1. A FOOLISH FARMER
Luke 12:16-20

2. “A certain rich man brought forth
plentifully”
Lk. 12:16

3. “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops? So he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat drink, and be merry.

4. But God said to him, You fool, this night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (Lk. 12:16-20).

5. He thought within
himself:
“I will pull
down my
barns.”

6. He Had a Plan

7. “I will build
greater ones”
“I will store
my crops and
my goods.”

8. PROGRESSIVE

9. POSSESSIVE

10. “I will do this!”

11. PRETENTIOUS

12. HE THOUGHT ONLY OF THE MATERIAL!
His whole life
consisted of the
things which he
possessed.
His material
“things” took every plan, thought, and move of his life captive.
Jesus promised “things” (Mt. 6:33),
but would be life’s necessities, not toys!

13. God gives things to enjoy after needs are sought and met:
“Command those who are rich in
this present age not to be
haughty, nor trust in uncertain
riches but in the living God, who
gives us richly all things to enjoy.”
(I Tim. 6:17)
“…one’s life does not consist in the
abundance of the things he possesses.”
(Lk. 12:15)

14. What dominates our
feelings, thinking, and plans?
Do spiritual things have such little importance with us that other influences occupy a more prominent position in our affections?
Are we any less foolish today than this
farmer when we live for the purpose of
amassing “stuff” designed to meet our
pleasures, thinking not of God and others?

15. HE CONSULTED ONLY HIMSELF!
Jesus said, “And he thought within
himself” (Lk. 12:17).
Another translation
records it, “So he began
to argue with himself.”
There is no mention
of him ever going
beyond himself for any needed
answer!

16. man is not in himself; it is are ordered by the Lord”
Inspiration spoke to his
needs many years earlier:
“O Lord, I know the way of
man is not in himself; it is
not in man who walks to
direct his own steps”
(Jer. 10:23)
“The steps of a good man
are ordered by the Lord”
(Ps. 37:23)

17. “There is a way which
seems right to a man,
but its end is the way
of death” (Prov. 14:12).
Being headstrong,
selfish, and stubborn
will result in poor
decisions and tragic ends!
A person is foolish to
fail to consult God on
matters so critical!

18. This man had a stewardship problem;
he should have consulted God on the
matter rather than being so presumptuous
because all that he
handled came from
God.
He had no right to
ignore God in this
matter.
His making the
mistake shows us that he lacked ability to
exercise discernment and good judgment.

19. HE PLANNED ONLY FOR TIME
Hear the account once again: ‘And
I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have
many goods laid up for many years;
take your
ease, eat,
drink and
be merry.”’
(Lk. 12:19)

20. F U T I L I T Y ! Elements of sadness to this foolish
farmer’s future (He had an “fff”
program in place as well).
Used his last day on earth thinking
about years he did not have!
F U T I L I T Y !
His plans reached into the future
without having one!
He counted on time, but had none!
He wasted the time that he did have
and ignored eternity!

21. CONCLUSION:
Old Paths (Right):
“Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it;
then you will find rest for your souls…”
(Jer. 6:16).
A Highway (Spiritual):

22. “If you were raised with
Christ, seek those things
which are above, where
Christ is sitting at the
right hand of God” (Col.
3:1).
Straight Path (Focused):
“And make straight paths
for your feet, so that what
is lame may not be
dislocated, but rather be
healed” (Heb. 12:13).

23. Plain Path (Unencumbered):
“Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my enemies” (Ps. 27:11-12a).
Difficult Path (Heavenly):
“…narrow is the gate and
difficult is the way which
leads to life, and there are
few who find it” (Mt. 7:14).

24. We live in a world filled with people who
give no thought to eternity. They think in
terms of life spent here on earth. But we
would do well to stop and ask what our
plans are for eternity. Do we have any?
How concrete are they?