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Thank you. 
We're going to turn in the 

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Scriptures. 
And as you're turning to the 

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Scriptures, I remember one time 
in the Whitfield College of the 

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Bible and the Whitfield College 
of the Bible was at Lawrence 

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Town. 
I'm not sure what was happening.

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There was some sort of choir 
being formed and one of the 

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ladies who was involved looking 
after the choir at that time. 

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And she was going down the line 
and she was listening to each 

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one of us singing. 
And of course the Reverend Goods

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was beside me and she stopped at
him and she was doing this and 

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she come to me and she just 
said, oh, you can't make a silk 

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purse out of a souge log. 
And went on. 

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Amen. 
It was great to make a joyful 

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noise unto the Lord. 
I'd love to be able to sing. 

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I've told you before, if I could
sing and play a musical 

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instrument like the Reverend 
McRae or the Reverend 

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Greenfield, oh, well, the Lord 
knows, right? 

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We're going to read from Luke 
chapter 12, Luke chapter 12, and

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we're going to read the first 21
verses of Luke chapter 12. 

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It's good to hear the rustling 
of the paper. 

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It's important that we have the 
book of God and you carry it 

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with you. 
It's a testimony. 

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It's important that we turn to 
the Scriptures. 

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Many churches have stopped us 
reading from the Bible and the 

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Bible tells us give attention to
reading. 

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Blessed to see that readeth the 
words of the prophecy of this 

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book. 
Well, we'll try to be faithful. 

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Luke chapter 12 for those online
the words that come up on the 

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screen will read from verse one.
Let's hear the word of God. 

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In the meantime, when there were
gathered together an innumerable

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multitude of people, insomuch 
that they trode one upon 

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another, He began to say unto 
his disciples, First of all, 

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beware ye of the leaven of the 
Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

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For there is nothing covered 
that shall not be revealed, 

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neither head that shall not be 
known. 

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Therefore whatsoever ye have 
spoken in darkness shall be 

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heard in the light, and that 
which ye have spoken in the ear 

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and closet shall be proclaimed 
upon the housetops. 

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But I say unto you, my friends, 
be not afraid of them that kill 

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the body, and after that have 
known more than they can do. 

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But I will forewarn you whom ye 
shall fear. 

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Fear Him, which after he have 
killed, hath power to cast into 

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hell. 
Yeah, I say unto you, fear him. 

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Are not 5 sparrows soul for two 
farthings, and are not one of 

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them is forgotten before God? 
But even the very hairs of your 

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head are all numbered. 
Fear not, therefore, are you not

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more valued than many sparrows? 
Also I say unto you, Whosoever 

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shall confess me before men, him
shall the Son of Man also 

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confess before the Angel of God.
But he that denieth me before 

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men shall be denied before the 
Angel of God. 

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And whosoever shall speak a word
against the Son of Man, that 

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shall be forgiven him. 
But unto him that blasphemeth 

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against the Holy Ghost, it shall
not be forgiven. 

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And when they bring you unto the
synagogues, and unto the 

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magistrates and powers, take ye 
no thought how, or what thing 

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you shall answer, or what you 
shall say. 

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For the Holy Ghost shall teach 
you in the same hour what you 

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ought to say. 
And one of the companies said 

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unto him, Masters, speak to my 
brother, that he divide the 

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inheritance with me. 
And he said unto him, Man, who 

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made me a judge or a divider 
over you? 

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And he said unto them, Take 
heed, and beware of 

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covetousness, For a man's life 
consisted not in the abundance 

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of the things which he 
possesses. 

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And he speak a parable unto 
them, saying, The ground of a 

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certain rich man brought forth 
plentifully. 

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And he thought within himself, 
saying, What shall I do? 

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Because I have no room where to 
bestow my fruits. 

