The Passing On Of Your Possessions

Thank you. We're going to turn in the

Scriptures. And as you're turning to the

Scriptures, I remember one time in the Whitfield College of the

Bible and the Whitfield College of the Bible was at Lawrence

Town. I'm not sure what was happening.

There was some sort of choir being formed and one of the

ladies who was involved looking after the choir at that time.

And she was going down the line and she was listening to each

one of us singing. And of course the Reverend Goods

was beside me and she stopped at him and she was doing this and

she come to me and she just said, oh, you can't make a silk

purse out of a souge log. And went on.

Amen. It was great to make a joyful

noise unto the Lord. I'd love to be able to sing.

I've told you before, if I could sing and play a musical

instrument like the Reverend McRae or the Reverend

Greenfield, oh, well, the Lord knows, right?

We're going to read from Luke chapter 12, Luke chapter 12, and

Luke 12 · chapter mention Luke 12 · chapter mention

we're going to read the first 21 verses of Luke chapter 12.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

It's good to hear the rustling of the paper.

It's important that we have the book of God and you carry it

with you. It's a testimony.

It's important that we turn to the Scriptures.

Many churches have stopped us reading from the Bible and the

Bible tells us give attention to reading.

Blessed to see that readeth the words of the prophecy of this

book. Well, we'll try to be faithful.

Luke chapter 12 for those online the words that come up on the

Luke 12 · chapter mention

screen will read from verse one. Let's hear the word of God.

In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable

multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon

another, He began to say unto his disciples, First of all,

beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed,

neither head that shall not be known.

Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be

heard in the light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear

and closet shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

But I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill

the body, and after that have known more than they can do.

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear.

Fear Him, which after he have killed, hath power to cast into

hell. Yeah, I say unto you, fear him.

Are not 5 sparrows soul for two farthings, and are not one of

them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your

head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, are you not

more valued than many sparrows? Also I say unto you, Whosoever

shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also

confess before the Angel of God. But he that denieth me before

men shall be denied before the Angel of God.

And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, that

shall be forgiven him. But unto him that blasphemeth

against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.

And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto the

magistrates and powers, take ye no thought how, or what thing

you shall answer, or what you shall say.

For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you

ought to say. And one of the companies said

unto him, Masters, speak to my brother, that he divide the

inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who

made me a judge or a divider over you?

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of

covetousness, For a man's life consisted not in the abundance

of the things which he possesses.

And he speak 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,

thou has much goods laid up for many years, take thy knees, eat,

drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thy full

this night thy soul shall be required of thee.

Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich

toward God. A member know the Lord will

bless to us this reading of His own precious and infallible

word. Now my text tonight is taken

from Luke chapter 12 and in verse 20 and 21.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

But God said unto him, Thy full this night thy soul shall be

required of thee. Then who shall those things be

which thou has provided? So was he that layeth up

treasure for himself, and is not rich to word God.

And I want us to thank this evening of the subject, the

passing on of your possessions. Look, chapter 12 verses 1 to 21

is a very important chapter containing some of the most

important topics that came from the lips of the Lord Jesus.

Now think of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He's preaching a vast multitude of gathered to hear Christ

speak. His disciples are listening

closely, they're straining their ear intently.

And in these verses the Lord Jesus first of all warns of the

sin of religious hypocrisy. He says in Luke chapter 12 and

Luke 12 · chapter mention

verse one, beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which

is hypocrisy. And you see sadly in this world,

as there was in the world when Christ lived to this day, men

and women professed to be spiritual, professed to be

religious, professed to be holy men of God.

And yet the reality is they're only pretending.

It's just again, and their pretence is really polluted

because they're not born again. They don't truly love and know

the Lord Jesus Christ. Their hearts and lives have

never been changed and transformed.

They still have hearts that loves sin.

In these verses, the Lord Jesus also emphasised the sovereignty

of God. He taught that God is all wise

and all powerful and all knowing, and that God cannot be

deceived or taken in because God sees and knows all things.

