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LOJ #165: ‘Robbing God’

Andover Baptist Church-November 18th, 2012

Opening

A. Text for today is Luke 16:1-9 and our sermon is titled

Robbing God

B. Scripture NET:

“1 Jesus also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets. 2 So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’ 3 Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m too ashamed to beg. 4 I know what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’5 So he contacted his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 The man replied, ‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.’7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man replied, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.”

C. Children’s Sermon (NO SLIDES) Lauren’s Baptism

D. Introduction

1. We are going to be dealing for a few weeks on the

proper use of our financial blessings

 

2. The parable we are going to look at today is found only

in the Gospel of Luke

3. Some commentators see it as one of the toughest to

interpret of all the parables, I guess I'm so simple that it

made sense to me (I hope you find it to be as well by

the end)

 

4. Who is this parable for? It is for everyone who wishes

to be a follower of Jesus Christ

 

a. It's about using your money, your possessions for

things that really matter.

 

b. It's about using your money to make eternal

friends and eternal wealth

 

c. Primarily it’s about not embezzling, yes you

heard me (that is when you take that which is not

yours and use it for your own from someone who

trusts you with their accounts)

 

5. There has been some huge cases of embezzlement over

the years in our country (here is the top 5)

 

a. $65.6 million ($69 million in 2010), Culprit:

Ausaf Umar Siddiqui

b. $61 million ($72.3 million in 2010), Culprit: Jack

Doorly

c $66 million ($88.3 million in 2010), Culprit:

Ricardo Carrasco

d. $7.7 million ($100 million in 2010), Culprit:

Gilbert H. Beesemyer (1930)

e. $90 million ($132 million in 2010), Culprit:

Yasuyoshi Kato

 

6. But there is something even worse than embezzling

from an earthly boss

  a. This parable is about what is the worst form of

embezzling: it's about embezzling from God

 

b. And you and I have done it likely more times

than we can count

c. Everything we have in this life, is not truly ours,

it’s Christ’s and He has simply allowed us to

manage it

d. When we use it for our own ends, well that is a

crime that we must be very careful of not doing

e. For one day, like our manager friend today, the

books will be opened

Sermon

READ: Luke 16:1-2

“1 Jesus also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets. 2 So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.”

A. 'Jesus also said to the disciples'

 

1. When reading accounts in the Gospel, is important to

discover to whom Jesus is speaking

 

2. This parable is being told primarily to His disciples

 

3. He had been talking directly to the Pharisees, and while

we will see next week by their snide comments they

were listening, this is not just a criticism of them

4. If you are a disciple of Jesus this than is for you

 

B. ‘There was a rich man'

 

1. Our first character is introduced

2. He is a wealthy business man with many assets to be

managed

C. We find that this rich man has over his wealth and assets a

steward (i.e. a manager)

1. This steward had unparalled access to his employer’s

home and finances

a. Imagine if you would a modern day financial

planner, trustee or CFO

b. This steward would act as a broker between his

employer and the employer’s customers

c. You see our rich friend was a banker of sorts and

being that those who loan money and those who

borrow money are different social scales this

steward would be a go between 

 

d. The steward is to look out for the master's benefit

2. The most important trait of a steward, according to the

Apostle Paul is faithfulness (1 Corinthians 4:2)

“Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful”.

a. We see examples of faithful stewards throughout

the Bible

b. Abraham had a manager by the name of Eliezer

of Damascus (Gen. 15:2)

c. Joseph was such a manager and eventually had

one of his own (Genesis 43:19)

d. King David had a steward that was over all of his

possessions and even took care of his children

e. In Luke 8:3 we find Joanna, a supporter of Jesus’

ministry, is married to Cuza the manager of

Herod’s household

3. Unfortunately for this rich man his steward is not quite

so faithful

a. It appears that the man he employs to be in

charge of protecting and growing his wealth has

been doing quite the opposite

b. In fact it has been brought to his attentions that

this manager or steward has been ‘wasting his

assets’ (as the Prodigal Son wasted the

inheritance given to him by his father)

 

  c. The steward was acting as if he were owner of

what he was simply put in charge of to manage

 

  4. The rich man is furious

 

D. 'So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I

hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration,

because you can no longer be my manager.’

 

  1. The accusations must have been based upon

unquestionable evidence

2. So the owner orders an audit of the books after which

the steward is to hand them over

 

  3. Volunteer Youth Ministry (years ago, at another church)

: Previous youth director used the youth checkbook to

float herself loans, an audit of the books showed this

4. Once the audit is done, the steward is done (aka canned) 

E. What was being called into question? The stewards

stewardship, the oversight of his employer’s assets  

1. One day you and I will give an account of our

stewardship 

2. Eventually death will remove us from stewardship of

life

 

3. And we need to be ready for that day when the accounts

of our lives are opened by Christ Jesus

 

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NET) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil.”

 

4. We are called to be good stewards of the grace God has

given us

1 Peter 4:10 (NET) “Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.”

5. If God were to do an audit this very day on that which

he has made you a steward (your home, your family,

your gifts, your jobs, your money) would he find us a

faithful steward or one wasting His assets?

 

READ: Luke 16:3-4

“3 Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m too ashamed to beg. 4 I know what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’

A. The steward knew that his job was going to be outsourced, that

he was going to be fired, etc.

 B. The steward faced some employment difficulties ahead of him

1. If he loses his job as a manager, word would get around

and who would want to hire him for that?

