Parable of the Unjust Steward - Luke 16: 1-13

0:57Now, I waited until Pastor Tom was away to preach this sermon. If you've noticed, he doesn't talk about money much at all from the pulpit. Like most good pastors who serve with humility, he doesn't want to come across like a money-grubbing Baptist preacher. But I don't get my paycheck here, so I feel there's no conflict of interest. As I said, Jesus talks a lot about money in the New Testament, even more than he does about heaven. Now, there are False teachers today who tell you that God wants you to be wealthy. We even have a name for that bunch. They preach the prosperity gospel or the health and wealth gospel. But Jesus' message regarding earthly wealth was very different from theirs. Jesus taught that it was hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. He taught that we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and that all these things would what?

2:00Would be added. So instead of hoarding earthly riches, we're told to invest them wisely in eternal things. Jesus' central message regarding stewardship and money can be summed up in the Sermon on the Mount that we read earlier, where Jesus tells us not to lay up treasures on earth, but to lay up treasures in heaven. For where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. And that's a common theme. That's really the theme that Jesus talks about with regard to money. You know, nobody enjoyed the songs today as much as I did because I was able to pick out parts of my sermon in them. You know, Brother Pat works really hard to try to make the songs kind of match up with the message, which is why we got to sing Prove Me, Try Me.

2:51Can you put the chorus of that? Those guys are busy back there. The chorus of that is really the text of my sermon. We could just sing that again and go home. Yeah, trust me, try me, prove me, saith the Lord of hosts, and see if it is a blessing, unmeasured blessing, I will pour out on thee. So when we trust God with our stewardship of everything he's given us, there's a blessing involved. Okay, and that's really today's message.

3:23Christ calls us to always remember that this is not our home. We're just here for a short while. Our eternal home is in heaven. We should live our lives with that in mind. And the way we view and spend our money is one of the indicators of our belief in this truth or not. So with this general understanding of how the Lord calls us to steward our possessions, and especially our money, let's read this very unusual parable. Luke 16, beginning in verse 1. Now, I've read, my sermon is kind of a mix of the ESV and New American Standard and New King James, but I think I'm going to read this from the ESV. He also said to his disciples, There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called to him and said to him, What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager. And the manager said to himself, What? Shall I do since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from the management, people may receive me into their houses. So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, How much do you owe, my master? He said, 100 measures of oil. And he said to him, Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write 50. Then he said to another, How much do you owe? And he said, 100 measures of wheat. And he said to him, Take your bill and write 80. The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.

5:26Now, our Lord told many parables about stewards. In Luke chapter 12, we've got the watchful servants, the faithful servant, and the evil servant. Over in Luke chapter 17, we've got unprofitable servants, and then there's parables about the minas and the talents. They generally all end with praise to the faithful and some measure of loss to the faithless. But as we examine this parable, we can see that this is one of the most puzzling stories that our Lord ever told. This is what I would call the upside-down story. Parable. Of course, the Lord knew exactly what he was doing when he told it, and with careful examination, we'll be able to see his point. I believe the purpose of this parable is this. Jesus calls his followers to use money for eternal purposes rather than for themselves or temporal purposes. I'll read this again. Jesus calls his followers to use their money for eternal purposes rather than for themselves, temporal purposes.

6:33Now, in spite of this troubling ending, this parable is actually very straightforward for the first seven verses. So, what you have here is a rich businessman who is being cheated by his steward. His steward cheats him further on his way out the door. The surprise is the reaction from the rich man in verse 8. And we'll deal with that when we get there. But first, let's make sure we understand the story Jesus is telling and why he chooses to progress it the way that he does. And I worked really hard to come up with an outline. And I don't have any slides, so you'll just have to pay attention. Here's the outline that I've kind of broken this down to. You're going to like this. It's got four words that begin with P. Right? Okay. So first we have the problem. Then you're going to see the panic, then the plan, and then the point. Okay? So first, let's read about the problem.

