“Great
Issues Of Life” Series #2
"MONEY!"
TEXT: Heb.
13:5-6; Luke 16:1-15
INTRO: What
percentage of our lives is touched by money? What areas of our lives are impacted by
money? Really, is there anything in
our lives that is not somehow affected by money? When you understand this truth you will
realize why Jesus spoke so much about money, its power, its usefulness, and its
dangers.
Jesus
actually spoke more than twice as much about money than He did the subjects of
Heaven and Hell combined!!
Look
at all the areas of our lives touched by money:
a. Food
b. Clothing
c. Shelter
d. Vehicles –
travel
e. To some extent, even our friends
... we tend to be around the people who are in the same social-economic level as
us!
f. Education
level
g. Our
hobbies
h. Our vacations ... or lack of
them!
i. The size of our
families
j. The way we celebrate just
about anything!
k. The type of jobs we look
for
l. Community
involvement
m. Our exercise ... recreational
activities
n. Our
politics
o. Our
utilities
p. Our church ... and religion in
general!
PROP.
SENT: Money impacts every
area of our life ... even our spiritual life, therefore, God calls us
to be good stewards of everything material we receive in life ... proper use of
"things" can make or break our
spiritual life!
I. ACCOUNTABILITY REAL! Luke 16:1-2
A. Cavalier!
Luke
16:1
1. The role of a manager is
introduced:
a. He owned
nothing ... but managed everything owned by someone
else!
b. Through management he was allowed
to earn for himself some profits.
c. He could waste the profits or
invest them...
2. This manager had taken the attitude
of "I'll
enjoy life now and worry about tomorrow sometime
tomorrow!"
a. He had used up his profits about as
fast as he had gained them, the story indicates clearly that he had no reserves
personally himself … obvious from the fact that he does not pay back what he had
misused; instead he restructures the master’s loans so that he as the manager no
longer receives any interest. If he
had money he could have paid off the master otherwise.
b. He basically was living to have a
good time at the moment.
c. He was about to be fired because of
his cavalier lifestyle ... why?
(1. Because others might not be as
trusting with the master's resources having a manager with these
qualities!
(2. It could hurt the owner’s business
with a manager who had this attitude!
3. Thus he was called to account for
his actions ... something all of us will be called to at some
point!
a. After all ... we all are only
managers ... we really own nothing,
only God owns everything!
b. While we are allowed to profit from the use
of God's things we still must realize we will be accountable for how we use
those things!
c. Short-term use of things are not
wise ... a longer plan should be in view!
ILLUS: A
January 15th, 1989 article ran this story:
A family living in a West Palm Beach home in Florida gave permission to
have their home used in a TV show called, “B.L. STRYKER” … one scene involved
the blowing up of the front yard, violent crashes of cars on the property,
etc. Just in the nick of time
however someone discovered that the family giving permission were only renting
the house ... it was owned by someone in New York who put a stop to the plans!
The couple renting thought it would
be great fun ... but not the owner of the house! You can guess how well the owners felt
about their tenants after this!
– Source Unknown
B. Consequences
Luke
16:2
1. He was called in ... the time came
for accountability, it always will!
2. The way we live will tend to be the
way we die!
ILLUS: When
Pompeii was being excavated years ago the discovering of many perfectly
preserved bodies were found frozen in lava, it had even preserved the
expressions on the faces of those who were entombed alive from Mount Vesuvius'
eruption. People were frozen in
positions of trying to flee ... except one woman who was found turned toward the
volcano ... her hand clutching for a string of pearls, considered too precious
and costly to leave behind! The
consequence for this pause was death ... she took her pearls with her ... but
they cost her life!
– Source Unknown
3. Poor stewardship can cause us to
lose our management position, and our future
stability!
4. There are real consequences to poor
stewardship!
