Managing with Wisdom:

Context:

• Finding lost sheep, lost coins, and lost family members.
• Jesus continues speaking to His disciples in parables.

Luke 16:1 “...Now He was also saying to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions...”

Why would a rich man have a manager?

• To take care of his possessions.

Does God have any managers? Any things to take care of?

How did the manager do?

• He squandered that which belonged to the rich man.

How do we do with what God entrusts to our care?

Luke 16:2 "...And he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager...'

What did the rich man require of the manager?

• An explanation of how he was handling what was entrusted to him.

What does God require of His managers?

• Romans 2:6-8 “...He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury...”
• Romans 14:12 “...So then each of us will give an account of himself to God...”
• Hebrews 4:13 “...And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account...”

Luke 16:3-7 “...And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ 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?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty...’

What did the manager know was coming?

• He was about to be removed from management.

What did the manager do about it?

• He made friends.

Do we know what’s coming?

What are we doing about it?

Luke 16:8-9 “...The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings...”

How did the master respond to the dishonest manager?

• He commended him for being shrewd (KJV - wise, Holman - astute).

Who was he more shrewd than?

• The sons of light.

Was he commending dishonesty?

• No - the dishonesty put him on the hot seat.

What was he saying in this difficult passage?

• The people of this world are very focused on dealing with others to accomplish their goals.
• The people of God have a tendency to be less focused in dealing with others to accomplish the goals of God.

How can people “...make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings...?”

How can we use worldly possessions with an eye toward eternity?

Luke 16:10-12 “...One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own...?”

What is more important than unrighteous wealth?

• True riches.

How does faithfulness with worldly possessions affect true riches?

Luke 16:13 “...No servant can serve two masters, for 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 God and money...”

Why is it impossible to serve God and money?

• Once one gets loved, the other will be hated.
• Once one receives devotion, the other will be despised.

Which master do we serve?