The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 175

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 175

Luke 16: 1-10He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. “So, he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. ‘I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’ “So, he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ “And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So, 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?’ So, he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ “So, the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.


Jesus, the Christ of God/Messiah

Did you notice the audience as Jesus began speaking in parables beginning in Luke 15? To the affluent Scribes and Pharisees, Jesus challenged these religious power grabbers to consider the humble personal positions in life. The next parable revealed that the invitation to the great supper was an invitation to ‘MANY’. Yet, many made excuses, plans, and events of prosperity and various details of life made the ‘Great supper’ of God, less attractive. The master of the house (kingdom) felt hurt and angry, (have you ever been in that frame of mind) yes and most of us would have trashed the whole meal or event. But the Master of this House, had a different plan, one that would make the invited many jealous. See Romans 9, 10 and 11.

As these parables were told, the day moves on, from the ‘Pharisees and Scribes’ to the ‘many’ to the ‘crowd’ and finally to the ‘disciples of Jesus’. So, beginning in chapter 16 Jesus begins to speak in a parable regarding an unjust ‘clerk of the works’ the ‘steward’ who managed the home, farm, and property of the rich man. Accountability and stewardship are two sides on one coin (so to speak) but to speak of these topics in churches today is nearly non-existent. It is strange that we hold the church leadership accountable, but we who are of the church family, we seem to squander the mercy and grace of God on the details of life. Instead of providing 100 percent of our devotion to God, we give Him 50 percent by showing up for all the services and Bible studies. (of course, literally, the time spent at church these days is far less than 50 percent). Even if we give the LORD eighty percent, we are considered by most outsiders as fanatic. 

While the parable deals with the profit and labor of a large farming business and the schemes of secular prosperity which has little spiritual content. On the secular side, the rich man gives a good recommendation for the unjust steward, who will get another good job as a result. (sound like the car salesman of today). We also understand that this selfishness does not please God, we would not lose our personal salvation over such unrighteous acts, our eternal destiny is secure in Christ death and resurrection in God’s eternal hands, but our rewards of being an unfaithful ‘clerk of the works’ or ‘steward’ will be far less than what God would provide if we would walk by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit of God. The two carnal factors in the life of the child of God that hinder us most is a lack of faith in God to meet our needs in the details of life and a lack of utilizing God the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct our path. God has promised and provided blessings to every child who allows the Word of God to abide in them, through them and upon them.

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