LUKE 16: 1-13 [PARABLES IN LUKE]
TRUE RICHES
[Matthew 6:25-34]
Some athletes, entertainers and CEOs receive astronomical salaries. They take all they can get and use it for their own personal interests. They seem to set an example for our culture which spends so much to entertain themselves when countless millions in the world are hungry, homeless, and lost.
Our attitude toward money and how we use it is a barometer of our spiritual state (CIT). It reveals whether we are foolishly thinking only of the present or astutely looking to eternity.
What is the purpose of money? Jesus told a disturbing story about a money manager who knew he would soon be fired because he had wasted his employer's funds. So the steward went to the debtors and issued a "paid in full" receipt for a partial payment. This put him in their good graces so that when he lost his job he could go to them for help and not have to beg. Interestingly, this manager appears to win the respect of his master by his shrewd [or dishonest] actions.
The story illustrates the wisdom of spending money with eternity in view. When we invested our life and resources in Christ's cause, it pays eternal dividends. We can use our money now to help spread the gospel, and the people who receive Christ will be our friends forever in heaven.
Luke 16 is devoted to teachings about the proper use of material possessions, a subject of primary concern to Jesus. This parable is directed to the disciples. To understand the parable it is important to separate the parable proper from Jesus’ teaching on it. Jesus instruction begins after the steward was commended of for his prudence. We will briefly look a both parts.
I. THE STEWARD’S ACTIONS, 1-8a.
II. THE ASTUTE ACTION, 8b-9.
III. DEMONSTRATED FAITHFULNESS, 10-12.
IV. THE CHOICE, 13.
In verse 1 the rich man learned that his steward was mismanaging his stewardship. ‘Now He was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions.
In Jesus’ day managers were often hired by wealthy people to care for the finances of their estates. Such a manager would be comparable to a modern-day financial planner or trustee who controls the finances of an estate for the purpose of making more money for that estate. The money did not belong to the manager but was his to use for the estate. [Walvoord, John & Zuck, Roy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983, S. 246.]
The steward was squandering his boss’s possessions either by spending his master’s money extravagantly or foolishly mismanaging his resources. Both are grounds for termination. [The same Greek verb (diaskorpizôn, meaning “squander”) appears in 15:13 to describe the activities of the lost son.]
In verse 2 the rich man call his steward to give an account of his dealings. “And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
The rich man viewed his manager’s irresponsibility and fired him. The estate owner then asks the estate manager for his final accounting for all his dealings.
With his past catching up with him the manager realizes in verse 3 that he needs a plan for his future. “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. [ 4] ‘I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the management people will welcome me into their homes.’
Realizing his days of employment were numbered, the steward devised a plan where he would cut in the debts of those who owed his employer money. He bought friends and favor for the future when he would be unemployed. [He possibly hoped to make friends who might later hire him.] He uses worldly possessions to help determine how things will go for him after he is dismissed. [The parable in vv. 19–31 serves as an example of this concept.]
Verses 5-7 relay what the steward determines to do about the crisis he has brought on himself and how he proceeds to resolve it. [5] “And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ [6] “And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ [7] “Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
What the steward has done is not clear. His actions in reducing their debt may or may not be dishonest. He may be reduced the bills by subtracting his own commission as financial manager or eliminating the interest portion (in which case he would not have been dishonest, Ex. 22:25) or he permitted falsification of the amounts owed his master. Most interpreters favor the falsification view, I lean toward the reduction of interest or commission since the master actually praises the steward for his action in verse 8.
So the steward reduces the bill of all those who owe his master money They can return just what they borrowed and no more [forgiving the interest and or his commission.]
Verse 8 contains the last scene in the story where disturbingly we find the master praising the dishonest steward [who has cheated him again]. “And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.
His master applauds the quick thinking actions of the manager’s in vv. 4–7 so it may not be stealing. He could be called dishonest due to the accusations in verse 1. No doubt his employer would be unhappy about not receiving all that was owed him, but he commended the man for his shrewdness.
Jesus certainly wasn’t advocating embezzlement or justifying crooked behavior. What He is teaching is that at least this crook was thinking about the future and making decisions in the present that would help him out in the future [Smith, Chuck. The Word For Today Bible. 2005. NKJV Nelson Publishers. p. 1348]. He made a good lesson out of a bad example.
II. THE ASTUTE ACTION, 8b-9.
Jesus applied the parable in three ways to His disciples. First, one should use money to win people into the kingdom (8b-9). Let’s look at the end of verse 8 for a moment at why this steward was commended [praised] for his shrewd action.
