Luke chapter 16 there is much
in this chapter as I discovered as I was looking into it and
more and more discovered the wonder and the lessons of this
chapter But we begin with the parable
of the unjust or unrighteous steward, which can be found in
the first 13 verses. The intention today, this morning
and this evening, God willing, is to perhaps give some thoughts
from the whole of the chapter. But we'll see how we get, how
we go with it all. I realize it's a warm day but
trust that the Lord will give enablance. Now J.C. Ryle said and J.C. Ryle
has been very helpful with a lot of things that I've considered
from this chapter and he says this passage of the unrighteous
steward is a difficult one There are knots in it which perhaps
will never be untied until the Lord comes again. We might reasonably
expect that the book written by inspiration as the Bible is
would contain things hard to be understood. The fault lies
not in the book but in our own feeble understandings. If we
learn nothing else from the passage before us, let us learn humility. I think that's a good starting
point. So some consider this to be one
of Jesus' most difficult parables. because it seems that Jesus used
an obviously dishonest man as an example for his disciples.
Yet God sometimes uses evil things that are familiar to us to illustrate
a particular point without praising the thing itself. Other examples
of this principle are when Paul used things like war and slavery
as illustrations of the Christian life. So this parable is a fairly simple,
if somewhat unorthodox, parable from Jesus. The story is simple
but the setting is unusual. In most of Jesus' parables the
leading character is either representative of God, Christ or some other
positive character. In this parable the characters
are all wicked. the steward and the man whose
possessions he manages are both unsavoury characters. This should alert us to the fact
that Jesus is not exhorting us to emulate the behaviour of the
characters. The parable begins with a rich
man calling his steward before him to inform him that he will
be relieving him of his duties for mismanaging his master's
resources. A steward is a person who manages
the resources of another. The steward had authority over
all of the master's resources and could transact business his
name so this requires trust in the
steward and in any relationship if trust goes then really think
there's no way forward if the element of trust goes it's an
important principle isn't it an important commodity, trust. Now it may not be apparent at
this point in the parable but is more evident later on but the master is probably not
aware of the steward's dishonesty. The steward is being released
for apparent mismanagement This explains why he's able to conduct
a few more transactions before he is dismissed. So it's not
an instant firing. It's not an instant sacking. The principle that Jesus is trying
to convey is one of a just steward rather than an unjust one. The
unjust steward saw his master's resources as a means for his
own personal enjoyment and advancement. Conversely, Jesus wants his followers
to be just, righteous stewards. If we understand the principle
that everything we own is a gift from God, then we realize that
God is the owner of everything and that we are his stewards. So looking at the verses, looking
at verse 1, he said also unto his disciples, that's the Lord
Jesus. Now this seems to be a different
occasion than the previous chapter. Here Jesus taught his disciples
not the multitude that are mentioned in Luke 15, previous chapter
verses 1 and 2, then drew near to him all the publicans and
sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes
murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
However, in this chapter, as Jesus taught his disciples, a
group of Pharisees Also listen, verse 14 of our chapter, the
Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they
derided him. A crowd of course draws a crowd. So we have a certain rich man
which had a steward and the same was accused unto him that he
had wasted his goods. A steward, as I said, was a manager,
especially a manager of money or property. In the story Jesus
told, the steward's boss, the rich man, heard that his steward
had cheated him, wasting his goods, and he called him to account. What do we read of the prodigal
son? thinking of wasting his goods. Not many days after the younger
son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country
and there wasted his substance with riotous living. We see that in the previous chapter
in verse 13 of chapter 15. So here was this steward wasting his goods and so with
the prodigal son as well in the previous chapter, wasting his
substance. Then we have, give an account
of thy stewardship. Now these are words that everyone
will hear, both sinner and saint, both Christian and non-Christian. Give an account of thy stewardship. All will have to give an account
in some way and we will give an account to God. Spurgeon once
noted that each of us will have to give an account of our stewardship
regarding our time, our talents, our substance, and our influence. Romans 14.12 says, so then every
one of us shall give an account of himself to God. Hebrews 9.27, and as it is appointed
unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Matthew 12.36, but I say unto you that every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof
in the day of judgment. What a challenge that is. Every
idle word. I'm sure that we're all guilty
of having spoken idle words in our lives. And if we were to be honest and
try and count them, I'm sure we wouldn't be able to keep count
of the number. Ephesians 5, 16 says, redeeming
