The Rich Fool August 8/9, 2026
Pastor Aaron Buer examines Jesus's parable of the rich fool in Luke 12, warning against the subtle danger of greed disguised as wise planning. We discover that the rich man's fatal error wasn't wealth itself but building his entire life around self-sufficiency while giving no thought to God or others. We learn that everything we have belongs to God—we are merely stewards, not owners—and true wisdom means being "rich toward God" rather than hoarding for ourselves. We are challenged to examine what occupies our hearts, evict any idols of security or possessions, and live generously as reflections of God's own generous heart.
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”15Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
16And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.17He 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.19And 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.”
Following Jesus
This is the foundation—a commitment to lifelong trust and surrender. It's not just a one-time decision. It's a daily posture of saying, "Jesus, I'm yours, and I'm following you." Galatians 2:20 captures it beautifully: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."
What will your next step be?
Growing Together
We don't do this alone. Growing Together is about becoming more like Christ in community—in groups, in friendships, in serving alongside one another. Acts 2:42 gives us a picture of what this looks like: a community devoted to the Word, to prayer, to breaking bread together. That's the kind of church we're trying to be.
What is your next Growth Step?
Pursuing God's Mission
Faith isn't just personal—it's missional. Pursuing God's Mission means living generously, serving one another, and sharing the gospel. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20: "Go and make disciples of all nations." We're all a part of that.