2. He can’t do manual labor

a. It might be age

b. It might be laziness

c. One commentator said that he has soft hands

1. He hadn’t done manual labor, he’d only

had a desk job

2. If he slapped you in the face you’d say oh

how nice do it again

3. Have you shaken hands with Marv? If he

slapped you in the face you’d go crying

to your momma

3. He can’t beg because he’s too prideful (oddly he doesn’t

mind stealing) 

4. Either way he goes it looks as if the steward would face

public shame

 

C. When all hope looks lost, the steward suddenly comes up with

a cleverly, underhanded scheme to cook the books

 

READ: Luke 16:5-7

“5 So he contacted his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 The man replied, ‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.’7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man replied, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’”

A. ' So he contacted his master’s debtors one by one'

1. The rich man had a number of individuals who owed

him money and this man goes down the list

a. It appears as these customers leased land from the

rich man (tenant farmers)

b. They likely had fixed amounts of crops they

owed him on an annual basis, during harvest

time

 

2. He had done business with them and they knew him

3. And while he still has temporary authority he uses it

deceitfully and quickly before the game is up

 

B. The first tenant

 

1. In a hurry because his time is running out, he has the

first man slash his bill from 100 measures of oil to 50

2. That’s a deep, deep discount

a. The original bill would equal 850 gallons of olive

oil

b. That would take the complete crop of 150 trees

c. The original cost would be 1000 denarii (about

that many days’ worth of pay for a common

worker)

 

d. He cuts their bill by 425 gallons at a cost of 500

days pay to his rich soon to be former employer

 

C. The second tenant

 

1. This man owed 100 measures of wheat which equated to

approximately 1000 bushels

2. He tells this tenant take 20% of what he owes off

a. It would take 100 acres to grow this much wheat

b. At that time a crop like that would have cost 2500

denarii (2500 days of pay)

c. A 20% cut would have taken 500 denarii off the

bill

d. This is the same fiscal amount he gave the first

one 

D. Why did the steward do this? Future planning to take care of

himself!

   1. They paid up then at a steep discount to their benefit and

to the detriment of the rich man

2. He had cost his rich employer 1000 days of pay (or

roughly in today’s money $125,000 dollars)

 

3. This made the tenants indebted to the steward

a. To owe someone a debt was a serious matter in

the eyes of the ancient world

 

b. These people, while not up to the standard of the

rich man they leased from, were wealthy in their

own right

c. They would be indebted to him for quite awhile 

READ: Luke 16:8-9 (Scripture slide)

“8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.”

A. 'The master commended the dishonest manager because he

acted shrewdly'

 

1. Irony at the end here

 

2. What the steward has done here gets him labeled as

‘dishonest’

3. Yet the worldly rich man, while surely furious, admires

the craftiness of the unfaithful steward

 

4. Given the same circumstances he would have done the

same thing to turn the events to his favor

 

5. I mean this stewards financial career was about to be

shattered and he effectively deflected the blow by

making worldly friends at his boss’ expense 

6. He had effectively planned ahead 

7. But some of you may say, ‘How come the rich guy let

him get away with it?’ 

a. It was not an uncommon practice for an

individual who was wealthy to give a break to

those who owed them money in order to be seen

as benevolent

b. The steward may have used this line with the

people who owed his former employer

c. It’s likely that news about this benevolence has

spread and the rich man is being praised

d. If he demands the rest of the money or punishes

the steward it would be a cultural disaster for him

e. Therefore the rich man tells him, ‘Nice play’ 

B. Jesus uses this example to point out the difference that should

be seen in His followers and those who follow the pattern of

this world (lit. ‘sons of this age’)

 

1. People of the world are better at making worldly wealth

in worldly ways than children of light

 

2. The rich man love of money, the shrewdness of the

manager and the complicity of the debtors are the way

the children of this world do business

3. Like the rich man we are sometimes caught off guard by

the shear shrewdness of worldly business (like my

pastor friend who signed a car title over to a woman on

agreement she would make payments, she left town with

it costing him over $6,000)

  4. The children of light are not to be like anybody in this

parable in their pursuit of things in this world

 

5. In a dog eat dog world, we must expect to get bitten but

never to bite

 

6. Christians we have this to remember: Yes we can live

like the world in business practices and make more

money, but you cannot please your Master and do such

 

Ephesians 5:8 (NET) “for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:5–8 (NET) “5 For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. 6 So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation.”

 

7. While we are not to follow their example there is a

valuable lesson that we can take from it 

 

C. What is that lesson? Use worldly wealth to make eternal friends

1. The world is diligent in their pursuit of financial reward

in this world. How much more should believers pursue

their eternal reward knowing the true value of things?

 

2. This is such an important point that Jesus says, ‘And I

tell you this’ meaning ‘Pay attention!’

3. We are to use our 'worldly wealth' (meaning money and

property) to plan ahead spiritually

 

a.  We are not to focus it on this world, but on the

things to come, the things of God

 

b. Not to gain earthly favor, but eternal favor

 

c. Use your wealth to create real friendships, the

only ones that matter, eternal friendships (I’ve

already decided the first million years or so in

heaven I'm going to hang out with Dale)

d. We should use our money to win people to

Christ, into the kingdom

e. We are to make friends with the poor, with those

in need of the Gospel, with the ones who cannot

repay you in this life, but who can bless you in

the next

  

Matthew 6:19–20 (NET) “19 Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”

1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NET) “17 Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.19 In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.”

4. Christ Jesus has made us stewards of our lives and we

owe it to Him

5. Are you faithful?

Application

A. We are entering a week that we celebrate our thankfulness for

the blessings in our life

 

B. Many people sit around a table and have the tradition of saying

what they are thankful for

 

C. That's nice, but real thankfulness has to go beyond just words

 

D. Are you thankful for what God has given you? Good! But the

question really is does your life show it by being a good

steward of all that He has given you?

 

E. One day we will all stand before Him, are you ready for that

moment?

Invitation

Let us sing our last song # ,

[pic]

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