A Wise Steward

Background

Continuation of the day from last weeks teaching when Jesus taught the paravle of the prodigal son

Jesus is at dinner, but speaking to His disciples in this moment

Not something we teach about often, because the motive can be misconstrued and misunderstood

There are many on late night TV that are into building their Kingdom not His Kingdom

Luke 16:1-13

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. 2 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.’

Tell me what’s going on…Im hearing things are out of order...

Wasting (Diaskorpizo): Squander

Was either mismanaging it or spending it extravagantly

3 “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. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

“Im accustom to living a lush and lavish lifestyle...”

Im not fit for manual labor

And am too proud and have a reputation to hold up that I can’t bed

“But I have a plan...”

I will use my current position to help further my future

He decided to use the resources and influence he had now, to benefit others and himself later.

5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly (Time is running out!-Offer won’t last long) and write fifty.’ 7 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.’ 8 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.

Shrewdly (Phronimos): Wisely, Prudently

In a conniving fox like way; Wise- but underhanded in your dealings

Luke 16:9

And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

A Wise Steward Makes Eternal Investments

Build the Kingdom of God with the Treasure He has given

Matthew 6:19-20

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Use the treasure that God has entrusted to you to build the kingdom of God

What we can amass on earth, will have no eternal value. (no 1031 Exchange)

Revelation 21:21- The streets of heaven are paved with GOLD

What we think is valuable becomes worthless.

By November 1923, 42 billion marks were worth the equivalent of one American cent.

Had they known they would have acted differently

Build the Kingdom of God with the Talents He has given you

1 Corinthians 12

In the body of Christ t here is a diversity of Gifts and we are called to use them for His name to be Glorified!

All have a role to play

Build the Kingdom of God with the Testimony he has given you

Romans 10:15

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Use your position and possessions in this life to make an investment in your eternal life

God has called some to go and give our TIME

God has called some to Give of our Treasure

God has called us all to tell our testimony

When we get to heaven there will be people there that we have never met

Luke 16:10-11

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. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

A Wise Steward Is Faithful with what is not theirs

EVERYTHING We have Comes From God

James 1:17-

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

(Treasure)The Story of the Widows Mite

Luke 21:1-4

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.

She gave faithfully and sacrificially because she knew what she had was not her own.

Malachi 3:8-12

8“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. 11“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts; 12And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the LORD of hosts.

Be faithful to recognize that all you have is the Lords,

It is not ours to take from Him and use how we please but to use how He pleases

We are merely His Stewards

Let us not squander what He has given us like the shrewd servant

Test Him and See His Goodness as you are faithful with what He has entrusted to you

V: 11- There will be Reward

V:12- There will be Revival

(Talent) We are the Body of Christ and have been given gifts to use them for God to be Glorified

Eph 5:15-17

Discern the Gifts of from God and the will of God for your Life and use them faithfully

Luke 16:13

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 Wise Steward is Loyal to their master

Your heart can’t be divided

Matt 6:21

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Love of Money is the root of All Evil

It divides your heart

Where do you place your value?

False riches of this world

limited enjoyment and fulfillment

True riches of the kingdom of God

Lifetime enjoyment and fulfillment

Does the Money you have serve the purposes of God, or do you serve money as if it is God?

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