LUKE 16
4 Outlines
Luke 16:1-13
MONEY MANAGEMENT
This is perhaps the most difficult parable in all of
Luke. We find the story of the unjust
steward. The problem with this parable
is the commendation of an unrighteous man by our Lord Jesus.
The theme of the parable and the section that follows
is the use of money as a proper investment in the
THE PARABLE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS STEWARD
Vs. 1 – According to C. Marvin Pate, “The economic
setting presupposed here has been analyzed by two authors and J.D.M. Derrett.
They have shown that the rich man was typical of an
absentee landlord, the owner of a Galilean latifundium (a large land estate),
who entrusted the transaction of his business to a steward. This person was
properly trained and given great authority, able to represent his master in
significant financial matters (e.g., the renting of land to tenant-farmers, the
making of loans against a harvest, the liquidation of debts, the keeping of all
financial accounts).
C. Marvin Pate, Luke,
Moody Gospel Commentary (Chicago, Moody Press, 1995), p.313
This particular steward had a problem.
He was not honest and he evidently squandered his
master’s resources for his own pleasures. He was accused before his master.
Vs. 2 – The steward was fired. He had make a final account
of his stewardship and then he was done! Of course, we
are reminded that at the Judgment Seat of Christ, we too, will have to give
account of our stewardship of the things that God has blessed us with.
Vs. 3 – The steward, obviously is in a
quandary. He is not physically able to
do manual labor, and he would be too ashamed to be a beggar.
Vs. 4 – The steward thinks and comes up with a
plan. He decides to make friends with
his master’s debtors, so they, also, people of means, might receive him
graciously into their homes. His plan is
a very clever one.
Vss. 5-7 – The way the promissory note was
written, according too many scholars, the agent’s commission was written right
into the note. The first debtor probably
actually owed only 50 measures or baths of oil, about 400 gallons worth. The
rest was possibly a very stiff commission that the steward was to receive. By the way, the cost of the oil was the
equivalent of a little over three years salary for a common laborer.
The second debtor owed about a thousand bushels of
wheat or about 8-9˝ years wage. The bill was reduced to a little over 800
bushels of whet. Again, this was a
significant savings.
According to many commentators, the steward was
eliminating his commission.
This would have endeared him to his master’s debtors,
who would have shown appreciation by receiving him into their homes after he
was done his job.
Not every commentator thinks that the steward was just
eliminating his commission. Some
commentators think that he was being downright dishonest and cheating his
master some more. But remember, this is
a parable and Jesus is making a point.
Vs. 8 – The unjust steward was commended not for
his honesty, but for his shrewdness. It
doesn’t mean that the unjust steward was right, but he was shrewd and helped
solve his personal problem.
Jesus goes on to make an application. The children of this world are wiser than the
children of light.
The children of this world would be those who are
unsaved.
The children of light would be those who are saved.
You have met or heard of many people who were shrewd
in business dealings in order to further themselves. But how many Christians, who might be shrewd
in their finances for their own worldly pleasure, use that shrewdness in
business to invest Heavenly dividends?
THE PARABLE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS STEWARD
THE PRINCIPLES THE PARABLE TEACHES
In verses 9-13 our Lord gives us three
principles that this parable would teach.
These are things which we should learn for our own lives.
1. BE FRIENDLY
Luke 16:9 - And
I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness;
that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
First of all, we know that Jesus is not teaching that
you can buy your way into Heaven. John 14:6, John 3:36, Ephesians 2:8-9
Now we have to ask the question, how can we make
friends with money that will mean something in “everlasting habitations” or Heaven?
The immediate context of Jesus’ day was the perhaps
the giving of alms to the poor.
However in our day, there are a few ways money can be
invested that will bring reward in Heaven.
The first thing that comes to mind for me is investing
in missions. We can earn money so that
we can give to the cause of bringing people to Christ.
Imagine the joy of a heavenly reunion someday where
you are welcomed by the missionary who was on the mission field with you help
and by the people he won to the Lord because you gave.
Another way of investing is giving to evangelistic
efforts in our own church or through evangelistic outreaches in the
Another way of giving is giving to those in need both Christian
and non-Christian. Galatians 6:9-10
Imagine Christians in Heaven receiving you thankful
that you had invested in them because you helped them when they had need.
2. BE FAITHFUL
Luke
The context is concerning money, but this statement is
true for every endeavor.
If we are faithful in little issues, we will be
faithful in big issues.
If we are unrighteous in little issues, we will be
unrighteous in big things.
The person who is faithful in a small job at work or
at church would be faithful if you gave him or her a big job.
The person who is unfaithful in a small job at work or
at church will be unfaithful in a big one.
The person who is faithful to the Lord in little
behavior issues will be faithful in big issues, such as honesty.
The person who is unfaithful in little behavior
issues, will be faithful in big behavior issues, such as honesty on a larger
scale.
Luke 16:11 - If
therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit
to your trust the true riches?
Money and the things money can buy won’t go with you
to Heaven.
Faithful use of it, however will lead you to receive
true riches, the riches that do not pass away. I believe that often we are not
blessed with other responsibilities for the Lord because we have not been
faithful in using our money wisely. Matthew 6:19-21, Ephesians 4:28
Luke 16:12 - And
if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you
that which is your own?
God owns everything.
Anything that we own is simply a gift from Him.
Therefore how we use the resources God has given us is
of the utmost importance.
Our poor people in
God will not give us true riches in Heaven of our own
if we have not been good stewards of what He has given us here.
3. BE FERVENT
Luke 16:13 - No
servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the
other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mammon.
Actually, you will be fervently in love with either
God or money. Jesus says you can’t love
both.
You will love one and despise the other.
Most people love money and don’t even realize it.
They are tied up with the things that money can buy.
If they don’t have money, they dream and talk of
things they would like to have if they had money.
Here is a very convicting test.
Listen to what you think about and what you talk
about.
If you love money you will think and talk about things
that money can buy.
If you love someone or some activity you will talk
about that.
If you love God, you will talk about Him.
If you love God, you will use your money as much as
possible to further the
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Luke 16:19-31
TALE OF THE TWOS
TWO PEOPLE – Vss. 19-21
1. The Rich Man
2. Lazarus
TWO PASSINGS – Vs. 22
1. Lazarus
Passed Away – Nothing said of burial
2. The Rich Man
Passed Away – He was buried
TWO PLACES – Vss. 22-24
1. Lazarus in
Heaven – At rest.
2. Rich Man In
Hell – In torment
TWO PROBLEMS – Vss. 24-31
1. There Is No
Relief In Hell – Vss. 24-26
2. There Is No
Returning To Evangelize – Vss. 27-31
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Luke 16:19-31
THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS
DIVERSE ROLES ON EARTH - Vss. 19-21
DIFFERENT RESULTS FOR ETERNITY - Vss. 22-26
DISTINCT REQUEST OF THE UNSAVED - Vss. 27-31
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Luke 16:19-31
THE SERIOUSNESS OF UNBELIEF
All of us have problems. Many of our problems are not very serious,
others are very serious. The most
serious problem a person can have is unbelief.
See John 3:36. The rich man in
this story told by Jesus found himself in hell, not because he was rich, but
because he was an unbeliever! His story
shows us the seriousness of unbelief!
COMFORT ON EARTH Vss. 19-21
CRY FROM HELL Vss. 22-26
CONCERN FOR FAMILY Vss. 27-31
According to our Lord's account here, people in hell
are very evangelistic. Shouldn't we be?