FINANCIAL HEALTH

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:
The Shrewd Manager: Luke 16:1 - 13

BIG IDEA: Managing my money the proper way.


Jesus said, "There once was a rich man who enlisted a manager to take care of his property. But the manager was accused of wasting his master’s possessions, so the Owner called him in and said, ‘You must now give me an account of your stewardship and report what you’ve done with what I entrusted to you because your time as a manager is ending!’

The manager thought, 'What am I going to do now? I’m losing my job but I'm not strong enough to dig ditches and I'm too proud to beg! I know what I'll do - so that after I lose my job, I’ll have plenty of friends to take care of me!’ So he called in everybody who was in debt to his master.

He asked the first man, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ‘800 gallons of olive oil,” he replied. The manager said, ‘OK. Tear up that bill, and write a new bill that says you only owe 400 gallons.

‘Next, the manager found another debtor and asked, “How much do YOU owe? ‘1000 bushels of wheat,’ he replied. The manager said, “OK, change your bill to say you only own 800.”

Now when the Master heard what the dishonest manager had done, he still praised his shrewdness. For worldly people are more shrewd in handling their affairs than are those who belong to the light.”

“Use your worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so that when it is gone you’ll be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. And whoever’s dishonest with little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth who’s going to trust you with true riches?

And if you have not been trustworthy with somebody else’s property who’s going to give you property of your own? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate the one and love the other or will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

“The Pharisees dearly loved money. So when they heard what Jesus said they made fun of him. But Jesus told them, ‘You’re always making yourselves look good but God sees what’s in your heart. The things that most people think are important are worthless as far as God is concerned.’” Luke 16:1-13


PITFALLS TO AVOID WITH MY MONEY:

Don’t Blow It
“The manager was accused of wasting his master’s possession.” Luke 16:1b

Don’t Love It
“No servant can serve two masters. 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 both God and money.” Luke 16:13

Don’t Put Your Trust in It
“What am I going to do now? I’m losing my job…” Luke 16:3a

“Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle.” Proverbs 23:5

Don’t Ever Believe It Will Bring True Satisfaction
“Whoever loves money will never have enough, and whoever loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income.” Ecclesiastes 5:10

“Guard against all kinds of greed because your life is not measured by how much you own.” Luke 12:15


SIX TRUTHS ABOUT MY MONEY

It All Belongs To God
“(The Owner) enlisted a manager to take care of HIS property” Luke 16:1

God Uses My Money to Test Me.

Money shows what I love most.

“Don't store up treasure here on earth… Instead, store your treasures in heaven… for wherever your treasure is, that’s where your heart will be.” Matthew 6:19-21

Money shows what I really trust most.

“If you trust in your money you will fall. But if you trust in God you will flourish like a green tree.” Proverbs 11:28

It shows if God can trust me.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” Luke 16:11 - 12

My Money Is A Tool

“I tell you, ‘Use your worldly wealth!’” Luke 16:9a

My Money’s Best Use Is to Help People Get to Heaven

Jesus: “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into your eternal dwelling.” Luke 16:9b

We Will Give An Account To God For How We Used Our Money.
“You must now give an account of your stewardship and report what you’ve done with what I entrusted to you because your time as a manager is ending.” Luke 16:2

If I’m Faithful With Little God Will Trust Me With More
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. And whoever is dishonest with little will be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10

‘To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. And they will have abundance.” Matthew 25:29