Picture this: You spend decades climbing the ladder of success, accumulating wealth, building security, and pursuing comfort. Then one day, you realize none of it actually mattered. Not for anything that lasts, anyway.
Sound like a nightmare? Jesus tells a story in Luke 12 about a man who lived exactly this way—and calls him a fool. This powerful Luke 12 sermon from Mike Eells will challenge everything you think you know about success, security, and what it means to live a life that matters.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re missing something deeper in your pursuit of the American Dream, this message might just change everything.
The Story That Changes Everything
A Rich Man’s Big Problem
In this Luke 12 sermon, Jesus tells the story of a rich man whose crops produced an abundant harvest. Sounds like a blessing, right? But here’s where things get interesting—and sobering.
The man’s response reveals everything about his heart:
“And he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 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. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”‘” (Luke 12:17-19)
Notice all the personal pronouns? My crops, my barns, my grain, my plans. This guy had a serious case of what we might call “self-centered success syndrome.”
God’s Shocking Response
But then comes God’s devastating response:
“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?'” (Luke 12:20)
Ouch. God calls him a fool—not because he was poor, but because he was rich in all the wrong things.
The Three Deadly Priorities That Waste Lives
Priority #1 – Self (“I, My, Mine”)
When Mike Eells delivered this message on how to live a life that matters, he pointed out that the rich fool’s first priority was himself. Everything revolved around his needs, his comfort, his security.
Modern translation:Â “I’ve worked hard, I deserve this success, I need to secure my future, I want to enjoy life.”
Sound familiar? We live in a culture that preaches self-care, self-improvement, and self-fulfillment as the highest goods. But Jesus says this approach leads to foolishness.
Priority #2 – Possessions (“My Stuff”)
The rich fool’s second obsession was accumulating more stuff. Bigger barns, more grain, endless surplus. His identity was tied up in what he owned.
Today’s version: The bigger house, newer car, latest gadgets, investment portfolio, retirement account. Nothing wrong with having these things—but when they become your focus, you’re headed for trouble.
Priority #3 – Security (“Take Life Easy”)
His third priority was using his wealth to guarantee a comfortable, worry-free future. He thought he could buy security and peace of mind.
Reality check:Â How many wealthy people do you know who are truly at peace? Money can buy comfort, but it can’t buy security. Health problems, relationship issues, economic crashes, and death still come to the rich and poor alike.
What It Means to Be “Rich Toward God”
The Alternative Jesus Offers
After telling this story about wasted life, Jesus gives us the alternative in this Luke 12 sermon:
“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21)
So what does it mean to be “rich toward God”? This is the key to investing in eternity and storing up treasures in heaven.
The Currency of Heaven
Being rich toward God means recognizing that:
Your time belongs to Him. Instead of just asking “How can I enjoy my life?” ask “How can I serve God’s purposes with my time?”
Your talents are gifts from Him. Rather than using your abilities solely for personal gain, consider how God wants you to use them for His kingdom.
Your treasure should reflect His values. This doesn’t mean you can’t have nice things, but it does mean your primary investment should be in things that matter to God.
Your relationships should point to Him. The people in your life aren’t just there for your benefit—they’re opportunities to love, serve, and share the Gospel.
How to Stop Wasting Your Life Starting Today
Take the Life Audit
This message about how to live a life that matters challenges us to honestly evaluate where we’re investing our lives. Here are some tough questions to consider:
Time Audit:
- What percentage of your waking hours are spent on eternal things vs. temporary things?
- When you look at your calendar, what does it reveal about your priorities?
- Are you more excited about your weekend plans or your opportunities to serve God?
Treasure Audit:
- Where does most of your money go each month?
- What percentage of your income goes toward storing up treasures in heaven?
- Are you more concerned about your retirement account or your heavenly account?
Talent Audit:
- How are you using your skills and abilities for God’s kingdom?
- What gifts has God given you that you’re not using for His purposes?
- Are you more focused on advancing your career or advancing the Gospel?
Practical Ways to Be Rich Toward God
1. Investing in Eternity Through Generosity
- Give sacrificially to your church and missions
- Support ministries that spread the Gospel
- Help people in need, especially fellow believers
- Fund biblical education and discipleship
2. Storing Up Treasures in Heaven Through Service
- Volunteer in your local church
- Mentor younger believers
- Serve in your community
- Use your skills for kingdom purposes
3. Living for What Matters Through Relationships
- Share the Gospel with unbelievers
- Disciple new Christians
- Build strong Christian friendships
- Invest in your family’s spiritual growth
4. Prioritizing Eternal Things in Daily Decisions
- Start each day asking how you can serve God
- Make career decisions based on kingdom impact, not just salary
- Choose entertainment and activities that honor God
- End each day evaluating how you invested your time
The Urgency Jesus Wants Us to Feel
“This Very Night”
Notice the urgency in this Luke 12 sermon. God didn’t give the rich fool a five-year plan to get his priorities straight. He said, “This very night your life will be demanded from you.”
This isn’t meant to scare you—it’s meant to wake you up. You don’t know how much time you have left. None of us do.
H3: Questions That Should Keep You Up at Night
- If you died tonight, what would you be remembered for?
- What impact are you making that will outlast your life?
- How many people are better off eternally because they knew you?
