Luke IX: Make Friends
9.20.09
Luke 16:1-7
last week: most familiar parable
this week: the most difficult
1a, verse 14
speaking to his disciples
but also the Pharisees (verse 14) who loved money
1-2
a steward had a position of trust
in a rich household
he had authority over other slaves
and over the money and possessions
the manager had wasted his master’s possessions
so he is about to lose his job
about to be kicked out because of his mismanagement
3-4
he is about to be kicked out
and he is too old to do manual labor
worried about his future
needs to secure his future
5-7
this is a crime
this is financial fraud
if this was discovered such a man would have been convicted of a crime by his master and punished
they are changing the records
it is done quickly
and in secret
trying to do it before the master finds out
he does favors for people who owe his master money
he makes friends with these debtors so when he is out in the cold he will be welcomed by these new friends
verse 8
instead of punishing the manager
the master commends the manager
this was supposed to shock the hearers
because in an ordinary situation the master would punish the man
Jesus is holding up this white-collar criminal as an illustration of a principle
something about the behavior of this white-collar criminal is worthy of imitation
he is commended “for his shrewdness”
this means: wisdom, foresight, prudence
he showed great foresight in making friends for himself before he was on the street
friends who would take him in
once he was kicked out
verse 9
here Jesus explains what it means
1. all that we have belongs to God and we are stewards or managers of it
we are responsible to God for how we use everything we have
2. we are to make friends with these resources
(mammon: possessions, wealth)
what does this mean?
you make friends by helping the needy with the resources you have
they can’t help us in this life
but we will be welcomed into an eternal kingdom
we should be investing in the kingdom
by investing the resources God has given us to manage in the needy and hurting
we are not going behind the Master’s back to do this
or committing a crime
but delighting the Master
he wants us to use his resources for the benefit of others
being shrewd with your money
does not mean hoarding it and investing it
it means invest it in the needy
this is an investment in the kingdom
9b
when the kingdom of God comes and topples this world and everything we know
and all money fails
you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings
you have invested your money in something eternal
10
what we do with these resources shows what we really are
11-12
we must be faithful with the resources given to us by God
faithful means helping the needy
to neglect the needy
is to mismanage and waste God’s resources that he has entrusted to you
we must be faithful with earthly riches
in order to be entrusted with real riches
that is the kingdom of God
*
Jesus is trying to show to disciples and the Pharisees their sin
they have mismanaged the possessions and resources God has entrusted to them
they have neglected the needy
if your response to this message
is to justify yourself
I do help the needy,
I do give my money and time
then you do not know the gospel
or you have forgotten it
if your response is to point at other people
that is him and that is her
then you do not know the gospel
if your response is if I try harder
I can do this
then you do not know the gospel
if your response is anything but to confess your sin to God
then you do not know the gospel
we all neglect the needy
we all mismanage the resources that God has placed in our care
we are all unrighteous stewards
Luke 18:9-14
the gospel is that we can come to Jesus
and be honest and confess that sin
we find forgiveness for these sins
and justification
and he gives us his Spirit to do new things
we have done before
to make friends with the needy
1. give to mercy ministry fund
2. visit sick and shut-ins
3. help with refugee ministry: Shonda
