the shrewd manager - eagle christian...

The Shrewd Manager

Luke 16:1-13

“The Shrewd Manager”

Luke 16:1-3“He also said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am …’”


Luke 16:3-7“‘ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ 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?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to …’”


Luke 16:7-10“him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. ‘One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest …’”


Luke 16:10-13“‘in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in 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 he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.’” (ESV)


Pertinent Details•Manager (oikonomos, “economics”)—the name

of the house. • The manager had full legal rights to act on his

master’s behalf in all business transactions.


Pertinent Details•Waste (diaskorpidzon)

• Same word used in Prodigal Story (Lk 15:13) translated “squandered.”

• Literally means: to scatter to the wind. He has been “living loose” with his master’s money.


Pertinent Details• “Charges” (diaballō) are brought against him.

• Verb meaning: to accuse or bring charges• Related to the noun (diaballos) which is

translated “devil”—the accuser or slanderer.


Pertinent Details• The quantities are huge.

• 875 gallons of oil—five years salary for an average laborer.

• 1,100 bushels of wheat—twelve to fifteen years salary for an average laborer.


Pertinent Details•How was the manager “living loose” with the

Master’s money? • Many explanations about what the steward had

previously been doing:• Overcharging and collecting the excess?• Charging interest on unsettled accounts?• Charging his own commission on the sales?


Luke 16:8-9“The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.”

(ESV)


Explaining a Difficult Parable• The manager is NOT commended for an act of

dishonesty, but rather this dishonest manager is commended for an act of prudence.

• Jesus’ Point: If even people of the dark (evil men) plan, how much more should we (as people of light) be shrewd?

He Demonstrated Shrewdness in …

Thinking Clearly

“I’m not strong enough to dig,

and I am too ashamed to beg” (3)


Muddled Thinking• There may be a God … but maybe not.

•God may be a personal God … but maybe not.

•God may have revealed himself … but maybe not.

• Jesus may be right … but maybe not.

• The Bible may be true … but maybe not.

• I will settle accounts with God tomorrow … but maybe not.

• Etc.


I Kings 18:21“And Elijah came near to all the people and said, ‘How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him’ … And the people did not answer him a word.” (ESV)


Caring About the Future

“What shall I do now? (3)

Insurance Policies• Life insurance

• Whole life• Term life• Etc.

• Medical insurance• Disability• Health• Dental

• Car insurance• Comprehensive• Collision• Uninsured motorists• Liability

• Home owners• Fire• Theft• Casualty• Flood

• Mortgage insurance

• Etc.

Often we prepare for events that may not happen—but we want to be prepared!


Luke 12:18-21“I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all mygrain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (ESV)


Preparing to Meet His Master

“I have decided what to do” (4)


Luke 16:9“And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” (ESV)


Luke 16:10“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” (ESV)


Luke 16:13“No servant can serve two masters … You cannot serve God and money.” (ESV)

He Demonstrated Shrewdness in …Moving Quickly

“Take your bill and sit down quickly ...” (4)


Luke 16:8“For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” (ESV)


Romans 14:10-12“For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (ESV)


2 Corinthians 5:10“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (ESV)

The Shrewd Manager

We are stewards of what God has given us. How should we use

what we have for his glory?

the shrewd manager - eagle christian...

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