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Pentecost 8, 2025 Proper 13
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
August 3, 2025
Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12–14; 2:18–26, Colossians 3:1–11, Luke 12:13–21
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How do you measure your own life? How do you gauge how you are doing? Many people measure their life by what they have. They judge their worth by their net worth. They measure themselves by their salary, by their house, their car, their investments, their clothing, their toys. They measure themselves by how much they have. And this is a great temptation for all of us whether we have little or much. The trap is that whatever you have it is never enough. Even as you accumulate more and more you see that someone else has even more and you want what they have. There is a whole world of advertising out there trying to make you discontent and to always want more. There is a word for this. Covetousness. Covetousness is our word for today. Covetousness is a strong or inordinate desire for possessions, particularly those belonging to another person. It is often associated with greed and avarice….
Covetousness is a great spiritual danger for every one of you because it comes so naturally. We see it even in our children. Our sweet little children show us repeatedly how they are infected with the sin of covetousness as soon as they learn to talk. Little ones may learn mama or dada first, but soon after comes the word, “Mine!” Little children do not have much and yet are masters of judging their worth by what they have. Mine, mine, mine.
Two little boys are on the floor each play independently. Nearby, a yellow toy truck lies on its side unnoticed by both boys. The poor truck is ignored. But then one boy grows bored with what he is doing and sees the truck and picks it up. The other boy now forgets what he was doing and is now obsessed with the yellow truck and screams, “It’s mine! Give it to me! Now!” and grabs for the truck. Both boys aggressively battle to see who gets to possess the truck that was ignored moments before. What made it so suddenly attractive? Someone else had it. Someone else has something that you do not have. Parents with multiple children see this behavior frequently and know it is so useless and such a waste of time.
Covetousness comes so naturally that you must stay on guard, especially in our land of great abundance. This is addressed in our readings today. King Solomon is bemoaning the vanity of all that he has obtained through toil and wisdom. He calls it a striving after the wind. How ridiculous would it be for someone to run around trying to gather up the wind in his arms? How utterly foolish is that?
In our Gospel reading a man comes to Jesus to try to get Him to settle an inheritance dispute. The Jewish religious leaders would often settle these types of disputes, but Jesus did not come as a judge or an arbiter. Jesus is not there to settle legal disputes, but He does use this interruption as a teachable moment. Luke 12:15 (ESV) 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Picture the scene…. Jesus is there…God in flesh…the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, is standing right in front of this man and what is the man concerned about? Money. Jesus offers something eternally more important than money.
Jesus warns against covetousness. Jesus then tells the parable of a rich fool whose land produced bountifully. The man has been blessed by God in abundance and all he is concerned about is how to store everything in bigger barns so that he no longer has to work. Luke 12:19 (ESV) 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’
The man thinks he is set forever…but he is greatly mistaken. Even if you have more than enough for this life, what comes next? What happens after this life? This man hoarded everything for this life but neglected eternal life. He did not think about what happens when he dies, and he dies that very night. He was set for this life, but was not ready for the next. He measured his worth by what he had and is lost for eternity.
Jesus warns against covetousness. He warns against the natural way of the world which is measuring yourself by what you have. But if life is not about what you have, what is life all about? How do you measure your worth?
We learn what to do from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Colossians 3:1–4 (ESV) 1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Who you are is not based on what you have. Who you are is based on your identity in Christ. Romans 6:4 (ESV) 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
In baptism you were buried with Christ and you were raised in Christ to walk in newness of life. Christ is your life. Your identity is about who you are in Christ. You are redeemed for eternity.
Money and possessions are temporary… Jesus is forever.
Money and possessions are gifts from God for you to manage in this life. The rich fool looked at his possessions and said, mine, mine, mine and he made plans to gather it all in for himself so he would be all set for the rest of his life so he could eat, drink and be merry. Not even, “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we may die” …for he had no sense of dying. He thought only of this life and what does God call him? Fool! How awful for that to be God’s name for you. Not, “my child, my beloved, my treasure.” “Fool!” Jesus applies this to all people who measure themselves by what they have… Luke 12:21 (ESV) 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
God has a name for people who measure who they are by what they have…fool! This is same sentiment we hear from King Solomon as he sees how success, fame and even great wisdom is fleeting and fickle and limited. Ecclesiastes 1:2–3 (ESV) 2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. 3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?”
Recently, champion golfer Scottie Scheffler, said in an interview that “You work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for a few minutes. … It’s fulfilling from a sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling from the deepest places of your heart.” “I’m blessed to play this game, but if it ever affected my wife or son, that’d be my last day out here.”[1]
These comments really confused those who measure themselves by what they have. How can something be more important than being a champion? How can something be more important than winning?
There is something much more important…eternally important. Measure yourself by who you are in Christ. You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world. You have put on Christ. You are a Christian; a little Christ. You belong to Jesus, you do not belong to the world. Live out your identity in Christ. What does it look like to live in Christ?
Colossians 3:5–6 (ESV) 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.” Sinful desires come naturally as you are, by nature, sinful and unclean, but these are the ways of the world. These are the ways of fools. Resist these desires. Battle sin in your life. Confess and repent and receive forgiveness. Put those desires to death. Colossians 3:7–8 (ESV) 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away…”
Then Paul lists the sins of division. Sins that destroy relationships and families and churches… Put away… “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” The world is full of angry, divisive people and it is so easy to fall into their ways of hating those who differ or disagree. But you are not called to hate, you are called to love your enemy. Confess your sins of division and restore relationships.
Colossians 3:9–10 (ESV) 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Speak the truth in love because you are of the truth. You are a child of the Lord of truth. You are a new creation in Christ. You have put off the old self. You have put on the new self. Measure yourself by who you are in Christ. You are a saint. You have been made perfect. You are holy, righteous and innocent in the blood of Jesus. You are destined for eternity with Jesus so enjoy the days of your life. Ecclesiastes 2:24–25 (ESV) 24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?
Wisely manage what God has given you with an open hand. One of the best defenses against covetousness is generosity. Give generously. Enjoy what God has given and enjoy the work that you have. Keep on serving others throughout your life. When full time employment ends seek other ways to serve your neighbor and find enjoyment in the toil. Work hard, manage and enjoy what God has given, Colossians 3:2 (ESV) 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Beware. Covetousness is a powerful force. The world wants to pull you in and have you foolishly measure yourself by what you have… but you have an infinitely greater value than money or stuff. You belong to Jesus. Amen.
[1] https://wng.org/opinions/scottie-schefflers-ecclesiastes-moment-1753915677