“The Coming Crisis: The Parable of the Shrewd Manager” - Part 4

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“The Coming Crisis: The Parable of the Shrewd Manager” - Part 4

More Than A Story - Journey Through The Parables

June 16, 2024 • Les Hardin • Luke 16, Luke 13:33, Luke 11:50–51

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Introduction

Each of us at some point in life faces a major crisis. That thing that brings life to a standstill, makes every other thing seem trite, and focuses all of your attention like a laser on that one thing. Whether it’s the loss of a job, the diagnosis of a health issue, some terrible news about a friend or loved one, or even the death of a family member, each of us faces these crises in life. And some people are better in a crisis than other.

Some crises require immediate action while some crises are less immediate.

We all face crises in life. Sometimes we respond well and sometimes we don’t. And in a very particular and nuanced way, this is the point of the parable that appears in Luke 16.

Israel’s Coming Crisis

One of the main themes of the latter half of Jesus’ ministry is that there is a major crisis coming to Israel.

“I must go about my business today and tomorrow, for on the third day I will reach my goal. For surely no prophet can die outside of Jerusalem.” (Lk. 13:33).

“Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.” (Lk. 11:50-51).

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16):

1 “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my

job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their dwellings.’

5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 “‘Nine hundred gallons [a] of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels [b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

In this story the manager has been fired (crisis) and begins to go through the process of responding to the crisis that has come upon him. First he reasons with himself: “I’m too weak to do manual labor, and I’m too proud to beg.” (And here comes one of the most important lines in the whole parable) “I know—I’ll get

people to welcome me into their dwellings.” (vv. 3-4).

The next verse brings a bit of a translation dilemma. The text of the NIV reads, “The master praised the dishonest steward,” (v. 8), and the translation dilemma has to do with who “the master” is." I tend to think that this is Luke’s interpretive comment: “The Lord (Jesus) commended this man for acting shrewdly—for RESPONDING WELL TO HIS CRISIS!” Now for the part that’s wildly misunderstood. Jesus, after describing a man who responded well to the crisis, basically says, “Be like this guy!” Of course, this parable really isn’t

about money, and it’s not about someone losing a job. It’s a story told in order to get his people to listen to him about the crisis that is quickly coming upon them. They need to respond well.

Respond Well!

I want to lay out for you very briefly three scenarios in which the crisis of Jesus’ presence forces us all into a major life decision.

1. The Crisis of Conversion. The crisis of conversion occurs when we have to make a decision about what to do with this man, Jesus of Nazareth. If you’re here this morning and you’re meeting Jesus for the first time, the crisis is upon you. If Jesus has appeared to you (in the persons and teaching of his people),

and you’ve come to a point when a decision has to be made about whether you will embrace Jesus, or shrink back into something more comfortable, I implore you…RESPOND WELL TO THIS CRISIS.

2. The Crisis of Commitment. The crisis of commitment occurs when Jesus appears you to in a profound way to call you from a lackadaisical Christian life to a life that is fully committed to Jesus. It might also be called the Crisis of Repentance. If you’re here this morning and Jesus is calling you to those higher levels, the crisis is upon you. If you’ve come to a point when a decision has to be made about whether you will live the Jesus-life more fully, or shrink back into something more comfortable, I implore you … RESPOND WELL TO THIS CRISIS.

3. The Crisis of Commission. The crisis of commission—God commissioning you for ministry, drafting you into service in his army. The crisis of commission can include an invitation to serve here in the local church, to lead an existing ministry, to start a brand new ministry, or to begin something in the community or your neighborhood that will help advance the cause of Christ and his Kingdom. Perhaps it’s an unseen service, something that you do without recognition. If Jesus has appeared to you and asked you to serve, and if the options are to “go where you want me to go, Dear Lord,” or to shrink back into something more comfortable, I implore you … RESPOND WELL TO THIS CRISIS.

Conclusion:

Let’s take a moment to reflect on how Christ might be calling each of us to action. “Father, through your Spirit, guide us in this moment.”

Parable of the Great Banquet - Part 8

July 14, 2024 • Eddie Bowman • Luke 14:12–14, Luke 14:16–20, Deuteronomy 24:5, Luke 14:21–24, Matthew 7:21–23

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:12-14) “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ (Luke 14:16-20) Banquets were often thrown for celebrations. One never knew exactly when the banquet would happen. Refusing to go to a banquet when invited was considered extremely offensive. “If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.” (Deuteronomy 24:5) “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’” (Luke 14:21-24) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard - Part 7

July 7, 2024 • Eddie Bowman • Matthew 20:25–26, Ephesians 2:4–10, Ephesians 2:8–9, Matthew 19:16–30, Matthew 20:1–16

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments. “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us? Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:16-30) “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (19:27) For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day sent them into his vineyard. About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found others still standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. He said to them, ‘You also go work in my vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his forman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘Those who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:1-16) ‘Those who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day. (Matt. 20:12) “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matt. 20:13-16) What do we do? “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. (Matthew 20:25-26) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Parable of the Persistent Widow - Part 6

June 30, 2024 • Eddie Bowman • Luke 17:20–25, Luke 18:1–8, Matthew 6:9–13, Luke 22:45–46, 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20-21) “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. (Luke 17:22-25) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-6) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give in to violence. (Luke 18:1) When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:45-46) “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” (Luke 18:2-5) And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:6-8) What do we do? Keep Praying! “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:9-13) “We constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)