LUKE 12:13-21 COVETOUSNESS IS FOOLISHNESS2012 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Luke 12:13-21 Covetousness Is Foolishness

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You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2012. As we look at the word together this morning, the title of the message is, Covetousness is Foolishness. Covetousness is Foolishness.

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Jesus here is teaching us this lesson on covetousness. And as we study this portion today, of course, you know, we're going chapter by chapter, verse by verse. I couldn't have planned it better. This is so timely for, well, for us as a nation, in the society that we live, this is a message that we need to hear. And this issue of covetousness is one that is all around us and worldwide.

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Well, I would ask you to consider is even within us and it's something that God wants to work in in our lives. This is a timely portion, a timely message from Jesus for our nation, for our society, for our own selves. And it's timely also because, well, now we're in December. It's December 2nd and we're heading into, or maybe we're already there, the Christmas season.

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And as we head into this big great holiday that we celebrate on December 25th, it's timely for us to consider the subject of covetousness. And as Jesus teaches us about covetousness, he's going to use an illustration. It's a parable about a man who had plenty of goods, who wanted plenty of space because he thought he had plenty of time. He was a man of

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who had plenty of goods, so he wanted plenty of space because he thought he had plenty of time. And Jesus will use this illustration to help us grasp hold of this subject of covetousness that we might be challenged and encouraged to turn away from it.

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And so as we begin looking at this, there's three points I'd like to highlight for you from our portion. And the first one we find in verses 13 through 15. And that is, beware of covetousness. This is the message that Jesus is sharing with the crowd and with you and I today. Beware of covetousness. Look with me at verse 13 as we start off. It says, Then one from the crowd said to him,

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Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. Jesus here is amongst this crowd. Remember that we saw a couple weeks ago, the crowd is so great that they're actually stepping on each other. They're bumping into each other. It's this massive crowd that has gathered as he's been teaching different things. He's been addressing the Pharisees, the religious leaders, the scribes, the lawyers. He's been talking about these important truths and in the midst of it,

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This guy sees a moment of opportunity and he raises his hand. He says, oh wait, Jesus, Jesus, I have something. If I could ask you to address it, please. I have a situation for you to deal with. Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. It's interesting that this guy, he felt it the appropriate time. That's interesting. Also, he had the boldness. Here's this massive crowd of

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He interrupts to bring this situation before Jesus. Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. Now, the practices of the day for the Jewish people was that the eldest son would get a double portion of the inheritance. The remaining sons would get

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equal share. So if you had two sons and then you died, the eldest son would get two shares or two-thirds of the inheritance and then the other son would get one-third. We don't know the exact situation here. We don't have the details of this guy's background, but here he is. He's probably not the eldest son. His elder brother has received the inheritance from his father. He got a double portion and this guy, he got a portion of the inheritance, but he's saying, I want more.

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Tell him to divide his share. He got so much more. He got two-thirds. I got one-third. He should share a little bit more. Maybe we should split it 50-50 is kind of the mindset that this guy is coming from. And so he says, Jesus, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. Jesus responds in verse 14. But he said to him, man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?

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Jesus here responds and essentially what he says is, this is not what I'm here for. I'm not here to resolve these kinds of disputes. That's not my purpose. I'm not here to try to obtain for you what you think is rightfully yours. Whether it is rightfully yours or you just perceive that it's rightfully yours, that's not my purpose. That's not what I'm here for. And it raises an important issue for us to consider.

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What is your motivation and what is your heart? What are you looking for Jesus to provide for you? And I would suggest as we look at this example of this man that we need to watch out.

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If we're looking for Jesus to give us riches or money or an easy life, if we're looking for him to provide us things for right here and right now, I would suggest to you what Jesus is saying is we need to watch out and we need to be on guard. Are you looking for Jesus to give you money? It's an important question because Jesus is revealing here his main goal is not to give you money.

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His main goal is not to give you what you think is rightfully yours. That's not his main purpose. That's not his main objective. His main objective is regarding eternity and to provide for you an entrance into eternity with him because it's much more important. It's much longer. It's his focus. That's his main goal. And so we need to watch out. We need to be on guard. When we're looking to Jesus...

