The Financial Gym

The Financial Gym Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Money; Stewardship; Jesus tells the parable of the shrewd manager / Luke 16:1-13 Introduction In order to develop fitness and even to develop crossfitness requires working out and usually involves a gym. To develop you go to the gym or a area set aside for working out and performing the exercises necessary to achieve the goals set. Without the workouts - the goal of fitness will not be achieved. Without a pattern and habit of working out the goals will not be achieved you need both. In our series of crossfitness we look to develop spiritual fitness and a cross fitness that would develop us as disciples of Christ - able to carry our crosses for His sake. Spiritual crossfitness entails much more than the physical development - it requires development in all area of our life. Today we enter another gym - where the area has been set aside to develop fitness - today we focus on the financial fitness - and like the physical we cannot just come once and workout just once - it is a habit and practice that must be put into place from here on out. Welcome to the Financial Gym which will continue our journey to achieving our goal of CrossFitness. Luke brings us to a parable from Jesus that speaks about a tough subject for many and a controversial subject as well as a misunderstood subject for many in the church or concerning church. Money or Finances. Jesus gives 38 parables and about 1/3 of them deal with or talk about money or finances. Whats more is one out of 7 verses in Luke deals with money - so this subject is important for us and has many implications for our spiritual crossfitness - Jesus spoke more of money than He did on heaven or hell - so lets get ready as we enter the Financial Gym with Jesus as our trainer. Luke 16:1-2 CSB 1 Now he said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who received an accusation that his manager was squandering his possessions. 2 So he called the manager in and asked, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you can no longer be my manager.' Luke 16:3-4 CSB 3 "Then the manager said to himself, 'What will I do since my master is taking the management away from me? I'm not strong enough to dig; I'm ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I'll do so that when I'm removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes.' Luke 16:5-7 CSB 5 "So he summoned each one of his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked the first one. 6 " 'A hundred measures of olive oil,' he said. " 'Take your invoice,' he told him, 'sit down quickly, and write fifty.' 7 "Next he asked another, 'How much do you owe?' " 'A hundred measures of wheat,' he said. " 'Take your invoice,' he told him, 'and write eighty.' Luke 16:8-9 CSB 8 "The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the children of this age are more shrewd than the children of light in dealing with their own people. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings. Luke 16:10-11 CSB 10 Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much. 11 So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with what is genuine? Luke 16:12-13 CSB 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." A Good Lesson From A Bad Example Luke 16:1-2 CSB 1 Now he said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who received an accusation that his manager was squandering his possessions. 2 So he called the manager in and asked, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you can no longer be my manager.' Luke 16:3-4 CSB 3 "Then the manager said to himself, 'What will I do since my master is taking the management away from me? I'm not strong enough to dig; I'm ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I'll do so that when I'm removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes.' Luke 16:5-7 CSB 5 "So he summoned each one of his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked the first one. 6 " 'A hundred measures of olive oil,' he said. " 'Take your invoice,' he told him, 'sit down quickly, and write fifty.' 7 "Next he asked another, 'How much do you owe?' " 'A hundred measures of wheat,' he said. " 'Take your invoice,' he told him, 'and write eighty.' Luke 16:8 CSB 8 "The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the children of this age are more shrewd than the children of light in dealing with their own people. This has been called the most difficult parable to interpret or understand. It seems at surface reading that Jesus is leading his disciples to copy unrighteous behavior, but upon careful examination and understanding Jesus' point we can most assuredly and decidedly see that is not the case at all. Let's dive in and let's understand this difficult parable together - I believe we are all up for the challenge. This parable is spoken to Jesus' disciples and is given in the Gospel of Luke alone. This parable is not a comparison parable but a contrasting parable and is hard to understand without this proper context. Again it is one of 38 total parables and one of about 13 parables dealing with money. Jesus will use a bad example to give His disciples a good lesson - He will be using a rabbinical and philosophical argument of the lesser to the greater. This parable has two main characters, a rich man and his manager (other translations say steward). The rich man has this manager over his affairs (as most rich men did in those days and still most today as well), but this rich man receives an accusation that the one he has as manager is squandering his possessions. Accusation or slander - is meant to tarnish and ruin the name of the manager - interesting that accusation in the Greek here is diabollo. The accusation or slander is that the manager - the steward is squandering (same word for prodigal) or being a prodigal - wasteful - manager. Just absolutely mismanaging and squandering the resources entrusted to him by the rich man. The rich man comes and says what is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you can no longer be my manager. He says give an account - reconcile its time to reconcile the account - bring receipts and everything will be accounted for. He was being called to account for His time as steward was up. In plain