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Turn with me, if you will, this morning to Luke 16, Luke chapter 16.
Last week we finished up looking at one of the most beloved parables in all the Bible,
the story of the prodigal son.
And this week we turned the page to find another parable, but let's just say that it's a little
less beloved parable by most people.
This is a hard one.
It's a hard parable on actually two levels.
First, just understanding what Jesus means in this story.
It's the parable of the dishonest manager.
And yet the dishonest manager is commended?
What's up with that?
What does Jesus mean?
What does He not mean?
But then, on another level, once we do understand it, it's hard for us because it challenges our
hearts in ways that for many of us we'd just rather avoid.
Chapter 16 talks a lot about money issues, rich and poor.
But it does so not merely to talk about money, but really to address our hearts.
It's difficult.
Now, we must always listen to God's Word, every part of it.
But this week in particular, as I've been studying and praying for this, I feel like God has been
saying, I must really listen to this.
We really need to listen to this.
We have this tendency, I think, when we hear God start talking about money to shut down here.
But Jesus keeps bringing it up.
So let's listen to God's Word and then together ask His Spirit to give us tender hearts, to mold our hearts the way He wants to this morning.
This is Luke 16 at verse 1.
He also said to the disciples,
There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.
And He called him and said to him,
What is this that I hear about you?
Turn in the account of your management, for you cannot be the manager any longer.
And the manager said to himself,
What shall I do since my master is taking the management away from me?
I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg.
I've decided what to do so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.
So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first,
How much do you owe my master?
He said, A hundred measures of oil.
He said to him, Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.
Then he said to another,
And how much do you owe?
He said, A hundred measures of wheat.
And he said to him, Take your bill and write eighty.
The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.
For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth,
so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much,
and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth,
who will entrust to you the true riches?
And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's,
who will give you that which is your own?
No servant can serve two masters,
for either he will hate the one and love the other,
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
This is God's holy, inerrant, infallible, eternal word.
Let's pray and ask him to help us as we look at it.
Father, we are here this morning
to place ourselves under your word.
So Holy Spirit, as we look at it,
as we seek to understand,
as we struggle to obey,
would you break us?
Would you shape us?
Would you inspire us,
even inflame our hearts with passion and zeal for you and your kingdom?
Do that work in each of us,
and together as a group,
for the sake of Jesus, we pray.
Amen.
Proverbial wisdom tells us that money can't buy happiness, right?
But for decades, people have offered other reminders.
Money can't buy you happiness,
but it can buy you coffee.
Which is kind of the same thing.
Whoever said money can't buy happiness
simply didn't know where to go shopping,
Bo Derek once said.
You can't buy happiness,
but you can buy a plane ticket,
which is kind of the same thing.
See, there's a lot of things
that you can get really close, right?
What else?
Oh yeah, money, not happiness,
but it's much more comfortable
to cry in a Lamborghini than on a bicycle.
You can't buy happiness,
but real estate?
That's just pretty close, right?
And my personal favorite,
you can't buy happiness,
but you can buy donuts.
And there is the real answer.
Donuts, therein is happiness.
All of these things,
that people use this regularly in advertising, right?
Your money can't buy you happiness,
can't buy you love,
whatever it happens to be,
but don't get down,
don't get discouraged.
We chuckle at these,
but there's a lot of truth
in what they show us
about our hearts, isn't there?
I would say most American Christians
are functioning with this mindset.
The mindset that money can't buy happiness,
but we pursue it.
We cling to it.
We think about it as if it can bring us happiness.
We're seeking to serve God,
but we're trying to serve money at the same time,
which this passage tells us
in no uncertain terms
means we are not serving God at all.
Yikes!
And that can happen regardless
of how much money we have.
Whether we are clipping coupons
or buying real estate,
our hearts can start to grasp at money
and the seeming safety,
security, pleasure, control,
whatever it is that it appears to offer us.
And money may not buy us happiness,
but I think it is pretty good
at showing us where we think
happiness is found, isn't it?
It does that real well.
We use it to get what we value.
That may be donuts.
It may be clothes.
It may be education.
It may be an organization or mission
that you believe in and support.
But the title of this sermon
is actually kind of silly.
No one has to tell you
to put your money where your heart is.
You already do.
We all do.
That's why as Jesus talks to us
about money,
and actually it really is about
all our earthly possessions
and time and energy,
that's what He's talking about.
He's actually pushing towards our hearts.
Let's see how He does that.
Let's talk about the parable
for just a minute.
When you're studying parables,
it's helpful to remember
that they usually have
one primary point or meaning.
Don't look for hidden messages
under every stone
unless Jesus tells us to do so.
Let's review what happens in the parable
and then see how Jesus helps us
with the main point.
This manager has been entrusted
to steward all his master's possessions, right?
He's the guy who's been put in charge
and he's been mismanaging,
probably skimming off the top
for himself among other things.
And so he's fired.
There's no questions asked.
He's done,
but he's given a little bit of time
to update the accounts
and bring them up to speed
to turn them in before he walks off.
So he's stuck, right?
His job,
his influence,
his source of well-being,
they're all disappearing quickly.
Now caring for himself
is this manager's top priority, right?
He feels that he can't do that well
by manual labor for whatever reason
or by begging.
So he hatches a plan.
He's got this idea
of how he can take care of himself.
Jesus doesn't tell us for sure,
but probably what's happening here
is Jews were not allowed by law
to charge interest to other Jews.
And so what many people did
to get around that law
was work an extra fee
into the original bill.
Unethical,
but on the razor's edge of illegal.
Basically everyone did it.
And the manager
goes to some of these wealthy clients
and he lowers their debts
probably by that kind of interest-added amount
that would have been worked in.
And so two things happen.
What happens there?
His master can't punish him further
without exposing himself
for these unethical practices, right?
But secondly,
he's made some new friends.
He's got people
who might want to help him out,
give him a job,
a meal,
a bed to sleep in
when he loses his
and has nowhere else to go.
In his future,
he's going to be taken care of.
What a great plan.
Even his master says,
pretty sharp, man.
Good thinking.
I didn't see that one coming.
He commends his shrewdness.
Verse 8.
Now that word for shrewdness,
when we say shrewd,
usually means conniving, right?
Less than ethical,
which does fit here.
But it really means
wisely preparing or investing.
In other words,
carefully prioritizing
what one deems valuable or important.
It's used in parables often.
For instance,
the wise man who built his house where?
On a rock.
It was a shrewd,
a wise decision.
In other parables,
for people being properly prepared
for the coming of Jesus.
So the point of this parable
is not to say
the ends justify the means
or be dishonest
as long as you make more money.
No, no, no kids.
No.
The primary point of the parable is
it is wise and commendable
to use things of fading value
toward things of longer lasting value.
The manager's money and position
were fading, right?
And he shrewdly,
wisely,
used them to secure something
with ongoing value to him.
In this case,
his own protection
and provision.
Now Jesus has been teaching us
all through this section
as we've walked through
the Gospel of Luke
about the kingdom of God, right?
About the immense value
of the kingdom.
About its lasting value.
In fact,
its eternal value.
So Jesus is not going
to commend honesty.
Neither is he going to say,
look out for number one.
The manager's got his priorities straight.
That's exactly what
your priorities should be.
No.
He says this,
verse 9,
I tell you,
make friends for yourselves
by means of unrighteous wealth
so that when it fails,
as it will,
they may receive you
into the eternal dwellings.
Jesus makes the first
of his points of application
for us.
Invest eternally
in what truly lasts.
Friends,
welcoming you into homes
is only a picture
of being welcomed by God
into an eternal home.
An everlasting kingdom.
Jesus says his followers
could learn some things
from the people of the world,
right?
About how this principle
works out.
Again,
he's not commending
the methods
or the ultimate values,
but rather the consistent
strategic thinking
of the world.
Verse 8,
the sons of this world
are more shrewd
in dealing with
their own generation
than the sons of light.
What's Jesus saying?