7:29In verse 8. 1. He also said to the disciples, well, let's stop there before we get to the disciples and let's ask the question: who is Jesus speaking to? We're told clearly here and purposefully that Jesus was speaking to his disciples. Now, in the previous chapter, Jesus told three parables about faithfulness to a mixed audience of Pharisees, of tax collectors, of sinners and scribes. But we infer here that the disciples were also among that group, but they were not the primary audience to those parables. Those parables were evangelistic in nature, extolling the love of God for that which was lost. A lost sheep out of a hundred, a lost coin out of ten, and a prodigal among two sons. But here, the message is different, and it's directed not at the crowd, but at the disciples, to those who are followers of Jesus, to those who would be charged with the great commission to make more disciples, to evangelize the lost. And the lesson here to them and to us is about stewardship, specifically followers of Christ having the right attitude about stewarding God's resources to advance his kingdom.

8:54So I want to stop for a minute and just make sure we all understand something the text is clear about here. This message is primarily. For those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and call him Lord. This message is to equip believers to be better prepared for the work of advancing the kingdom. Now, if that doesn't describe you, that's okay. We're glad you're here, but this lesson is really not directed at you. We're going to be talking about money, but not your money. So you can relax.

9:25Reading further, we're introduced to the two main characters of this story: a rich man and his steward, or his manager, and the problem. So here we read about the problem in verse 2, or sorry, verse 1. I'll continue on. There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager. Now, this really isn't hard to understand. We have a business owner with so much wealth, he has to hire people to help him manage it all. Apparently, his wealth is so vast, he does not even notice that there's something not right in his business. Other people have to let him know that he has a crooked manager handling his affairs. And then, as we might expect, when he receives the bad report about his steward, the rich man demands some accountability.

10:25He calls him in. This must have been an interesting exchange. The text says, He called him in and said to him, He called him in and said to him. Now, in the Marine Corps, we would call this a one-way conversation. The steward is probably standing at attention in front of the master's desk. He asks the steward about this charge, but no answer from the steward is recorded. He demands that the steward turn over his books for examination. And then, amazingly, the rich man tells the steward how this is going to end, for you can no longer be manager. Notice that the rich man does not immediately fire the steward, but has apparently left him in charge. And this unwise decision by the rich man creates an opportunity in Jesus' story for the steward to hatch a plan. But first, let's read about the steward's reaction, his panic. His panic in verses 3 and 4. And the manager said to himself, What shall I do? Since my master is taking the management away from me, I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.

11:53Now we're introduced to the steward in this story that we call the unjust steward. Jesus, in crafting this parable, makes this man into a truly unscrupulous, wicked manager. And as you'll see as the story unfolds, he is dishonest, he's lazy, he's prideful, and a cheat. Based on his reaction as being called in for an audit, we see that the accusation is likely true. He expresses no remorse, only self-concern. He does not prepare a defense. He panics.

12:35He doesn't protest. Apparently, he has been squandering his master's goods. The story indicates that he is guilty as charged. But instead of admitting his guilt and pleading for mercy, he does what he's become expert at: more cheating. His shady character is revealed as he cooks up one last scheme to take advantage of his last remaining moments of stewardship. Since apparently he'll be kicked out of the house, his main concern is where he will live and how he will support himself. So he comes up with a plan, true to his character, to make some deals to ensure he's taken care of when he is no longer steward.

13:21So let's read about the plan and how it's carried out in verses 5 through 7. So summoning his master's debtors, one By one, he said to the first, how much do you owe, my master? He said, 100 measures of oil. And he said to him, take your bill, sit down quickly, and write 50. Then he said to another, and how much do you owe? And he said, 100 measures of wheat. And he said to him, take your bill and write 80.

13:50Apparently, this steward manages his master's contracts for large-scale debt financing of futures contracts in agricultural commodities or something like that. It's not important. Remember, this is a story that Jesus is making up to communicate a principle. There's no hidden meaning in the wheat or the oil. So he calls in his master's debtors on whom he holds the contracts. He calls them in one by one. I suppose they're lined up outside the office or the table wherever he conducts his business. And we're shown two examples of how he reduces their debts significantly. These are enormous debts, which indicate that these men that he's dealing with are big-time operators who are heavily indebted to the master. These debts would be probably due at harvest time, so they represent loans, operating loans, from the master to these men so they can produce their crops. And then they pay when the crop comes in. So to one, he reduces. Reduces the debt by 50%.