The Greek word translated “shrewdly” [phronimôs] can also be rendered as “wisely, prudently or astutely.” Jesus said the world acts more astutely that “the sons of light” or God’s children (John 12:36).
And wherein is this astuteness? The master praised the unrighteous manager for his shrewd action in preparing a future for himself. The steward had acted prudently in order to enhance his future welfare. He had been careful to plan ahead, using material things to insure a secure future. The lesson is that people of the world demonstrate an astuteness [neb] from which children of light (1 Thess. 5:4-5) can learn. Jesus was teaching that His disciples should use presently be using material things for future spiritual benefit.
[The people of the world court people who may be able to help them attain what they are after. They are on the phone talking to their investment counselors, checking figures on their calculators, shrewdly and carefully planning for their future. Not so the children of light. We are not as aggressive or as wise in preparing for our eternal future as our worldly colleagues are in preparing for their temporal future. This ought not be. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 379.]
As U.S. forces entered Panama in December, 1989, worldwide attention focused on the ousted dictator, MANUEL NORIEGA, who dropped out of sight when the military action began. Noriega's unsavory reputation produced a profusion of unflattering adjectives used to describe him in newspaper reports, such as ruthless, greedy, crazy, arrogant, lawless, corrupt. But friend and foe alike agreed that he was "shrewd" and "cunning."
U. S. actions did not take Noriega by surprise. He was prepared for such an eventuality. For years he had been building a network of supporters, particularly among international drug traffickers. Informants said he had established several hide-outs in anticipation of a U. S. assault. Like the crafty steward in Jesus' parable, he had lived with an eye on his earthly future.
God's people should show no less shrewdness as they handle the Lord's business today and make preparation for their eternal tomorrow. We should be astutely preparing for our eternal future here and now.
Verse 9 says preparation for eternity lies in using possessions so as to enhance one’s future in heaven. “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.
Jesus again advises us about the wisdom of spending or investing money with eternity in view. The disciples were to use wealth to gain friends, the same reason the unrighteous manager used the rich man’s wealth. [The phrase mamôna tçs adikias should probably be translated as “worldly wealth,” reflective of the means the manager used to secure his future.]
When we invested our life and resources in Christ's cause, it pays eternal dividends. We can use our money now to help spread the gospel, and the people who receive Christ will joyfully acknowledge us in heaven and will be our friends forever.
HOT AIR BALLOONS were all the rage where we grew up in Albuquerque. My Dad told me that when you begin ascending in a balloon things down here begin to look smaller and smaller. What had looked very grand and imposing close up seem as mere nothings as you gain altitude. The higher you rise the smaller everything on earth appears. The things on earth gets fainter and fainter as you rise, until a railway train, dashing along at fifty miles an hour, looks like a toy, and scarcely appears to be moving at all, and the grand piles of buildings seem to become like mere dots. So it is when we get near heaven; earth's treasures, earth's cares, look very small.
Use your money down below to prepare for the future up in heaven. Investing people will make a difference in heaven.
III. DEMONSTRATED FAITHFULNESS, 10-12.
Jesus’ second application found in verses 10-12 is that if one is faithful in his use of money, then he can be trusted with truth riches. [Verses 10-12 each state a proverbial truth framed on a lesser to greater argument.] Verse 10 underscores the principle that the way a person handles little will reflect how he will handle very much. “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.
Life is [not only is an apprenticeship it is] a responsibility. How we it is a test our character, value and stewardship. Faithfulness in duties we think are of minimal importance proves our readiness for larger tasks, not simply here, but in heaven.
Charles M. Schwab told of a prosperous man who many years ago started out in his youth as a poorly paid helper in a department store. One rainy day when business was slow, the employees gathered in a corner to discuss the-current baseball situation. When a woman came in wet and bedraggled from the weather; they all continued talking except this young fellow. Quickly, he walked over to the customer and asked courteously, "What can I show you, madam?" He promptly got the merchandise she requested and explained its, features in a convincing and pleasant manner. A short time later, the firm received a letter from this lady ordering complete furnishings for a large estate overseas. "I want to be assisted by the polite clerk who waited on me a few weeks ago;" she wrote. The head of the company responded by saying that the one she asked for was young and inexperienced, so the manager would be sent instead. But when her reply came, it stated that she wanted the person she had designated and no other So the courteous employee was sent to advise in furnishing a famous Scottish palace, for the customer had been none other than Mrs. Andrew Carnegie!
Verse ll contains the heart of the matter/teachings. “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?
