is wise, and
we are foolish! Yes, and when
times are good is when we can come down with a good case of “Affluenza!”
To be affluent is to have much, but beware, it can be a curse, or at
least can lead you down the wrong paths.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe God wants to give to us richly, but in
the right perspective which is hardly ever present!
Our God is so good to us…and so we receive the benefits, but often we
forget the “Benefactor.” [the
One Who gives all to us.]
"Affluenza" is the disease, the love of money is the root cause, and this
story of Jesus is the cure! But
first… The Bible speaks of a
number of fools.
1.
The
unbelieving fool. Psa 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.”
2.
The ignorant
fool. Prov.1:7 “fools despise wisdom”
3.
The self
righteous fool. Prov. 12:15 “the way
of a fool is right in his own
eyes”
4.
The mocking
fool. Prov.14:9 “fools mock at sin”
5.
The self
sufficient fool. Rom.1:22 “professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools”
6.
The Christian
fool. I Cor. 4:10 “we are
fools for Christ sake.”
7.
The Rich Fool.
Luke 12:16 “thou fool, this night thy
soul shall be required.” Truly, the love of money is
the root of all evil. But God
has help for us today… "There are some things
money can buy, for everything else
there's the Jesus." I'm a card carrying
representative for the MASTERSCARD. A
new Bible may cost you $20, flowers for Valentine's day will run you $15,
but an eternity in heaven [say it with
me] PRICELESS! Let me tell you about it
... NO finance charges NO payments due Completely Pre NO expiration I couldn't afford the
price, so Jesus stepped in and paid it for me. My name is written on the
card for all to see. It is
accessible twenty The MASTERSCARD gives you
access to many "Members Only" benefits: Unlimited Grace There is no preset limit to
the amount of grace you receive from the MASTERSCARD. Unlimited Love It has the highest rates
I’ve ever found when it comes to… Joy, Lasting peace, and
Dependability Another great thing about
the MASTERSCARD is that it never expires.
Once you're a member, you're a member for life ... eternal life, that
is. (Membership has its privileges, you know) If you’re a sinner, then
you qualify! But, don't delay!
This great offer won't last forever. But
the benefits will. Don’t leave
Earth without it! [back to today’s text]
Notice the progression:
MAN’S
WEALTH
(v.16,17) …leads
to man’s will MAN’S WILL
(V.18,19) “I
will”
1.
I will pull
down my barns.
2.
I will build
greater barns.
3.
I will store
my produce.
4.
I will say to
my soul.
5.
I will eat,
drink, and be merry. Proverbs 1:32 Man’s wealth
leads to man’s woe… MAN’S WOE
(V.20) “
but God said unto him”
1.
The woe of
being a fool.
2.
The woe of
sudden death.
3.
The woe of
losing it all.
4.
The woe of
divine judgment. He received the benefits
but forgot the benefactor.
Four
Reasons Why God Called the Rich Man a Fool:
I .
BECAUSE OF HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD.
A.
Never thanked
God for anything.
B.
He left God
out of his life all together.
II.
BECAUSE OF HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD OTHERS.
A.
His interest
was in things, and possessions instead of people.
Love people, use things, not the opposite.
B.
He ignored the
second commandment. “love thy neighbor” The rich fool had the wrong
attitude toward God, others, and also…
III.
BECAUSE OF HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE AND MONEY.
A.
His thoughts
were on retirement and ease.
B.
He ignored the
fact that one day he would need others.
C.
He forgot that
God is the owner of all he had. Let’s take some testimonies
of what we’ve learned about money, and how it applies to life and
spirituality… (Deuteronomy 8:18) But thou
shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get
wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers,
as it is this day. (Jeremiah 9:23 (Matthew 6:21) For where
your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:24) No man can
serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or
else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon. (Mark 10:23 (1 Timothy 6:9) But they
that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. (1 Timothy 6:10) For the
love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they
have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Not only was his attitude
wrong toward God and others, and toward money and life, but also…
IV.
BECAUSE OF HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD ETERNITY.
A.
He lived as if
there were no eternity.
B.
He lived as
though he were going to live forever on earth. Summary:
1. We Are Fools When We Do Not Give God The Credit
For Things He Has Done.
Who else does the Bible say is a fool?
1. He
Who Trusts In His Own Heart.
Prov. 28:26. Proverbs 28:26 Romans 1:22
2. He
Who Is Always Right.
[In His Own Eyes.] Prov. 12:15. Proverbs 12:15 Proverbs 14:16
3. He
Who Despises Wisdom and Instruction.
Prov. 1:7. Proverbs 1:7
4. He
Who Is Soon Angry. Eccl. 7:9. Ecclesiastes 7:9
5. He
Who Slanders Others. Prov.
10:18. Proverbs 10:18
6. He
Who Mocks At Sin. Prov. 14:9. Proverbs 14:9
7. He
Who Talks A Lot. Proverbs 29:11 Ecclesiastes 5:3 Someone once said, "Better
to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove
all doubt."
8. He
Who Minds Others’ Business. Proverbs 20:3 Proverbs 26:17
9. He
Who Says There Is No God.
Psa. 14:1 Psalms 14:1 If you aren’t saved, all
you must do is believe! Believe
the truth of the gospel… [share]
What should believers do? Proverbs 9:6 It has been said, "Never
let a fool kiss you and never let a kiss fool you." Ephesians 5:15 Let’s realize what an ample
job God has done in blessing us.
We are truly rich. And God wants
us to be rich in wisdom, so when you come to the mountaintop and things are
going great, what a great time it is to lean on God and realize all we have
is His…don’t reveal our truly foolish, sinful colors! 1 Corinthians 4:10
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