Be Good Managers Of God’s Earthly Gifts

Sermon on Luke 16:1-13

Text: Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’
“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg – I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’
“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
“‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.
“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’
“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’
“‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.
“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’
“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
“No servant can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money.”

Already at an early age, we learn to manage things. The child, who wants to buy something, knows that he must save up for it. He cannot spend it on many little things, if he is saving up for something expensive. The school age child knows that they have to manage their time wisely. If they goof off, they will not be able to get their work done. The lessons on management learned as a child will be carried over as they grow up. Today in our sermon, the Master Teacher also teaches us about management. We are encouraged to BE GOOD MANAGERS OF GOD’S EARTHLY GIFTS. 1. Be Shrewd In Their Use and 2. Be Faithful In Their Use.

So that his disciples might understand what Jesus wanted to teach them, Jesus told the story of a rich man, who had a manager. It came to the rich man’s attention that his manager was wasting his possessions. So, in verse two, we read, “He called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’” The manager had to give a financial account. He was being fired. The manager could not hide his guilt. All of the evidence pointed to it.

This was a bad time in the manager’s life. He said, “What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg.” The manager did not waste any time. He considered his situation carefully. There were certain things that he did not feel fit to do, such as digging or begging. While considering his situation, he came up with a plan. “I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.”

Then he put his plan into motion. He called in all the people who were indebted to his master. The first person owed 800 gallons of olive oil. This was no little amount. To this debtor, the manager said, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.” We can scarcely believe our ears. How could he do that? Yet, we read in verse seven that he asked another debtor, “And how much do you owe?” “A thousand bushels of wheat” was the answer. He told this debtor, “Take your bill and make it eight hundred.” In the first case, he cut the bill in half. Here he cut it by 20%. We can hardly believe this. What dishonesty! Surely his reputation of being wasteful was well-deserved. However, you can see what he was trying to do. He was making these debtors indebted to him. When he lost his job, he felt that he could pull some strings and be taken care of.

We hear the rich man’s reaction in verse eight, “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.” Note that the master did not commend him for his actions, because it was the right thing to do. He commended him because he had acted shrewdly. He used his position to gain something for himself. He knew how to wisely make use of the things available to him for his advancement.

It is here that the Lord adds, “The people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” Worldly-minded people know how to do business, act decisively, how to take advantage of the situation, how to deal with matters to their own benefit. In this respect, they are often more shrewd than the children of light, that is, the believer. When it comes to business matters, the people of this world know how to put their money to the best possible use for their own advantage.

Jesus continues in verse nine, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” The children of this world are often more shrewd when it comes to business affairs. They are concerned with their earthly futures, and they act in such a way to provide for that future.

What about God’s children? Do they show the same concern for a future that is eternal? Do they plan and act wisely so that all of their efforts are directed toward this heavenly goal? Unfortunately, often we get so wrapped up in the things of the world that we neglect the carrying out the business of God’s kingdom.

Here we might specifically talk about our financial resources. Money is a blessing from God. He gives it to us so that we might make use of it in different ways, such as providing for our families, paying our taxes and helping the needy. God has also given us our financial resources to support his work here on earth. The money that we give in offerings is for God’s work, that is, the proclamation of his Word. The purpose of earthly wealth, Jesus says, is to “gain friends.” This does not mean that we are out buying friendships, as a crooked politician might try to do to buy a vote. Rather, this is speaking of bringing others to know Jesus as their Savior. We not only gain friends. We gain brothers and sisters in the Lord.

We might never see the blessings that come about as we give our offerings to the Lord. We may never know someone who was brought to faith because of a missionary’s work, who is trained and supported by us. However, as Jesus said, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Obviously, all of our earthly wealth and possessions will be gone when we die. Here, Jesus gives us the picture of being welcomed into heaven by those who have been brought to faith, because God used our offerings to go out and tell others about Jesus’ work. You see that we give our offerings to the Lord as an act of worship and thanksgiving. God then turns around and uses that gift to further his kingdom both here and around the world. These earthly possessions, which God gives us to use, are to be used wisely.

These blessings are also to be used faithfully. Jesus said in verse 10, “whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” What is the “very little” that Jesus is talking about? From the context, this refers to the wealth of this world. Compared to the riches of heaven and our salvation, it is very little. However, by the way that we manage our earthly possessions and put the proper priority on their use, we show that the love of Jesus has filled our hearts. We realize that this, like so many other things on our lives, are blessings from God. We also realize that our earthly possessions are far less important than spiritual wealth. Those who are truly wealthy in God’s sight are those who have been brought to faith.

Jesus realizes how great a temptation it is to run after earthly possessions and wealth. That is why he warns us in verse 13, “No servant can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money.” Jesus is speaking about where we put our efforts. What receives most of our attention?

How can each of us not plead guilty of putting the things of this world ahead of God? There are many ways that we do so. We see something that we really want so we take it when no one is looking, or we dishonestly deal with someone to get it, or we slight taking care of the needs that God has placed in front of us, or we keep back offerings from the Lord to get it. We understand what greed is because we all have felt it at one time or another. We realize that this greed then leads us to do things that are sinful.

In these occasions, what has become our master? Is it not the possessions, the money? In essence, they have become our idols. Yet, God has said so clearly in his First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods.” When anything in our lives becomes more important to us than God, we break this commandment. Because of this, we deserve to spend our eternity in hell.

Our God is a just God, who will not look the other way when sin is committed. He demands that sin be paid for. He demands perfection for entrance into heaven. However, in his great love, he sent the solution for our fatal problem. He sent his Son, Jesus, into the world. He lived perfectly for us, by always putting his Father as his #1 priority. He perfectly obeyed the law for us. Then, he paid the debt that none of us could pay, by offering his life on the cross for us. He also rose from the dead to assure us of a deft-free status with him. Perfection was required. Jesus provided it. Restitution had to be made. Jesus did it. When we are reminded of this, we find our joy in following God and his will. We see that he is eternal and that he will bless us and that he is always there for us. That cannot be said of earthly possessions. They are transitory. They have no eternal value. For that reason, we want to put our earthly resources, as well as the rest of our lives, to use for God’s glory. God does not give us a specific formula as to how to use our possessions, other than we are to give him our firstfruits. He wants us to be faithful with what he has given to us.

We live in an age of financial instability. The stock market fluctuates from day to day. Prices always seem to be going up. Prices do not always go up as quickly for the goods we are trying to sell. Many earthly possessions are in flux. How we thank our God that we have something far more substantial in which to place our trust, and that is him. Motivated by love for him, we want to serve God as our only Master. We want everything in our lives, including our wealth and possessions, to give glory to him. Then we are being faithful managers of all that he has given us. We close our sermon this morning with a prayer, using the words of a familiar hymn: “We give thee but thine own, whate’er the gift may be; all that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee. May we thy bounties thus as stewards true receive and gladly, as thou blessest us, to thee our firstfruits give.” Amen.