Click DOWNLOAD for audio,TITLE for summary, On summary page "click here" for ppt

Luke 16:1-8

A Difficult Parable?

• Most biblical passages are difficult if read out of context
• Why did Jesus tell this parable?
• Who was he telling it to?
• What is he telling us today?
• Is he encouraging dishonesty by commending the dishonest manager?

What was the Context?

• First clue of context is in 16:1: “He also said to His disciples…” What else did he say before he said this? Chapter 15: Parables of lost sheep, lost coin, lost son
• Second clue is also in 16:1: “this man was wasting his goods”; 15:13 “here wasted his possessions”
• Third Clue: 16:14 “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things”
• Fourth clue: 16:1 “There was a certain rich man” and 16:19 “There was a certain rich man”

Summary of Context

• All stories in Chapter 15 and 16 are about money and wealth
• First two stories: Lost sheep and lost coin
• Next two are about wasteful son and wasteful manager
• The reason for these stories was: 15:2 “Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.
• What’s common amongst these stories?
• What does the man who finds his lost sheep do?
• What does the woman who finds lost coin do?
• What does the father who finds lost son do?
• What does the shrewd manager do when he learns that he has lost his job?
• They all call friends and rejoice, and in the case of the shrewd manager, he makes new friends with his boss’ money

Lessons from the Parable #1

• 9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteousmammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.
• Rich man did not make friends with Lazarus, and Lazarus could not receive him into everlasting home
• Use your money to bring people to Christ

Lessons from the Parable #2

• 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
• Generosity is not a function of how much you have, it is a function of your faithfulness as a manager of God’s blessings
• “If I win the R5 million in the lotto I will give R1 million to God” – self-deception and self-justification

Be faithful with little or with much

Lessons from the Parable #3

Conclusion

2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Unlike the shrewd manager, we make eternal friends