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And he said, This will I do. 
I will pull down my barns and 

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build greater, and there will I 
bestow all my fruits and my 

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goods. 
And I will say to my soul, Soul,

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thou has much goods laid up for 
many years, take thy knees, eat,

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drink, and be merry. 
But God said unto him, Thy full 

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this night thy soul shall be 
required of thee. 

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Then whose shall those things be
which thou hast provided? 

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So is he that layeth up treasure
for himself, and is not rich 

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toward God. 
A member know the Lord will 

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bless to us this reading of His 
own precious and infallible 

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word. 
Now my text tonight is taken 

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from Luke chapter 12 and in 
verse 20 and 21. 

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But God said unto him, Thy full 
this night thy soul shall be 

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required of thee. 
Then who shall those things be 

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which thou has provided? 
So was he that layeth up 

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treasure for himself, and is not
rich to word God. 

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And I want us to thank this 
evening of the subject, the 

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passing on of your possessions. 
Look, chapter 12 verses 1 to 21 

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is a very important chapter 
containing some of the most 

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important topics that came from 
the lips of the Lord Jesus. 

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Now think of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

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He's preaching a vast multitude 
of gathered to hear Christ 

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speak. 
His disciples are listening 

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closely, they're straining their
ear intently. 

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And in these verses the Lord 
Jesus first of all warns of the 

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sin of religious hypocrisy. 
He says in Luke chapter 12 and 

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verse one, beware ye of the 
leaven of the Pharisees, which 

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is hypocrisy. 
And you see sadly in this world,

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as there was in the world when 
Christ lived to this day, men 

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and women professed to be 
spiritual, professed to be 

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religious, professed to be holy 
men of God. 

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And yet the reality is they're 
only pretending. 

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It's just again, and their 
pretence is really polluted 

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because they're not born again. 
They don't truly love and know 

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the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Their hearts and lives have 

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never been changed and 
transformed. 

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They still have hearts that 
loves sin. 

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In these verses, the Lord Jesus 
also emphasised the sovereignty 

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of God. 
He taught that God is all wise 

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and all powerful and all 
knowing, and that God cannot be 

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deceived or taken in because God
sees and knows all things. 

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He is God over all. 
Listen to verse 2. 

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For there is nothing covered 
that shall not be revealed, 

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neither head that shall not be 
known. 

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Do you know that even the very 
hairs of your head, they're all 

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numbered? 
Do you know that He says, are 

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not 5 sparrows sold for two 
farthings, and not one of them 

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was forgotten before God, even 
when they fall to the ground? 

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And then he went on to teach his
disciples to truly fear God 

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rather than men, and to confess 
Him as God boldly before men. 

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Here he warns against the 
blaspheming of the Holy Ghost 

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and the denial of Him before 
others. 

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Now as this crowd listens 
intentionally and gives rapt 

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attention, thinking this, never 
man speak like this man. 

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There was a man from the crowd 
interrupted him. 

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Look at verse 13. 
And one of the companies said 

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unto him, Masters, speak unto my
brother, that he divide the 

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inheritance with me. 
Now think of this. 

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A man from the crowd interrupts 
him as he's preaching, and he 

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interrupts him with a request 
about dividing his inheritance 

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with his brother. 
And Christ of course, rightly 

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refuses to be judged in such a 
civil matter. 

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Now here was a man, he's 
listening to Christ's preaching 

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about religious hypocrisy, about
proclaiming him before men, 

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about fearing God and being 
aware of covetousness. 

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And this man is concerned about 
money. 

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He's not really listening to 
Christ. 

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This man's mind is on other 
things. 

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And in that context, to deal 
with the sin of covetousness, 

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Christ utters to the crowd this 
parable of the rich fool. 

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Now, there's a deeper spiritual 
truth in this parable of the 

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rich fool. 
And it's not about his wealth, 

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but it's about this individual 
who was living for this world 

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while neglecting his own soul. 
Because you see, the rich fool 

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believed his prosperity 
guaranteed his security and his 

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well-being. 
And yet despite all the 

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possessions that he had, the 
stuff that he'd accumulated over

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the years, this rich fool had 
forgotten God, forgotten the 

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salvation of his soul, and 
forgotten the great eternity. 

