Summary: In the Parable of the Rich Fool, in which a wealthy man responds to his bumper crop by enriching himself and neglecting to help anyone else, Jesus reiterates the power of wealth to corrupt our religious and moral values. This parable is one of several passages in the Gospel according to Luke in which greed and wealth lead people into idolatry. By devoting themselves to accumulation, comfort, and their own security, greedy people end up isolated from others and from the places in which God is active among the poor and needy. Their worlds grow small. Preachers who will put this challenging parable before congregations need to prepare themselves accordingly by applying courage, nuance, and forethought to their sermon preparations. Opportunities to identify rampant idolatry in our culture are too important to be taken lightly.
I wrote this article for those preparing to preach or hear sermons on Luke 12:13-21. It was originally a guest contribution to the “Dear Working Preacher” series. Read the full article at Working Preacher.
Dirty Rotten Preaching Scoundrels (Luke 16:1-13)
Summary: The Parable of the Dishonest Manager is notoriously difficult to interpret. But before we rush into the task of figuring out why Jesus praises a thief, we should remember that his parables frequently shake up our assumptions about right and wrong, and about rational and irrational behaviors. The dishonest manager deserves preachers’ attention for many reasons. One of these is the urgency that motivates him and causes him to set all other concerns aside. Preaching has a similar urgency that demands preachers act in ways that can appear subversive. The gospel we preach likewise can look irresponsible, dangerous, and contrary to our culture’s standards of respectability.
I wrote this article for those preparing to preach or hear sermons on Luke 16:1-13. It was originally a guest contribution to the “Dear Working Preacher” series. Read the full article at Working Preacher.
Bible commentary: preachers & teachers workingpreacher.org commentary
desperation dishonest manager gospel of luke luke 16:1-13 money parable preaching values