Sermon #1089 The Unjust Steward We make the same commitment the apostle Paul made in Acts 20:27, I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. We do not speak on the same five or six pet topics over and over. We cover the gamut from Genesis to Revelation because, as the Spirit puts it in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Those who love Jesus love to hear about Him and we have in the parables some of Jesus most beautiful, most relevant teaching. The Parable of the Unjust Steward is, at the surface at least, one of the most perplexing parables. Originally, the Bible had no chapter and verse divisions. Those were added to the New Testament in the 16th century to help the reader. In fact, in the original Greek manuscripts, the Greek letters all ran together without spaces or punctuation. We can be thankful for how well organized the Bible is for us today. Suffice it to say, the gospel of Luke was written as a whole. The following words on the Parable of the Unjust Steward come immediately after the three parables of Luke 15: the Lost Coin, the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son and immediately preceding the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Luke 16:1-15 reads: He also said to His disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, "What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' "Then the steward said within himself, "What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' "So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, "How much do you owe my master?' And he said, "A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, "Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then he said to another, "And how much do you owe?' So he said, "A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, "Take your bill, and write eighty.' So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 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. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. You watch Let the Bible Speak because you are not interested in human opinion in matters of eternal consequence; you book, chapter, and verse from the Bible. In your quest to live out God s will, we offer hundreds of videos, podcasts, and transcripts of Bible messages at LetTheBibleSpeak.com. If you are online and interested in daily Bible inspiration OR interested in dialogue on today s message or other Bible topics, we hope you will join the Let the Bible Speak Facebook page. Verse 1 reads, He also said to His disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. We re introduced to the main 1
The Unjust Steward by Brett Hickey, sermon #1089 2 of 5 characters of the story. Now, one area you have to be careful with in a parable is that you don t make too much of every detail. I don t believe, though, that we re going too far in likening the Rich Man to God and the unjust steward to a man of the world. Burton Coffman says the parable was spoken to the disciples, but about the Pharisees. Because the unjust steward is lumped in with the children of the world in verse 8 and compared to the sons of light, we can compare our wisdom and faithfulness with his. The image of a steward or manager is worth pondering. We have a tendency to think that we are owners when in reality we are managers. We talk of owning our home, our automobile, our boats, our clothes, our computers and electronic gadgets. We need to be reminded that, in reality, we are managers, not owners. Everything we have is just on loan. On Sunday evening six years ago, my only son was flown, at age fifteen, by helicopter, with my wife and his mother beside him, to the Little Rock Children s Hospital over one hundred miles away. I jumped in my truck and headed that way. As I made the drive not knowing for sure how it would all turn out, I thanked God for every day that He had allowed me to enjoy my son. Thankfully, the Lord answered many prayers, and my son recovered. I say all this just to remind you that we are managers, not owners. The Lord entrusts us with many relationships and possessions, and He expects us to be faithful with them. Jesus makes a strong point about waste in this part of Luke s gospel. McGarvey points out in the Fourfold Gospel that the word "wasted" in this parable is the same verb found at Luke 15:13 that describe the wastefulness of the prodigal son. Incidentally, the word prodigal and the word riotous (from the phrase riotous living ) literally mean wasteful or extravagant. So, we have two parables in a row about people messing up, and a common element in both cases is that they are wasteful. We read in Proverbs 18:9 that He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Wastefulness and slothfulness both come to mind with the character in this parable and the prodigal. Keep this in mind as we contrast wastefulness and faithfulness later in this chapter. Jesus says that an accusation was brought against the steward. A.T. Robertson says in his Word Pictures that the word accusation comes from the word diabolo (from which we get the word diabolical). It means to throw across or back and forth, rocks or words and so to slander by gossip. The word implies malice even if the thing said is true. The word diabolos (slanderer) is this same root and it is used even of women, she-devils (1 Timothy 3:11). The word devil literally means slanderer or false accuser. In this case, the accuser is on target. The manager reacts like a guilty man. I get the impression that the manager had been acting like he was the owner, lounging around like a fat cat, taking advantage of the owner s trust and squandering the opportunity given him. Verse 2: So he called him and said to him, What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' This verse signals a time of crisis. The party is over. The manager can now see that his stewardship is coming to an end. Accountability. Responsibility. This is a great reminder to us that there is a great settling up time coming. Crises. Who enjoys crises? None of us! But, a crisis can also present us with opportunities. A crisis can cause us to evaluate our relationship with God. Serious illness, death in the family, job loss, fractured relationships can be a wake-up call to get right with God. When Jesus came, there was a crisis, a shakeup, in the Jewish religious system. What a tremendous opportunity to stop, reflect, and take inventory on one s life. Sadly, this was an opportunity that many squandered. This morning, if you are facing a crisis, don t dwell on that which you cannot change, but consider this trouble a wake-up call and act on it. 2
The Unjust Steward by Brett Hickey, sermon #1089 3 of 5 Verse 3: Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. Although the manager has been messing up, he now takes a great first step careful reflection. Instead of moving full speed ahead, living as if he was oblivious about what was happening, he confronted reality. Life is not a dream; the gospel is not a myth, and judgment day is coming. But unfortunately, when many face a crisis, they race full-speed ahead toward disaster. Take advantage of the crisis to get right with God. If you are not facing a crisis, take this parable as a wake-up call to turn your life around. You may not have the advantage that this man had of making preparations after the crisis. Verse 4: I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. We can see that the unjust steward is heading in the right direction, at least as far as taking care of himself, in that he makes a firm resolution. He s carefully evaluated his options (He cannot dig and he is ashamed to beg), and makes definite plans for his future. Verses 5-7: "So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, How much do you owe my master?' And he said, A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then he said to another, And how much do you owe?' So he said, A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, Take your bill, and write eighty.' The steward realizes he s busted, and he