“THE UNRIGHTEOUS STEWARD”
Luke 16:1-9
Fr. Christopher M. Nerreau
Illustration: Have you ever watched the tv show where people bring in antique items and they are appraised. After evaluating an item an expert will say something like – “This is a fine piece, worth $5,000.00 but if you get the right person maybe $6,000.00. In other words the piece is worth $5,000.00 but if you find a sucker you could get more. You see they place money above people. We do the same when we try to sell our home, or car. The first question we ask is not what is our home or our car worth, we ask – “What do you think I can GET for it.”
• If I were to ask you – “What is the topic Jesus spoke of most often while here on Earth?”
o The Kingdom of Heaven?
o The Salvation of God?
o Sin, Righteousness?
• Believe it or not the answer is money. Christ spoke about stewardship, money and material wealth more than anything other topic. You can compile all of His thoughts on money into a single statement found is (v.13).
Proposition: Christians cannot serve both God and wealth; we will be devoted to one and despise the other. (v.13)
Interrogative sentence: Are you a good steward of what God has given you?
Sermon Preview: Today Jesus is going to challenge us on our understanding of material wealth through the decisions of a unrighteous steward who was:
1. SQUANDERING HIS MASTERS POSSESSIONS (v.1)
2. SCARED OF HIS MASTERS PRONOUNCEMENT (v.2-3)
3. SHREWD IN LIGHT OF HIS PREDICAMENT (V.8)
Transitional Sentence: Let’s begin by looking at how the man was…
I. SQUANDERING HIS MASTERS POSSESSIONS (v. 1)
Explanation: THE BIBLE SAYS: Luke 16:1 “There was a rich man who had a manager…and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions.”
The manager had no riches of his own; he was living on the riches of his boss. He was “squandering” his masters “possessions”…
SQUANDERING – TO SPEND FOOLISHLY, TO WASTE (current tense)
POSSESSIONS – ASSETTS (PROPERTY, LIVESTOCK)
• In those days the rich had not relations with the poor working class, they would hire managers to deal with the working class for them. In a similar way to that of a stock broker, the manager would set the prices of goods to be sold and made his living on whatever he could charge above and beyond the cost of the goods being sold.
• It is interesting that this story is told on the heels of the story of the Prodigal Son who was also a poor steward. Like this man the prodigal was wasting his Fathers money and not his own.
Illustration: We love to spend other people’s money, look at credit theft, or gamblers who say – “I am playing with “house” money.” Something about it makes us feel empowered, as if there were no consequence for having done so.
Application:
• Do you do this? Spend others money foolishly?
• Have you ever considered the fact that God owns “EVERYTHING!” God created the Heavens and the Earth. If God owns everything, then you own nothing. Do you want to rethink your answer to my first question?
• Isn’t it true that you Squander the Lord’s possessions – “your time, talents and treasure.
• This is not some stranger we are discussing, it’s you and it’s me.
Transitional Sentence: So we see the how the manager squandered the possessions of the rich man, now lets turn our attention to how he…
II. SCARED OF HIS MASTERS PRONOUNCEMENT (v. 2-3)
Explanation: Having been called into the office of the rich man and having been found out, the manager is now fired. He begins to experience great fear about his future. How will he make a living as an old man?
THE BIBLE SAYS – “(v.2) And he called and said to him, “what is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager. (v.3) What shall I do... I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg.”
• Here we see the dilemma of the man, he is too old to start making his living through hard labor and having tasted the high life was too proud to beg.
• Here we see that this man is overcome with the reality of LIFE WITHOUT THE RICHES OF HIS MASTER.
Illustration: I can remember when I first moved out of my house into an apartment. I stayed up very late that night, watched football with the tv real loud. I drank a cold beer, watched a movie, and left my dishes out on the table. It was great, but when I did finally go to bed, I began to panic as I realized- “I am on my own” it was very scary. Like the unrighteous steward I could do whatever I wanted but I was alone!
Application: We can learn much from this unrighteous steward. He knew enough to fear the pronouncement of his master.
• When we squander our lives, our resources, when we withhold our love and forgiveness we are doing the same as the unrighteous steward. In that sense we should also fear where our futures are heading. What would our lives be without the riches of our Master?
• We cannot dig our way out of unfaithfulness once this life is expired and like the unrighteous steward we struggle with pride and do not repent.
• Should we not also fear the pronouncement of Our Master –“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
Transitional Sentence: So we have seen the Squandering of possessions and how the unrighteous steward was scared of the pronouncement but finally let us see…
III. SHREWD IN LIGHT OF HIS PREDICAMENT (v. 4-8)
Explanation: Not unlike the story of the prodigal son who “came to himself” this unrighteous steward does the same. He recognizes his predicament and now has a choice to make. Listen to what the Bible says…
THE BIBLE SAYS – (v. 4-8) ‘I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the management people will welcome me into their homes.’ “And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ “And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ “Then he said to another, And how much do you owe?’ And he said, A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.
• The man had a little bit of time left to close out the book and return them and had to make a very difficult choice.
• Do I try to make a few more quick deals at ridiculous rates and get the cash to keep me going for a while? Or do I forget about my commissions and instead give the possessions away at cost to win the favor of the middle class. HE CHOSE THE LATER….
• In those day’s farmers and the like would have to take loans each year to be able to afford the necessary tools to plant the crops and would have to pay interest. This would be a HUGE break for them and would get them ahead of the game for next season.
Illustration: The decision of the man was to think long term. We spend much time thinking about our immediate futures. But God is calling us to think longer term. Think about an investment in our eternal future. To be charitable in this life in order that we may be chosen in the next.
Application: While the man was still unrighteous, his thinking was correct, it was long term thinking, not immediate.
• What about you, is the way you are living your life going to pay dividends in long term?
Conclusion: Today we have seen through the example of an unrighteous steward that we are not to live lives that seek only to gratify our selfish desire but to learn from this man, that our thinking must be eternal.
• Although the man in this story was unrighteous His master commends him for making the right decision, to win the favor of others through acts of charity.
• (v.9) make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into eternal dwellings.
• In other words, use the gifts, talents and even unrighteous wealth (money of this world) to purchase an eternal life with God and fellowship with others.
• (v.12) “If you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s who will give you that which is your own.”
Restate Proposition: Christians cannot serve both God and wealth; we will be devoted to one and despise the other. (v.13)
Restate Main Points: Today Jesus is through this parable has challenged us on our understanding of material wealth as we saw:
1. SQUANDERING HIS MASTERS POSSESSIONS (v.1)
2. SCARED OF HIS MASTERS PRONOUNCEMENT (v.2-3)
3. SHREWD IN LIGHT OF HIS PREDICAMENT (v. 4-8)
Final Application:
• In light of the parable of the unrighteous steward I would like to call upon you to:
o Reassess your life and how you use your material wealth, gifts and talents.
o To use you wealth, gifts and talents to build Heavenly rewards that will never perish nor spoil.
Amen!
