Use your Wealth to Prepare for Heaven
Luke 16 SCC 6/12/16
Major
concerns of life like our view of people and use of our money must be managed
from a righteous perspective. The Pharisees despised sinners and hoarded money.
Luke provides Jesus decisive critique so that we may align ourselves with his
understanding.
LIFE IS A STEWARDSHIP FROM GOD WITH
PERSONAL ETERNAL RAMIFICATIONS
Verse 1-2: The man in question here is a
household manager or steward, one who manages the business of the owner. Because
of some bad reports the owner fired him for squandering his possessions. Squandering
does not necessarily mean he was being dishonest, it can mean he was just a
poor manager, making poor investments. In any case he must wrap things up and
find somewhere else to work.
Verse 3-4: His options are not appealing. He
must act to clean up the situation if there is any possibility of finding
future work with someone. His plan was to create a favorable response from
those who owe money so that when he is officially let go one of them will take
him in.
Verse 5-7: The unjust steward made friends for
himself for his future reference by offering his master’s debtors a reduced
financial settlement. He puts a discount program in motion. It is not clear if
this benefited the master or not, but it definitely benefited the steward, who now
had friends who would welcome him (possibly employ him) after he was dismissed.
Verse 8: He is praised, by his master, and by
Jesus, for his shrewdness or wisdom. Once unrighteous he has become shrewd. The
point being he was shrewd or wise in that he prepared for his future and we
should be wise and prepare for our eternal future.
NB: Jesus is saying that God’s children, who have a
heavenly, eternal future, should be as diligent in assessing the long-term
effect of their actions as those who do not know God are protecting their
earthly well-being. The main point is the theme of Luke, after this life comes
judgment. The end justifies the means as
long as the end is in heaven. It is wisdom to have such a concern.
Exhortation: Be
generous with money v 9. Jesus says, be shrewd, by making [eternal] friends
for yourselves by means of the wealth [money] of unrighteousness, so that when
[not if] it fails, they (the people you have invested in so that they have eternal
treasure) will receive you into the eternal dwellings. Our wealth should not be
hoarded or used selfishly but to make friends by being generous. If you know
God is watching your stewardship, and you can profit from that eternally, it will
make one sensitive to use resources God provides in ways pleasing to him and
beneficial to you.
Exhortation: Be
faithful with money v 10-12.
Verse 10: He who is faithful in a very little
thing [money, or any earthly treasure] is faithful also in much [eternal values];
and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing [money] is unrighteous also in
much [things that lead to heavenly treasure] 10. The way we handle our responsibilities
on earth is the basis for how we will be judged in heaven. Specifically, the way
we handle our money is a reflection of how we handle our spiritual life. If you
are in debt in one area you probably are in the other also.
Verse 11: If you have not been faithful in
[investing eternally with] the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the
true riches [the eternal rewards of the kingdom of God] to you? Wealth is
called unrighteousness for two reasons, because: (1) it represents value
independent from God, and (2) it ties us to this world.
Verse 12: If you have not been faithful in the use of
that which is another’s [the wealth God has allotted you on earth.] who in
heaven will give you that which is your own [eternal rewards]? All wealth on
earth belongs to God, and he will put it where ever He desires. Hag. 2:8 ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of
hosts. So it is not a blessing from God but a stewardship from God. Solomon
found out that pursuing it was vanity and striving after wind. But when you get
eternal rewards, that determines your heavenly situation. The eternal rewards
and responsibility truly belong to you. God
determines your position in this life, you determine your position in the next
life.
Exhortation: Serve God not money v 13. “No
servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and money or earthly wealth.” Jesus is not saying we should avoid
making money but that we should not serve money. Money should be used to serve
God. Something will always be #1 in your life. Find out what that is for you –
money, family, financial stability, good health, or God. But here is another
way to determine your master. Your master
is whatever (or whoever) you perceive (think or believe) to be the one giving
you the most. Whatever or whoever you think is giving you the most is your
master. If you do not see God as giving
you more than anyone else then you will not serve Him. Pharisees did not
care 14.
VALUES SHOULD BE INFLUENCED BY THE
AUTHORITY OF GODS KINGDOM
1. That includes: that which is highly esteemed among
men [pursuing wealth, serving money, and living in luxury] is detestable in the
sight of God v 15. Anything that (1)
holds you to this earth and (2) creates value independent from God (ie. pride)
is detestable in the sight of God.
2. That includes: the Law and the Prophets were
proclaimed until John (the last OT prophet); since that time the gospel of the
kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing [creating] his [own]
way into it v 16. That is, many are
proclaiming ways to enter the Kingdom of God. Every church argument through
history is about who gets to dispense the grace of God.
3. That includes: it is easier for heaven and earth to
pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail v 17. This is true for the whole word
of God. The Law here is used the way David used it in Psalm 119, the entire
written word of God. So this declares the verbal inerrancy of the Bible.
Actually it takes it down to every letter of every word.
4. That includes: everyone who divorces his wife and
marries another commits adultery v 9.
He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery v 10. The point is to respond to, serve
and honor the values of God’s kingdom in our personal relationships including
marriage.
NB: As you live your life do so on the
basis of what is valuable to the kingdom of God. What is valuable there is of
ultimate value. One is not to serve creation or its creatures instead.
LEAVE THIS LIFE SO THE SCALES OF
JUSTICE ARE BALANCED AGAINST YOU
Verse 19-23: The situation in life for the rich man
and Lazarus was a lesson in contrast. One is covered with fine apparel. The
other covered with sores. One living in spender. The other eating crumbs and
licked by dogs. One died and comforted. The other died and in torment. The way you live this life determines how
you will live in the next life.
Verse 24-31: The rich man is told he is in this
place of suffering because he had good things and Lazars had bad things during
their life on earth v 24-25. The
message is good things in this life can mean bad things in the next life and
bad things in this life can mean good things in the next life. It’s also
impossible to arrange due to a large gulf v
26. Additionally, after being refused comfort in his suffering, the rich
man asks Abraham if Lazarus could go back and warn his brothers v 27-28. So apparently someone coming
back from the dead would not create faith in those who ignore the scripture v 29-31. (1) Our position after death reflects a judgment on the way we lived.
(2) The problem is not wealth
(Abraham was also wealthy) the problem is living in luxury, and ignoring the
needs of the needy. (3) Sinners go
to a place (elsewhere called Sheol or Hades) of suffering while awaiting
judgment. (4) The dead cannot contact
the living, and it wouldn’t help if they did. The objective is to leave this life with the scales of justice balanced
against you, that is that you give more than your receive.
SO WHAT:
1. We are
stewards of whatever wealth God has given us and we will be held accountable
for what we do with it. Be generous. Be faithful. Be eternal.
2. Wealth is
dangerous. It is called unrighteous because it tends to anchor us to this world
and temps us to live in luxury and therefore end up like the rich man in the
story.
3. Money is one test of our spiritual condition. We pass
the test when we put the money God has
given us into the eternal future of people. The
investment of money into the eternal future of ourselves and others is the way
to benefit from our temporal wealth for eternal profit.