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To give us what we think is rightfully ours. We need to remember his main purpose was not that. He says, I'm not the judge or the arbitrator over you in this. That's not what I'm here for. And so he uses this now to begin to teach a lesson on covetousness. Look at verse 15. And he said to them, take heed and beware of covetousness. For one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.

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Now Jesus begins to address the crowd. So this guy interrupts. Jesus, help me resolve this dispute. He owes me money. I think I deserve this money. Help him. Tell him to give me the money that I'm owed. Jesus says, that's not my business. I'm not the judge and the arbitrator over this. That's not what I'm here for. But then it says he said to them. So now he's taking this, what happened before the crowd. Now he's addressing the crowd.

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And he's saying, hey guys, this is a great lesson for all of you. This is something not just this guy is wrestling with or dealing with, but this is something for the crowd, for you and I today, to hear, to consider, to evaluate. He said to them, take heed and beware of covetousness. Watch out, Jesus says, for covetousness. The word covetousness means to have more.

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It's that desire, that longing for more. That wanting of more. Now we're not just talking about money when we talk about covetousness. That was this guy's request. Tell him to give me the money, my inheritance. But we're not just talking about money when we talk about covetousness because, well, the 10th commandment is do not covet or thou shall not covet. Exodus chapter 20 verse 17 records that for us.

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But let me read it to you and notice what is included in this idea of covetousness. It says, As Jesus addresses this issue of covetousness, he's not just talking about money.

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Because as God commanded in the Ten Commandments, He says, look, covetousness is not just about the finances. It's about all types of things. That you can be covetous in regards to, well, your neighbor's spouse.

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We would call that lust or adultery, but it's also covetousness. You could be covetous of your neighbor's status, of his employment, of his tools, of his transportation. There's covetousness that exists. It's not just financial, but it's that wanting of anything, that desire, that longing for anything that God has not provided for you.

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Do you desire to have more? Do you desire to have more? Are you unsatisfied? It's a question we need to grapple with. We need to wrestle with. And it's a serious thing because covetousness, well, it's a sin that it's an affront against God. It's us declaring to God, God, I'm not satisfied with you.

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If I have this over here, if I obtain these things here, if I get what I want in this area, then I'll be satisfied. But God, I'm not satisfied with you. You are not enough for me. It's also saying at the same time, God, I'm not satisfied with what you have given to me. I'm not satisfied with the provisions that you've made. I'm not satisfied with...

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The place where I'm at, I'm not satisfied with the transportation I have. If I only had this other thing, if I only had this over here, then I would be satisfied. I still need more. You are not enough, God. What you've given me is not enough. What an insult to God for us to be covetous regarding a house, a spouse, job, transportation, whatever it might be.

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And Jesus is highlighting this because it's a danger that you and I face. He's calling it out to us as a danger that we need. Remember, the guy talked to Jesus. Jesus responded. Then he turns to the crowd and he says, look, this is a bigger issue than just this guy. And you crowd, you believer, you need to, Jesus says, take heed and beware of covetousness. The word take heed means to stare at something.

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That you need to be looking at and looking out for. It's in the tense that means it's a command. But it's also a command to be obeyed continually. That we're to be continually looking out and watching. He says beware. The same idea here. Same tense. It's keep on bewaring. It means literally to guard against or to keep or preserve from danger.

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The idea here is, hey, keep watching, keep alert, stand guard because covetousness seeks to infiltrate your heart. It's trying to sneak in. It's trying to take hold. And you have to stand fast and stand guard against it. Watch out, take heed, beware of covetousness. Jesus goes on to say, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses.

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Why do we need to watch out for covetousness? Because Jesus says, look, that's not what life is all about. There's a lot more to life than what happens here on this earth. Eternity is a lot longer than the time that you will spend here on earth. Compared to eternity, our lives are described as vapor. It just, it's gone. Our lives here are temporary. We forget that so quickly and easily.

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But Jesus is reminding us, look, your life does not consist. Your life is not all about the things that you possess. Now, many times you and I, we hear that from Jesus and we say, okay, uh-huh, uh-huh, I hear you. I want to try anyways. Give me the stuff. Give me the things. I think I'll have a great time. It'll be a much better life if I have whatever it is that you want more of. If I have more money, it'll be a better life.

