The Parable of the Unjust Steward

Intro:

Before we jump into todays parable let’s take a few moments to look back at what we have learned so far.

The purpose of the parables is to reveal kingdom truth through illustration, and fulfill prophecy in Isaiah 6:9 “And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’”

The Parable of the Sower taught us that the condition of our heart matters. The heart is the field where the seed of the word of God is sown. We must protect the heart and cultivate the soil to be able to produce kingdom harvest.

The wheat and tares remind us that there will be a mixture of good and evil in the world until the time of the end. At which point they will be separated into their eternal destinies.

The Kingdom of God like mustard seed begins small but grows exponentially beyond the size of the seed.

Like leaven the seed of the kingdom after it is sown grows and exerts influence on everything it comes into contact with until it leavens the whole. Believers are sown into the world as seed.

Jesus taught us that we have been forgiven of much and we are also to forgive. Un-forgiveness is not tolerated in the kingdom of God.

Like the good samaritan we are to love and serve our neighbor.

The Parable of the Vineyard reminds us that our motives and attitudes in serving him need to be right. We are saved to serve, not saved for what we can get out of it.

The parable of the minas and talents reminded us that we have each been given gifts, skills, and abilities. The Lord has given us responsibility and a part to play in the story of the kingdom of God. Those found faithful will receive rewards. The unfaithful will receive judgement.

The parable of the great supper was a clear reminder not to take the covenant of God lightly. God is calling us to his banquet table. We are to set our minds on things above. If we do not. We will miss the hour of our visitation as the Israelites did.

Today we are going to look at the parable of the unjust steward. Turn with me to the book of Luke 16:1-13.

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Submit:

The setting of this parable is primarily a time of teaching from Christ to His disciples. However, there are a number of Pharisees who are in attendance to hear what He speaks.

In this parable Jesus is teaching His disciples about stewardship. A Steward is a manager or overseer over the affairs of another house or business.

The Key elements of stewardship in this parable:

How to wisely use money for the kingdom of God.

Investing time for eternity.

Being faithful in the little things before being entrusted with greater things.

Being faithful in earthly riches before receiving eternal riches. Luke 16:1-13.

Luke 16:1-6 “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.’”

Luke 16:7-13 “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.””

The basic elements of the parable:

A certain rich man. (This man is the owner. The reference made here like many other time is to God being the owner of all)

A Steward. (This steward was responsible for and entrusted with the goods of the master and was expected to be faithful in handling his goods.)

Accusation and Account. (It was told that the steward was wasting his goods. As he calls the steward to give account, He ultimately decides to remove him.

Something interesting about this parable is that Jesus commends the unfaithful stewards for how he responds to being fired. He deals shrewdly. To be shrewd means to be astute, sharp, wily, and cunning. He follows the commendation with this statement for the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. We will look at the application of this statement in a moment.

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Apply:

Now let’s look at its application.

Here is the big idea. The Lord is the owner of all things in heaven and earth. Psalm 24:1. Psalm 50:10-12. Haggai 2:8.

Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.”

Psalm 50:10-12 “For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.”

Haggai 2:8 “‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

I want to pause for a moment to consider the implication of this. Our American culture is rooted in individual liberties. Government is to exist for the people (insert eye roll here). We are endowed with certain unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I don’t know about you, but I am thankful for these things. Maybe not so much on the essence of government as it has drifted to serve itself and not the people, but I am thankful to be in this nation. However, do you see the potential for conflict with the kingdom of God?

Our way of life culturally is one of independence and self ambition. The potential of the American dream. We have rights and liberties. What we possess is ours. The conflicting idea of this parable is that everything you have belongs to Him. He is the owner you are the steward.

For a moment let that thought sift its way through culture and settle in your heart. The Key focus of this parable centers on the topic of stewardship:

Jesus is conveying who is actually in control. He teaches His disciples by the story of the unjust steward. The steward is mismanaging what he has been entrusted with by the owner. Like many parable before He shares that the steward was asked to give account. This is a recurring theme in the teachings of Jesus.

The truth is this. All men, believers or unbelievers, are accountable to God. All will be called to account one day for what the Lord has entrusted to them. The amount of what is entrusted may vary like the parable of the talents, but all will give an account.

The practical application of this parable center around wisdom and faithfulness. The steward in this parable was unfaithful but wise. Jesus actually commended his mindset of shrewdness. Even though he was wicked, the fact that he was mentally astute and sharp in his dealings Jesus liked. He knew he was getting fired so he made a plan b.

The statement that the sons of the world are more shrewd than the sons of light illustrates that God desires for us to oversee his matters in an elevated way. We need to have mental acuity. We need to be sharp and keen in thought having speed of perception, comprehension, and effective response.

You and I need to be wise. We need to make the most of the resources that at our disposal. We must effectively and efficiently manage the affairs of God that He has entrusted to us. We must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all things so that we might perceive and comprehend. This applies to every area of life.

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Closing:

As stewards not only do we need to be wise, we also need to be faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

Jesus in this parable defines faithfulness in terms of stewardship. Someone who is faithful is reliable, steadfast, and unwavering.

He also reveals the nature of increase and its prerequisites. Luke 16:10

“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.”

In the kingdom of God, if we desire increase we must prove ourselves faithful in that which is least. Jesus cares more about your character than your increase. If you can be trusted with what is considered least, you will be entrusted with more.

The error of the unjust steward is that He saw his master’s resources as a means for his own personal enjoyment and advancement. When in reality he was to use the masters resources to further the masters goals.

The result of unfaithfulness was that he was removed. He calls us to be faithful and trustworthy with what we have been given.

As Jesus finishes the parable He defines what is considered least in the kingdom. Money. Luke 16:11

“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”

God desires to entrust to us the true riches of the kingdom, but before He can we have to pass the money test. The money test is tithe and offerings. The reason it is a test is because money is often peoples security. It is how they provide for themselves. Through a fear of lack many people serve money or mammon. Luke 16:13.

Jesus said in the parable, Luke 16:13 ““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.””

A major test of stewardship is knowing that because God owns it all He will meet all my needs.

The response of the master in the parable of the talents to good stewardship was well done good AND faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler of many things.

When God is our Master, then our wealth will be at His disposal. In other words, the faithful and just steward whose Master is God will employ that wealth in building up the kingdom of God.

We are challenged as stewards to trust God with our life, and manage well what He has entrusted us with. In the process we are to be wise and faithful. God’s ultimate desire is to give us the true riches of the kingdom of God.

Faithful stewards are concerned with building the kingdom of God, not material wealth.

Let’s Pray.

Help us to be good stewards in every area of our life. Help us to set our hearts on being faithful.

Ask for an impartation of the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation.

Salvation.