II. ACTION REQUIRED! Luke
16:3-7
A. Choices!
Luke
16:3
1. Eventually ... one must face the
choices they make, when poor stewardship has been
practiced!
a. The man had several
choices:
(1. Heavy manual
labor ... however, he was in no shape to do this from his earlier
frivolous lifestyle or his age! “I'm not strong
enough to dig,”
(2. Or begging, which he was too ashamed to do! “and I'm ashamed to
beg.”
(3. Or correct the
error in such a way as to redeem his reputation and regain favor!
b. The man had skirted the letter of
the law when making loans by writing notes that added interest without calling
it interest, a common practice of the day among Jewish business deals done by
such managers. This was usually how
they earned their own living.
Here’s how it worked:
(1. For example ... someone borrows 80
bushels of grain, as manager you write the loan out for 100 bushels but don't
note the 20 bushels to the Master, it is interest that you as manager keep in
the deal; so the borrower gets a note for 100 bushels owed, the manager pockets
the 20 while loaning out from his master the 80! This way the master is only out 80
bushels, and the manager has made money by keeping the 20 that is paid back, his
salary. Depending on the value of
type of produce the amounts considered as “salary” money for the manager varied
… wheat was considered more valuable than olive oil; hence the differences in
the amount above the actual deal.
(2. This was the only way around the
letter of the law that did not permit a Jewish brother to charge other Jews
usury.
(3. They rationalized it this way: God only intended to not charge usury to
the poor, thus those who were not poor could pay for the loan note ... but in one sum amount, not compounded
interest payments.
(4. Most everybody accepted the
practice as is evidence by the fact that these positions of "managers" existed
... that was how managers earned their living!
c. What will the man do? He faced a difficult choice ... to do the
right thing by honoring the law ... or life without
hope!
B. Comprehensive Luke
16:4-7
1. The manager reasons that the only
GOOD way out was to be comprehensive with his solution ... to obey the law of
the land although changing the loans ... with the hope that this might allow him
either restoration on the job ... or at least compassion by those who borrowed
so he might be cared for if the master followed through and fired
him!
2. He begins by going to those he had
made the loans with and rewriting the loans so that they are minus the one
time interest payment that he was allowed to keep! Also cutting the loans owed to the
master would ingratiate those who borrowed through him, that way they would feel
sorry for him if he was fired – and removing the “interest” payment did not cost
the master any loss – he would still get back the original amount borrowed, so
this would assuage the anger of the master!
a. Notice the change in perspectives
in the manager now:
(1. Before, his passion was living for
the moment!
(2. Now his plan takes on the
following: "I KNOW WHAT I'LL DO SO THAT IF I LOSE MY JOB HERE PEOPLE
WILL WELCOME ME INTO THEIR HOUSES!"
(3. He has now developed a "future" mindset ... planning for
tomorrow ... this includes helping people -- knowing that when he needs help it
will be there for him too!
(4. The situation has refocused his
priorities!
(5. Profit starts to
give way to people and his own future
need!
b. Two examples are shared as to how
he plans now for his future!
(1. One man who owed 800 gallons of
olive oil had his loan remade for only 400 gallons – the actual amount borrowed
from the master, the other 400 gallons was the cutback the manager would
normally get. (Olive oil was easily diluted by other
liquids so the "interest" charge was usually higher ... the amount equaled about
450 olive trees!)
(a. The extra 400 gallons was the
profit the steward was able to personally pocket ... so rewriting the loan was
not making the master lose anything ... and it made the one who had to pay the
loan back got a much more manageable debt to repay, thus he too was happy ...
it would only be the manager's financial loss
this way, but he would at least retain
friendships!
(b. Thus it cost the poor stewardship
his own income ... a price worth paying if he ever wanted anyone to care for him
in the future!
(2. The second example is a man who
owed 1,000 bushels of wheat ... it was rewritten for 800 ... thus reflecting the
manager's profit being 200 bushels.
(a. The interest amount was lower
because this commodity was more difficult to dilute being a grain ... less was
added as interest therefore.