the time because the days are evil. If we are redeemed of the
Lord, then we should redeem the time. And that's something we
can waste, isn't it? Time. However, again, other than
the words that we might say that the time that we spend in things
that are a waste of time again if we're honest we have to say
well it's it's a lot it's a lot of time that I spent just wasting
time I've not really achieved anything I've been sidetracked
by this and that and it's really done no good at all and it's
just been trivial. There is the game Trivial Pursuit
and I'm sure that perhaps there's a lot of trivial pursuit in our
lives without playing the game. 1 Peter 4, 17 says, for the time
has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if first
begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the
gospel of God? So that's challenging words,
isn't it, for the Lord's people and those who attend the house
of God. If the judgment begins with us. But if we are saved, if we know
the Lord, if we know forgiveness, then we needn't fear meeting the Lord and the judgment. We move on with what shall I
do in verse 3. The steward said within himself,
what shall I do? For my lord taketh away from
me the stewardship. I cannot dig to beg, I am ashamed. When the steward knew that he
would be called to account, and he knew that his poor management
would be exposed, but he knew that other options
were unattractive to him I cannot dig and I am ashamed to beg one he's unable to do and the
other he is unwilling to do but then the reading those words
what shall I do it kind of reminds me of other scriptures. Positive and sort of negative
as well. And we begin though with Paul and Silas and the Philippian
jailer. And we read that in Acts chapter
16 verse 25. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed
and sang praises unto God And the prisoners heard them, and
suddenly there was a great earthquake. So the foundations of the prison
were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and
everyone's bands were loose. And the keeper of the prison,
awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open,
he drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing
that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice,
saying, Do thyself no harm, for we're all here. Then he caught
for a light and sprang in and came trembling, and fell down
before Paul and Silas, brought them out and said, Sirs, what
must I do to be saved? It's a sort of positive use of
what must I do. And they said, Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house. It's a wonderful simplicity,
isn't there, about coming to the Lord. What must I do to be
saved? Well, you need to do all this
first and then you'll be accepted. No. Simply Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Admit that you are a sinner,
you need forgiveness and the salvation of God. Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved. Not a case of having
to do lots of things first. No, it's just a simple believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ. And in Acts chapter 2 from verse
37. Day of Pentecost. Now when they
heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto
Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what
shall we do? And those are precious words because
they were preached at my baptism. a number of years ago now. Then
Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. So those are two
good uses of what shall we do and the good outcome. What shall I do? What shall we
do? Repent and believe. on the Lord Jesus Christ but then I sort of said negatively
in Luke chapter 12 the rich young fool in Luke 12 from verse 13
one of the company said unto master speak to my brother that
he divide the inheritance with me he said unto the man who may
be a judge or divider of you and he said unto them take heed
and beware of covetousness For a man's life consists of not
the abundance of the things which he possesseth. He spake a parable
unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought
forth plentifully. And he fought within himself,
saying, What shall I do? Because I have no room where
to bestow my fruits. So here was the rich young fool. he said well I've got all this what shall I do because you know
of all this wealth now there was no thought about his eternal
state just the here and now so that was sort of a negative use
of what shall I do or the words that were uttered and then we read on about in
verse 4 and so on it says I am resolved what to do and so on
up to sort of up to about sort of verse
8 and again going back to the the
rich young fool of Luke 12 just as this unjust steward said
you know this is this is what I'm going to do and so the rich
young fool said in Luke 12 and verse 18 he said this will I
do I will pull down my barns build
greater I've got all this surplus now and I haven't got room so
I'm gonna pull pull down my barns and build greater so that I can
keep all that I've got in a way that might seem a sensible thing
to plan as though I've got room so we need more room in a way
it sort of sounds a sensible thing but then he goes on to say in
verse 19 of Luke 12 I will say to my soul soul thou hast much
goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and
be merry but God said unto him thou fool God calls them a fool. This night
thy soul shall be required of thee. Then who shall those things
be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure
for himself, and is not rich toward God. So that's a solemn lesson, isn't
it, from that rich, young fool. And we've seen, haven't we, just
in this past week with the air crash in India, lives suddenly
taken. It's a solemn thing, isn't it? None of us know, do we? the days that are before us.
