Interlude: Jesus, Rewarder of Faithful Stewards•
A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church
I. THE USE OF MONEY
A. LESSON OF THE PARABLE
1. SACKED MANAGER
Luke 16:1-2 He also said to the disciples, “There was a wealthy man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
2. SORROWFUL PLIGHT
Luke 16:3-4 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.’
3. SLICK SOLUTION
Luke 16:5-7 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He said, ‘Nearly 900 gallons of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write 500.’
Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘1200 bushels of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write 900.’
4. SENSIBLE COMMENDATION
Luke 16:8a The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.
B. LESSONS FOR US ABOUT MONEY/POSSESSIONS
1. FACE REALITY
Luke 16:8b For the sons of this age are shrewder in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
2. FACE ETERNITY
Luke 16:9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when money fails, you will still be received into the eternal dwellings.
3. FACE PROSPERITY
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?
4. FACE CHOICES
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.”
5. FACE OPPOSITION
Luke 16:14-15 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
II. THE ABUSE OF MONEY
A. LESSON OF THE STORY
1. STUNNING CONTRAST
Luke 16:19-21 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with whatever fell from the rich man’s table. Also, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
2. SOMBER PROCESSION
Luke 16:22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,
3. SERIOUS CONDITION
Luke 16:23-26 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’
4. SOLEMN WARNING
Luke 16:27-31 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, for I have five siblings, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
B. LESSONS FOR US
1. FACING LIFE
2. FACING ETERNITY