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If I have better spouse, it'll be a better life. If I have better transportation, it'll be a better life. If I have this, it'll be a better life. That's what we tell ourselves. And so often we're convinced of. I know what you're saying. Yeah, yeah, life doesn't consist of things. I think it might though. Maybe I should try it just in case. Give me the stuff. Give me the things. Jesus, give me more.

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I was listening to Pastor Chuck as he was sharing on this portion. He said something I thought was interesting. He said, one of the greatest problems with our home today, think about your home, think about where you're at. He says, one of the greatest problems with our homes today is the lack of storage space. He said, what we wouldn't give for one more closet, one more place to store all of our stuff. Life does not consist in the abundance of things that we possess.

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And so as Jesus begins to talk about this idea of covetousness, he says, watch out, beware. Because these things will seek to captivate you, to capture your heart, so that you're consumed with wanting, demanding, asking for, requiring more. All the while saying, God, you're not enough. You don't satisfy me. What you've provided is not enough.

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How important is this issue of covetousness? Well, again, it's something that we all face. Even the Apostle Paul mentioned covetousness as something that he had to deal with. In Romans chapter 7 verse 7, he says, Look, I didn't know what covet was until the law said, Do not covet. Something he had to grapple with. It's something I have to grapple with. It's something that we have to grapple with. It's an issue that every one of us faces. This is not an issue, you know, it's only a rich people problem.

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Yeah, all those rich people, you know, they got to deal with that covetousness. I'm so glad I'm not rich and I don't have to deal with covetousness. No, no, no. This is not only for rich people and it's not only for poor people. This is an issue that everyone faces. It's that issue of wanting more than what God has provided. Not being satisfied with Him and His provision. It's an issue that we're going to wrestle with.

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An issue that we need to watch out for because, you know, the world is based upon this idea of covetousness. And you know, marketers are fantastic at using the tool of covetousness. They really understand this. And so they convince us very easily. Sometimes with just a picture on a billboard. You've got to have that. You will not be satisfied until you have that. Until you get there.

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then you'll be okay. Then life will be great. There's this desire to implant within you the need for more. And Jesus says, watch out, beware. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, he goes through a list of things. Hey, if you're partaking in these things, if you're this kind of person, he says, you will not inherit the kingdom of God.

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1 Corinthians 6 verse 9, he says, Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? And we say, okay, yeah, we know. Unrighteous, yeah, you're not going to inherit the kingdom of God. He says, don't be deceived, which helps us to understand there's potential for you and I to be confused about this. He says, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves. We're like, okay, yeah, yeah, I understand. Yep, they're not going to inherit the kingdom of God. But then he goes on to say,

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nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. This idea of covetousness, it's a serious issue. It's a serious concern. It makes sense. Now Jesus says, beware of it. Watch out for it. Because if you're consumed by covetousness, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. That's the point. That's why Jesus says, beware. Watch out. If you're caught up in the wanting more thing,

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then you're in a very dangerous position. And what we need to learn is to be content. That's the second point that we find this morning in the passage. Be content.

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There in verses 16 through 18, now Jesus begins with this parable. And this man that we're introduced to, well, he is not content. So he serves as an example for us to learn from his bad example that we need to learn to be content with what God has given to us. Look with me at verse 16.

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It says, So now Jesus is speaking a parable. This is an illustration. He says, Now let me tell you a story about that to help you grasp hold of what that means and how that often looks in our hearts.

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And so it's an illustration to help us understand the point that he's making. And so he introduces us to a rich man. A rich man. How rich was he? We don't know. The word rich means to abound with. So he had abundance. It's interesting when you start looking at the topic of

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rich or what is qualified as you know someone who is rich what is it necessary to have that title right here are you a rich person there was a study done last year that looked at the different amounts that people say hey when you reach that amount you're making that income per year then you're rich and the study was looking at how that amount differed

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Depending on the amount of income of the person saying, hey, that's the amount. If you make that amount, you're rich. So here's what it came up with. If a person made under $50,000 a year, they basically agreed, the majority said, $200,000 a year, that's rich. So here I am making less than $50,000 a year. I say, hey, if you make $200,000 a year, then you're rich.

