God’s Faithful Manager Luke 16:1-9

[1] He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. [2] 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.’ [3] 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. [4] I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ [5] So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ [6] He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ [7] Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ [8] The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. [9] And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

Notes:

1. Life, relationships, time, money, gifts, possessions, etc. are all gifts from God. We are called to manage/steward them all faithfully out of love for Him and love for people.
2. God wants His people to be shrewd (wise, clever, astute, sharp in practical matters, keen, sagacious).
3. God wants His people to shrewdly use their temporal and earthly money to make forever friends that will greet them in eternity.

[4] He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, [5] for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? [1Tim 3:4-5 ESV]
[14] So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households… [1Tim 5:14 ESV]

[16] “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise (shrewd) as serpents and innocent as doves. [Matt 10:16 ESV]

[19] “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [Matt 6:19-21 ESV]