15:03To the other, he reduces from 100 down to 80%, a 20% reduction. In doing so, he's basically cheating his master out of what these men originally had agreed to pay him with these debt reductions. His master will be paid less when the harvest comes in and the debt comes due, but this also means that these producers will keep more of the profit. Now, the measures that are recorded here are unfamiliar to us today, but they are significant amounts. 50 measures of oil would have been the equivalent to about two or three years' wages for a laborer. 20 measures of wheat would have been a similar value. So, to put it in terms we can understand today, what if you had a home mortgage and your loan officer called you in and said, hey, let's cut it in half. That'd be okay?

15:59How would you feel about that? How would you feel about that loan officer? You think he could count on you for a favor? Probably a big favor. Now, what the steward did in this parable and what these men were participating in was unethical. It was within his managerial authority. He had still been left in charge, briefly. But just because something is legal doesn't make it morally or ethically right. And that's clear in this parable. So the steward is very clear. Crooked. So far, there's nothing to be commended here. Jesus paints a very dark picture. What point could he possibly be trying to make to his disciples or to us? Well, the answer is found in the next verse, which is the surprise ending to the story. So let's get to the point of the parable in verse 8 as we look at the master's reaction. Now, what we'd expect to read when we first read this would be something like this. And the master cursed the unjust steward and delivered him up to the torturers, where there was great weeping and gnashing of teeth, and he'd be cast into outer darkness. But instead, we read the master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. So obviously, this is very puzzling.

17:24Up until now, the story has been pretty easy to follow until we get to verse 8. Is Jesus telling us to go therefore and do likewise? No, that's not stated here, nor is it consistent with the rest of Scripture. The wicked steward has effectively stolen from his master. He's violated the eighth commandment, so we cannot take that lesson from the parable. Jesus uses this surprise ending to the parable to make a very important point. Of course, Jesus, the master storyteller, does this with a purpose. I think he helps us to see. See his point by painting it on a very dark canvas so that this one gem can stand out brilliantly. Because the whole parable turns on this verse, this surprise commendation. It's not what was expected.

18:15And really, it turns on one word. Do you see what it is? The key word in the whole parable is the word shrewd, his shrewdness. He acted shrewdly. The Greek word is phronomos, which means to act wisely or cleverly, prudently, or sensibly, to be practically wise, or, in street terms, he's savvy. There's a sense of the master nodding his head and saying, Well played, steward. Well played. He wryly acknowledges that the steward has used his own money to make for himself friends to be his retirement plan. And that's pretty clever. It's shrewd. And then in the second half of the verse, just so we don't miss it, Jesus sums up the point clearly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.

19:24In effect, Jesus is saying the ungodly appear to operate in this world more shrewdly. Than my own followers. So, this is a parable of contrasts. You've got sons of this world versus the sons of light. Well, who are they? This is not hard to figure out. The sons of this world refers to the unredeemed, those who live in the secular, the ungodly. The sons of light refers to Jesus' disciples, those who have repented of their sins, they place their trust in him, those who have responded to the light of the gospel.

20:02How does Jesus contrast the unredeemed with the redeemed, the sinners and the saints, if you will? Does Jesus point out that those of this world are more gracious, or more forgiving, or more truthful, or more hardworking than the redeemed? No. He says that they are more shrewd than believers are. And he wants that not to be so. Shrewdness is the desired quality here. Unbelievers, apparently, are better stewards in the way they use their resources than believers. And Jesus is pointing out that he would like this to change. What he's pointing out is this: those who have no interest in heaven are doing a better job in preparing for their earthly home than his children are in preparing for their eternal home. Another way to put it is Jesus. Would be saying, there are people who are working hard at shrewd earthly investments, so they'll retire in comfort. But I don't see that shrewdness from my followers in laying up treasures in heaven. Instead, you're laying up treasures in earth like I told you not to do. Another way to put it would be Jesus saying, I want my children to use the earthly resources that I have given them to invest in things that have eternal value. I want them to apply the same kind of thought, energy, drive, and intensity on eternal things, just like this unjust steward did on earthly things.

21:44So, by showing us this unjust steward and his shrewdness, Jesus is instructing us to be just stewards or faithful stewards. He wants us to be shrewd with eternity in mind. And while we're different in every way from this unjust steward, there is one similarity that Christ desires for his followers to have: the proper understanding that our temporal resources are to be used wisely for eternal purposes. And just to make sure we get his point, Jesus follows this parable with three lessons for his disciples and for us. So, we can continue reading as Jesus expounds the parable.

