The Parable Of The Shrewd Steward Series

William Barclay sums it up pretty well when he said, “If only the Christian was as eager and ingenious in his attempt to attain goodness as the man of the world is in his attempt to attain money and comfort, he would be a much better man.”

[William Barclay. The Gospel of Luke. The Daily Bible Study Series. (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975) p. 208]

Don’t miss the significance of the last part of verse nine, “that when you fail they may receive you into an everlasting home.” What he is referring to here is death not debt. Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 6:7, “For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we will take nothing out.” Shrewdness about money, will force us to realize that although money can be powerful it is limited, temporary and temporal.

The only wealth that will endure is that which has been invested in others for the sake of Christ and his gospel.

Dr. James Dobson tells a story that I think illustrates my point. He says, “When my daughter Danae, was a teenager, she came home one day and said, ‘Hey Dad!’ There’s this great new game out. I think you’ll like it. Its called MONOPOLY.’ I just smiled.

We gathered the family together and set up the board. It didn’t take long to figure out that Dad had played this game before. I soon owned all the best properties, including Boardwalk and Park Place. My kids were squirming, and I was loving every minute of it.

About midnight I foreclosed on the last property and did a little victory dance. My family wasn’t impressed. They went to bed and made me put the game away. As I began putting all my money back in the box, an empty feeling came over me. Everything that I had accumulated was gone. The excitement over riches was just an illusion. And then it occurred to me, Hey, this isn’t just the game of monopoly that has caught my attention; this is the game of life. You struggle to get ahead, but then one day the game ends. It all goes back in the box. You leave this world with nothing, just as you came into it…..” [Dr. James Dobson’s Bullentin. “The Game of Life” December 2002. (vol 15. no.11) Carol Stream, IL. :Tyndale House)

Not Only Are We Called to Use Opportunities Wisely ……

2. We Are Called To Use Material Possessions Faithfully. (vv. 10-12)

In the bible there seems to be two under-laying principles concerning stewardship. The first is the requirement stated in 1 Corinthians 4:2,

“Moreover, it is required in stewards that they be found faithful.” The second is an explanation of the reward; found here in verse ten, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. (11) Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (12) And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?”

“Mammon” which is sometimes translated money, refers not just to money but to all our possessions.

To quote Barclay again, “ … what you get in heaven depends on how you use the things of earth. What you will be given as your very own will depend on how you use the things of which you are only a steward.” [Barclay. p. 209]