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But then as they expanded it, then those who made up to $100,000 a year, they said, no, not $200,000, but $250,000. If you make that, then you're rich. So here you are making $100,000 a year. You say, yeah, I'm not rich, but that person over there making $250,000 a year, they're rich.

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So then they expanded it and those who made up to $200,000 a year said, no, no, no. It's not $200,000. It's not $250,000. If you make $500,000 a year, then you're rich. And it's interesting how the way that we define when a person is rich is relative to where we are and based upon what we think. And the people who make more money don't consider themselves rich. They think, well, a little bit more and then that's riches. Then that's where it's at.

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And so you and I will probably look at our lives and we'll say, yeah, I'm not rich. But what are you comparing that to? What's your standard of defining riches? I think we need to have some perspective on this. If you make $41,000 a year or more, the studies show that you are in the top 3% of the world's population as far as income.

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3% of the world makes $41,000 or more a year. So if you are in that category, you make, well, enough to be in the top 3% of the world as far as amounts of income. That's pretty interesting. Consider also 3 billion people around the world live roughly on about $2 a day. So if you're living on more than $2 a day, you're better off than...

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At least 3 billion people. You see, as we consider the world as a whole, we get a little bit better perspective. We look at our neighbor and their bigger house and their better car and we think, oh man, I'm not rich, they're rich. But if we'll look on the other side and remember others who, well, they don't have nearly the blessings that we have.

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It gives us some perspective. Now, this is not to make you feel guilty and say, okay, everybody's got to make a vow of poverty. You know, if you're just barely scraping by, then you're holy and righteous. And if you have extra, then you're sinful and covetous. No, no, no, no. That's not the point. That's not true. But the point is, we quickly discount ourselves saying, well, I'm not like the rich man. This doesn't apply to me. No, I would suggest to you, we need to consider ourselves rich in many ways.

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We have great blessings here in this nation and the poorest among us are far better off than many who are around the world. And so here's this rich man and the ground that he is plowing and planting and reaping, it has a bountiful crop. The biggest crop he's ever had in his life. I mean just all this fruit, all this produce comes in. And so he has a problem. What am I going to do now? Look at verse 17.

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And he thought within himself saying, what shall I do since I have no room to store my crops? What am I going to do now? He says, oh no, it was so successful this year. The problem is I don't have enough room to store everything that the land produced. Now it wasn't that he had no barns. He had barns, he had storage, but it wasn't enough storage because the crop was so abundant.

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Interesting to think about this picture that Jesus is painting here. So, you know, for the past however many years, he's received a crop. He's put it in his barn. It's been sufficient. It's sustained him. Now the crop is so great, the barn, it's not going to hold it all. What am I going to do? He has this problem. And we might look at this and mock. Oh, what a terrible problem to have, you know. All your diamonds don't fit in your suitcase or whatever. You know, it's like, woe is you.

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But as we look at it in mock, perhaps it's only so that we don't have to consider if we're that way. We need to evaluate these things. He says, what am I going to do since I don't have room to store my crops? Verse 18, he figures it out. So he said, I will do this. I will pull down my barns and build greater. And there I will store all my crops and my goods.

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And here's where I say this is where Jesus is reminding us the importance of being content. Because this guy who's rich already, then he has an abundant crop and his barns won't hold it all. He says, one more thing will satisfy me. Bigger barns. And if I have bigger barns, then I'll be set. Then I'll be okay. Then I'll be fine. I just need to get some bigger barns so that I can hold all my crop and hold all my goods and

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And then I'll be set. Then I'll be satisfied. One more thing. He wants to have more. He wants to have more. He's convinced this one more thing will satisfy him. Now is it wrong to build barns to store your crops? No, absolutely not. Is it wrong to rest and take it easy? Is it wrong to enjoy abundance that has been provided? In and of themselves, those things are not wrong.

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And that's not what Jesus is trying to say. And some people kind of take it too far and try to make people feel guilty for having extra or having blessings and enjoying those blessings. No, God wants you to enjoy those blessings. But he wants your heart to be set on him and not the things of this life. You see, the real issue here in this man's heart is he's excluding God altogether. As you look at verse 16, 17, and 18, you can see the focus on himself.