True riches are those which are truly valuable, as opposed to worldly wealth. True riches seem to refer to the rich we lay up in heaven (Mt. 6:25-34). The teaching is if you are unfaithful in worldly goods, God wouldn’t trust you with heavenly goods. If the followers of Jesus do not properly handle worldly wealth then they can not be trusted with true or eternal riches.
Some think that they have everything when earthly riches come their way, but their true poverty will be revealed on God's accounting day. Asked how much money his father left when he died, Andrew Carnegie’s son gave a classic answer when he shrugged his shoulders and simply said, “Everything.” How true. The old adage is correct: You can’t take it with you. But equally true is the fact that you can send it ahead. The money you give to the Lord is sent ahead, waiting for you in heaven
Money can't buy happiness or eternal life, but it can be used as a tool to give us rewards in eternity. When we invested our life and resources in Christ's cause, it pays eternal dividends.
Jesus then takes the lesson one step further. Verse 12 adds true ownership to the rewards of faithful stewardship. “And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
“With what belongs to another” is likely a reference to the “worldly wealth” mentioned repeatedly in this passage. Just as the manager used his master’s possessions to secure his future, so too should Jesus’ disciples use their possessions, which belong to God, to accumulate heavenly treasure. God is taking note just like the rich estate owner was to see what we are doing with what He has allow us on earth. God is who will give you your own true riches or heavenly treasure (Mt 6:19–21).
In the early 1800s, Prussia’s King Friedrich WILHELM III was involved in battles against other European countries that bled his bank account. In desperate need of funds to keep his war machine going, he asked the women of his empire to donate their gold jewelry to the war effort. In exchange, they were given chunks of iron fashioned into crosses and were made members of the Order of the Iron Cross—an Order that would go on to impact history.
Unlike King Friedrich Wilhelm III, our King isn’t bankrupt. On the contrary, He says, “Give Me your chunks of iron, and I’ll give you gold and silver in return. Trade in the stuff you’re wasting, and see what I will bless you with in the kingdom to come.”
IV. THE CHOICE, 13.
The third application Jesus drew from the parable in verse 13 is that a person cannot serve both God and money. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
We need to be loyal to God over the things of the world. Our use of wealth is the test God uses to see if we are. Why? Because the two masters are mutually exclusive. If money is the driving force in your life, it will crowed out God (1 Tim. 6:10) and the priorities that are important to God. Conversely, loving God supremely will cause one not to make money his primary concern in life. You must choose between serving God and serving money. Wealth should be a disciple’s servant, not vice versa. You have made your choice, are you serving God or money?
Godfrey Davis, who wrote a biography about the DUKE OF WELLINGTON, said, "I found an old account ledger that showed how the Duke spent his money. It was a far better clue to what he thought was really important than the reading of his letters or speeches."
How we handle money reveals much about the depth of our commitment to Christ. That's why Jesus often talked about money. [One-sixth of the gospels, including one out of every three parables, touches on stewardship. Jesus wasn't a fundraiser.] He dealt with money matters because money matters. For some of us, though, it matters too much.
Jesus warned that we can become slaves to money. We may not think money means more to us than God, but if place a higher priority on it than serving Jesus, it does. "Of all the masters the soul can choose, there are at last only two-God and money. All choices, however small, however the alternatives may be disguised, are but variants of this choice." [George Buttrick.] Christians owe their total allegiance to God and demonstrate that the have by using their wealth for His good purposes. Does your checkbook show that Christ is the Master in your life?
[16:14-18
The Pharisees, here called lovers of money, were, unlike the Sadducees, generally urban and business people. Their making fun of Jesus may imply that they regarded prosperity as God’s reward for righteousness (Deut. 27-28). Their self-justification may have been in the form of alms and other works of merit, but God’s assessments are usually a reversal of our own.]
IN CLOSING
Our parable illustrates the wisdom of spending money with eternity in view. We can use our money now to help spread the gospel, and the people who receive Christ will be our friends forever and will greet us when we enter heaven.
The question is: do you own your money, or does it own you? Are we preoccupied with earthly values or with God's eternal values? Preoccupation with temporary possessions, very much the mind set of many today, is still detestable to God.
To help us reverse our preoccupation with money, Ken Gire wrote this prayer. Would you pray it with me? "Dear Jesus, help me this day to see with the eyes I will one day be given at death. May I see as clearly right now what is highly valued in Your sight as I see what is valued in men’s sight. Lord, Give me eyes to see what is highly valued in Your sight" [adapted].
[And what does God highly value? People. He values people in all walks of life. He values people in need: the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the lonely, the prisoners (Mt 25:34-40). Valuing people involves listening, understanding, and meeting their needs.]
