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.
11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
1. Use your opportunities wisely.
One of these days, life will end, and we will not be able to earn or use money. Therefore, we need to be using our money to make friends for the Lord. We should take the opportunity to share what God has given us in order to help others. We often do not realize how many people have been led to the Lord because their physical needs were taken care of.
2. Be faithful in the way you use your material wealth.
Notice the comparison used between the material and the spiritual:
The material The spiritual
The god “Money” The true God
That which is least That which is much
False riches True riches
That which is another’s That which is yours
If you are unfaithful in how you use your money, then you are also going to be unfaithful in the way you use the “true riches” of God’s kingdom.
Ask yourself this question, “Does the way I spend my money, the places I spend my money, the things I spend my money on, glorify God?”
3. Be wholly devoted to God and single-minded.
We cannot serve to masters. What or who is your master? If you spend every waking moment trying to make more money, then your master is money. If you spend every extra second you have doing entertainment, then your master is entertainment. If you are going to be devoted to God then you must serve God and God only.
Conclusion:
1. To this point I have not said anything about tithing. You may ask, what is tithing. Before I tell you what tithing is let me remind you that 100% of what you have is God’s. You are just a steward of all that you have. Tithing is the giving of 10% of your income to the local church that God has placed you at. This is called “store-house” tithing.
2. I read this letter that was written to the “Home Life” magazine that may sum up what you are thinking.
Why Tithe?
Today while waiting in the doctor’s office, I picked up a copy of the July 2001 “Home-Life” magazine and browsed through it. I read Mary Hunt’s article. One question asked if you were financially unstable, should you still tithe? I found the very disturbing answer that a person should still give 10 percent of income and cut back on their luxuries in order to tithe despite the financial situation.
Tithing is a modern way to give a preacher a salary and to give churches a sense of financial stability. So according to your magazine, a preacher’s paycheck and extra money to add decorative touches to the church is more important than a family having enough money to feed themselves?
Therefore, I believe your magazine is giving your readers a negative outlook on the way to tithe. Thank you for your time and consideration.
3. I can simply answer the question, “Why tithe?” We tithe because God has told us to and if we do not think that He cannot take care us, then who are we serving? God says in Malachi that if we do not give Him our tithes, then we are robbing Him.
4. If this sermon makes you mad, then you are not alone. Read with me the last two verses of our text.
Luke 16:14-15
14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.
15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”
5. Let me ask you this morning again, who or what do you serve?
6. Do you pass or fail concerning money in God’s eyes?
[Power Point is available.]
