Welcome to Day 2954 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Day 2954– “Marching Orders for True Disciples” – Luke 12:13-34

Putnam Church Message – 09/13/2026

The Good News According to Luke: “The Testimony of a Fool”

 

Last week, our message was “Marching Orders For True Disciples,” and we learned to Live truthfully.  Fear God reverently.  Confess Christ boldly.  Trust the Spirit completely.

Today, we continue with our thirty-eighth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “The Testimony of a Fool.” Our core passage today is Luke 12:13-34, starting on page 1617 of your pew Bibles.

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 Jesus replied, “Friend, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Opening Prayer

Father, thank You for every good gift You have placed in our hands. Forgive us when we confuse Your gifts with our security, when we measure life by what we own, or when worry convinces us that everything depends on us.

Lord Jesus, teach us today to live with eternity in view. Free us from greed, fear, worry, and selfishness. Teach us to seek Your Kingdom first, to hold possessions loosely, and to treasure what cannot be taken away.

Holy Spirit, open our hearts to Your Word and give us wisdom to live as faithful stewards of everything You have entrusted to us.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Introduction: What Matters at the End?

Several years ago, Senator Paul Tsongas faced a life-changing diagnosis. / After years in public office, he learned that he had cancer. He chose to leave political life and focus on his health and family.

A friend wrote him a letter affirming that decision and included a line that has been repeated many times since:

“No man ever said on his deathbed, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office.’”

There is something about coming face-to-face with mortality that rearranges priorities.

Suddenly, some things that seemed urgent are not quite so urgent.

The meeting can wait.

The possession is less impressive.

The argument seems smaller.

The people we love become more precious.

Time becomes more valuable.

Eternity becomes more real.

Jesus wanted His disciples to learn that perspective before they reached their deathbeds. / He wanted them to understand that life is too important to waste chasing things that cannot last.

Last week, in “Marching Orders for True Disciples,” Jesus told His followers not to fear people, not to live hypocritically, |but to confess Him openly, and to trust the Holy Spirit.

Today He turns to another set of enemies that can quietly derail discipleship: Greed. / Worry. / Fear. / Selfishness.

And all four revolve around one question: Where is your treasure?

The title of our message is: “Testimony of a Fool.”

And the central truth is this: A person can be rich in possessions and bankrupt toward God—or rich toward God regardless of how much or how little they own.  So, let’s explore four truths today that will help us understand why being rich toward God is so important; you can find them on your bulletin insert on the side, under “The Testimony of a Fool.”

Truth 1: Life Does Not Consist in What We Possess

Luke 12:13–15 The scene begins with a man in the crowd saying: “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

On the surface, that sounds reasonable. / In first-century Jewish society, inheritance law was clearly defined. Deuteronomy 21 said the firstborn son received a double portion, while the remainder was divided among the other sons.

Just like lawyers today, Rabbis were often asked to arbitrate disputes. / So this man apparently sees Jesus as a respected teacher who can settle the matter.

But Jesus hears something deeper. / He refuses to become merely an estate lawyer and says: “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?”

Then Jesus turns to the crowd and says: “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” / That is the real issue.

Greed Is Hard to Recognize in Ourselves

Most sins are easier to identify.

We know what lying looks like.

We know what stealing looks like.

We know what adultery looks like.

But greed is sneaky.

Nobody wakes up and says:

“I think I’ll be greedy today.”

Greed usually sounds more respectable.

“I just want a little security.”

“I deserve what is mine.”

“If I had a little more, I could relax.”

“I’m not asking for too much.”

And, conveniently, we usually define greed as having more than what we have. / If someone has twice our income, maybe they are greedy. / If someone owns more property, maybe they are greedy.

But Jesus does not define greed by a dollar amount. / He defines it by priority. / A person can have little and still be consumed by possessions. / A person can have much and still hold wealth with open hands.

The question is: What role does money play in your heart?

Object Lesson: A Full Wallet and an Empty Heart

Hold up a wallet or purse.

Ask: “By looking at this wallet, can you tell whether someone is rich?”

If you looked in it, you could tell how much money they are carrying.

But it cannot tell me whether they are rich toward God.

A wallet can be full while a soul is empty.

And a wallet can be thin while a soul is overflowing with faith,>generosity,> gratitude, > and love.

Story: Dying to Be Rich

An old story tells of sailors who discovered an island filled with gold.

