Beware of All forms of Greed.

Proper 13, Year C

Luke 12:13-21

In this week’s Gospel lesson, Jesus is interrupted by a man in the crowd who cries out, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me!” What seems like a sudden, random question is actually a providential moment Jesus uses to continue teaching his disciples. Luke 12 begins by painting a tense picture: massive crowds pressing in, Pharisees plotting against Jesus, and Jesus intentionally turning to his disciples to prepare them for what lies ahead. This man’s request becomes a perfect opportunity for Jesus to warn his followers—not just of religious hypocrisy or persecution—but of the dangers that lie within: greed in all its forms.

Jesus responds first with a probing question: “Who made me judge over you?” But then he pivots into a warning: Beware of all forms of greed. He tells a parable about a wealthy man who, after a successful harvest, decides to build bigger barns, store all his goods, and settle into a life of comfort and ease. Yet that very night, God says to him, “Fool! This very night your soul is required of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?” The man had made himself rich in the world, but poor toward God.

In this parable, Jesus reveals two faces of greed. One is the greed of hoarding, the person who stores up and consumes for themselves, like Scrooge counting his coins, never spending, never sharing. The other is the greed of coveting, the person who constantly desires what others have. Both are equally destructive, and both keep the heart fixed on the things of this world rather than the kingdom of God.

Jesus is teaching his disciples—then and now—that following Him requires contentment and generosity. In a world hostile to their faith, filled with temptations to secure their future through possessions or status, they are to be different. They are to be rich toward God. But what does that mean? It means living a life that reflects the generosity of the Father—who gave His own Son for our sake. It means giving freely, loosening our grip on what we own, and being content wherever God has placed us. This is how we resist greed: by giving and by being content.

And isn’t that the very life Jesus lived? As He approached the cross, Jesus gave everything—not clinging to comfort or security, but submitting to the Father’s will. He was content to suffer, to be falsely accused, and to lay down His life, because He trusted that God would raise Him up. In His death and resurrection, Jesus models the richness toward God that we are called to imitate.

So beware of greed, Jesus says. Not just the kind that stores up too much, but the kind that longs for what God has not given. Instead, seek to reflect the Father’s generosity. Be content in Christ. And live for the kingdom that cannot be shaken, where streets are paved with gold, and feasting with God never ends.

Watch the full Sermon HERE. Listen to Sermon HERE.

Peace Be With You,

Pastor Bruce