Word@Work Luke248 - Luke 16:1-9
Published: Fri, 12/03/10
Word@Work from BeaconLight
WISE INVESTMENT
Luke 16:1-9
Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.' "The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg - I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.' "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' " 'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.' "Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' " 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.' "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. (NIV)
This parable is meant to be shocking but it has been often misinterpreted! It is not saying that believers in Jesus should defraud their employers or use their influence with customers to protect their own interests! Jesus was talking to His disciples. They had already left their employments and trusted Jesus to provide for their needs. However, they still had families and assets of various kinds. As trainee leaders of the Early Church they would need to continue Jesus' teaching about material possessions. So Jesus uses a strikingly bad example of industrial relations to make an important statement about spiritual investment.
The only good thing about this story is that the employee had at last woken up to the fact that business decisions have an impact on people. Previously he had been careless, as though there was no value in the money. Jesus was simply making the point that money is useless unless it achieves a purpose. In the pressure of business, it is often forgotten that friendly relationships have a long term currency about them. While there is no monetary value to good relationships, effective long-term trading is impossible without them. In the same way, money spent to extend God's Kingdom will win souls for Christ who will continue to glorify God for all eternity.
Sadly, Christians often think that money is to store or waste. But Jesus taught that money was to be used differently (give it, share it, spend it in gospel proclamation and mission). Money stored, is in a bag with holes (Haggai 1:6); money used in His service is like seed sown - it will produce a harvest. Some people think that this means a harvest of more money, but the Bible would not agree with that - and it was not the experience of the Early Church. The harvest is counted in souls won for heaven through the world-wide ministry of the gospel. So, don't forget that God needs your resources. You may end up poor but your investment could bring many to join you in God's presence. Invest wisely, be shrewd, search out the ministries which will make the best use of your money; and don't forget that the Lord may well want you to be a worker as well as a sponsor. Ask Him how and where to give today.
Prayer: Precious Saviour. All I have is Yours, so You should have the benefit of using it for Your purposes. Forgive me for my selfish and faithless habit of holding back my resources from Your service. Help me to see this as a major part of my discipleship. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
This parable is meant to be shocking but it has been often misinterpreted! It is not saying that believers in Jesus should defraud their employers or use their influence with customers to protect their own interests! Jesus was talking to His disciples. They had already left their employments and trusted Jesus to provide for their needs. However, they still had families and assets of various kinds. As trainee leaders of the Early Church they would need to continue Jesus' teaching about material possessions. So Jesus uses a strikingly bad example of industrial relations to make an important statement about spiritual investment.
The only good thing about this story is that the employee had at last woken up to the fact that business decisions have an impact on people. Previously he had been careless, as though there was no value in the money. Jesus was simply making the point that money is useless unless it achieves a purpose. In the pressure of business, it is often forgotten that friendly relationships have a long term currency about them. While there is no monetary value to good relationships, effective long-term trading is impossible without them. In the same way, money spent to extend God's Kingdom will win souls for Christ who will continue to glorify God for all eternity.
Sadly, Christians often think that money is to store or waste. But Jesus taught that money was to be used differently (give it, share it, spend it in gospel proclamation and mission). Money stored, is in a bag with holes (Haggai 1:6); money used in His service is like seed sown - it will produce a harvest. Some people think that this means a harvest of more money, but the Bible would not agree with that - and it was not the experience of the Early Church. The harvest is counted in souls won for heaven through the world-wide ministry of the gospel. So, don't forget that God needs your resources. You may end up poor but your investment could bring many to join you in God's presence. Invest wisely, be shrewd, search out the ministries which will make the best use of your money; and don't forget that the Lord may well want you to be a worker as well as a sponsor. Ask Him how and where to give today.
Prayer: Precious Saviour. All I have is Yours, so You should have the benefit of using it for Your purposes. Forgive me for my selfish and faithless habit of holding back my resources from Your service. Help me to see this as a major part of my discipleship. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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