"Now He was also saying to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and this steward was reported to him as squandering his possessions. And he called for him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the stewardship people will take me into their homes.’ And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ And he said, ‘One hundred baths of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly, for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves from the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will take you into the eternal dwellings.
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much, and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining us today, whether it's your first time or you are a faithful member of our family in Christ, your presence is acknowledged and truly appreciated. If you're not certain about whether or not you want to embrace Jesus Christ, I pray there will be something in our message today that will point you toward Christ. It's one of the few decisions I've made in my life that I don't regret, so I can confidently assure you, you won't either, because that's when everything in my life really began to change. I would also like to encourage you to join us in praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing severe persecution for their faith in Christ, pray as they continue to endure significant hardships, they would witness to their persecutors, and embody the teachings of Jesus through their actions. I strongly believe the Word is a vital source of encouragement and is needed for all of us in the challenging times in which we live.
Jesus often taught about the kingdom of heaven through simple, everyday stories, called parables, like the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which we just read, that carried profound spiritual meaning. These parables served a dual purpose: to illuminate the mysteries of the kingdom for those who were spiritually open, especially his disciples, and to veil those same truths from those whose hearts remained hardened — thereby fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9–10, which says "Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not know.’ Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes dim, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and return and be healed." I believe this is one of the most theologically rich and often misunderstood passages in Scripture, much more that just a passive observation about spiritual blindness, it is a powerful indictment of divine judgment pronounced upon a people who have repeatedly ignored God’s voice, spoken through His prophets, stemming from their deliberate choice to do evil in His sight. Do not be deceived: God has not changed His mind about persistent rebellion and willful disobedience. This judgment is not capricious—it is the inevitable outcome of humanity’s ongoing refusal to respond to God’s loving outreach to rescue a fallen people, in spite of their claim to serve Him. God is not well pleased with those He has blessed abundantly, who have received His boundless love, grace, mercy and forgiveness—yet will ultimately face destruction on the Day of Judgment for misusing and abusing His gifts. Scripture clearly teaches that depravity is the reason why all people, even those claiming to serve Him, often resist His ways and His will. In Romans 3:10-12, Paul boldly and powerfully declares that "There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; There is none who does good, there is not even one." This underscores the reality that all of humanity is incapable of meeting God’s perfect standard apart from Christ, regardless of human effort or religious affiliation. Even our very best "good deeds" are like filthy rags, (Isaiah 64:6), insufficient and ineffective before God.
Christ’s perfect righteousness is imputed to us not as a license to sin, but a call to “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14), growing daily in holiness as the Holy Spirit continues to transform our lives. In John 3,, John writes, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John emphasizes the necessity of faith and that believing in Christ implies aligning one’s life with His teachings, followed by obedience to His commands, and submitting to His authority out of love rather than rule-following stemming from duty. Biblical obedience flows from love not from fear or legalism. Living for Christ means actively rejects sin daily, while pursuing holiness, and making choices that honor God, rather than bring reproach. Mark it: Apart from a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, Who came to save the lost, all people everywhere are lost and under the wrath of God; they were lost in Jesus' day, and they’re still lost today. There are spiritually dead people, unable to understand the spiritual Truth of God, no matter how many times they hear it, sitting in the pews of churches all across America, due to unrepentant sin, even though they walked the aisle, they recited the prayers and sang the songs.
In Revelation 3, the church in Sardis is a powerful biblical example of a church that had a reputation for being spiritually alive, yet are estranged from God, having no true connection to Christ, because their hearts were not transformed. Like many churches today, they had a good beginning, busy with meetings and programs, mission trips, there's always something going on all the time, they are spiritually dead playing Church. They have an outward appearance masking an inward reality, they're suffering from complacency. Yet, despite the widespread spiritual deadness, a faithful remnant remained. "Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God." In other words, "Repent and return to the Spirit's power!" True faith is not measured by religious activity, but by a transformative relationship with Christ. There is always a pathway back to God, He will answer the one who cries out, genuinely acknowledging their need for His help.
