A Lesson About Serpentine Wisdom

English Standard Version Chapter 16

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.

10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in 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 he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Good evening. Tonight we are going to look at a parable found in Luke 16. Before we look at that parable I have a couple of questions first:

How does the love of money conflict with righteousness, godliness, faith, love, generosity, and gentleness?

What are the risks of laying up treasure for ourselves on earth?

With those questions in mind let’s read tonight parable.

Luke 16:1-8

Pray

What do you notice about the master in this parable?

What about the servant, what do you see from him?

How was the steward shrewd? What did he do that demonstrated shrewdness?

This is one of the parables Jesus tells that catches many people off guard. What is shocking about about this parable?

Why do you suppose Jesus deliberately shocked His disciples in this way?

Why are the “sons of this world” so careful and foresighted about planning for their earthly futures?

Why do you think the “sons of light” aren’t often as equally foresighted about investing in their eternal futures?

What does it mean to lay up treasure in heaven?

How can we use worldly wealth to gain friends for ourselves in our eternal home?

What shift in our thinking is required in order for us to treat money as a resource to be used for the good of others?

Take a moment to imagine going to heaven and being embraced by people who heard and believed in Christ because of your investment in gospel ministry. What thoughts, images, and feelings does that evoke in you?

Why does Jesus speak about “someone else’s property” (verse 12)? In what sense have we been entrusted with someone else’s property?

What are the implications of the fact that everything you possess belongs to God and He has entrusted it to you? What difference does that make in the way you spend?

What makes it harder for you to live as if true riches are the riches of eternity? What makes it easier?

What are the main points or takeaways for tonight's parable?

Money is a resource to be used for the good of others.

Everything we have belongs to God, and we should always think of ourselves as steward.

Do not let money usurp the place of God in you heart.