will not be able to save his position. So dishonestly, but shrewdly, he has a fire sale. He cannot preserve his position, but while he has the authority to do so, he uses this authority to offer some great deals to his clients. They, in turn, will feel a sense of gratitude and even obligation to help him when he is in a bind. In short, the Unjust Steward paused and reflected -- which was good; he resolved to take action and that was better. But now, rather than sitting on his hands, the unjust stewards followed through he took action. Verse 8: So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. Now we arrive at the central point of the parable: and that is, regrettably, the people of God, far too often, are not as wise in matters pertaining to the kingdom of God as the people of the world are with secular issues. Obviously, Jesus is not saying that the people of the world are wiser in their ultimate goals and objectives, but in their zeal, in thinking, in planning head and in how they develop and promote relationships. Jesus does not commend being a crook and a cheat, but for wisely preparing for the future. Can you imagine how many more souls would be saved, if those who heard and believed the gospel, would leave no stone unturned in seeking to do the Lord s will if everyone who learned about Christ would act on every scripture that Jesus and the apostles issued for salvation as carefully as the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is about following procedures for disarming an improvised explosive device? Safety should take priority over all other considerations. Can you imagine how the church would grow if we were as eager to share the gospel as the politician is about winning an election? He goes to whatever lengths necessary to gain the support of the electorate. He gets up early and stays up late. He spends money freely and travels widely. Unfortunately, although Christians claim to care about the lost, sometimes we won t even open our mouth, pick up the phone or walk across the street to talk about the Lord and the truth. Can you imagine how the church would prosper if we were as concerned about building up the church as the world class athlete is about competing in the Olympics? His whole life is affected: his intense year 3
The Unjust Steward by Brett Hickey, sermon #1089 4 of 5 round training is supplemented with a proper diet and rest, his careful study of the mechanics and technique of his event, and his respect for the advice of his coach. He is focused and proactive. What if Christians were as diligent in bringing up their children in the nurture of the Lord as parents in the world are in training their children to be successful academically and financially? If only believers were as proactive and assertive in the business of the Kingdom of God, as the people of the world are in secular matters. That s the point of this parable. Strangely enough, some preachers almost seem to vilify good works when others emphasize the role of obedience in salvation. You know what I m talking about. All that matters is what is in your heart. Then others say that once you re saved that there is no amount of slothfulness, neglect, meanness, or even unbelief that can cause you to forfeit your soul. That s a far cry from what we read in the New Testament. In Jesus first great sermon, He said in Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. In Matthew 16:27, Jesus says, For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Jesus says that our works or the lack thereof matter. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus says that the sheep will be separated from the goats based on whether they did or did not do certain charitable works. In Acts 10:35, the Spirit says But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. It s about time that people focused as much on being accepted by Jesus as they focus on accepting Jesus. In his sermon to King Agrippa, the apostle Paul said in Acts 26:19-20, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. The New Testament is clear that we are not saved by the works of the old law or works not motivated by faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 2:16). But, works of obedience to Christ based on faith are essential. The Bible says in Acts 5:32, so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him." The Holy Spirit tells us in Hebrews 5:9 that Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. The Holy Spirit tells us in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, that on judgment day Jesus will come with His holy angels taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do not omit obedience! Again, can you imagine how the church would prosper if those who hear the gospel and say they believe the gospel were as diligent, determined and persistent as the people of the world? Verse 9: "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. Jesus is saying that we should use the money we have been blessed with to help others (Matt. 25:35-45) who may receive you in heaven. It matters how we treat less fortunate brothers and sisters. Jesus says how we treat them is how we treat Him. Verse 10-12: 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. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." 4
The Unjust Steward by Brett Hickey, sermon #1089 5 of 5 Jesus emphasizes that the Christian must be faithful in that which is least, in the unrighteous mammon, and in that which is another man s. We must be faithful in both the secular and spiritual realm, never losing sight of the fact that our primary allegiance must always be to God over money and possessions. The Pharisees, the Bible says in verse 14, scoffed because of their love of money. Jesus closes the section by rebuking them in verse 15, God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. If you are separated from God, but NOT going through a crisis, take this parable as a wake-up call to right your relationship with God. Before our song and wrap up, we want to encourage you to begin a life-changing six Bible study by mail at no cost to you. I ll be back in a moment for a final word. Please send us any comments or questions you may have about today s message or any related question about the church of the Bible. Tune in every Lord s Day and join us for worship at one of the congregations listed shortly. Call or write for a transcript, CD, or DVD of #1089, The Unjust Steward. We close with the words the apostle Paul issued in Romans 16:16, the churches of Christ salute you. Until next week, goodbye and God bless! Are you searching for the truth of God's word and have a sincere desire to learn about the Bible? Do you want to know what the Bible says about salvation and about Christ and His church? If you are looking for Bible Founded discussion on these topics and many others, then please accept this invitation to explore "Let the Bible Speak" and then contact us for additional studies. We are members of the church of Christ as found in the New Testament. We are not members of a denomination or earthly religious organization. We are a brotherhood of believers, joined by a common bond, Jesus Christ. We try to live and worship following the patterns found in the New Testament. (For manuscripts of other sermons visit: www.letthebiblespeak.com) COPYRIGHT Let The Bible Speak. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Express permission is granted to distribute any video, audio, or transcript of any broadcast message as long as the material is: unedited and attribution is given to Let The Bible Speak; a hyperlink to LetTheBibleSpeak.com is included for electronic distribution; a text reference is included to www.letthebiblespeak.com for printed distribution; and the original author receives attribution. An irrevocable, world-wide, royalty free license for distribution is granted as long as such distribution has the intent of: supporting the truth as presented; giving glory and honor to God; and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. 5