Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Reading

Introduction

It is good to be back with you all.

We have been gone for three Sabbaths.

Last Sabbath we were near Coventry at a Pastoral Conference for the whole of the British Union.

It was a blessed meeting in every way.

The first one for eight years so I understand.

The two Sabbaths prior to that we were in California.

We had a mini family union as well as getting the very last tour of the new worship center that will officially open in May/June at the Adventist Church we attended there for over 20 years.

It is good to be with you all.

We missed you.

Today and the rest of May, we are continuing our series on the Parables of Jesus today.

We will take a summer break in June and some of July due to the Daniel Seminars in Lowestoft.

Great Yarmouth

I wonder if you saw the BBC News feature this week on Great Yarmouth.

BBC News have been doing a feature on Coastal Britain, with Simon McCoy and Afternoon Live.

It all started from a House of Lords report stating how neglected the Coastal communities have been.

(Slide)

I would especially add the ones along the North Sea, which have seen economic declines over the years.

Great Yarmouth Factoids

98K Population.

12K from outside UK.

1 in 10 on Universal Credit.

Tourism is worth 625m to local economy and provides 12k jobs.

Tourism is seasonal (short season).

16 miles of beaches.

Seeking to become the wind farm capital of the world.

Green jobs.

Winning at the Wrong Game

These are good goals.

Great Yarmouth needs to re-invent itself and to re-generate a struggling local economy.

Lowestoft is in a similar position.

For too long places like Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft have been looking in the rear view mirror.

Adults need work, a means to provide for their family, for their future and to be useful member of society.

But here is the key point, to “win in life” from the worlds point of view, (have stuff, bank balance, comfortable retirement) without walking in close communion with God and being rich towards God, is, in the end, “winning at the wrong game”.

BTW, I believe this gives our church a unique opportunity in Great Yarmouth to seek to be relevant, welcoming, and loving, with the distinct message of Jesus.

The parable of the Rich Fool is all about winning at the wrong game.

It represents the lives and goals of so many today under the general headings of secularism and materialism.

It is a life full of “stuff”, but empty of the Lord.

The Parable of the Rich Fool

The parable of the Rich Fool is all about “winning at the wrong game”.

Mrs While calls it “Gain that is Loss”.

It represents the lives and goals of so many today under the general headings of secularism and materialism.

It is a comfortable life full of “stuff”, but empty of the Lord.

Dispute over Family Inheritance

The Parable of the Rich Fool starts with a dispute over family inheritance.

(Slide)

We do not know the merits of the case of the one in the crowd who said to Jesus

Or a better translation, “Order my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

The man had probably witnesses the way Jesus spoke with authority and reasoned Jesus could speak thus to his brother.

We do not know the merits of the case.

As you probably know, the Mosaic law stated that the elder brother received two thirds of the inheritance because of head of household responsibilities.

If there were two brothers, as seems likely here, the elder would get 2/3 and the youngest 1/3

Was the complaint about only getting a third?

Was the complaint that he had been given nothing?

We do not know.

Jesus replies “Who made me a Judge”?

The man had probably witnesses the way Jesus spoke with authority and reasoned he could speak thus to his brother.

Jesus replies,

Or a better translation, may be, order my brother

(Slide)

But Jesus discerns the heart of the matter.

The use of the word “Man” is not a great translation, given modern day usage.

Here it is a serious term and a form of rebuke.

But Jesus reply is curious.

I am the only one who finds Jesus reply curious and kind of dismissive of what may be a genuine complaint?

Jesus almost seems exasperated.

If it was me, I think I would have said, tell me more about what is happening.

Salvation vs Social Justice

Most commentaries try and pit the importance of social justice against the supreme importance of salvation or to say that it is better to suffer loss and follow Jesus.

I have to be honest and say I do not find such comments to be helpful or the case here.

Though of-course I acknowledge the supreme importance of salvation over all else.

Sometimes we will suffer “loss” for the Lord, but such things always come with a promise that the Lord is with us.

Jesus teaching in the Sermon of the Mount, found a few chapters earlier in , deals equally with our relationships with our fellow man as it does with God.

Luke has

Our Christianity starts at Home

If our Christianity does not start at home among those who know us best, it does not start at all.

I find no reason to exclude both brothers from Jesus rebuke and subsequent parable, assuming they both were in the crowd.

It is interesting that the “you” in the greek is plural.

And that that the “You” is followed by “And He said to Them”

You are sensible people, you think about these things.

If that was me, I think I would be tempted to say tell me more, what is happening.

Jesus is saviour first, then judge.

Jesus discerned the true Motives

Jesus focused on His mission.

He could so easily have tried to correct all social injustice.

Here is the key point.

Jesus had discernment of people’s hearts and true motives like no other person who has, or will, walk this earth.

Jesus knew that people so often seek to win at the wrong game, due to wrong motives.

Often Jesus uses adverse situations, some trouble, in our life to make us face the heart of a matter.

The Lord many times has to use providential circumstances to get through all our stuff and get to us!

Has that happened to you?

“Who one is, is far more important than what we possess.”

“Seeking God as the great purpose of life, is far more important than what we possess.”

The parable of “The Rich Fool” is all about “Winning at the wrong game”.

Or winning at the wrong game.

Company Matching of Retirement Savings

This parable would seem to be very relevant for today.

It was one of the last events in my business career

It was one of the final triggers that caused me to leave the business world and accept the call that both Norma and I were sensing more and more to full time ministry.