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Sunday, October 05, 2008



One of the preacherly sins I see is taking a small and mildly obscure passage and bloviating it into a forty-five minute endurance run.

Luke 12:16-21, "And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have provided? So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

The above story (when Jesus said "a certain...", He was referring to a person known to the hearer. This is not a parable.) is short and to the point. Jesus did not wave his arms and sonorously intone "O, what a doofus!". He said what He had to say and got on with it. I heard a Radio Preacher wallow in these verses for half-an-hour this morning I really think that most preachers miss the main point.

I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater...


Why did he not just build an annex? Why not another storage bin? NO, his plan was to pull down his existing storage and build bigger. What was to become of his currently stored stuff?

I believe that this story teaches a visceral truth.

Stupidity is a major sin, and its cost is dire.

Here endeth the lesson.



(Money Bin image copyright Disney)

4 comments:

Cunning Dove said...

Why did he not just build an annex? Why not another storage bin? NO, his plan was to pull down his existing storage and build bigger. What was to become of his currently stored stuff?

Why did he not ask God for guidance as to what he should do with the extra? Don't hear me saying that he should not engage his brain... but if you have extra, maybe ask God if He has given to you for a purpose. Like Joseph in Genesis, "there are going to be 7 plentiful years followed by 7 lean years."

Just thinking...

The Aardvark said...

Yeah. I think that is certainly a major part of his problem. Truth be told, he didn't HAVE to ask God or feel the brush of angel's wings, as 'twere.

God had already spoken clearly in the Law and the prophets as to the direction one shoiuld use goods. James echoes it when he says "pure and undefiled religion is helping the widows and orphans".

This is not to discount the Holy Spirit's "nudge" toward this one or that one, but rather to point out that numbers of folk stand around with their thumb in their ASV waiting for "guidance" when we just have to read, then open our eyes to the opportunities God parades before us in the people we meet, and the situations in which we find ourselves.

Thanks for thoughts. The majority of humankind go toward the abyss with zero thought of God, let alone wondering what use of their goods would be most pleasing to Him.

Cunning Dove said...

I have always wondered if this guy had already given his "tithe" and was still lookin' at a bounty of crop. After all, if he had already given of his first fruits - I am uncomfortable trying to say he should give more that what God says should be given.

However, since Jesus did not say that he had done thus, I have always assumed that he did not give of the first fruits & was more or less hoarding and relying on his own ability to plan etc.

But, in all fairness - "the Bible does not say" so either could be true. I just tend to lean toward the belief that he did not offer the first fruits and was "relying on his own understanding."

Good thought provoking posts. Thanks man.

Gamegod said...

"Stupidity is a major sin, and its cost is dire."

Now THAT is something I could spend 45+ minutes on.

Such as Christians having the nerve to be surprised at the movie "Religulous".

hmm think I got a post of my own to write. Thanks for the insight.