Text: Luke 16:1-15
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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.”
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. 15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
In our lesson today, Jesus brings to the ears of the disciples, and all his followers, a parable or story which illustrates serving God and money.
The previous parables, from the weeks leading up to this, had been directed to the Pharisees, the teachers of the law and the scribes, and now the disciples too would benefit from the Lord’s words.
How do you deal with a bad manager? Especially one, who has not been looking out for the owner’s best interest?
2 And [the owner] 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.’
It is not an uncommon situation for many who serve in positions of responsibility. As Pastor’s we are called stewards of the mysteries of God. We are called to faithfully divide the word of truth, to preach both the Law and the Gospel, and to administer God’s sacraments rightly.
As managers, in companies, you are given the responsibility of managing someone else’s money and possessions and you have to deal in a favorable way with it … or as the parable says … be replaced.
Or, as my brother-n-law Mark once said in speaking of a co-worker:
“He would make a great manager, if under constant supervision.”
So in the Gospel lesson much conniving and cooking of the books ensue.
Managers at time try to figure out a solution.
4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may [still think well of me] receive me into their houses.’
For managers and for us all, self-preservation is a strong motivator. What can we do in this life to better our situation or to preserve ourselves against bad business decisions or circumstances?
5 …, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 … ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ … sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 … ‘And how much do you owe?’ …, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
The object for the manager was to do damage control.
With this scheme the shortage would disappear, or the income would look to be much smaller than the owner thought. And if he is found out, the customers would still think well of him.
It has even been suggested that the manager had falsified the amounts in the original billings and pocketed the surplus.
Certainly this is not out of the realm of possibilities.
Popular Commentary on the Bible P.E. Kretzmann Pg. 354
At a meeting I attended many years ago it was made known that a co-worker had defrauded the company. He had sold instruments for the company but kept the trade-ins for himself and sold them for his own profit. The company was unaware of the trade-ins, as the manager’s paperwork showed only a cash transaction with no trade in information listed.
The manager personally picked the trade-in instruments, the customers thought they got value for their trades, and then he sold them out of his garage – to other customers - so the company lost the profit on the trades and future company business. He made some money being very shrewd.
Faced with a financial crisis many are clever though dishonest in solving problems.
Even the master in our lesson, when he received information concerning this latest trick of the manager, could not withhold a certain amount of praise. He praised him, not on account of his unfaithfulness and his fraud, but on account of the cleverness in handling the situation and getting himself out of a very unpleasant predicament in this life.
Popular Commentary on the Bible P.E. Kretzmann Pg. 354
There was a saying that my boss told me many years ago. It was said about those who had paper wealth by speculating in internet stocks. He would say:
“Money easily gotten is money easily lost.”
10 “One who is faithful in little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in little is also dishonest in much.
Now, the world makes provision for the future, that is, they look to put themselves and their families beyond care, as soon as possible, it is the focus of their life and they make use of every possible advantage through: retirement investments, pensions, savings accounts , homes, and 401K and IRA investments to name a few.
Maybe after hearing them on the radio, we’ve all thought to call on Ric Edelman, R.W. Paul and associates or Fischer Investments to look over our money to make sure we are cared for in retirement and to get the most out of our investments and social security.
God’s children, on the other hand, often are anything but energetic and diligent in the things that pertain to God and His kingdom.
They forget that death is real and the end is coming - Sometimes much sooner than we’ve planned still we’ll all give an account to the Lord in regard to our work with the gospel for Him – in this life.
Jesus here admonishes them that they should so conduct their lives, and the money entrusted to them and as Christians should use their money and time in the interest of the kingdom of God, in establishing and extending the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
Kretzmann
I’ve said it before but it bears repeating when God calls us to give of our Time, Talent and Treasure he doesn’t mean to pick one and forget about the others but to use all of our means to his glory and we get to decide how much of each we’ll give.
12 [But] 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.”
continued …
Interestingly, my boss’ son who mediated the affair of our dishonest manager at a meeting with all the managers of the company had compassion on the worker and showing him mercy allowed him to remain with the company, though under supervision of another manager as he had a wife and two small children.
And the true blessing and gift that God gives you and me is faith in His son.
He has given us life through the death of His son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to live suffer and die and rise again for you and for me.
This bears fruit in service to our neighbor - not by works of righteousness that we do, but by true joy in Jesus Christ our Lord.
We can joy in the faith we are given as a gift as children of God knowing that all mercy falls under His control and that he uses you and me as his hands and feet in the world to reach the lost with the comfort of the Gospel message.
You are rich and truly bless because God has given you riches in Him and they will surpass and far exceed those promised by the world.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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.”
