Focus: As people of the light, live as responsible stewards of your God-given resources, always keeping in focus the business of God’s kingdom.
Function: Luke 16:1-15
INTRODUCTION
At first sight, Jesus’ story of the dishonest steward seems strange. It takes work to wrap your head around it and make sense out of it. I’ve studied and preached this text on a number of different occasions throughout my pastoral ministry. And I keep on bumping into new observations and questions. For example, how does this strange story color our answer to the following questions:
· If you are a teenager, tell me, what do you live for?
· If you are a young couple, with some children, tell me, what is the focus of your daily life?
· If you are an empty nester, tell me, on what do you set your mind for the next ten years or so?
· If you are a retired person, in relatively good health, tell me, what is important to you at that stage in life?
· If you are on your deathbed, tell me, what do you live for then?
I believe that this strange story has a message for young and old, for anyone who belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ: live as responsible stewards of your God-given resources, always keeping in focus the business of God’s kingdom. Jesus has said: “I am the light of the world!” As followers of Jesus or as people of the light, we need to listen carefully to the message in this seemingly strange story of the dishonest steward and his master’s praise or commendation.
A STRANGE STORY
Note, for example, the Steward’s Use of the Master’s Wealth: We learn that he was accused of wasting his master’s possessions. His master gives him the boot. The steward seems to be frivolous rather than fraudulent with his master’s wealth. Instead of firing him on the spot, the master gives his manager a short time to give account of himself, to show the books and to make sure that everything is in good order.
The steward finds himself in a tight spot. Soon, he will be out of work; he does not like physical labor; he is not strong; and he hates being on the dole and beg. Now what? He dreams up a plan; really, it’s a scam, but a plan nevertheless.
Instead of stopping to mishandle his master’s wealth, this steward now decides to defraud his master by winning over his master’s debtors. All those who owe his master money will have the opportunity to reduce their debt. “How much do you owe my master?” “Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,” is the answer. The steward responds: “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.” And thus the steward cooks his master’s books and reduces his master’s wealth. Why is he worthy of his master’s praise? How strange!
Also note, the Debtors’ Willingness to Go Along with the Fraudulent Stewart: It seems that not one of the debtors protested the scam. Were they then all keen on reducing their debt at the expense of the master? Were these debtors all corrupt at heart? Or is there another explanation for going along with the reduction of their debts?
And then, of course, there is the Master’s Strange Commendation of His Steward: I would not have been surprised to hear Jesus say that the rich man was livid or outraged with his manager. But no, Jesus does not tell us. Jesus only shows the spotlight on the master’s commendation. He praised the fraudulent steward because he “acted shrewdly.” A strange story indeed!
THE LARGER CONTEXT
Is there a way to get at the story that makes sense and that takes away the “strangeness” of it all?
Yes, there is a way to grasp the message of the story, but first we must take note of the larger context of the story. Luke, the gospel writer, organizes his gospel materials in a certain way. One commentator (Hendriksen) makes the point that chapters 15 and 16 may be “viewed as forming a pair,” where in chapter 15 the Lord Jesus exposes “the wrong attitude toward people,” and where in chapter 16 the Lord Jesus opens with a “sections on the sinful use of wealth.”
It seems, then, that in chapter 16 the Lord Jesus wishes to address the matter of being good stewards of God-given resources. And thus we find mainly two parables in chapter 16 both focusing on the use of wealth: there is the parable of the Shrewd Manager; and there is the parable of the Rich Man and the beggar called “Lazarus.” The larger context then helps us to interpret the parable and hear Jesus’ message.
The larger context also shows us to whom the Lord Jesus is speaking. In vs. 1 we note that Jesus tells this strange story to his disciples. In other words, Jesus has a message or word of instruction for his followers (and that includes you and me).
We also note, however, that Jesus tells this strange parable in the hearing of the Pharisees. In vs. 15, Luke observes that, “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.” Jesus’ word of instruction to his disciples, then, also functions as a word of warning to the Pharisees (and us likewise). In fact, Jesus concludes in vs. 15 with these words: “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.” So, as we try to understand Jesus’ message in this seemingly strange story, we find some clues or framework in the larger context that helps us to get on the right track.
A WAY TO UNDERSTAND
Note that the dishonest steward never tells the debtors that he has been fired. In fact, the steward maintains the impression that he is rightfully and dutifully employed by the rich man. The steward asks the debtors “How much do you owe my master?” Thus the debtors do not knowingly enter into this scam.
In fact, in Jesus’ days it was normal practice that a promissory note would be reduced in times of agricultural trouble. When it appears that his debtors can’t pay their bill because they are having a poor crop, a rich and decent landlord would reduce their debt. The debtors in the story are people who think that their landlord is being gracious to them by giving his manager instructions to reduce their promissory notes or bills.
And that leads us to the master’s praise of his steward. The master or rich man realizes that he is defrauded. But now his hands are tied, for he can’t go back to his debtors and demand full payback. That would make him look bad in the community. Right now, he looks good. People think highly of him because of his generosity toward them. Of course, the steward also looks good in the community. His cunning move to reduce their debts has won the hearts and favor of the debtors. They will treat him with respect once he is without work.
You could even raise the question, whether it is smart for the rich man to dismiss his steward, for how could people ever understand why the landlord would want to fire this fine steward?
No wonder that the landlord praises his steward for acting shrewdly! The man knows how to invest in his own future and how to manipulate his landlord in acting favorably toward him.
APPLICATIONS
Please, note that the man does not commend his steward for his deceitfulness but for his shrewdness. Jesus certainly does not teach us that it’s ok to rip off our employers or cheat our way through life. On the contrary, people of the light must live differently. However, through this story, the Lord Jesus teaches us
· To show a similar shrewdness, a similar approach when it comes to using our God-given resources: Listen to him (vs.9): “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone (when we stand before God on Judgment Day) you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”
You see, God entrusts us with his resources to use them to promote his business—the business of love and care, the business of the kingdom of God, the business of inviting people to inherit the eternal riches, eternal life, the new heavens and new earth.
It’s the steward’s business to advance her master’s business; it’s our business as followers and people of the light to promote the Lord’s business—reconciling the world to himself; welcoming sinners to the table of forgiveness and life in Jesus Christ; clothing the poor, feeding the hungry, protecting the weak—and thus making friends who will stand with us and welcome us on the Day of Judgment, when God opens up his estate, his riches, the new heavens and new earth, for all his children.
This truth is also what the apostle Paul teaches in I Timothy 6:17-19: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
I think that Jesus teaches us by way of this strange story that we must live as stewards, worthy of the Lord’s trust, using the Lord’s resources to win people over to the Lord and to advance his causes.
I am an empty nester. The world around me is telling me in subtle and not so subtle ways that I really should work hard on building a “nest egg” for a comfortable retirement. I do not knock a sensible approach toward retirement someday. Using and saving money for that purpose is legitimate. But you and I may never loose focus or sight of the larger picture. We are people of the light. We must invest in the eternal dwellings, the new heavens and new earth, when God will live in our midst forever and ever.
Whether we are teenagers, young couples raising kids, empty nesters, retired people or laying on our death beds—we focus on the business of God’s kingdom. And that includes leading people to a growing and committed relationship with Christ and his church. And that includes reaching out to our neighbors, poor and rich alike. All with a view that they too may know the love and generosity of God in Jesus Christ, and that they too may inherit eternal life.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.