He's saying,
why do the children
of God fail to invest
in what they believe
is truly valuable?
Everyone else seems
to do that pretty consistently.
They figure out
what their priorities are
and they work towards them.
They invest in them.
We say the thing
that we want most
to see happen
is the kingdom of God
advanced in this world,
right?
For people to come
to know King Jesus,
for Huntsville
to experience
the flourishing
of justice and mercy,
for the nations
to be transformed
by the power
of the gospel of grace.
That's what we say
is most valuable.
But do we invest
in that
like it's most valuable?
Do we employ
all the wisdom
and skill
God has given us
toward kingdom ends?
The manager used
everything at his disposal,
right?
To pursue
what was most valuable
to him.
Jesus says
to his followers,
you've got a kingdom
that really lasts,
that is most valuable.
Use everything
at your disposal
to pursue it.
Pastor Ross Lester
encourages us
to think of our money
specifically
as mission ammunition.
I like that.
Ammunition
for God's mission
in the world
that we can use,
he says,
to blow holes
in the gates
of hell.
I really like that.
That's good.
When you worship God
through giving
this morning,
you didn't just
check a box,
fulfill an obligation,
make a charitable donation
for tax purposes.
You blew a hole
in the gates
of hell
in Huntsville.
You blasted
through the gates
of hell
in India.
that's how you
invested
the resources
God had given
to you.
But it's not simply
about our money,
is it?
I mean,
it's not less
than that,
but it's so much
more.
Verse 9 again,
I tell you,
make friends for
yourselves
by means of
unrighteous wealth.
That word there
that's translated
unrighteous wealth
sometimes translated
money like in
verse 13.
It's the word
mammon.
It doesn't mean
wealth that you
got by dishonest
dealings.
That's not the idea.
It's a general term
speaking of
all your earthly
possessions,
all your worldly
wealth,
all the resources
you have in this
world.
Jesus is saying
use those
for eternal
purposes.
Use everything
you have
to pursue
things
that last.
The manager
used his position,
his connections.
Invest your time
to pursue
the eternal
souls of
men and women.
Invest your
relationships
to see
God's kingdom
come in
Huntsville.
Invest your
vacation time
to love
the least of
these.
Invest your
homes to
help people
experience
the gracious
welcome
of King
Jesus who
gives freely
and generously.
this leads us
to Jesus
next point.
We must
steward
faithfully.
Verse 11
if then you
have not been
faithful in
the unrighteous
wealth and
the mammon
and the earthly
resources who
will entrust to
you the true
riches and
if you've not
been faithful
in that which
is another's who
will give you
that which is
your own.
Jesus says all
those things that
you're to invest
for the eternal
kingdom you must
do it because
they're not
actually yours at
all are they?
You are a
steward that
God has
entrusted to
manage his
resources for
his purposes.
He's telling us
to be faithful
with that which
belongs to
another.
It's his.
That's what a
steward does
right?
Manages what
belongs rightly
to someone
else.
Is that how you
view your money?
Your time?
Your home?
Are they yours
or are they
someone else's?
I read this
week of a man
who bought a
new car only
to have it
crashed into
a couple of
days later
and he
responded,
well God
I don't know
why you want
a dent in
the side of
your new car
but you
certainly have
a big one.
John Wesley
once said
when told his
house was on
fire,
the Lord's
house burned
one less
responsibility
for me.
Now the
triteness of
those comments
can seem to
minimize
genuine
suffering
but
I use them
to the point
of how vital
it is
for us to
have the right
perspective on
who owns
our
stuff.
if everything
we have
is a gift
from God
and it's
merely entrusted
to us
then we must
ask the
question
perhaps different
from the
question we
usually ask
what does
faithful stewardship
of God's
stuff look
like?
Not how do
I want to
use it
but how
would God
want this
used?
That's the
heart behind
the leadership
of our
church as we
consider our
budget each
year and as
we in recent
months wrestled
through pursuing
the sale of the
White House
property.
How would God
want us to
use what He
has entrusted
to us?