He is God over all. Listen to verse 2.

For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed,

neither head that shall not be known.

Do you know that even the very hairs of your head, they're all

numbered? Do you know that He says, are

not 5 sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them

was forgotten before God, even when they fall to the ground?

And then he went on to teach his disciples to truly fear God

rather than men, and to confess Him as God boldly before men.

Here he warns against the blaspheming of the Holy Ghost

and the denial of Him before others.

Now as this crowd listens intentionally and gives rapt

attention, thinking this, never man speak like this man.

There was a man from the crowd interrupted him.

Look at verse 13. And one of the companies said

unto him, Masters, speak unto my brother, that he divide the

inheritance with me. Now think of this.

A man from the crowd interrupts him as he's preaching, and he

interrupts him with a request about dividing his inheritance

with his brother. And Christ of course, rightly

refuses to be judged in such a civil matter.

Now here was a man, he's listening to Christ's preaching

about religious hypocrisy, about proclaiming him before men,

about fearing God and being aware of covetousness.

And this man is concerned about money.

He's not really listening to Christ.

This man's mind is on other things.

And in that context, to deal with the sin of covetousness,

Christ utters to the crowd this parable of the rich fool.

Now, there's a deeper spiritual truth in this parable of the

rich fool. And it's not about his wealth,

but it's about this individual who was living for this world

while neglecting his own soul. Because you see, the rich fool

believed his prosperity guaranteed his security and his

well-being. And yet despite all the

possessions that he had, the stuff that he'd accumulated over

the years, this rich fool had forgotten God, forgotten the

salvation of his soul, and forgotten the great eternity.

And in that context, we come to verse 20 and verse 21.

And the Lord Jesus here in these words pronounces His judgement

upon this man who stored up riches for himself, but was not

rich toward God. And in these words, the Lord

Jesus teaches us that earthly riches can't save us.

He teaches us that life is short and uncertain, and that true

wisdom is only found in being rich toward God.

Listen to verse 21 again. So was he that left up treasure

for himself and is not rich toward God.

Four things this evening very quickly. 1 The prospectus that

deceived him. If you look at the text, it says

here then who shall those things be?

Think about the words, those things.

We could even add the words in verse 21.

Layeth up treasure for himself. You see, every generation

labours to accumulate things. This man was no exception.

I believe he was an honest man. I believe he was a hard working

farmer. Probably from dawn to dusk he

was busy labouring. He was not lazy, He was not

slothful. He didn't gain his wealth by

theft or deceit. This man had property.

He had barns. This man was a successful

farmer, and yet one unavoidable truth stands over this man's

life, and it was this. His prospectus deceived him.

He forgot that one day death would come and take him away and

death would separate him from everything that he owned.

This wealthy farmers grown brought forth plenty.

His problem was not really the prosperity.

It was his prospectus. He prepared for everyday.

He prepared for things, things to do with the farm.

But not for eternity is he. Solomon centuries earlier

wrestled with the same reality. Listen to these words from King

Solomon in Ecclesiastes chapter 2, we read in verse 18.

Ecclesiastes 2 · chapter mention

Yeah, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun.

Why? Because I should leave it unto

the man that shall be after me, and who knoweth whether he shall

be a wise man or a fool, Yet shall he have rule over all my

labour, wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have showed myself

wise unto the sun. This is also vanity.

See, Solomon wrestled with this. A man works all his life, he

works hard. He, he builds a successful

business. He, he, he builds an empire, he

builds a a thriving business, only to leave it to someone

else. And whenever he's dead and gone,

he doesn't know if he's going to be a wise man that will carry it

on, or he'll be a foolish man who will squander it.

The dead man cannot control what happens to most of his stuff

after he is gone. The Lord Jesus asked the

question, then, who shall those things be?

This man's ground blocked forth plentiful, His land prospered,

his plans expanded, his barns multiplied, but there's no

mention of God. There's no mention of gratitude

to God. But when you read the story, if

you look at it, it's it says here verse 17.

