Coaching From A Crook Series

COACHING FROM A CROOK

Luke 16:1-13, Selected

THERE ONCE WAS A MAN WHO WENT ON AN OCEAN VOYAGE CARRYING A LARGE BAG OF GOLD COINS. THE BAG REPRESENTED HIS ENTIRE NET WORTH. A TERRIBLE STORM BLEW UP, AND THE CALL CAME FOR ALL HANDS TO ABANDON SHIP.

THE MAN STRAPPED THE GOLD AROUND HIS WAIST, JUMPED OVERBOARD, AND SANK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

HERE’S THE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION…

“AS HE WAS SINKING, DID HE HAVE THE GOLD? OR DID THE GOLD HAVE HIM?”

I FIND IT SIGNIFICANT THAT ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX VERSES IN MATTHEW, MARK AND LUKE DEAL WITH EITHER MONEY OR MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. OVER HALF OF THE PARABLES JESUS TOLD ADDRESS THIS TOPIC. THERE ARE OVER 1000 REFERENCES IN THE BIBLE TO MONEY. THIS MAKES IT THE 2ND MOST POPULAR SUBJECT IN SCRIPTURE.

WHY SUCH A MAJOR FOCUS?

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCE THAT IF YOU DON’T MANAGE YOUR MONEY IT WILL MANAGE YOU.

FINANCES AFFECT EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES.

GALLUP POLL CONDUCTED A SURVEY DISCOVERING THAT 56% OF DIVORCES IN AMERICA OCCUR BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL TENSIONS.

THIS MORNING WE WILL FOCUS ON A PARABLE THAT TEACHES GOD’S PRINCIPLES FOR MANAGING MONEY.

OUR PASSAGE IS FOUND IN LUKE 16:1-13

IN THIS PARABLE, JESUS ARRESTS OUR ATTENTION BY RECOMMENDING THE FINANCIAL PRACTICES OF A CROOK.

(READ LUKE 16:1-8)

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD PARABLES IN THE BIBLE.

TO UNDERSTAND ANY PARABLE, IT’S IMPORTANT TO FIGURE OUT WHO JESUS IS SPEAKING TO. LUKE 16:14 IDENTIFIES THE AUDIENCE.

"THE PHARISEES WHO LOVED MONEY HEARD ALL THIS AND THEY WERE SNEERING AT JESUS."

I THINK THAT JESUS LOVED TO SHOCK SELF RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE! JESUS SAYS, "YOU PHARISEES, YOU’RE THE MOST RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AROUND. I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU A MODEL. AND YOUR MODEL IS A CROOK."

NOTICE IN PARTICULAR LUKE 16:8, “SO THE MASTER COMMENDED THE UNJUST STEWARD BECAUSE HE HAD DEALT SHREWDLY. FOR THE SONS OF THIS WORLD ARE MORE SHREWD IN THEIR GENERATION THAN THE SONS OF LIGHT.”

WHAT IS JESUS SAYING?

JUST THIS. MANY UNBELIEVERS ARE MORE WISE IN HOW THEY MANAGE THEIR MONEY THAN BELIEVERS ARE.

JESUS ISN’T PRAISING THIS MAN FOR BEING DISHONEST, BUT HE DOES SAY THERE ARE SOME THINGS HE DID THAT WE OUGHT TO LEARN FROM.

LET’S TAKE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PARABLE AS WE DIG DEEPER.

LUKE 16, V. 1-2

"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’S THIS I HEAR ABOUT YOU? GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF YOUR MANAGEMENT BECAUSE YOU CANNOT BE A MANAGER ANY LONGER." CIRCLE THE WORD, "MANAGER".

THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT GOD IS THE OWNER OF EVERYTHING.

NOTHING ON THIS EARTH IS TRULY OURS.

WE USE IT FOR 60, 70, 80, 90 YEARS-- BUT THEN IT WILL PASS ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

NO ONE PULLS A U-HAUL TRAILER BEHIND THE HEARSE.

ONE DAY, JUST AS THIS MAN HAD TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT, I WILL STAND BEFORE GOD AND HE WILL ASK ME TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT I DID WITH THE MONEY I HAD ON EARTH.

IN THIS PARABLE, THE MAN WAS A CROOK.

THIS CROOK KNEW HE’D LOSE HIS JOB BECAUSE OF HIS DISHONESTY, SO HE PLANS A CLEVER SCHEME.

THE NEXT FEW VERSES DESCRIBE HOW HE GOES OUT TO SOME CREDITORS WHO OWE THE MANAGER MONEY AND ASKS, "HOW MUCH DO YOU OWE?"

HE RESPONDS, "I OWE 800 GALLONS OF OIL."

"CUT THE BILL IN HALF. WE’LL CALL IT EVEN."

HE GOES TO THE NEXT GUY AND SAYS, "WHAT DO YOU OWE?"

"A THOUSAND BUSHELS OF WHEAT."

"CUT THAT DOWN TO 800."

AT THE CONCLUSION OF COLLECTING THE FUNDS, THE MASTER GAVE HIS EVALUATION.

LUKE 16:8

"THE MASTER COMMENDED THE DISHONEST MANAGER BECAUSE HE ACTED SHREWDLY."

HE DOESN’T COMMEND HIM FOR HIS DISHONESTY-- BUT HE DOES SAY HE WAS SMART.

WHAT DID THIS CROOK DO THAT WAS RIGHT?

THERE WERE THREE THINGS.

1. HE LOOKED AHEAD. V. 3 "THE MANAGER SAID TO HIMSELF, `WHAT SHALL I DO NOW? MY MASTER HAS TAKEN AWAY MY JOB. I’M NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO DIG AND I’M ASHAMED TO BEG.’"

THE MANAGER SAW DANGER ON THE HORIZON. HE SAW THE STORM COMING.

MANY CHRISTIANS ONLY LIVE IN THE HERE AND NOW. THEY NEVER LOOK AHEAD.

IF WE SIMPLY LOOK AHEAD, WE CAN AVERT MUCH FINANCIAL STRESS IN OUR LIVES.

ONE MORNING YOU GO OUT TO YOUR CAR AND DISCOVER THAT THE TREAD IS JUST ABOUT GONE. IN FACT, THE FRONT TIRES ARE JUST ABOUT BALD. YOU’RE STARTLED!

YOU IMMEDIATELY WONDER WHERE YOU WILL FIND THE FUNDS FOR NEW TIRES. STRESS BEGINS TO SET IN.

QUESTION? DO TIRES EVENTUALLY WEAR OUT? UNLESS YOUR TIRES ARE LIKE THE SHOES AND CLOTHES OF THE ISRAELITES WHILE THEY WERE IN THE WILDERNESS…YOU ARE 100% GUARANTEED THAT THEY WILL WEAR OUT!