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And in that context, we come to 
verse 20 and verse 21. 

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And the Lord Jesus here in these
words pronounces His judgement 

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upon this man who stored up 
riches for himself, but was not 

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rich toward God. 
And in these words, the Lord 

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Jesus teaches us that earthly 
riches can't save us. 

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He teaches us that life is short
and uncertain, and that true 

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wisdom is only found in being 
rich toward God. 

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Listen to verse 21 again. 
So was he that left up treasure 

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for himself and is not rich 
toward God. 

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Four things this evening very 
quickly. 1 The prospectus that 

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deceived him. 
If you look at the text, it says

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here then who shall those things
be? 

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Think about the words, those 
things. 

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We could even add the words in 
verse 21. 

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Layeth up treasure for himself. 
You see, every generation 

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labours to accumulate things. 
This man was no exception. 

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I believe he was an honest man. 
I believe he was a hard working 

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farmer. 
Probably from dawn to dusk he 

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was busy labouring. 
He was not lazy, He was not 

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slothful. 
He didn't gain his wealth by 

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theft or deceit. 
This man had property. 

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He had barns. 
This man was a successful 

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farmer, and yet one unavoidable 
truth stands over this man's 

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life, and it was this. 
His prospectus deceived him. 

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He forgot that one day death 
would come and take him away and

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death would separate him from 
everything that he owned. 

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This wealthy farmers grown 
brought forth plenty. 

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His problem was not really the 
prosperity. 

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It was his prospectus. 
He prepared for everyday. 

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He prepared for things, things 
to do with the farm. 

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But not for eternity is he. 
Solomon centuries earlier 

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wrestled with the same reality. 
Listen to these words from King 

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Solomon in Ecclesiastes chapter 
2, we read in verse 18. 

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Yeah, I hated all my labour 
which I had taken under the sun.

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Why? 
Because I should leave it unto 

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the man that shall be after me, 
and who knoweth whether he shall

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be a wise man or a fool, Yet 
shall he have rule over all my 

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labour, wherein I have laboured,
and wherein I have showed myself

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wise unto the sun. 
This is also vanity. 

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See, Solomon wrestled with this.
A man works all his life, he 

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works hard. 
He, he builds a successful 

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business. 
He, he, he builds an empire, he 

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builds a a thriving business, 
only to leave it to someone 

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else. 
And whenever he's dead and gone,

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he doesn't know if he's going to
be a wise man that will carry it

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on, or he'll be a foolish man 
who will squander it. 

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The dead man cannot control what
happens to most of his stuff 

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after he is gone. 
The Lord Jesus asked the 

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question, then, who shall those 
things be? 

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This man's ground blocked forth 
plentiful, His land prospered, 

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his plans expanded, his barns 
multiplied, but there's no 

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mention of God. 
There's no mention of gratitude 

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to God. 
But when you read the story, if 

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you look at it, it's it says 
here verse 17. 

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Then he thought within himself 
saying, what shall I do because 

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I have no room for to bestow my 
fruits. 

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And he said, this will I do, I 
will pull down my barns and 

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build greater, and there will I 
bestow all my fruits and my 

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goods, and I will say to my 
soul, you see the whole thing is

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about I and my This man had 
completely forgotten God. 

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The green in his barn, the green
in his hand didn't even remind 

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him of God. 
Deuteronomy 18 says, But thy 

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shall remember the Lord thy God,
for he is he that giveth the 

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power to get wealth. 
And this man had forgot the true

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source of all his blessings, 
physically, mentally, materially

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and spiritually. 
You think of a man, his heart 

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and mind, he's got this 
prospectus to possess. 

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Stuff starts out with a small 
house. 

