Read Luke 12:1-12 to understand the context of what Jesus was teaching before he was interrupted by the rich man. What is the political and spiritual climate that Jesus describes here? How does that help us to better understand the parable in Luke 12:13-21?
What did the rich fool do when he had a surplus of crops from his harvest? Take a moment and imagine another path he could have taken, another answer to the question in vs 17: “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.”—What could he have done with his extra wealth?
The man’s decision to hoard his wealth raised his economic and social standing but had detrimental consequences to the peasants and tenants in the village. Why did this man think only of himself, not of others? What are the forces in this world that cause us to be self-focused in our pursuit of wealth and power, thinking only about “me” and “what’s mine”?
Pastor Mathew titled this passage, “Building Stairs to Nowhere.” What does it mean to build stairs to nowhere? What are the things we are building (the things we focus on to find security) that distract us from God?
What does it mean to “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed…” (vs. 15) and to be …“rich toward God” (vs. 21)? How do we become rich toward God (hint: check out verses 22-34!)? What does this look like in today’s world?
Mathew P. John