22:31You know, usually when Jesus spoke in parables, it was to hide the meaning to unbelievers and to make it clear to his followers. In Matthew 13, 11, Jesus says that to you it's been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to them it's not been granted. But this time, he doesn't want to hide the message from anyone. So the first lesson he gives is basically this. Use your earthly wealth to bring others to Christ. In verse 9, we read, and I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. And different translations talk about making friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon. That's a fun word, referring to the money of this world.

23:24It's a very intriguing verse, and it's hard to know where to start to discuss it. The term unrighteous or worldly wealth might be easily understood. Jesus is not saying that believers should gain wealth unrighteously like the unjust steward and then be generous with it. Unrighteousness here, in reference to wealth or mammon or money, might mean that earthly riches have a corrupting influence on us. And that would generally be true. But money is not inherently evil, only the love of money.

24:01That leads to all sorts of sin. So, the structure of this verse presents a contrast between the former and the latter, a bad and a good. The righteous wealth, I'm sorry, the unrighteous wealth is contrasted with eternal dwellings. One is lasting and one will pass away. So, I think Jesus is simply contrasting the temporal with the eternal. Unrighteous mammon belongs to this passing world, while eternal dwellings is where we find our heavenly wealth. So, we're told to use our temporal resources for eternal good. Another interesting word in this parable is friends. The steward in this parable used his master's money unjustly to make friends who would take care of him and secure his future. But even that would be temporal, it'd be a few years, the rest of his life, perhaps, but certainly not eternity. So, unlike the unjust steward, our master is telling us to be generous with his resources in order to make friends for eternity. Use these temporal resources here, this stuff that belongs to this world, use it for eternal purposes, to make friends for eternity. That's an interesting eternal friends? Where will these eternal friends be? This isn't very difficult to figure out, really. Because since they welcome us in our eternal dwellings, that can only be in heaven. So these are friends that are ones who are converted to Christ as we use the master's resources to reach them. The picture here is they will welcome us in heaven when we arrive.

25:50Can you imagine that scene? But what's the implication here? Use the wealth of this world for the furtherance of the gospel, evangelism. Use it to spread the gospel. Bring more people with you. So steward the master's resources so that more people will hear about Christ. The picture that the Lord paints is the result. A reception line in heaven when you arrive. And the people in that line are the ones you were somehow involved in getting the gospel to them. Maybe you shared your faith with them. Maybe you shared your faith with them when you bought them lunch or you took them out to eat or you invited them into your home. Maybe they were saved as a result of a mission trip that you couldn't go on, but you gave money so that others could go. Or maybe they were saved when they came to the church that you helped to support or to build. This is how we can use our wealth, our earthly wealth, to bring others to Christ. Well, the second lesson that the Lord gives. Is that faithful stewardship is rewarded? Faithful stewardship is rewarded. We read here in verse 10, one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much. And one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

27:21If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give to you that which is your own? The money that God blesses us with here on earth is simply a test of stewardship. The Bible establishes the proper use of money. We're to earn it to support ourselves, to support our families, to support our nation in taxes, as well as to help people in need. Wise stewardship is learned in stages. Small things first, and then more as we're found faithful in that little that we're entrusted with. The thought here is that of being entrusted with riches. This has both a temporal and eternal meaning to it. When we use the master's resources here for eternal purposes, as we've discussed, it's in God's nature, it's in his plan, it's his practice to give us more to continue to do his work. If we use it wisely, he wants to reinforce that.

28:33If we take what we're given and squander it, on the other hand, on selfish pursuits, on status symbols, indulgent purposes, we're told not to expect anymore. As stewards, we have an opportunity to invest in the advancement of the gospel, something that has eternal significance. When we waste that opportunity, when we waste those resources, we rob ourselves of true riches. Either way, we'll give an account of our stewardship. So the things that we own are ultimately not our possessions anyway. They are blessings held in a divine trust to be invested wisely, as wisely as possible, for the eternal good of others and for the glory of God. We have to remember Christ's instructions about where to lay up our treasure, on earth or in heaven. One will not last, the other will last for eternity. By the way, it's not sinful to have wealth. Proverbs 21:20 says that there is desirable treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but the foolish man squanders it.