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His business expands, largest 
deed, bigger bank account. 

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He goes on holidays. 
He loves his wife and he loves 

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his family, His good to his 
workers, his good to his 

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friends. 
And yet all the way, this 

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individual remains dead to God. 
He's blind to God's salvation. 

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He has no affection for God or 
the things of God. 

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His expansion is outward, but 
that doesn't equal growth 

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inward. 
And you know, thousands and 10s 

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of thousands in Northern Ireland
and across the United Kingdom 

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00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:20,240
are deceived because they've got
the wrong prospectus. 

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00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,760
They've been deceived by their 
prosperity, the things that they

227
00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:30,520
have, the love for their stuff. 
It's not the same as love for 

228
00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,120
the Saviour. 
The prospectus is all wrong. 

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00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:40,880
The prospectus is deceived. 
Notice secondly, the priority 

230
00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:45,120
that destroyed him. 
We'll ask the question to this 

231
00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,880
rich, wealthy farmer. 
What's your chief and main 

232
00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:56,320
priority in life here? 
Was his purely focused on the 

233
00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:00,360
temple? 
The Bible talks about a certain 

234
00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:02,120
man. 
I believe he was a real life 

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00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,760
character. 
He talked about my fruits, my 

236
00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:11,839
barns, all my friends, my goods.
Say to my soul, Thou hast much 

237
00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,720
good. 
He was obsessed with his goods. 

238
00:17:14,839 --> 00:17:17,000
He was obsessed with the making 
of money. 

239
00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:22,079
Nothing else mattered when he he
talked and and spoke to himself.

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00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:24,880
Well, he mentioned the ground. 
There was no mention of God. 

241
00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,319
He mentioned his barns, but 
there's no mention of the 

242
00:17:27,319 --> 00:17:29,600
blessing of God. 
He mentioned his fruits, but 

243
00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:31,760
there's no mention of the 
Heavenly Father. 

244
00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:36,240
He mentioned much goods, but 
nothing of the grace of God, 

245
00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:40,040
nothing of the goodness of God, 
nothing of the gospel, nothing 

246
00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,640
of gratitude to God. 
Notice verse 17. 

247
00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:47,080
And he thought within himself 
saying, what was he thinking 

248
00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:48,400
about? 
He was thinking about time. 

249
00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:51,560
He was thinking about temporal 
things. 

250
00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,800
He was thinking about trinkets 
that don't really matter. 

251
00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,480
See, this man lived a life 
without reference to God. 

252
00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:03,920
He was purely focused on the 
temple. 

253
00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:08,760
His plans were for here and now,
not the hereafter. 

254
00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,800
And of course the Bible tells us
in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 

255
00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,480
33. 
But seek ye first the Kingdom of

256
00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,600
God and His righteousness, and 
all these other things shall be 

257
00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,800
added unto you. 
It was Mark that told us there 

258
00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:25,720
in Mark chapter 8 and in the 
verse 36. 

259
00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:28,360
For what shall a profit a man if
he shall gain the whole world 

260
00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:30,760
and lose his own soul? 
Or what shall a man give in 

261
00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:35,680
exchange for his soul? 
See this man, when he talked to 

262
00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,880
himself, he, he, he, he, he 
addressed his soul. 

263
00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:43,160
I will say to my soul, verse 19,
this man knew he had his soul, 

264
00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,400
but it didn't bother him. 
He wasn't really concerned about

265
00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:52,120
his soul. 
One of the greatest priorities 

266
00:18:52,120 --> 00:18:57,840
in life is soul. 
Salvation is to be in a right 

267
00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,480
relationship with God. 
What is man's TV and man's TV 

268
00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,120
and is to glorify God and enjoy 
him forever. 

269
00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:09,160
We live in a day of atheism, a 
day of godless materialism, a 

270
00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,600
day when many fools have 
emerged. 

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00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:13,480
Here's one of them, the rich 
fool. 