The text before us today has, I believe an unmistakable message: To be rich in God is to live generously. The way Christians use their resources is crucial. True joy is not found in accumulation, but in sacrificial giving by demonstrating complete trust in God’s provision, as seen in Mark 12:41–44, where Jesus commends a poor widow who gives all she has, not because of the amount, but because she gives sacrificially from her poverty. In Matthew 6:21, Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Where we invest our time, money, energy, and attention reveals where our true affections lie. Has your heart become more attached to the things of this world or God's Kingdom. Give me five minutes with a person's checkbook, and I will tell you everything you need to know about what they love. What you invest in, whether money, time, or effort, reveals what you prioritize the most. When material wealth ultimately fails, and it will eventually fail at some point in the future, those who have been helped, will "receive you into the eternal dwellings." This is a call to live with an eternal perspective, investing in people now, knowing that in God’s kingdom eternal rewards are based on faithful stewardship of what God has entrusted to us, not a transactional "give to get" ideology. In 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul emphasizes the heart behind our giving: "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we thank You for our time together in Your Word, we are grateful for it's truthfulness, its authority and it's undiminished power to transform lives. Lord, I pray that You would work in every heart who have receives this message and has not yet repented and embraced Christ as Lord and Savior. Seal these truths to our hearts, convicting and encouraging us as deemed necessary for Your glory and our good, this is such a tremendous kindness from You. Thank you for the promise of an eternal inheritance, until then, may we be good stewards of what is Yours. Father, forgive us, as we often become so focused on our needs and wants, we overlook the needs of others and forget to keep Your commands as we ought. We give our hearts to You, help us to be a faithful, covenant-keeping people. For Your glory and for Christ's sake, it's in His precious name we ask and pray these things.
Amen.
Today's Message:
As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility, not only to preach the gospel, but to guard the gospel, preserving its purity. Scripture emphasizes that the Gospel is "the power of God for salvation" and must be delivered faithfully, without distortion. To alter the Gospel message in any way is to pervert it, therefore, confusing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This so serious of an offense that Paul wrote in Galatians 1, if we or even an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a Gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed! Part of the problem with modern evangelism as I see it, is that there is no courage, there is no boldness, there is no conviction to defended the Gospel, to stand against cultural pressures and theological world systems that would demand that we as Christians be tolerant and accepting of that which Scripture clearly condemns, thereby, compromising the true saving Gospel. In
Luke 4:43, Jesus declared, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God...for I was sent for this purpose." Jesus didn’t say that if anybody wants to be saved, just fill out this little card, walk the aisle and pray this little prayer and you shall be saved. Jesus didn’t say that. In fact, most of what is being espoused as the "Gospel" today, you'll find no such presentation that exists anywhere in Scripture, and plays no role in salvation. Our Lord made the Gospel presentation clear in one profound statement—"Repent and believe!," which often came at great personal cost. Yet, in a culture that prioritizes relativism, many Christians are reluctant to proclaim any Truth that could possibly be deemed is absolute or intolerant out of fear of being rejected socially or being accused of being a bigot.
Christ left us a message and commanded that we pass it on, teaching all that He commanded us to all people, in all nations and every class of society and instructing them to keep it. More than 388 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. And, some of you believe you have been given the authority to alter it, rendering it a superficial, empty presentation of the Gospel, that is absolutely useless for salvation. While the world often equates love with affirmation of all beliefs and lifestyles, but Scripture defines love as speaking Truth in grace, even when it's unpopular, which requires courage, not compromise, and must be deeply rooted in the conviction that only the true Gospel alone brings reconciliation with God. The Holy Spirit empowers us to faithfully deliver the Gospel message with clarity and in love, trusting God with the results, not to manipulate the out comes by twisting the truth for our own personal gain. We must get the Gospel right, and furthermore, we have to expose those who have it wrong. For the sake of Christ, we can't allow them to get away deceiving undiscerning believers, blindly leading them straight to Hell, while promising them Heaven. Frankly, I believe another part of the problem within the church today, is because many Christians don't know the Jesus of the Bible, they don't know enough about the Gospel themselves to give an account to those who are desperately in need of the true message of salvation. They merely parrot what they've been told, "Just pray the prayer and believe!" Friends, it's pretty simple, before you can talk about the Gospel, before you can talk about salvation, you must confront the sinner's sense of goodness. If you were to survey one hundred people, asking them whether or not they think they are a "good person," how many do you think would say something like this, "I think I'm a good person because..." and they'd likely give you a list of things they believe qualifies someone as being good based on social observations providing a strong basis for their estimation, "I'm not perfect, but I haven't killed anybody, so I'd say I'm a good person." Approximately 60–75% of people would likely say they are good, especially if given the opportunity to explain.