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He says, I, I, my, I, I, my, I, my, my. It's all about him. Here's what I'm going to do. I've got it figured out so that I can keep all my stuff, that I can enjoy all my crops. The issue here is he's excluding God. Think about Abraham. Abraham was a man who was greatly blessed by God with many blessings. One of those blessings was wealth. He was incredibly wealthy. Remember when

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Abraham and Lot had to split up. They had to split up because they had too many servants and too much stuff. They were bumping into each other. The servants were fighting with each other. They were so blessed with abundance that the servants couldn't get along. It was not enough room for them anymore to stay with each other. So they had to separate. Later on, when Lot is taken captive by another army, Abraham mounts 300 of his servants on

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And leads them into battle. I mean, he was greatly wealthy, blessed by God. You see, it's not against wealth that Jesus is speaking. He's not saying you can't have wealth or blessings. But the issue is, where is God in all of this? And what do these things mean to you? The issue is contentment. Be content with what God has given to you. And trust God to meet your needs.

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Be content with what he's given and trust him to meet your needs. In 1st Timothy chapter 6, we don't have time to turn there this morning. I would encourage you, write it down, check it out later on. The apostle Paul writes about this issue of covetousness and contentment. And he says in verse 6 of 1st Timothy 6, now godliness with contentment is great gain. Godliness with contentment is great gain. This is interesting. Paul says, look,

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When you have both godliness and contentment, there's great gain there. There's great value there. This introduces though this idea that you can be pursuing godliness but not be content. And that's important for us to consider because hey, here we're at church today. Yeah, we love the Lord. We want to walk with God. We want the things of the Lord in our life. But that doesn't mean that we've resolved this issue of covetousness. It doesn't mean that we are content.

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And so we need to learn to be content in addition to our pursuit of godliness and our walk in relationship with God. He goes on to say in 1 Timothy 6, 7, For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. As it's often been said, you know, you never see the U-Haul trailer hooked up to the hearse. You can't take the goods of this world with you into the next world. Paul says, And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

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Think about that. To be content, Paul says, all you need to have is food and clothing. And if you have food and clothing, then you have no need to be discontent, unsatisfied. Food and clothing, that's all you need. With that, you should be content. Wow, that's pretty challenging. It's interesting to me that Jesus is about to go into a discussion about food and clothing with the disciples as we move on in the next verses.

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He'll be talking about worry. You don't have to worry about food and clothing. That God has promised those who are his followers, he will provide those things. God knows you need them. You don't have to worry about them. God will provide food and clothing. And it's with food and clothing that you and I ought to be content. That's enough. And if we want more, if we're chasing after more, if we're pursuing more, we're going to be dealing with this issue of covetousness in our hearts. Are you content?

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Right now. Or are you here saying, one more thing will satisfy me. One more thing. That's all I need is just one more thing. I think the Apostle Paul is a great example for us. In Philippians chapter 4 verse 12 he says, I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Paul says, yeah, I've experienced it. I've been in those times where it's just food and clothing. And I know how to live in that. I know how to be content with that.

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But I've also experienced abounding in God's blessings where he's provided and I've had abundance. And I know how to handle that as well. I'm content with whatever God provides. Sometimes we're so caught up in that one more thing that we need and what we don't realize and understand that that one thing, that would be our destruction. David Guzik pointed out, sometimes we're so concerned about poverty, but we ought to be more concerned about riches.

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We're super concerned about going broke. That we're fearful of. That we dread. But maybe we need to be a little bit more fearful of having extra abundance. Because that covetousness is seeking to invade our hearts. So be content with what God has given to you. And trust God to meet your needs as He promised that He would. Well, finally, the third point we find in verses 19 through 21 says,

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And here Jesus tells us to be rich toward God. Be rich toward God. Verse 19 says, And I will say to my soul. So we're continuing this account here of this rich man. I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. So here this guy continues to be consumed with himself. And now he's talking to himself. Alright self, you've got a lot of goods laid.