words - he was fired and being dismissed - there was no saving his job. This steward thought over carefully what this would mean. His house of cards was coming down upon him. He was going to lose his job, his name, and his home (as most often the stewards lived on property in housing provided). As he considers this he says to himself what will I do? I am not strong enough to dig - more accurately was he will not dig - literally not willing not mentally strong enough to dig. I am ashamed to beg (not to steal though?) He answers I know what I will do - the english doesnt capture the idea of sudden bursting forth of daylight into darkness and utter confusion - Eureeka! Quickly he summoned each of his master's debtors. How much do you owe - a hundred measures of olive oil - each measure of olive oil was 8-9 gallons - so the bill was 800 - 900 gallons of olive oil - he says write down fifty. Wow 50% discount How much do you owe - a hundred measures of wheat - a measure of wheat was about 10 bushels - so 1000 bushels of wheat - he says write down 80. A 20% percent discount Why is he doing this quickly - because his time is short and he must do it now and he is running a con. All cons are in a rush to get you to sign on the line. Get in get out and dont get caught. But now when he is removed from management he will have those who feel obligated or desire to help him since he reduced their bills by quite an amount. He did get caught however the rich man caught on to what he was doing - but here is the shocker and here is the confusion for the parable from Jesus - he praises him for doing this! When someone steals from me I dont praise them - the rich man didnt praise the theft and Jesus wasnt bringing attention to the unrighteousness - notice Jesus will continue to refer to him as unrighteous. The rich man praised the manager's shrewd actions. Making use of the opportunity he had. Thats the main point of the parable. Look at verse 8 the second half. For the children of this age are more shrewd than the children of light in dealing with their own people (own generation). The main idea Jesus wants to convey to his disciples. Manage and use resources with the same kind of shrewdness. It was not about a good thing done - but rather the careful planning ahead and using the material things to ensure future benefit Jesus absolutely does not want dishonest and crooked disciples - he wants disciples who think and plan to use wealth and resources for future spiritual benefit. Jesus is saying that the children of this age - the ungodly and unregenerate show more wisdom (shrewdness) in providing for their future in this world than believers show in preparing for life in heaven - laying up treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:19-20 CSB 19 "Don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. So let's enter into the Financial Gym with our trainer Jesus and see what workouts we can do to move forward in the goal of financial fitness and ultimately crossfitness. Invest Now and For the Long-Term Luke 16:9 CSB 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings. Invest in people and relationships Christian Standard Bible Chapter 16 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth Jesus says make friends - using the word philos or brothers and philo comes from the word phileo a brotherly love. Make friends - make converts - brothers and sisters in Christ invest in the Gospel however you can - churches, ministries, needs, missionaries, outreaches, etc. There may be myriad of ways we do this or see that this can be worked out but Jesus gave a practical application. He says we are to do it by means of worldly wealth - we are to invest in people using worldly wealth. Use wealth to gain friends, brothers and sisters - not to buy them - but to lead people to the kingdom and to hear and accept the Gospel. Wealth is for kingdom purposes! Money Brings No Security Christian Standard Bible Chapter 16 so that when it fails, Jesus goes on to instruct His disciples must exercise urgency in investing their resources. It is something to be done now - not later, not after they have acquired, or built up or enjoyed. Invest your resources now - if you havent started yet, begin today! It is not to be put off until you have extra and can give and invest from your abundance. Luke 21:4 CSB 4 For all these people have put in gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on." Many will miss out on the long-term eternal investment opportunities because we wait until we think or believe that we have "enough" In a survey taken a long time ago - 1992 - 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 bracket said they could buy the dream for an average of $192,000 a year. What these figures indicate is that people typically think they must double their income in order to find the good life and to have enough - instead of investing and finding it now. The urgency to invest what you have now is based on the simple truth that money will fail and cannot guarantee security. Most people love a money back guarantee - because they cant possibly lose - but the truth is in this life their is no money back guarantee. Jesus specifically and succinctly stated "when it fails" which we would take the article it and apply it to money and make sense that Jesus was saying when money fails. I mean let's talk about it right money can fail can't it? The Great Depression showed us that and then we were reminded with the Great Recession and again we were reminded how money is no guarantee when COVID came and the lockdowns began. Some of us have gone through trials in which we have been brought to the realization that wealth will fail and brings no security - others of us have yet to learn that but we can avoid painful devastating lessons is we hear and heed Jesus' words right now "WEALTH WILL FAIL" Its not if its when - like Jesus said Investments In People Endure Through Eternity Christian Standard Bible Chapter 16 so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings Another interpretation though says "when you fail" or "when you expire" - here is another area where money fails to be a guarantor. No amount of money will prevent the one day coming expiration of yours or my physical bodies. Reminds me of the joke of the 