There a lot of "bad people" who haven't personally killed anyone, one such person comes to mind is Josef Fritzl, who imprisoned his daughter in a concealed basement for 24 years, repeatedly raped her, and fathered seven children with her, all while claiming his daughter had joined a cult, allowing the abuse to continue undetected, deceiving his wife and the public. Another such individual is Bernie Madoff, whose massive Ponzi scheme destroyed the countless lives of others, ruined families, which ultimately led to at least one suicide—his own son. While Madoff never actually committed a violent crime like murder, his actions caused emotional and financial devastation to many and had lethal consequences for his son. In fact, most people will often say they’re good while simultaneously defending themselves after being accused of doing something wrong or being misunderstood, seeking reassurance, that act doesn't inherently make them a "bad person," stemming from a desire to protect their self-image. For many, admitting fault feels like a threat to their personal integrity. However, I believe it is critical to recognize the difference between justifiable self-defense and toxic defensiveness. If the accusation is baseless, and unjust, defending yourself is not only valid—it’s necessary, for instance in a court of law.
The problem is when people think their actions and intentions validate their being good, like "I try to be a good person by volunteering, supporting friends, and I'm kind to strangers." Some would argue that truly good people are self-reflective and aware of their flaws, focusing on growth and accountability, making them less likely to label themselves as "good." However, I would argue that declaring oneself good can be easily seen as a red flag—signaling pride, lack of genuine self-awareness, because no one is good but God, there are just different degrees of bad. Therefore, a true sense self-awareness acknowledges the reality of human imperfection and that all goodness comes from grace, and not from self. The key is not whether you "feel" good about yourself, but whether or not you believe you are above criticism or immune to acknowledging your error. I know people who often say they admit when they're wrong, they can just never think of a time when they were, that’s where pride becomes very, very dangerous. In the end, as my grandmother always said, "Actions speak louder than words," which finally brings us to our text. In case you hadn't noticed, we took the scenic route to get here.
So, if you would open your Bibles with me to the 16th chapter of Gospel of Luke. Luke 16:1-13, where Jesus gives us another truly enlightening parable immediately following the rich Parable of the Prodigal Son. I'd like to encourage you to follow along with me as I read these thirteen verse with an open heart to set the text in minds.
"Now He was also saying to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and this steward was reported to him as squandering his possessions. And he called for him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the stewardship people will take me into their homes.’ And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ And he said, ‘One hundred baths of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly, for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves from the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will take you into the eternal dwellings.
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much, and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
Let's begin with verse 1,"Now He was also saying to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and this steward was reported to him as squandering his possessions." This is one of the most enigmatic and frequently misunderstood parables that Jesus ever told, it reveals several profound spiritual principles about stewardship, urgency, wisdom, and the proper use of our God-given earthly resources for the advance of God's eternal Kingdom. All money, all talents, and creative abilities are a gift from God, and are entrusted to us not for personal gain or hoarding, but God expects us to use our gifts wisely and sacrificially, not just in church ministries, but in our daily lives. The bottomline is every gift has value when used for God’s glory, whether it’s financial resources, creative abilities, leadership, teaching, or even listening or serving. In
Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus taught "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Just because a Bible verse is familiar to us, doesn't mean it is correctly understood. One of the most misunderstood verses in all of Scripture, is the sinners favorite, found in
Matthew 7:1, on judging others "Do not judge, so that you will not be judged." A cursory study of the text clearly reveals Jesus is not forbidding all judgment, but that He is condemning hypocritical judgment. Another one is found in
Matthew 18:20,,
"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." And, probably the number one most misused, misunderstood verses in all of Scripture among Christians, is
John 14:14, "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." How many people have you heard pray a prayer then tack on "in Jesus' name" at the end —as if that phrase somehow guarantees their request will be granted. "Well, there you go, I prayed in His name! Now He has to do it!"
