Dishonest Manager

I. EXORDIUM:

What do you want? The praise or applause of the LORD or His Salvation?

Answer: Both. Because I want to be praised by the LORD in Heaven. You can have both according Matthew 25:21

Matthew 25:21 (Amplified Bible)

25:21 His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we can be both: faithful steward and saved in Heaven.

IV. TEXT:

Luke 16:8 (Amplified Bible)

16:8 And [his] master praised the dishonest (unjust) manager for acting shrewdly and prudently; for the sons of this age are shrewder and more prudent and wiser in [relation to] their own generation [to their own age and kind] than are the sons of light.

Luke 16:8 (King James Version)

16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS, for You have already commended me, blessed me and You will take me with You in Heaven.

VI. TITLE:

Dishonest manager

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Dr. Luke, The Beloved Physician (close friend and traveling companion of Paul)

B. Audience: Theophilus (Greek means friend of GOD, a Christian)

C. Purpose: To give a connected and orderly narrative of the life of CHRIST as seen by eyewitnesses

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. The LORD praised the dishonest manager for he is shrewd and prudent

"And [his] master praised the dishonest (unjust) manager for acting shrewdly and prudently;"

This world says, if you want to be rich, be crooked, do it by hook or by crook. But the bible says entirely the opposite, Be both: righteous or honest steward and saved in Heaven.

Proverbs 20:21 (Amplified Bible)

20:21 An inheritance hastily gotten [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning, in the end it will not be blessed.

Proverbs 28:20 (Amplified Bible)

28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich [at any cost] shall not go unpunished.

Proverbs 13:11 (Amplified Bible)

13:11 Wealth [not earned but] won in haste or unjustly or from the production of things for vain or detrimental use [such riches] will dwindle away, but he who gathers little by little will increase [his riches].

Lotto, bingo and other gambling methods that promises quick money is abominable to the LORD. It's not our method, our method is always by tithes and offering.

Proverbs 23:4 (Amplified Bible)

23:4 Weary not yourself to be rich; cease from your own [human] wisdom.

1 Timothy 6:9 (Amplified Bible)

6:9 But those who crave to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish (useless, godless) and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction and miserable perishing.

Yes, the LORD commended him for his shrewdness but he cheated, yet the next point clearly says he's children of this world.

B. The LORD called him children of this world not children of light

"for the sons of this age are shrewder and more prudent and wiser in [relation to] their own generation [to their own age and kind] than are the sons of light."

John 12:36 (Amplified Bible)

12:36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light [have faith in it, hold to it, rely on it], that you may become sons of the Light and be filled with Light. Jesus said these things, and then He went away and hid Himself from them [was lost to their view].

We are children of the Light, because our Father is called Father of lights.

James 1:17 (Amplified Bible)

1:17 Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

Our methodology of getting blessed requires more time and always in the process. How? By bringing our tithes and offering to the LORD.

Malachi 3:10 (Amplified Bible)

3:10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Ephesians 5:8 (Amplified Bible)

5:8 For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light].