- What treasures are you storing up in heaven vs. on earth?
Common Objections to Living for Eternity
“But I Need to Be Practical”
Of course you need to work, save money, and plan for the future. Jesus isn’t calling you to be irresponsible. But He is calling you to keep these things in proper perspective.
Being practical includes:
- Providing for your family
- Saving for retirement
- Having emergency funds
- Making wise financial decisions
But don’t let practical concerns become your primary focus. The most practical thing you can do is invest in eternity because that’s the only investment guaranteed to last forever.
“I’ll Focus on God When I Retire”
This is exactly the rich fool’s mistake! He thought he had plenty of time to figure out life later. But God called his time that very night.
The problem with “someday” spirituality:
- You might not make it to retirement
- Habits formed now will continue later
- Opportunities to serve God exist today, not just in retirement
- Your character is being formed by your current choices
“I Don’t Have Enough to Make a Difference”
This Luke 12 sermon isn’t just for wealthy people. The principles of how to live a life that matters apply whether you have millions or minimum wage.
You can be rich toward God by:
- Giving sacrificially from whatever you have
- Serving with whatever time and energy you possess
- Using whatever talents God has given you
- Loving whoever God has placed in your life
The Eternal Perspective That Changes Everything
What Will Matter in 100 Years?
When Mike Eells preached this message about investing in eternity, he challenged us to think long-term—not just 5 or 10 years, but 100 years from now.
In a century:
- Your house will belong to someone else
- Your car will be in a junkyard
- Your bank account will be empty
- Your business achievements will be forgotten
But also in a century:
- People you led to Christ will still be in heaven
- Biblical truth you taught will still be changing lives
- Churches and ministries you supported will still be impacting people
- Character you developed will have influenced generations
The Investment That Never Loses Value
Storing up treasures in heaven is the only investment strategy that’s guaranteed to work. Stock markets crash, currencies fail, real estate bubbles burst—but treasures in heaven are eternally secure.
What are heavenly treasures?
- Souls saved through your witness
- Lives changed through your service
- Character developed through trials
- Glory given to God through your choices
- Disciples made through your investment
How to Start Living for What Matters
The 30-Day Challenge
Want to stop wasting your life and start living for what matters? Try this 30-day challenge based on this Luke 12 sermon:
Week 1: Audit Your Life
- Track how you spend your time for one week
- List your top 5 priorities based on where you actually invest your time and money
- Pray and ask God to show you where changes need to be made
Week 2: Adjust Your Priorities
- Make one specific change to invest more time in eternal things
- Increase your giving by a specific percentage
- Start or join a Bible study or ministry opportunity
Week 3: Take Action
- Share the Gospel with at least one person
- Serve someone in need without expecting anything in return
- Encourage another believer in their faith
Week 4: Plan for the Future
- Set specific goals for investing in eternity this year
- Create accountability with another believer
- Make long-term plans that reflect kingdom priorities
The Question That Changes Everything
At the end of this powerful message on how to live a life that matters, you’re left with one crucial question:
When your life is over, will you have been rich toward God or rich toward yourself?
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
The Fool’s Biggest Mistake
The rich fool’s biggest mistake wasn’t being wealthy—it was assuming he had unlimited time to figure out what really mattered. Don’t make the same mistake.
This Luke 12 sermon is your wake-up call. Not tomorrow, not next year, not when you retire—today.
Your Life Matters More Than You Think
Here’s the incredible truth: your life has the potential to make an eternal difference. Not just in your own eternity, but in the eternities of others. The question is whether you’ll live for temporary treasures or store up treasures in heaven.
God has given you:
- Time to invest in His kingdom
- Talents to use for His glory
- Resources to advance His purposes
- Relationships to impact for eternity
Don’t waste these gifts on things that won’t matter in a hundred years.
The Choice Is Yours
This message about not wasting your life ultimately comes down to a choice. You can continue living for yourself, your possessions, and your security—and risk being called a fool by God. Or you can start investing in eternity and become rich toward God.
The choice is urgent because:
- You don’t know how much time you have left
- Every day you delay is a day wasted
- Habits formed now shape your future
- People around you need to see the Gospel lived out
The choice is yours because:
- God won’t force you to live for Him
- You have to decide what your priorities will be
- No one else can make this decision for you
- Your eternal reward depends on choices you make today
What Happens Next?
This Luke 12 sermon isn’t meant to just inform you—it’s meant to transform you. As you reflect on this call to live a life that matters, consider these next steps:
Pray:Â Ask God to show you areas where you’re living like the rich fool and areas where you can be rich toward Him.
Plan:Â Make specific, measurable changes to how you invest your time, talents, and treasure.
Act:Â Start implementing these changes today, not someday.
Share: Tell someone else about your commitment to stop wasting your life and start storing up treasures in heaven.
Remember: life is short, eternity is long, and the choices you make today will echo throughout eternity. Don’t waste the precious gift of life God has given you. Live for what matters. Be rich toward God.
This blog post is based on biblical teaching from Atlantic Gospel Chapel in Atlantic, Iowa, where we’re committed to faithful Bible teaching that builds lives on Jesus Christ. If this message has challenged you to examine your priorities and live for eternity, we’d love to help you grow in your faith and find ways to serve God’s kingdom.
