Wise Stewardship | GOD's Call to Faithfulness

Greeting

Turn or navigate with me to Luke 16 which will be the key text for this message this morning.

Today is the day we have set aside time for our annual business meeting. At the conclusion of the service, we will be presenting the current state of our church through various reports from the board and from “your’s truly.” In light of this, today’s message will be on a theme in keeping with our faithfulness to be good stewards of what GOD has entrusted to us. The title of the message, as you can see on the screen behind me, is Wise Stewardship: GOD’s Call to Faithfulness.

In recent years, I know that some pastors have often forsaken messages on tithes and offerings for fear of sounding like or becoming a church that always asks for money. However, there is a reality in which we live that requires financial commitments from the church, and those responsibilities exist whether we talk about them or not.

It became so uncommon in our last church, that a family who came to faith and had been attending for a little over a year, had never heard anything about finances until the wife overheard me talking about tithing. She asked what is this tithing thing I heard you talking about? When I briefly explained to her the concept of tithing from Scripture, she was concerned about the fact she didn’t know what that was, and she rightly asked how they could know about it, if it was never taught.

I was informed by one of my mentors on the EMD that the annual business meeting is a good time to broach the subject. While this will not be a tithing message, necessarily, it is a broader view of stewardship, which could include tithes and offerings.

Key Text: Luke 16:1-13

Announce text again: Luke 16:1-13

Scripture Reading

Luke 16:1–13 NASB95

1 Now He was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions. 2 “And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 3 “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; I am ashamed to beg. 4 ‘I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the management people will welcome me into their homes.’ 5 “And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 “And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And 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?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 “And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. 9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. 10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. 11 “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? 12 “And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 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 wealth.”

Prayer for added blessing to the reading of the Word

Message

It seems there has been a negative outlook on the financial future of America for a very long time. Talks of an impending market collapse as national debt spirals out of control, has been a constant chatter of financial experts. Social Security is in jeopardy is a threat that has been discussed for as far back as I can remember. Talks of another great depression have circulated for about as long.

The past few years have demonstrated our economy is not the only one seemingly being threatened. COVID ushered in with it a global economic threat that was devastating for small businesses and citizens around the world. Of course, the pharmaceutical companies enjoyed financially record-breaking quarter after quarter. In the past few decades, it is clear just how precarious the world economic system really is. We’ve seen the stock market crash repeatedly in the United States and across major global markets. These turbulent events sent shock waves through financial systems, with established accounts suffering massive losses or being wiped out in mere hours. Disconcerting events such as these might cause us to want to horde our money away, but as we will see from today’s text, these events ought to demonstrate just how important it is to invest financially into GOD’s Kingdom.

David Livingstone, a Scottish physician and famous missionary explorer in Africa, was once quoted as saying,

I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time or eternity.

David Livingstone.

In today’s passage, JESUS tells a parable that addresses the area of stewardship, and in the opening line of the first verse, we read the phrase ...

Luke 16:1 NASB95

Now He was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions.

On the heels of the parable of the prodigal son - the wayward son who squandered his inheritance - JESUS now begins another parable about the use of resources. The main character in this parable is a manager who wins over his master’s respect by acting … dishonestly?

Oikonomos (οἰκονόμος) is a Greek term that originally referred to individuals appointed to manage church possessions and later evolved to describe various roles of stewardship. The word is a compound of "oikos" (house) and "nemoo" (to dispense or administrate), essentially meaning "house manager" or "steward". In the early Church, oikonomoi were appointed to assist in managing Church possessions and to check the bishops' control over revenues. The term later came to describe household managers, public officials, and stewards in wealthy homes. In the New Testament, oikonomos is used to refer to household managers, stewards of God's mysteries, and church overseers.

So, this morning we’re going to take a look at five virtues of wise stewardship that we can see from this story JESUS is telling.

1. Stewardship Starts with Awareness

Luke 16:1–4 LEB

1 And he also said to the disciples, “A certain man was rich, who had a manager. And charges were brought to him that this person was squandering his possessions. 2 And he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give the account of your management, because you can no longer manage.’ 3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, because my master is taking away the management from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I should do, so that when I am removed from the management they will welcome me into their homes!’