272
00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,720
And how many rich fools they are
in Northern Ireland, trusting in

273
00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,920
their wealth, trusting in their 
riches, but not in the Redeemer.

274
00:19:20,120 --> 00:19:23,000
What about the fried fool? 
There's a man called Nabal. 

275
00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:27,440
He was a proud man. 
Horrors and refused kindness. 

276
00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,680
We could talk about the 
atheistic fool, Psalm 14 verse 

277
00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,240
one the full of said in his 
heart there is no God. 

278
00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:37,680
What about the heedless fool, 
the man who built his house upon

279
00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:42,600
the sand? 
He had heard the word of God but

280
00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:46,320
refused to obey it. 
And someone has said knowledge 

281
00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,520
without true obedience leads to 
ruin. 

282
00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:59,360
There was a day when this fool 
wanted it all, all the temporal 

283
00:19:59,360 --> 00:20:02,240
blessings that life could bring 
his path. 

284
00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,440
But all the while there was no 
reference to God, his soul, 

285
00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:11,480
salvation, heaven and hell, or 
even the day of judgement to 

286
00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,120
come. 
Remember what we read in John 

287
00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:19,320
chapter 3 and in the verse 18. 
The Lord Jesus, in speaking to 

288
00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:24,160
Nicodemus in the house in that 
particular evening, said in John

289
00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:27,760
3 and 18. 
He that believeth on him as not 

290
00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:30,240
condemned, but he that believeth
not as condemned and ready, 

291
00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,680
because he had not believed in 
the name of the only begotten 

292
00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,120
Son of God. 
He that believeth on the Son 

293
00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:40,360
hath everlasting life, neither 
believeth not. 

294
00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:45,000
The Son shall not see life, but 
the wrath of God abideth in him.

295
00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:48,640
This fool had his priorities all
mixed up. 

296
00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:55,400
This man lived and died obsessed
with things of time and sense. 

297
00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:57,960
He lived. 
He died as a fool. 

298
00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:04,160
In fact, the Lord Jesus said, 
but God said unto him, Thy fool,

299
00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,960
this was a foolish farmer. 
We can ask him, Who or what were

300
00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,640
you living for? 
He was just living for temporal 

301
00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,640
things. 
Could I ask you that tonight? 

302
00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,760
Who or what are you living for? 
Are you living for the pleasures

303
00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,720
of sin? 
How many are living for a life 

304
00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:25,520
of drunkenness, getting blocked 
at the weekend, different times,

305
00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,960
not even remembering what 
happened the night before in the

306
00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:32,160
new day? 
What about those who are begin 

307
00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:34,520
to drug addiction and how did it
start? 

308
00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:39,480
Started with taking one or two E
tablets or something else? 

309
00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,480
What about those that are 
addicted to clubbing? 

310
00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:47,000
Addicted to sport? 
See, all of these individuals 

311
00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,720
and we could name many other 
things, their priorities are all

312
00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:53,040
wrong. 
They're all mixed up. 

313
00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,440
Why? 
Because they've forgotten the 

314
00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:00,680
most important thing. 
They've forgotten that the most 

315
00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,880
important thing is not temporal,
but truth. 

316
00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:06,480
Jesus said I'm the way, the 
truth, the life. 

317
00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:08,720
No man comes unto the Father, 
but by me. 

318
00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,240
Jesus said, sanctify them 
through thy word. 

319
00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:16,200
Thy word is truth. 
And those who are focused on 

320
00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:21,800
temporal things have a disregard
for the truth as it's 

321
00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,240
personified in Christ and the 
truth of the word of God. 

322
00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:28,880
I'll tell you something else 
very quickly. 

323
00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,760
The presumption that disclosed 
him. 

324
00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:38,640
If you look at our text, it says
in verse 19 and I will say to my

325
00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,360
soul, thou has much goods laid 
up for many years. 

326
00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:43,920
Take thy knees, eat, drink and 
be merry. 