From the beginning of my ministry, I have strived to preach the Word of God to the best of my ability — interpreting and understanding it through a firm, unwavering foundation built upon Scripture's inerrancy, authority, integrity, and sufficiency — with an abiding commitment to biblical fidelity rooted in the faithfulness of God to preserve it. I have never felt the need to prove the truth of God’s Word, for God Himself does not seek to prove it—He simply declares it to be so. I have endeavored to do the same, my responsibility is not to the Word of God, but simply to proclaim it, just as Paul stated in
2 Timothy 4:2,"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching." But, for those who have not been exposed regularly and consistently to the Truth I’ve never considered preaching any other way—I’ve always trusted the Holy Spirit to do the work He does best, in His perfect timing, for true transformation arises from divine revelation, not human persuasion. I once heard that if the Bible is indeed God's perfect and pure Word, then its authority is absolute. There is no other source that can override or supplement Scripture, whether tradition, personal experience, culture, or reason. Because the Bible is inerrant and infallible, it alone stands as the ultimate and final authority for faith and practice. Jesus affirmed this in
John 17:17, when He declared, "Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
We don't deserve to be in heaven, not you, and certainly not me, our sin separates us from God, and no amount of good works or wealth can bridge that gap, our money cannot buy our way there, it is by the sheer grace of God alone that you and I will make it to heaven, through our faith in Christ, Who took our punishment on the cross, by trusting in His death and resurrection for our forgiveness—we are declared righteous before God. This is not about money, merit, or moral perfection, it is about receiving God’s unmerited grace by faith. Most scholars agree that the New Testament contains approximately 40 parables attributed to Jesus, depending on how one defines a parable, about 23 parables in Matthew, about 9 in Mark, Luke has the most, with around 28 parables, many of which are unique to his Gospel. This is a parable that has to do with money, which is not odd since about one out of three parables will have something to do with money. Eighteen parables also mention food, but that doesn’t make food the central theme, I hope you get the point. While money is frequently the theme, it is merely used as a tool to illustrate much deeper spiritual truths—such as grace, stewardship, accountability and the sacrificial use of resources, or the Kingdom of God, as is the case here.
Parables were designed to hide the truth from those who were spiritually blind, unbelievers and to reveal truth to those who have ears to hear, or believers. At the end of the day, this is an illustration of how we as God’s people should live. When we die, our money stops but our treasures in heaven don't, so how we use our money here will have an impact on eternity. Even the smallest amount, when used faithfully, can multiply and make a significant impact. Once in a while Jesus taught something that might have seemed rather strange, something apart from the normal routine, this is one of those times. In this story, everybody is relatively corrupted, in one way or another, which is precisely the point that our Lord is making. Use your resources to further the spread of the Gospel, so that souls are saved and lives may be transformed — people who will be there in heaven to one day welcome you into eternity. The steward in this parable, entrusted with managing a wealthy man's affairs, is accused of squandering his master's property. Facing imminent dismissal, he devises a cunning plan to secure future favor by reducing the debts owed to his master — a scheme that, while demonstrating shrewdness, is rooted in dishonesty. His master, though far from endorsing his deception, commends his servant's practical foresight, highlighting the striking contrast between the "sons of this age" and the "sons of light."
