13. The Folly of Possessions and Riches: The Rich Fool (1983)

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Nov 18, 2024

Dive into the parable of the Rich Fool, where true folly stems from prioritizing wealth over spiritual values. Discover how material possessions can trap the heart and misguide one's purpose. The conversation stresses that real richness comes from relationships with God rather than earthly treasures. Embrace the idea of using wealth for divine purposes and reassess the attachments binding us. Through biblical insights, the discussion encourages stewardship and relinquishing worries, advocating for a life focused on spiritual wealth.

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INSIGHT

Riches and the Heart

The issue with riches isn't the money itself, but the condition of one's heart.
Riches can deceive us about what truly constitutes our lives.

ANECDOTE

Inheritance Dispute

A young man asked Jesus to intervene in an inheritance dispute with his brother.
Jesus responded by cautioning against covetousness, highlighting the man's deeper issue.

INSIGHT

The Rich Fool's Folly

The rich fool's mistake wasn't his wealth, but finding his rest in material possessions.
A fool misjudges means and ends, choosing the wrong priorities in life.

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The Folly of Possessions and Riches: The Rich Fool
Parable: The Rich Fool

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California

May 15, 1983

Scripture: Luke 12:13-40

Today we’re studying the Parable of the Rich Fool. A fool is a person who misjudges means to ends and chooses the wrong end. The farmer in the Parable of the Rich Fool was a man who had chosen to let his soul rest in his wealth instead of in God.

In this parable and the story of what caused Jesus to tell it, we learn how to have a Kingdom mindset with our finances and other assets. Dallas helps us apply these concepts by inviting us to consider the question, “What is your life?”

John Wesley offered the following counsel on wealth management: “Get all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.” Dallas recommends inserting “Use all you can” into Wesley’s instructions after “Save all you can.” Use what you have for the glory of God. It’s better to have wealth in the hands of Christ’s followers than anywhere else.

This is the tenth session of our 12-part series entitled “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself.” On the Sunday prior to teaching about the Parable of the Rich Fool, Dallas had taught a class based on The Parable of the Hours. We don’t have that recording, but where Dallas has taught it elsewhere, he used it to illustrate the upside-down kingdom in action through the way we do business and care for those less fortunate than us. That teaching is available along with more from Dallas about financial responsibility in the Kingdom of God in The Scandal of the Kingdom: https://dwillard.org/resources/books/the-scandal-of-the-kingdom

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

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The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...