Awake Us Now

Luke 12:13-21, Psalm 19:7ff. It’s not what you posses that matters, but what possesses you. Our treasures are destined for a garage sale or a dumpster. What has enduring value? It’s not what you possess that matters, it’s rather Who possesses you. That is at the heart of what Jesus is talking about today in the story we are going to examine together. It is recorded in the gospel of Luke chapter 12 verse 13. “Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’” Apparently the issue here is that this is a younger brother. The tradition in Jesus day is the oldest brother got a double inheritance. The younger brother here apparently wants more. Jesus sees into the man’s soul. He understands that this is a question not about fairness, this is a question of greed. And so Jesus replies, verse 14, “‘who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’ Then he said, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.