Then he thought within himself saying, what shall I do because

I have no room for 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, you see the whole thing is

about I and my This man had completely forgotten God.

The green in his barn, the green in his hand didn't even remind

him of God. Deuteronomy 18 says, But thy

shall remember the Lord thy God, for he is he that giveth the

power to get wealth. And this man had forgot the true

source of all his blessings, physically, mentally, materially

and spiritually. You think of a man, his heart

and mind, he's got this prospectus to possess.

Stuff starts out with a small house.

His business expands, largest deed, bigger bank account.

He goes on holidays. He loves his wife and he loves

his family, His good to his workers, his good to his

friends. And yet all the way, this

individual remains dead to God. He's blind to God's salvation.

He has no affection for God or the things of God.

His expansion is outward, but that doesn't equal growth

inward. And you know, thousands and 10s

of thousands in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom

are deceived because they've got the wrong prospectus.

They've been deceived by their prosperity, the things that they

have, the love for their stuff. It's not the same as love for

the Saviour. The prospectus is all wrong.

The prospectus is deceived. Notice secondly, the priority

that destroyed him. We'll ask the question to this

rich, wealthy farmer. What's your chief and main

priority in life here? Was his purely focused on the

temple? The Bible talks about a certain

man. I believe he was a real life

character. He talked about my fruits, my

barns, all my friends, my goods. Say to my soul, Thou hast much

good. He was obsessed with his goods.

He was obsessed with the making of money.

Nothing else mattered when he he talked and and spoke to himself.

Well, he mentioned the ground. There was no mention of God.

He mentioned his barns, but there's no mention of the

blessing of God. He mentioned his fruits, but

there's no mention of the Heavenly Father.

He mentioned much goods, but nothing of the grace of God,

nothing of the goodness of God, nothing of the gospel, nothing

of gratitude to God. Notice verse 17.

And he thought within himself saying, what was he thinking

about? He was thinking about time.

He was thinking about temporal things.

He was thinking about trinkets that don't really matter.

See, this man lived a life without reference to God.

He was purely focused on the temple.

His plans were for here and now, not the hereafter.

And of course the Bible tells us in Matthew chapter 6 and verse

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of

God and His righteousness, and all these other things shall be

added unto you. It was Mark that told us there

in Mark chapter 8 and in the verse 36.

Mark 8 · chapter mention

For what shall a profit a man if he shall gain the whole world

and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in

exchange for his soul? See this man, when he talked to

himself, he, he, he, he, he addressed his soul.

I will say to my soul, verse 19, this man knew he had his soul,

but it didn't bother him. He wasn't really concerned about

his soul. One of the greatest priorities

in life is soul. Salvation is to be in a right

relationship with God. What is man's TV and man's TV

and is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

We live in a day of atheism, a day of godless materialism, a

day when many fools have emerged.

Here's one of them, the rich fool.

And how many rich fools they are in Northern Ireland, trusting in

their wealth, trusting in their riches, but not in the Redeemer.

What about the fried fool? There's a man called Nabal.

He was a proud man. Horrors and refused kindness.

We could talk about the atheistic fool, Psalm 14 verse

one the full of said in his heart there is no God.

What about the heedless fool, the man who built his house upon

the sand? He had heard the word of God but

refused to obey it. And someone has said knowledge

without true obedience leads to ruin.

There was a day when this fool wanted it all, all the temporal

blessings that life could bring his path.

But all the while there was no reference to God, his soul,

salvation, heaven and hell, or even the day of judgement to

come. Remember what we read in John

John 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 and in the verse 18. The Lord Jesus, in speaking to

Nicodemus in the house in that particular evening, said in John

3 and 18. He that believeth on him as not

condemned, but he that believeth not as condemned and ready,

because he had not believed in the name of the only begotten

Son of God. He that believeth on the Son

hath everlasting life, neither believeth not.

The Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth in him.

This fool had his priorities all mixed up.

This man lived and died obsessed with things of time and sense.

