Generosity and Wealth (2)

Generosity: Studies in Luke PART 6
4 November 2012
Dr. Timothy Keller

Luke 16:1-14
1Jesus told his disciples:  "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.  2So 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--4I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'

5"So he called in each one of his master's debtors.  He asked the fist, 'How much do you owe my master?'

6"'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied.

"The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'

7"Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?'

"'A thousand bushels 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.  9I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

10"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.  11So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  12And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, wo will give you property of your own?

13"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."

14The Parisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.

STEWARDS OF GOD'S MONEY
--v.8+9  Jesus compares us to the manager; it's all God's money, we're just managing it for him.
--Nothing really belongs to us.
--When we don't give money away, it's not stinginess, it's robbery.
--Malachi 3:8-12

LOOKING FOR A CITY THAT CAN'T BE SHAKEN
--Put your money in things that last.
--v.9 All money will be gone one day
--Psalms 46:1-3 (Surge)

WE NEED A LOVE THAT ISN'T HERE
--Put money in ministry.
--Fellowsip of friends that survives beyond death.

HEAVEN IS A WORLD OF LOVE - Jonathan Edwards
--Five barriers to love
1) We want to be loved for our own sake.
2) Love without impediment, but pride, selfishness, and defensiveness get in the way.
3) Love with mutuality
4) Can't stand to see our love ones unhappy
5) Losing people you love.