But may we know that we are the Lord's, that we are forgiven,
that we are saved, and that if our life was required of us this
day, this night, that we would be then forever with the Lord. Going back to verse Five of our
reading, he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him.
The steward made friends with his master's debtors by settling
their accounts for less than they actually owed. Therefore,
the steward, knowing he would be called to account, used his
present position to prepare him for the next stage of his life. The steward realizing that he
will soon be without a job makes some shrewd deals behind his
master's back by reducing the debt owed by several of the master's
debtors in exchange for shelter when he is eventually put out. When the master becomes aware
of what the wicked servant had done he commends him Not for
his conduct, but for his shrewdness. Jesus added the thought that
the businessmen of his day, sons of this world, were more wise,
bold, and forward-thinking in the management of what they had,
or more shrewd than the people of God were with managing what
they had. the sons of light, the people
of God, the sons of light. So the dishonest steward was
a good example on several points. First he knew he would be called
to account for his life and he took that seriously and so we
should as well shouldn't we? Christians should take seriously
the idea that they will be called to account and that idea should
be a joy if we are the Lords and we are properly about our
Master's business serving the Lord not in some shrewd or deceitful
way but in an honest way serving him as a result of what
the Lord has done for us and so if you love somebody the
evidence that you love them is what you do for them. If you treat them badly then
it doesn't show much love but if you love someone it will be
evident in how you treat them. Second, he took advantage of
his present position to arrange a comfortable future. Jesus' assessment is still true.
The sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than
the sons of light. Now, if we pursued the kingdom
of God with the same vigour and zeal that the children of this
world pursue profits and pleasures, we would live an entirely different
world. I read this, it could be said
that it is to the shame of the church that Coca-Cola is more
widely distributed than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Makes me sort of think of the
the dedication of people thinking perhaps of a football fan of a club and that person will
go and watch their team week in, week out at the weekend and
midweek they will pay lots of money and they will travel lots
of miles they may be based in the south
and the team are playing a team in the north perhaps it's a Tuesday
night in January I'm gonna go I mean and the team perhaps the
team keeps losing not exactly doing very well either but such
dedication and if only there was that perhaps fervency amongst
Christians in the service of God so we can sort of learn from
that in that sort of way about being really committed isn't
it commitment is quite difficult isn't it today So the steward whom our Lord
describes, as I said, is not set before us as a pattern of
morality. He is distinctly called the unjust
steward. The Lord Jesus never meant to
sanction dishonesty and unfair dealing between man and man.
This steward, he cheated his master and broke the eighth commandment,
thou shalt not steal. His master was struck with his
ingenuity and forethought when he heard of it and commended
him as a shrewd and far-seeing man. Ryle again says that there
is no proof that his master was pleased with his conduct. Above
all there is not a word to show that the man was praised by Christ.
In short, in his treatment of his master, the steward is a
beacon to be avoided and not a pattern to be followed. And then just verse 9, and I'll
finish with verse 9. I say unto you, make to yourselves
friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fell, they may receive
you into everlasting habitations. Make to yourselves friends of
the mammon of unrighteousness. Jesus transferred the principle
of the parable, reminding us that we need to use our present
resources to plan ahead for eternity. It's a right thing to do, isn't
it, to make plans. And I mean, there's nothing wrong
with making plans, but as James tells us, if the Lord wills,
we'll do this and we'll do that. let's bear in mind that our plans
if the Lord wills but it's right isn't it to make plans just in
life for things obviously that's sensible but even more so to
make plans with a vision for where we will spend eternity the word mammon is from the Aramaic
word which originally meant that in which one puts one's trust
or hence wealth. Clark said Jesus called it unrighteous
mammon because riches promise much and perform nothing. They
excite hope and confidence and deceive both. In making a man
depend on them for happiness, they rob him of the salvation
of God and of eternal glory. That when ye fail, they may receive
you into everlasting habitations. The world is filled with financial
planners and advisors. I'm sure we know many. people
say well you know you should do this with your money or whatever
and well it may be good advice it may not and it but it is good isn't it
and it's right a right principle is what God has given us including
our money and all that we have is that we use it well and wisely So that's right, isn't it? Our
money and our talents and our time, as I said earlier about
redeeming the time. And so it's a good lesson, isn't
it, for us to learn about how we use our time and our resources
that the Lord has given us. Remember what we have the Lord
has given to us. And we might be rich, we might
