The Juxtaposition of Wealth and Eternity

The Juxtaposition of Wealth and Eternity

Luke 16:1-31

-Sadly, wealth (or at least the desire for it) is one of the main reasons people on God’s redemptive plan for man for eternity.

I. An Unlikely (Luke 16:1-13)

-There is really only one thing about the manager of the house that Jesus puts out there as exemplary to us: his ability to see what was coming and plan for it.

-Remember the context of Jesus’ teaching in these last few chapters: the coming judgement of man and the entrance into heaven for only those who have accepted Christ as their Savior from sin.

1. He had a clear of the issues at hand. (1-2)

-And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

-He didn’t ignore it, put off thinking a/b it, or refuse to believe it.  He accepted the truth for what it was.

-God has told us in His Word that this life is but a drop in the bucket and this earth is not our final home. What happens next (after death) is entirely dependent upon the decisions we make now concerning whether or not to receive Jesus Christ as our only Source of salvation.

–Revelation 20:15 “…whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

2. He had a for the future. (3-4)

-Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

-He was concerned for his future well-being.

-Jesus is urging us to be concerned for our future eternal well-being.

3. He made for the future. (5-7)

–So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

-The ethics of this guy certainly seemed out of line, but his ethics are not what is commended here…it was his jumping to action that Jesus seems to be highlighting here.

-As far as eternity goes, the Bible says there is only ONE way to make provision for it: John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

4. He responded with .

-He saw the truth of the situation and sought the solution!

-When it comes to eternity and what we have done with Jesus, we are not promised tomorrow.  There’s no time for delay in accepting Jesus personally!

*Jesus’ points to ponder:

A. Make worthwhile uses of your money. (9)

–And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

B. What you have has been entrusted to you by God for use (10-12)

–He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

C. now what/Who you will serve. (13)

–No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

II. A Application (Luke 16:14-18)

A. Ready Response (14)

–And the Pharisees also, who were covetous (lovers of money), heard all these things: and they derided (ridiculed) him.

B. Revealed (15)

–And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

C. Reemphasized (16-17)

–The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

D. Relational (18)

–Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

*Point is this: Culture should never determine our approach to life and to God, but we should look to God’s Word as our very reference point to approaching God and this life.

III. An Unsettling (Luke 16:19-31)

-This is a very unsettling story to read because of at least 3 comparisons Jesus makes:

A. Temporal Wealth Fades, But Eternal Wealth (19-21)

–From God’s perspective this is a contrast between a poor rich man and a rich poor man, between one who did not have God although he had much else and one who had God although he lacked all else. (James Boice)

B. Death Equalizes, But Categorizes (22-23)

-What happens after death is drastically different depending upon whether a person has trusted Jesus alone for their salvation from sin or not.

C. Remains in Life, But Finality Comes With Death (24-31)

-When death comes, it’s too late to prepare for eternity…NOW is the time to accept Christ…NOW is the time to tell others of their need to accept Christ.

–John 14:6, …I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.