The Fool’s Reward

Pro. 26:10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. 

Luke 12:16-21 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Intro: Jesus gave a strong warning in the verse right before this parable against covetousness and greed. He reminded us that our life does not consist in the abundance of things that we possess. In other words, material success is Not the proof of a successful life in the sight of God.

It’s interesting how we see people and how God sees them.

To us many that are Famous, to God are Foolish.

To us many that are Popular, to God are just Perishing souls.

We see many as living Richly while God sees them living in Ruins.

That’s why it’s so significant in this Parable of Jesus that it was God who called this man a Fool.

Why would God call a man a fool? What made this man a fool in God’s eyes? What makes any man a fool?

I. A Fool’s Prosperity is Fleeting.

The fool’s prosperity is totally Earth based; it’s all earthly and physical and therefore it is all Temporary! 

Here was a man already considered rich by everyone around him. His farm had prospered; his crops had thrived; his fields were abundant; his harvest was bountiful; So much so, that his existing barns were not sufficient to hold it all. He immediately took matters into his own hands (as he had always done) and he started planning to build New Barns; Larger Barns; Greater Barns; then he would be able to store up all of his harvest for future sale or personal use.

Is a man a fool Just because he is rich in this world? No.

Can a person have abundant material things and Not be a fool? Certainly!

However, vs 21 tells us the “rest of the story” when it comes to this man’s Foolishness. Vs. 21- He laid up treasure for himself, BUT was Not rich toward God. There’s the crux of the matter. Everything this man trusted in was Earthly. All of his so called success was Earthly. All of his riches were Earthly. He had Nothing of Eternal Value! What a tragedy!

Do you realize that Earthly Prosperity is Fleeting?

Do you realize in the words of the Apostle Paul that this world’s riches are “Uncertain.”

Do you realize as Paul said that “we brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we can carry nothing out?”

Do you realize that the “love of money” (or material things) is the root of all evil? And that many who have coveted material things have gone astray from the Faith and the Gospel and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows?

A Fool’s Prosperity is Fleeting.

II. A Fool’s Security is False.

Listen to the arrogance of the man in this parable: “I will say to my soul, soul thou hast much goods laid up many years; eat, drink and be merry!” This man felt completely Secure because he had material things. He felt totally secure because his crops had yielded an abundant harvest. He felt entirely secure because he actually had More than he needed at this moment and thought this Surplus Secured his Future!

Now, let me ask you a question:

When you spend money for good food, what part of your being is nourished by that food?

When you spend money for a nice house, what part of your being is cared for by it?

When you buy nice clothes or a sharp truck or SUV, what part of your being is benefitted by that?

All of these things are good in their place, but they all nourish and care for and benefit your Physical being. They have nothing whatsoever to do with nourishing or caring for or benefitting your soul!

Your soul and spirit are invisible and eternal. The soul is made up of your intellect/mind, your personal will, and your feelings and emotions. Your spirit was created by God as his dwelling place in your being and in your life. You are only secure for your future and for eternity when your spirit and soul are saved by the power of God, cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and renewed by the Holy Ghost. A Fool’s Security is False!

III. A Fool’s Eternity is Fearful.

While this man rejoiced in his Riches and in his plentiful harvest and in his earthly abundance he was spending his last day of life on the earth. His prosperity was about to Flee away. His False Security was about to fall into ruins. God called to this man and told him that his soul was going to be required of him that very night. Notice, it was his soul that was most important.

God was not interested in how much money he had.

God was not interested in how many barns he had or how many he planned to build.

God was not interested in how many bushels of corn or wheat or soy beans he had harvested.

This man was going to die and when he did, only his spirit and soul were going to live on somewhere. His body was headed for a grave and his existence on the earth was going to be over. God even asked this man who would get all of the riches he had gained. Clearly, these riches were going to be of no value to him anymore. He had lost them all. His security had vanished and he was left with a Fool’s Reward.

Remember the first text verse? Proverbs 26:10 “The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool and the transgressors.” So what is the Fool’s Reward?

Isa 3:10,11 Say to the righteous that it shall be well with him, but woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

Rom 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death.

James 1:15 says that when sin is finished, it brings forth death.

Rev 20:15 states that anyone who’s name is not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. What a tragic Reward! Punishment, Death, Hell!

I’ll tell you what Reward I want; I want the Reward of the Righteous; the Reward of the Faithful.

Jesus said those who believed on him would Not Perish but have everlasting life. Paul said the dead in Christ would be raised from their graves and taken to heaven to live in the presence of the Lord. Those who are alive when Jesus comes in the clouds will be caught up to be forever with the Lord.

Whatever you do, don’t live the life of a Fool and end up with the Fool’s Reward.

Trust in Jesus Christ and inherit Eternal Life in the presence of the Lord.