When we consider stewardship, we often think of money or possessions, and in this parable, JESUS certainly addresses those themes. However, there’s something else I like us to consider first from our opening passage here.

Lets look at the first highlighted phrases here:

charges were brought to him. Note, others are coming to the rich man to provide a negative report about the manager. What was the report?

squandering his possessions. The report to the rich man is that his manager is squandering his possessions.

The Gr. word for squandering here is the same word used in Luke 15:13 to describe the activities of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:13 NASB95

13 “And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

Give the account of your management, because you can no longer manage. I think there’s something to be learned here about stewarding our emotions.

We don’t know the full details here, but it’s interesting to see the rich man immediately accepts the report he receives as truth.

He sends word for the manager to come see him, and immediately calls him to give an account.

Did the rich man make an assumption based on what he heard?

Was it someone’s job to check up on the manager and give the report to the rich man?

Whatever the case, the master's warning to the manager about losing his job “lit a ...” proverbial “fire” under the feet of the manager, and he acted quickly to come up with a solution - though, not for the benefit of his master, but for his own benefit.

What we need to understand when it comes to “our wealth and possessions,” is that we are not truly the owners, we’re managers. We are stewards of what GOD has given us.

James 1:17 NASB95

17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Therefore, we need to have the same sense of urgency and pray for the wisdom that is needed in our own stewardship.

Proverbs 6:6–11 NASB95

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, 8 Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest. 9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest”— 11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.

Just as the manager anticipates the future, we too must consider how we allocate our resources in light of God’s ultimate Kingdom.

Christ's example in securing our future calls us to be intentional and wise servants.

2. Strategic and Creative Service

Luke 16:5–7 LEB

5 And he summoned each one of his own master’s debtors and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your promissory note and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your promissory note and write eighty.’

So, now, we get to see the plan the manager has to extricate himself from this dilemma.

He doesn’t see himself fit for manual labor

He has too much pride to beg

So, he works to win over the master’s debtors.

The manager reduces the bills of the debtors and collects a fraction of the amount they owed.

This reminds me of some marketing programs that are out there - perhaps you’ve seen these?

Creatively named debt relief or something like that

They are programs designed to ...

negotiate with creditors on behalf of the debtor to reduce the amount owed

and setup an auto pay plan that “guarantees” the reduced funds will be payed

This sounds a lot like that. Maybe they got the idea from this parable?

At any rate, the shrewd actions of the manager in reducing the debtors' bills was meant to secure their favor.

Setting aside the context of this story for a moment, the shrewdness of the manager illustrates for us that we need to be strategic and creative in our stewardship.

We, too, need to find ways to use our talents and resources in innovative ways for God's work.

The word, shrewd, always had a negative connotation to it for me - like it was a bad thing.

It actually means, “having or showing clever awareness or resourcefulness, especially in practical matters.”

Being shrewd is actually a good thing. Look at these uses of the word from Scripture:

Matthew 10:16 NASB95

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

Proverbs 1:4 LEB

to give shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and purpose to the young,

Proverbs 19:14 ESV

14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

3. Shift Towards Eternal Investments

Luke 16:8–9 LEB

8 And the master praised the dishonest manager, because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are shrewder than the sons of light with regard to their own generation. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it runs out they will welcome you into the eternal dwellings.

Here is a fascinating turn of events - JESUS throws in a twist ending we never saw coming.

The master recognizes the cleverness of the dishonest manager and praises him for it.

Although the reduction of debts cost the master money in the long term, the short-term gains were needed to help cover shortfalls ...

… though, they may have been as a result of the manager’s actions or laziness, in the first place.

JESUS is not condoning the dishonesty of the manager here, rather HIS comments are a commendation of the dishonest manager's shrewdness.

Here HE seems to be suggesting that we using worldly resources to forge friendships and build God’s community.

In imitating Christ's foresight and love, we focus on eternal investments that align with God's plans, rather than solely economic profit.

lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven

Matthew 6:20 NASB95

20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

4. Faithfulness in All Things

Luke 16:10–12 LEB

10 “The one who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful with unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you your own?

