What Jesus described in his parable was a pretty simple business arrangement.
-
A
wealthy owner hired a manager for his business.
-
The
manager was accused of mishandling – specifically, wasting! – the owner’s
money.
-
The
owner called for an audit to find the truth.
-
The
manager knows the truth and knows he is about to be fired.
-
So
he makes some shady deals to set himself up for a soft landing when he’s lost
his job.
But here is
where the parable gets confusing:
-
The
owner – and by extension, Jesus, since He’s telling the story – praised the
unrighteous manager for his shrewdness.
-
(Ummm,
what?)
So to be
clear, Jesus does not want us to be cheats who steal from our employers, but He
is challenging us to think about what kind of manager we want to be for Him.
-
A
question lingers behind the story of the unrighteous manager: What would a
righteous manager do?
-
And
another question: What have we been given to manage?
You see,
Jesus confronts an attitude that tempts our hearts and affects the way we think
about our lives, our property, and everything we call our own. This false
belief is that all of this is actually ours.
-
We
say so many things are “mine.”
-
My
– life, money, body, skills, time, etc.
Jesus says,
“Nope. You’re a manager … a steward … who has been entrusted with these things
for a time and for the true owner’s purpose.”
-
“I
believe (catch that word “believe” this is a matter of faith)! I believe that
God has made me and all creatures; that he has given me my body and soul, eyes,
ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of
them.”
-
“He
also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and
children, land, animals, and all I have.”
Everything
we have is God’s. All things belong to Him, and He has blessed us to manage
them – even our lives – to His glory.
This is a
challenging idea! We might gladly say, “Jesus is my Lord,” but Jesus points out
that sometimes we’re like the unrighteous manager and our lives don’t match the
statement.
-
We
separate our possessions from the One who gave them – even these bodies!
-
In
so doing, we make ourselves, “Lord”
o
Now
we’re dealing the 1st Commandment!
o
This
is at the heart of all sins!
Jesus
commended this unrighteous manager because he made friends with the unrighteous
wealth he acquired so he would have help when he lost his job. He was thinking
ahead, being proactive and strategic to face the challenges he was about to
face when he lost his job.
We’re
playing for higher stakes, though. We don’t look at this life as the only
concern before us. We have an eye on the eternal life to come!
-
Jesus
is saying we can’t separate the present life from the life to come. One flows
into the other.
-
(More
on this next week!)
Jesus is
encouraging us to be shrewd with what he has entrusted to us – not to try to
cheat Him, but for the sake of others. He is teaching us to use earthly
possessions proactively, strategically with an eye toward eternity … and an eye
toward who will be there with us.
This is part
of the wisdom behind God’s command to tithe. Giving 10% of our finances back to
the Lord for his work is enough to notice, but not enough to really hurt us.
-
Percentage
giving
-
Investing
in the future – with eternal benefits
-
O.T.
the tithes and offerings were to support the work of the priests – preaching,
teaching, and sacrifices
-
Today,
we can look at tithes and offerings similarly
o
To
support the ministry of our congregation
§ Workers, yes, the tools we work with,
yes, opportunities
o
You
are invited to take part in the work – you are all priests! (Baptism)
§ Volunteering
§ Using your creativity to reach others
with the Gospel – strategic and innovative!
§ Partnering with the rest of your
brothers and sisters in Christ here for Jesus’ sake.
§ Yes, this also includes sacrifice.
Consider
what treasure we have been entrusted with
-
Life!
(All the things that go with it.)
-
Eternal
life!
-
Forgiveness
-
Word
of God and Sacraments – the delivery system!
o
If
you won $1,000,000, what would you want to know?
We are
recipients of the greatest treasure. Jesus has given Himself for us.
-
We
are powerfully blessed
o
Materially
o
Spiritually
-
Washed
in Jesus’ blood
-
Here
to bring eternal life to a dying world.
o
Proclaiming
Jesus’ love and forgiveness.
o
Giving
what we have received.
The Table is
set – come and receive!
Comments