Verse 2, "And he called for him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’" Though Jesus is speaking directly to His disciples, the Pharisees—who are forever dogging His steps—are never far out of earshot, transforming them from passive observers to active participants in the audience. Notice the steward is not accused of theft but of wastefulness, "
diaskorpizō," it's the same Greek verb used to describe the young rebellious son's reckless squandering in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. What is this I hear about indicates he had heard some pretty severe things reports that involved serious accusations, for you can no longer be steward, emphasizes
legitimate slander against the man. The command to "give an accounting of your stewardship" Greek word "
logon tou oikonomias," which implies to give a full audit. In other words, "You won't save your position, but I need you to provide me with a full and accurate account of your actions." The steward's role is irrevocably terminated, effective immediately, as the trust between the parties has been irreparably broken. Once you’ve made the decision to terminate an employee, retaining them—even briefly—is poor business practice. It’s best to handle the separation promptly. If you put them back in their position, even temporarily, they’re going to go back with the objective of personal gain, which is exactly what this man does. If someone is fired for mismanagement, they not only lose their job due to incompetence but they've also damaged their reputation. Notice the steward doesn’t even attempt to defend himself. By the way, the "slanderous report" made against the steward, accusing him of mismanagement is the Greek verb "diaballó" from which we get the English word "diabolical" is the personification of evil, a characteristic of the devil. Interestingly enough, the biblical name for Satan is Greek verb "diabolos," meaning the accuser. The steward in the story symbolizes the Pharisees and scribes—who were entrusted with God’s law and His covenant people—who had grown self-righteous and self-serving. Jesus points to the future reality of accountability, which Paul addresses in
2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." The use of our resources is a test of our faithfulness to God.
Verse 3, "And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg." This is a pivotal moment in the story, the corrupt steward, who has just lost his job for squandering the rich man's resources. He knows he needs to be able provide for himself, so he asks himself "What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me?" At first glance, he appears to be panicked, but beneath the surface lies a profound lack of accountability, which initiates the process of divine reckoning, "I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg." The steward’s statements reveal his pride and moral failure, manual labor was considered honorable in Jewish culture, but the steward disqualifies himself, this is not a physical assessment, but a spiritual diagnosis. He has enjoyed the comfort of a higher position for far too long and lacks the grit and integrity necessary for an honest days work. His next statement reveals his true spiritual condition, "I am ashamed to beg." Notice he shows no sign of remorse for squandering his master’s goods, his shame is over his loss of status. He's not about to lower himself by doing hard work or worse, begging for money. Friends, this is nothing more than pride masquerading itself as dignity! Rather than humbling himself he turns to manipulation, to devise his cunning plan.
Verse 4, "I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the stewardship people will take me into their homes.’" I'd like to take this opportunity to point out what I believe should be obvious, this steward’s crisis is our crisis. The day for giving our Master an account is coming for how we've handled His resources, everything we have is on loan from God, it's not ours. The question isn't if we're going to give an account, but how we are preparing for it. Are you ready to give our Lord an account for how you have used your time, talents, money, influence, relationships, when you stand before Him at the Bema Seat, also known as the Judgment Seat of Christ? This is not about salvation, this is about eternal rewards or the loss of them based on faithfulness and motives! He moves from despair to action with a plan his born of necessity. He's going to contact all the people who owe his master money and he's going to reduce their debts, so they will instead be indebted to him. Notice, there's still no broken and contrite heart, there's no repentance. Only cunningness and ruthless conniving to take advantage of the situation, manipulating the outcome to his advantage, while concealing his true intentions, even when it costs everything! Make no mistake, when a person operates through hidden agendas, they are protecting self-interest, and resisting true humility, a reflection of a hardened, deceitful heart. Without becoming self-serving, as Christians, we should be even more strategic in using worldly resources for eternal purposes.