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They're stored up for many years. Now it's time to kick back, relax, eat, drink, and be merry. All right, I hit the lottery. I can retire. I can quit. I can just kick back and do nothing. Just relax and enjoy life. If God gave you enough money to retire right now, would you do it? Would you do it? Let me ask you, would you pray about it first?

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Again, the issue with this guy is not the abundance, not the barns. It's the exclusion of God. He's not submitted to God. He's not concerned about God. He's not seeking after God. The issue here is not retirement. It's not, hey, you should never take it easy and enjoy a good meal. You shouldn't relax. That's not the point. The point is, are you submitted to God? And are you submitted to God to the point that you would say, well...

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Here's this abundant provision that you've given, Lord. What do you want me to do with it? I have my ideas. I got my thoughts, Lord. But what do you want me to do with it? Do you want me to tear down my barns and build bigger barns? Is that what you want? Or do you want me to live off of what I have been living off of and do something else with the extra that you've provided? Lord, what do you want? This guy is not concerned with God.

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So he's just thinking about himself and what he thinks, he's convinced will make him happy. All right, if I could take it easy, eat and drink and be merry, oh, that's going to be the life. Then I'll be content. I would ask you to consider, do you plan for retirement more than you plan for eternity? Which one do you spend more time investing in? Which one are you more concerned about, retirement or eternity?

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Now that's not an excuse to not prepare for retirement. I'm just saying you also need to prepare for eternity. You need to be ready because again this life it doesn't consist of things. It's very short. Life is much more than what we experience here on earth. But this guy says hey you got many goods. You can relax for a long time. Eat and drink and be merry. He cares about his own pleasure. Fulfilling his own lusts and desires.

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I had a friend many years ago quote this verse to me as a reason why he could then go out and party and drink and live it up. He says, the Bible says, eat, drink, and be merry. I didn't have a good answer for him then. But so many times when we quote verses because we think it justifies our sinful actions, if we would just read the next verse, we'll have some better perspective. Verse 20, But God said to him, Fool!

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Hey, the Bible says, eat, drink, and be merry. And then it says in the next verse, you're a fool. God says, fool, this night your soul will be required of you. Then whose things will those be which you have provided? Who's going to have all those things that you've collected for yourself in these bigger barns? You're a fool, God says to this guy. Because this night your soul will be required of you. This guy's counting on the future. He's got plenty of goods.

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He says, okay, now I need plenty of space because I've got plenty of time. And God says, no, you're a fool. This night your soul is required of you. It's foolish to trust in possessions in our resources. You know why? Because we don't even possess our own souls. We don't even possess our own souls. God could say at any time, you're out of here. We don't have control over that. How could we think that we have control of these possessions that we've gathered to ourselves?

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We don't even possess our own souls. J. Vernon McGee puts it this way, if you live as though this life is all there is, and you live just for yourself, as though there is nothing beyond death, you are a fool. If you're just focused on this life, you're a fool. Because there's much more to life than what happens here. There is eternity still yet to come. So God says to this guy, fool, you're senseless.

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Because this night, your soul will be required of you. Whether you're employed or not, whether you have abundance or what you consider to be a lack, you need to be about your Father's business. You need to be focused on eternity because that's what really matters and that is what will last. Verse 21, Jesus makes the application. He says, "...so is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God."

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So Jesus says, here's the picture. This guy, he has abundant crop. He wants to build bigger barns to store all this crop so that he can live off of it and just have a nice, relaxing, eat, drink, and be merry kind of life. But Jesus says he's a fool. And so is anyone else who lays up treasure for themselves and is not rich towards God. Do you have a rich relationship with God? Again, that word rich, it's abundance. Do you have an abundant relationship with God?

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Is it overflowing? Is it deep? Is it rich? Is it meaningful? If you're more invested in this life than you are in Jesus, you're a fool. So how do we be rich towards God? Well, let me give you a couple scriptures. You can check them out later on. If you have a rich relationship with God, you won't mind doing that. How to be rich towards God? Well, the Lord spoke to the church in Revelation chapter 3, verse 17 and 18. He spoke to a church that, well, they said of themselves and to themselves...

