Dear Christian friends:

We all want to be a successful person in life. But who really is a successful person? Many people judge success by how much money and other worldly things a person has. Some of you perhaps think that you are a failure because you are now old and poor. Are old, poor people a failure in life? Are all rich people really successful? Who really is a successful person ?

In our text Jesus answers this question. So let us attend to our text and consider this question:


Are you a success when you have plenty of money?

In our text Jesus tells about a rich man who had so much grain he had to tear down his old barns and build larger ones to store it all. (verse 18) After he had decided to do that he felt that he was a big success in life. But God did not think so. God called him a "Fool".

Why did God call him a fool? First, because he was a selfish man. He did not thank God for his riches. He said, "My grain; my barns." He was always an "I, I, I, person." (verses 17-18) Secondly, he did not plan to use his riches for serving and helping others. He intended to use his money only for himself. He thought, I have much money saved up for many years; I will retire, eat, drink and have a good time." (verse 19) Thirdly, he did not realize that he could die anytime, that he may not have many years left to enjoy his riches. God said to him "Tonight you will die." Fourthly, his saved up riches will be given to someone else. God asked him, you have saved up, who will get it?" (verse 20) Fifthly, his saved up riches will not help him after he dies. Perhaps his money will buy him a beautiful coffin and a fine funeral service. But really his riches will be against him on Judgment Day. Why? Because he did not receive them with thanks to God and he did not use them according to God's will. His saved up riches will condemn him on Judgment Day. He really is a fool.

Earning and saving up much money is not proof of success in life. This rich man was a big failure. Many perhaps would judge him a success, but God says he is a big failure, a "fool". So, don't think you are successful just because you have lots of money. Also don't think you are a failure if you are poor. God may judge you a big success although you may not have much money.

Well, when are you a success in life? Jesus answers, "When you are rich toward God." (verse 21)

"Rich toward God" means what? Who is rich toward God? A person who realizes that he is God's steward, that all his money and possessions are from God and remain God's. He does not say, "My money, my house, my land, my car. He says, "God's money, God's house, God's land, God's car! He knows that all he has is a gift from God or better yet a loan to be used according to God's will, and that one day he must give a report to God about how he used his riches and life and time. He loves others and helps them in their need. He is the perfect person.

Now I ask you: are you a successful person or a failure? Are you rich toward yourself, or are you rich toward God? I think that we confess with shame and sorrow that we have not been rich toward God. We must confess that we have been like the rich, selfish farmer in the text.

Our sinful heart and nature is like that farmer's heart. The farmers basic sin was greed. Jesus said to the brother in our text: "Beware of greed." We all are greedy. That is our nature. We don't think about what God wants and what our neighbor needs. That is the reason why we lie, cheat, steal, and even kill one another. Quarrels, fighting and wars happen because of our greed. The two brothers here in the text were quarreling about their inheritance. The one brother was selfish and didn't want to share with his brother the things the Father left for them when he died.

We must confess again that we are sinners and ask God to forgive our sins because of Jesus who died on the cross for all us sinners. And then really love God and serve Him by loving and serving our neighbor.

And we can do this because we have received baptism and are God's dear children through faith in Jesus Christ. In baptism the Holy Spirit forgave all our sins, gave us faith in Jesus, our Savior and new life, the desire to be rich toward God. That's what Paul tells us in the Epistle Lesson (Colossians 3:1-4)

But how does our new person fight the old? By our daily hearing God's Word. Then confessing our sins and trusting God to forgive us because of Jesus. In this way God makes us new again and again, continually. (Colossians 3:10) By the Good News, by the Lord's Supper and by remembering that we have been baptized. In this way we are successful persons.

Amen.