Luke 12:13-21

8h Sunday a. Pentecost | 07/31/22 | Luke 12:13-21; Eccles 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23; Col. 3:1-11 | Brad Everett |

“Vanity of vanities, All is vanity” or another way of translating the opening verses of Ecclesiastes is, “Meaningless, meaningless, utterly meaningless”

Not exactly “feel-good” verses for a summer Sunday morning, but better to face these truths now in the sunshine of July than in the gloom of February.

No matter how uncomfortable these words may make us feel, anyone who has reflected on their life knows the truth they contain.

All the activities the Teacher of Ecclesiastes lists, that one can spend their life on, prove to simply be different paths to the same meaningless end.

Pursuing wisdom sounds like a worthwhile goal but it is chasing the wind. You’re never going to “know it all”, even if one were to specialize on a ridiculously narrow subject. And then, there is the flip side of the saying “ignorance is bliss” — knowledge and wisdom can be painful. Seeing and understanding the world is doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to fix it, but could simply mean you’ll see more clearly how broken and hurting it is.

Hard work seems like a virtuous use of one’s time and energy, but as the Teacher notes, even if you manage to navigate and negotiate the various challenges, and achieve some level of success (and coming to an understanding of what exactly “success” looks like is a whole other subject) at some point you have to leave it behind and then what? Will it last? Will the one it’s left to be able to maintain, it let alone increase it? Or will they squander it all away?

Earlier in chapter 2 the Teacher describes his pursuit of the ‘good life’ of pleasure—He builds houses and gardens, tills vineyards and builds reservoirs to water groves of trees. He buys slaves and herds, amasses silver and gold, acquires singers and a harem as well. Everything possible to delight the heart of man. Yet he comes to the same conclusion — ultimately it’s meaningless. Not terribly surprising as one can see this very thing played out in society. This might be most visible with regards to certain celebrities, but chances are it’s also happening, although on a smaller scale, just down the street from you.

People crave meaning — they want to know what they do with their lives matters in some way. This search for meaning begun in Ecclesiastes carries on in the passage from Colossians, which shows the lengths (or perhaps) depths people will go to try and find or create that meaning.

When we read lists of sins like these in Scripture, we tend skim over them quickly. Maybe we don’t want to be reminded of our own struggles. Perhaps we assume familiarity with its contents as “a bunch of bad things people do”. But let’s not rush today. Instead, let’s consider this list from the perspective that perhaps those involved in these things are not deliberately “trying to be bad” but instead are striving in mistaken and misguided ways to create meaning for their lives. E.g. fornication as a means of searching for something like love or looking for an illicit thrill to bring excitement to a dreary and empty life. Greed as a way of building up one’s image, like in Ecclesiastes—being able to prove to oneself and others how capable and powerful one is by how much money and material one can accumulate. Anger or wrath as a way of protecting oneself against the hurts and threats of life. Anger can also be a means of righting perceived wrongs—maybe for oneself or on behalf of others—the goal being to achieve what one believes is justice whatever the cost. Slander and abusive language – using words to tear others down in an futile attempt to build one’s self up.

All of it is empty. None of these attitudes or actions delivers any true fulfillment or meaning. It’s like a thirsty person drinking salt water—their thirst won’t be satisfied, but in fact will only worsen.

Any of that look or sound familiar either in terms of what you have seen in the lives of others? What about in your own life? No matter what the motivation behind the sin—regardless how sad the situation, no amount of rationalization or justification can change the fact that what is listed in Colossians is sin. Not simply because it is “bad”, and contrary to God’s will for us (which should be reason enough to avoid it) but more to our point today, sin turns us from God, turns us from the grace, peace and joy found only in Him. This doesn’t mean that because we sin God wants nothing to do with us. God loves each of us more dearly than we can imagine. Rather, when we engage in these sinful behaviours God doesn’t turn from us, instead, we turn from God. We turn from the one who knows us best, loves us the most and desires to give us the meaning for which we are searching.
That’s the good news of Jesus’ parable (which unfortunately the lectionary cut short). Someone from the crowd shouts out to Jesus a request to straighten out a family inheritance matter—which in and of itself wasn’t unreasonable as rabbis were often sought out to give guidance in such things.

But Jesus, being Jesus, points people beyond their limited expectations to the wonder His Father has waiting for them if they’d simply wake up and see it.

Usually this parable is read and in the background is the ominous organ music “dunh, dunh, dunhhhh…” Which I suppose is fitting if one were a rich fool, but what if one isn’t? What if one is simply trying to find some meaning and purpose in life, and in the case of the guy in the crowd and perhaps others they think it’s about getting their fair share for future provision?

But instead of stuff, which as the Teacher in Ecclesiastes confidently concluded is ultimately meaningless, Jesus offers this man, everyone in the crowd and us gathered here today, something more.

The meaning of life is not about the acquisition of “stuff” be it money, goods, knowledge, power, success, relationships etc. The rich fool in the parable figured it was up to him to take care of himself, to provide what he thought he needed (or the society around him told him he needed) so that’s what he devoted his energy on.

But listen to the words Jesus speaks to his disciples after the parable vv. 22-31. He begins with “Don’t worry about your life what you eat, or about your body, what you will wear.” Don’t worry because your Father knows everything that you need and will provide them for you. Everything, including meaning.

As baptized children of God we are freed from trying to find or create a sense of meaning for ourselves. We are released from the rat race of trying to meet whatever arbitrary standards society dictates as being necessary for a good life. We are freed from the confused expectations of ourselves and others. Free from the tyranny of vanities imposed by others, or that we impose on ourselves. As it says in Colossians, “having stripped off the old self and its practices, and being clothed with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator”, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live the life which God created us for and called us to. We live our lives confident in the promises of God to love and forgive us, to never leave nor forsake us. Having received all we need from God, we are free from striving to meet the expectations we put on ourselves, or that society puts on us.

Of course, such a life is not without its challenges, but as a poem attributed to Mother Theresa says, it matters less what others, including ourselves, think than what God is doing in our lives, enabling us to live in His joy and peace.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

It never was between you and them, you and society, or even necessarily you and yourself, but you and God—God the one who loves us enough to die for us. The meaning we yearn for in life, He has already given in our baptism, and He renews it in His word and at His altar – it is ours to receive and rest in.
—
Pr. Brad Everett
Calgary, AB, Canada
e-mail: everettsts@gmail.com