LUKE CHAPTER 16 PREVIEW
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Luke 16 - Money and Righteousness

A. The story of the dishonest steward

1. (1-8) What the dishonest steward did
a. Remember what a steward is: a manager, especially a manager of money or property. The steward's boss (the master) hears that he is cheating him, and he calls him to account
b. When the steward knows that he will be called into account, he knows that he can never pass the scrutiny of his master. He also knows that other options are unattractive to him (I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg)

c. So, he makes friends with his master's debtors by settling their accounts for less than they actually owe. The steward, knowing he will be called to account, uses his present position to prepare him for the next stage of his life

i. While not approving his conduct, the master did in fact approve the steward's shrewdness
d. For obvious reasons, this is Jesus' most notorious parable. How could Jesus use such an obviously dishonest man as an example for His disciples?
i. God uses evil things that we are familiar with to illustrate a particular point, without praising the thing itself (as Paul used things like war and slavery as illustrations of the Christian life)
e. Yet, the dishonest steward is a praiseworthy example on several points:
i. He knew he would be called to account for his life and he took that seriously. Christians should take seriously the idea that they will be called to account, and that idea can be a joy if we are about our Master's business!
ii. He took advantage of his present position to arrange a comfortable future

f. Jesus' assessment is still true: the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. If we would pursue the Kingdom of God with the same vigor and zeal that the children of this world pursue profits and pleasure, we would live in an entirely different world!
i. It is to the shame of the Church that Coca-Cola is more widely distributed than the gospel of Jesus Christ!
ii. "Go to the men of the world, thou Christian, and do not let it be said that the devil's scholars are more studious and earnest than Christ's disciples" (Maclaren)

2. (9) Using money now with an eye to eternity
a. Jesus transfers the principle illustrated by the story of the unjust steward to us: we need to use our present resources to plan ahead for eternity
b. The world is filled with financial planners and advisers; and it is good for Christians to learn how to use their money wisely. But when most Christians talk about wise money management, they forget to practice the most important kind of long term investing: investing with an eye to eternity

c. The important thing is to invest your resources for the Lord now; most of us wait until the day when we think we will have enought

i. In a 1992 survey, people were asked how much money they would have to make to have "the American dream." Those who earn $25,000 or less a year thought they would need around $54,000. Those in the $100,000 annual income bracket said that they could buy the dream for an average of $192,000 a year. These figures indicate that we typically think we would have to have double our income in order to find the good life
3. (10-12) Faithfulness in the little things shows how one will be faithful in the large things
a. In these words of Jesus, money is considered to be one of the least things; yet, if a person cannot be faithful in managing the things that are least, how will they ever be faithful in handling the things that are great?
i. If you are false and unfaithful in everyday life, even if you put on the Christian image, you are also false and unfaithful in your spiritual life - and no one should entrust you with spiritual riches
b. Why does Jesus call it unrighteous mammon? Because "Riches promise MUCH, and perform NOTHING: they excite hope and confidence, and deceive both: in making a man depend on them for happiness, they rob him of the salvation of God and of eternal glory." (Clarke)
c. In this sense, those who are leaders of God's people must be good managers of their own money. If a person can't be faithful before God with the money He has given them, how can they be faithful with the care of people?

i. This certainly does not mean that leaders in the church have to be wealthy or make a lot of money. It is an issue of how they manage the resources God has given to them, not how great their resources are
ii. Unfortunately, when it comes to the question who will commit to your trust the true riches, far too many Christians are willing to entrust their spiritual care to a person who can't even care for the things of unrighteous mammon

d. If you have not been faithful in what is another man's: here, Jesus seems to be referring to the fact that all our riches belong to God, and we must see that we are managing His resources. Faithfulness in this will result in blessing that is our own
4. (13) No one can be faithful to more than one master
a. Having two masters is not like working two jobs; here, Jesus has the master and slave relationship in view. A slave can't belong to two masters at the same time
i. Jesus states that serving two masters is a simple impossibility; if you think that you are successfully serving two masters, you are deceived! One can have both money and God; but one cannot serve both money and God
ii. Certainly, Jesus is talking about the heart here. Many people would say they love God, but their service of money shows that in fact they do not. How can we tell Who or what we are serving? One way is by remembering this principle: you will sacrifice for your God. If you will sacrifice for the sake of money, but will not sacrifice for the sake of Jesus, don't kid yourself: money is your God

iii. On a Friday afternoon in 1990, a business man staggered to the steps of his Los Angeles office. Before he died of the gunshot wound to his chest, he called out the names of his three children. But he still had his $10,000 Rolex watch clutched in his hand. He was the victim of a rash of Rolex robberies - and was killed as a sacrifice to his god

iv. A 1992 story in the Los Angeles Times told about Michelle, a successful writer and editor, who fears the day her husband might discover her secret stash of credit cards, her secret post office box or the other tricks she uses to hide how much money she spends shopping for herself. "I make as much money as my husband . . . If I want a $500 suit from Ann Taylor, I deserve it and don't want to be hassled about it. So the easiest thing to do is lie," she explains. Last year, when her husband forced her to destroy one of her credit cards, Michelle went out and got a new one without telling him. "I do live in fear. If he discovers this new VISA, he'll kill me."

v. A school teacher explained more: "Men just don't understand that shopping is our drug of choice," she joked, even while admitting that some months her salary goes exclusively to paying the minimum balance on her credit cards. "Walking through the door of South Coast Plaza is like walking though the gates of heaven. God made car trunks for women to hide shopping bags in."

