Boxes Jeremy LeVan 7 - 19 - 15 Luke 12: 15-21 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist.

BoxesJeremy LeVan7 - 19 - 15

Luke 12: 15-21

15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.

Luke 12: 15-21 continued

17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.


19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’


21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Question: “Who made the ground?”

God’s character – Unchanged.


God’s patience – Unchanged.



God’s justice – Unchanged.




God’s mercy – Unchanged.





God’s moral compass – Unchanged.






God’s grace – Unchanged.






God’s grace – Unchanged.

God’s power – Unchanged.

(vs. 17-19)

17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.

(vs. 17-19)

19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

Two illusions:

Two illusions:

1. I’m in control of my life.

Two illusions:

1. I’m in control of my life.

2. Acquisition will lead to contentment.

Richness in Having

Richness in Being

“It all goes back into the box.”

“It’s not my stuff.”

“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord, my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord, my soul to take.”

“Our days begin with trouble here, our life is but a span, and cruel death is always near, so frail a thing is man.”

“To me, if life boils down to one significant thing, its movement. To live is to keep moving. Unfortunately this means that for the rest of our lives we’re going to be looking for boxes. When your moving your whole world is boxes, it’s all you think about.

‘Boxes, where are the boxes?’ You just wander down the street going in and out of doors, ‘Are there boxes here, have you seen any boxes?’ It’s all you think about.

You could be at a funeral, everybody around you is mourning and crying and your looking at the casket and thinking, ‘That’s a nice big box. Anybody know where the guy got that box? When he’s done with it do you think that I could get it? It’s got some handles on it, my stereo would fit right in there.’

That’s what death is really, the last big move of your life. The hearse is like the van, the pallbearers are your close friends...the only ones you could really ask to help you with a big a move like that… and the casket is that great perfect box that you’ve been looking for your whole life.”

-Jerry Seinfeld

Are you living in such a way, to become rich toward God?

Next Steps: (Connection Card)


1. Do a heart check: Am I looking to be rich in having or rich in being?


1. Do a heart check: Am I looking to be rich in having or rich in being?

• Invite God to speak to you.

Next Steps: (Connection Card)2. Assess the areas of your life and

Surrender them to Him.


Surrender them to Him.• Time


Surrender them to Him.• Time• Talent


Surrender them to Him.• Time• Talent • Treasure

2 Corinthians 9:7

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”


3. SOS Sunday, August 30th.



• Fill out the information sheet for SOS Sunday.




• Mark it on your calendar and commit to come.




• Mark it on your calendar and commit to come.

• Invite a friend.

Boxes Jeremy LeVan 7 - 19 - 15 Luke 12: 15-21 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist.

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