Verse 5, "And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’" This is a strategic move to reaffirm his role as steward, even as he is being removed for moral failure or ethical dishonesty from the very position he deceptively claims to represent, by reinforcing the debtors’ accountability to his master reminding them of their debt. The use of the Greek verb "
ērxato," in the aorist middle indicative, frequently used to mark the start of a new phase, it implies the beginning of an action. This is not a single act but the beginning of deliberate sequence of events. We find one such example, in
Matthew 4:17, "From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." In
Galatians 4:19, our beloved apostle Paul wrote, "My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you..." My beloved Christian friends, Christ is born in us that He might live through us. It is the desire of my heart to visibly be able to see Christ alive in your life and in mine. Oh, how I long to see each of you being transformed day-by-day into His image, from one degree of glory to another, by the inward supernatural power of the Holy Spirit at work in your lives. Satan loves those who profess Christ, who disobey His Word, whose lives haven’t been transformed. Therefore, I pray that the rest of your days and mine, would be marked by deeper intimacy with our Lord, Jesus Christ and with one another. As followers of Christ, we are commanded to actively and intentionally encourage one another in their Christian walk, for the purpose of greater expressions of love and good works—distinctive actions that reflect God’s character and in service to others, especially as the day is drawing nearer to Christ's glorious return. According to Scripture, those who claim Christ but live in continual disobedience do not truly belong to Christ, as their repeated actions reveal their true allegiance. It’s not what you say, but what you repeatedly do that speaks the loudest about your true spiritual condition. The bottom line is consistent actions reveal one's true character more clearly than words. These debtors are not merely business associates, they represent sinners under the divine judgment of God, the "debt" they owe are unfulfilled obligations, missed opportunities to honor God, and rebellion against His will.
Verse 6, "And he said, ‘One hundred baths of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’" A fifty percent reduction in debt—that’s pretty substantial, it's almost too good to be true. He’s told, "Sit down, write ‘fifty,’ and sign here—quickly." No questions asked; he signs and leaves just as fast. Have you ever noticed how hucksters are always rushing their victims? "This is the deal of a lifetime—Don't miss out, it won’t wait. Sign here now!" Debts in ancient times were often reduced, much like today, due to extenuating circumstances, like financial hardship. Technically speaking, the steward’s actions, though unethical, were strategically brilliant—he used the debt records of his master to secure his future. God also calls us as believers to use the world’s resources—money, time, influence, et cetera—for Kingdom purposes, securing our eternal future. Jesus calls His followers to "Enter through the narrow gate: for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction." One can only enter the narrow gate through the recognition of spiritual bankruptcy, fully aware of the judgment deserved for having violated the laws of a Holy and Righteous God. It is impossible for one to enter through the narrow gate unless one renounces the old self, puts on Christ, resulting in a life of agonizing and obedience. No one will ease their way through the narrow gate with easy-believism and cheap grace. No wonder Jesus said in
Luke 13, "Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."
In verse 7, "Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty."
A single kor was a large dry measure equal to about ten–twelve bushels of grain, enough to feed dozens of families for a year. It would be equivalent to one thousand bushels of wheat, taking 100 acres to produce over a period of maybe eight to ten years. So, the steward instructs the debtor to quickly write eighty on promissory note written in the debtor’s own hand to produce a new, legally binding lower figure on the spot. By doing this, he discounts the debt of this debtor 20 percent, not as much as the first debtor but still a significant amount. This man can't sign fast enough. Everybody involved in this little scheme is a bit corrupted. The steward knew his time to act was short, so he acted shrewdly. Jesus deliberately chooses hyperbolic sums to underscore that the massive debts were crushing and nearly impossible to repay in full without extraordinary mercy. One frequently overlooked deeper meaning is the steward has not only secured his own future; he has enhanced his now former master’s public image, since everyone would assume the generous reduction in debt came from the owner himself. I believe this generous reduction reflects God's boundless mercy and grace — the forgiveness of our overwhelming debt of sin through Christ, giving rise to a debt of eternal gratitude that surpasses anything this world could ever offer. Notice the exchange, present sacrifice for future security. When we choose to forgive our debtors, we create a company of grateful people who will one day welcome us into heaven. I find it extremely peculiar that unbelievers often plan better for this life, which is temporal, than most believers do for the next, which is eternal, living as if eternity doesn't exist. Jesus is illustrating that true stewardship sometimes