Being faithful in small matters is preparation for greater responsibilities.

The small opportunities in life are tests - they’re indicators - for how you and I will respond to larger opportunities.

How we respond to the small opportunities could determine whether or not we receive larger opportunities.

And how are we faithful with resources that aren’t ours - that belong to someone else?

Do we still treat those resources with the same care as we would our own?

Don’t think these things doesn’t matter ...

One stormy night an elderly couple entered the lobby of a small hotel and asked for a room. The clerk said they were filled, as were all the hotels in town. "But I can't send a fine couple like you out in the rain," he said. "Would you be willing to sleep in my room?" The couple hesitated, but the clerk insisted. The next morning when the man paid his bill, he said, "You're the kind of man who should be managing the best hotel in the United States. Someday I'll build you one." The clerk smiled politely. A few years later the clerk received a letter from the elderly man, recalling that stormy night and asking him to come to New York. A round-trip ticket was enclosed. When the clerk arrived, his host took him to the corner of 5th Avenue and 34th Street, where stood a magnificent new building. "That," explained the man, "is the hotel I have built for you to manage." The man was William Waldorf Astor, and the hotel was the original Waldorf-Astoria. The young clerk, George C. Boldt, became its first manager.

The truth is that our faithfulness in managing our GOD-given blessings reflects CHRIST's perfect stewardship.

If we’re not faithful, who are we imitating if not CHRIST?

This parable calls us to integrity and accountability, mirroring JESUS' faithful fulfillment of HIS mission.

5. Choose Your Master Wisely

Luke 16:13 LEB

13 No domestic slave is able to serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.”

You will recall the phrase unrighteous wealth that was highlighted in the verses prior to this. It is tied together here in the closing verse.

The phrase carries a more negative connotation than what is meant in this text.

Only wealth gotten by illicit or dishonest means is evil.

We can see the true context of what JESUS meant here in the conclusion.

The phrase is more broad in nature, as it is describing the process of personal enrichment.

So, there is an emphasis on, once again, how there is a clash of kingdoms - man’s vs. GOD’s.

Do we put all of our effort into personal enrichment - serving ourselves with our wealth?

Or do we place all of our effort into using our resources to serve GOD’s KINGdom?

Please don’t misunderstand this to mean you can’t use your money or wealth to enjoy things in life. I’m not saying that.

I’m saying, is our focus on serving ourselves or serving GOD?

Is there more of a focus on acquiring possessions or amassing wealth for ourselves?

Or do we have more of a mindset of, “LORD, how can we use this wealth to further YOUR KINGdom?”

“LORD, is it okay if we spend some money on … x, y, z?”

This concluding message challenges us to prioritize our allegiance, just as CHRIST prioritized HIS FATHER's mission over worldly temptation.

We are called to give our ultimate loyalty to the FATHER, securing heavenly fellowship over earthly gain.

So, pj … What’s the point?

Conclusion

Stewardship is not merely about managing finances; it encompasses our entire lives and how we impact those around us. It calls for intentionality and creativity in pursuing GOD's interests with the resources HE has entrusted to us while being accountable for our actions.

This passage ultimately points to CHRIST as the Ultimate Steward of GOD's resources, using HIS life and ministry to fulfill GOD's redemptive plan for humanity. Just as the manager acted wisely to secure his future, CHRIST’s sacrificial act on the cross secures our eternal future with GOD through HIS faithful stewardship of the FATHER’s will.

In similar fashion, you and I are called to be shrewd and faithful stewards of what the FATHER has given us, preparing for HIS eternal Kingdom and investing in eternity rather than merely pursuing earthly gains. The reality is that the contributions we make into the Kingdom of GOD are the only investments with a fully assured return.

Closing prayer & benediction

Numbers 6:24–26 NASB95

24 The Lord bless you, and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’

Scripture records the following words in v.27:

Numbers 6:27 NASB95

27 “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.”

So, receive and go - after the business meeting! - with the blessings of YAHWEH!