327
00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:50,440
Notice these words. 
Years, many years. 

328
00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,120
He presumed he had many years 
left. 

329
00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,360
He presumed that his goods 
guaranteed his security. 

330
00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:05,160
He presumed that he had comfort.
And there's comfort equals 

331
00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,480
certainty. 
And here in verse 19 he utters a

332
00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:14,240
single statement that was really
one of the biggest mistakes in 

333
00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,760
his life. 
He displayed an ungodly 

334
00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:23,160
characteristic of his life 
because there was a presumption 

335
00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,240
that disclosed him. 
He displayed an ungodly 

336
00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:32,680
confidence in his life. 
He talked about many years, yet 

337
00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,560
the Bible says, Boast not 
thyself of tomorrow, for no man 

338
00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,200
knoweth what a day may bring 
forth sufficient unto the day. 

339
00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,040
Jesus said, as the evil thereof 
many years. 

340
00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:46,520
See, the man had no thought of 
dying and going to live on. 

341
00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,320
Death is a far off event. 
It's in the distance. 

342
00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:56,080
I'm not going to die yet. 
This man was pursuing on time. 

343
00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,840
That was not his. 
Remember what the Psalmist said 

344
00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:08,160
in Psalm 90 and in verse 12 it 
says so teach us to number our 

345
00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,760
days that we apply our hearts 
unto wisdom. 

346
00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,360
You see the days of our years 
are three score years and 10 and

347
00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:17,200
if by reason of strength there 
be 4 score years, yet as their 

348
00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,960
strength, labour and sorrow for 
it has soon cut off and we fly 

349
00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:26,080
away years many he talked about 
not months, not weeks, not days,

350
00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:30,680
not minutes, not seconds. 
He was presuming on time that he

351
00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,960
was never going to have. 
James 4 and 14 says what is your

352
00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,080
life? 
There's even a vapour that 

353
00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:38,920
appears for a little time and 
then vanish away. 

354
00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,000
You see your life and mine is 
not guaranteed. 

355
00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,960
Ownership of our lives is not in
our hands. 

356
00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,440
Our life is in the hands of 
Almighty God. 

357
00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,240
He's the God who gets his breath
to breathe every day. 

358
00:24:54,920 --> 00:25:00,240
And this man planned for many 
years, years that he did not 

359
00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:04,120
possess. 
We've learned this morning, Job 

360
00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:07,480
said, my life is swifter than a 
weaver's shuttle. 

361
00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:10,560
I told you the shuttle moves 
very quickly. 

362
00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:13,960
And you see, you can't bank on 
tomorrow. 

363
00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:19,280
You can't bank in more time. 
The Bible says, behold, now is 

364
00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,040
the accepted time. 
Now is the day of salvation. 

365
00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:26,480
You see, to bank on tomorrow, to
say I've got many years left, 

366
00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,160
even as a young person, it's a 
sign of a fool. 

367
00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,880
Remember those in James talked 
about going into the city, 

368
00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:40,120
staying there for a year, buying
and selling things. 

369
00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,160
Their plans were made and yet 
they forgot the most important 

370
00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:46,600
thing. 
It's all subject to God's will. 

371
00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:51,360
God is sovereign because God is 
the God in whose hand their 

372
00:25:51,360 --> 00:25:54,800
breath is. 
I'll tell you one final thing, 

373
00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:00,440
the pronouncement that damned 
look at verse 20. 

374
00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,920
But God said unto him, Thy fool 
this night thy soul shall be 

375
00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:10,120
required of thee. 
See, God interrupted his plans. 

376
00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:15,400
Death came unexpected, come 
unannounced. 

377
00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,760
The cold hand of death just laid
its hand upon the man. 

378
00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:23,320
Thy fool this night shall thy 
soul be required of thee. 