29:45It's our attitude about wealth and money and what we do with it that demonstrates our heart, which leads us to the third lesson that Jesus would conclude with. And that lesson is basically that believers. Believers should focus their hearts on God and not on money. Believers should focus their hearts on God and not on money. Verse 13, the Lord says that no servant can serve two masters, for 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 God and money. We read these words earlier from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus repeats it here again in this lesson. So we see this contrast between God and money, hate and love. To love God is to hate money, and to love money is to hate God. There's no room in the human heart for both, for both of these. It's either one or the other. Loving one sets your heart against the other. Again, having wealth is not sinful, but to love it is. To pursue it above godliness is.

31:04We must not have any idols that come before God. The word here in this passage about serving God, you cannot serve God and money. Serving is the word doulos in Greek. It has the connotation of a slave. So the admonition here is to not be a slave to money, but be a slave to God. And that is not a bad sentence. Slavery. So, what we do with our treasure indicates where our hearts are. The way we manage our stewardship is an important indicator, revealing whether we are genuine believers or simply window shoppers. Followers of Christ are to see money as something that we are stewards of. We manage it for the master.

31:53We take care of our families with it. We pay taxes with it. We bless others with it. But if God is our master, then our wealth will be at his disposal. In other words, the faithful and just steward, whose master is God, will employ that wealth in building up the kingdom of God. Now, why is money such a scripture? Is it because perhaps we have some difficulty in our lives in dealing with it? I mean, maybe. Is it mentioned so much in Scripture because God's trying to talk us into giving it to Him because He needs it?

32:32God doesn't need our money, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Here are some possible reasons why this is such a big topic in Scripture. One is because we misplace our trust. We tend to place our security in our bank balance than in the Lord's provision. Another reason it's mentioned so much is because we, if He didn't mention it, we would miss out on the blessings that come from a right understanding of God. Of how to use and steward God's resources. God allows us the opportunity and the privilege and the blessing of being His hands and feet in this world, and sometimes His wallet.

33:15I think probably the most important reason why we see Scripture talk about finances and money so much is simply for our own sanctification. It's a test of faith. How we handle these temporal resources is an indicator of our faith and will help us to build our faith. God does tend to bless those who honor Him in their giving. Proverbs chapter 3, verses 9 and 10 says, Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your increase. Then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine. This principle of first fruits giving is seen all throughout Scripture. And when you practice this, when you develop this practice in your lives, you acknowledge that God is the source of any financial increase that you have. He owns it all, and He allows us to be stewards of some of it in proportion to our faithfulness. How is our attitude toward our stewardship of God's resources demonstrated in our lives? I'm going to spend the remainder of our time here to discuss three practical ways, three practices to apply good stewardship. The first one is. Pretty obvious. Steward your finances, steward your money by giving some of it to the work of the church. This is not something you hear about or even see anymore these days. Churches, as I mentioned, tend to stay away from this topic because they have a reputation of always asking for money. But there is a sanctifying effect that occurs when we practice regular giving of our money to the church. We grow in our trust in the Lord and in His provision by not holding on too tight to that which He's blessed us with. We learn that God will provide even when we're not sure how. We learn to be obedient and faithful in the small things that He has blessed us with, and we leave the results up to Him. That's how He grows us in sanctification. When we take just a portion that He's blessed us with, we return it back to Him, acknowledging that He's the source of it. I want you to emphasize, I want you to notice that I'm emphasizing giving to the church. There are many ministries and missionaries that you can support with your finances as you're led, and you're welcome to do that. We're free to do that.

35:48Remember, however, that throughout the New Testament that God has established the church as the primary vehicle for the ministry of the Word and for the promulgation of the gospel. The money you give here is faithfully invested in gospel ministry at home and abroad. Everything around here, everything we do, the buildings that we enjoy, the lights, the air conditioning, doesn't happen for free. The money you give helps to keep the lights and the air conditioning on, as well as covering our other costs, such as personnel, other ministry costs, building costs, and supporting missions.