looks like radical mercy. The Pharisees were known for loading people down with heavy burdens and did nothing to lighten them. By the way, Jesus is not condoning that the end justifies the means. He's merely teaches that worldly people often display more foresight in pursuing temporary goals than many of God’s people display in pursuing eternal ones. This is not a call to cheat people as some have misinterpreted, this is a call to use worldly resources to help those who can never repay you by forgiving a financial debt, help a homeless person, sponsor a child, invest in the efforts of a missionary or support your local church. Another often overlooked aspect of this parable is that in Jesus' story, the steward didn't forgive all debts equally, he customized each persons relief. The lesson? Learn to discern! We need to think biblically about our own stewardship in the changing financial climate in which we now live with less discretionary money. Let's face it, this world is spiraling on a downward path, heading toward disaster. We can only thank God, Who is still in control even as cultures shift and sin abounds, that we as possessors of that new nature we no longer give into sin and temptation, we rise above this evil age and pray that in the midst of the wretched sinful culture that resists a proper definition of Truth and consistently resists redemption, that the Holy Spirit would move in a miraculous way, and that there would be some come to the Truth, before Jesus returns to judge the unredeemed world and plunges them into an eternity of torture and torment. God doesn't cause evil, but He does allow it and rules over it—working all things according to His purposes. I can just imagine the Pharisees sneering at Jesus' parable on stewardship, mocking Him under their breath since they loved money more than people. I'm sure they missed the point, "Start investing eternally. Do it shrewdly, joyfully, and urgently—all for the glory of God!"
Verse 8, "And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly, for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light." Jesus isn't commending the stewards unrighteous practices, but his practical wisdom, because he quickly acted as to secure his future as if it depended completely on his present decisions. Let's face it, that's how this life works, right? People connive and scheme to make money to get ahead of the game, to secure a future they may never see. Typically, the only concern is whether or not they think they can get away with doing it. As sons of light who outshine the sons of this world, we have the privilege of investing in souls and a Kingdom that will never fail, therefore, we should act with even greater boldness, creativity, and abandon, knowing that our future is secure in Christ. Friends, shrewdness is not worldly when it's fully surrendered to the Spirit of God. As followers of Christ, we should strive to build relationships with the "debtors" of our day—those who are relationally far from God, the lost, the hurting, those alienated from the church, investing in the discipleship of the next generation, and then bathe them in prayer, before sending them out into the world. Jesus consistently reached out to the socially marginalize:, the tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners, meeting them where they were. I often wonder do Jesus’ words still cut the modern church today as deeply as they did two millennia ago—when He called the self-righteous religious hypocrites "whitewashed tombs," beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity?
Verse 9, "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves from the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will take you into the eternal dwellings." The Greek phrase "mamōna tēs adikias" is translated as "wealth of unrighteousness" or "unrighteous mammon." Mammon is often associated with greed or idolatry. The term "wealth of unrighteousness" does not necessarily imply that the wealth was acquired unethically, but rather that the money in this fallen world is inherently tainted by nature, used for self-indulgence rather than God’s glory. The imperative phrase "And I say to you" is a direct command, not a merely an optional suggestion — "make friends for yourselves" implies a deliberate, intentional effort. These are not casual acquaintances, but covenant-bound allies who will stand with you for eternity. Jesus is not teaching salvation by works, but illustrating the fruit of authentic faith — expressed through generosity. "So that when it fails," this failure goes well beyond bankruptcy to death itself, as all earthly money is temporary. Jesus is emphasizing that no one can carry their bank account balance into eternity. However, the friends you’ve made by generously using the earthly resources God entrusted to you—blessing the poor, the converted, and the saints—will receive you ushering home with a warm welcome. As the children of God, we are called to be preoccupied with the Kingdom of Heaven and not the things of this world, however, that doesn't include the preoccupation with pointing the lost to Christ. Reasoning from the lesser to the greater—a time-honored rabbinic teaching method—Jesus is commanding us to invest our temporal resources the short time we're here on earth in building lasting eternal relationships.
We'll stop there for today and pick back up next Lord's Day. Until then, "make friends for yourselves from the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will take you into the eternal dwellings."
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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