He lived. He died as a fool.

In fact, the Lord Jesus said, but God said unto him, Thy fool,

this was a foolish farmer. We can ask him, Who or what were

you living for? He was just living for temporal

things. Could I ask you that tonight?

Who or what are you living for? Are you living for the pleasures

of sin? How many are living for a life

of drunkenness, getting blocked at the weekend, different times,

not even remembering what happened the night before in the

new day? What about those who are begin

to drug addiction and how did it start?

Started with taking one or two E tablets or something else?

What about those that are addicted to clubbing?

Addicted to sport? See, all of these individuals

and we could name many other things, their priorities are all

wrong. They're all mixed up.

Why? Because they've forgotten the

most important thing. They've forgotten that the most

important thing is not temporal, but truth.

Jesus said I'm the way, the truth, the life.

No man comes unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus said, sanctify them through thy word.

Thy word is truth. And those who are focused on

temporal things have a disregard for the truth as it's

personified in Christ and the truth of the word of God.

I'll tell you something else very quickly.

The presumption that disclosed him.

If you look at our text, it says in verse 19 and I will say to my

soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years.

Take thy knees, eat, drink and be merry.

Notice these words. Years, many years.

He presumed he had many years left.

He presumed that his goods guaranteed his security.

He presumed that he had comfort. And there's comfort equals

certainty. And here in verse 19 he utters a

single statement that was really one of the biggest mistakes in

his life. He displayed an ungodly

characteristic of his life because there was a presumption

that disclosed him. He displayed an ungodly

confidence in his life. He talked about many years, yet

the Bible says, Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for no man

knoweth what a day may bring forth sufficient unto the day.

Jesus said, as the evil thereof many years.

See, the man had no thought of dying and going to live on.

Death is a far off event. It's in the distance.

I'm not going to die yet. This man was pursuing on time.

That was not his. Remember what the Psalmist said

in Psalm 90 and in verse 12 it says so teach us to number our

days that we apply our hearts unto wisdom.

You see the days of our years are three score years and 10 and

if by reason of strength there be 4 score years, yet as their

strength, labour and sorrow for it has soon cut off and we fly

away years many he talked about not months, not weeks, not days,

not minutes, not seconds. He was presuming on time that he

was never going to have. James 4 and 14 says what is your

life? There's even a vapour that

appears for a little time and then vanish away.

You see your life and mine is not guaranteed.

Ownership of our lives is not in our hands.

Our life is in the hands of Almighty God.

He's the God who gets his breath to breathe every day.

And this man planned for many years, years that he did not

possess. We've learned this morning, Job

said, my life is swifter than a weaver's shuttle.

I told you the shuttle moves very quickly.

And you see, you can't bank on tomorrow.

You can't bank in more time. The Bible says, behold, now is

the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation.

You see, to bank on tomorrow, to say I've got many years left,

even as a young person, it's a sign of a fool.

Remember those in James talked about going into the city,

staying there for a year, buying and selling things.

Their plans were made and yet they forgot the most important

thing. It's all subject to God's will.

God is sovereign because God is the God in whose hand their

breath is. I'll tell you one final thing,

the pronouncement that damned look at verse 20.

But God said unto him, Thy fool this night thy soul shall be

required of thee. See, God interrupted his plans.

Death came unexpected, come unannounced.

The cold hand of death just laid its hand upon the man.

Thy fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee.

Notice death came suddenly, but notice his soul was required,

not as silver. The issue wasn't not that he had

barns to build bigger. The issue wasn't that he didn't

make preparation, for he did, but he only prepared for this

life. He prepared for his ease.

He prepared for eating and drinking and being merry, but

not for eternity. All that he did was just for

this life, not for eternity. Plans for the future, yes, but

not plan for the most important plan to meet God in eternity.

The Bible says prepare to meet thy God.

Remember, one day we'll stand before Gods.

Then everyone of us will give an account of himself to God.