(b. Again ... the master's amount given
in the deal was actually 800 bushels ... the extra 200 bushels being kept as the
manager's fee for making the loan.
(3. Most deals in that day were made in
oil or wheat as the chief commodities of the day ... something almost everyone
possessed to some degree.
3. This manager thus was giving away
his own earnings in order to restore his reputation with his master ... who
would lose little if anything in the new deals, and also the manager gained the
favor of the ones who received the loan by now having them pay back a much
smaller loan ... thus gaining their friendship, and receiving by this a more
promising future!
a. He reasoned that regained
respectability and friendship would have better long term returns than the
profits he had made in the process!
b. His focus has completely shifted
from a “temporary” one to a “long-term” one.
4. It
was a well-thought out strategy ... and a wise one!
a. The master wouldn't fight it ... it
was the Jewish law being upheld ... he wouldn’t want to look like he was against
the law of God by demanding the interest payment!
b. The people with the loan wouldn't
gripe ... they had less to pay back!
c. Everyone would
win ... except the manager
who would lose money, but he would
gain back his reputation and care ... and his future! In this way the Bible states that his
master said this steward was “shrewd.”
5. Sometimes the drive to get isn't
worth the price tag!
ILLUS: A
man who had an ant problem bought some ant poison. Sprinkling the tiny poison pellets he
watched as the ants gathered them up and in a steady stream carried them down
into the ant hole; he suddenly noticed a second trail going away from the
hole. Looking closely he noticed
some other ants had snuck in and were stealing from the other ants ... carrying
off as fast as they could the same poison ... while they thought they were
getting away with a good deal ... their stealing would only bring death to those
they were taking this poison to!
Their taking would only destroy their own homes ... they would have been
better not to sneak in and take from their brother ants! How
often we covet other Christians and their belongings ... yet we might not be as
capable of handling those "things" as they are ... be content with what God has
made possible!
– Source Unknown
III. ACCEPTANCE RESTORED! Luke
16:8-9
A. Commendation! Luke 16:8a
1. This is where the commendation comes in from the master ... how could the master condemn him for doing
what the law required in the first place?
2. In fact the master was impressed
with the comprehensive and careful thought that was involved in the manager’s
plan!
3. Everyone gained in the exchange ...
only monetary loss for the manager was experienced!
a. Holding on to things so tight can
be wasteful!
ILLUS: A
Wycliffe publication called, "In Other Words" tells the story of a gal who
served for many years as a houseparent for missionaries' children in the
Philippines ... this gal, Sadie loved books, so much so that she wouldn't lend
certain ones to anyone, she carefully stored them in a trunk that she kept under
her own bed. One night she heard a
gnawing sound, after searching the room and finding nothing she looked into her
footlocker where she kept those precious books ... only to find that termites
had completely turned her books into heaps of ashes ... what she had hoarded she
lost, only those books she allowed to circulate had been saved!
– Source Unknown
b. Clutching onto the things of this
world will not allow you to keep having them ... better to invest them for
eternal things!
4. Some day we too will give account
of how we use things of this world, better to invest into eternal stocks than be
bound with rust and dust!
5. The master couldn't really condemn
the manager any longer ... or he would have appeared to condemn the law of
God!
a. Thus the manager preserved his job
... as well as made new friends!
b. He also likely thought about his
future more seriously from then on too!
c. It is unlikely this manager forgot
the lessons of good stewardship!
B. Challenge Luke
16:8b-9
1. Now an interesting comment is made
by Jesus: “The
children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are
the children of light!”
a. What does this mean? Just that when working out a solution
people in the world understand the importance of planning for the future and
making sure the deals benefit everyone and is fair!
b. As Christians how many of you have
made plans for both your temporal future and your eternal
one?
2. It is not a question of trusting
God if one plans for financial security in the future ... as long as it does not
mean ignoring investing in eternal purposes as well!
a. The idea is balance ... and
fairness to all parties!
b. Balance toward God and plan for
your loved ones and yourself!
