SERMON - August 9, 2020
Pastor Philemon Ngare
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Ninth Sunday after Trinity
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Readings: 2 Samuel 22:26-34; Psalms 51:1-12; I Corinthians 10:6-13; Luke 16:1-9 (10-13)
The Dishonest Manager 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.”
Grace and peace to you from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
The Bible teaches that everything we have, such as money or earthly possessions, is a gift from God. That should be how we view money or any worldly possessions. The question to you today is: How do you use it? If God were to ask you today to give an account of how you have handled money or worldly possessions, He has entrusted to your care, what will He find? Will he see that you have used it properly or improperly?
In the parable of the shrewd or dishonest Manager, Jesus teaches His disciples then and now to be wiser in the proper use of money, wealth, or earthly possessions. To illustrate this, Jesus tells of a certain man who was employed as a Manager by a particular businessman to manage his business affairs. We can imagine that this man was put in charge of this rich man’s business affairs because he was hardworking, competent, and faithful in his character. However, as time passed by, the Manager became dishonest and unfaithful in how he conducted the business affairs entrusted to him by his employer. The Manager became disloyal to his employer, and He only looked out for his own selfish interest and not that of his employer.
St. Luke 16:1 tells us that the business owner became aware of how this Manager was mismanaging business affairs entrusted to his care. As a result, he asked the Manager to give an account of what was going on with the company. He asked the Manager to show him the accounting books of the business. This request caught the Manager unawares; he was surprised by his employer's request for an accounting of the business affairs. Even though the dishonest Manager is found in his dishonesty, he doesn’t desire to change his ways. He cleverly schemes how he could get out of this unfortunate situation and still benefit in the future. What shall he do now that his dishonesty has come to the attention of his employer? He skillfully and quickly devised a plan and a way out of this financial predicament. His purpose was to win a place of acceptance by the debtors whenever his employer dismisses him from his position. And so, one by one, he separately calls those who were indebted to his employer; those who had bought merchants on credit from the business through him. This dishonest Manager sought to implicate them in his scheme of dishonesty, hoping that they would not decline his offer. The dishonest manager planned to destroy old promissory notes/invoices and to write new ones with the hope that his employer would accept the doctored promissory records as the legitimate ones (See Luke 16:5-8)
Because the dishonest Manager knows the debtors, he treats each debtor differently for his selfish gain. Jesus tells us in v. 8a that the employer praised this dishonest Manager for His shrewdness or prudence, and not for his dishonesty and unfaithfulness. “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.” The employer does not appreciate this Manager's deception or unfaithfulness. Still, he admired his prudence, and how he wisely and cleverly worked hard to cover up his corruption; and how he schemed to provide for himself in the future should he get fired from the job. Jesus says that this dishonest Manager is an example of how children of this world whose interests are in the world, live for the world, not for heaven. Children of this world, as exemplified by this shrewd Manager, work wisely to discover, and make good use of earthly possessions in ways that benefit themselves in this life. Whereas children of light, God’s people – those who have become light in Jesus, they do not live for the world but heaven. Children of light’s view about money or worldly wealth are the complete opposite of children of this world. Children of light, God’s people are honest, faithful, and generous in their stewardship of God’s gift money or worldly possessions. The apostle in Ephesians 5:8 reminds us of who the children of light are saying,
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
Children of light or righteousness, those who believe in Jesus Christ, should, in their daily lives, employ the wisest means of finding and making good use money, wealth, and earthly possessions in ways that will bring about spiritual and eternal blessings. As Children of Light and Truth, we should always remember that all worldly possessions are a gift from God. Everything we have in the form of money, wealth, or property is entrusted to our care from God. How do you view and use your money, wealth, or possessions? Jesus calls money or worldly possessions, unrighteous mammon. The NET Bible commentary notes describe the term “unrighteous mammon” this way: Mammon is the Aramaic term for wealth or possessions. The point is not that money is inherently evil, but that it is often misused so that it is a means of evil; see 1 Tim 6:6–10, 17–19. The call is to be generous and kind in its use. Zacchaeus becomes an example of this in Luke’s Gospel (19:1–10). Do you have a proper Biblical view of money, wealth, or earthly possessions that God has entrusted to your care? As God’s people, children of light, we should see money or worldly possessions as a means by which God provides for us and a way to bless those who are in need acts of mercy (Matt.25:35,40). Children of the light and truth called to be faithful, honest, and wise managers of the money, wealth, and earthly possessions that we have. We shall use our money, wealth, worldly possessions to spread the Gospel of God’s Kingdom everywhere; to lend a helping hand to those who are in need in our world, etc. (see Luke 16:10-13)
In conclusion, Apostle Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, reminds us further to have proper biblical view money or worldly possessions, he says:
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, preserve your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen!
