The Wise (but Crooked) StewardLuke 16:1-15

Luke 16 is an addendum to the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Prodigal means waster (cf. 15:13). Luke 16:1 continues the theme of wastefulness. The Lord hates waste (John 6:12).Luke 16 emphasizes this truth: LIFE IS A STEWARDSHIP, and we must use our God-given opportunities faithfully, and not be WASTEFUL. WE SEE THREE EXAMPLES OF STEWARDSHIP IN LUKE 16:

1. The Commendation of the Steward (v. 8). He was wasteful, lazy, proud, crooked, but commended as WISE.

2. The Covetousness of the Pharisees (vs. 14-15). 3. The Condemnation of the Rich man (vs. 19-26).

Steward = household manager. One entrusted with oversight of someone elses property.

This steward wasted his masters goods (vs. 1-2). As a result, he was about to lose his job (v. 3).

I. The ACCOUNTABILITY of the steward (16:1-2). This man was the legal representative of his lord. He was equipped with authority. He would be held accountable.

A. He was RESPONSIBLE for his lords goods. The wealth is not his, but he had the responsibility of using it for the profit of the owner.

B. He was CARELESS with his lords goods. 1. The steward must remember these things belong to someone

else and are not his personally. 2. Must used in a way that will please the owner. 3. The unjust steward, forgot he was a steward and began to act

as if he were the owner. 4. Beware of being careless about your use of your time, talents,

and finances. C. He was ACCOUNTABLE to the lord. There is an AUDIT coming for

every steward (2 Cor. 5:10). We need to prepare for that audit now! Three events coming:

1/30/11 am Bible Bap.st Church, Port Orchard, WA Dr. Al Hughes

1. Death2. Christ (rapture)3. Judgment (Give account - Rom. 14:10-12)

II. The ANTICIPATION of the steward (vs. 3-8). One valuable resource God has given us stewardship over is TIME.

We are to redeem the time... This means we are to buy up oppor-tunities and use them for God.

As dishonest as he was, he used his opportunity wisely in mak-ing preparation for his future. THIS IS WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD DO (Amos 4:12). A call to an audit is a call to prepare!

A. He was CIRCUMSPECT (v. 3) He recognized his opportunity to use his resources was coming to an end. He knew he was going to lose his job.

B. He was CALCULATING (v. 4). He could not change the past, but he could prepare for the future. How? 1. The steward used his position to decrease the amount of the

poor people's debts to his master. He was really "buying friends" at his master's expense.

2. By making friends of his masters creditors so that they would take him in when his master threw him out.

C. He was COMPETENT (vs. 5-7). He made wise use of his present resources for future benefit.

D. He was COMMENDED (v. 8). Apparently the master got rich using the same kind of principles that his crooked steward just used. He was NOT commended for his dishonesty, but for...

(1) His FORESIGHT in seizing the opportunity to prepare for his future (READ: 1 Tim. 6:17-19).

(2) His acute BUSINESS SENSENot slothful in business (Rom. 12:11).

1. The children of this world are better at seizing opportunities for making money and friends and getting ahead in this world than the people of God.

Bill Gates; Paul Allen; William Buffet; Lee Iacocca; Steve Forbes

Jesus said, Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

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2. The children of this world are wiser only in their generation that is they see the things of time, but not the things of eternity. Because the child of God lives with eternitys values in view, (FORESIGHT) he should be able to make far better use of his opportunities.

III. The ADMONITIONS regarding stewardship (vs. 9-13). A. Be PRUDENT (v. 9) Gods people should be just as prudent in

investing for the their eternal future as the children of this world are in feathering their earthly nests. We are to do righteously what the unjust steward did

unrighteously: 1. Be prudent and practical in the use of opportunities. 2. Make lots of friends for the Lord Win people to Christ who will

one day welcome us into heaven.

I expect when I get to heaven to meet friends who will thank me for helping to pay the bill for the Gospel to reach them.

B. Be FAITHFUL (vs. 10-12). The MOST IMPORTANT THING about a steward is faithfulness

(1 Cor. 4:2). 1. Faithful in least -- Faithful in much 2. Unfaithful in least -- Unfaithful in much 3. Unfaithful in mammon -- Unfaithful in true riches How can

anyone expect to be trusted with more who has been unfaithful with what they have now?

This epitaph was carved on a tombstone: What I spent, I used. What I saved, I lost. What I gave, I have.

C. Be LOYAL to one Master (v. 13 cf. Mt. 6:19-24). Money makes a good servant but a cruel master.

1. You cannot love two masters, anymore than you can travel in two directions at the same time.

2. If God is our Master, then money will be our servant and we will use our resources according to the will of God.

SUMMATION: Has your use of money made you any eternal friends? What will the Lord say when you give account of your stewardship?

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