STEWARDS OF GOD’S WEALTH

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LUKE 16:1-13
Lesson #43
STEWARDS OF GOD’S WEALTH

• Memory verse: Luk 16:10
• We have previously seen many parables in the gospel of Luke.
  • We have also seen in this book that sometimes Jesus gave parables that should be understood as parables of contrast instead of parables of comparison.
  • The Gospel of Luke is the only Gospel that gives us these types of parables.
  • The parable that we find in the first part of Luke 16 is this kind of parable of contrast. If we do not understand it from this standpoint we will become very confused and think that God is praising a dishonest and unjust man.
• Read Luk 16:1-13 The Parable of the Unrighteous Steward
  • Background:
    • The word, “mammon” means = money or riches.
    • It is that which is of the world as contrasted with that which is of God. (9,11)
    • Therefore, “mammon” of unrighteousness is worldly riches.
  • To whom is the parable spoken?
    • Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples (1).
    • However, the mixed multitude was still there listening. (Notice the word, “also”, in verse 1.)
  • Who does the rich man represent? (11)
    • The rich man represents God
    • It is God that holds the wealth of His creation in His hands.
  • Who does the steward represent?
    • • The steward represents the believer in Jesus Christ.
      • Therefore, the believer in Christ is called to be accountable to God for whatever blessings God gives to us. This is what we call stewardship in the Christian community.
  • What do the “goods” that were wasted represent?
    • • The “goods” represent talents, gifts, time, money, knowledge of the word of God, or in other words, all the blessings of God.
      • We do not realize all the blessings that God puts at our disposal in every given day: spiritual blessings and material blessings.
  • What did the steward do? (5-7)
    • The steward went to those who owed his master money and told them to falsify the debt. Why?
      • • He told them that so that they would be indebted to him.
        • When he was out of a job, they would help him because they owed him a favor.
    • Read 1Cor 4:1-2
      • Paul says that we are stewards of the mysteries of God.
        • Discussion: What do you think Paul means by, “stewards of the mysteries of God”?
        • We are to take care of our personal relationship with God. We are to take care of what we know of the Word of God.

The Pharisees were supposed to be concerned with the mysteries of God in His Word.

They were supposed to share those things in the Word of God with others, but they misused their responsibility and produced no fruit.

• • • • • All of the things God reveals to us in His Word are meant to be shared with others so that we produce fruit.
      • What are the “mysteries” of which Paul says we are to be good stewards?

New Testament Biblical Mysteries

Mat 13 Mar 4:11

=1= Israel’s spiritual blindness in this age of grace	Rom 11:25 Rom 16:25
=2= The rapture of the church	1Cor 15:51-52 1 The 4:13-18
=3= The mystery of God’s will	Eph 1:9-11
=4= The church is one body of Jews and Gentiles	Eph 3:1-11; 6:19 Gal 4:3
=5= The church is the bride of Christ	Eph 5:28-32
=6= Christ lives in us	Gal 2:20 Col 1:26-27
=7= Christ, the fullness of the Godhead in a body	Col 2:2,9; 1Cor 2:7
=8= God likeness is restored to man	1Tim 3:16
=9= The mystery of iniquity	2The 2:7 Mat 13:33
=10= The seven stars in Christ’s right hand	Rev 1:20
=11= Mystery Babylon	Rev 17:5, 7

• • • Is Jesus praising the steward for his deceitful ways in this parable?
      • No. Absolutely not! Jesus did not praise deceit.
      • For what did the Lord praise the steward?
        • Jesus praised the steward for his wisdom in looking to the future.
        • He was an astute man.

Jesus told his disciples to learn a lesson from successful men in the world.

Discussion: What qualities do successful men of the world have that we should copy?

A successful man has a realistic perspective of the condition of things such as the market, his product, and his competition.

A successful man has perseverance in business.

A successful man has long term goals and a plan to reach those goals.

A successful man has an eye for opportunity.