vi. A young professional named Mary explained: "Shopping is my recreation. It's my way of pampering myself. When you walk into [a mall] and you see all the stores, it's like something takes over and you get caught up in it."

b. Some think that just because they are not rich, that they can't be a slave to money (mammon). But you don't have to be rich to serve mammon; the poor can be just as greedy and covetous as the rich
5. (14-15) Jesus responds to the Pharisees' derision
a. The derision of the Pharisees was based on their own self-interest; they were lovers of money. Often we reject the message of Jesus because it hits too close to home!
b. It is one thing to justify yourselves before men; men can be deceived by smooth words and a "loving" smile. But God knows your hearts - when you are serving another master, it is impossible to be justified before God, no matter what men think

c. God judges our hearts with a different set of values; for what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Men may honor you because of your wealth and your public display of spirituality. But God sees who you really are

6. (16-18) The unchanging nature of God's law
a. Now, since that time, the time ending with John the Baptist's ministry, the good news of a new covenant is presented, with an order that is different than the law, yet it fulfills the law
b. In Jesus' day, there were hundreds of revolutionaries who were willing to use great violence to bring in the kingdom of God. While we do not imitate their violence, we do imitate their dedication, their willingness to sacrifice, and their passion to see the Messiah reign. We are at war!

c. But the new order that we must press into is not an order of rebellion; it is an new order of submission and obedience to God; His new order fulfills the law

d. For example, the law concerning marriage is still binding - no matter how some Rabbis may try to explain it away. Some Rabbis taught that if a woman burned her husbands breakfast, it was grounds for divorce; others considered finding a prettier woman to be acceptable grounds for divorce

i. Jesus is teaching the ideal regarding marriage and divorce her, and it is dangerous for us to for doctrine on isolated statements of Jesus without taking into account the whole counsel of His teaching
e. But If you won't respond to what God has clearly shown you (such as what the Bible teaches about divorce), how can you hope to receive His Word on other things? We must be careful that we never do what the Pharisees did: show an outward agreement with the word of God, but inwardly resisting it and thus denying it
B. The story of Lazarus and the rich man
1. (19-21) Lazarus and the rich man on earth
a. Significantly, Jesus does not present this story as a parable, and in no other parable does Jesus actually name an individual (as the poor man is named here). We have every reason to believe that Jesus is giving us an actual "case history," that He would know because He is the man from heaven
b. The rich man's wealth is shown by his clothing (luxurious, expensive clothes), and by his excess with food (most people in that culture fared sumptuously only a few times a year)

i. The rich man is unnamed, but is traditionally give the name Dives, which is simply Latin for "rich"
c. The destitute poverty of Lazarus is shown by the fact that he must resort to begging with the dogs
2. (22-26) Lazarus and the rich man in Hades
a. Lazarus was so destitute that he did not even get a burial; but because of his devotion to God, he ends up with Abraham and all the righteous in the afterlife
i. We must never think that Lazarus was saved by his poverty, any more than we would think that the rich man was ****ed by his wealth. Lazarus must have had a true relationship of faith with the true God
ii. Lazarus doesn't seem to ask God, "why was it so unfair on earth?" Now he knows, now all questions are answered

b. The rich man is also not far from Lazarus; yet he is a world apart. His place is a place of torment and pain; now, it is the rich man who is the beggar, begging Lazarus for a drop of water
i. Again, the rich man was not in torment because he was rich. If it were so, then it would be a contradiction for Abraham to be shown as righteous, because he was far richer than "Dives" could ever have been
ii. The only sin charged to the rich man was selfishness - all he lived for was himself. This was enough. He could say, "I never hurt anybody," but living purely for yourself is enough to condemn you

iii. Also, this story is the contrast to the parable of the unjust steward; the rich man was one who didn't use any of his resources to prepare for the world to come

c. Jesus is describing Hades (called Sheol in the Old Testament), which was the common abode of the dead
i. Some who are in Hades rest in comfort (the bosom of Abraham), but others are in fires of torment
ii. Hades is not the Lake of Fire (what we usually think of as Hell, referred to in Revelation 20:15, and called Gehenna in the Old Testament), but Hades is a "waiting place" until the day of final judgment (Revelation 20:11-13)

iii. Jesus went to Hades, but did not stay there (Acts 2:24-27; 31); Jesus preached in Hades (1 Peter 3:18-19); Jesus set the captives in Hades free (Ephesians 4:8-9; Isaiah 61:1). Jesus' work and preaching offered salvation for those who in faith awaited it (Hebrews 11:39-40), and sealed the condemnation of the wicked and unbelieving

iv. Since Jesus' work on the cross (the believer's day of judgment), there is no "waiting" for believers who die; they go directly to the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8)

3. (27-31) The request of the rich man
a. Now the rich man is concerned for his brothers on earth; the first indication we have that the rich man thought of anyone else comes after it is too late
b. The rich man thought that if someone came from the dead, it would be more convincing than the word of God. But it wouldn't be; if they won't believe because of God's Word, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead

i. "I do believe that Lazarus from Abraham's bosom would not be so good a preacher as a man who has not died, but whose lips have been touched with a love coal from off the altar." (Spurgeon)
ii. Of course, One did rise from the dead - Jesus; yet they did not believe then

iii. Jesus exposes the fallacy of trusting in signs to bring people to Jesus; we often think that if people would see a spectacular enough sign, they would be compelled to believe. But what creates faith unto salvation is hearing the word of God; it has the power unto salvation

The rich man wasn't lost because he was rich. He was lost because he did not listen to the law and the prophets. Will you be lost the same way?

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