At first, they divided responsibilities. Some searched for gold. Others planted crops. Others cooked. Others maintained the ship. But as they found more gold, more workers abandoned food production and maintenance to dig. Eventually, everyone wanted gold. They even dismantled parts of the ship to support deeper mineshafts. Years later, another group supposedly arrived and found skeletons lying beside piles of treasure. They had everything they wanted. Except what they actually needed.

That is Jesus’ warning. There is nothing wrong with possessions. But possessions make terrible gods.

The first lesson is this: Do not confuse having more with living more. Life is found in God, not in accumulation.

Truth 2: The Rich Fool Planned for Everything Except Eternity

Luke 12:16–21 Jesus then tells a story about a very successful farmer. His land produces abundantly. Notice that Jesus does not condemn the harvest. The man is productive. His business succeeds. His crops flourish. He has what every farmer wants: A storage problem caused by abundance.

He says: “What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.”

Then he answers himself: “I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.”

So far, nothing is necessarily wrong. / Planning is not sinful. / Saving is not sinful. / Expanding a business is not sinful. / Preparing for retirement is not sinful.

The problem comes next. The man says to himself: “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”

And then come two terrifying words: “But God| said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?”

Why Does God Call Him a Fool?

In Scripture, a fool is not necessarily unintelligent. / This man appears intelligent. / He is successful. / Strategic. / Productive. / Organized.

But he is spiritually mindless. / He planned for crops. / He planned for barns. / He planned for growth. / He planned for retirement. / He planned for pleasure. / But he did not plan for death. / He understood agriculture. / He did not understand life.

Notice the Pronouns

The man’s speech is full of: “I.” / “My.” / “My crops.” / “My barns.” / “My goods.” / “Myself.”

What is missing: God. / Gratitude. / Neighbor. / Generosity. / Stewardship. / Eternity.

He looked across fertile fields and never asked:

“Who sent the rain?”

“Who gave the soil?”

“Who gave me health to work?”

Instead of asking “Who might need some of this abundance?”

“How can this serve God’s Kingdom?”

Ancient Israelite Perspective

Israel’s Law repeatedly taught that harvest blessings carried responsibility. / Farmers were not to reap the edges of their fields completely. / Some produce was to remain for the poor and the foreigner. / Deuteronomy taught generosity toward the needy. / The prophets condemned people who accumulated wealth while ignoring suffering.

The rich farmer sees surplus and thinks: bigger barns.

Kingdom thinking asks: bigger generosity.

Object Lesson: A Storage Box

Hold up a storage box.

Say: “There are two questions we can ask when this becomes full.”

Question one: “Where can I get a bigger box?”

Question two: “Who could benefit from what I have?”

Neither question is automatically wrong.

But Jesus wants us to ask the second one more often.

Modern Illustration

Suppose a business owner has an extraordinary year. / Profits increase dramatically. | There are many reasonable choices. / Expand the company. / Pay down debt. / Increase savings. / Prepare for retirement. / All can be wise.

But Kingdom wisdom asks another question: “How can God use this blessing beyond me?”

Maybe help an employee. / Support missions. / Assist a struggling family. / Fund ministry. / Give generously. / Create opportunities for others.

Jesus says: “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up earthly wealth but does not have a rich relationship with God.”

The second lesson is this: The fool’s mistake was not possessing wealth; it was possessing wealth without an eternal purpose.

Truth 3: Kingdom People Replace Worry With Trust

Luke 12:22–32 Jesus now turns specifically to His disciples.

Perhaps they are thinking: “Jesus, if we do not spend our lives securing more and more, who will take care of us?”

Jesus answers: “Do not worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear.”

Notice He does not say: “Do not work.”

Scripture teaches diligence. / Paul later says in 1 Thessalonians 3:10  Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “ Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” / Jesus is attacking worry, not responsibility.

Consider the Ravens

Jesus points toward the birds. / Ravens do not plant crops. / They do not build barns. / They do not maintain retirement accounts. / Yet God feeds them.

And Jesus says: “You are far more valuable to Him than any birds!”

This echoes last week’s reference to sparrows.

Jesus keeps reminding His disciples:

Your Father sees you.

Your Father knows you.

Your Father values you.