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I am rich. I have become wealthy. And I have need of nothing. And God says, you do not know that you're wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. You're a fool. You don't realize how little you really have. And he goes on to say, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich. Come to me, Jesus says, to meet your needs. Come to me to satisfy you. Buy gold from me.

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How to be rich towards God? Come to Jesus. Look to Him. Look to Him to satisfy you. Look to Him to meet your needs, to provide for you. Look to Him. Walk with Him. Be steadfast in your relationship with Jesus. Another portion, 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 17 through 19. It's the continuation of what I was referring to earlier in Timothy.

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Paul tells Timothy, command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. And then notice what he says. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life. Paul tells Timothy, tell the rich people...

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And you say, well, I'm not rich. What's your standard? We need to evaluate these things. Give some perspective. Tell them not to trust in uncertain riches. They're not going to last. But instead, tell them to be rich towards God. How? Let them do good. Be rich in good works. Be abounding in good works. Be abounding in serving others. Be abounding in meeting the needs of others. Be abounding in

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Good works. Be ready to give. Be willing to share. And he says, look, you'll be storing up treasure in heaven. You'll be laying a foundation for your eternity. So be rich in good works. Give yourself to serve, to meet the needs of others. And then one last portion for you to consider. Luke chapter 12 verse 33. We'll get there in a couple weeks.

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Here a guy says to Jesus, I want to inherit the kingdom of God. And Jesus says, okay, sell what you have and give alms. Provide for yourself money bags which do not grow old. A treasure in the heavens that does not fail. Where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. This is not his command for everyone. But for this guy, sell everything you have. Give to the poor. Then you'll have treasure in heaven. You'll be rich towards God. Jesus says, if you lay up treasure for yourself...

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You're grasping hold of this life. You're looking for the things in this life to satisfy you. There's one more thing. Only then, if you had it, then you would be satisfied. Then you'd be fulfilled. Then you'd be content. Jesus says, look, you're a fool. You need to be rich towards God. Abounding in your relationship with Him. Does that describe you? Are you rich towards the Lord? The worship team is going to come up and prepare our hearts for communion.

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But I would ask as we prepare for communion that you would consider and take this issue of covetousness before the Lord. It's foolishness. Don't be foolish. Don't be foolish. Watch out for covetousness. Invite the Lord to show you if your heart is caught up in covetousness. Again, it's not a rich people problem or a poor people problem. It's an every person problem. We need to watch out for it. That wanting more.

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That desire for more because we lack in our relationship with God. If Jesus does not satisfy you, something is wrong. And as we partake of communion today, this is such a great reminder of that reality. Because what Jesus has accomplished for us and provided for us, well, it's an abundant wealth. It's abundant riches. It's far greater than we could ever deserve, than we could ever earn.

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And so as you partake of communion today, I would ask you to remember the cross. Remember the great value. So much so that Peter said, hey, remember, you were not redeemed with gold and silver, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. And what we partake of today is the reminder of how much God has done for us as Jesus died upon the cross to receive the penalty and the payment for your sin and for my sin.

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That we, by believing in Jesus and what He accomplished for us, could receive forgiveness from God, could be cleansed of all sin and iniquity, and have the hope of eternity with Him. It's the ultimate riches that we're reminded of today as we partake of communion. And so as you hold the elements today, I would ask you, let God speak to your heart. Is there covetousness there? And if there is, repent.

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And as you partake of communion today, let it be an act of repentance. An act saying, yes God, I long for other things. I want more. My heart is tied to the things of this world and I need to repent. I need to turn from that and I need to be filled with you. Who you are and what you've done for us. So they're going to lead us in worship. The ushers are going to pass out the bread and the cup.

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And I would invite you during the worship at any time, go ahead and partake as you do business with the Lord. As He deals with your heart regarding covetousness. As you look to Jesus and say, yes Lord, You satisfy me. You fill my needs. You meet me where I'm at. All I need is You. Go ahead and partake. Just between you and the Lord. At the end you'll have an opportunity to partake if you haven't. Let's worship the Lord.

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Let's hold these elements and remember what Christ has done for us, the incredible value of His grace poured out for us at the cross. Let's worship the Lord together. We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.