I. Introduction

Yesterday morning on my walk, I saw a woman working hard removing weeds from the sidewalk. I've been considering taking on that task for our sidewalk. I already removed the crab grass that was growing in between the flowers and vegetables, even though I mulched the area previously. It was a reminder of how stubborn weeds can be, and their tendency to thrive among the plants we try to cultivate. It is also a reminder of how weeds can prevent the flourishing of our blooms and our veggies, and how important it is to spend some time to remove them. Of course, there are some weeds that are good for the environment and for our vegetation. I was thinking about this when I read our passage, particularly Luke 12 verse 21 and also Colossians Chapter 3 v 10 -11, be rich toward God and clothe yourselves with the new self in Christ.

II. Let us be Rich Toward God.

Jesus was addressing a crowd of many thousands, Luke wrote, teaching them about how to live a righteous life. Anything they do in the dark, behaviors that are not according to the life in Christ, will be revealed and come to light, He said. They should not fear those who can kill the body, but fear Him, who after the killing of the body, has the power to throw them into hell. While He was teaching the crowd, someone in the crowd interrupted Him, asking Him to arbitrate between him and his brother, because he wanted half of his inheritance. He told this man that He is not their arbiter and then told the parable of the rich fool to him and the crowd, warning them against all kinds of greed. It is a parable about how this rich man was planning to tear down his barns to build bigger ones, to store his crops, so he can have plenty for many years to come. His life would be a life of abundance, filled with eating and drinking and being merry for many years to come. It becomes clear that this rich man did not have in his mind an abundant life with God but is instead self-absorbed in how he will take care of himself and his riches, while many are struggling in poverty. In the parable God enters the situation and tells the rich man that all the riches he is planning to gather will be in vain, because his life and soul can be taken away that very night, leaving him with the question who would get what he had planned for himself. At no point did the rich man acknowledge that the ground and the rain and the sun that produced the crops comes from God. It is all about him and his material resources and his abilities to make things happen for him. Jesus tells the man who wants his inheritance, and the crowds that wealth and greed in this life, without being rich toward God, and embracing the values that Christ promotes will not lead to heaven.

In Colossians Chapter 3 v 10-12 Paul describes the things and behaviors that keep the minds focused on earthly things, preventing them from truly being a new community in Christ clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness. Behaviors that are contrary to these Christ-like values cannot truly be associated with the new humanity and community in Christ, which is about love, respect, and care for one another the way He cared. The new humanity in Christ has been transformed from the old humanity and is constantly being renewed into the image of the Creator, Who is love and peace, kindness, and mutual respect. It is love, Paul says that binds them into a perfect unity, and as members of the one Body of Christ, they are called to peace.

III. Conclusion

It is therefore not only those among the rich and powerful who disregard the values of God. It is anyone whose focus is on the self, and selfish and destructive behaviors who must rid themselves from those things and be rich toward God, growing to become the image of God here on earth. It is important, because we do not know when the time comes for God to take our bodies and our souls. May God help us all in our personal lives, in our communities, at work, and here at church, to weed the things from our lives that are not acceptable in the eyes of God, and live according to the values He came to teach us, and the values the church as the Body of Christ must live up to, the values of peace and kindness and mutual respect. Amen.