Worry Cannot Add Anything

Jesus asks: “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

No! / In fact, worry often subtracts from life. / Worry spends tomorrow’s trouble today. / It borrows pain from possibilities that may never occur. / It creates conversations that never happen and disasters that never come.

Consider the Lilies Then Jesus points to wildflowers.

“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 

Solomon is important here. / He possessed enormous wealth.

1 Kings describes gold, palaces, servants, trade, horses, and incredible abundance. / Yet Ecclesiastes records the voice of someone (Solomon) who discovered that earthly accumulation cannot satisfy the soul.

“Everything is meaningless,” he says when life is pursued apart from God.

Jesus points to a flower and says: “Your Father dresses this.”

Then He turns to His disciples: “And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you.”

Object Lesson: Flower and Coin

Hold up a flower in one hand and a coin in the other: Which one do people usually associate with security? The coin.

But Jesus tells us to look at the flower. The flower says: “I am here because God provides.”

Jesus does not command irresponsibility. / God does command trust.

“Little Flock”

Then comes one of the tenderest phrases in the passage. “So don’t be afraid, little flock.” / He does not call them mighty warriors. / He calls them sheep.

Sheep are dependent creatures.

They need guidance.

A shepherd.

And Jesus says: “It gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”

What an astonishing promise.

They are worrying about food. / God says: “I am giving you a Kingdom.”

They are worried about clothes. / God says: “You are My children.”

They worry about tomorrow. / God says: “Your eternal future is already in My hands.”

The third lesson is this: Trust grows when we remember that our Provider is not an impersonal economy but a loving Father.

Truth 4: Your Heart Follows Your Treasure

Luke 12:31–34 Then Jesus gives the positive command: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

That brings everything into focus. Jesus is not saying: “Stop caring about everything.” He is saying: “Care most about the right thing.”

When the Kingdom comes first, / money becomes a tool rather than a master.

Possessions become resources to be shared / rather than identity.

Work becomes stewardship / rather than worship.

Retirement becomes a season / rather than salvation.

 

Sell and Give

Jesus tells His disciples to sell possessions and give to those in need. / This is intentionally strong language. / It does not mean every Christian must own nothing. It is how we view ownership. At best, we are temporary stewards of what God has allowed us to possess.

The New Testament includes believers with homes, resources, businesses, and property. / But Jesus destroys the idea that possessions are untouchable.

For a disciple, everything is available to the King.

If God gives much, we ask: “How much can I give?”

Not merely: “How much can I keep?”

Treasure in Heaven

Jesus describes heavenly treasure that never wears out.

No thief can steal it.

No moth can destroy it.

No market crash can erase it.

No recession can reduce it.

No death can take it away.

Then He gives the great principle: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

Notice the order. We often say: “I will put my money where my heart is.”

Jesus also teaches the reverse: Your heart tends to move toward where you put your treasure.

Give toward God’s Kingdom, / and your heart becomes more invested in it.

Give toward missions, / and missions become more important.

Give toward people in need, / and compassion grows.

Use your resources only on yourself, / and self becomes increasingly central.

Object Lesson: Two Treasure Boxes

Place two small boxes in front of the congregation.

Label one: EARTH / The other: KINGDOM

Ask: “If I could see a record of where my time, money, energy, attention, and affection went this year, which box would be fuller?”

That question gets uncomfortable quickly. / Because treasure includes more than money.

Your calendar reveals treasure.

Your attention reveals treasure.

Your spending reveals treasure.

Your worries reveal treasure.

Your dreams reveal treasure.

Related Scripture

Matthew 6 says: “Store your treasures in heaven.”

Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:18: Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.

2 Corinthians 9:7:  You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

Why? Because generous giving reflects the heart of the God who gave everything for us. The fourth lesson is this: Do not merely ask how much treasure you possess; ask where your treasure is pointing your heart.

Application and Takeaways: Living With the “Curse” of Material Blessing

Material blessing is a wonderful gift. But every gift can become dangerous when it replaces the Giver. So how should disciples live? Let’s learn the five takeaways this this lesson.

When You Are Blessed With Much, Give Generously

If God gives more, one Kingdom response is: Give more. That does not mean you cannot enjoy what God provides. / 1 Timothy says God richly gives us everything for our enjoyment. / But enjoyment and generosity are not enemies.

A couple receives an unexpected financial blessing. / They have wanted new furniture. / They also know a missionary family has a need.