379
00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:28,040
Notice death came suddenly, but 
notice his soul was required, 

380
00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:34,080
not as silver. 
The issue wasn't not that he had

381
00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:39,560
barns to build bigger. 
The issue wasn't that he didn't 

382
00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:45,160
make preparation, for he did, 
but he only prepared for this 

383
00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:49,160
life. 
He prepared for his ease. 

384
00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:57,200
He prepared for eating and 
drinking and being merry, but 

385
00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:01,800
not for eternity. 
All that he did was just for 

386
00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:07,720
this life, not for eternity. 
Plans for the future, yes, but 

387
00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:12,640
not plan for the most important 
plan to meet God in eternity. 

388
00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,000
The Bible says prepare to meet 
thy God. 

389
00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,120
Remember, one day we'll stand 
before Gods. 

390
00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:20,640
Then everyone of us will give an
account of himself to God. 

391
00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:25,440
Prepare for life after death. 
Prepare for the judgement to 

392
00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:29,760
come. 
If this man had been a wise 

393
00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:35,800
farmer, if he had been really 
prudent, the goods that he had 

394
00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:39,600
would have reminded him of God, 
and he would have thanked God 

395
00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:43,680
for God's goodness, and he would
offer gratitude to God. 

396
00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,480
And that would have brought him 
to the realisation that the most

397
00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,760
important preparation that he 
could make was for eternity. 

398
00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:56,760
But this man was not wise. 
He's called a fool thy fool. 

399
00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:01,040
Why? 
Because he was poor towards God.

400
00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,760
He was not rich toward God. 
It's not what Jesus said. 

401
00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:07,960
So was he that left up treasure 
for himself? 

402
00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:13,280
That's exactly what this man did
and is not rich toward God. 

403
00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:18,120
You know, often times when 
people have died and the 

404
00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:23,080
funerals taking place, people 
usually ask somewhere either at 

405
00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:29,160
the wake or towards the funeral 
as it makes its way to the 

406
00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:34,440
cemetery, how much did he leave?
People of real interest in that?

407
00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,640
Well, here's the answer. 
He or she, whoever they are, 

408
00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:44,640
young or old, they left it all. 
They don't ask was he ready? 

409
00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:49,200
They don't ask was he saved? 
They don't ask did he leave 

410
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:53,040
behind a testimony? 
But they do ask how much did he 

411
00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:54,320
leave? 
And here's the answer. 

412
00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:59,400
He left it all. 
You see, from when we die, we 

413
00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,640
carry nothing away. 
And I just want to throw this in

414
00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:10,040
here, You know, it used to be 
whenever people died from 

415
00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:15,120
within, we'd say the Protestant 
community, there was no such 

416
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:18,840
thing as putting bottles of 
whiskey into the coffin or a 

417
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,840
favourite teddy bear or some 
stuff for the afterlife. 

418
00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:29,880
Why do that? 
Because remember this, all 

419
00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:34,400
accumulation of stuff stops at 
the grave. 

420
00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:39,120
Christ is asking, who shall 
these things be? 

421
00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:43,760
Is that not a humbling question?
Is that not an honest question? 

422
00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:48,720
Is that not a haunting question?
Solomon felt the weight of it. 

423
00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:57,120
So did David over there in Psalm
49, in the verse at 16 and 17. 

424
00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:02,160
Be not thou afraid when one is 
made rich, when the glory of his

425
00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:05,520
house is increased. 
For when he dieth, he shall 

426
00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:09,320
carry nothing away. 
His glory shall not descend 

427
00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:13,560
after him. 
You can't take it with you. 

428
00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:18,040
You can't control your stuff 
after you're dead. 

