Luke 12:13–21

Be Still: Father help me as I read your Word. By your Spirit, I want to become more like Jesus today. Amen.

Read: Luke 12:13–21 

Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. (v15)

Encounter: The modern TV phenomenon ‘Sort Your Life Out’ is a popular choice in our household. The presenter, Stacey Solomon, takes a team into a house where people have simply accumulated too much stuff. Often they’ve built up their possessions without being able to build a 'bigger barn.' Even though their houses aren’t big enough, they’re holding on to the things in the houses as a source of security or comfort. Stacey sorts them out.

In our passage the man’s greed led him, not to be generous with what God had given him, but to store up stuff for himself. The climax of Jesus’ story is that at the point when the man gets what he deems is enough to live life merrily, he dies. He never actually enjoys it all. The man’s aim was to accumulate for life-long security and Jesus is saying, ‘That’s foolish, because the Kingdom of God doesn’t work like that’. He teaches that God’s Kingdom is sweeping in and changing how we should view the world and our lives. 

Apply: That stuff we collect will never bring the security we crave. Only trusting in Jesus and God’s care for our lives can do that. God’s Kingdom is his love and power generously breaking into our world. When we become a Christian and so become part of this Kingdom, the way we live our lives has to change. We become part of a different order. We live with different values. One of those Kingdom values is to live generously towards God and others, because our security is no longer in the accumulation of possessions, but in the loving arms of our Saviour who will never leave us. 

Devote: Thank you that I’m in your Kingdom. Help me be rich towards you and rich towards others today.