Luke 16:1-8 NLT Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. 2 So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’

3 “The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. 4 Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’

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?’ 6 The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.[a]’

7 “‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.[b]’

8 “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.

Money can build relationships and money can break relationships

The money manager was commended for taking full advantage of of his limited time and opportunity

Use what you have now to make an impact for the future

Luke 16:9 NLT Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

According to Jesus…

-Money is a means- it’s not the end

Money can add meaning to your life, but it’s not the meaning of life

-How can I leverage more of what I have as a means to an end that’s not me?

Why I Give

1. I’ve received God’s love

2. I fear the Lord

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

3. I invest in what matters

-My kids

-Community

-The Church of Jesus

-Lives changed

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According to Jesus:

-Money is a tool and money is a test

Luke 16:10-12 NLT “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.

11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?

12 And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

Do you want more stuff or do you want more stories?

Luke 16:13-14

13 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

14 The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him.

Here is the direction society will pull you…

-Accumulation

-Consumption

-Upgrades

-House full of stuff