The Dishonest Manager 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.”
Grace and peace to you from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
The Bible teaches that everything we have, such as money or earthly possessions, is a gift from God. That should be how we view money or any worldly possessions. The question to you today is: How do you use it? If God were to ask you today to give an account of how you have handled money or worldly possessions, He has entrusted to your care, what will He find? Will he see that you have used it properly or improperly?
In the parable of the shrewd or dishonest Manager, Jesus teaches His disciples then and now to be wiser in the proper use of money, wealth, or earthly possessions. To illustrate this, Jesus tells of a certain man who was employed as a Manager by a particular businessman to manage his business affairs. We can imagine that this man was put in charge of this rich man’s business affairs because he was hardworking, competent, and faithful in his character. However, as time passed by, the Manager became dishonest and unfaithful in how he conducted the business affairs entrusted to him by his employer. The Manager became disloyal to his employer, and He only looked out for his own selfish interest and not that of his employer.
St. Luke 16:1 tells us that the business owner became aware of how this Manager was mismanaging business affairs entrusted to his care. As a result, he asked the Manager to give an account of what was going on with the company. He asked the Manager to show him the accounting books of the business. This request caught the Manager unawares; he was surprised by his employer's request for an accounting of the business affairs. Even though the dishonest Manager is found in his dishonesty, he doesn’t desire to change his ways. He cleverly schemes how he could get out of this unfortunate situation and still benefit in the future. What shall he do now that his dishonesty has come to the attention of his employer? He skillfully and quickly devised a plan and a way out of this financial predicament. His purpose was to win a place of acceptance by the debtors whenever his employer dismisses him from his position. And so, one by one, he separately calls those who were indebted to his employer; those who had bought merchants on credit from the business through him. This dishonest Manager sought to implicate them in his scheme of dishonesty, hoping that they would not decline his offer. The dishonest manager planned to destroy old promissory notes/invoices and to write new ones with the hope that his employer would accept the doctored promissory records as the legitimate ones (See Luke 16:5-8)
Because the dishonest Manager knows the debtors, he treats each debtor differently for his selfish gain. Jesus tells us in v. 8a that the employer praised this dishonest Manager for His shrewdness or prudence, and not for his dishonesty and unfaithfulness. “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.” The employer does not appreciate this Manager's deception or unfaithfulness. Still, he admired his prudence, and how he wisely and cleverly worked hard to cover up his corruption; and how he schemed to provide for himself in the future should he get fired from the job. Jesus says that this dishonest Manager is an example of how children of this world whose interests are in the world, live for the world, not for heaven. Children of this world, as exemplified by this shrewd Manager, work wisely to discover, and make good use of earthly possessions in ways that benefit themselves in this life. Whereas children of light, God’s people – those who have become light in Jesus, they do not live for the world but heaven. Children of light’s view about money or worldly wealth are the complete opposite of children of this world. Children of light, God’s people are honest, faithful, and generous in their stewardship of God’s gift money or worldly possessions. The apostle in Ephesians 5:8 reminds us of who the children of light are saying,
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
Children of light or righteousness, those who believe in Jesus Christ, should, in their daily lives, employ the wisest means of finding and making good use money, wealth, and earthly possessions in ways that will bring about spiritual and eternal blessings. As Children of Light and Truth, we should always remember that all worldly possessions are a gift from God. Everything we have in the form of money, wealth, or property is entrusted to our care from God. How do you view and use your money, wealth, or possessions? Jesus calls money or worldly possessions, unrighteous mammon. The NET Bible commentary notes describe the term “unrighteous mammon” this way: Mammon is the Aramaic term for wealth or possessions. The point is not that money is inherently evil, but that it is often misused so that it is a means of evil; see 1 Tim 6:6–10, 17–19. The call is to be generous and kind in its use. Zacchaeus becomes an example of this in Luke’s Gospel (19:1–10). Do you have a proper Biblical view of money, wealth, or earthly possessions that God has entrusted to your care? As God’s people, children of light, we should see money or worldly possessions as a means by which God provides for us and a way to bless those who are in need acts of mercy (Matt.25:35,40). Children of the light and truth called to be faithful, honest, and wise managers of the money, wealth, and earthly possessions that we have. We shall use our money, wealth, worldly possessions to spread the Gospel of God’s Kingdom everywhere; to lend a helping hand to those who are in need in our world, etc. (see Luke 16:10-13)
In conclusion, Apostle Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, reminds us further to have proper biblical view money or worldly possessions, he says:
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, preserve your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen!
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