The Shrewd Manager

The Shrewd Manager Study Guide [to go with audio sermon] - Luke 16:1-15 Think of the various great achievements through history; where something has been built or where a medical discovery has been made or even a crime committed! There are plenty of books, documentaries & films about such exploits. ? What's your favourite account? Why do we find them fascinating, even though some of them were criminal?! 1-8 The Parable: ? The manager was in trouble! In his precarious situation, what does he want to achieve by discounting debts? ? Why would the company boss commend the man he had decided to sack? Shrewd = "prudent, sensible, practically wise" Our LORD's comment: For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. So, the parable is partly to illustrate an observation of our LORD, that non-believers tend to be more shrewd - astute, prudent, sensible, and practically wise, than CHRISTians! The LORD is trying to correct our balance - not to be all hard-headed business people, but to see that it is right to use money and our material possessions with shrewdness. Look up 1 Timothy 4:4-5 ? Why is it wrong to say that 'the spiritual is good' and 'the material is bad'? ? So what is wrong about 'materialism'? 9-13 The Teaching: ? What is a priority for how we use our material possessions? 9 ? What is the principle for becoming regarded as trustworthy? 10-12 ? How do people often misquote 1 Timothy 6:10? ? How would you sum up a CHRISTian attitude to material possessions and our priority in the use of them? 14-15 The Sneering: ? What does the LORD reveal as the problem with these Pharisees? Read this section of a Poem by C.T. Studd: Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life's busy way; Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart; Only one life, twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last. Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done; Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat; Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last. This poem may stir us to be a missionary! But in reality, the LORD wants most of us to live our 'ordinary lives' in extra-ordinary service of CHRIST - using the material and practical gifts of money and skills! ? How would you advise a new CHRISTian to live their 'ordinary life' for CHRIST? Conclusions: Don't love money - love GOD and use money to live your whole life as an investment in the Kingdom of Heaven. Our goal is not money, but to use all we are - including our money, to be a living investment into doing GOD's will - building HIS Kingdom. We need to be as shrewd - inventive and audacious as many non-CHRISTian people are in their businesses and projects. Those things will all come to an end. Our investments in the Kingdom will never fail and the results are eternal. Prayer Time: