Luke 16:1-13
Sunday Morning, December 29, 2002

Is Money Your God?

INTRODUCTION:
In the previous chapter, Jesus speaks against the pride of the Pharisees who were too exclusive to welcome publicans and sinners. Of all the messages Luke intended for his readers to contemplate in this chapter, the one which rings loud and clear is Jesus condemnation of covetousness. While the instruction we are considering in our text seemed to be directed to Jesus’ disciples, the Pharisees were still in the background, for they scoffed at what Jesus said (v. 14). 

We must admit this is notoriously one of the most difficult of all the parables to interpret. The root problem is the commendation of the steward who is so plainly dishonest. Let’s see if we can “discover the pearl of great price” in this parable. 

DIGGING DEEPER:
I. In an attempt to assist his disciples in gaining a deeper understanding of the kingdom of God, Jesus shared this perplexing parable involving a rich man and one of his managers (better interpreted, a “steward” or “agent). 
A. In what crisis does the manager find himself (16:1-3)? Why was he dismissed (or terminated)? 
• One important life lesson is found here – Whether there is much or little, faithfulness is demanded of a steward. 
B. As the manager plots a course of action, what character traits emerge? 
C. Quickly running out of options, the manager comes to a solution in a flash of insight. What was his solution (16:4-7)? 
• At face value, do you see how this plan would only compound his problems with the rich master? 
• What was the advantage(s) for the rich master?

II. The storyline of the parable comes to a conclusion in v. 8 with the rich master discovering what the manager has done. In a surprising turn of events, the master commends the manager.
A. Many New Testament scholars suggest that the key to accurately interpreting this parable is to understand some historical / cultural business practices of the day. The “manager” was, in fact, more like a contractor or business agent who worked on a commission basis, much as did tax collectors with the Roman government. In other words, these agents were bound to collect from their customers the price their employer required for his products. However, they could charge whatever they could get in commission. Often the profit they made was enormous! 
i. If this is the case, what was the manager doing with the “two” debtors identified in the story? How might this knowledge influence your understanding of the parable? 
B. The reason the manager was now commended though he previously acted dishonestly may be that he at last learned how one’s worldly wealth can be wisely given away to do good. This stands more to reason if we assume that the amount taken off the bills (vv. 5-7) was not part of the debt owed the master but rather represented the commission the manager himself was charging. If this explanation is correct, the manager’s transaction was not unethical. In any event, the master would lose no money if the amount forfeited was simply the commission the manager would have gained. Furthermore, such a forgiveness of debts would hardly have hurt but would probably have helped the master’s own reputation. Therefore, the master admires the manager’s shrewdness. 

LIFE APPLICATION: A CHARACTER TEST
I. For what is the rich master commending the manager (v. 8)? 

II. Jesus does praise the ingenuity of the steward in this parable. His instruction was given for us to learn a lesson from the prudence and foresight exercised by “the people of this world.” 
• Is Jesus point that the “children of light” should pursue the kingdom (i.e., spiritual affairs) with the same wisdom, creativity, and ingenuity as worldly people pursue riches and fortune? 

III. Money may be a very useful servant. How much can it accomplish? It may also be a bad master. 
• Jesus gives us this charge, “Use your worldly wealth which you possess to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (v. 9). 
• The right use of money (which is seeking the welfare of others with it) applies not only to the rich, but also to the poor. “The one who is faithful in a very little may be faithful in much; but if one is not faithful with little things, one will not be with larger things.” 
• Many rich men would not leave so much behind, if only they had made more friends with their money. How does giving free us from the destructive power of money?
• Note Jesus’ statement in v. 15 that all this relates to the condition of one’s heart with God. As we look at our finances to evaluate our spirituality, what signs of danger should we look for? What signs of health should we look for?

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:
• Gifts and graces given to God’s glory will bring present satisfaction and will serve to build a memorial in the ages to come.

• That the parable stung the conscience of the money-loving Pharisees is evident from their reaction to it (v. 14-15). What may cut deep for us as well are these words of Jesus – “What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”