not be. There's nothing wrong with being
rich. It's not money that's the root of all evil, but the love
of it is the problem. But really, the investment that
we really need to make is not ISIS or anything like that. but
it's eternity, where we will spend eternity, our everlasting
home. It is a good Christian thing
to do. When we die, also that our offspring will have a straightforward
job sorting out our financial affairs. I think that's important
too. We are the Lords and we die. Well, those who've got us
sorted out, well, it's quite easy for them. so it's quite
straightforward I remember after my mum died it
was it was quite straight straight straightforward I mean it wasn't
you didn't have to go into probate or anything like that because
they didn't own any property or anything like that so it was
quite straightforward but mum had done quite a bit anyway and
so it was just quite an easy job for me and I didn't even
have to involve my sister you know I said well I can just do
it myself I can sort it all out so that was good that's good
isn't it you don't want to sort of be in a situation Somebody
dies, or they owe the tax man quite a few thousand pounds,
and then how about that? And you've suddenly got to think
about that. No, I think isn't it? But not
just in terms of money, but I mean, investing with an eye to eternity,
our everlasting home. And so that's it, isn't it? We
need money, as I say, it's the love of money, not money itself
that's the root of all evil. But may it be that we invest,
that we have an eye to eternity. For none of us know, as we've
seen in this past week, those taken into eternity in a moment
and I'm sure in many other places and situations too that has happened. So may we know that we are right
with the Lord and we are right with God if we know that we are
sinners and that we are hell-deserving sinners that the Lord Jesus Christ
came into this world to save sinners and that he will forgive
us and save us, can we rejoice and say, yes, I am forgiven. I am saved. This is a wonderful thing to
be able to say. I'm forgiven. I won't be condemned
for my sins and that my hope for eternity is in the Lord Jesus
Christ because he's the only one that we can trust. So there's much talk, much mention
of covetousness as well as we also see with the Pharisees as
well. But Hebrews 13.5, let your conversation
be without Be without covetousness. Be content with such things as
ye have. For ye have said, I will never
leave thee nor forsake thee. If we have a relationship with
the Lord, there should be great content in that. May we be content with such things
as we have. There was a survey done in the
States back in 1992, so quite a long time ago, People were asked how much money
they would have to make to have the American dream. Those who
earn $25,000 or less a year thought they would need around $54,000.
Those in the $100,000 annual income bracket said that they could buy the
dream for an average of $192,000 a year. These figures indicate
that we typically think we must double our income in order to
find the good life. It's not about money, is it?
It's about a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
what counts. So the parable in this point
of view is deeply instructive. It may well raise with us great
searchings of heart. The diligence of worldly men
about the things of time should put to shame the coldness of
professing Christians about the things of eternity. Yes, we can
learn, can't we? Perhaps from the will and their
dedication or may we not be lukewarm. The zeal and persistence of men
of business encompassing sea and land to get earthly treasures
may well reprove the slackness and laziness of believers about
treasures in heaven. May our treasure be in heaven
where our heart is. May our treasure be, may our
heart be there. May it be that the things of
God are the things that really excite us and motivate us in
life. And all these other things, money
and gifts and talents and everything, it will all fit into place. But may we know that we are right
with God, that we are forgiven, that we are saved, and that by
his grace we are going to be forever with the Lord. I'll leave
those thoughts there, we'll carry on later, God willing, with the
chapter but I think that's an appropriate point to stop and
I see it's about time as well. So we'll leave those thoughts
there for now. Amen. May the Lord help us as we close
this service by singing hymn number 105 from Hymns of Worship. Jesus, Sovereign, Lord of all,
at thy feet we humbly fall, lift our hearts and eyes to thee,
send, O Lord, prosperity. Hymn number 105 from Hymns of
Worship to the tune of 477. What an eye to see! Send on more prosperity. Where thy name is on record, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis
Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy
will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis
Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis
Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis
Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy
will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis
Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis
Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will, Tis Thy will ? O day God's truth send me ? ?
Point of this twain I shall see ? ? Days of sweet prosperity
? ? Times and wonders in me ? raised the captive free. of souls. Drafted till our crescent
beam, stand our Lord prostrate. Send the Lord your praises. Now unto him that is able to
keep you from falling, to present you faultless before the presence
of his glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Saviour,
be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.