3. The next weird sounding statement
Jesus makes is in verse 9: “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for
yourselves so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal
dwellings.”
a. This is not as strange as it
sounds; it is the echo of what I just said, plan for the future, but not at the
expense of investing in eternal things!
b. The point being: use things to bless others so they will
come to Christ and in eternity welcome you by being there and rejoicing over
your coming, knowing you invested and used things for them to teach them
spiritual realities!
4. Thus Jesus is saying a couple of things about the use of
material things:
a. Don't
manipulate ... but do influence others!
b. Win people by
being generous ... it is likely to have them look into deeper things
in life by seeing people who can also take material things and not see them as
their possessions ... that people are more important than
things!
c. Temporal values are nothing
compared to eternal dividends they might yield!
d. Invest in
others by using the things of this world! Their ultimate salvation will be the
best return on the dollar invested!
5. In a sense, this increases
Jesus' teaching on the value of things ... at least in how we use
them, or in other words, what kind of stewardship we
practice!
a. Self-indulgence
is not the Christian's goal!
Thus all the teaching emphasizing material prosperity for
Christians is contrary to the true model of stewardship. Real prosperity for Christians are
eternal things, not material things.
b. A balanced approach to the future
in required of good stewards!
ILLUS: A
skit done by the Covenant players:
Family comes home from church complaining over the music, the choir, the
length of the sermon, the topic, etc.; until their little girl states, “What did you expect from the 25 cents you
gave in the offering dad!” –
Source Unknown
6. You get what you put into
it!
IV. ACCLAIM & RESPONSIBILITY Luke 16:10-15
A. Character
Luke
16:10-12
1. God takes careful note on how we
use material things!!!
a. Those that have the character to
be faithful in little things are more likely to be trusted to handle greater
things!
b. This is a character issue ... if
untrustworthy with small responsibilities, larger ones won't make you more
trustworthy ... in fact, they are likely to make you less if you are already a
poor steward!
2. God in His grace often keeps poor
stewards from prospering lest they corrupt themselves with great riches ...
sometimes poverty is a gift from God to teach important stewardship
lessons!
a. However ... not all poverty means
this, as does prosperity, not all prosperity is a sign of God’s favor or
disfavor either!
b. One must judge his own heart in
these matters!
ILLUS: The
great preacher Charles Spurgeon and his wife were deeply criticized by many
members of their church and even by their family members for selling eggs their
chickens laid. They even charged
their own family members for the eggs!
They accepted the criticisms without defending themselves all their lives
... until just after their deaths the family and church members learned that
they had for years taken the money they got from the egg sales and used it to
support two widows in the church.
No one noticed since this was money above their tithes to the
church. They took the criticisms
knowing their reward would greet them in heaven ... these widows one day
welcomed them into heaven with rejoicing over their contributions!
– Source Unknown
B. Caution!
Luke
16:13-15
1. As a final note Jesus states an
important truth: “You cannot serve 2 different
masters.”
a. It is either GOD you serve or
MONEY! Why these two? Because both affect every area of our
life!
b. Money makes a great servant ... but
a lousy master!
c. God makes a great master ... but He
is not our servant!
2. The note of caution is this: IT IS NOT THE AMOUNT THAT CAN CORRUPT
YOU ... IT IS THE ATTITUDE TOWARD THINGS IN
GENERAL!
a. You can
become corrupt and be poor!
b. You can be rich and still be
godly!
ILLUS:
How
much does it take to block someone's view of things? Take 2 pennies and put them in front of
your eyes ... that's how much can block your view of life, if that is all you
see!
– Source Unknown
3. Anyone can lose perspective if all
you look at is things!
4. God’s values and ours don't always
match ... better to bet on His than your own!
5. Are you planning as aggressively
about eternal things as you are about your earthly
future?
CONCLUSION: Stewardship is not something
that can be avoided easily ... really never! How we manage our money is connected with
how well we manage our lives! Long
term investments are important ... are you making eternal
ones?