And the
principle Jesus
teaches is that
we should be
faithful in the
small things like
money before
being entrusted
with true
riches.
Verse 11
In other words
if we as a
church don't
steward our
money faithfully
for God's
kingdom purposes
pointing all
our money there
why would God
entrust eternal
souls for us
to point them
toward Him and
His kingdom?
If we're not
even pointing our
money in that
direction.
But if we are
oriented toward
His kingdom in
the little things
what a great
pattern that sets
for us when He
entrusts a new
church plant
a new generation
of kids
a new revival
in Huntsville
to us
and we're looking
towards His
kingdom purposes.
God has entrusted
every one of us
in this room
with so much
hasn't He?
Do we long
for more so
that we can
pursue our
dreams of a
better lifestyle
a better situation
for our kids
a better
retirement?
Or are we
willing to say
enough?
God's given me
what I need
and whenever we
see more
we think
kingdom
whenever we get
more we think
others
we think
give it away
and we start
to get excited
as we see God
provide for us
and He does it
so richly
and so generously
and as what
He's given us
grows
we think
of the size
of hole
we're going
to blow
in the gates
of hell
right?
Isn't that
exciting?
Don't you want
to see what
God gives you
that way?
He entrusts to us
so much
and that's the
attitude He's
calling us to.
Martin Luther wrote
we must use
all these things
upon earth
in no other way
than as a guest
who travels
through the land
and comes to a hotel
where he must
lodge overnight.
He takes only food
and lodging
from the host
and He says not
that the property
of the host
belongs to Him
just so
we also
should treat
our temporal
possessions
as if they
were not ours
and enjoy only
so much of them
as we need
to nourish the body
and then help
our neighbors
with the balance.
Thus the life
of the Christian
is only a lodging
for the night
since we have
no continuing city
but must journey
on to heaven
where the Father
is.
Treat our temporal
possessions
as if they were
not ours.
Seems un-American.
Steward them
and why?
Why does He say?
It's because of
what's eternal, right?
We have an eternal city.
Another homeland
where my possessions
lie.
But Jesus has
one more point
and it
presses this
into our hearts.
He does care
how we invest
and steward
our money,
our resources.
But He especially
wants us this morning
to examine our hearts
in light of how we live.
Look at verse 13.
No servant
can serve two masters
for either
he will hate the one
and love the other
or he will be devoted
to the one
and despise the other.
You cannot
serve
God
and money.
You cannot
serve God
and money.
God
and mammon.
Worldly pleasures
and possessions.
Notice
He doesn't
merely say
that you
should not.
You probably
knew that
before you came
this morning, right?
He doesn't say
you should not
serve
God and money.
He says
you cannot
serve both.
They are
mutually
exclusive
masters
because God
demands
wholehearted
worship.
He must
have
the whole
of my heart
or He has
none of it.
that's really
the crux
for many of us
I think
because we would
like to think
that we serve
God,
wouldn't we?
That He's the one
that we most
value.