Prepare for life after death. Prepare for the judgement to

come. If this man had been a wise

farmer, if he had been really prudent, the goods that he had

would have reminded him of God, and he would have thanked God

for God's goodness, and he would offer gratitude to God.

And that would have brought him to the realisation that the most

important preparation that he could make was for eternity.

But this man was not wise. He's called a fool thy fool.

Why? Because he was poor towards God.

He was not rich toward God. It's not what Jesus said.

So was he that left up treasure for himself?

That's exactly what this man did and is not rich toward God.

You know, often times when people have died and the

funerals taking place, people usually ask somewhere either at

the wake or towards the funeral as it makes its way to the

cemetery, how much did he leave? People of real interest in that?

Well, here's the answer. He or she, whoever they are,

young or old, they left it all. They don't ask was he ready?

They don't ask was he saved? They don't ask did he leave

behind a testimony? But they do ask how much did he

leave? And here's the answer.

He left it all. You see, from when we die, we

carry nothing away. And I just want to throw this in

here, You know, it used to be whenever people died from

within, we'd say the Protestant community, there was no such

thing as putting bottles of whiskey into the coffin or a

favourite teddy bear or some stuff for the afterlife.

Why do that? Because remember this, all

accumulation of stuff stops at the grave.

Christ is asking, who shall these things be?

Is that not a humbling question? Is that not an honest question?

Is that not a haunting question? Solomon felt the weight of it.

So did David over there in Psalm 49, in the verse at 16 and 17.

Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his

house is increased. For when he dieth, he shall

carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend

after him. You can't take it with you.

You can't control your stuff after you're dead.

You can't guarantee its outcome, neither the factory nor the

farm. What will happen to it or what

will be inherited? It'll be sold off, it'll be

divided, stuff will be given away, stuff will be disregarded,

taken to the rubbish dump and stuff will be left and

forgotten. Remember what Paul told Timothy

at Ephesus? He says first Timothy 6:00 and

7:00 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain

that we can carry nothing out. As we close tonight, I want you

to think of the true wealth that matters.

Think of these words rich toward God.

Think of the true wealth that matters, the heavenly treasure

that's eternal and secure and testimonial and unaffected by

death. And how can you be rich toward

God? Let me suggest, as we finish,

prepare to meet God by trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and

Saviour, by trusting him as the true Messiah, trusting him as

the mediator of the New Covenant.

For there's one God and one mediator between God and men,

the man Christ Jesus. Come and recognise your sin.

Repent of that. Repudiate and receive Christ.

Rejoice in soul salvation. Testify that you're saved by the

grace of God alone. That's found in Christ alone.

That's the first step, to be rich toward God.

And then the second step is prioritise all that's truly

spiritual. As you grow in grace and the

knowledge of Christ, aim to have a knowledge of Christ.

Pray about that. Lord, give me a greater and a

better knowledge of thyself. Read this word of God.

Have an appetite for the Scriptures.

Seek to serve God in whatever capacity you can in your own

church and other missionary organisations.

Attend the House of God on the day of God.

Offer praise to God. Be truly thankful.

Join with God's people. I believe in corporate worship

for seeking, not the assembling of yourself together as the

manner of some is. And another way is to plan to

measure success by its eternal impact.

Have this assessment that whatever you do in life's

journey, you do it unto God. You do it for His glory.

If man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, then

you want to be able to stand before God and you want to hear

those words. Well done, good and faithful

servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord and any success that

we enjoy in this life we measured against its eternal

impact, that it's for the glory of God.

It honours the Lord's name. It sees the implementation of

his wealth, it advances his Kingdom.

That's the way I believe to be rich toward God.

Whose shall those things be? Here was a fool, the prospectus

that deceived him, the priority that destroyed him, the

presumption that disclosed him, and the pronouncement that

damned him. But God said, thy fool this

night shall thy soul be required of thee.

Don't be a fool, be a true friend by knowing Christ as Lord

and Saviour. May the Lord bless this gospel

message to our heart. We're going to sing.