429
00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:23,760
You can't guarantee its outcome,
neither the factory nor the 

430
00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:27,560
farm. 
What will happen to it or what 

431
00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:33,000
will be inherited? 
It'll be sold off, it'll be 

432
00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:38,000
divided, stuff will be given 
away, stuff will be disregarded,

433
00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,960
taken to the rubbish dump and 
stuff will be left and 

434
00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:47,120
forgotten. 
Remember what Paul told Timothy 

435
00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:50,400
at Ephesus? 
He says first Timothy 6:00 and 

436
00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:54,080
7:00 For we brought nothing into
this world, and it is certain 

437
00:30:54,560 --> 00:31:01,160
that we can carry nothing out. 
As we close tonight, I want you 

438
00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:03,160
to think of the true wealth that
matters. 

439
00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:06,640
Think of these words rich toward
God. 

440
00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:12,560
Think of the true wealth that 
matters, the heavenly treasure 

441
00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:16,720
that's eternal and secure and 
testimonial and unaffected by 

442
00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:18,840
death. 
And how can you be rich toward 

443
00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:20,880
God? 
Let me suggest, as we finish, 

444
00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:25,440
prepare to meet God by trusting 
in Jesus Christ as Lord and 

445
00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:28,840
Saviour, by trusting him as the 
true Messiah, trusting him as 

446
00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:30,320
the mediator of the New 
Covenant. 

447
00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:33,160
For there's one God and one 
mediator between God and men, 

448
00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,240
the man Christ Jesus. 
Come and recognise your sin. 

449
00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:39,600
Repent of that. 
Repudiate and receive Christ. 

450
00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:45,000
Rejoice in soul salvation. 
Testify that you're saved by the

451
00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:49,040
grace of God alone. 
That's found in Christ alone. 

452
00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,200
That's the first step, to be 
rich toward God. 

453
00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,640
And then the second step is 
prioritise all that's truly 

454
00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:58,600
spiritual. 
As you grow in grace and the 

455
00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,680
knowledge of Christ, aim to have
a knowledge of Christ. 

456
00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,120
Pray about that. 
Lord, give me a greater and a 

457
00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:08,160
better knowledge of thyself. 
Read this word of God. 

458
00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:10,400
Have an appetite for the 
Scriptures. 

459
00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:14,200
Seek to serve God in whatever 
capacity you can in your own 

460
00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:16,520
church and other missionary 
organisations. 

461
00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,560
Attend the House of God on the 
day of God. 

462
00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,040
Offer praise to God. 
Be truly thankful. 

463
00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,600
Join with God's people. 
I believe in corporate worship 

464
00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:29,440
for seeking, not the assembling 
of yourself together as the 

465
00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:34,280
manner of some is. 
And another way is to plan to 

466
00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:39,040
measure success by its eternal 
impact. 

467
00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:44,680
Have this assessment that 
whatever you do in life's 

468
00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:50,000
journey, you do it unto God. 
You do it for His glory. 

469
00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,120
If man's chief end is to glorify
God and enjoy Him forever, then 

470
00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:57,440
you want to be able to stand 
before God and you want to hear 

471
00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:00,000
those words. 
Well done, good and faithful 

472
00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:04,600
servant, enter thou into the joy
of thy Lord and any success that

473
00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:10,040
we enjoy in this life we 
measured against its eternal 

474
00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,320
impact, that it's for the glory 
of God. 

475
00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:16,520
It honours the Lord's name. 
It sees the implementation of 

476
00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:18,600
his wealth, it advances his 
Kingdom. 

477
00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:24,840
That's the way I believe to be 
rich toward God. 

478
00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:35,200
Whose shall those things be? 
Here was a fool, the prospectus 

479
00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:44,360
that deceived him, the priority 
that destroyed him, the 

480
00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:50,120
presumption that disclosed him, 
and the pronouncement that 

481
00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:54,880
damned him. 
But God said, thy fool this 

482
00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,520
night shall thy soul be required
of thee. 

483
00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:04,520
Don't be a fool, be a true 
friend by knowing Christ as Lord

484
00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:07,520
and Saviour. 
May the Lord bless this gospel 

485
00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:09,560
message to our heart. 
We're going to sing.