36:29You know, when I was a kid, it was common each week during a church service, something used to happen then that doesn't happen anymore. Who knows what it is? Passing the plate, okay? Yeah, they would pass the plate for you youngsters. They used to pass the plate down the pews each week during a worship service. It was part of the service so that folks could place their offering in there as the plate was passed. The quiet expectation was that each Lord's Day you would bring some money, usually, you know, you'd bring something to give to the Lord. Now, when I was a kid, each Sunday, my parents would give me some money, usually some change, to put in the plate. And I would see them putting in their offering as well. Now, I know this is not a perfect model of first fruits giving, but it was a visual reminder that taught us from a young age that we have an opportunity.

37:30And a responsibility, a blessing, a privilege to give our money to the church as a way to worship the Lord as part of our worship. Now, we're not going to start passing the plate around here, but I do encourage you that, in the absence of that, make regular giving to the church a part of your worship. And if you have children, make sure they learn at an early age to practice this as well. The second practical way to apply good stewardship is to steward your time by serving the church. We talked about stewarding your money by giving to your church. Steward your time by serving the church. Time is a limited quantity, also, it's a resource that the Lord gives us. We all have the same amount of it, unlike money.

38:20So find a place to use your spiritual gifts among the body here at Emmanuel. Now, you may have other places that you serve in the community, but don't overlook the use of your gifts here in your church home. The Bible is clear that the church is like a body with many members. Many members doing their part. The body is blessed by each member, and the body loses out when a member is missing. I encourage you to make time in your busy schedule to find a place of service in your church. Talk to one of the elders or deacons here, and we'll make sure you have a place to serve that builds you up as well as. Edifies the entire body of Christ. Remember, your time is not your own. So redeem the time, for the days are evil. They're quickly passing away. So steward your time by finding a place to serve at your church.

39:16The third lesson here is that we should steward all our resources to advance the gospel. Steward all your resources to advance the gospel. Acknowledge that everything we own is not our own. We've been entrusted with much, especially here in the United States, to find ways to be faithful to use those, to use what you have as much as possible for eternal purposes. We brought nothing into this world, and we can carry nothing out. So how would you do this? Practice hospitality. Invite fellow members into your home or go out to eat for fellowship, encouragement, strengthening relationships. Build those relationships. Discuss the word. Let iron sharpen iron. Invite unbelieving friends or colleagues into your home or out for a meal and talk about your faith with them. Find opportunities to do that. Bake cookies for our First Friday evangelism nights. Be faithful with what you have and use it for eternal purposes. So whether it's money, time, or resources, we should remember to use them for the glory of God. That faithful stewardship is rewarded with greater stewardship. And we must ensure that God comes before them all in our lives.

40:36So, Jesus uses the unjust steward to reinforce his lessons to his followers to have a right understanding of our money and our other resources, to use them for heavenly purposes, for the glory of God. Christ calls upon us to distinguish between the temporal and the eternal because our citizenship is not here, it's in heaven. We're just passing through. The way we view and spend our money is one of the indicators of our belief on whether this is true or not.

41:10You know, during the war in Iraq in 2003, there were a lot of these floating around. This is just a facsimile because I gave all mine away. Anyone know what this is? Iraqi dinar with Saddam Hussein's picture on it. At one time, they had some value. Now it's just a worthless piece of paper. How foolish it was for those people, as coalition forces were massing to invade Iraq, held on to these, hoarding these. They would have been better off to spend that money before the invasion happened. After American forces arrived in Baghdad and the government collapsed, these became worthless. By holding on to it, they suffered loss.

42:02This is an American dollar. Maybe it's not worth as much as it used to be, but it still has value. But there will be a day when these are worth as much as this Iraqi dinar. When Jesus returns, this will be worthless too. So use it now for eternal purposes. Put your unrighteous mammon where it will do the most good. Use it wisely. Use it shrewdly for eternal good. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are a creator of everything, that you sustain everything, you hold it together by the power of your word, the power of your might, that we don't have to worry about our provision. That you've told us that you own it all, you control it all, and that you give it to us as we need it in proportion to our faithfulness. Lord, help us to be wise.

43:12Help us to be just stewards of what you've given us. Help us to have the vision to see that this is all passing away. Help us to invest it wisely in ways that will last. Help us to bring others, friends, into the kingdom with us. And I pray that you would help us. To be faithful in doing so, and that we would always put you first in our lives. It's for your glory and for the sake of your name, the Son Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.