A Business Man's Mistake

He was wealthy. Prosperous. It seemed like he had everything going so well. The man was successful in business. This man was sensible with his money. He was careful about the future. He was a smart investor. He was sharp with how he used his land and his investments well. His land was very productive. He had run out of places to store his grain.

Money is not the root of all evil. The LOVE of money is. Riches can be useful if used wisely. But the man in Luke 12 seemed only concerned with the getting of wealth. It was his religion - his church.

"What shall I do?" he cries out! But… he left God out. His plans didn’t include God. He didn’t say, "Lord what wilt THOU have me to do?" He was directing his life without God. His life was without purpose because it was without GOD.

We need to seek to know and do God's will. "Seek ye the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you".

The man was self-centered - he was all caught up with himself.

He considered his things HIS OWN: My fruits, my barn, my goods, even my soul. We see a number of awful mistakes that he made…

He was only concerned with stowing money away. He didn’t ask how to serve God with the use of his money.

He was a big shot, with big plans. He was interested in tearing down and building new and bigger barns, to find how he could store all his grain. He looked like he had it made.

He made big plans. He wanted to be prepared for the future. BUT - he failed to plan and prepare for eternity.

The man seems to think that his riches will be a comfort to him when he has hoarded them. But they became only a care and a burden. His love and longing for peace and comfort, joy, security, satisfaction, and fulfilment was actually failing - because he had left out the fundamental ingredient - God.

Money shouldn’t be our aim in life. Otherwise it owns us - instead of us owning it. His only goal in life was to sit back, take life easy, eat, drink, and be merry. He was a greedy man, living in a needy world.

The man takes little thought for God, who made and owned him. He seems to only think of his body and its needs, forgetting the needs of his soul.

The business man’s mistake was also that he thought he had plenty of time. He thought he had many years ahead of him. But he wasn’t going to see one more sunrise. He planned for time, but not eternity.

BUT GOD. God came and filled the barn-builder’s soul with dread. We see the man’s awful awakening.

THOU FOOL - a fool is a person who is mindless - senseless. He seemed so smart and prepared - but he was really foolish and unprepared.

One day, God shall require thy soul. Our God is a consuming Fire. He shall send those who reject Christ to Hell.

“Things” are Temporary. "We look not at things which are seen, . . . for things are temporal (temporary)" (II Cor. 4:18). Everything you buy will not last.

It is all right to have things, but realise God's ownership of all things and your responsibility to use things wisely. Do we give our things to God? Do we manage our time, talents and treasure for God?

He accumulated wealth, but does not use it wisely. He hoards his money and only plans to make more money.

Death is coming for you. Christ challenges us: "what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his soul?" The same God that gave us the breath we breathe, can come along and snatch that breath away.

1 Tim 6:17 Don't trust in: UNCERTAIN RICHES, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. You can’t depend on riches.

The man longed for security - BUT he never found it. REAL security can only come from something that will always be there for you. God can provide for our needs. God gives us the security that money can never provide. He never changes. He will never leave us. He provides for us and protects us, both in this life and through all eternity.

The man longed for satisfaction. True satisfaction only comes from God. The Bible says, "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4,5).

The man longed for a life of ease and relaxation. Without an inward peace we cannot enjoy real rest. The Lord says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light." (Matthew 11:28-30).

Are we prepared for when He comes to us, and says, THIS NIGHT thy soul is required?

Security, Satisfaction, and Rest is not found in chasing the almighty dollar, but in surrendering ourselves - giving our lives to the Saviour.