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. 15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
In our lesson today, Jesus brings to the ears of the disciples, and all his followers, a parable or story which illustrates serving God and money.
The previous parables, from the weeks leading up to this, had been directed to the Pharisees, the teachers of the law and the scribes, and now the disciples too would benefit from the Lord’s words.
How do you deal with a bad manager? Especially one, who has not been looking out for the owner’s best interest?
2 And [the owner] 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.’
It is not an uncommon situation for many who serve in positions of responsibility. As Pastor’s we are called stewards of the mysteries of God. We are called to faithfully divide the word of truth, to preach both the Law and the Gospel, and to administer God’s sacraments rightly.
As managers, in companies, you are given the responsibility of managing someone else’s money and possessions and you have to deal in a favorable way with it … or as the parable says … be replaced.
Or, as my brother-n-law Mark once said in speaking of a co-worker:
“He would make a great manager, if under constant supervision.”
So in the Gospel lesson much conniving and cooking of the books ensue.
Managers at time try to figure out a solution.
4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may [still think well of me] receive me into their houses.’
For managers and for us all, self-preservation is a strong motivator. What can we do in this life to better our situation or to preserve ourselves against bad business decisions or circumstances?
5 …, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 … ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ … sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 … ‘And how much do you owe?’ …, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
The object for the manager was to do damage control.
With this scheme the shortage would disappear, or the income would look to be much smaller than the owner thought. And if he is found out, the customers would still think well of him.
It has even been suggested that the manager had falsified the amounts in the original billings and pocketed the surplus.
Certainly this is not out of the realm of possibilities.
Popular Commentary on the Bible P.E. Kretzmann Pg. 354
At a meeting I attended many years ago it was made known that a co-worker had defrauded the company. He had sold instruments for the company but kept the trade-ins for himself and sold them for his own profit. The company was unaware of the trade-ins, as the manager’s paperwork showed only a cash transaction with no trade in information listed.
The manager personally picked the trade-in instruments, the customers thought they got value for their trades, and then he sold them out of his garage – to other customers - so the company lost the profit on the trades and future company business. He made some money being very shrewd.
Faced with a financial crisis many are clever though dishonest in solving problems.
Even the master in our lesson, when he received information concerning this latest trick of the manager, could not withhold a certain amount of praise. He praised him, not on account of his unfaithfulness and his fraud, but on account of the cleverness in handling the situation and getting himself out of a very unpleasant predicament in this life.
Popular Commentary on the Bible P.E. Kretzmann Pg. 354
There was a saying that my boss told me many years ago. It was said about those who had paper wealth by speculating in internet stocks. He would say:
“Money easily gotten is money easily lost.”
10 “One who is faithful in little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in little is also dishonest in much.
Now, the world makes provision for the future, that is, they look to put themselves and their families beyond care, as soon as possible, it is the focus of their life and they make use of every possible advantage through: retirement investments, pensions, savings accounts , homes, and 401K and IRA investments to name a few.
Maybe after hearing them on the radio, we’ve all thought to call on Ric Edelman, R.W. Paul and associates or Fischer Investments to look over our money to make sure we are cared for in retirement and to get the most out of our investments and social security.
God’s children, on the other hand, often are anything but energetic and diligent in the things that pertain to God and His kingdom.
They forget that death is real and the end is coming - Sometimes much sooner than we’ve planned still we’ll all give an account to the Lord in regard to our work with the gospel for Him – in this life.
Jesus here admonishes them that they should so conduct their lives, and the money entrusted to them and as Christians should use their money and time in the interest of the kingdom of God, in establishing and extending the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
Kretzmann
I’ve said it before but it bears repeating when God calls us to give of our Time, Talent and Treasure he doesn’t mean to pick one and forget about the others but to use all of our means to his glory and we get to decide how much of each we’ll give.
12 [But] 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.”
continued …
Interestingly, my boss’ son who mediated the affair of our dishonest manager at a meeting with all the managers of the company had compassion on the worker and showing him mercy allowed him to remain with the company, though under supervision of another manager as he had a wife and two small children.
And the true blessing and gift that God gives you and me is faith in His son.
He has given us life through the death of His son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to live suffer and die and rise again for you and for me.
This bears fruit in service to our neighbor - not by works of righteousness that we do, but by true joy in Jesus Christ our Lord.
We can joy in the faith we are given as a gift as children of God knowing that all mercy falls under His control and that he uses you and me as his hands and feet in the world to reach the lost with the comfort of the Gospel message.
You are rich and truly bless because God has given you riches in Him and they will surpass and far exceed those promised by the world.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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