The Parable of the Rich Fool
A Sermon on Luke 12:13-21
Originally preached Aug. 27, 1967
Scripture
13¶ And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on the parable of the rich fool from Luke 12:13-21, preached on a Sunday evening to the Seventh Reformed Church in Grand Rapids (Michigan), Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones exposes the danger and tragedy of self-deception. The parable arose from a man interrupting Jesus' teaching to ask him to intervene in a family inheritance dispute. Jesus, shocked by the request, warns the man and the crowd to "beware of covetousness". He then tells the parable of a rich man who treasured up possessions for himself but was not "rich toward God." The man's folly, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, was rooted in self-deception regarding his own capacity as a thinker and planner. While successful in business, the rich man left God completely out of his thinking and planning. He failed to consider his soul, God's claim on his life, and the fleeting nature of earthly possessions. The sermon challenges hearers to examine themselves and ensure God is central in all of their reasoning and aspirations.
*Special note on Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s Preaching Method
During his ministry, it was Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s practice to preach sermons geared towards the edification of believers at the Sunday morning service and sermons geared towards the evangelism of unbelievers at the Sunday evening service. This sermon serves as a good example of a message geared towards unbelievers, whereas its counterpart from the morning service an example geared towards believers. This method has been referred to half-jokingly by contemporaries as "Saints in the morning, Sinners at night!" However, it must be noted that this practice did not mean that within Dr Lloyd-Jones’s sermons edification and evangelism were mutually exclusive. There would be plenty within each sermon to feed and convict both believers and unbelievers alike.
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus is interrupted while teaching by a man asking him to intervene in a family inheritance dispute.
- Jesus, shocked by the mundane request in light of his weighty teaching, warns the man and crowd to "beware of covetousness."
- Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool to drive home the point that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."
- The rich man in the parable was successful in business but deceived about his own capacity as a thinker and planner.
- The man left God completely out of his reasoning, exposing the poverty and folly of his thinking.
- He failed to consider his own mortality and the fact that his life and possessions ultimately belong to God.
- God calls the man a "fool" not out of anger but sorrow over the man's self-deception and misplaced priorities.
- Accumulating earthly treasure while neglecting to be "rich toward God" is the height of folly.
- The sermon challenges hearers to examine themselves.
- True wisdom considers God, the soul, eternity and spiritual riches above fleeting, earthly possessions.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on the Parable of the Rich Fool
What is the main message of the parable of the rich fool according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the main message of the parable is that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth." The sermon emphasizes that true life consists in knowing God and enjoying Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. Lloyd-Jones explains that the rich man in the parable was called a fool not out of anger but sorrow, because he failed to understand what truly matters in life. The man placed all his value in material possessions while completely neglecting his relationship with God and ignoring the reality of death.
Why does Jesus call the rich man a fool in the parable?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus calls the rich man a fool not in anger but in sorrow because of his self-deception. The man was foolish in three specific ways: First, he deceived himself about his capacity as a thinker by completely ignoring the two most vital factors in life—God and death. Second, he made no real provision for himself because his view of humanity was so debased (seeing himself only as a creature meant to "eat, drink, and be merry"). Third, he was a poor judge of riches, knowing only about material wealth while remaining ignorant of "the riches that God giveth"—peace of conscience, forgiveness of sins, and eternal inheritance.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the modern person's approach to death?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones observes that modern people, like the rich fool in the parable, refuse to think about death despite its certainty. He states: "The one fact about which all of us can be absolutely certain this evening is the fact that we are going to die. And yet the modern man doesn't think about this." Lloyd-Jones points out the irony that people will prepare for all kinds of possibilities—they worry about world wars, take out insurance for their burial—yet they never actually prepare for death itself. He calls this "the height of folly" because death is not merely a possibility but an absolute certainty.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as "the riches that God giveth"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several aspects of "the riches that God giveth" which the rich fool knew nothing about: - Peace and rest of conscience, knowledge of sins forgiven - Full assurance of salvation - A new life within (being "born again") - A new mind and heart - The companionship of Christ - Help and aid from Christ in times of temptation and need - The Holy Spirit working within to promote sanctification - The inheritance of believers that is "incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away"
He emphasizes that these spiritual riches are beyond price and cannot be purchased with worldly wealth.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the proper view of human nature versus the rich fool's view?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrasts the rich fool's debased view of humanity with the biblical view. The rich fool saw himself merely as a creature in the world to "eat, drink, and be merry," reducing human purpose to physical gratification. In contrast, Lloyd-Jones argues that humans are "creature[s] made in the image and likeness of God." He explains: "Man is meant to have correspondence with God. He is to be the companion of God. He is created for communion with God. God made him that he might be the Lord of creation, his representative on earth." This higher view of human nature shows why the fool's provision for himself was so inadequate—he had no concept of his true spiritual needs.
What illustration does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to demonstrate the value of peace of conscience?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones shares a personal anecdote about a wealthy businessman who came to see him. The man had developed an illness that doctors couldn't cure, and even a world cruise didn't help his condition. The real problem was that twenty years earlier, he had made a lot of money through dishonest means. Though no one discovered his dishonesty, his conscience eventually began to haunt him. Despite his wealth, he couldn't buy peace of mind. Lloyd-Jones was able to share the gospel with him, showing that what "the learned physicians and everything else combined could not do," the gospel could provide—peace of conscience through forgiveness in Christ. This illustrates how some of the wealthiest people remain miserable because they lack the peace that comes only through the gospel.
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.