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Our Beliefs Drive our Actions

Why do you do what you do? What motivates you? What drives your desires and actions? 

  • Our Beliefs drive our actions.  And along with that, our ultimate allegiance drives our choices!
  • Even the most sanctified person will feel the tension here. For they know that they fall short all the time. They are challenged by their mixed motives, internal drives, and passions 
  • True and evident sanctification involves a daily routine of doing battle with remaining sin that dwells within along with pursuing obedience all the while knowing perfection in this life is impossible (sorry to be the bearer of bad news to you…but we are sure you already knew it).
  • Yet, we are to seek to Love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind (Luke 10:27 and Mt 22:36-40). This is, in part, evidenced by how you and I are to love our neighbor. 
  • Being a part of the Kingdom of Heaven means that we treat other people with compassion and kindness (remember…we are to love our neighbors as ourselves).

Let’s look at a parable that may help us see how this principle is worked out and figure out what it means to be rich toward God.

The Rich Fool

Luke 12:13–21 The Parable of the Rich Fool 

[13] Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” [14] But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” [15] And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” [16] And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, [17] and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ [18] And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. [19] And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ [20] But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ [21] So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (ESV)

Broader context of this passage deals with anxiety and contentment. This is Luke’s passage that he says, “do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat…For life is more than food…”

The main lesson we derive from the rich fool is that building your kingdom is a hopeless endeavor. True significance comes when we seek to build God’s kingdom. But continue reading below to learn what it means to be rich toward God.

 

What does it mean to be Rich Toward God?

While this passage gives us some clues, we must look to other passages in scripture to find the answer to this question. Let’s first consider what Luke 12 teaches us about what being rich toward God may mean.

  1. Be Generous – What is the opposite of covetousness (vs 15)? It is generosity (vs 21), being rich toward God.
  2. Live in Community – The rich fool was isolated from those around him. He did not see the need and hunger of others. He shut his ears to the cries of the poor.
  3. Do good – Points to the activities of the rich. I take this to mean that you should invest in your personal holiness and sanctification. Use wealth to allow you to do good for others.
  4. Be Rich in Good Works – Points to the inner character of the rich. They are to measure their wealth by how much good they can do with their money.  This is not primarily about writing checks. It’s about getting your hands dirty while serving the needs of others. Open your home (be hospitable), volunteer in ministry (yes even in the nursery), and look for ways to get involved in the lives of others.
  5. Be Generous and ready to share – Points to living with an open palm not a closed fist. We are not the ultimate owners of anything. We are only the temporary caretakers of our belongings. Rather than protecting what we have from loss as our chief aim, we are to seek to use what has been entrusted to us for the good of those around us.
    • Giving to the church is certainly a part of this. Supporting the general fund of the local church is central to the financial priorities of the believer.
    • Yet there are many additional ways to give beyond the tithe. Give to the deacons fund. Help a neighbor in need. Yes, even give to the homeless (using wisdom and gospel intentionality).

“The richer any man is, the more abundant are his means of doing good to others” John Calvin.

Examples of being Rich Toward God

 

Good Samaritan

The Parable of the Good Samaritan – 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii[a] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

  • The Rich Fool had blinders on, only looking out for himself.
  • The Good Samaritan was a busy guy who stopped to help his enemy.

Other examples include:

  • Joseph (Barnabas) sold a field and gave the money to Peter (Act 4:36-37). Not Ananias and Sapphira.
  • Church in Macedonia (abundance of joy and extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity II Cor 8:1-5) 
  • Mary (John 12:1-8) poured expensive oil on Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.

 

Stewardship Application

How do you apply “rich toward God” today?

  1. Build Community – engage in community in your church and neighborhood. Open you home to others. Be hospitable. Share meals with those around you.
  2. Open your eyes to the needs of those around you. See the needs. Don’t be like the rich fool who had blinders on, and never looked out for others. 
  3. Be ready to share! (1 Tim 6:18) Live with an open palm, not a closed fist. Be ready to share at a moment’s notice. You’re already doing the work to be ready for the opportunity.
  4. Create Kingdom Minded business.
  5. Tithes and offerings.
  6. Have an eternal perspective

 

Next Steps

 

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