• • Who are the sons of this age? (8)
    • The sons of this age are worldly non-believers.
    • They are called the sons of this age because they belong to the world system controlled by Satan.
  • Who are the sons of light? (8)
    • Believers in Jesus Christ are the sons of light. (1Joh 1:7)
    • Believers in Jesus Christ have the indwelling Holy Spirit that guides them into truth.
    • Believers in Jesus Christ have the Word of God illuminated to them by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
  • What are the character qualities of the unrighteous steward that we should not imitate?
    • This man in the parable used what did not belong to him to promote his own self preservation and welfare.
    • This man was spoiled by the things of the world. He was too ashamed to beg if times got difficult, but he was not too ashamed to steal.
  • What is the central truth of the parable?
    • The possession of material wealth and other blessings of the Lord should be used with an eternal perspective in order to win others to Christ.
      • Everything, even money, has a spiritual aspect to it depending on the perspective of the person that uses it.
        • A believer can spend his money on toys and pleasures of the world that benefit himself.
        • Or a believer can spend his money on spiritual things that promote God and benefit others.
        • Therefore, it all depends on one’s perspective as to how he will use the wealth that God gives him.
      • What is an eternal perspective?
        • Like the astute business man, he has an eye on the future.
        • The future for the believer is his eternal life with the Lord.
        • Jesus said, “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” (Mat 6:20)
    • The believer in Christ has a choice between 2 motives:
      • =1= The love of possessions for their own sake, which is the love of self.
      • =2= The use of possessions as a trust from God for the benefit of others and for the glory of God.
      • The character quality that God values is faithfulness.
  • In light of the central truth, what does Jesus mean when He says we should make friends by using the money of this world? (9)
    • Jesus means that we are to use the material wealth and the spiritual wealth of what we know of the Word of God in order to make friends for Jesus.
    • How do we do that?
      • You win others to Christ.
      • We are to give to others in the name of Jesus with the spirit of Christian love.
      • Your material wealth will fade when you die, but the reward for your good use of it will be in heaven forever.
      • Notice that the “they” who receive you into eternity are those who benefitted from your earthly wealth. (9)
    • What was the reaction to the parable? (14,15)
      • The Pharisees laughed at him
      • It says that the Pharisees were covetous. The word literally means = lovers of money.
  • What is the kingdom principle in this parable? (10)
    • A kingdom principle is an inherent, underlying spiritual law by which all things function, like the law of gravity in the physical world.
    • A kingdom principle is something that is always in operation because God is a God of order and because He is sovereign and in control.
    • Therefore, if you want spiritual success in life, you function in conformity with God’s kingdom principles.
    • Kingdom principles are often just the opposite of worldly principles. For example:

Worldly Principles:	Kingdom Principles:
Self preservation	Denial of self
Man is innocent until proven guilty	Man is guilty until proven innocent (justified in Christ) (Rom 3:23)
Get as much as you can in any way you can	Give to others

• • • • The person that is faithful in a little, will be faithful in much.
      • The person that will cheat in a little, will cheat in much.
      • Therefore, faithfulness to working with God in His established principles is the basis of reward in heaven.
    • How can we see this principle in operation?
      • Often in the Christian community a believer will be so zealous for God that he gets ahead of what God wants to do in him and through him. He bites off more than he can chew and falls flat on his face in failure. Why?
      • God prepares people little by little for what He wants to do in them and through them. He does this by developing the character quality of faithfulness.
        • As the believer learns faithfulness in small areas of his life, God gives him greater responsibilities.
        • God knows what a believer can handle and what he cannot handle. He does not give us more than we can handle with His help.
  • What are the “true riches” mentioned in verse 11?
    • • The true riches of God are spiritual wisdom that comes from the study of God’s Word where the believer learns about who God is, what He requires of man, and how God functions.
      • The true riches of God are spiritual blessings like the 11 New Testament mysteries listed above: For example: salvation, the indwelling Christ, the new birth experience, the Holy Spirit’s work in us to make us more like Christ, etc.
  • Conclusion:
    • ^“ No servant can serve two masters…” (13)
    • To serve two masters is a violation of another kingdom principle:
      • This principle is the principle of unity that we learned in lesson #33 (Luk 11:14-28).
      • A house divided against itself cannot stand.
        • Believers in Christ that try to live with one foot in the world system and one foot in the kingdom of God are fooling themselves.
        • The power and blessings of God flow in conformity to the principle of unity.
• Application: How to be a good steward:
  • Use what God gives you physically and materially to reach and bless others for Christ. That means your car, your home, your money, your time, and your talents, etc.
  • Use what you know of the Word of God and your personal experiences with God to reach others for Christ. Those who come to know Christ through your life and testimony are riches that you store in heaven for eternity.

Homework
Luke 16:14-18

• Application of Luk 16:1-13
  • As you think about your own faithfulness to stewardship of the both the material and the spiritual blessings that God give you, how would you rate your own stewardship on a scale of 1-10 with ten being the best?
  • In what areas can you improve your faithfulness to be a good steward? (Don’t skip this question for we can all be better stewards than we are today.)
    • In the material blessings God has given us:
    • In the spiritual blessings God has given us:
• Preparation for Luk 16:14-18
  • Read Luk 16:14-18
    • What is God’s view of divorce? Why?
• Memory Verse: Luk 16:17