What do they do? They buy somewhat less-expensive furniture for themselves and help the missionary too.

That is not deprivation.  That is stewardship. Enjoy the blessing. Share the blessing.

When You Plan for the Future, Think Terminally

George Bernard Shaw is often credited with saying something like: “The statistics on death are quite impressive. One out of one dies.”

Whether humorous or sobering, the point is undeniable. Everybody leaves everything.  The house. The savings.  The business. The collection. The furniture. The tools. / The property. / Everything. / So, plan with the end in mind.

Ask: “What happens to these things when I am gone?” “What spiritual legacy am I leaving?” “Will my children inherit only possessions—or an example of generosity, faith, prayer, and devotion to Christ?”

A person is not truly ready to live until that person is prepared to die.

Whether You Have Much or Little, Hold It Loosely

Everything belongs to God. At best, we are caretakers of what He has given us.

Psalm 24 says: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

We call things “mine” for convenience. / My home. / My car. / My savings. / My business. / My time.

But the Christian eventually learns to add an invisible phrase: entrusted to me by God. / That changes everything. /  If God owns it, I am a steward. / And stewards hold resources with open hands.

Object Illustration: Closed Fist and Open Hand

Close your fist tightly. A closed fist says: “Mine.”

An open hand says: “Thank You, Lord. Use it.”

There is another difference. / A closed fist cannot easily receive anything new either. / An open hand can give and receive. 

God does not necessarily ask every disciple to become poor. He asks every disciple to become surrendered.

Turn Worry Into Prayer

Jesus says: “Do not worry.”

That is easier preached than practiced. / So take the same principle from last week: When worry appears, convert it into prayer.

“I am worried about money.” / “Father, give us our daily bread.”

“I am worried about retirement.” / “Father, help me seek Your Kingdom first.”

“I am worried about my children.” / “Father, You love them more than I do.”

“I am worried about tomorrow.” / “Father, tomorrow belongs to You.”

Worry says: “What if?” / Prayer says: “Even if, | God is faithful.”

Measure Wealth by What You Can Give, Not Merely What You Can Keep

The world says: “You are wealthy when you possess much.”

Jesus gives another measurement: You are rich toward God when your resources become instruments of love, mercy, generosity, hospitality, and Kingdom work.

A generous person may have millions. A generous person may have twenty dollars. Generosity is not a number. It is a posture of the heart.

Conclusion: The Testimony of a Fool

The farmer had quite a testimony.  “My crops succeeded.” “My barns expanded.” “My wealth accumulated.” “My future is secure.” “My retirement is ready.”

Then God interrupted: “You fool.” Why?

Because the man prepared for every future except the one he was guaranteed to face.

He had a retirement plan. But no eternity plan.

He had full barns. But an empty soul.

He owned much. But possessed nothing he could carry through death.

And that is why Jesus tells us: Do not spend your entire life becoming wealthy in things that cannot cross the grave.

Be rich toward God.

Seek His Kingdom.

Trust your Father.

Give generously.

Hold possessions loosely.

Treasure relationships.

Use your time wisely.

And remember that life is more than what you own.

Paul Tsongas eventually returned to public life after recovering from cancer. Years later, cancer returned. And in 1997, he died. At the graveside, political differences did not matter much. Titles did not matter.  Campaigns did not matter. Possessions did not matter. The same is true for all of us.

One day, someone else will possess what we now call ours. But what we have invested in God’s Kingdom will never be lost. So here is the question Jesus leaves with us: Where is your treasure?

Because wherever your treasure is... your heart will follow.

Church, let us make certain our hearts are headed toward home.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for every blessing You have placed in our lives.

Forgive us when we confuse possessions with life, money with security, or abundance with success. Forgive us when fear causes us to hoard, and worry causes us to forget Your faithful care.

Lord Jesus, make us rich toward God. Teach us to seek Your Kingdom first. Give us wisdom to work diligently, plan responsibly, enjoy gratefully, and give generously.

Help us hold everything loosely because everything belongs to You.

When worry comes, remind us of the ravens and lilies. When fear comes, remind us that we are Your little flock. When selfishness comes, remind us that the greatest treasure cannot be stored in barns or bank accounts.

May our treasure be with You, so that our hearts will increasingly be with You too. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Next week, we will continue Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in our thirty-ninth message titled “People, Get Ready,” based on Luke 12:35-48