Are You Wasting God's Opportunities - Luke 16

Are You Wasting God’s Opportunities?

Text: Luke 16:1-13

Introduction

Quote: “If life is a gift, then time is the vehicle by which it is delivered to us.

Let’s review exactly what we have at our disposal when it comes to time:

24 hours, 1,440 minutes, 86,000 seconds. However you want to measure time, it is a very precious gift from God.

Let’s view how the typical seventy years is spent:

Sleep — 23 years — 32.9%

Work — 16 years — 22.8%

Television — 8 years — 11.4%

Eating — 6 years — 8.6%

Traveling — 6 years — 8.6%

Leisure — 4.5 years — 6.5%

Illness — 4 years — 5.7%

Dressing — 2 years — 2.8%

Religion — .5 years — 0.7%

Now, I am not sure exactly how accurate these figures are, but I can say, they sure do bring to light the ability to steward life is of the upmost importance!

Benjamin Franklin said, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for it is the stuff life is made of.”

Are you stewarding God’s gift of time with eternity in view?

If you continue to go on with your life as a squanderer or spender, you are going to lose.

If you will set a steady course to be a wise steward, you have God’s best to gain.

1) The Steward’s Great Dilemma

Luke 16:1–2 (BEC): A steward is someone who manages another’s wealth. He does not own that wealth himself, but he has the privilege of enjoying it and using it for the profit of his master. The most important thing about a steward is that he serve his master faithfully (1 Cor. 4:2). When he looks at the riches around him, the steward must remember that they belong to his master, not to him personally, and that they must be used in a way that will please and profit the master.

Luke 16:1–2 (BEC): This particular steward forgot that he was a steward and began to act as if he were the owner. He became a “prodigal steward” who wasted his master’s wealth. His master heard about it and immediately asked for an inventory of his goods and an audit of his books. He also fired his steward.

The realization of his mistake came a day late and a dollar short.

His Master caught him in his negligence and removed him from being the steward.

The steward had great opportunity to invest his Master’s wealth in ways that would benefit himself and the entire family, but lost it!

God has every right to remove from your life what you prove to be negligent with.

A. What stewardship have you been given?

First — Opportunities

Without the opportunity, what good does it do to have any blessings in your possession?

What do people call the USA? THE LAND OF …?

Second — Material wealth

The amount does not equate to it’s importance.

How did you acquire it and use it?

Just because you give the 10% doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want with the 90%.

Third — Time

Ephesians 5:15–17 “15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

Quote: Time is eternity, minted into precious minutes and handed to us to use either wisely or carelessly — Warren W. Wiersbe

Illustration: Having kids has reinforced how precious redeeming the time is.

Fourth — Gifts & Abilities

Illustration: The thief says, “What’s yours is mine—I’ll take it!” The selfish man says, “What’s mine is mine—I’ll keep it!” But the Christian must say, “What’s mine is a gift from God—I’ll share it!” Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 239.

Fifth — The Gospel!

1 Thessalonians 2:4 “4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”

2 Corinthians 4:7 “7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

B. You will face an audit from your Master

Turn to: Romans 14:10–12 “10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Turn to: 2 Corinthians 5:10 “10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

2) The Steward’s Wisdom

In view of losing his job, the steward prepared for the future.

He gave generous discounts as long as they paid up immediately.

His master was even impressed with his clever shrewdness (v8)

Jesus is in no way commending to you the dishonesty of the steward.

Jesus is pointing out how the unjust steward wisely used the opportunity he had.

(v8) “...for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”

As the servant managed his time for material gain, God’s children should for eternal gain.

Assuming you as God’s child live with eternal values in view, you should make far better use of the opportunities God sends you.

Here are some examples that speak to the importance of good stewardship:

Noah — After being called on by God in the face of the great flood, Noah became the steward of all animals. He was called to build his ark to help every species on Earth survive the great flood. Noah was responsible not only to God, for answering his call – but to all creatures on Earth to steward them through the flood.

Moses — God advised Moses to let his people farm their land for six years. However, he advised that they should take a break in the seventh year to give the land time to recover. His word helped Moses steward the land and keep it from being overfarmed. If we care for the resources the Lord provides, we can have them forever – but if we let greed get in our way, we might lose them forever.

Gideon — The story of Gideon and his army teaches us to steward value over quantity. Gideon starts with an army of 30,000 men. When God tells him that’s too many, Gideon asks any men who are afraid to return home. This leaves him with 10,000 men. God then tests the men by having them drink from the river – those who lap at the water are also sent home, leaving just 300 men for Gideon to take a city with. This story shows how to be moderate with glory. Gideon stewards his army in the way God requires because he trusts him – and that trust pays off with a battle won.

3) Steps to remain God’s steward

A. Redeem opportunities by giving to others (money) (v9)

“mammon” = riches

The unjust steward secured a warm welcome by providing them with a financial benefit.

You and I should do this for the eternal benefit.

Quote: “If we want to have treasure in heaven, we should give money to those who are going there.” John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Lk 16:9–13.

Those whom we have ministered to down here, if they in turn receive Jesus as Savior, will warmly greet us up there.

“when it fail”

“everlasting habitations”

Did you realize that your works follow you to heaven? — Revelation 14:13 “13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”

B. Redeem opportunities by wise management (v10-11)

(v10) those who have settled the larger issue of the unseen spiritual world will show it by the way they handle the smaller issues of this temporal world. John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Lk 16:9–13.

Why does someone become unprincipled with money in how they support the Lord’s word? — ANS… they are careless with eternal matters.

Money is basically evil… only God can sanctify it.

Titus 1:7 “7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;”

1 Timothy 6:10 “10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

If you waste money, why do you think God would commit to your trust the TRUE RICHES?

(v12) We are on probation down here. We are stewards of divine things (1 Peter 4:10). The time, talents, and treasure allotted to us are ours only on trust. The extent to which we are faithful stewards down here is the extent to which we will be entrusted with things over there. John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Lk 16:9–13.

C. Redeem opportunities by declaring our master

It all comes down to the answer of this simple question: Who is your master???

The dilemma of the unjust steward reveals this truth.

He chose to serve money over his master.

Either you are reaching outward for the material (or) reaching upward for the spiritual.

The temporary or the eternal.

Serving two masters is like walking in two directions at the same time.....it’s impossible!!!

To invest in the world, you gain only what the world can offer. If you invest in God’s kingdom, you will gain only what God can give you.....the abundant life!!!

Jesus is demanding INTEGRITY! — Matthew 6:33 “33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Quote: If God is our Master, then money will be our servant, and we will use our resources in the will of God. But if God is not our Master, then we will become the servants of money, and money is a terrible master! We will start wasting our lives instead of investing them, and we will one day find ourselves “friendless” as we enter the gates of glory. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 240.

Conclusion

Illustration: A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. “Reverend,” said the young man, “I’m so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip.” The minister chuckled, “I know what you mean. It’s the same in my business.”

Don’t wait until a more convenient time to make yourself read to meet the great king and judge Jesus Christ!