3 guys paying back their monetary debts to their friend who died. Money invested cannot prevent death - but upon death Jesus is saying money wisely invested ensures a welcome home party for us when we enter into glory. Jesus wants us to train and exercise using our money, our resources and our material things to further the Gospel and invest in people for the Gospel of Christ and thus build relationships that will endure into eternity. Be A Faithful Steward It's Not How Much, but What You Do Luke 16:10 CSB 10 Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much. Jesus says the truth is the faithful remain faithful no matter how much they have. Thats because faithfulness isnt determined by how much you have but what you are doing (current present tense action) with what you have. If you arent being faithful with you have you are being unrighteous and to be unrighteous with little is to be unrighteous with lots too. Proverbs 16:8 CSB 8 Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice. Riches deceive people to think they need more before they can be generous and invest in others. The more you have just reveals more of who and how you are - money doesnt usually change people it reveals them on a grander scale To be a faithful steward doesnt require more or less - just requires you to be faithful with what you do have. Disciples of Jesus must use wealth as their servant - not storing it up - but using actually using what you have now faithfully. Faithful With Insignificant Means Trusted With the Valuable Luke 16:11 CSB 11 So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with what is genuine? Faithful in all things - whether deemed insignificant or valuable - but especially for the insignificant because Jesus says those who can be trusted with the fading and failing worldly wealth - can be trusted with the far greater value of the eternal things also. If you cannot be trusted to use money faithfully how can you be trusted with genuine valuables of God? F.B. Meyer "God is testing men by giving them money, that He may know how far to trust them in the mart of the New Jerusalem." Distinguishing Proper Ownership Luke 16:12 CSB 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what is your own? Jesus as our trainer is saying that we must be faithful stewards. To be a faithful steward requires each of us to be able to distinguish proper ownership. We can be loose with that which is ours - but to squander that which is not ours and that which we must give an account for. A faithful steward remembers that the wealth and resources they use belong to someone else. All that we have has been given to us - our time, our money, our talents, they belong to the Lord and we are called to use them for Him. Not until the Bema seat of Christ will we receive that which is given to us as our own 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 CSB 10 According to God's grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one is to be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:12-14 CSB 12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one's work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one's work. 14 If anyone's work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If we are not faithful with what is His, how should we expect to receive our own? Well done my good and faithful servant Make Money Your Servant Luke 16:13 CSB 13 No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." In order to be a faithful steward one must learn to make money their servant rather than their master. "Money is a great servant but a terrible master" - Pastor Jimmy Evans A steward if you remember is a manager or a servant of the master who handles his affairs. Jesus says now if you understand that you are a servant you cannot serve two masters. Money and God both vie to be your master. You cannot serve them both. Jesus states here it is an impossibility. It is not like working two jobs - a servant cannot have two master for how will they know who to listen to? You will love one and hate the other or be devoted one and despise the other. To serve money means God is not your master. It will drive you away from God and towards unrighteousness and evil living 1 Timothy 6:10 CSB 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. The only way to keep money from being your master is to make God your master To make God your master you give Him priority and devotion remember all the way back to Exodus. Exodus 20:2-3 CSB 2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 3 Do not have other gods besides me. Exodus 20:4-5 CSB 4 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. 5 Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers' iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, Loving God serving and pleasing Him becomes your primary concern and priority. One can have both money and God, but do not be deceived you cannot serve both money and God Conclusion Jesus wants us to train at the financial gym to learn to become shrewd stewards. The same way the steward knowing he would be called to account used his present position to prepare for the next stage of his life. Use our present position from God to invest in eternity and prepare for eternal living. Give an account of your stewardship are words that everyone will hear - both believers and non-believers. Give an account of your time, talents, substance and influence. For each of us we have stewardships that will come to an end. A preachers, voice, mind and strength will not endure forever. The wealth of this world may not last this life. Parents stewardship over their children changes and diminishes. If Jesus doesnt first come - we all will die and pass from this life to the next - to give an account. What once was material and temporal can be exchanged for the non-material the spiritual and the eternal. A quick and easy test - to know who or what you serve. Who do you sacrifice for? You will sacrifice for your God. If you sacrifice for the sake of money, but will not sacrifice for the sake of Jesus or His Gospel or Kingdom - dont deceive yourself - money is your God and you need to repent and put God as your master and make money your servant. Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 7:05 PM December 12, 2020.