But if we're honest
we'd also like
to think
that we can
manage
chasing our own
dreams
on the side
or
if we're more
honest
chasing our own
dreams
Monday through
Saturday
which is
more of a main
course than a side
but either way
God says
we
cannot
I've got to
believe there are
a lot of people
sitting in churches
like ours
who are not
serving
God
because they're
serving
mammon
earthly things
or
eternal
things
what do we
talk with our
spouses about
when we
get time
to talk
together
what do we
plan for
schedule around
and
prioritize
with our
time
what purposes
are we working
for during the
week when we're
not in this
building
what are we
most excited
to tell our
friends
or show our
friends
earthly
things
or
eternal
things
whom do our
hearts
worship
see this is
really where
Jesus wants to
go here
isn't it
you thought he
was meddling
when he reached
in and put his
hands on your
wallet
earlier
he wants to
reach through
that
to your
heart
to what you
really value
he wants us
to consider
deeply this
morning who
our God
truly is
who's the
one we
love
whose goals
do we
most pursue
whose
priorities
actually shape
how we
use
resources
you know
we won't
invest our
resources in
something that
our hearts
don't truly
value and
love
right
I love to
listen to
people who
love God's
kingdom
and have the
gift of
generosity
I love to
hear them
just brim
with excitement
and joy
over how
they were able
to free up
some extra
money to help
out a seminary
student in a
tight spot
how they were
able to restructure
some of their
assets to make a
special gift to
the church
how they were
able to
coordinate some
friends with
resources to
help someone in
need
there's this
joy there
because they
know they're
investing in
eternity
they know
they're stewarding
what God has
entrusted to
them for his
eternal purposes
and nothing
makes them
more excited
regardless of
how many
digits are in
your paycheck
or how many
dollars are in
your bank
account
would you be
willing to ask
yourself some
hard heart
questions this
morning
do you get
more joy
from buying a
new car
new clothes
or
from supporting
a global
mission partner
do you get
more joy from
an evening of
Netflix
a Saturday of
college football
or
an afternoon
spent listening
to the pains
of a hurting
friend and
praying for
them
do you get
more joy from
adding on to
your home
or having
neighbors
in your home
which
master
do you
serve
God
calls us
to serve
him
wholeheartedly
with every
dollar
with every
minute
with every
decision
why
because
his
kingdom
lasts
forever
one of the
reasons we
can't serve
God and
money
is that these
two masters
are so entirely
different
they promise
to provide us
some of the
same things
but they do so
through entirely
different means
listen to the
differences this
morning as we
close and
consider which one
you want to
serve
money says
you can't buy
safety and
security but
but you can buy
storm shelters
education for your
kids and insurance
plans and that's
pretty close
God says
safety
security
keep your life
free from love
of money and be
content with what
you have
for he has
said
why
how
can we avoid
the love of
money
God has said
I will never
leave you
nor forsake
you
so we can
confidently say
the Lord is my
helper
I will not
fear
what can
man
do
to me
how do you
pull your
heart away
from the love
of money
embracing God's
promise to be
with you and to
care for you
God offers
himself
always
with you
money says
the secret
to being
fulfilled
is to work
hard
get enough
sit back
relax
and enjoy
all the
benefits
of what
you've
worked
for
God
says
Philippians
chapter 4
in any
and every
circumstance
I have
learned the
secret of
facing plenty
and hunger
abundance
and need
I can do
all things
through him
who strengthens
me
and my
God will
supply all
your needs
according to
his glorious
riches
in Christ
Jesus
true
fulfillment
in him
money says
you can't
buy fame
and significance
but
but if you
get enough
of me
people will
eventually
respect you
and come to
you for help
and then you
will really
matter
you'll really
be somebody
God says
the Lord
is my
shepherd
I shall
not
want
I
shall
lack
nothing
you have
everything
you need
your 401k
might disappear
I will make
you lie down
in green
pastures
your home
might burn
you will dwell
in the house
of the Lord
forever
your body
may break
down
I will
never
let you
down
I will
always
be your
shepherd
you
shall
lack
nothing
which
master
do you
love
money
says
just a
little
bit
more
God
says
Jesus
paid
it all
it is
finished
give me
Jesus
let's pray
God
might we
see having
you
as the
one we
serve
and worship
as what
we truly
need
you know
the things
that turn
our hearts
even in
these moments
away from
you
away from
seeing you
as worthy
and valuable
and eternal
Holy Spirit
would you
fight for
our hearts
would you
push back
the evil
one who
would bring
things in
to kill
and to
destroy
and to
lie to us
and make us
believe there's
something else
that we really
need
to lie to us
and make us
think we can
have our cake
and eat it
too
we can
serve God
on Sunday
morning
and there's
other things
we can chase
after at the
same time
father
our hearts
are
complex
they deceive
us
and it is
hard for us
to be
single minded
and wholeheartedly
devoted to
you
Holy Spirit
we need
your help
we ask
for your
help
would you
work
in our
hearts
for the
sake of
your kingdom
and our
eternal
good
give us
Jesus
give us
hearts
that long
for Jesus
more than
anything else
we ask it
in his name
amen
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