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The Shrewd Manager

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager found in Luke Chapter 16 is a troublesome parable, isn’t it? This parable has bothered Christians for a long, long time! So, let me try to explain this as simply as I know how. The first part of the parable is very predictable. It’s about a good money manager gone bad! Last weekend we talked about the power of money and how money has an “allurement” in our life! We talked about the fact that money is almost like a drug that can actually alter our state of consciousness and wind up tempting us to do stuff we normally wouldn’t do if we were sane and coherent! Apparently, that’s what’s happened in Luke 16. A money manager was doing a good job, but the smell of money, the proximity to his master’s money, made him get into some “mismanagement” or embezzlement of some kind that wound up costing him his job! So, the first part of the parable is very predictable. It’s about a good money manager gone bad. It’s the 2nd part of the parable that’s problematic. The master finds out that the money manager has been doing some “funny business” with his money. And so he gives him notice that he’s going to be fired.

January 27–28, 2007
The Shrewd Manager
Series: The Power of Money
Speaker: Brian T. Anderson

Download Notes (PDF)

  1. Introduction
    1. Luke 16:1-12 (NLT) 1Jesus told this story to his disciples: "A rich man hired a manager to handle his affairs, but soon a rumor went around that the manager was thoroughly dishonest. 2So his employer called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about your stealing from me? Get your report in order, because you are going to be dismissed.' 3"The manager thought to himself, 'Now what? I'm through here, and I don't have the strength to go out and dig ditches, and I'm too proud to beg. 4I know just the thing! And then I'll have plenty of friends to take care of me when I leave!' 5"So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe him?' 6The man replied, 'I owe him eight hundred gallons of olive oil.' So the manager told him, 'tear up that bill and write another one for four hundred gallons.' 7"'And how much do you owe my employer?' he asked the next man. 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' was the reply. 'Here,' the manager said, 'take your bill and replace it with one for only eight hundred bushels.' 8"The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the citizens of this world are more shrewd than the godly are. 9I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven. 10"Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. 11And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12And if you are not faithful with other people's money, why should you be trusted with money of your own?"
  2. What the Shrewd Manager was Commended for
    1. He faced the fact he had a problem .
    2. He put together a plan to solve his problem.
      1. The 10 - 10 - 80 Plan.
        1. Pay God .
          1. Prov. 3:9-10 (NAS) 9Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; 10So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.
        2. Pay yourself .
        3. Live on the rest.
    3. He implemented the plan .
  3. Conclusion
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