“Through the Looking Glass” The Kingdom of Heaven as seen through the parables of Jesus
“For now we see through a glass…” – I Cor. 13:12
“The Taming of the Shrewd”…The Shrewd Manager – Luke 16:1-15
THE PARABLE OF THE SHREWD MANAGER IS NOT A PARABLE OF COMPARISON TO GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF THE KINGDOM, BUT ONE OF CONTRAST TO BRING INTO FOCUS OUR MISSION FOR THE KINGDOM.
(William Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew”… Petruchio eroded Katherina’s “shrewness.” TODAY: “TAMING OF THE SHREWD” is not a call to destroy our shrewdness… it is a call to be shrewd for the right purpose!)
Luke 16 1 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 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.’ 3 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— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ 5 So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 ‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’ 7 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.’ 8 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. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? 13 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
Shrewd, adjective 1. having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute.
ONE CAN BE SHREWD IN WAYS THAT ARE DESTRUCTIVE OR CONSTRUCTIVE…
IN WAYS THAT ARE HARMFUL OR HEALTHY…
IN WAYS THAT ARE OF THE SINFUL NATURE OR OF THE GODLY NATURE.
THE STORY (vs. 1-7)
A WORLDLY MASTER, A WORLDLY MANAGER, AND WORLDLY DEBTORS.
THE WASTE, THE THREAT, AND THE SELF-PRESERVATION… VS. 8 “THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD”
THE LESSON IN CONTRAST (vs. 8)
THE WORLD ADMIRES THE CARNALLY SHREWD.
HE COMMENDED HIM FOR HOW HE CHEATED HIM OUT OF WHAT HE WAS OWED! “WELL-PLAYED”
THE RIGHTEOUSLY SHREWD ADVANCE THE KINGDOM!
THE LIFE APPLICATION (vs. 9-12)
WE ARE TO UTILIZE OUR RESOURCES TO ACCOMPLISH THE FATHER’S MISSION.
ALL OF “OUR” RESOURCES ARE ACTUALLY GOD’S PROPERTY!
TO “GAIN FRIENDS” IS TO BUILD “EVANGELICAL” CONNECTIONS.
What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
TEMPORARY RESOURCES USED UP FOR THE ETERNAL PURPOSE!
MATT. 24:46 “IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THAT SERVANT WHOSE MASTER FINDS HIM DOING SO WHEN HE RETURNS”
THE HEART SOLUTION (vs. 13-15)
TO SERVE THE RIGHT PURPOSE I MUST LOVE THE RIGHT “MASTER.”
No one can serve two masters… God knows your hearts.
“Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – #Jesus@matthew11.15