Not That Series

Sunday Morning January 27, 2002 Bel Aire Baptist Church

Series: Kingdom Business [#4]

NOT THAT!

Luke 16:1-15

Introduction:

1. As we continue in our stewardship series, we come to a sermon that many will say, “Not that”!

2. I want to say before I start this sermon that there will be some that leave here saying, “All that preacher ever preaches about is money.” I want to also note that this is only the second sermon I have devoted to the subject of money since I have been the pastor at this church and today will finish up my 3rd year as pastor here.

3. Now that I have “let the cat out of the bag”, turn with me to Luke 16:1-15.

4. In college I had to take a course called Economics 101. Any college class listed as 101 is a first year basics course, so obviously this was a basic course in economics.

5. This morning, I would like for us to take Economics 101. Our textbook is the Bible and the instructor for this course is Jesus Christ.

6. As in any class, the goal is to make a passing grade. As we listen to this sermon, I would ask that you identify whether you have a passing grade in this course or not. If you are failing this course, I will give you some principles that might help you pass this course.

A Failing Grade

Definition:

A steward is someone who manages something that belongs to someone else. He does not own it, but has the privilege of enjoying it and using it for the profit of his master.

Jesus’ Lesson

Luke 16:1-2

1 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.

2 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.’

This steward forgot that he was the manager and not the owner.

The results:

1. The steward wasted his master’s wealth.

2. The master called for an inventory.

3. The steward was fired.

A Passing Grade

Definition:

A steward is someone who manages something that belongs to someone else. He does not own it, but has the privilege of enjoying it and using it for the profit of his master.

Jesus’ Lesson

Luke 16:3-8

3 “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 be

4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my hob here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

5 So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 “’Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’

7 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.’

8 “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.

The steward knew he would lose his job. He could not change the past, but he could prepare for the future.

He did this by making friends with those that owed his master money. By doing this, he would have someone to take him in when his master threw him out.

Not only did each of the creditors accept the discounts given to them, but also the master complimented him on his clever plan.

Now we must understand that Jesus was not commending the steward for robbing his master or for encouraging others to be dishonest. Jesus commended the man for his wise use of opportunity. “The children of this world” are experts at seizing opportunities for making money and friends and getting ahead. God’s people should take heed and be just as wise when it comes to managing the spiritual affairs of life. “The children of this world” are wiser only “in their generation”; they see the things of time, but not the things of eternity.

Because the child of God lives “with eternity’s values in view,” he should be able to make far better use of his opportunities.

Passing Principles

Jesus gives three principles in these next verses, which lead us to a passing grade.

Luke 16:9-13

9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

10 “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.